Last Sunday we had our 1st #snow of the season. A fairly mild to warm week, most is gone, with little bits in shady spots. Today cloudy, chance of rain/thunderstorms, but another week forecast mostly above average. #commute #alberta #autumn #landscape #SnowMother #PaganSky #Latvian #weather 📷

First #snow Saturday/Sunday (it's not early- *August* would be early, September typical, October late!) Just a few cm; nights have been -5 to -9C /23 to15F, days near/below 0C- so snow has stuck around for now Rock #garden Friday vs Sunday #houseplants #autumn #Alberta #weather 📷🌱

This woodpecker has been visiting the apple-crabs- It flies in with a great cackling noise, settles on the tree to peck at apples for a while, then flies off to season its meal with its regular fare-insects. links to follow #birds #nature #Alberta #Canada #CountryLiving #autumn 🌱🌿📷 #GoOutsideForMe

After weeks of warm/ dry #weather the season has begun to turn- rain on Saturday + a few snowflakes; Sunday morning -7/ -8C 17-19F, thick frost on everything including the windshield. By late morning frost was disappearing. Views from the weekend #commute #Alberta #Autumn #photography #landscape

The lovely #seed heads of native Northern/Canada Hawkweed Hieracium umbellatum Every #season has its #beauty 🙂 #nature #WildPlants #BorealForest #Autumn 🌿📷 🌱This one is growing wild on the acreage but it has found its way into a couple of garden beds- I'm happy to see it where there's space #Alberta

I've been trying to take advantage of warm dry #autumn weather to get ready for winter. While in my woodcutting area a Mourning Cloak #Butterfly joined me for a bit+ #FallColour has been building- probably near peak now + a great #lichen patch #Alberta #nature #BorealForest #GetOutside #BugSky 🌿

Fewer flowers day by day- no notable frost yet, but can't be far.. A few #weeds here and there are popular with the remaining #pollinators This tiny #bee and #fly were enjoying one of the last #flower heads on Cirsium arvense/Creeping Thistle last week #nature #BugSky #insects #Alberta 🌱🌿📷

#AutumnEquinox a short video gathering foliage +showing the finished #altar for the season, honouring primordial #BirdGoddess + #GreatMother #Māra + #Ragana the Wild One + the Twin Gods + remembering my Mom and Aunt #fall #Alberta #Canada #GoddessCulture #animist #WitchSky #SolaceInNature

This was last year's blog post for #AutumnEquinox thoughts on the cycles + rhythms of nature, the approach of winter + the #TimeOfSpirits ( #Samhain #Halloween ) #loss #remembrance the ancient #TwinGods #WitchSky #pagan #Baltic #Latvian #Alberta #Canada cohanmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/09/autu...

#AutumnEquinox Wishing all in the Northern Hemisphere a beautiful autumn +winter to come, time of ripening, maturing, senescence, death that precedes rebirth- heralded by the most crazy beautiful natural spectacle of the year! #PaganSky #animist #baltic #Latvian #Alberta #Canada 🌱🌿 #SeasonalRhythms

Video from August 27- early signs of #Autumn + #apples Things have moved along already though still lots of green + above average temperatures #LeafMother begins work slowly, picking up speed day after day #Alberta #Baltic #Latvian #PaganSky #animist #weather 🌱 YouTube + #Spectra links to follow

Yesterday was my #LazyMonday so #GausuMate #MotherOfLaziness said take it easy! I went out late afternoon, spent time watching birds around the apple trees, had a nice short #SlowWalk around the acreage + into the bush on the farm. #garden #nature #Alberta #Autumn #fall #Baltic #Latvian #PaganSky

Cool #moth shot over a couple of days on an old wall/screen door below a night light. Seems to be Maple Spanworm Moth Ennomos magnaria; we don't really have maple trees here, but they also use other trees such as Poplar #insects #nature #Alberta #Canada #inverts #BugSky 🌿📷

Irritated #deer seen when I was out for a #SlowWalk on the #farm lol She seemed to think I was in her way! #nature #Alberta #CountryLiving #animals

The signs are there: we are sliding into #autumn and the pace is sure to increase in coming days.. Meanwhile there are still #summer #vignettes if you look! #BlueSkyArtshow #EastCoastKin #Alberta #Canada 🌱📷

After a kinda wet/not hot #summer it's been dry + warmer: mid-20's/30C, nights below/well below 10C- (<85F/50F) so a few toasty afternoon hours. Good ripening/harvesting weather for farmers. It got smoky yesterday, will prob keep today below forecast .. #weather #Alberta #landscape #CountryLiving 📷

Another #wasp on #Aralia First clearish views of this for me so I was excited! I got a brief look then spent 35mins traipsing around to all of the flowering plants, finally found it again! Not great/close shots, but I was still stoked! #iNat #BugSky #insects #Alberta #inverts #nature 🌱🌿 #Canada

I've mentioning this sighting, probably my most exciting of the year, finally got photos edited. I had one poor view earlier, then this one (late July) hung around long enough and still enough that I could get lots of photos More on iNat inaturalist.ca/observations... #Bugsky #inverts 🌿📷🌱#Alberta

Native #bees of - various kinds of #BumbleBees #LeafcutterBees etc love the several species of Saussurea /Sawwort that I've grown (like they love most #Composites) here they are enjoying Saussurea riederi, an East Asian species #BugSky #inverts #FlowerReport #Alberta 🌱🌿🐝

This Dianthus barbatus Sweet William has found its way (probably as seed on my boots?) quite far from where most of the plants are on the acreage, to the edge of a path near some #woodland beds, among natives +weeds, flowering later than those in sunny spots #Alberta 🌱📷 #FlowerReport

Enough with the short sighted petro greed! you.leadnow.ca/petitions/no...

@aircanada.bsky.social (not sure which account is real, if any of them are)-- needs to pay people for work they do! Ridiculous! And the #GovernmentOfCanada needs to stop trampling on #workers' rights. Too much coddling of big industry which *never* has the best interests of anyone but bankers

Looking up at some of the Hops vines left from my Uncle's radio antenna (decades ago) on the old trailer.. #BlueSkyMonday #SkySky #Alberta #Canada 🌱📷 #FotoMontag #CountryLiving

Having recently learned about male #bees leaving the nest to find mates(post by Darren @dragonbyte.ca) I'm guess that this unmoving little person on Agastache in the #garden is one of those seekers! recent cool afternoon. Danger lurks above though (closer view in replies)! #Alberta #Bugsky 🌱📷🌿

Carlina acaulis= "stemless" Carlina, which they are not, but it seems 15-40cm is normal enough (these are maybe 30cm/1ft not sure whether that makes it ssp caulescens..) This is an extra white looking plant, some of the others getting ready to flower are very purple! #FlowerReport #Alberta #Canada🌱📷

Happy #CrossQuarterDay mid-way (or thereabouts!) between Summer Solstice / Autumn Equinox! I've finally (after a lot of work + technical difficulties..lol) got my June solstice #SlowWalks + #garden views video posted! YT link, Spectra next #Alberta #PaganSky #nature #BugSky 🌿🌱📷 youtu.be/jj7atc_JgQ4

The Police Car #Moth dangling from Achillea/Yarrow caught my eye first- odd place for it to be, but they can be odd. Closer, I recognised the tell-tale signs of #spider predation! Sure enough this industrious individual had not only the moth but a Potter #Wasp too! #Bugsky #Alberta #Canada 🌱📷🌿 #iNat

Cirsium drummondii These #thistles have gone from mowed over mystery when I first moved back in '07 to presumed cool weed when I let one flower, to realising they're an uncommon native species! boy do #pollinators love them! #NativePlants #Wildflowers #Alberta #Canada #insects #BugSky 🌿📷🌱

Happy to see this cute #toad Boreal Toad Anaxyrus boreas boreas in rainwater on a tarp by the house, then realised it might be having difficulty climbing back up, so I placed some boards, short vid, links to follow for YouTube; + Spectra if you prefer non-corporate! #wildlife #animals #Alberta 🌿

This was in a reply, so I'm bumping it out here.. 🌱📷🌿 #bugsky #NationalMothWeek

Talking to @venetiajane.bsky.social about Sweet William Dianthus barbatus hybrids/cultivars. We have lots here- many in mowed areas, some at edges of beds etc where they get to flower. Much loved by #pollinators esp #butterflies Lots of colours/combinations- here are a few #BloomScrolling #BugSky 🌱📷

Sunday evening #commute massive #weather system rolling in -looked like a major storm but was just #rain ! Rained ca 16hrs light-heavy; semi-clear Monday aft + showers low/mid teens C. Tuesday fresh + sunny, #pollinators back in action nearly 20C #Alberta #landscape 🌱 #Insects #BloomScrolling 📷

View from Sunday #commute to work- dramatic skies but not much came of it (we did have good storms + lots of rain- Friday, I think? Today was forecast 30C/86F, but clouds kept it cooler.. tomorrow cooler still, maybe rain. #Alberta #Canada #July #photography #landscape #CountryLiving #weather

One of the army of European Skippers visiting native Zigadenus elegans (I know, name was changed, but I like this one..lol) in the #garden Note there is also a tiny #wasp probably Potter Wasp, in lower right approaching! #insects #inverts #NativePlants #pollinators 🌱📷 #nature 🌿

Geranium pratense 'Mrs. Kendall Clark' Meadow Cranesbill. Large, vigorous, clumping, self seeding plant, though I can't see seedlings being that hard to remove (1 has found its way to a far distant bed on the acreage-via tool or boot?) #gardening #BloomScrolling #Alberta #Canada #GetOutside 🌱📷

Not the most exciting images, but interesting to see this tiny person perched on the top bar of a folding chair. I had no idea what it was, but once seeing #texture/ pattern onscreen decided it's a #moth -facing downward! #MacroMonday #EastCoastKin #insects #Alberta #photography 🌿📷 #nature #Canada

Diervilla lonicera bush Honeysuckle buds- I should add an overview shot- watch this space...lol. From wild #Saskatchewan seed. A vigorous small-medium shrub (plant it where suckers aren't a problem!) with a long bloom season and *loved* by pollinators! #WildflowerGarden #Alberta 🌱📷#Bloomscrolling

I'm late (surprise! lol) -photos taken day of #SummerSolstice edited next day, alt written, still didn't get them posted..lol I hope #midsummer is treating you well or #midwinter if you are in the #SouthernHemisphere #PaganSky #SeasonalRhythms #Alberta #Canada #BloomScrolling

Distinguishing some of the tiny #bees vs wasps is tricky for me, need some good lists of characters! This seems to be a Masked Bee genus Hylaeus on Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing in the #garden It didn't pose long #insects #inverts #pollinators #MacroMonday #EastCoastKin #Alberta #Canada 🌱🌿📷

Seems like the world needs more of this today and in the days to come. Let's remember love and beauty and compassion.. Fritillary #Butterfly on Gypsophila repens in the #garden #SolaceInNature #BloomScrolling #GetOutside #GoOutsideForMe #Alberta #Canada #inverts #pollinators #photography 🌿🌱📷

#FlyDay #InsectFriday These tiny shiny persons were busy working on the next generation! (Robber Flies?) on a Diervilla leaf in the #garden #Alberta #Canada #nature #inverts #insects 🌿📷🌱

Another cool critter I'd never heard of till I saw this one and got (maybe) a match on #iNat! Small #moth looks like Orange Mint Moth Pyrausta orphisalis on Gypsophila repens then spent flower of native Geranium richardsonii in the #garden 🌱#insects #inverts #Alberta #Canada🌿📷

#FlowersOnFriday Ajuga reptans Pink Lightning; as you can see many stems have reverted to green; they are taller + earlier flowering than variegated stems. Of course I should either remove the green bits or move some variegated bits to a new spot... we'll see if it happens.. 🌱🌿 #Alberta #Canada

The small 'Blues' are everywhere right now (possibly a couple of species, this seems to be Silvery Blue Glaucopsyche lygdamus) , they love the native Vetch but also visit other flowers. #butterflies #inverts #wildflowers #nature #biodiversity #Alberta #Canada 🌿📷

Seasonally adjusted banner pic and avatar.

#SlowWalk yesterday afternoon- temperature around 25C/77F a few degrees + in the sun, cool inside the woods. #GreatMother ramping up Life for coming #midsummer Smoke was just visible, but I could smell it when I first went out. Smokier again today. #Alberta #Canada #nature #PaganSky #landscape 🌿📷

With #wildfires across large areas of Western #Canada (not close but not that far- couple hours drive +/-) it was clear smoke would reach us at some point. Late last week haze arrived peaking on the #weekend with strong visible #smoke + smell. Views from the #commute #Alberta #landscape 📷

Probably our largest + flashiest #Butterfly Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Papilio canadensis they visit all sorts of flowers from native Honeysuckles to Dandelions but *love* Lilacs YouTube +Spectra links to follow #insects #June #Alberta #Canada #nature #garden #BloomScrolling #GoOutsideForMe 🌿🌱📷

A nifty hand-crafted looking #spider I saw on sorrel in the #garden It was hanging out waiting for lunch on the side (slightly #underneath) of a leaf. It allowed me to tip the leaf back for a better shot, then replace it #BlueSkyArtShow #arthropods #invert 🌿📷 #Alberta #Canada

Geocaulon lividum cute little #NativePlants in the Sandalwood family! From underground rhizomes it forms patches of short stems. As you see in the last image, it is an alternate host for a fungus which can infect pine trees. 🌿📷 #nature #wildflowers #biodiversity #BorealForest #Alberta #Canada