Moods and Walks- Ponderings and Meanderings in Alberta

[Hoy]

The visibility is also reduced here - by rain and fog, not snow! The soil is so soaked now that I could grow rice had it been warmer.

Cohan, you may have told before but how long is your drive to the town?

[cohan]

The visibility is also reduced here - by rain and fog, not snow! The soil is so soaked now that I could grow rice had it been warmer.

Cohan, you may have told before but how long is your drive to the town?

Rice-- that's wet! It has still been up and down, we got days to mid-high teens, and back to days well below freezing with fresh snow again.

The town where I work, Rocky Mountain House, is 20 miles/32km west, so around 25 minutes; for shopping on non-work days we often go the other direction to Sylvan Lake, that is 26 miles/42km; a little farther on the same road is the nearest small city, Red Deer where we go sometimes when we need specific things, for some appointments etc, that is 40miles/64km. There are a couple of very small towns closer- the smallest, where I went to elementary school, has no stores or anything that I know of, the the next larger has a gas station convenience and a bar, I think, we don't go there, though we drive through when we take the smaller highway to Rocky; and a larger small town where we could do basic shopping. but it is almost halfway to Sylvan, at 11 miles, so we don't stop there  often. I should make a map

[cohan]

Weather continues to oscillate between above and below average, but mostly not far in either direction. During the cooling to cold months, we often get ground mist forming in late afternoon (when days are short) to evening as the temperature drops. This fog then drifts around, and often leads to rime frosted trees, vegetation and everything else. We also get hoar frost-- simply moisture freezing out of the air onto things, as temps drop- most days in cold season, but that tends to be only near the ground, (rime can be low and/or high) and usually not  so thick in this climate.
In any case, I love the foggy, frosty landscapes, especially as it builds up over a few days if the sun doesn't come out or temps don't get much higher.

We had a few of those frosty days, (photos from Nov 17-20) with some nice views at home and on the road, and here's a poem to go with them.. more pics on my blog. https://cohanmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/11/frost-spirits-winter-poem-and-images.html

Frost spirits visit from across the veil
sliding in unseen, in dark or foggy hours
dancing on branches, and over dried flowers.
Listen close and you may hear them, faintly
frolic, whisper and giggle in the breeze
as they scatter false gems over grass and trees.

The mist obscures the distance and dims
the boundary between our world and theirs-
if you wander too far, enthralled, take care
you may slip,unknowing into that realm
of jewel encrusted trees and blurred forms,
to see the lands of mortal folk nevermore.

[cohan]

Continuing with views from Nov 17-20 on the road to work, then a couple in front of the house.

[cohan]

Continuing with views from Nov 17-20 , last one shows a stand of Tamarack, Larix laricina, to the left.

[cohan]

Continuing with views from Nov 20 - we got a bit of sun/blue sky to set off the frost... last view is the two big Grandmother Spruce just in from the entrance to the acreage, probably the oldest on the property (note rounded crown).

[cohan]

Tired of winter views yet? Continuing with views from Nov 20, these near sunset, looking across the neighbours' land southwest towards the mountains.

[Yann]

Your last batch of photos is great. And while your first snow whitened landscapes i'm already dreaming of next spring.
Winter is the season i'd like to remove from the calendar but northern plants need a rest...

[Maggi Young]

Frost spirits visit from across the veil
sliding in unseen, in dark or foggy hours
dancing on branches, and over dried flowers.
Listen close and you may hear them, faintly
frolic, whisper and giggle in the breeze
as they scatter false gems over grass and trees.

The mist obscures the distance and dims
the boundary between our world and theirs-
if you wander too far, enthralled, take care
you may slip,unknowing into that realm
of jewel encrusted trees and blurred forms,
to see the lands of mortal folk nevermore.

Wow - what a  "picture"  with the  wonderful images from words  and  camera! Thank you Cohan!

[Kathy1987]

Thank you for these wonderful photos.
Must have been this year kn January when we had a little snow for some days.... only at the top of the highest elevation in our location, at 500 metres.

[cohan]

Your last batch of photos is great. And while your first snow whitened landscapes i'm already dreaming of next spring.
Winter is the season i'd like to remove from the calendar but northern plants need a rest...

Thank-you I don't mind winter-- no point being upset for 5-8 months...lol.. but I would not complain if I moved someplace with no winter ...lol  I would like some kind of season, but I'd be okay with  wet and dry seasons, or warm and cool.....lol

[cohan]

Wow - what a  "picture"  with the  wonderful images from words  and  camera! Thank you Cohan!

Thanks, Maggi-- I'm glad some folks get some pleasure from them

[cohan]

Thank you for these wonderful photos.
Must have been this year kn January when we had a little snow for some days.... only at the top of the highest elevation in our location, at 500 metres.

Well, that sounds like a pretty easy to take winter I am at near to 1000 m, there are some hills nearby that might go to near 1500 a little distance away... of course we can see the Rocky Mountains, but it is around 90 minutes driving to begin to be in them.

[cohan]

A couple of random sunset shots-- taken looking across the neighbours'  the farm is more forested, doesn't afford views of the mountains or sunset, so I have to wait till late enough in the year that the sun is farther south, and see it over the neighbours'! Nov 30

[Hoy]

Some days I miss the snow in winter other days I don't!

When I look at your photos Cohan, I miss the snow. But when I am out in the garden or driving I don't. And I am glad all the precipitation we have had this fall has been liquid and not solid. Had it been solid I am sure my hose had disappeared in snow.