Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Thursday, October 9, 2014

OH Canada, I Have Longed to See You~


Last October, some may remember the husby and myself got expedited Passports so that we could travel up into Canada, while visiting Glacier National Park.  
We also spent quite a bit to have the dogs all ready for the border crossing as well.  
You are not allowed to transport their food unless you have special permissions as well as health certifications etc.
Yep, we had to do all of that again at $185.00 clip each time ;(
THEN the Government SHUTDOWN kept us out of our own National Park system...GRR ;)
THEN we were enroute to the Canadian border when we got into a snowstorm, like we had never been in before.  
We had no cell phone service and no way of knowing what lay ahead.  
We travel in a Lincoln Towncar with good tires, but not for road conditions like we encountered.  
HUGE SIGH, we turned around and went back to our lodging in Whitefish Montana, quite deflated, but safe and warm.
We promised ourselves that we would make it next time.
This year we found that the day we were to arrive at Glacier NP, the higher altitudes as well as Waterton Lakes NP in Canada had received 2' of snow.  
BUT ;) on the day we planned to travel, we still could not go through Glacier NP, but we could go on up into Canada~
YEA!


Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slide show presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

&

Stewart for:
   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/



This was one of our first scenes as we went through the gates entering Alberta, Canada and Waterton Lakes National Park.
GORGEOUS~


Once we had reached the village where we would be staying for 2 evenings, we saw right away, the famed Prince of Wales Hotels.  
We had wanted to stay here and even with the dogs, could have, but the husby scheduled us for a long weekend and even though we book rooms a month in advance, there were no vacancies~


The first sign of wildlife was this lovely juvenile Osprey, trying to get itself perched up in a tree~
Bighorn Sheep were out just about everywhere, as it was rutting season.  
I really love these big guys and they had been elusive to us, until a couple of years ago in South Dakota~


The village within Waterton Lakes National Park was very lovely.  
Great accomodations and restaurants.  



We were very cautious with our 2 dogs, knowing this was big bear country.  
We saw quite a few Brown and Black Bears.  
They just want to keep moving and not bother with mankind, but sometimes mankind acts really stupid.  
Sadly people are killed at times, and a gentleman was the same week we were traveling in the Grand Tetons National Park~





A Bighorn Sheep Ewe.  
Poor things were constantly having to battle the rams, silly boys ;)


My beauties, my friends, my favorites.
Silveit is on the left and is 20 months old and Meaka on the right will turn 7 soon~


A single Daisy in the snow~


This large beauty is a female without cubs.  
Maybe next year~



And another one.  
This one was walking and then running down the road, as it just wanted to get to the safety if the mountains and all of the rich berries that awaited it~


A darling Least Chipmunk surprised me at the park, as there was so much snow and yet there it was awake and alert!




I get happy when we head west for many reasons and one of them is the wonderful Steller's Jays~


This mama bear had 2 cubs, a brown and a black one.  
She was giving people trouble the night before, as she did not want to move her cubs out of the road that leads into the village~




Another ram on the scent of ewes~


Red Rock Canyon.  
Can you tell why ;) 
Really beautiful!


And another Bighorn Sheep, on the prowl~


One of the few lakes within the park, and a young woman taking photographs.  
Several of us, took advantage of the beauty of the moment~



Now then...I spoke about being cautious with the dogs in these parks, knowing of the wildlife dangers.  
It appears that our dogs have no leads on.  
However, trust me!  
They do! 
 I had to retouch them out of the photos, so that they looked PRETTY ;)
A Mule Deer stops in someones front yard to nurse her twin fawns~


37 comments:

  1. wonderful views and beautiful creatures - including your two. :)

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  2. Terrific images,love the Bear shots,maybe on our next visit be will get lucky.
    John.

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  3. I am overwhelmed by these beautiful images. I also have a similar picture of twin fawns nursing...what miracles we see in nature.

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  4. Mary, these photos are so so beautiful! I am amazed at the amount of wildlife you saw and were able to get great photos of while there. We go to Calgary to visit our daughter and her family now and last summer got to the mountains in Banff but we didn't see one critter! LOL Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos. Did you go farther into Alberta? I would definitely love to see the Waterton Lakes National Park some day. Oh, did the snow melt?

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  5. Hi Mary.
    Thanks for sharing the fabulous Canadian scenery and wildlife you encountered after all the obstacles that were put in your way. Super pics of Silveit and Meaka.

    Best wishes ... FAB.

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  6. Incredible photos Mary; what an amazing trip. You see more than anyone and I know you travel pretty quickly too... I'm just in awe of how much you see and photograph. The doe and fawns iphoto is so precious. And the scenery amazing of of course; I am so glad the snow didn't stop you (it enhanced the scenic beauty that's for sure). And wonderful portraits of your 'pups.

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  7. Wow - simply brilliant photos and collages! I loved seeing all the wildlife you saw. Your dogs are beautiful as well.

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  8. That is beautiful, Canada is special. My favourites are the Osprey, big brown Bear, awesome, wild Goats and of course are Silveit and Meaka, superb.

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  9. Lovely photos!!! Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada.

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  10. Gorgeous photos! And your dogs are beautiful!

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  11. Such wonderful views and lovely photos !

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  12. Gorgeous scenery and amazing wildlife. Your dogs are beautiful too.

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  13. Great post - for all my love of wildlife, I really was drawn to the abstract landscapes of the women taking pictures.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  14. Oh this was just wonderful ! I was ready to go put a sweater on, it is all so real : )

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  15. Nice views of Alberta and I really like the bears you captured. Your fur babies are sweet Mary.
    Thank you for linking to Mosaic Monday.

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  16. Such a wonderful post, so glad you didn't give up and made the trip. I've never done such prep to get the dogs ready to go and we cross over every year, always with shots and papers but nothing else, in fact had a tear down of the car one time and never asked about the dogs. I think we were just the perfect number and time of day and so we were searched. Amazing wildlife, and gorgeous backdrops and scenery. You did a great job at photo shopping the leash out, nice looking dogs you have.

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  17. Gorgeous wildlife and scenery. Waterton is not too far from us and we pass through the Rockies every year to visit family in Alberta yet we've never ventured to that park. So glad you enjoyed your visit there and that everything worked out this time round!

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  18. Oh, Canada! My home and native land, I miss you!

    Mary, I have been anxiously awaiting my visit here, knowing that your post on my beloved Canada was next, and I also knew, without a doubt, that you would capture its gloriously gorgeous landscape, its wildlife, and sparkling, clean waters. The mountain ranges are breathtaking, the animals captivating, (including your own adorable tourist pooches!), as are the little towns and highways! Thank you for this most beautiful post.

    Poppy
    P.S.: The lone daisy, in a field of snow, is amazing!

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  19. Good Morning.

    I'm so pleased you made it into Canada Mary. You have some wonderful images there, the snowy landscapes, the autumn flowers and of course the animals and birds. Not knowing of the area you visitted I am simply amazed at your encounters with the Brown Bears. They are obviously numerous and as you say potentially troublesome to people - well the bears were there first!

    Silveit and Meaka are quite beautiful dogs.

    Have a lovely week ahead Mary.

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  20. Oh my, what a treat you gave us! All those gorgeous wildlife shots and the scenery is amazing. Your dogs: Are they Tervurens? Beautiful creatures!!! Make me miss my long-haired GSD. :-(( Thank you again for the many amazing photos.

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  21. Mary, beautiful images from Glacier. It is a gorgeous park. I love the lodge up on the hill. The bear shots are awesome... wonderful photos and mosaics.. Have a happy week!

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  22. Hello Mary
    Fabulous shots of the bears. I follow a bear rehab centre on FB that is located an hour or so north of us. Of course your fur babies are gorgeous, love it when you share them.
    Thank you for linking to Mosaic Monday.

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  23. Amazing shots from national park with birds and animals.

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  24. HI Mary The scenery is magnificent and it wonderful to see the Bears and other animals.Love the shot of the Osprey. What a trip.

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  25. A wonderful post... I love your images... but the bear stands out for me.
    Nothing like them running wild here.

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  26. Again...absolutely stunning photos! What a beautiful place. I hated reading about your aborted trip last year. What a bunch of rotten luck! But you more than made up for it this time. I bet you had an incredible stay, with memories that you will treasure always. And you have these great pictures too to bring it all back!

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  27. There were so many hightlights in this series, I had to pause and absorb. The landscapes are magnificent and you captured them beautifully. I like that the bears are all going in the other direction ... It is when they have become habituated to humans and look to them for food that they become really dangerous. Sorry someone was killed, but I am assuming ... like you said, some people do stupid things. Your birds, your Big Horns, all of them are wonderful. This is an area I haven't made it up to yet. In all of my years, you would think, but I do have Calgary on my bucket list. Enjoyed this immensely, Mary. Always do when I come to see you.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  28. And forgotten ... Your two dogs are gorgeous with or without the leash. I remember when Silveit was a puppy ... how time flies. Be well, Mary ...

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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  29. What a fantastic post. Wonderful wildlife and scenery. Really loved the Osprey pictures.

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  30. Wow.... you got some great photos... and, I'm sooooo glad you were sensible with the bears...as well as those big horns.... you are absolutely right. People are stupid. And, they do get killed or mauled or kicked every year .... many of them... trying for that one silly step closer to an animal..... Your dogs are beautiful!

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  31. Wow. What a lot of great wildlife! That picture of the bear's paw (the actual pads underneath his feet) when he is walking away from you is amazing! Such a cool detail.

    Iowa Voice

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  32. What a wonderful post! The scenery is just gorgeous. I love the captures of wildlife here, especially the Osprey and the bears. And your two dogs are beautiful. What great companions to have on your trip.

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  33. Beautiful scenery and I love the shots of the birds and the BEAR!

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  34. This is an amazing post! We were in Glacier last year and stayed in Whitefish. Would love to go back at the time of the year you went, the snow makes everything seem magical, just so long as the roads are clear. You saw an amazing amount of wildlife and your sweet dogs are so cute!

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  35. The cold weather is a welcome sight! I am looking forward to the fall and winter now as the temps drop a tad:) Oh...and the bugs begin to disappear:) Another set of gorgeous Glacier pics. Love the Bighorn Sheep. We still have several pockets of them here in Arizona. They are also trying to reestablish some populations that were hunted out of their area. Lots of wildlife here to enjoy!

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  36. well, after all the trouble you seems to have been giving it all. .) Lots of great stuff to enjoy.

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