Inn of the Wandering Dragon

Yes I have been re-entering the dating scene after being out of it for some years. Mainly I have been perusing the online dating sites because it seems somewhat convenient with a broad base of people to draw from.

Yes I was feeling a little artsy at the time, but the reflections on the skin of the plane were just too much fun to resist!

The Hercules was open for the public to enter and check out the cockpit, after some time spent in the slow moving line the kids opted to go look at other things but it was a nice break in the shade.

I believe these shots are of Team Rocket although I did not clearly hear all the announcer had to say on the matter so I could be wrong. Nevertheless, they put on a fun performance!

I came across a fun set of short videos by one Rick Mereki, you can find them here. He has put together these little montages of shots from around the world focusing on 3 different themes: Move, Eat and Learn. I am still smiling from watching them and it's no wonder why. They show not only a diverse array of cultures and places, but they also show the joy that comes from taking part in these activities. We move, exploring new places near and far. We learn, trying out new activities and ideas. We eat, and enjoy the community connecting over mealtime traditions. They are simple concepts yet if explored they enrich us as individuals.

Due to the weather, our flying demonstration was held indoors with a Harris Hawk sent to fly from one end to the other with some raw meat as it's reward / dinner. I have tried in the past to catch photos of birds in flight and it's really hard to catch a good shot on film (with my camera and skill anyway). The Harris Hawk is not native to Alberta. It was brought here from a center in the US that had run out of room.

Mr. Boggle, as he is known, was orphaned at a very young age when the tree containing his nest was felled. He was the only baby owl to survive and he has been kept by the center as one of their "spokes-birds". He is sometimes taken to schools for educational programs and has even made a few television appearances over the years. The Great Horned Owl is actually Alberta's official provincial bird, as chosen by school children back in 1977.

A majestic Golden Eagle, who seemed less than impressed about the wind blowing at the time. The birds who are set out along the "Hawk Walk" are tethered to a perch with water close by. We did not stay late enough to see the feeding of the raptors (which probably would have grossed out the kids I'm sure). These birds are all in various stages of training and they all get their turns in the flying demonstrations that happen (weather depending) about every hour and a half during the day. One thing that I was suprised to learn is that if the raptor has a full belly they have no interest in flying - unless they had to escape a predator. They will sit for a full day or more until they start to feel hungry again.

Back in June, I took my nephews on a little road trip down to Coaldale, AB to check out the Alberta Birds of Prey Center. I had heard about this place from my parents, who have friends that are avid bird watchers. The part that is accessible to the public is not overly large, you certainly don't need more than a day to go through it all.

Different forms of stunt riding and trick riding make for lively and entertaining episodes.

The horses all have a large stage to move around in without leads or ropes. They interact with the people but they also have the room to play and be themselves without having every move choreographed.

My mother and I attended the production of Cavalia not that long ago. For anyone who does not know what it is, it is a live performance showcasing the bond that has existed between humans and horses over the centuries. They have blended equestrian arts and theater arts in a format that is similar to a Cirque du Soliel show - which is no coincidence since one of the directors had previously worked with Cirque. However the show stands well on its own merit and has drawn a huge amount of praise from horse and art enthusiasts alike. I freely admit, I am not familiar with all of the forms of horsemanship demonstrated here and I could not tell you how well a particular movement was executed or what level of skill was required. However, I can say that the show fully embraces that combination of fancy and fantasy that every horse lover has indulged in at some point in their lives (and some have even experienced it) - that dream of the freedom and companionship that arises when a horse and rider not only understand each other, but also bond on a level of real partnership.

I admit, I could not resist taking this shot of Chalk being a first class snoop as he searches for a certain toy I had put out of reach at the time. Believe it or not he does know how to open the cupboards and he will, from time to time, attempt to search for the sources of whatever curious scents that catch his fancy.