Changing weather is often a good omen for a great photo day. Dan and I explored some of the photo ops along the back roads SW of Calgary. Frosty trees, fleeting clouds and the rolling Foothills of Southern Alberta made for a great day, despite a little tangle with a very grumpy resident who was very upset with us that we "might" want to trespass onto private property (despite 2 feet of snow and miles of barb wire fences).

I actually felt sorry for the old bag, obviously she has been getting up on the wrong side of the bed for many years. Yet, if she just opened her eyes (and head), she might start appreciating that she lives in one of the most beautiful and prosperous areas in the world. I was very tempted to talk to her about the concept of land ownership and "trespassing", especially since all of this region was "settled" by white folks not much more than a hundred years ago, thus "unsettling" the first nations folks who had lived here for centuries before. I decided to bite my tongue and refrained from contributing to global warming that would have resulted from all of the hot air that the conversation would have been sure to create!

The highlight of the day was getting close, very close, very, very close (see photos 70, 72 and 9323), to some of the almost wild horses that very seldom let anyone get near. The horse in photo 9323 (taken by Dan), has great taste in expensive photography gear.

These horses live outdoors in a tough climate, 24/7. Because of the cold, they get the most wild and beautiful winter coats and hair. Also, many of these horses have the unusual trait of having vividly blue eyes, sometimes both eyes, sometimes just one.

When we first approached them, the entire herd starting slowly walking away from us. Frankly, I was ready to leave at that point ... I don't need any more photos of the wrong end of a horse. Anyway, a little patience at the side of the fence paid off. The alpha horse (the one with the good "taste" in cameras, got curious about this two legged creatures hanging out in the bitter wind at the edge of the fence.

He came straight to us, with his herd following dutifully behind. It actually became difficult for us to shoot the other horses with this big guy sticking his nose into our faces and cameras. A memorable moment in a memorable place. Hope you enjoy the pics.