Last Days of Summer (sigh)

Summer is fading fast here on the lower mainland. We have had some rainy days, but this is the time of the year that I begin to like best. The nights are cool, but the days are warm and the sunsets are unbelievable.
Deer Lake is fabulous in the evenings right now. The lake takes on a golden hue.
Even the ducks and geese seem to mellow out.
I hope where ever you are you enjoy these last days of summer.
Spend a little time in your favorite park. Walk on the beach. Play ball with the grandkids.What ever brings you peace and contentment.
All too soon we will be back to the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

Blue Herons

It has been a long time since I have had the time, energy or ability to write in this blog.
I had spinal surgery in April and am still trudging the long road of recovery, but at least I am up and about and almost out of pain.
My recovery has been a challenge for Miss Lucy as I was unable to hold her leash for a long time which meant that I could not take her for a walk. She and I missed that a great deal.
Now that I am able to get out and do more I have started taking her to Deer Lake again and that means that I can also resume my passion for taking pictures.
Early Monday morning, despite the drizzle,  she and I headed down the hill to the lake and encountered a lovely Blue Heron perched on the map sign.

Just before my surgery I had spoken to a gentleman who walks here regularly and he had informed me that he counted over thirty Heron nests on the east side of the lake.  That is a lot for this little postage size lake, but have seen no real increase in the number of herons actually around the lake.

However, later in the day Fred and I went to the Stanley Park seawall for a walk as the day had begun to be sunny and warm. There we encountered an explosion of Blue herons. Everywhere you turned there were herons flying, feeding and sunning themselves.

 This picture told me why they are called BLUE herons and not Gray herons. If the sun hits them correctly they are the most beautiful shade of blue.
I am now hoping that the nests that my fellow walking friend saw are going to produce lots of babies that  I will be able to photograph almost in my back yard!

I took lots of photos that day and they can be seen  by clicking here Flickr to take you to my flickr page

Canada's Official Bird??

The Canada Goose is being proposed for our official bird. They have to be the most destructive bird we have. They literally chew up every blade of grass in the parks hour after hour while simultaneously squirting it  back  out the other end! However they are one of  the most amusing and beautiful birds we have. They come in droves to Deer Lake every summer.

  It is nesting season and all the little goslings are following mom all day long.

Meanwhile mom has absolutely no patience with anyone or anything that goes near her little ones.

 And when mom loses it everyone scrambles to get out of her way!!!

Baby its Cold Outside

I caught this little guy sitting on a branch in Deer Lake Park early this week.  The temperature has dropped to -7 and while the days are sunny they are very very cold.

Deer Lake Near My New Home