Chasing a sunset
In the winter we are usually hunkered down in the dark basement by 8 p.m. ready to watch our favourite shows under the comfort of a blanket with a cuppa at our sides.
In the summer it can be 10 p.m. and we start to think about coming inside…maybe.
So last night when I suggested we start a 45 minute road trip out of town starting at around 9 p.m. and Terry said, “Sure!” I was surprised and happy too.
I’ve been wanting to see if I could capture the beauty of Elk Island in the evening for some time now. And what a night it turned out to be! On the way there we saw four deer, frolicking at the side of the road and a whole herd of buffalo meandering just a bit farther down. A coyote ran across the road at one point.
When we made the turn into Elk Island Park it wasn’t long before we had to pull over and try to take a photo of a beaver who was completely standing up by the side of the road.
My sister, Paula, had mentioned that all the animals really show up at dusk and that there was a lovely boardwalk to enjoy. I’ve been to the park many many times over the years and didn’t even know that!
So I had to go on a bit of a hike and make it as quick as this old body can move (not fast) because the sun was setting and we were losing the light. After actually missing the entrance (which was unmarked as far as I could tell) and walking downhill for several meters I realized my mistake and had to walk uphill again to find it. Ugh.
Was it worth the trouble? YES!
As we walked along the boardwalk I saw so many birds, many of which I had never seen before. And we stopped to photograph another beaver who let us get surprisingly close with our phone cameras. The colours were deepening fast in the sky and so were the mosquitoes.
There was one other woman that we met who was also taking photographs last night. Deanna kindly let me take a couple of photos with her as subject. I can see a future painting or two….
The moon was full and seemed to be staring at us as we left the park last night. And as if the evening wasn’t perfect enough for our photography quest the aurora borealis danced for us all the way home.