I’m back after two weeks of exploring the Canadian Rockie Mountains. I hiked just shy of 55 miles (88 km) and climbed almost 15,000 feet (4572 m) in elevation. It was glorious.
The internet was horrible, and I dropped and smashed my laptop while searching for a place to get online. Oh well, more time to enjoy the beauty of the wilderness. While I get back into the swing of things (on my new laptop), I’m delighted to share some photos and mountain-inspired haiku.
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glacial ice trickles
into roaring white cascades
pristine topaz lakes
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fragrance of balsam
northern woodlands soothe the soul
deeply shaded green
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at the water’s edge
sunrise creeps down the glaciers
reflections of gold
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tea house in the clouds
blueberry juniper tea
on top of the world
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Indian paintbrush
yellow columbine abound
Alpine meadows bloom
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waterfalls cascade
thunder through narrow canyons
carving ancient rock
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far and wide we searched
for brown, black, and grizzly bears
not disappointed
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And a few other photos from the trail:
Thanks for coming along for a look!
Myths of the Mirror 
Sounds so rejuvenating to the spirit and body exactly what I need something so amazing about Mother nature at her best thank you very much for sharing beautiful pictures
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Thanks for dropping by to take in the sights. I’m delighted that you enjoyed the photos. Have a glorious day. 🙂
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Thank you very much for your kind words
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Wow, D..this sounds like such a great adventure. The photos are stunning. Thanks for sharing.
Pat
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It was a super beautiful trip, Pat. I’m just in awe of mountains of any kind. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos! Have a great day.
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The concept works!
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We are avid hikers and this took my breath away, frame by frame. The amount of haiku you generated from it, impressive.
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I love sharing my adventures, Ray, but since this is a writing/booky blog, I have to add poetry. Lol. Thanks so much for stopping by and for the kind comment. It was a fantastic trip. 🙂
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That’s an impressive amount of distance you managed to hike in the Canadian Rockies, especially with all that elevation. Your pictures are gorgeous and looks like you had such fabulous weather. The hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers is one of my all-time favourite hikes in Banff.
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We were there for the last week of July and first week of August. Lots of other people, but my husband is afraid of bears (lol) so he wanted lots of people. I have so many favorite hikes. One of our most memorable was Bay Glacier Falls. That was out of this world. Thanks for taking a peek at the photos!
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[…] Canadian Rockies Haiku […]
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Thanks so much for sharing the post. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and poems. Have a lovely weekend. 🙂
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Wow! Such gorgeous pictures and wonderful haikus representing them. Thank you for sharing the wonders of your journey
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the armchair tour. It was so beautiful. I was in awe. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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You’re very welcome! 😃
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Stunningly beautiful and fun ‘tour’, Diana. I love the poetry with the photo images, as well. I’m glad you have an adventurous and lovely trip, even with the smashed laptop incident. You’ve made me want to return to the Canadian Rockies. I think of them often. Once you see them, they tend to stay with your mind’s eye, I think. Thanks for sharing these images with us!
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My husband worried that we’d be very ho-hum about future mountain adventures, but I don’t think so. Each location is unique. I’m glad you’ve been up there. The trip was glorious and I’d be happy to go again. Thanks for taking a peek at the photos and poems. Glad you enjoyed them!
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I agree all locations have their charm and special beauty and/or interest. Thanks again!
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Your images and haiku are glorious, Diana. You’ve successfully documented heaven on earth in this post. What an amazing adventure you had (despite the ill-fated laptop)! How I wish I could visit these places. The hue of those glacial lakes is otherworldly. Your photos live and breathe, and your words convey so much considering the brevity of the haiku form. Awe-inspiring stuff! I’m totally stoked that you were able to visit these places, and so happy you’ve shared them with us. Many thanks! 🙂
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It’s hard to take a bad photo there, Mike, (though I have several with my finger in the frame. Lol) Aside from those, every where I turned there was something stunning that had my jaw dropping with awe. The mountains are definitely my element, and I’m so glad I got there. It’s a check mark on my bucket list for sure. I hope you find a way to get there someday, my friend. Thanks so much for stopping by and for the wonderfully kind comment. Hugs.
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Stunning photos💙
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Thanks for browsing the photos. There are so many amazing mountains around the world. I wish I was young enough to see them all. ❤
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So, so beautiful! What an amazing adventure.
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It was gorgeous out there, my friend. That’s my ideal setting and vacation – up in the mountains. Thanks for taking a browse through the photos and poems. Have a wonderful week. 🙂
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That might be my ideal vacation too. Take me with you next time, Peach! 🙂
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You’ll protect us from bears. 🙂
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Lol! I know my limitations, Peach! 😛
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Thanks for this vicarious journey!!! Loved it!!!! There is so much of my Canada-home I haven’t seen ….
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Thanks for the visit, Dawn. I can say the same about the US. They’re big countries. But Canada is fantastically beautiful, and those mountains and lakes are out of this world. I hope one day you get there. For me, it was a trip of a lifetime. ❤
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I soooo much wanna. I only know Ontario and ventured a little into Victoria before I moved away for work. I now need to take vacations to see home in all it’s vast beauty.
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It was a nice vicarious journey viewing your post!
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Congratulations to great holidays, Diana. It seems you don’t reached Wayne’s home in Tofino. 😉 I also love the mountains, but here they are a little bit far away. So i am waiting for winter, and get the feeling of Siberia instead. Lol Best wishes, Michael
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Tofino is a future trip, Michael. It’s a little closer to me as its directly north. I can’t wait for that one too. Oh, no, don’t mention winter yet. I know that most of the world is sweltering, but where I live, it’s barely heated up. Enjoy the natural beauty around you, Michael. Have a great week. 🙂 🙂
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks for reblogging, Michael. I appreciate it. We live in a beautiful world and it’s a pleasure to see and celebrate. ❤
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Glorious barely describes what you saw. Thank you for your incredible photos. Just WOW!
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True, Jennie. I have hundreds of photos and the scenery was stunning. Everywhere I looked was jaw-dropping awesome. Thanks for the visit and comment, my friend. Hugs.
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Jaw-dropping is an excellent description. Best to you, my friend.💕
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Thanks for sharing! It’s been ages since I have last gone out! Holed up in office and home all day long! Feels kinda refreshing after seeing photos and reading your experience! ❤️😇🌹
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Thanks for the lovely comment. My husband and I are retired now, and finally, we’re getting to see a bit of the world. It’s so beautiful. I’m glad you enjoyed coming along. Happy Travels. 🙂
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[…] Head over to enjoy the scenery and the poetry: Myths of the Mirror Canadian Rockies and Haiku […]
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Thanks so much for sharing the photos and poetry from my trip, Sally, along with all these other wonderful posts. Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon. 🙂
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Wow, that sunrise—incredible!
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Wasn’t that cool? The sun has to get over some mountains before it shows up, so it was easy to catch. And the color was amazing. It was a wonderful trip, Suzanne. Thanks for dropping by!
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[…] Canadian Rockies Haiku […]
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Thanks so much for sharing the photos and poems. What a beautiful place. I feel honored to have traveled there. 🙂
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Breath taking & beautiful!
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Thanks, Taylor. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos and poems. It was a lovely trip. Have a great weekend. 😀
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So many aspects of your trip were captivating I wouldn’t know what to do surrounded by all the beauty! thank you for sharing. I’m going to have to get a passport soon!!!
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I’m surprised I didn’t get a crick in my neck from all the double-takes and gawking. Lol. That passport would definitely be worth it. 😀
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Very nice .Thank you so much.
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My pleasure. Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at the photos. It was a great trip. 😀
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Being from Australia, the first time I saw a blue lake I was truly gobsmacked! It was Lake Louise, of course. 😀 … looks like you’ve made some excellent memories. 🙂
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I was gobsmacked too, Widds. I just kept staring at it and thinking “no one’s going to believe the color in my photo is real.” We made some great memories and are mulling over where to go next year. 😀 Thanks for dropping by!
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Gorgeous photos, so beautiful nature!! It must’ve been an amazing trip!
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It was just lovely, Chaymaa. I could live up there if the winters weren’t so long. Thanks for stopping by and for the kind comment. 🙂
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Diana, a little bit of our glorious country! Your photos are postcard quality. Special camera or phone? Beauty and tranquility at its best! Thanks for sharing with us. Your titles are poetry all their own. 📚🎶 Christine
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Thanks so much for the kind comment, Christine. Just my iphone. I took hundreds of photos, and they all aren’t postcards by any means. Lol. I get lucky now and then. I loved your beautiful country – can’t rave enough! Thanks so much for the visit and comment. Hugs ❤
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Thanks, Diana. I just traded my phone up to a 13 Max Pro, and looking forward to the improved camera qualities. Now to get just the right photo angles like you. 📚🎶
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That’s what I have, Christine, and I got it specifically for the camera. Enjoy!
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That’s exactly why I got it! And it’s a Mac Pro, easier to read emails, etc. 🥳🎶
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Beautiful
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Thanks for the visit and comment. Part of me didn’t want to leave this gorgeous country. It was spectacular. 🙂
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It is but also life’s too short not to explore new countries, cultures and travels. Thanks.
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Very true. 🙂 Happy Travels.
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Just beautiful !
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Thanks so much for stopping by to take a peek at the photos. It’s a wonderfully beautiful place. 😀
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That’s so beautiful!!!
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Thanks, Ann. We’d planned this trip for about a year, and it was more beautiful than we’d hoped. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. Hugs.
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What a gorgeous place to explore! Your words and photos are spectacular Diana. You did some impressive hiking and I imagine the altitude was challenging. Sorry about the laptop, I’m debating if I should take mine. Thanks for taking us along, hugs, C
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The altitude took about a day of adjustment. We drove up there which made the change a little more gradual. You’ll have to decide about the laptop, Cheryl, but I won’t be taking mine anymore. Not because I might drop it again, but I don’t want to stress over sketchy internet, and honestly, vacations are vacations are vacations. My recommendation: Take a journal and just enjoy the amazing adventure ahead of you. I am so intrigued (and a bit jealous!). Thanks for stopping by to check out the Canadian Rockies! Hugs.
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Great advice Diana, I think a journal might be a better choice and just pull it all together when I return home. Hiking is especially difficult when it comes to our gadgets. xxoo, C
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🙂 🙂 Enjoy every moment.
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WOW! Stunning photos!
It is a gorgeous place. It’s been years since I was there, but the beauty remains etched in me.
Love your Haikus!
Welcome back!
May the fires never find here!
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Thanks for dropping by, Resa. You have an utterly beautiful country. I’m so glad you’ve explored this area. I fell in love with everything about it, which I knew I would. Glad you enjoyed the poetry too. ❤ ❤
Thanks for stopping by and for the welcome home. ❤
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Love the poetry!
Check out Jasper National Park (there’s a town near by called (lol) Jasper.
It’s stunning there as well. In case you decide to vaycay in the Canadian Rockies again! ❤ ❤❤ ❤
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We LOVED Jasper and spent about a week up there. I could live in Jasper, Resa, if the winters weren’t so long. We hit some beautiful hikes, and ran into a couple of bears too. It was awesome.
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These pictures are AMAZING!!!! Of course the deer (?) one at the end is the best. LOL. 🙂
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Thanks so much, Sue. That’s an elk (which I thought was a caribou and was summarily corrected. Lol.) I was sooooo close to him, probably about 5 feet away, and he didn’t care. Just munching away. It was a beautiful trip, and I go again in a flash. Thanks for the visit and have a lovely day. 😀
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Absolutely fantastic pictures, Diana, and the haiku fit so perfectly with each one! I’d LOVE to see some of that scenery someday. So glad you had a great trip, though sorry about the laptop. At least YOU fared well throughout and are home safe and sound to tell the tale! Thanks for sharing! 😀 ❤
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Some year when you want to escape the Florida heat, Marcia. July and August are best. Many of lakeside, waterfall, and canyon paths are paved and easy walking. Or people just find a comfy chair at the water’s edge and read. It’s just beautiful. Thanks for the visit and for the wonderful comment. Hugs.
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If I ever feel comfortable flying anywhere again, I’ll definitely put this down as a place I’d like to visit. Maybe combined with a trip to see my daughter in Denver, so we can visit all the great natural areas near her, too. I’ve never been a good flyer, and right now, I don’t even want to go near an airport, but hopefully, that will improve eventually. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the sights vicariously through posts like this one! Thanks again! 😀 ❤
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Colorado has some beautiful wilderness. When you’re ready. The mountains aren’t going anywhere. 🙂
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Hi Diana, what glorious pictures and I love the haikus too. Isn’t it amazing how natures bounty inspires poetry. It’s just there, everywhere you look.
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So true, Robbie. And haiku fits the bill for me. I walk the trails and count syllables in my head. Lol. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Hugs, my friend.
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It is so funny that you should say this about counting syllables in your head, Diana. I do that on the game drives and write the poems as we travel about.
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Ha ha ha. Yup. If I don’t take a break to jot them down in my phone right then and there, they’re GONE! Lol
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Exactly!
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The pics are just beautiful, Diana – as is the haiku! What a vacation you had. But I hate what happened to your laptop.
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The laptop was so sad, Teri. Ugh. Next time I’ll just leave it at home. 🙂 We had a great trip. It’s such beautiful country, I couldn’t stop ooohing and aaahing and snapping tons of photos. Thanks for dropping by and Happy Reading. 🙂
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Stunning photos, Diana – and beautiful poems. Looks like the trip of a lifetime. Toni x
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It was beautiful, Toni, and the weather cooperated. We had so much fun. And checked another box on the bucket list. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. I’m delighted that you enjoyed the post. Hugs.
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I love the photo of Spirit Island! It looks like God is smiling on your travels 🙂 Were you impressed with Jasper? Dad and I delivered groceries there for many years.
Athabasca Falls and Maligne Canyon (did you go?) are some of my favorites to visit. The sky tram is cool, too. It takes you to the top of Whistler’s Mountain where there is an nice chalet and a couple of trails that skim the clouds.
So happy you enjoyed our country ❤
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I wish the sun had been at a slightly different angle for Spirit Island (less silhouette), but it was gorgeous anyway. I have about 50 pictures of it. LOL. And we did hike into Maligne Canyon and visit Athabasca Falls, of course! The power of the water was dazzling everywhere we went. We didn’t take the tram – just ran out of time for that one.
Finally, we LOVED Jasper. It’s the kind of place we could happily put down roots (if we were younger and the winters weren’t so long). How wonderful that you got to live for a while in such a beautiful area. Our next trip north will be to BC. ❤ ❤ ❤
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If you come north, plan to visit The Great Bear Rainforest, and if you’re lucky you might happen upon a Spirit Bear!
https://www.readersdigest.ca/travel/canada/spirit-bears/
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Ooooh. I will. But I won’t tell my husband there are bears there. In the Rockies, the guy would only hike where there were other people. He’s afraid of turtles for goodness sake. Lol.
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Lol, good thing he didn’t hear about the wounded black bear while you were there. An idiot shot him with a .22! The guy’s going to face some huge fines and possible jail time when they catch him.
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I hope they catch him and throw away the key, Jacquie. People are the stupidest animals on the planet sometimes.
We saw one brown bear (who ran away faster than I could get a picture) and one black bear who completely ignored us as he munched on berries. We could hear him though: “yummy, yummy, yum, yum, gobble gobble, yummy, yum.” He was having a wonderful time. 😀
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Lol, I’ll have to tell you about my motorcycle accident one day-right by Athabasca falls. The bear was no more than five feet away, enjoying an afternoon berry snack in the ditch!
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Oh dear. Of course, the accident was more dangerous than the bear. The bear I saw was so intensely focused! Lol.
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Forget to mention… I’m sharing reviews of two of your books tomorrow. 😀
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Oh, wow, thank you! Heading there now 🙂
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❤ ❤
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The haikus are wonderfully inspired, but your photos are amazing, Diana! That area isn’t too far for us to travel, hopefully, next summer! Any issues getting through the borders?
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The borders were easy peasy, Terri. Just don’t take fruit, eggs, or pot across. Lol. It took less than a minute to glide through. And you could make the drive to the Banff area in a day. You would LOVE taking photos there. Everywhere you look there’s a mountain or lake or waterfall or glacier and often all four! I was in a state of constant awe. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Lol. Thanks for the visit and I’m glad you enjoyed the photos!
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Yay, good to know, Diana! Hubby’s been to Banff. It’s on my list.
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Beautiful pictures and poems! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Thanks for the visit, Yvette. The place was beautiful beyond my imagination. I’m glad you enjoyed a few of my hundreds of photos! Have a lovely week.
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The Canadian Rocky Mountain’s beauty has been captured by your photos. Too funny, Dom took the same bear picture with me in Alaska.
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Oh, that’s sooo funny! It looked so friendly and I swore I’d come home with a “bear” photo. I couldn’t resist. It was so beautiful up there, Bernadette. Alaska will be in our sights at some point too. I’ll come home with another bear photo. Ha ha. Thanks for stopping by, my friend. ❤
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Alaska was amazing. Dom said God lives there.
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Wow. Now I really have to get that trip on the calendar. Thanks for the nudge!
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These are fantastic pictures, Diana! Great haikus too! Looks like you had a great time. I’m so sorry to hear about your laptop – ugh! I guess it’s fun to have new technology, but setting it up never is…
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My smashed laptop was only 4 months old, Barb, so I was pretty distressed for a few hours, but there was nothing I could do about it, but get back on the trail. Next time, I’ll leave it home! Thanks for stopping by and checking out the photos. The mountains were gorgeous and I’d go there again in a minute. 🙂
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Third time around for me, Diana! Sorry for my late response – I have just returned from a 3-day family wedding which was held on a ranch just north of Squamish. There is poetry in the energy of nature.
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No problem. A wedding is a good excuse! They’re always so hopeful and joyful. Thanks for swinging by and taking a gander at the photos and poem. Haiku are easy to write in such placed for sure. Huge hugs, my friend. ❤
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Wow the scenery looks incredible ! Thank you for sharing !
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Thanks so much to taking a browse through the photos. It was such a beautiful place. I’d go back in a flash. Have a wonderful week!
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Oh, WOW! Your photos are gorgeous! If that’s not heaven on earth, I don’t know what is. 🙂 And your hiking and climbing records, what a feat! Thank you so much Diana for sharing your great adventure; it’s an inspiration for sure. Good to have you back. ❤
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Thanks for stopping by, Khaya. The trip made me want to explore other giant mountains around the world. 🙂 We had so much fun sighing at the beautiful scenery. Living it up, my friend, while this life lasts. ❤ ❤
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Wow! Stunning pics! (And awesome haiku!)
I’m jealous of everything but the smashed laptop.
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Thanks, Mike. The smashed laptop was a bummer, but a good reminder that breaks aren’t supposed to be spent behind a screen. The place was gorgeous from beginning to end, and the weather was perfect for hiking. Glad you enjoyed the pics and the photos, my friend. Have an awesome day. 😀
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Shame about your laptop, but beautiful photos, especially the reflection of Lake Louise! Looks like an amazing place to visit ❤
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Yeah, Louise, the laptop wasn’t that old, so it was a bummer, but I let it go and hit the trails rather than mope about it. The place was stunning! Thanks for the kind comment. Have a wonderful day. ❤
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Looks like a wonderful trip.
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It was so beautiful, Craig. We traveled up your way to get there. I’m guessing that you’ve been there. Thanks for stopping by to check out the photos. 🙂
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Loooong time ago. Prior to getting married.
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I’m glad you’ve seen it and hope you get there again someday. 🙂
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