Someone needs an SLR :)

Karen - looking very professional!

Hippie Stick

Apparently named after the hair do of hippies - the dreadlocked flower

Indian Paintbrush

Jacob's Ladder

stunning

I remember this valley (or one just like it) from a hike i did I did with Jamie, Wayne and Chantal a few years ago. I love that - when you stand on this ridge - you can see no sign of civilization, okay apart from the other hikers and the odd airplane.

Forget Me Not

According to the Wildflowers of Alberta book, the name forget me not came from a couple strolling along the Danube. The lady noticed a clump of blue flowers on the steep banks of the Danube. The Gentleman tried to picked some for her, but slipped and fell into the blue Danube (which is by the way green). He did manage to toss the flowers to her and call with his dying breath: "Forget me not!"

I had no idea that there was such a dramatic story around forget-me-nots!

Folds

Pause

On Top

Karen and Dave

K&D on top of Pocaterra Ridge

K&D alpine

K&D subalpine

It was a 30 degree day in Calgary, but on the ridge we had to get our jackets out!

Pocaterra Ridge

Jamie was not recruiting for the army, but for a hike on to Pocaterra Ridge :)

On Sunday Karen, Dave, Brit, Jamie and I went hiking by Highwood Pass. We hiked up to Pocaterra Ridge. It was a beautiful 5 hour hike and the scenery changed from meadows to forest to alpine. I would definitely go back!

Creek

My first yoga class

triang mukhaikapada paschimottanasana

I taught my first yoga class last week. Thank you, Malynne, for giving me this opportunity!

HOT!

by Seattle

finding shade on Portland's campus

Portland Campus


over the Cascades

I spend a lot of time on airplanes these days! Last week the destination was Eugene Oregon. It was my first time to Oregon, and the 3 days I was there were the hottest days in 100 years - so they say. The temperature was above 100 degree Fahrenheit (high 30ies in Celsius), which is hot for the usually temperate, rainy west coast state. Returning to 30 degree warm Calgary felt like a relief!

Eugene and Portland; both university towns / cities are cute, lots of trees, lots of bikes, lots of local agriculture, i.e. lots of fresh food, such as delicious berries!

Farewell to Orpheus

This sculpture is on the Portland campus. Named Farewell to Orpheus, I assume it is Eurydice, who says her final good bye to her husband Orpheus, who screwed up the rescue mission:



Orpheus Descends to the Underworld

Eurydice's death caused such sorrow to Orpheus her spouse that he not only lamented her with the bitterest of tears but, reliant on his skill in playing the lyre, he went down to the underworld. On arriving he lulled Pluto and Proserpina so delectably with his lyre that they actually returned him his spouse, on condition that he would not look at her until they returned to the living. Unsure his wife was following him, Orpheus looked back; so Eurydice was recalled to the under- world by Pluto, leaving her mate in most extreme torment.

From Ovid's Metamorphosis

Ida

Mit jedem Menschen
ist etwas Neues in die Welt gesetzt,
was es noch nicht gegeben hat,
etwas Erstes und Einziges.
MARTIN BUBER (1878 - 1965)

Letzte Woche ist Ida's Geburtsanzeige eingeflattert. Danke Maria, Klaus und Emil!

I already know that Ida and I will be friends: she is a pisces and rising sign sag! I have my moon in pisces and my rising sign is in sag as well. Sagittarius like adventure; I already look forward to some exciting adventures with my smallest niece.

Wine Country

On my way from the Bay area to Modesto, I passed California vineyards, the picture above was taken in Livermore. I was hoping to pick up some local wine at the vineyards, but they close at 4:30 pm. Weird. Who buys/ drinks wine during the day?

Well , now I know for next time!

Alameda

Alameda, a small city in the Bay area. I went there last week and took the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors exam and can now call myself a LEED AP.

Canada Day

July 1st was Canada Day. And believe me: I celebrated :)

I got an email from my dad on July 1: he called the Gentleman at the government who was looking after my application for dual citizenship. Austria does not automatically grant dual citizenship: I had to write a letter, send them some finger prints and so on, but on July 1 I found out that my application has been granted! The timing couldn't have been better! Now I have to start studying Canadian capital cities and learn to sing the anthem: Oh Caa-na-daaa!