Isn't the foliage of this whitebark pine simply LUXURIOUS?

This Pinus albicaulis specimen is part of a collection of 170 trees and shrubs in the Normand Boucher Community Arboretum, located in the town of Peace River, in northern Alberta.  Named for the founder of a local family-owned sawmill, the Arboretum was established in 1990 to honour the town's designation as the provincial  "Forest Capital."  A revitalization project six years later doubled the size of the Arboretum and allowed for the planting of many more trees. 

Here's another image taken at sunrise on Nose Hill (Calgary, Alberta) on March 1.    I absolutely love the light in this one.

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Somebody wasn't too happy to see me (or have his picture taken) so early in the morning! I knew there were porcupines up on Nose Hill (Calgary, Alberta) but until today, I had never encountered one.

Sending a little good cheer your way! :)

I can't believe tomorrow is March 1st (wasn't it just Christmas?)! What fun plans - gardening or otherwise - do you have for the new month?

Just a few blocks from where I live, the students of a small elementary school called Dr. E.W. Coffin have adopted a park called Whispering Woods.  What makes Whispering Woods so special is that it is an outdoor learning facility, directly tied in to the students' classroom curriculum. Through interpretive signs and nature walks (there's even a seating area built for lectures), the children learn science and language skills, and explore concepts such as the stewardship of nature and the interconnectivity of ecosystems.

(Photo credit:  R. Normandeau)

It's Valentine's Day, and that may mean you're either giving or receiving flowers...and I'm sure more than a few marriage proposals and weddings are happening around the world today as well. What do the flowers in all those beautiful bouquets signify?

The Language of Flowers (floriography) is a folklore tradition that became popular during the Victorian era.  

From the archives: Sunset over Macleod Lake, Whitecourt, Alberta - July 2012. (This was taken from inside the boat - you can see the smoke from numerous campfires hanging over the shoreline).

Beaver Ponds, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful these past few days, with above freezing temperatures and lots of bright sun. It won't last, but we'll take it while we can get it! :)

On Friday, my hubby and I made a day trip out to the mountains to enjoy the scenery and do a little snowshoeing. The Elkwood Trail in Kananaskis Country…

On the Elkwood Snowshoe Trail, Kananaskis Country, Alberta.

Okay, I admit:  I've been lacking a little colour in my life lately, and this dreary winter is really getting me down.  But not any longer....

What do you think?  Is it too much?  ;)

Cattails growing alongside a slough in Nose Hill Park, Calgary, Alberta.

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Snow falling over junipers in northwest Calgary.

From the archives: A shot of some interesting ice formations on the Kananaskis River on Christmas Day 2012.