The first wildflowers that are neither weeds nor garden varieties have slowly spread over our backyard in the last couple of years. They are the sweet violets known for their delicate and pleasant scent. Last week, I saw just a few appearing near our spruce and cedar. trees. Now they are popping up everywhere in large numbers creating tiny carpets. You need keen eyes to discover them, as their stems reach only a couple of centimetres above the ground. I photographed them lying on my belly. Enjoy.
A brief composition I created earlier this year using Logic Pro.
When my wife and I retired, we had to make quite a few changes to our lives. We realized that we are no longer bound by the daily and weekly routines imposed on us by our employer. We spent more time in the evening doing things together, such as watching on TV ballet, figure skating, documentaries on scientific explorers, or the occasional good movie. With each other’s agreement, we also follow our individual favourite activities, blogging, working on photos and stories, corresponding with friends and family. It felt good to burn the midnight oil and not have to worry about getting enough sleep.
While we thoroughly enjoyed our new freedom to live each day the way we saw fit, we also discovered how our activities were still hampered by the habits that governed our lives during our employment years. In the past, most of our travel plans centred around the set vacation times, long weekends, statutory holidays like Christmas and Easter. That kind of thinking was still so ingrained that we were blind to catch an opportunity when it presented itself and learn to act more often at the spur of the moment.
Recently, I planned a pleasure trip to the Rocky Mountains, and I must confess that I have been and still am an inveterate planner. Prompted by nostalgic memories of a journey to Kicking Horse Pass and Emerald Lake twelve years ago, I decided to celebrate my birthday with my wife in the mountains. In the weeks before this event in the life of an octogenarian, I checked the long-term forecast. I was getting worried the closer we approached the date of our departure. The weatherman predicted extremely hazardous road conditions coupled with snowfall warnings and subzero temperatures, whereas only seven days earlier the forecast was for sunshine and spring-like temperatures in Golden and Banff. I told Biene I did not want such a dismal birthday trip. I read her disappointment on her face, and quickly added, “Let’s have a glorious mountain experience instead”. So it turned out to be. Enjoy the video.
Last weekend, we had another look at Heart Creek which was still covered over with ice only two weeks ago. What a pleasant surprise that the Canada geese had returned to the golf course and the water had eaten away a lot of ice from our creek! The sight of brilliant sunshine, Canada geese, and Old Man Winter losing its grip is our hope that Spring is just around the corner. Here are three photos I took last weekend.
For about a year now, I have been creating a variety of mostly cheerful songs. I started off using the free Apple DAW, known as Garageband. When I began to like it, I advanced to Logic Pro. If you could spend an entire lifespan learning it, there would still be features left to be explored. So what shall I say as an octogenarian? I hope you will like the little tune below.
On January 22, a crisp and bitter-cold winter day, my wife and I, faithful to our daily walking routine and abiding by our iron-clad rule, rain or snow, went down to the Fauquier golf course. Shivering a bit in the extreme cold, we marvelled at the glorious winter scenes.
Within two weeks, the thermometer jumped from -20 C to + 5 C, and moisture-laden clouds also brought lots of rain, washing away the virgin snow and exposing a green spring-like landscape.
Now, let’s have some sunshine, and we will dream about tulips, daffodils, and an early spring.
This would have been a beautiful sight at the beginning of December when people dreamed of a white Christmas, skiing or frolicking in the snow. We had another heavy snowfall only two days ago while our blogging friend Steve was photographing floral carpets in Texas. As President Carter once stated, “Nothing is fair in life.” Yet, I am not depressed when I see a beautiful landscape under a blue sky.
Recently, I published the iron ring at the Fauquier boat dock. Someone suggested I should have someone’s portrait to fill out the frame. After much coaxing, I got my wife to pose for you and me. I hope you like the photo as much as I do. Enjoy.
The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Family 