The Nuzzle

After a thunderstorm and rain in the night and overcast skies this morning, the sun returned and we enjoyed 26C temps today!  It was a beauty of a day!

Fireworks From Above!

Aaaaaah ... while you were sleeping, the heavens put on quite the fireworks display very early this morning!  Just after midnight, the Aurora Borealis were triggered by a strong geomagnetic storm.  It was a wild display that could be seen as far south as Kansas, USA.  Lucky for me, the sky was clear and my 'night owl' attributes allowed me to take in the show for a couple of hours!  Enjoy!

Cooling Off

Woo Hoo!  Finally, a beautiful weekend is upon us!  Sun, heat and a few puddles to cool off in!  We are celebrating our Canada Day long weekend and the weather couldn't be sweeter!  Have a great one everyone!

Let the Summer Fun Begin!!!

Woo Hoo!  Finally, the last day of school arrived!  Trying to get these 2 characters to hold still at this point in time was next to impossible but they somewhat cooperated for a few moments!  All I can say is with the combination of motocross school, swimming lessons, camping, hiking, mx races, haying, fencing, and all the other 'honey-do' items that need to get done over the next 2 months ... summer is going to be BUSY!!!  That aside, I absolutely love these 2 characters and the fun we have together!  Let the summer fun begin!

Monday, Tuesday ...

Monday ... one of the heifers nuzzling her babe!

Tuesday ... the rain showers returned but you could still find some sunshine out on the prairies! 

That Moon

I'm not sure where the weekend went but it's gone ...!  I was much too tired to take more than a couple of shots of the moon rising this evening!  Yes, the skies cleared enough for us to see 'that moon!'  Last week is behind us and tomorrow is a new day!  Have a good one everyone!  

Prairie Cute

How cute am I????  

There is nothing quite as cute as a lil' coyote pup!  So many curse coyotes but there is nothing sweeter than the sound of their howls on a prairie night!  They are a part of our prairie ecosystem and they have proven to be resilient!  Coyote lover or not, they aren't going anywhere anytime soon!  

Summer?

More rain, we only reached a high of 13C (55F) and the massive, destructive flooding continued through our beautiful Southern Alberta.  So many people have been affected and as the flood waters continue downstream, more communities will feel the fury.  It's hard to imagine that today was the first day of summer.  Our rivers may flood from time to time and we see localized flooding here and there BUT never have we had flooding on this grand of a scale before.  My heart aches for those directly affected and my thoughts and prayers continue.

RAIN Is NOT ...

... Always a Good Thing!

This was the scene once again from my living room windows for much of the morning.  Yes, rain brings on the hay and it grows crops but too much rain all at once certainly can reek havoc!  A good portion of Southern Alberta is under state of emergencies tonight with heavy flooding and devastating damage!  Many of our beautiful Mountain and Foothill communities have been affected with well over 100mm of rain, with more on the way!  That much rain added to the snow covered mountain peaks is not a good combination!  Southern Alberta will always be home for me and it is heart-wrenching to see friends and family being affected by these devastating floods.  Keep safe everyone.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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Home Again, Home Again ... Jiggity-jig, Jig!

Last Thursday night/Friday morning, 'JB' the holstein calf, 4 other calves and 3 'mama's decided to go on an excursion without permission!  Well, their little 'walk-about' lasted 4 days and they managed to stay under the radar avoiding us and neighbours.  We even flew twice with a neighbour searching from the sky in hopes of spotting them.  Well, we're not sure where there hooves took them but they certainly managed to hide for a few days!  However, they got 'caught' this afternoon and the boys and I sent them home with a scolding!  Haha!  I think they were happy to get back to familiar territory!

Rain Drops ...

Let the rain kiss you.  

Let the rain beat upon your head with 

silver liquid drops.  

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.  

~Langston Hughes

We were under a 'severe thunderstorm watch' for most of the day and the clouds that rolled thru certainly brought plenty of rain, thunder and lightning!  The upside, no hail!!! However, I think the power was out for about 3 hours!  More rain is on the way!

Mr. Crow

"Good Morning Mr. Crow!"

Yes, ever since my boys were very small (and in my eyes they are still small), we have always said "good morning" to Mr. Crow!  We are not exactly sure who is Mr. Crow, as we usually have a handful in the yard during the summer.  However, we just deem them all Mr.!  It always brings a smile and a chuckle to us when we hear the kids saying "good morning Mr. Crow" as they head outside.  Without missing a beat, Mr. Crow was waiting for his greeting this morning!

Mud, Dust and Dad!

Dad was up at before 4:00am on Saturday, loading the truck with the boys motocross gear.  By 4:15am, the rest of us were up and getting ready to head into the Monster Energy Motocross Nationals Amateur Races in Calgary, AB, Canada!  Arriving in Calgary around 7:30am, 'Dad' registered the boys, went with them to their 'riders meeting' and then got their bikes ready for their first race!

 Words of Encouragement!

Off ... in the MUD!

Dad to the rescue!  Our youngest went down in a rut in the mud and stalled his bike!  Dad helped him get his bike running and back on track!

First race of the day was over and the rain clouds moved back in!  There was a quick shower but the boys had a bit of a wait before their second race.  Lucky for them, the dust was flying by their second race and we were able to 'get while the getting was good' ... the rain clouds were rolling in AGAIN!  Well, the boys fell asleep on our way home and we managed to enjoy the setting sun via the bug splattered windshield.

  “What Is A Dad? A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again. A dad is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes but instead lets you find your own way, even though his heart breaks in silence when you get hurt. A dad is someone who holds you when you cry, scolds you when you break the rules, shines with pride when you succeed, and has faith in you even when you fail…” 

- unknown

Our 'Dad' and my most awesome husband!  

Words cannot express how wonderful this man is and how proud we are to have him in our lives!  Many years ago, long before I knew him, he dreamed of returning to the family farm with the hopes of someday settling down and raising a family in a rural setting.  After his post-secondary education he returned home with that dream.  When that option was not extended to him he struck out on his own, purchasing his own mixed farming operation.  Well, as much as he has always wanted to 'just farm' he continues to make the sacrifices necessary 'to farm!'  My husband is one of the hardest working people I know and he does it to fulfill his dream.  He works 6 days a week off farm at our business and still manages to farm 7 days a week (after hours and weekends).  His children and myself are his number one priority and loves us unconditionally!  He is both a Cub Scout and Beaver Scout leader for his boys, he is their motocross 'pitcrew' and most of all he is their 'Dad!'  He loves working beside the boys on our farm.  He cherishes every moment with his boys and supports and encourages them equally.  My husband's handshake is as good as his word; his words are true and from the heart.  He is kind and generous and most of all he makes us laugh!  We are very fortunate to have him in our lives!  

Happy Father's Day Sweetie!  

You mean the world to us and we love ya!  

The Weather ...

There is little chance that meteorologists can solve the mysteries of weather until they gain an understanding of the mutual attraction of rain and weekends.  

~Arnot Sheppard

Ha!  The weekend is here ... and so is the rain!  
Have a great one everyone!  

Twinkle, Twinkle ...

I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.  

~Vincent Van Gogh

Early this morning there were clouds and lightning to both the east and west yet above was almost perfectly clear!  Only 8 days from our longest day of the year and the summer solstice!  North, to the land of the midnight sun, is enjoying some very long days of sunlight!  

There is truly something magical about the night!  

It's amazing what one can see and hear and how it can soothe the soul!  

A Beastly Beauty

Hmm ... it doesn't look that beastly does it?  In fact, it's really quite dainty; almost enticing you to pick it!  Meet Zigadenus venenosus ... otherwise known as 'Death Camas' or Meadow Death Camas!  True to it's name, this native perennial herb is one of our most toxic springtime plants and is considered poisonous to all livestock and humans.  In fact, even honey bees are poisoned by the pollen and nectar!  The toxic alkaloid 'zygadenine' is found throughout the entire plant and can cause some fairly serious consequences when ingested, including seizure, coma and death!

Death Camas has certainly had a history of causing livestock losses over the years, especially during droughts.  This 'nasty' little plant is busy blooming these days, however, if your pastures are in good range health, your livestock will have plenty of grass to eat and will usually avoid eating Death Camas leaving it stand for admiration!

A Ducky Day

First the Gadwall's (Anas strepera) arrived.  I believe they came in peace!  LOL!  They stretched and then went about their business of 'dabbling!'  

Then the trouble makers arrived!  These two male Blue-Winged Teals (Anas discors) were bound, bent and determined to make waves with each other and any other duck in the way!  

But hey, I guess that is life as a duck enjoying a ducky day!