Living pictures

Cochrane Genrals roll to a decisive 7-3 win against the Blackfalds Wranglers on Dec. 9 after tying 9-9 in their previous game.

This is as shot on my #d600 love this #pan and its always nice when you nail it

#No #filters, this is what trees look like through fog when you bring back the contrast and the #shadows.. Kinda like a #painting

Talk about a fixer-upper! #accident #crash #Subaru #vs #Honda #Civic

My boys are happy shooting together! #nikon #d300s #D600

Emotional article to write but worth every word

The weekend that was, last week in Cochrane the streets were packed with festive folks for the annual outhouse races as well as the Arts and Culture days. It was a weekend where many came from out of town and showed what Cochrane looks like when it puts its mind to something.

Photo’s from around town last week

Gens picked up their first win of the season 5-1 over the Airdrie Thunder

Quest 42 world record attempt and completion!

Congrats to Martin Parnell and the Cochrane Rangers

Oh my goodness, I cannot believe that it’s that time of year again. Kids heading back into school, no longer able to do 50 km through the Mitford school zone.

It feels like just yesterday I was writing about how well the Cobras collective sports teams did last year, and how much improvement Bow Valley saw in all of their amazing athletes.

It seems like yesterday and I wish it was. But a look forward to the football, basketball, hockey, ringette and whatever other entire collection of sports that Corina Bauer has under her sleeves for me this year.

But to be serious here, I really did miss getting to know so many young promising kids and covering all the sporting achievements they collect throughout the year.

I can honstly say that seeing the crying faces of those kids clinging to the last hope of summer is the happiest day in my year (insert maniacal laugh).

This is my busy season. It’s the time of year that I get to spend my time thinking about how many points a team puts up instead of realizing that my hands are about to fall off from scraping the ice off my windshield with my bare hand. Or instead of just sitting shaking while my car takes an hour to heat up because I forgot to plug in the block heater, I can wonder when the next indoor heated basketball game is.

Yes, these are truly the days that I look forward to and I sure hope that everyone at St. Tim’s, Bow Valley and Cochrane High has a great first few weeks back, because you will be seeing my mug at your field, court, or arena for at least the next seven or eight months.

Good luck, stay safe and keep up the grades!

I have mixed feelings about the Canada goose. Geese represent Canada and get a place on our money? At least it’s only the Loonie.

As an avid coin collector, I recently took a look at a 2004 limited run Canadian Loonie, which honours Jack Miner and the Canadian Geese on the centennial of Miner’s bird sanctuary built in 1904.

“Wild Goose Jack” Miner was a pioneer in wildfowl conservation. While his efforts have helped to save some species, the goose could use some downgrading on the conservation and protection list (in my opinion).

We all recognize the familiar “flying V” formation and the clear, undeniable squawk. Both are very good signs that trouble is back in town.

When I was a young boy, I was taught that the beaver and the Canada goose were two of the greatest symbols of Canada and our identity. I never understood why and still don’t to this day.

I was always scared of the brown-and-white-feathered beast. With its dog sized faecal matter, its hissing tone, dirty claws and flapping wings that come at you with such ferocity, the goose doesn’t seem to serve much purpose.

As a proud Canadian, I have always felt that the bald eagle more or less suited us as a nation. It is strong, dignified, and able to fend off the coldest temperatures and survive the toughest of conditions while maintaining its place atop the mountainous food chain that is the Canadian wild.

But, [as I was told as a child] the eagle was taken. Too bad too, the Canada goose would perhaps have better suited our neighbors to the south as a national identifier.

The geese visit new locations and crap all over them, they’re loud and obnoxious, they cause more damage than they’re worth and yet the world protects and respects them. I know, I know, this is a stereotype.

Canada geese are difficult at best.

If you notice you have a problem with keeping them out, immediate corrective landscaping is a must. Remove cover shrubbery, use herbicides to eliminate vegetation in ponds, and reduce fertilizer to make the grass less nutritious.

That is a start, but investing in a “scare crow” or mock threats are also good ways to keep them clear of your green space.

Public spaces that are overrun by the obnoxious squawkers during peak summer weather in Alberta become cesspools for bacteria, rendering parks, shores and paths disgusting and unusable in some cases.

Geese are highly aggressive birds that will chase animals and people away from their nesting areas, sometimes resulting in injury to the intruders, so make sure to steer clear and do not feed the birds.

On second thought, the Loonie is a great place to recognize the Canadagoose.

“Loonie” is exactly what they make me every summer and every year, but in the end I just couldn’t live without them.

Love them or hate them, I am a proud Canadian.

Throughout my life, I have had a distinct curiosity about the weather, the changing winds, and especially thunder and lightning.

For some people, lightning can be a source of fear. But ever since I can remember I have loved to watch the bright lights dancing from one end of the sky to the other. It’s a source of joy for me.

So when I was sitting at home on a late July evening, not really doing much on my day off, the warning signal came across the weather network that I watch whenever I have the chance.

It was a tornado warning.

I have never been one to chase storms. I love to watch them but I also respect the sheer dangerous power that super cell storms have within them. So when I heard the storm warning come over the weather network, I was almost sure I’d get a phone call from one of my friends, a dedicated storm chaser named Braydon Morisseau.

“Ryan, did you hear about the tornado warning? Want to chase it with me?” said Morisseau.

The first thought that came into my head was, “Are you out of your freaking mind?”

Which soon passed and for some reason the words, “Sure why not, what’s the worst that could happen?” popped out of my mouth.

“Great,” he said with so much enthusiasm.

As I drove to meet with Morisseau, it became clear to me that I had completely lost my marbles. Storm chasing is crazy at the best of times and at the worst of times it can be life and death around every turn.

We hooked up a few video cameras to the inside of my car and off we went to chase a large storm cell somewhere near Strathmore.

Within an hour of driving, the dark ominous clouds were almost staring us in the face.

I have never felt so much excitement as the storm started to spit out large bursts of lightning and the smell of rain was carried by the winds, as we stood stopped within 10 km of the massive storm.

To the west of us was a sunset unrivalled by the nicest sunsets I have ever seen. There we stood between the calm mellow oranges of the sunset, and, on the other side of us, a dark swirl of clouds both white and black, meshing together in an angry mass.

As we sat looking up at the swirls of clouds, I have to admit I didn’t understand what to make of it.

Morisseau, on the other hand, was able to decipher and explain to me exactly what we were looking at.

Although the warning called for tornados, he explained to me that this storm did not display the right attributes such as funnels and towers to create anything more than an intense rain shower.

On hearing that we were safe from tornados this time, my heart left my throat and sunk back into my chest. As much as I wanted to see something crazy, in my mind I wasn’t ready for it.

Baby steps, maybe next time when I am ready and feeling up to it, I will get that phone call again.

If you’re interested in finding out about weather chasing, visit www.facebook.com/ExtremeWeatherChaser or follow Braydon on twitter @BraydonMoreSo for weather updates and photos from his most recent chases.

Personal Twitter @rmphotoca

Lightning over Cochrane as a storm rumbles the ground. seriously scary but worth every minute.

©rmphoto