Crocuses in the high country . . . and more snow

From last weekend, a warm one in the mountains west of Calgary where crocuses are blooming.

Abby goes higher still, west of Longview . . .

http://www.goldentales.ca/CSC_4217-edit1.jpg

Below, even up here, there are bones to be found, this from a deer and Keeper was on the case in a flash.

http://www.goldentales.ca/DSC_4130-edit1.jpg

Below, same place as above, crocuses are blooming.

http://www.goldentales.ca/DSC_4068-edit1.jpg

The previous weekend was a different story, a sudden snow storm blanketing Abby and Keeper's prairie home.

Below, Keeper is miffed that the elk herd is ignoring her again, emerging from the snow and fog. These elk are transiting the field in front of our house every morning right now.

http://www.goldentales.ca/CSC_3983-edit1.jpg

Below, the elk stop and turn towards a threat . . . the farmer is out on the other side of the valley, honking his horn maddly at his cows. Within a minute, these elk had turned the other way and romped off in the always mesmerizing panic stampede.

http://www.goldentales.ca/CSC_3885-edit1.jpg

Below, Abby searches for mouses along an old fence line in our yard, the snow falling gently around her. By late afternoon, all this snow was gone and the grass was greening yet again.

http://www.goldentales.ca/CSC_3889-edit1.jpg

Below, same day, we had retreated into a nearby forest for a walk, Keeper crossing the path as the sun starts to materialize.

http://www.goldentales.ca/DSC_3975-edit1.jpg

Below, Keeper happily running through the forest:

http://www.goldentales.ca/CSC_3981-edit1.jpg

Below, the week before, the week before, Keeper descends a cliff:

http://www.goldentales.ca/CSC_3679-edit1.jpg

Beautiful weekend here with 23 Celcius yesterday, warmer than Orlando, but back into the deep freeze a bit this week. Calgary gets one-third of its annual snowfall in April.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

Rick, as always your pictures render me speechless. What beautiful country you live in and Abby and Keeper are always such a pleasurable subject to be looking at.

That first picture is amazing. It reminds me of some shot from a movie.

Your photos are always so stunning, I really enjoy every single one you post. What a beautiful area :cloud9: My mother grew up in the prairies and my father in BC, I've only been out there three times, but it has to be some of the most breathtaking scenery!

Rick C, where do you live? It's beautiful there... I think I would like to move there. I miss mountians or even hills... i live in Illinois, the flatest place in the world...lol

Beautiful as always, Rick. :thumbs up :cloud9:

amazing photos all the shots are wonderful, all wallpaper material, lol

I love the "Keeper crossing the path" shot all those snowy trees are mezmerizing :cloud9:

Rick C, where do you live? It's beautiful there... I think I would like to move there. I miss mountians or even hills... i live in Illinois, the flatest place in the world...lol

Abby and Keeper live on the prairie, about 25 minutes southwest of Calgary, where the Great Plains start to meet the Rockies.

Where Abby is climbing in the first picture above, it's about a 40 minute, round-about drive from the house . . . . . but a ghostly Keeper, below, walks the summertime grassy prairie at her home.

http://www.goldentales.ca/P1080554_edited-1.jpg

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

I love the "Keeper crossing the path" shot all those snowy trees are mezmerizing :cloud9:

Here's a shot from a few years ago, on the same path, but higher up and further west, also looking east:

http://www.goldentales.ca/P1000867_edited-4.jpg

Interestingly, this picture was "Most Outstanding" at the county fair last year!!! Big fish, small pond. Keeper in this one as well but in the picture earlier in the thread, she would be down the valley and into the forest on the left on a secondary path going the same direction. This is an obscure park that few know about but one that takes about 1.5 hours to circumfrence on paths like this. Brown-Lowery Park on Plummer's Road for anyone local who wants to visit.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

Rick, you take outstanding pictures!!! These should be in calendars or something like that!!!! Wonderful! I would blow them up and frame them and then put them in my house if I could.

Beautiful, absolutely stunning. How truly gorgeous your photos are. I really can not imagine how breathtaking this would be in person. It must be very soul healing to be surrounded by all this and have Abbey and Keeper be there with you. Very enjoyable thread. thank you

Interestingly, this picture was "Most Outstanding" at the county fair last year!!!

I'm not surprised :D Every single picture you take could be titled "Most Outstanding" :thumbs up

That one is also an awesome shot. Love the sunlight on the trees in the background ~ same golden colour as Keeper :lovestruck:

all beautiful photos as usual, but I especially love the one of Keeper going down the cliff!

wow absolutely gorgeous shots...your dogs and the scenery is always so beautiful:cloud9:

:D Any chance you have a picture taken in the Summer from the same spot as the "Keeper crossing the path" picture? To get a comparison of the seasons :D

I just can't pick a favourite......they are all amazing photos. :cloud9: