It was a bit of a harrowing trip across the river in the buggy yesterday. Visibility was very low. We happened upon someone who needed a little bit of help in the middle of the river, so the driver and I went out to give him a hand. Of course, my guests had to film it. 😂

Minus 34°C before the wind on the Churchill river tonight, and the wind was something else. Still, a beautiful night.

Turn the sound on to listen to why I do what I do. Nothing makes me happier than listening to people experience the majesty of the #aurora for the first time. We had an amazing night starting with a seven course meal and ending with this show.

Turn the sound on to listen to why I do what I do. Nothing makes me happier than listening to people experience the majesty of the #aurora for the first time. We had an amazing night starting with a seven course meal and ending with this show.

We spent a beautiful evening in a yurt just inside the tree line near Churchill Manitoba, watching for Northern lights. The hazy cloud made me think we wouldn’t get any, but I was thankfully wrong and everyone had a great night. I won’t be able to get them off my camera until I get home.

Being back in Churchill is always a treat. Crisp and cold, though I wish the clouds were a little less of a thing. Hoping for manageable skies tonight and some bright auroras.

I sometimes get annoyed by how much the snowmobilers in my area tear up the pristine snow on the lake, even though it does make it easier for me to walk there. However, every now and then they leave behind a pretty interesting pattern.

Even though it’s only five letters, my last name gets mispronounced a lot. It’s HIGH-nem, not Hi-NAM.

I'm having a ton of fun playing around in my backyard with the new camera trying to follow in @glengrambo.bsky.social's footsteps when it comes to photographing birds in flight. This Canada jay was in just the perfect light. #birds 🌿

Little house in the big woods under and even bigger sky. Didn't quite have the settings right, but it worked out.

Pine grosbeaks tend to drop off of their perch before gaining altitude, which leads to these great moments if you're fast enough to anticipate the drop. #birds🌿

The next shot in this sequence. Look out below. #birds 🌿

Angry bird. #birds 🌿

Took my new extra wide-angle lens out to practice tonight before my first Churchill #aurora tour next week. The lights gave me something to work with :)

Amazing find for this year's Great Backyard Bird Count in my backyard! I've tried for years to get a clear photo of a boreal chickadee. They're forever mocking me from high in the spruce trees with their nasal 'chicka-day-days', but today, I finally managed to snap a photo of one! #GBBC #birds 🌿

Lovely morning for a snowshoe on the lake around Grindstone Point. The frost wasn’t as thick as in my yard, but still beautiful.

Got to spend part of the morning with this little sprite yesterday. I'm not sure why they do this, but it's not an uncommon pose for Canada jays. #birds 🌿

Feels like I’m on a different planet this morning. The rime frost continues along with the fog and it is so very beautiful.

Fog and frost on the lake this morning. It’s an absolute perfect winter day.

My annual post about the difference between hoar frost and rime. Hoar: water vapour transforms directly into frost (deposition). Happens when it's clear and cold and the crystals are small. Rime: water vapour in the ice forms ice. Happens when warm and foggy. Much longer and long-lived crystals

I couldn't find my phone because I'd left it in the pantry, in case you're wondering how my day is going.

We've been dealing with The Nothing all day. There is a shoreline back there somewhere. Also, the snow is swallowing up that picnic table on the beach.

Artists, quote with something silly. Feel free to use it as a colouring page :)

Very foggy and frosty this morning. Made for a lovely walk.

I’m in love with these orchids growing on one of the trees in the tropical biome of The Leaf. The horticulture team did plant them, but it looks so neat to see them growing how they would in the wild. #Winnipeg

Always nice when you can cap off a board meeting by sitting in a bamboo grove.

Put this on repeat if you need to relax. I spent yesterday evening trying out the new catering menu at Assiniboine Park (such great food), and capped off the evening hanging out in the biomes at the Leaf. I love the tropical biome at night. #Winnipeg

I really loved this dried flower canopy at The Leaf in Assiniboine Park. It’s part of one of the seasonal displays. #Winnipeg.

It pays to look up. I found this adorable guy sound asleep several meters up in an old tree. Never once cracked an eyelid. #mammals 🌿

A cute white-breasted nuthatch borb to brighten your day :) #birds

I know that a few always stick around all winter, but I never expect to see a robin before April. This was one of two that were hanging out in Winnipeg. #birds 🌿

It pays to look up. I found this adorable guy sound asleep several meters up in an old tree. Never once cracked an eyelid. #mammals 🌿

I'm late to the party (it's been a busy weekend) but I had to post at least one #SuperbOwl before calling it a day :) #birds 🌿

I’m a big fan of one of the new warming hut installations along the Nestaweya river trail in #Winnipeg. I always love it when someone makes one out of snow.

I got to spend part of my morning with this adorable pupper. This is Maggie, my friend’s nine month old basset hound. She loves everybody and I love her.

Always a fun immersive experience at the Manitoba Museum. A great way to spend an afternoon with my mom and sister. #Winnipeg @manitobamuseum.bsky.social

No luck spotting the great horned owl that lives in this forest, but I found one of his pellets. #birds 🌿

I don’t usually decorate angel food like this but it’s my mom’s birthday so I gave it my best shot.

I don’t make them often because they take a dozen eggs, but it’s always a great feeling when an angel food cake comes out perfectly.

My backyard right now. Just put this on loop if you need something to calm you. ❄️

My yard is on a deer highway, so I'm blessed to see these guys often. #Mammals 🌿

We're much warmer today than when this photo was taken. Pine grosbeak in -30C weather. Everyone gets a little frosty when it's that cold. #birds

Artists, quote with your most detailed art. This took me almost a year. It's 25x7 feet and was painted actual size in Photoshop before being printed as wallpaper and mounted. I needed progressive lenses after this.

Looking for ID help. One of my sister's students brought her this photo. It's apparently a mole, but the only mole we're supposed to have in Manitoba is the star-nosed mole and I don't see any star-nose on this guy or large digging forearms. Any thoughts? Pocket gopher? #mammals

A tiny ball of fluff and fury. It was a lot of fun painting this ruby-crowned kinglet. #birds #SciArt

Probably the cleanest cut I’ve ever made with an axe. Quite a satisfying moment this morning. 🪓

My last really cold walk on the lake for a while if the two week forecast is correct. Going up into the minus single digits in the next few days. It was -26C this morning.

Painting this adorable face is a fun way to spend an evening. #birds #SciArt

Look out below! This great gray owl was hunting along the road near my cottage last month. When you get a good look at the wing like this, you can tell that it's a hatch year bird (less than a year old). After hatch year birds will have different coloured flight feathers as some are replaced. #birds

While the ruby-red males are flashier, I am a big fan of female pine grosbeaks. Their subtle coppery-gold tones are so lovely. #birds 🌿