AM hot day brewing

AM storm brewing

Pavlova and a Buffalo

http://www.casr.ca/101-af-cc115-buffalo.htm

Three Nepal Pics

Flooding and heat waves - the climate HAS changed

I'm fascinated with the catastrophic weather events that occur and people still don't acknowledge climate change.  I read about how climate change is going to cause massive dislocations of people, to people in coastal area,  including Alaska First Nation people, (another great paper about it here) but now it's happening in Calgary!  That city is evacuating over 100,00 people from some of it's low lying neighborhoods because the Bow and the Elbow Rivers are both flooding.  It's oil sand central- Canada.

Hwy 1, the Trans-Canada is ruined in Canmore

and houses ruined - the fence had good construction though!

Meanwhile Alaska is burning up! 

The United States and Canada has no reason to not take climate change seriously except that policy makers think that wealth cannot be maintained or grown more if the governments act.  

Has the public have already forgotten about the tornadoes in the US Midwest and the fires in Colorado earlier in the month (isn't there fires in California burning now?).  Are people too busy fighting over insurance claims than to write and lobby their public government officials to act?  Claims are going to be harder to recieve when insurance companies limit their losses due to climate change exclusion clauses. Are people even willing to make the connections because then it will force us to change how we operate day to day in our lives?

I really don't understand how the United States doesn't take it seriously because as the wealthiest county in the world, it's got the most ability, (biggest military, the most money, big intellect).  I wonder if these times are kinda like when people were watching the United States do nothing while watching the Nazi's take over Europe.  Will someone tell me if I'm missing something?

Canada needs to acknowledge there IS climate change (No Kyoto Protocol for Stephen Harper) and put those "economic action plan $" into doing something productive instead of selling dirty oil to oil guzzling countries like the United States and China.

No Keystone, No Northern Gateway, No Kinder Morgan. (Pipelines).  

Because getting evacuated from homes IS NOT the best interest of most homeowners I think.  Not in lesser developed countries or developed countries.  People who support development of the tar sands may believe it's a good thing for economic security, but I bet some of those same people own some of the fancy houses that are now in the rivers.

Current stompin' grounds

Where the berries feed us and the bears 

South Fork of Snoqualmie River

Favorite Place

Black Rock Desert, Nevada

49th trip around the sun

Structural Photography

I made these photographs within the past year and kept them in my photographic record because they interested me - how they looked and what they stand for.  How long does the Buddhist Gate wait to be painted?  The empty government building stands empty for an investor to turn it into upbeat offices or condos for youthful wannabe Portlanders.  Do cows wait outside during the winter storms to get into the barn? The smelter tower at Greenwood stands tall and scenic while the Teck Industrial structures continue to smelter on. The backside of Greenwood the traveller hurrying through on Hwy 3 never see...

Nepal Buddhist spirit

Oregon Deco

Joe Rich Barn

Teck Industrial

Creston Storage

Greenwood with "hell bell"

Armstrong Red Barn

Greenwood Grandeur

Soon my commute home

Last night I rode home on the Columbia and Western Rail grade from Grand Forks via Eholt.  I had just finished meeting with my new employer.  So lucky me I get to work in my profession and I'm so happy about it.  I'd applied for several other jobs and I was always getting the interview but not the job.  In this final interview, I answered all the questions correctly.

And I want to ride my bicycle on the railroad grade home to stay in shape!

This sectionman shed pr for an avalanche inspector for the railway.
It's since been restored and used as a shelter for cyclists and skiers.

It'll be easier to ride home because it's about 35km and I'm not as much of a morning person as I'd like to be to wake up at 6:00 to get to work on time.  Although they do have showers, so it's always a possibility.  My plan right now is to ride at least one day a week home during the bike riding months.

Looking north up the Granby River Valley and North Lynch Creek drainage

There is a struggle to stop logging in the North Lynch Creek drainage because this is forestland that although once logged, it doesn't have roads bisecting it yet.  The Friends and Residents of the North Fork, a citizens’ group based in Grand Forks, received grants to dissuade the Ministry of Energy and Mines from approving a proposed bulk granite sampling project here as well.  The area is one of the last remaining migratory corridors for grizzly bears, and home to several red and blue listed species. In addition, the Friends are concerned because there is documented evidence of elevated uranium levels in the area.

Once I reach here, it's all downhill!

Eholt used to be a town of about 300 people, but now all that's left is some foundations and lilac bushes.  Some farms exist and people live in some houses, but it's all gone back to the forest.

I'm reading a good book called Feral: Rewilding the land, the sea and human life by George Monbiot and it's giving me some additional context of the area where we live now, for this place was full of railroads, mining, smelters, logging, and people, especially when the copper (and mineral) rush was on.   We see black bears pretty regularly (seen 4 but who is counting?) but I really hope that there are grizzly hiding out where there are no roads.  California hasn't seen the rewilding of it's state flag's grizzly bear.

I'll get to meditate on my way home riding my bicycle on this route.  Just watch for the black bear.

Aurora treat to start off June!

 Early this morning after staying up a bit late, I happened to look outside and it was starry for the first time in a long time.  The Aurora Borealis was showing it's elusive self.

I drove up to the lake in order to try to get the most expansive view.

 Lots of streaks showing too.

 I stopped near Eholt and the colors continued to burn green. Curtains were present.

When I got home last night, I still couldn't go to sleep and this is a picture from our neighborhood.  With the streetlights, it still shone strong.  I'm so lucky to have an opportunity to go aurora hunting!  If you want to go hunting for other pics that people took last night, check it out at spaceweather!  According to the forecast, if you've got clear skies tonight, there is a 40% chance for more viewing this evening.