Yoga Cat Strikes Back -

How much more Yoga can a cat get then stretching on a yoga mat in a Lululemon bag (okay - Sobey's bag in this case).  Zoe really has a thing for Yoga mats and I'm lucky she didn't take this oportunity to claw my mat to bits.

Zoe has been in a super playful mood lately chasing balls and batting around toy mice.  Molly really hasn't figured out these types of play, but I'm sure she will in time... she does do some pretty impressive midair aerobics if the mood takes her.

As for me, Mom and baby yoga and now skiing have really been great for me.  I need to work on my flexibility.  Its been a long time since I've stretched seriously daily... but hopefully soon.

Kitty Prepares for a Winter Adventure?

Where is a cozier place  to sleep than the babies snowsuit?  I can't think of any....

Reflections of Thanksgiving

Today was a glorious, perfect fall day.  The sun shone, the weather was cool, but not cold and I managed to get 2 walks in.  The first walk was with my family, up to Grassi Lakes and the second just along the river, but it was beautiful.

Its a been a big year for us and we have so much to be thankful for.... especially our daughter (even as she threatens to wake up) and our wedding - especially the fact that all of my immediate family members made it in one piece and that so many friends and family were able to join us... and the sun shone and I got to get married outside.

I'm also thankful to have 2 unbroken feet.

We were lucky to have thanksgiving dinner twice with my husband's folks.... and they love their grandaughter... and the world is just generally good, because being a new mom, I don't have time to read the news so often anymore....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Forst Stream Going into the Upper Kananaskis Lake

I just thought the light hit the water just right.   This was on the early part of our hike up to Rawson Lake before it started to pour.

Mother-Daughter Trip to Emerald Lake

Lots of firsts for our little miss this week.  First hockey game, first boat ride and first mother-daughter road trip.  We made it all the way to emerald lake where the sun and clouds flirted with us, but I managed to get a few decent photos.  Later in the trip, the battery died in my point and shoot - forcing me to go back to my SLR.  On one hand, it was nice to feel the weight of a real camera and the satisfying noise of the shutter closing - sadly the exposure was disappointing.  I'm going to have to dig around the settings and see if I've done something weird.  It seems intent on under-exposing or over-exposing and I"m not sure why.  Hopefully, I'll slowly remember how to use a real camera - in the mean time - my point and shoot reliably takes good pictures and weighs a lot less and is less awkward to manage with a baby.

Rundle Fall

I am missing my red fall of tundra shrubs in Nunavut or maple trees in Ontario - but the mountains never cease to amaze me with the ability to morph with every season and every different light.

Mountain Sunrise

While I've missed the spectacular Northern lights - I've been lucky to see some lovely sunrises the last few days.  We've had a week or so of cold weather here in the mountains and the mountains have all become snow topped - although it could all melt in the next few days if the temperatures come up.

Its a simple life right now - but I'm lucky to have such a view. 

Grassi Lakes Views

I'm coming to terms with not driving through Lake Superior Park right now - witnessing the gloirious fall flood of colour that graces the hills of Northern and Central Ontario - because fall here is kind of pretty itself with snow dusting the mountain tops and the poplars and larches turning yellow.  Hiking season is rapidly coming to the end, especially after a week of wet, cold weather leaving snow on the ground in Lake Louise and twice scuppering a hike to Larch Valley.  Still hoping to get one more big hike in either  Larch Valley or Burstall Pass this week or maybe go back and do Boom Lake or Stanley Glacier or day trip to Yoho and do some puttering around there.

Rawson Lake

Contrary to the weather forcast, it was not warm and sunny, but cool and rainy - but still it made for an amazing 2nd camping trip for little A. and us and a good test run of our new tent - which we can definitively say does not leak.  On our way home, we stopped to do the Rawson Lake hike (about 8 km).  It was a bit of a huff and puff - for the straight up part of the trail - but it was worth it for the view at the top... a gem green lake surrounded by a wall of dark mountain with their tops lost in the clouds.

Molly - Also a rocking Cat

Okay - that evens it up a little.  Molly is really pretty.

As for us, we are slowly getting organized and catching up on all the things we need to be doing - which is what I should be doing rather than posting pictures of my cats on my blog, but I'm headed for sleep soon anyways which means my brains really aren't up to actually getting anything useful done.

Molly-cat - keeper of the wrapping paper

I was feeling bad that I hadn't posted any pictures of Molly lately.  Its not that she hasn't been as cute as Zoe - its just that she tends to move just as I'm about to take a picture or when I only have the mediocre camera on my phone at hand.  Molly is still active and playful and still loves her springs and dips her paws in her water.  If you leave your glass unattended she might dip her paws in your glass.  She loves watching the birds out of the window and sitting on anything that you are trying to use.  She has learned how to get up on top of the kitchen cupboards and can be found looking out over her kingdom.

Comfortable Cat

I'm proud to say that Zoe has lost some weight.  It wasn't even really me - she just stopped gobbling her food suddenly.  I think she finally decided that we would feed her as much as she needed and that she didn't have to gulp down everything there was in case she didn't get fed again for some time.  Clearly, the cat in this picture is comfortable in their home.  She even sat on my lap a bit this evening.  Molly helps keep her shape by giving her someone to chase and be chased by.  But for the most part I think they like each other or at least tolerate each other.

Rock And Roll Cat

Zoe usually picks comfier places to snooze, but I guess the folk fest spirit must have gotten to her as I found her curled up on the guitar lately.  She sings too - when she is catching mice.  I still don't know what she did with the yellow ones... they are totally MIA.

We've survived lots of excitement here - all of the good and intentional sort, but we are glad to be settling down for our normal routine.  It was wonderful to see so many of my favourite people in the last month.

Our small human is learning to babble and smile and play with toys.  She also watches the cats, but the cats have been very good with her.

Currently - Zoe is sleeping on her chair - the comfortable one that all guests have to divest her of if they wish to sit there and Molly is asleep on top of the hideaway, her long limbs dangling over the edge.

And that is the cat report for the day.

Zoe stops to smell the roses

The cat approves of the wedding bouquet!  I'm not sure what it is with our cats and flowers.  Crazy kitties!

Zoe has great taste in Chairs

I tricked Zoe into giving me back my desk chair by feeding her.  She likes chairs - especially comfortable ones... and how can you not love this belly :D.

Plain of 6 Glaciers

After a year of almost no hiking it was amazing to finally go on a real mountain hike and get to see alpine wildflowers and be close enough to glaciers to hear the thunder of an avalanche.

A lovely specimum of columbine

Columbine is a pretty flower in any colour, but this peach and yellow variety is especially charming.

PAINTBRUSH EVERYWHERE

Today was one of those magical days where the weather was perfect and the view was amazing.  We hiked up to the Plain of 6 Glaciers Teahouse - surrounded by stunning flowers.  Lots of colombine, arnica, paintbrush, butterwort, violets, vetch and so much more.  The mountains are amazing, but Lake Louise Area is extra beautiful.  The only slightly irrating thing that happened all day is that people were constantlly trying to run us over - one guy litterally ran between S. and I and pushed him out of the way while he was carrying a baby... Grr... and then there was the guy who wanted the bathroom right now - even though we weren't in there very long - he kept pounding on the door as we raced to change the babies diaper...  which we told him we were doing.... 

Up the Stairs that Said "Climb Me"

Its funny how when you live in a place for a while you get into patterns and don't always know how much there is nearby to hike.  I've walked passed the stairs beside the power plant probably over 100 times and never decided to go up - that is until yesterday - just because the baby was happy in her carrier and the weather was perfect - cool, but sunny with not a cloud in the sky.

So up, up, up we went accross a field and then up a steep hill until we got to the Rundle Forebay, just a bit before the Nordic Center and then I walked all the way to Quarry Lake.  The best part was that there were tonnes of Indian Paintbrush and a few lovely western wood lilies.

Then we finished with a lovely hike down Canmore Creek, back to the Bow River.

So lots of new trails and a much better understanding of local geograhy.

Mountain Morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the view outside my window this morning.  The weird thing is that I'm not facing east - at least I don't think I am because it is generally in the direction of Banff.  Still.  Had to grab my camera and take a few shots.

Shortly after the pictures were taken - clouds rolled in and the mountains disappeared and then an intense thunderstorm rolled in and crazy hard rain fell.

Now it is misty and cool and drizzley.