Pelicans

If you are like me, you associate pelicans with Florida.  When I've seen them stealing fish scraps on the docks in sunny Florida, it has never occurred to me that they would spend their summer this far north.

 I spent an evening with my photography group snapping pictures of the pelicans feeding in the rapids. I apologize for posting soooo many pictures but an evening's worth equates to 400...it was hard to choose.

 I guess spending all that time snatching fish from people in the South has made them accustomed to people. They were only about 20 feet away for most of these shots.

Something about the way these huge birds come in for a landing makes me think of Disney's The Rescuers Down Under...

What do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQb6n2U1R8g

Midnight in Yellowknife

I just got back from a short trip to Yellowknife. It was fun to check out the galleries and a few of the sights.  It still amazes me when I look outside at midnight and it's still daylight.  Next week for the summer solstice Yellowkife hosts a midnight golf tournament....CRAZY!  Here's what it looks like with still another week to go.

Not sunny, but not too dark either.

Gallery of the Midnight Sun; one of my favorite places in Yellowknife, so much beautiful artwork in one spot. I can spend hours wandering through...and dreaming...ok, and buying a few things too.

I thought if would be fun to have some fresh fish, just off the boat.  I was warned this place was a tourist trap and it definitely is; funky decor, with signatures everywhere, including the ceiling and a mounted fish...everything is fair game. Terrible service though, and very pricey. I will say that my whitefish was good; maybe not $28 good, but good.

This has got to be the best view in Yellowknife, from the top of the Pilots Memorial this is just one direction of a spectacular 360 degree view.  I'm not sure why I didn't take a picture from the other sides; guess I was too caught up in living the moment.

The drive was very long, but breaking it up with little trips to some of the many waterfalls along the way made it much more enjoyable.  This is the beautiful Lady Evelyn Falls.

Another surprise waterfall was at McNallie Creek, where the seemingly calm stream plummets about 50 feet.



It took a little longer than expected to get home. Especially with the 1/2 hour wait while the Buffalo just "chilled" in the middle of the road.  While I was waiting more cars, vans and trucks arrived and after 15 minutes of gently herding the buffalo and honking horns they finally moved off.  It's easy to see who the king of the road is, and it's not us. They move when they're good and ready to.



Hello there! It's a bit disconcerting when you start to feel surrounded!

Chinese wisdom

What do you do on wasted road trips...no car repairs can be done and from this picture you can see my plans for an afternoon at the beach are out too.

But, oh the things you learn in a Chinese restaurant.  If I were on a mission to find the best Chinese restaurant in my neck of the woods. The boardroom in Hay River would get my vote. Very tasty!

I'm basing this decision on only one visit, which might not be totally fair, but hey, any place that can make me sound good, has my vote.

I think I'll milk the inspirational characteristic for a while yet, even if it might not be completely true. I would however like to think that I am a good parent, and since it's in writing, it must be true.

Then there are my offspring...my little snake, who I agree is beautiful, but not really vain...seriously though, what out for that temper!

Then my rabbit...which is bang on the mark.  Hmmmm, if his opposite is the Cook, does that mean we shouldn't eat what he cooks????

Beyond a doubt they got the talented part right...case in point his latest artwork (prints are available at a ridiculously inexpensive rate).

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=363339913728030&set=a.229751793753510.56918.151670854894938&type=1

So, this is how I entertain myself, when I am totally bored...scary isn't it?

Rapids of the Drowned

You probably won't remember my mentioning the Rapid of the Drowned since it was a post I did over a year ago.  There is a viewpoint, just down from the store overlooking the full rapids.

Yesterday, I thought I would take a walk to see if I could get closer.  There are tons of Pelicans congregated in that area.  That's what those little white specs on the rocks are.  Obviously I didn't get close enough.

I figured I must be at the wrong spot for all those great Pelican pictures I see from everyone else...so, I hiked along the trail further into the woods.

Then I saw this...

Remember my post about the bears; so is this bear fur or dog fur?  I was thinking bear, which is why I was talking and singing to myself all along the trail; yep, like a complete idiot.

I never did get close to the Pelicans, or bears for that matter, but I did witness a murder

and I got some awesome pictures of leaves and lichen.

And I never see Jack Pines without thinking Tom Thompson.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

What? Snow in June?

Not really, that's just the pesky pollen that is making my eyes feel so scratchy.  

I can't open my door without a pile of it blowing in.

Then of course, there is the dandelion fluff blowing around too.

But as itchy as all this stuff makes me, it is sure worth it to see such pretty blossoms.

So beautiful!