Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has now emerged from the glare of the sun to become an evening comet.
Once again it was Lisa’s eagle eyes that was able to spot it just as we were about to give up. From our vantage point it was beside Mt. Nelson.
The photo was taken with a very wide angle lens, the same one I used to take the auroras, and the crop is a small part of the frame. If it is clear tomorrow evening I may give it another try with a lens that will make it appear closer.
It is always rewarding to spot comets, they are often a challenge. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS may become easier to see as it rises into a darker sky. As it does, however it will quickly fade as it moves further away from earth on its journey back to the Oort Cloud. In 80 thousand years it will return.
The report said earth was in for a good solar storm and it didn’t disappoint. Willow and I headed for The Grotto on the west side of the valley. I had a good strong coffee and some jerky to get us through.
Lighting up the glaciers.
The aurora was noticeable before the sky got dark. We went all the way up the creek until the road ran out. I could have locked in the hubs and gone further, but it had been 50 km from the last person I’d seen and that would be quite a walk if I got stuck. I’m getting older and Lisa says I need to take less risks.
Getting hit by some righteous solar rays.
The northern lights came out, stayed out, danced and undulated from the glaciers to the heavens. An absolutely magical experience. I even caught Willow looking at the movement of the sky.
Camp site. Even a few clouds can’t obscure the aurora.
It should be noted the photos show more colour than can be seen with the naked eye. The shapes and greens can be easily seen. The magentas and reds show darker to the eye and not as vibrant. The cameras sensitive sensor picks up the extra colour.
Can you spot the Big Dipper?
The view straight above. An ever changing light show.
The Northern Lights have really been dancing these past few nights. The solar storms are coming fast and furious while our sun goes through a very active cycle.
Last night they came out early enough for Lisa and I to go for a drive and take a few photos in the valley bottom. We sometimes disagree on what pictures to take. I have to admit Lisa is usually correct at picking locations.
The top photo is taken at the Dutch Creek Hoodoos. Although the camera is pointed north there is only a few wisp’s of aurora showing. They were much more active in other parts of the sky. Still I was very pleased with this photo.
The mushrooms below were taken a few days previous up above the creek on the mountain near cedar trees and Oregon Grape. We found plenty of edible mushrooms of different varieties. These are called Chicken Fried Mushrooms named for their cooked chicken smell and taste (no kidding).
Lisa’s eye is much better than mine, it seems, at finding mushrooms. It used to be me to find the mushrooms, orchids and spot the good fishing holes and coveted songbirds. Not so much anymore. However, I like to think I taught her everything she knows.
It has cooled off a bit, both temperature and tourist wise, thank God!
It is the mature tourist season, older without children. Some of my young coworkers call it, ’the newlywed and almost dead’ season.
It has been another trying year. The arrogance, rudeness and entitlement of the tourists seems to be getting worse, if that is possible. Quite a few youngsters who came to work in tourism decided it wasn’t for them and I can’t blame them. My advice is to put on an extra thick layer of skin armour. Skin armour is something that my daughter Maddy invented. You put on to get you through the rudeness that accompanies many work places. July and August it needs to be bullet proof.
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Another Provincial Election is upon us. The NDP against the new Conservative Party.
The old Conservatives caved in and formed the new Conservatives. Make no mistake they are the same bunch. What was once the Social Credit Party became the BC Liberal Party, then they became the BC United Party and finally they handed the keys to the BC Conservative Party.
Our MLA of Liberal/United persuasion heard the klang of a party in disarray, so took his new pension and added it to his other government pensions and called it a career.
Now we have a couple other opportunists lined up to take his place.
I can’t even express how little these cagey, scheming, cunning two-bit politicians to be do for me. Whew, say that four times fast.
Regardless, in this riding we are going to have a new one to deal with. The only question, not that it makes a bit of difference, will it be a Conservative or NDP, both retired teachers by the way. Both ready to add another generous defined government pension to their portfolio. It is tough to keep pigs from the trough.
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These are the way things are. You have to put up with tourists and politicians. Sometimes you need damn good skin armour. What the hell. Regardless of it all, it’s good to see the coming frost, the ripe tomatoes daily, the empty back roads, salted mountains and golden tamaracks. That’s plenty.
The full moon came up tonight with a piece missing from the top.
The bite is caused by a partial lunar eclipse as the moon just touches the shadow of earth.
It is hard not to be mesmerized watching a full moon rise over the mountains. To see one peek over the mountains in eclipse can’t help fill one with wonder. A special Harvest Moon indeed.
The Palliser Fire is still going in places. Forest fires have been known to burn roots underground for months. Lisa and I wandered around. Lisa was hurt to see some of our favourite places burned. Rock Creek was burned badly.
The forest floor reduced to rock as a new cycle begins.
The fire burned 9000 hectares. It was managed by a large firefighting crew who seemed to control it and let it burn. That is the way forest fires will be managed now. Forest fire management has become an industry unto itself.
Spent the night along the Palliser River. Plenty of fires had burned the area. I crept along looking at the fire, where it started and how it progressed. At night I woke up at regular intervals to document the movement of stars. Jupiter and Mars in Taurus. Orion following behind, a signal of cold to come. The northern lights made an appearance, but didn’t last long. The smell of fire permeated the cool night, the stars kept track as they always have and the sound of the river lulled me back and forth from this world and one of peaceful dreams.
A couple of uprooted fir trees at The Springs Golf Course in Radium Hot Springs.
Last Friday we had a severe wind storm. A nearby weather station clocked the winds at over 200km/hr, which is unheard of in this area. The mountains usually protect us from high winds. Not this time.
The storm was accompanied by rain and lightning. There were shingles flying off roofs, billboards knocked over, moored motor boats swamped and sunk (I guess it wasn’t all bad), trees uprooted, buildings damaged; basically shit scattered from asshole to tea kettle, everywhere, in every direction.
Luckily, as far as I know, no injuries were reported.
Power was knocked out throughout the valley. Most was restored within 12 hours, however BC Hydro is still working to get power to some areas.
We were lucky. Only a few branches to pick up around our place. Work was a different story, plenty to clean up there.
A funny story that reminded me of my Mom. Two young women, Bex and Molly, from the UK that I work with were surprised at how fast the storm hit.
Bex saw the lights flicker and said, ‘Molly get the kettle on!’ They didn’t want the power to go off in the middle of a bad storm without being able to make a cup of tea. The kettle boiled just in time before the power went off for the duration.
My Mother was the same way. No matter what was about to hit a cup of tea seemed to make things a little better.
I sure hope this kind of weather doesn’t become part of our new normal.
This morning’s ever reliable moon going down after a long night over the District of Invermere.
Interesting article in last weeks local newspaper. The District of Invermere and its Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) have ‘departed’.
Departed is an interesting choice of words. There is only two ways to depart a job; the CAO either quit or was fired. So which is it? As usual when it comes to local politics, no one is talking.
Since the District’s CAO is generally considered the leader of the ship and often the highest paid employee of the District one could argue citizens have a right to know. That doesn’t mean they get to know every detail, but they are entitled to a few answers, certainly more than offered.
Not specified in the article, but I was able to find out, was that the former CAO was paid severance. How much and why is covered by a non-disclosure agreement. There goes the citizens right to know.
I knew something was up when our Mayor was unable to be reached for comment for the newspaper article. Our Mayor revels in the sound of his own voice, and can be relied on, if for nothing else, to comment on all subjects whether he knows anything about them or not, which is more often the latter. The subject does have to be in his interest, however.
The District has a history of hiring some turkeys over the years that have cost the taxpayers dearly. To rid themselves, a handsome severance packages is often part of the cost.
I remember spending a trip to Cranbrook, an hour and a half drive away, with a former Director of Public Works for the District. By the time we were ten minutes out of town I knew the guy was full of shit and useless as tits on a bull. Yet somehow, he was apparently interviewed by numerous people and hired by the District, who then suffered through his employ for longer than they should have. He was finally given a generous severance package so they could ‘depart’ ways. Probably the best money the District spent on this employee.
Funny enough this man landed in another government position where he has been a thorn in their side ever since. Proof that government is a holding pen for many of the worst workers in Canada.
The point is, the District of Invermere and all government should be extra careful in their hiring practices as it is the taxpayer that shoulders the cost of enduring, and often ridding themselves of the ineptly acquired baggage.
Dug the garlic today. About 120 heads of purple hardneck. I laid it out to dry and damned if we didn’t have a hard rain. Granted it didn’t last long. It was marvellous to feel. It was like the earth lapped it up. The birds even came out and seemed to rejoice in the damp, warm air.
Deb’s bouquet.
The garden is doing what it can. Picked a bunch of peas. Not easy. The wind has blown most of the vines off the fences, making one pick through the tangle. I know I’m missing as many I’m picking. Willow helped out picking, but she ate the ones she picked not contributing to the bucket. Once and awhile I’d give her a pod I’d eaten the peas out of. She would nosh it around and spit it out, giving me a dirty look. She will eat the pea pods as long as they have peas in them, take the peas out and try to pawn them off and she will let you know you are a cheat.
The mosquitoes have been atrocious. The garden is almost unbearable. At night we usually have at least a few driving us crazy. The buggers having followed us through the door. Sometimes I hear Willows jaws clack as she tries biting them out of the air. They are tough to get in the pitch black.
The fire in the Palliser River area is getting bigger. It has burned a lot of country that Lisa and I love. It will be something to see when we can get out there.
It is a long weekend and the tourists are unrelenting. Hordes all trying to do everything at once. I am not sure if they even notice the smoke obscuring the mountains or the sun that rises and sets blood red, on fire through a thickening haze.
Humans are something. I dreamt that the town and hills surrounding the lake were on fire, like they will be one day, while the long grass, trees and homes burned, the tourists in their wake boats just kept jetting around the lake, pulling water skiers and surfers, kids on tubes, loud music from big thumping speakers, laughter, cocktails, bikinis and sunglasses, sunblock and beer bottle empties thrown overboard. Making sure they are draining their tanks, getting their kicks before the lake starts to boil.
Just a bad dream. Exacerbated by the heat, smoke and pesky mosquitoes.
Palliser Pass 