Return home

 The day after I got home, workmen arrived to cut up the tree that had fallen in the front yard.

I rescued the flowers that had not already been smashed, as I knew that the "lumberjacks" would trample them.

 

At the same time mulch and topsoil was delivered for the spring garden projects.

It only took a few hours and the tree (some of it splintered and thrown around the property) was cut up and cleared away. The fence is bent, the eaves-trough warped, next doors window is broken, Rick's car door is dented and the garden shed has a hole in it. I have no idea which of those things will be "sorted" but for now my garden can get to its spring purpose - growing and flowering.

Parts of the tree flew through the air and landed 3 houses down, on the lake side. Amazing!

The posts that hold the birdfeeders were bent, but Rick was able to bend them back, and a couple of the feeders were damaged beyond repair however bird feeding is back in full swing. 

Male Baltimore Oriole.

Female Baltimore Oriole.

Male Downy Woodpecker

In next doors apple tree, Cedar Waxwing.

I have a new "point and shoot" camera and it has a great zoom.

Edmonton 2025 - homeward bound.

 Our last day in Waterton we checked out of the hotel and planned on taking a short hike, but the road was closed (due to open the next day). Plan B was a different hike and we headed up that road. A car, up ahead, was stopped and we saw why.

 

Mum and baby had just crossed the river and walked right by us to our delight.

Below are the videos for those who are able to see them.

 

After they had passed we continued up the road

still through the wildfire ravaged scenery until

we came to another "Road Closed" barricade.

We got out of the car and walked around a little but decided that a hike wasn't in the cards and headed for home.

As we left the park I took this panorama, looking back. The road north, all the way to Calgary, has views of the distant Rockies on the left.

The next day I flew home to Ontario.

Whenever I visit the kids want me to paint them something. This year it was Maya's favorite cartoon character and

a scene from one of Avery's favorite video games.

Back home, Rick was taking care of Rasta and taking pictures of galaxies.

Edmonton 2025 - spring wildflowers in Waterton Lakes

 When I planned this blog post I "googled" wildflowers in Waterton Lakes and discovered that it is nicknamed "The Wildflower Capital of Canada" and has over 400 flower species with 175 of them considered rare. Who knew?

There is also a website devoted to the wildflowers in the park so I was able to identify most of the ones I took pictures of.

I had spotted a couple of flowers on the first day hiking down Bear's Hump Trail but hadn't mentioned them to the others as it was while I was enjoying the peace and quiet of walking down slowly while the rest of the family forged ahead. This is a Glacier Lily.

 

The leaves of this look like a Holly but it is a Creeping Oregon Grape.

About half an hour into the Bertha Falls hike, Mike pointed out these. After that Maya and I were on the hunt for flowers.

Prairie Pasque Flower.

Turns out that Maya is a very good flower spotter. Hooked Spur Violet. We saw numerous violets of various colours The website listed 4 different varieties.

Harsh Indian Paintbrush.

I didn't need the internet to identify this as a wild strawberry but it is officially a Virginia Strawberry.

More of the Creeping Oregon Grape.

These were tiny, that's the tip of my hiking pole. I wasn't able to identify this one, maybe one of the Geraniums.

Finally, nearly back at the village, Western Blue Clematis.

 These were all found alongside the trail, mostly where the undergrowth was recovering from the wildfire. The info on the internet indicates that the best wildflowers are in the prairie areas of the park in May and June.

Edmonton 2025 - Lower Bertha Falls Trail

 

On our way to the start of the hike for the day, we passed the falls we saw the previous night

and Maya and River tested how close the deer would come if they sat, still and quiet, in the nearly empty campground.

The Lower Bertha Falls trail starts beside the campground and gradually climbs beside the lake. It was a much easier, though longer, hike

The melting snow created lots of mini waterfalls and creeks. As it was getting warm, caps were dipped in the freezing cold water and returned to already sweaty heads.

View from the first lookout spot. Still climbing through the wildfire area.

Then the trail turned away from the lake and up a valley,

with the sound of a rushing river below.

The falls were worth the hike. The trail continued but we talked to people who had gone further and they said that the snow was too deep.

It was a great place for photos. (Mike carried River most of the time in the "Sultan's Chair")

We had a snack on a bench by the river. Somehow the wildfire had jumped this little valley and we enjoyed the shade for a change.

Family reflections.

The walk back was just as lovely and Mike challenged the kids to a dip in the lake. I didn't think they would take him up on it but, first Maya, and then Avery, did.

So, after dinner

first Mike and

and then all 3, took the polar plunge. Fully immersed, head under!

That is crazy!!

The only downside to an otherwise great day was the number of deer ticks we found on clothes, in hair and later on the walls and bed (kids had been lying on it in their clothes) but we got everyone "deticked".