Diane Jarvis-Schuller

Red Breasted Nuthatch at our peanut feeder here in frigid Alberta

I hope you all had a Christmas season that was filled with joy and glad tidings. Ours was of that ilk and a bit on the lazy side to boot. The birds, of course, continue to flit about seeking out sustenance but our dogs are, as they should be, inside and warm with us and being taken for multiple short walks through the day.

After starting that awful novel just before heading to Edmonton (and dumping it while in Edmonton), I picked up a dynamite novel that I just finished last night. I’m now in novel withdrawal not only because I don’t have anything to read but because I’m missing the delightful cast of characters in this last book. If you haven’t read it already, I highly recommend The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society particularly if you enjoy great story telling and engaging characters.

So what have you read lately that you loved and would recommend? And what did you enjoy about it?

PS: Don’t forget to check in during the first week of January for my upcoming announcement regarding my business (or subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss any posts!)

 

{We live in the Peace Wapiti region of Alberta, for those who aren’t sure about the reference to the Peace.} I couldn’t resist padding outside this morning to take a few photos of the lovely frost.

I’m not sure where the spiders are, but their home got quite frosty overnight.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” – Albert Camus

What beauty is in your back yard today?

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Photographs Never Forget! Keeping memories alive with custom albums and portraits.

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.” ~Ansel Adams

“Life is like a good black and white photograph, there’s black, there’s white, and lots of shades in between.” ~ Karl Heiner

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What a glorious day. We have wet snow forecast for tomorrow yet today was a lovely sunny day and the countryside was aglow with all the coloured leaves, the rich autumn sky, and lots more too.

On my way home from Grande Prairie today, I took time to take a few photos — actually I took a huge whack of photos. I have so many that I wish I could share all of them with you. I’m going to have to create a couple different posts featuring some of the different subjects. For now, here’s a trio (though I took oodles) of some snow geese on their fall migration here in my neck of the woods. Enjoy!

This first photo shows a variety of waterfowl including some ducks and geese.

You wouldn’t believe the cacophony as they all took flight. You would be correct if you notice there are both Snow Geese and Canada Geese here.

The colours were brilliant today. Lots and lots of bright yellow, but also some oranges and a few hits of red here and there. Autumn is such a comforting time of year.

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Photographs Never Forget! Keeping memories alive with custom albums and portraits.

Diane is a photographer in the Grande Prairie area. She creates portraits for you and for her pleasure as well.

It’s been busy for me lately though I felt I really should post something. The photography season for me is beginning to wind down since I do most of my work outdoors. I definitely do photo shoots indoors but, without a studio, winter tends to be a slower season for me. I’m busy creating some client-requested storyboards and collages, preparing some orders for submission to the printer, and doing the final edits on my latest photo shoot.

You’ll see that I’ve posted a beautiful image of a translucent Amur Maple leaf. This one was taken last autumn because this year, no sooner did the leaves begin to really colour up then the deep freeze came along with temperatures well below zero. Any leaves that didn’t turn colour are now solidly frozen and will fall on the first day the mercury rises above zero and a bit of wind races through this northern prairie.

Though I love autumn so much, it’s also a time when certain life expires. On my recent trip to Edmonton, as I always do, I visited the cemetery where my mother is laid to rest. It was cold and lonely. Several years ago at this same time of year, my husband and I were coping with the imminent death of our dog Jasper to cancer. He had been diagnosed in October and died a few days before Christmas. Now our Springer Spaniel Maggie is in the same stages. The other two dogs really diagnosed her before we knew: they had been intently sniffing at her and lately, their intent on her has escalated. Dogs, unlike humans, don’t feel sorry for themselves. Even when Jasper was dying of cancer, the day before he had still been out wanting his daily runs and barking at the squirrels. Maggie is the same. She looks forward to her 2 or 3 runs each day, still tries to hunt, but when she comes in she rests quietly. She’s seeking our attention which is unusual for her so she senses things are not right within. The cancer is spreading rapidly. We’re making her days as normal and comfortable as possible, avoiding negative energy. But when she begins to suffer, it will be time for us to do the right thing and allow her quietly to make her way to canine winter.

“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.” ~Gilda Radner

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Diane is a lifestyle on-location photographer serving central and northern Alberta / BC. Visit Diane Schuller Photography to view her portfolio and for further information.

Diane is an on-location lifestyle photographer based near Grande Prairie, serving all of Alberta and Central/Northern BC. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.  ~Rabindranath Tagore

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing

I just came in from enjoying morning coffee out on my patio, watching the sun climb and change, feeling a hint of morning breeze whisper against my face, smelling the sweet morning air, and listening to the birds. I adore swallows. We have 9 pairs of tree swallows (all dressed up in their brilliant blue tuxedoes) and two pair of barn swallows. Every spring I impatiently await the arrival of the barn swallows, in particular. This year a lone barn swallow arrived alone and for the past ten days it perched nearly silent almost in vigil awaiting its mate. I was worried the other 3 had died. Yesterday magic occurred. The others showed up! There has been a steady ebb and flow in the sky in our rural yard as they greet and frolic in aerial delight. Life is good.

Although the daylilies are finally beginning to emerge from the earth, their lush green blades are only about six inches high. The leaves on the trees will soon begin to pop open. I thought I’d share some Alberta light from an image I took last summer. Enjoy.

 

Diane is a lifestyle photographer serving Grande Prairie & Northern Alberta. Visit Diane Schuller Photography.

awesome: extremely impressive; in the senses – filled with awe

Doesn’t Nature sometimes fill you with awe?

(photos of pussy willows taken yesterday May 5, 2009 — spring has arrived north of 55 here in northern Alberta)

 
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Whew! That flu or whatever it was that hit me had me down for nearly a week. Nasty. I’ve never had that kind of flu before!

As many of you know living up here north of 55, spring comes much later than it does for most of you. This past weekend, a few things finally began to emerge. Spring is finally springing to life! My favourite spring emergence: the tightly curled leaves of the rhubarb. They begin about the size of a quarter, so tightly curled and wavy like miniature wax canyons and in no time flat they’ll be the giants in my garden. The lilac buds are filling up and I can see somebody coming to life in there. Grass is beginning to peek through last year’s thatch. My 9 pairs of tree swallows have returned and are already beginning to gather up grasses and old feathers to build their nests. Catkins on a few of the poplars are beginning to emerge and so are the pussywillows. Each of these photos were taken today north of 55.

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I still have a lot of work to do to prepare for the re-launch of my photography website. You’ll be the first to get the news. My hope is that I’ll have it ready for Friday but two elements have had an impact on that goal: my illness plus all the problems I have encountered with the building process. Just like the hardy plants that forge through the earth at this time of year, I too am forging ahead soon to unfurl. Love that word: unfurl.

Don’t you love the smell of clothes dried on the line? Oh man, that has to be one of life’s sweet ordinary delights for sure!