Jill Browne, from home and away

Monday, April 4, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Up at the airport yesterday to drop my friend off, I saw the newly-closed Barlow Trail.

The feds are expanding YYC, Calgary International Airport. This means building a runway where we now have a road, Barlow Trail. In fact it’s the main road for reaching the airport from anywhere east of Deerfoot Trail and north of Memorial Drive.

Barlow is a strange road because although there is a Barlow north of the river, and a Barlow south of the river (the Bow River, that is), and these two Barlows do line up with each other, they aren’t connected. Very confusing if you don’t know what you’re doing and you get on Barlow south of the river expecting to take it to the airport.

No worries now, though. Barlow is closed at its north end so you can’t use it to get to the airport at all.

Find another way and don’t trust your GPS. Revert to that good old-fashioned map thing.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Away: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Drove back home to Calgary

It was one of those blue Alberta days, the high-pressure, semi-euphoric air mass finally giving us an uplift. The winter dust and grime didn’t look so thick today.

Best of all, the little gophers, aka prairie dogs, Richardson’s ground squirrels, were standing by the road here and there. I didn’t see many, but there were a few between Edmonton and Red Deer.

The prairie dog life cycle includes a lot of time spent underground: all winter, much of the summer and fall, and at night.

Dr. Gail Michener at the University of Lethbridge has studied them closely. One of her many interesting findings about these little guys is that the dates of starting and ending hibernation depend on age (juvenile or adult) and gender. The boys and girls are not all upstairs at the same time, though of course there is some overlap of they would be the Shakers of the animal kingdom.

Here’s a link to Dr. Michener’s explanation of the yearly cycle of the Richardson’s ground squirrel.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Away: Drove to Edmonton

I didn’t look forward to the drive north to Edmonton today.

OK, let’s get it over with, no one in Calgary looks forward to going to Edmonton, thanks to our inter-city rivalry. But, shock, horror, I’ve lived in both places and each has its charm. The drive between Calgary and Edmonton can be beautiful in the spring, as the migrating birds return.

Spring?

I woke up this morning to see on the AMA’s (Alberta Motor Association) website: Winter weather warning.

Fantastic! Just what I was hoping for!

I was lucky. The bad weather with the snow and wind and ice and all that was west and south of my route.

A calm and pleasant drive to our provincial capital.

Didn’t see any swans at Red Deer though. Too early, I guess.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Looking north toward the Centre Street Bridge, Calgary. Photo by Jill Browne, February 22, 2011.

We’ve been on daylight savings time for a while now. Why it started in early March is a good question but OK, it did.

This means it stays light later in the evening, and that’s nice.

Going to work in the morning, for those who have to travel any distance, is still dismal and dark.

This picture from February could have been taken today, a month later.

The picture is of Centre Street, looking north. In the distance is the Centre Street Bridge, crossing the Bow River. It’s a two-level bridge. Every year, usually on the first day of the Calgary Stampede, someone who can’t read road signs will drive his RV, or attempt to drive his RV, across the lower deck and get stuck because the bridge clearance is too low for his vehicle.

Some day I hope to get to the scene and watch the RV extraction process. It’s sort of a rite of passage. (Watching, not being the driver.)

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.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Here are more of the pics I took yesterday while driving around, mainly from the south to downtown and back.

Today’s highlight was breakfast at Pfanntastic Pannekoek Haus, a Dutch pancake house on Crowchild Trail just south of 50th Avenue SW. You can get to it from northbound Crowchild, but if you are southbound, take the 50th Ave exit and head left (east), and work your way south a couple of blocks. Easy.

Mine was bacon, raisins, apple. Suzanne had brown sugar and lemon juice. Our mystery guest had the same as I did. All enjoyed the meal.

This is a Calgary classic and always reliable for a tasty and filling mid-day or even evening meal. The pancakes are giant crepes that lie flat on the plate. You get one, with your choice of 80 topping selections (including some combos). Very tasty. One is a meal.

Yesterday’s driving pics.

Crane images on Zoo overpass. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Pedestrian ramp to reach Bridgeland C-Train station by crossing Memorial Drive. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Where the Calgary General Hospital used to be. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Copper domes on church. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Entering downtown on the 4th Avenue flyover. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Booker's for seafood. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

New condo apartments for sale near the Bow River. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I took these pictures on an average day at the very tail end of rush hour. It was still busy (around 8:30 a.m.) but in Calgary the downtown workday starts at 8 o’clock. We were more into the school run and people like me doing their errands. The pictures are a bit blurry because I took them (a) through the car window and (b) while moving, but not while driving. Someone else was doing that.

School bus morning run. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Lafarge sand and gravel and concrete. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Concrete pipes by Lafarge. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Driving toward downtown on Memorial Drive. The haze is partly from the windshield dirt. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Truck carrying yellow pipes. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, Feburary 22, 2011.

Big trucks through a dirty window. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Red and yellow Max Bell Arena. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, February 22, 2011.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Lounging at home, trying to get some work done, managing to actually do that.

The Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game was on at McMahon Stadium today, but I didn’t pay attention, I’m afraid. Glad to hear Calgary Flames won it!

It wasn’t as cold as yesterday, so I hope the people in the stands were comfortable.

Playing hockey outside is a great idea. I’m so glad the NHL has the outdoor classic.

Some pics from 2011 so far.

In the distance, the copper dome of a church, seen from the 4th Avenue flyover. Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Entering downtown on 4th Ave SE. Bow Building on left and Harry Hays on right (brown horizontal stripes). Photo by Jill Browne. Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Cupola of former James Short School. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Saturday, January 19, 2011

Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Legally Blonde!

What could be better than seeing this fun musical with my law school buddies, and though two were missing, the other five of us ladies had a lovely time.

I of course embarrassed myself by being the loudest laugher in the room but hmmm I don’t think that’s something to worry about. After all, it was supposed to be a funny show, right? The Irish dancing scene brought me to tears.

A fantastic dinner in an old, beautiful Eaton’s kit house in Ramsey, courtesy of one of the gang. Lots of talk and laughter.

We missed our friends who couldn’t make it and look forward to a get together with all present.

Here are a few more pictures from 2011 so far.

Calgary's new Science Centre under construction. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

Heading downtown, eastbound on Memorial just off Deerfoot. Photo by Jill Browne, Calgary, January 3, 2011.

In the distance, the Bow Building being built. Mid-ground, footbridge over the LRT. Photo by Jill Browne, January 3, 2011, Calgary.