Walkin’ the Dog

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January 24, 2017 by landm

Hoarfrost and ice fog

Over the past few days we have had a lot of heavy fog and as a result beautiful hoarfrost was clinging to the trees.   So yesterday morning I took my camera along while I went for a walk with K’san, here are a few of my favourite photos that I took on our walk. – Leslie

As the fog started to lift, Olympus E-M1 MII, Olympus 12-40mm F2.8

As the fog started to lift, Olympus E-M1 MII, Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 ©Leslie Degner

Hoar frost clings to the tree branches

Hoar frost clings to the tree branches, Olympus E-M1 MII, Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 ©Leslie Degner

Winter light in the forest

ICM – Winter light in the forest, Olympus E-M1 MII, Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 ©Leslie Degner

Ice fog surrounds the trees

Ice fog surrounds the trees, Olympus E-M1 MII, Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 ©Leslie Degner

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April 20, 2016 by landm

Morning walk in early Spring

This morning I did something I haven’t done for a while; take my camera with me while I walk the dog. Turned out to be a beautiful morning with hints of new green leaves just beginning to emerge. – Leslie

Aspen trees early Spring

Aspen trees early Spring, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Birch bark detail

Birch bark detail, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Patiently waiting in the shade

Patiently waiting in the shade, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Paper Birch trees early Spring

Paper Birch trees early Spring, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

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September 25, 2014 by landm

The colours are changing and the leaves are falling

Last Saturday, September 20th, we went for our morning walk with our dog K’san at the Deermound Off-leash Park. It was a beautiful morning so I grabbed my camera to see what might catch my eye. The fall colours were nearing their peak and putting on a wonderful display of brilliant yellows and oranges. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the fall display I couldn’t help thinking that it seemed to be happening earlier this year than last year. Once home I downloaded the images and processed a few of my favourites. I then looked back at images from last fall and I noticed that the colours in the forest were over two weeks earlier this year than last year. Having the images from previous years really gave me an appreciation of just how early fall has arrived this year. Here are a few images from last Saturday.

Deermound Off-leash Park 1

Deermound Off-leash Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, 1, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Deermound Off-leash Park 2

Deermound Off-leash Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, 2, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Deermound Off-leash Park 3

Deermound Off-leash Park, Strathcona County, Alberta, 3, Olympus E-M1, Olympus 12-40mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

 

In comparison, here are a few images from my walk on October 7th, 2013.

K'san on a walk

K’san on a walk, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Seven Spot Ladybug on a Rose Leaf

Seven Spot Ladybug on a Rose Leaf, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Leaf litter

Leaf litter, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Path through the woods

Path through the woods, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Leaves and Fern

Leaves and Fern, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f2.8, ©Leslie Degner

Today many of the leaves that had changed colour have already fallen to the ground, but there are still some leaves that are yet to change.  Hopefully I will have a little more time to capture a few more shots. – Leslie

Archive

August 28, 2014 by landm

A Hidden Gem in Nanaimo, BC – Colliery Dam Park, Part 2

Here are a few more images that we captured while exploring Collier Dam Park.

Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C. 1

Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C. 1, Nikon D800E, Zeiss 15mm f2.8, ©Mark Degner

Falls on the Chase River, Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C.

Falls on the Chase River, Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C., Pentax K-5 IIs, Pentax – DA 16-50mm f2.8, ©Mark Degner

Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C. 2

Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C. 2, Nikon D800E, Zeiss 15mm f2.8, ©Mark Degner

Photographer in Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C.

Photographer in Collier Dam Park, Nanaimo B.C., Nikon D800E, Zeiss 100mm f2, ©Mark Degner

Archive

August 18, 2014 by landm

A Hidden Gem in Nanaimo, BC – Colliery Dam Park

When we travel we are always on the look out for places that we can take our dog K’san for a walk.  Last year we discovered another park in south Nanaimo, and it is a real gem.  Called Colliery Dam Park, it has a number of pathways that are all amongst the trees, big beautiful Cedars, large old Maples and statuesque Douglas Fir trees.  On hot and sunny summer days the trees provide some relief from the heat with their shade and the water in the small reservoirs is clean so K’san can wade in them to help cool down even more.  It is also a great place to take some photographs of the trees and the rest of the forest found there. – Leslie and Mark

Path through a coastal rainforest, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Path through a coastal rainforest, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Cedar Tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f/2.8

Cedar Tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 60mm f/2.8 ©Leslie Degner

New growth on a Fir Tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

New growth on a Fir Tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Sword-ferns at the base of a Cedar tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Sword-ferns at the base of a Cedar tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

The bark on a Cedar Tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

The bark on a Cedar Tree, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Serenity in the rainforest, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Serenity in the rainforest, Olympus E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ©Leslie Degner

Archive

March 14, 2013 by landm

Walkin’ the Dog – A snowy day in March

A little over a week ago we had a cold and snowy day, although it was a little nicer than today’s weather. Since I had to get the dog out for a walk, I headed out to our off leash area. Just as we were starting our walk we ran into a friend who was just finishing up her walk and she told me that it was absolutely beautiful in the woods with fresh snow lining the trees.  Her parting comment to me was she hoped some time to be able to see the pictures that she knew I was going to take while on my walk.  So here are a few of the images I took on my walk that day, hopeful Angela you will get the time to have a peek at them. – Leslie

Tree branches lined with snow

Tree branches lined with snow ©Leslie Degner

K'san prancing through the snow

K’san prancing through the snow ©Leslie Degner

Birch trees dressed in snow

Birch trees dressed in snow ©Leslie Degner

Leaves of gold in a forest of white

Leaves of gold in a forest of white ©Leslie Degner

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February 28, 2013 by landm

Walkin’ the dog – Bowen Park

If you are ever in Nanaimo, B.C. on Vancouver Island and are looking for a great park to go for a walk you should check out Bowen Park. It is a good-size park, around 36 hectares with lots of trails and pathways to explore. The park also offers a variety of activities such as tennis, lawn bowling, swimming and disk golf to name a few. Most of the trails take you through forests of cedar, fir, hemlock and maple. In the summer months when the days are hot it can be very pleasant to walk in the shade of the forest.

One of the trails we enjoy walking K’san on winds along the Millstone River. When the water level is normal, the Millstone meanders through the park and there is a set of falls and some cascades. It is a wonderful spot to photograph, here are a few photos that we took while walking K’san in Bowen Park.

Sun sparkles on the Millstone River, Bowen Park, Nanaimo, B.C.

Sun sparkles on the Millstone River, Bowen Park, Nanaimo, B.C. ©Leslie Degner

One of the great things about walking K’san in different areas is that it allows us to explore and find neat photographic locations and subjects. Such was the case one-day while we were walking K’san in Bowen Park. We were following the Millstone River trail, when we decided to take one of the trails that diverted away from the river and explore it. It was then that we came upon something that we knew we had to come back to and explore in more detail with our more serious camera gear. So in our next post, we will show you some images we took of what we stumbled across. – Leslie and Mark

Western Red Cedar trees provide shade in Bowen Park

Western Red Cedar trees provide shade in Bowen park ©Leslie Degner

Rippled reflection of trees in a duck pond, Bowan Park, Nanaimo

Rippled reflection of trees in a duck pond, Bowen Park, Nanaimo, B.C. ©Leslie Degner

 

 

Archive

February 15, 2013 by landm

Walkin’ the Dog – Poetry in the woods

Recently on a walk at the off leash park I came across a sign someone had placed upon a tree, it was a poem about the light falling on the snow. The next day it was gone. A couple of weeks went by and then I came across another poem this one was about trees. By the following day it was gone also. Then a few days ago I came across another poem entitled “on the forbidden trails”, shown below.  I don’t know who posted these poems, but I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering them and look forward to coming across more.

“Even in winter, in the midst of the storm, the sun is still there. Somewhere above the clouds, it still shines and warms and pulls at life buried deep inside the brown branches and frozen earth” – Gloria Gaither

On the forbidden trails

©Leslie Degner, On the forbidden trails

 

Archive

January 29, 2013 by landm

Walkin’ the Dog – K’san

Walkin’ the Dog is one of our regular feature categories that will present a variety of images that we have taken while walking our dogs, both past and present. As we usually have a camera with us on our dog walks, we have the opportunity to photograph a wide range of scenes and subjects – whatever catches our eye. Many of these photos will be from the nearby off-leash park and our local neighborhood, but they will also be from wherever we walk with the dog.

A Bernese Mountain Dog

K’san our Bernese Mountain Dog stands among snow covered trees

This morning I found it a little too cold for my liking, -29°C and with the wind chill that dropped the temperature down to -42°C. So I took K’san, our 4-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, out for a short walk around the neighborhood instead of going out to the off-leash park. I didn’t linger and kept moving at a brisk pace. The extreme cold even got to K’san as he only stopped to hold his paws off the ground when they got too cold and didn’t bother to stop and sniff at all his usual spots. Needless to say I didn’t take the camera today, which is a rare event, so I will share with you a couple of images of K’san, taken on walks earlier this winter out at the off-leash park, at more reasonable temperatures where we both were able to enjoy the walks. Leslie

Fresh snow on a Bernese

Fresh snow covers K’san our Bernese Mountain Dog