Enjoying every minute of my time in Canmore

September, 2015

While walking the dog along the river, I meet every day some people, with whom I have a chat. One morning I had quite a long chat with a man, who went fishing. We talked about daily things and he told me how much the shape of the river changed after the big flood of two years ago. Also the fishing spots changed completely. He told me he lived in Canmore since 1975. His life hasn’t been an easy one, but he never considered moving out of Canmore. He promised himself, that if ever he wakes up and the light on the mountains will be the same as the day before, then it is time to move. It never is………

I love getting up early in the morning and watch the sunrise from behind the mountain. It lights the mountain on the other side of the river, with a stunning beauty.

I have had many gorgeous days for the last couple of weeks. I also had the first snow and later the first real frost during the night. Although it was cold, I went out early with my camera, while the dog was still sleeping. The field was covered with the white of the frost and at this time of the day, the Elks were still roaming around. I had to be careful, as I knew that the Bull Elk was somewhere, although I couldn’t see him. Once it was time to get the whole herd together and disappear into the woods, he suddenly came running towards me and I swiftly went to safer grounds.

There is always something to see and I also like my hike to the village instead of taking the car. As the river flows right through Canmore, it is a great walk, especially now with the change of the colours.

In between my hikes in and around Canmore, I also get the opportunity to take part in some tours, visit waterfalls in Yoho park and explore the countryside towards Jasper, with my son and the dog. I never took so many pictures, as during these last weeks and still have to write quite a few blogs………

I keep encountering bears. Also downtown!  It seems that the harvest of one of their other supplies, the mountain ash berries, hasn’t been very good this year and that is why they are focussing now on the crab apples. Good for my pictures, but not too good for the safety of the people here in Canmore……..On the moment a bear was indulging itself on the apples, in the street where I am staying for my house sit, a couple with their dog came from a trail down the hill and nearly walked right underneath the tree with the bear. The neighbour and I started shouting, that they had to move back. They turned their heads in the wrong direction and my heart stood still for a moment. We shouted again and then they noticed this huge black bear in the tree, nearly right above them. Very slowly they backed off and went back on the trail.                                                       

One afternoon, this small bird is sitting on the front porch, recovering from a bump against the window. I leave it there, as I have never seen any cat around and after I arrive back from some shopping it is gone, probably recovered!

All the animals are pretty busy with getting their food in, before the long winter starts. I always loved the chipmunks; you can easily get them tame in three days time, by giving them peanuts, which they love! I used to do that when living in Ontario.