Falling in Love with Banff

Banff.

Calm and serene lakes.

Bubbling streams and roaring waterways.

Majestic and rugged mountains.

Beauty, awesome beauty, everywhere!

Our awesome God made an incredibly beautiful world for us to enjoy!

 

I flew out to Banff to visit Michael the first week of August

(and plan to go again for a week or so next summer again).

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay!

I walked a lot and biked a bit.

Tried to find that perfect landscape photo.

Browsed the farmer's market.

Awed by the power of water and its effects post-flood.

Stayed away from bear feeding grounds.

Stayed away from mosquitoes in the fenlands, too.

Watched a baseball game.

With a home-run or two.

Attended an opera.

Wandered through the Cascade Gardens.

Inspired by the floral displays.

 Followed the Bow River to its falls.

 Discovered the Banff Springs Cave and Basin
which started the whole Canada National Parks system.

Enjoyed sunny days interspersed with a just a few showers.

 Enjoyed picnic lunches and walking with my favourite youngest son.

 Climbed a mountain - not. This photo just looks like I did.

This is on top of the hill blocking Moraine Lake into place.

 And this is the view from where I was standing:

 And yes, the water really IS that deep turquoise colour!

Climbed through Johnston's Canyon.
(Along the boardwalk path.)

We did this hike during an extremely cold day one December a couple of years ago, and I really wanted to see it thawed out. We tried to do the hike on Saturday, but decided to go early Sunday morning instead, because it is a very popular tourist site. 

NEXT year, I hope to climb to the Inkpots at the top of the canyon, as well as climb a mountain - a small one maybe, but certainly an item on my bucket list!

Another item on my bucket list: a lap quilt or two. There was a local artist at the farmer's market whose renderings of the mountains make great applique patterns!

Oh, that reminds me: you know you're a quilter when --- flying over Manitoba all I could see out my window were quilt patterns in the fields below!

Thank you, Michael, for suggesting a summer visit.
I miss you lots, and so had great pleasure in being with you for a short while.
Being there helped me understand why you love living there. I took pleasure driving through the mountains when I drove truck, and missed them when I couldn't do so any more. But touching the ground with my feet was a totally different experience. The air felt clean, the scenery was breathtaking, and I loved the small-town-of-8000-yet-big-town-amenities feeling.
Banff is a great place to be in!