Jill Browne, from home and away

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Even though the tall buildings on the north side of the Calgary Tower are crowding out some of the view, it’s still a great ride to sit at the top of the tower and eat your dinner while looking out the window watching Calgary and southern Alberta go by.

I haven’t been up there in a while and the restaurant has changed management since my last time, so I can’t comment on the food.

When I had my last ride, I found it intriguing to look to the southeast, at the Stampede grounds, Victoria Park, and at the almost Victorian-looking brick buildings here and there.

Of course, the star of the show is the view to the southwest and those gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

If you fly into Calgary on Air Canada, you often find yourself at the “A” end of the terminal. There’s a bronze statue of a cowboy’s head, huge, you can’t miss it.

That’s Sam Livingston. He was one of Calgary’s pioneers, originally from Ireland.

He had a farm in a sheltered part of the Elbow River Valley. The microclimate was pretty good there.

The farm is underwater now. We call it the Glennmore Reservoir.

You can stand at Sam’s house, moved to Heritage Park on the high ground above the reservoir, and look down at where the farm was.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Maybe I just need to stop being friends with people on the west coast.

One has already got heirloom tomato plants sprouting in her outdoor greenhouse.

Another is blogging about daffodils and such like.

We aren’t.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

We have the opportunity for great outdoor skating here, and indoors too.

My favorites: Bowness Park for outdoors. You get on the lagoon and just go, it’s wide open, and there’s the pleasant smell of woodsmoke when they have the warming fires going.

Olympic Oval for indoors. Pretend to be an Olympic star!

One year, when I was living in Mission near the Holy Cross Hospital, it was so cold in February that the Elbow River was frozen and we skated almost to Glenmore. Wonderful way to see the city.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I don’t even have to drive to work and I still hate Mondays.

Calgary traffic lights, Centre Street, downtown. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

The best thing about living in southern Alberta might just be that beautiful blue sky. Had it back again today. The temp was about -10 at mid-day. Perfect.

Took the dogs for a walk and chipped some hard snow off the sidewalk. Still have more to do but it’s not dangerous as is.

Chinatown, Calgary, corner of Centre Street and 4th Ave SE. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

The Harry Hays Building, Downtown Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I took the dogs out for a walk, since it was sunny and not nearly as cold as it’s been this week. Only about -10 C.

This picture from about two weeks ago shows the east side of the Harry Hays Building on 4th Avenue SE, right downtown. Many people know it as the place you go for passports, though in recent years there has been a more convenient office in the deep south. (More convenient for anyone who doesn’t have to go downtown and isn’t in the far north end of the city. Free parking.)

I remember going there for tax stuff once upon a time, and also I think I had a job interview in there where they fingerprinted me. When I asked if they would destroy the finger prints if I didn’t get the job, I was met with stares of complete incomprehension. Who knows, maybe I’m on file.  That must be what’s been curbing my criminal tendencies lo these many years.

The Harry Hays is one of the few office buildings at the east end of downtown. Very convenient for Chinese food.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

As the city limits expand, there are more opportunities for humans to move into the territory of the native wildlife.

A couple of years ago I was driving around to the southwest of town and saw a cougar up close and personal. It was chasing a coyote.

The cougar had an exaggerated jutting jaw, just like the Pink Panther.

It was also much more of an orange colour than I expected. In the zoo and in photos, cougars always looked tawny to me, more golden than orange.

The truly orange animal is the fox, though.

On another day, on that same road, I sat in my car and watched a curious, beautiful fox for ten minutes. They really are gorgeous creatures.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

At the beginning of February, we look for the groundhog to foretell the winter and spring dividing line.

If that doesn’t work, we watch the first of March. “In like a lion, out like a lamb.”

I actually think that’s it, that’s the whole saying.

But, in grade school when we were little kids, we would treat it as a prophesy.

“In like a lion, therefore, out like a lamb.
In like a lamb, therefore, out like a lion.”

The thing is, at the end of the month we would be too distracted by the thrill of April Fool’s Day to remember to watch the weather.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Cars and cold don’t go together. 

Took one in yesterday for servicing. It will take an extra day to fix, so I stayed home today. Nowhere I really needed to go.