The Bonus of Visiting Ben.

Late November, I flew to Calgary, Canada to meet my 2 month old Grandson. It was a very special two weeks, which flew far too quickly.

My heart was filled with joy each time I held this precious bundle, but the added bonus was enjoying the magnificent landscape that surrounds where my son and family live. I was fortunate that the temperature was mild at the time of my visit. It ranged from 6C to -7C during the day. A week later the range was -20C to -39C and fresh snow. I would have loved the fresh snow, but I am not sorry to have missed the extreme cold.

When Ben was asleep, Stuart and I would take Gunner their Sheba dog, for a walk along the Bow River, just a ten minute walk from their unit.

The river just 2 weeks before my visit.

On the afternoon, of the day after my arrival.

As we walked back to the unit, we spotted the near, full moon rising.

I watched for it over the next several nights and on the sunrise walks [9am]

The walks with Gunner were regular, with the views mesmerising me on each visit.

Midmorning, 2nd December.

Monday 4th - We took the 10 minute drive into Canmore for Gunner to have a much needed, long walk, for exercise. The drive down the valley to Canmore was superb! 

The walk was equally so!

Sunset, 5 December - view east.

View west.

Sunrise, 6 December - setting off walking at 8.30am.

Midmorning Stuart and I drove to Cochrane to collect a parcel. The vistas were stunning.

And the sunset was hard to beat as well.

Midday, 7 December - Driving to Banff, Cascade Mountain dominated the skyline.

Cascade Mtn, as seen through the wing mirror of the car, as we drove home.

The sun was up on the 8th when we took Gunner for his morning stretch. His brother Magner was visiting.

Sunset on the 9th.

Sunrise on the 10th.

Sunset on the 10th.

Sunday, 11 December.

Sunrise - the morning was magical beyond belief. My post "Sunrise at Deadman's Flat" has many more pics.

Mid-afternoon Stuart and I took Gunner for another long walk, along the Bow River in Canmore.

Monday 12 December - mid-afternoon we took a drive along the Bow Valley Parkway, returning via the Trans Canada Highway, with a brief visit to the entrance to Johnson's Canyon.

The photo of the plane wing was taken just a couple of hours out of Brisbane, on my return flight. The light was quite eerie. We landed at 6 am. The sun is actually rising behind us, giving the unusual blue sky.

My time with Ben and his Mum and Dad passed all too quickly. A return visit in April can't come quickly enough.

I would love to read your comment.

Christmas and Summer Weather

For the first Christmas in a long time, I was organised early. Sadly, it may just have had something to do with the fact that this year, our table was only for two. 

On Christmas Eve morning my husband suggested we go out for coffee. He chose a cafe at a nursery, in a rural setting. We had driven passed many a time over the years of transporting our boys to soccer/football games. 

We will be returning!

The forecast for a cool Christmas day was not good.The weathermen actually got it right and at 9am we watched the mercury quickly rise to 32C. Even my little snowman couldn't make me feel cool, with the humidity also rising.

By midday, the temperature had reached 38C. The air con was working hard, as I cooked the traditional hot lunch of beef and yorkshire pudding for my English husband. He came to Australia in 1975.

Our very successful flambe of the christmas pudding. The recipe was given to me by one of Frank's Irish aunts, when we visited on our first Christmas together, 37 years ago.

Look what Santa left in the garden.

Just as well it is the holiday season, as this jigsaw has become an obsession to finish.

Day 1 effort.

This week has been the week of thunderstorms, the first hitting about 7 pm Christmas evening and dumping 2 inches / 50mm in just half an hour and rapidly cooling the air. The change didn't stay long.

These photos are of another storm 2 days later, when another inch or 25 mm were dumped in the same time period.

Walking each morning is hot sweaty work, even starting between 5.30 and 6 am. The street walking at this hour is quite pleasant, with little traffic and the latter part of my 8 kms, beside a creek with lovely views across the valley. The marked green trail is for cooler weather, climbing up and walking along a high ridge.

Boxing day.

This creek rarely flows, but is happily gurgling after the storm.

New Year's Eve walk.

Crocus's looking splendid beside the road. I'm sure the rain has had something to do with their abundance in this very rocky ground.

Lots of mushrooms to be seen.

Cheerful pink and yellow alamanda shrubs.

The view of the Albert River and Windaroo Golf Club.

Again, looking across the Albert River, to cattle grazing and the early morning low cloud on the distant Tamborine Mountain.

How Aussie is this view, with our flag and a red flowering eucalyptus?

Our plan for this afternoon was to drive to a lookout, with a view west over Brisbane, to view the final sunset of 2017. Alas, it's summer and the radar heralded another storm approaching. A quiet evening is now being spent at home.

So as 2018 dawns, I wish you a happy, healthy 2018, but more importantly a peaceful world to live in.