Sun

Yesterday morning, I was able to look toward the rising sun without any negative effects on my eyes. As a matter of fact, I was able to look directly at it and take a picture with my camera without any side effects, which is not normally the case. But when it comes to weather, the new norms are here. With shorter, warmer winters and longer, warmer summers, the fire season now plays a dangerous role. Every summer, we wait to see which community will be affected by the fire season, all while wondering if it will be our turn this year. We learned about Jasper and its community being devastated by powerful winds that blew the wildfire into the town. Our hearts went out to the people. After evacuating, they, like everyone else, learned about and saw the devastation caused by the out-of-control wildfire.

Yesterday afternoon in Banff, as rain arrived after a few weeks of above-normal temperatures, we were happy with the moisture but worried about the lightning that accompanied it. We were reassured by the helicopter taking to the air after the lightning passed, ready to catch any wildfire that might have started. This would give time to prepare and fight it if needed.

This is also the new norm that goes through our minds, alongside the new norms for weather. Living in the mountains, the topic of wildfires is always on our minds and is a frequent topic of discussion. Trails that used to be an escape from a troubled mind and a troubled world are now also a reminder of what is happening to the environment around us.

I took these pictures while ashes were falling on me from a wildfire far away. The Sun, which has been around for five billion years, has changed very little on the surface. Earth, which has been around for 4.5 billion years, has. And it's changing even faster today. But, like the Sun rising in this picture behind all the smoke, once the wildfires are gone, the heart of Jasper and its people will rise and rebuild, as we humans have done so many times before. And I hope to visit soon after on one of the most beautiful drives in the world.

Sun

I was quite young when I first learned about the Sun. First thing was not to stare at it, then how our favorite star is important to life on Earth. If Earth was closer or further from the Sun, life would be vastly different. Our 4.6 billion years old Sun is about 150 million kilometers from Earth. One of the reasons it has a powerful effect on Earth from this great distance is its size. We would need 332, 946 Earths to equal the mass of the Sun, and 1.3 million Earths to fill the volume the Sun occupies. Like everything else in our universe, if you study it long enough, you start seeing patterns. One of my favorites is the solar maximum that will be reached in a few years. It occurs every eleven years. It when Sun activities increase, resulting in a better chance of seeing aurora lights in Banff. 

But also when looking toward the Sun and thinking about the heat waves, wildfires, floods and more occurring throughout the world. It’s not hard to have climate change on the mind.  For many of us, with the time we spend outside and all the reports that have come out in the past. There was no surprise when the 3949 page long assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change came out. This report cites some 14,000 studies, put together by some of the most brilliant minds from Canada and around the world. I have always listened to those who are specialists in their field of study. What I eat, how I sleep and being active is based on that. With 97 percent of climate scientists agreeing and this third major report by the IPCC, it is clear that we are having a major impact on climate change. 

I for one still have hope. Just as our scientists put their heads together and built on what they had learned about previous coronavirus, they were able to come up with a solution for COVID-19. My role was much simpler, listening to the experts, dealing with few inconveniences and taking two jabs for my and my community’s well being. Climate change is a much bigger issue, but it’s still possible for future generations to enjoy what was available a few decades ago.  The Sun will continue doing its thing for another 5 billion years, we just have to help Earth get back in shape.

Common Raven

The summer is not yet over, already it’s one for the history books. Thanks to the record temperatures, wildfire smoke and one of the best summers for mosquitoes in a while. I have been coming to work very early, hoping to catch the mosquitoes resting as I walk to work. The plan has not fully worked, still having to deal with the few blood thirsty females. While the male mosquitoes go after flower nectar, sap, honeydew and anything else with sugar, the females to quench their thirst and to get the protein they need to produce their eggs, need our blood.  Some of the things mosquitoes have a greater attraction to are people with O type blood, beer consumers, those wearing dark-colored clothes and I think my chocolate rich blood.

 Being out early, I have been watching some pretty surreal sunrises with the wildfire smoke. A few weeks back, the Sun was rising when I saw a Common Raven on the very top of one of the belvederes of the bathing pavilion at the Cave and Basin NHS.  I crossed my fingers the raven would stay in place, as I quickly moved into place to have the raven between me and the Sun. I got the picture just as the raven was calling out. Probably calling out to tell me to get the picture before it was too late as the mosquitoes were making a beeline toward me.

Sun

Cool temperatures and rain is in the forecast, enemies of wildfires. This pictures taken today through the smoke.

Sun

The heavy smoke allowed me to take this picture of the sun rising over Tunnel Mountain this morning. The last few days the sky has been filled with heavy forest fire smoke from the fires in B.C.. The way it's going, we might have to wait until it snows before the fire season will be over.

The Sun

There are not lot of times when you can take a picture of the sun with a normal camera and lens. One of those times is when you have thick fire smoke in the air and its later part of the day. That was the case few evenings back.