CLD certification

My rates for 'free' advice just went up...
More on the CLD (Certified Landscape Designer) program. And for a limited time a link to the press release is on The Landscape Artist Inc. home page. Trying to get a little promo mileage out of this thing.

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Winter Sunset

Shoot'n sunsets make me nuts... guess I'd better practise some more.
Hopefully this makes up for the lame cat photo.... ehhhhh!!

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Blue Bird weekend

A pretty good way to judge when a photoblog has jumped the shark is when the 'cat' picture appears... But let me explain...

Saturday was one of the best skiing days at Sunshine in recent memory. Not a cloud in the sky and almost spring-like conditions on the edges of some runs. Snow, legs, lunch, all good but I didn't bring a camera! Then today, another blue bird day... ten degrees says the thermometer but it was nice enough for shorts on the deck and everyone, especially the pets, got the lazies. So since my dog pics didn't turn out very well you get a sleepy cat pic instead.

Ok, yeah, weak... I'll do better next time. Promise.

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2008 "significant moments"

As I was building the previous post and trying to select for the 'best' most 'representative' shots of 2008 I ran across several that have special meaning for me. Not because they are particularly good shots... more for the brain jog they gave me in remembering or appreciating the year gone by. So this post is mostly for me... hopefully you had a few significant moments to cherish from 2008 also.

Shannon hates to have her picture taken and she'll probably be pissed I posted this one but it's actually the first shot of her I've shown so far so it's not like I'm being excessive. Anyway... significant on many fronts. The four of us actually all took a vacation together (Costa Rica) and got away from phones etc and had a really good time together. To suggest that this is rare would be an understatement... Our focus has been (and really still is for the most part) so much about family and molding the characters involved that moments like this where you get a payoff are worth noting. And I should take this time also to thank Shannon for organizing this trip... you are the best!

Brothers having a little competition to see who could stand in the frigid waters of Lake of the Falls the longest. 'Bonding' is a cliché but with no phones, ipods etc these moments seem to be much more significant than they used to be.

How do I sum up this one? I guess I won't. This little Arnica flower reminds me of a decision I made on the trail that day. (I told you this post is all about me.)

I didn't say much about this shot when I first posted, it was at the end of my last visit to the family farm before it was sold. I won't say much more at this time in this venue ... suffice to say there are many memories tied up this one frame.

This is Eric on Cascade overlooking Banff. He's a busy kid... school or work, sports, girls (or more correctly at the moment one in particular) so getting his undivided attention for a day of scrambling was significant.

"Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be landscapers" If all Mike got from me is the ability to put in a honest days work then my work here is done... although I'd like to think I had a little more input than that.

This shot is from the end of my fall road trip to Saskatchewan. (not sure if I prefer the color or b&w rendering) At the time I left I was feeling a little burned out and 'scattered'. As I was taking this series of shots I noticed the mountains on the skyline and it felt like home. Now this is still many miles from 'home' but we settled in High River with no real plan really. I guess over the years this part of the world has become home to me.

Well that was more cathartic than I expected... hope you enjoyed the trip. Now bring on 2009!!!

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2008 "best of"

Getting this down to 12 representative shots to showcase 2008 wasn't easy... and it would be different on any given day. Many of these already appeared in previous posts, I'm pretty happy that I was able to maintain this blog with the best shots of the best moments of 2008. Happy New Year all!!!

Costa Rica - LaFortuna

Costa Rica - Cloud Forest

Costa Rica - Manuel Antonio

Prairie Crocus (representing 'spring' hikes)

Banff NP - Moraine Lake

David Thompson / Cline area - Lake of the Falls

David Thompson / Cline area - Lake of the Falls overlook

Bow Valley Prov Park - Read's Tower

Bighorn Wildlands - Waterfall valley (GDT)

Bighorn Wildlands - Michele Lakes (GDT) - from overlook

Bighorn Wildlands - Michele Lakes (GDT)- alpine campsite

Saskatchewan road trip - Bison rub at Sask Landing

Setting the bar kinda high going into 2009 but I think I can do better!!

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