The Wild Turkeys of Radium

First time I’ve ever seen them there. There is also a peacock walking around the townsite.

The morning we were leaving, I was standing by the van when I heard a clunking behind me and turned around to see a male bighorn sheep about 5 yards away as he walked my way, wondering if I was going to impede his progress. Then he suddenly broke into a gallop and shot by me. Radium remains my favorite place for seeing wildlife. The bighorns are always impressive and look like they own the joint.

Sheep chomping thru flowers taking the Welcome sign at the resort seriously:

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

I Never Get Tired of Seeing

Castle Mountain, Banff National Park by the turnoff to Highway 93 off #1.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Best Spinach Quiche I’ve Ever Tasted

Bighorn Cafe, Radium. Their mochas are dreamy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Webworks

All it takes are two spinners
to collect the unsuspecting flotsam
of long summer nights.
Apart in the same yard
we cast our respective filaments–
some to control, some to set free,
some in love, some of death itself.

Silver on dark,
I braid a net to enhance my loves.
You–a snare for your gossamer schemes.
I follow impulse with fiber-like freedom,
the warp of odd honesty.
You spin charm like crazy
and admire a dead collection.

Snared in your own beguiles,
you measure success
by the material bodies around you.
I, by the spirits who sing
spinning songs
beyond our entrapments.

You connive and hatch.
I invent or enhance.
My designs, your makeshift.
My resolution, your madness.
My labyrinth, your skeletons.

Keep your intrigues to yourself,
the nightly feedings that have
kept you alive and dead for so long.
Though we may die this winter,
we have chosen then
and I shan’t be catching you later.

Alone now, I spin quite free
far from your threadbare joy.
I have been victim enough
to know the Sisyphus pangs
of starting each arc over.

Honest now, I cannot spin for you
and you are too busy with
your morning morgue
to taste of mercy or honour.

Centered, I will be fine in the autumn sun.
Improved, I will continue my passion
to teach and let go.
True, I shall weave like this, alone forever.

(All poems on the blog are by RD)

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

70th Birthday Party: ‘The Boys’

Family room after dinner: (left to right) water fountain, Monet poster in fireplace opening, salt lamp b-day gift, older of the 2 boys playing a game on I.T. guy’s phone, younger watching. A poetic moment if ever there was one.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Caterpillar: Mikweed Tussock aka Tiger Moth

By the skin of its teeth: I was mowing the back yard and he must have been in the right places at the right times dodging the mower and certain death. Aren’t we all tiger moths dodging the mower-like meteorites that whiz by more frequently these daze?

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“We often and routinely do it to ourselves.”

As in the case of the 19-year-old UK boy who went blind eating nothing but processed ham and sausage, white bread, French fries, and Pringle’s chips. But what can one expect when there’s a major lack of parental intervention and a wilful ignoring of medical practitioner advice?

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

‘Twas Quite the Family Shindig Sunday

“How terribly strange to be seventy”–Paul Simon (from S & G’s Bookends album)

The boys get in the act as usual.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

My Kind of Everyday Hero:

Can Man Dan, the local poverty activist who organized his 7th and another much-needed back-to-school giveaway event here in Edmonton. His work is much appreciated by the many families who need help with everything from school supplies to backpacks to healthy morning cereal. A very inspired concept and a truly impressive philanthropic event for the local community.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Grand Concert Friday at ESO

The usual classical concert of Symphony under the Sky did not disappoint. A sublime doubleheader with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 “From the New World” launching things. Then Brahms’ excellent Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 performed by amazing young Canadian virtuoso Blake Pouliot. When the orchestra stopped for Blake to solo, it was high-risk trapeze time and he acquitted himself most splendidly.

ESO sounded 3-4 times better than usual thanks to an imported L.A. sound system which gave everything depth and a true bass bottom grounding for the rest of the musicians. The horn section echoed from the stratosphere, the percussion was crisp and not lost in muddiness, and the treble reeds were punched up considerably. No featured instruments were lost in the mix.This was a trial demo for the system and I hope it will become a no-brainer regular feature in the summer shows as well as at the Winspear.

Some of us long-time subscribers (our 25th year, since the beginning) were given a VIP Lounge special treatment with a selection of edibles, popcorn, and free vino bottles as we listened to a marvellous classical guitarist who played classics and pop pieces including “Summertime and The Beatles’ “In My Life”. A splendid preconcert experience.

All in all, possibly our best and most special evening at Symphony in the Park in memory and a perfect birthday musical present to end the summer.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment