Stepped outside a few minutes ago and took a photo of the sun. It is red from the forest fires burning nearby. It has been hot and the smoke has rolled in the past few days. It can and probably will get a lot worse. The moisture seems to be getting sucked out of the earth.
Giant sunspots can be seen on the sun. The photo was taken with a 200mm lens. I have cropped a great deal of the photo as the sun took up a small part of the frame.
It is the smoke acting as a filter that makes this photo possible, but it also shrouds the detail.
Still the sunspots are big. Every bit as big as the one that erupted in early May that caused those magnificent auroras.
The moon will come up shortly when the sun dips and could be as red rising in the east. These colourful cosmic bodies could be a harbinger of doom, yet in their own right, hold an otherworldly elegance. Nature’s reminder that we aren’t in charge nor ever will be.
Payton, Kennedy, Mia, Jack, Josh and Nathan stopping at the first lake
In what has become a summer ritual a few of my young coworkers and I set off on a hike to see some rock, snow and blue water.
It was special to have Jack’s brother Josh, visiting from the UK, along for the walk.
The days have turned hot. We made an early start and missed most of the heat hiking up. The first lake was pristine surrounded by peaks spotted with snow and ice. Moraine swept from slides to shore. Twisted tamaracks shot skyward, some standing for centuries. A great honour to walk among them with these fine youngsters.
Kennedy leads the way along the trail.
We set off for the scramble to the second lake. It was decided a short section be named Payton’s Pass for her ability to manage it despite her reluctance or otherwise good sense.
The meadow leading to the second lake with wild flowers and trickling stream with short cascading waterfalls was welcome walking the rest of the way.
We stopped for lunch. Everyone had a swim. I wanted to but the thought of the sharp rocks on my feet stopped me. I’m getting a little old and tender I guess.
We followed our route backwards, descended into the heat of the valley bottom. A very fine day.
A very happy day in our family to watch Hunter and Breanna get married.
Bree has been a big part of our family for awhile now, She is not only beautiful but kind and smart. Hunter is very lucky and we are all lucky to have this wonderful couple in our lives.
Lisa and I have watched them care and support each other. We have often remarked how much they make each other laugh. Very important in a life.
These photos were taken by Kim Payant Photography who did a wonderful job. I took the liberty, I hope she doesn’t mind, of turning a few B/W and toning them as a tribute to Hunter’s grandmother who photographed in B/W. She would have been so proud of Hunter and Bree.
Our family continues to strengthen with the addition of our children’s spouses. It is a tremendous feeling for Lisa and I. Sometimes we wonder how we could be so lucky.
What a spectacular night. Lisa and I spent the entire night out. As soon as it got dark the auroras started and didn’t let up until dawn. We took lots of photos and are still going through them. Here are a few samples.
They were everywhere overhead and in every direction.
A butterfly or angel.
The mountains are illuminated by the shining auroras.
It is rare I point the camera directly overhead. For this night I made an exception.
The burnt snags reach towards the light.
Wondering the creek bottom by the light of a solar storm.
The garlic and daffodils are up. A bit of rain here and there, a few snowflakes, just winters way of trying to hang on. A few seeds could be poked into the ground. Carrots, radish, lettuce; maybe if I get ambitious this weekend.
An array of colours along the path of The Milky Way. This is ten photos stitched together in Adobe Lightroom. It spans from North to South looking East.
Tried again, this morning, to spot Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks. This comet could be beyond Willow’s and my ability to track down. It is very close to the horizon beside the Andromeda Galaxy. By the time it rises above the mountains the sky is losing darkness. Also, we haven’t had super clear skies and the thickest haze is always closest to the horizon. That haze is in fact pollution. That’s why many cities have beautiful sunsets.
The moon as it appeared just after dark.
It is funny in a ridiculous way, our summers are filled with smoke from forest fires, now the spring and fall also has it’s share of smoke, as the provincial government and logging companies burn slash piles. Slash piles are all of the waste wood left over from clear cut logging. There is a lot of waste; branches, rotting wood, stumps, small trees, basically any mess the companies leave behind is pushed into piles and set ablaze.
The core of The Milky Way returns signalling spring and the coming summer. The green haze is a combination of haze, light pollution and maybe even some stardust. Lake Windermere still has its layer of winter ice.
It would be interesting to know if these C0 emissions are counted as industry emissions or if they get tabled under forest fire emissions. The latter not counted towards Canada’s yearly emission targets. Regardless, it is another case of the government saying one thing and doing another. The entire valley could drive around in Diesel Ford F350s for years and not emit the pollution that one of these massive slash piles produce.
I don’t think there is any big conspiracy involved, I just think government is incompetent in this regard.
This is how a panorama looks when I am stitching it together. This is ten individual photos taken left to right with overlap. This image is five frames wide and two frames high. The lens used was 20mm, which is wide, so a lot of the sky is captured. I did not do a very good job of keeping the bottom of the photo even. It can be difficult as it is dark and I can not see through the viewfinder, so it is done by feel. The bright lights in the distance is Invermere.
Perched above the Kootenay River. The clouds catching the coming dawn. Cassiopeia can be clearly seen above the clouds. A satellite streaks out of the frame on the left. But no comet.
Up early to try to find Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks. The skies were sufficiently dark. Unfortunately there was a thin layer of cloud at the horizon extending into the area that would contain The Andromeda Galaxy and the comet.
As I had to go to work right after looking for the comet, Willow had to stay home. Now, if I am going to work she doesn’t make a peep. Somehow she knew I was going out in the bush and she was pissed off that I left without her. So much so that she awoke Lisa to complain of my impertinent gall to leave her behind.
Willow, minutes ago, barring the door, making sure she will not be forgotten again.
Palliser Pass 