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  1 Jeepers..I know there's little real value in talking about it here (doubt there'd be any separatists or on-the-fencers here) but I just can't believe (okay, I can) how *stupid* #Alberta separatists are! For those outside Canada- the nutshell version is that there are longstanding complaints that many national gov'ts in Canada have given precedence to the needs/wishes of historically more populous provinces in Central/Eastern Canada. There is *some* validity to this, esp in the...

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  Still active storm clouds around this past weekend. Storms begin in the foothills west of Rocky generally gain strength as they move east + often north into warmer zones. This is often nearly parallel to my route home though usually angling north of highway 11, I live south. None hit in town where I was working nor at home (Saturday we drove into the edge of the first one as we got close to home- heavy rain + hail but then turned south + drove away from it #storms #weather #Alberta #photography

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  Saw this little person on the Painted Daisy/Pyrethrum/Tanacetum coccineum. Looking for all the world like a tiny snake! it seems likely it is the caterpillar of a Pug Moth of one species or another. #moth #caterpillar #insects #nature #garden #photography #Alberta #Canada #CountryLiving

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  Mystified that we still have a system where we must absolutely prove that chemicals, technologies, additives, pollutants etc are harmful-- it should be the opposite! Prove clearly that they are *not* harmful before they are allowed-- why should we wait 5, 10, 30 years for people to die to decide to *maybe* take action? #capitalism

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  1 Extra excitement Saturday at work- beyond usual insane workload (triple in summer)- we had Wild weather including tornado within spitting distance (we could see it out the back door). It had been a hot humid day, severe thunderstorm watch, later tornado watch added- then actual warning as one formed nearby. Before that I saw the storm clouds coming + said 'I'm going out to do garbage 'now' before that arrives' lol #storm #Alberta #Canada

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  Ox-eye daisies are invasive here and I generally mow them- I let one patch reach full flower just for fun, and many pollinators do love them (I'll chop/pull before they seed). Here it is visited by a Leafcutter Bee- always fun to see these little folk. #bees #NativeBees #garden #BloomScrolling #florespondence #pollinators #insects #inverts #flowers #weeds #nature #GetOutside #summer

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  Tiny native bees among other critters enjoying the flowers in the rock garden- native plants have not started to flower yet (except poplars and willows, the first herbaceous could be any day). On Draba aizoides and Tulipa urumiensis (or something) #garden #insects #bees #pollinators #spring #Alberta #Canada #inverts #BloomScrolling #Florespondence #photography

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  These photos were ready- even alt! about a week ago but I somehow didn't get them posted ( plants + critters season is starting: no chance of keeping up...lol) Aspen Populus tremuloides starting to flower last week- 1 of the first species along with a few willows. The long catkins with yellow pollen clusters showing are fully open/flowering, but I think they look prettier when not as open, so fuzzier, with the closed pollen sacs showing the red outsides #spring #BloomScrolling #Alberta #tre...

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  Hoverfly- there were 2 huddled on a wall yesterday: temps below 10C/50F after a few days in the 20C/68F range + threat of showers. Today dipped a few degrees further + scattered snow flurries + strong winds. Next days near/below freezing daytime with possibility of a little to a lot of snow. Surprised to see these little people out already- only flowers so far are *some* of the aspens + willows. #insects #InvertBeauty #FlyDay #InsectFriday #spring #weather #Alberta #Canada #photography

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  @HopelessDemigod @dillyd yes-- vast number of different species of cacti and regional and horticultural forms within the species-- lots of different flowering times through the year, and all sorts of variations in flower colour, size, spines and every other character you could think of :)

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  @HopelessDemigod @dillyd some people get lost in those variations for life...lol

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  The last few weeks have seen warm melting days, numerous snowfalls, solid freezing days- spring weather! The first few days of spring were not warm or sunny but we did have some fun clouds and pretty #frost and #light! #commute #Alberta #Canada #landscape #photography #weather

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  From a log I was cutting the other day-- Buddha holding a cauldron?? Image slightly enhanced to make the subject clear, but it was quite evident in person.. EDIT: alternate take- my friend just saw it and said the figure is 'sending out powers' (think casting magic spells or opening a portal or...) #firewood #CountryLiving #Photography #Pareidolia #nature

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  Saturday vs Sunday commute. The highway wasn't bad either day, but the gravel road ( I have 3-4 miles depending on route, to get to pavement) was soupy and sloppy-mud, slush, ruts- from snow earlier in the week then again Saturday night and Sunday. Mix of snow (maybe some rain) with melting continues tonight and tomorrow (Monday/Tuesday) then some warmer drier days-at least until the weekend...lol #weather #Alberta #Canada #April #Sprinter #snow #commute #landscape #photography

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  A question appeared on the path before me yesterday, written in a puddle through fresh snow: "Is it Spring?" (yes, it really is, this is one of the true faces of spring here...lol) does this count as #pareidolia ? #snow #Alberta #Canada #April #spring #CountryLiving #photography

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  New growth could be appearing in the next few weeks, depending on coming weather ( a few warm days coming, then more rain and snow...lol) but meantime last year's growth is still delivering in the Xeric/Native Beds (includes some near natives and exotics that fit the habitats) including a cute (very ephemeral) melt pool and a patch of #MarginalGarden #garden #Alberta #RockGarden #PollinatorGarden #spring #winter #sprinter #photography

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  A supply run to town last week, before the big snow that came a couple of days later. In the last 9 days we've been as high as 10C/50F and as low as -24C/-11C, several snowfalls including one of 20-30cm, some high winds (coming again tomorrow) and some rain + melting at other times that have led to ice. In the next few days we could get up around 15C/59-it's gonna get wet, and then again icey overnight some days.... #weather #Alberta #Canada #landscape #CountryLiving #photograph...

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  Turbinicarpus klinkerianus - Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus subsp. klinkerianus -this had been lumped into Gymnocactus for years, it seems Turbinicarpus is back in... Tiny thing, it seems to flower every time I water? (not that often...lol) #cactus #houseplants #WindowsillGarden #succulent #BloomScrolling #florespondence #flower #spring

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  Just watched a news story about the debate over boiling live lobsters-- something that always seemed completely obscene to me. Various countries are banning the practise, and apparently there are academics on both sides of the debate: do they feel pain or not and if they do do they have the neuron capacity to feel suffering? The species centric idea that other life forms don't matter is disgusting. Rather than having to prove they feel pain, how about proving they don't? #Animal...

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  Wishing all a happy and blessed season ahead (yesterday was Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, Autumn in the South). We had some springy weather earlier in the week (to at least 59C/60F) but the day itself rolled in just a few degrees above freezing (just a little below average) with some pretty fog. Rain and snow overnight and that looks about the same for the week ahead #spring #winter #sprinter #Alberta #Canada #nature #GetOutside #BorealForest

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  Since I couldn't go to work yesterday, I went for a walk in the bush- keeping an ear on the trees- with winds potentially gusting to 100km/62mi per hour, I was alert for falling branches or whole trees- a couple of times I thought-okay- time to move along! Here's an 8 minute video featuring some of the crazy blowing snow with bonus of some cute birds in the yard eating seeds :) YT link Spectra to follow https://youtu.be/35vTphM3MeU #winter #nature #GetOutside #Storm #wind #weath...