Dinosaur

I like a company with a sense of humour. This dinosaur came my way along with an order from Photojojo. They offer quirky camera related products for sale and every order comes with a dinosaur. While I don't order often (the Canadian dollar and customs fees keep my impulses in check), I do visit their site to see what crazy gadgets people have dreamed up.

Meanwhile, this dinosaur has taken up residence in our kitchen, perching on bowls, checking out our meals and guarding the salt and pepper shakers. It adds a smile to my day.

Old Bones

Old Bones, originally uploaded by susanvg.

We spent a fair amount of time at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. It is devoted totally to paleontology. It has an extraordinary collection that is extremely informative. A visit to their web site is essential. In addition to the many dinosaur skeletons, the exhibits go back to much earlier life (both plant and animal) and trace the changes and causes as the Earth continued (and continues) to evolve.

Many of the specimens were found in Alberta. The badlands is prime hunting ground for old fossilized bones.

We made our way back to Calgary to fly home, but first a drive near Drumheller to cross the Red Deer River on the ferry that is pulled by a cable and up to get a view of the incredible sculpted mountains.

and the valley below

And so the trip ended - back home, back to work (unlike this fellow below)

Day 139: Virtual Geocaching

Day 139: Virtual Geocaching, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I was at a workshop on geo-caching today. We did not actually look for any real caches - but had to find items from clues based on the location. This fellow (Era - What period is this fellow from?) answered the clue. We traipsed all around the neighbourhood, attracting curiosity. What a great way to spend the morning. We found one actual cache (we were given the coordinates) - you can see the photograph below.
Later we discussed the educational possibilities of this activity. I think I'm hooked. It's a great way to have a reason to go out for a walk. You never quite know where it will lead you and may encourage exploration of one's environment. And that's a way to find new photo ops!