Floating the Bow and our kayaking essentials checklist
As novice kayakers, it was quite an adrenaline rush to gather our equipment, load the boats, decide upon a suitable launch location and then stand on the banks of the Bow River surveying its flow pattern. This, partly to look as if I knew what I was doing and partly to reconsider whether we should
Exploring the Botanical Gardens of Silver Springs
Definition: bo·tan·i·cal gar·den noun: an establishment where plants are grown for display to the public and often for scientific study. There is a substantial piece of real estate nestled in the crook of Crowchild Trail and Sarcee Trail that is overlooked by most passers-by, perhaps due to its understated curb-side presence. Yet, once you know about
Explore downtown Calgary with the Rath Bicycle experience
Blue skies and sunny days are not a rarity in Calgary. As a result, there is an abundance of opportunity to trundle along the extensive cycle paths that interconnect the downtown and sprawling neighbourhoods. Christa and I recently had opportunity to enjoy a relaxed, yet rejuvenating, cycle along one of our favourite city cycle circuits,
Bringing the Past to Life: Glenbow Museum
Located near the eastern end of the ever-popular Stephen Avenue Walk, the multi-level Glenbow Museum remains one of Calgary’s most sought-after tourist attractions. Art displays from the more than 30,000 archived pieces dating back to the 19th Century to the present are periodically switched out to provide variety and thematic interest for interested visitors. The
Derek’s Favourite Garden Accessories and Necessities
It’s nearly impossible to visit a garden centre for planting material without peeking at their garden accessories. For the most part, these items are nice-to-have accessories rather than must-have necessities. But, sometimes one can craftily motivate why an accessory should become a necessity. This also often helps justify the cost! Here is an alphabetical list
Play at Olympic Plaza
Built as a venue for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, Olympic Plaza now plays a central role in many downtown community activities. Calgary was one of the first hosting cities to create an accessible public location like Olympic Plaza where Olympic medal recipients could be honoured within reach of the general public. Previously medal ceremonies
Derek’s favourite 5 value-for-money Garden Centres in Calgary
I have to confess that I’m one of those gardeners-in-denial. I’m all gung-ho to get my garden growing just as soon as the weather warms to daytime highs in the low teens with mild disregard to the still-chilly overnight temperatures. I simply don’t have the patience to wait for that unspoken gardening rule to come
Explore wetland wonders within Calgary at Ralph Klein Park
The Ralph Klein era seems to stand out in many Calgarians – and Albertans – memories as a significant and impactful one. Remembered as the 32nd mayor of Calgary and 12th Premier of Alberta, it was during his leadership that citizens saw fiscal stability and wealth-generation in the province like few others in recent history.
Frank Lake, home to some of Southern Alberta’s best birding
If you’ve ever had opportunity to fly through a major international airport hub, like Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, Beijing Capital, Dubai, Los Angeles or London’s Heathrow, you’d have an understanding of the potential mayhem that exists in the skies above those cities. Air Traffic Controllers must have wits about them that few humans could muster up in
Hola Diego! Introducing the not-so-secret life of our pet
We’re celebrating a birthday in our home today. It’s the four-month "hatchday" of our baby bird, a green-cheek conure whom we’ve affectionately named Diego. Although we’ve only had him in our home for barely a month, it’s as if he has been a part of our lives for forever. Weighing in at only 70 grams