h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Weather has improved considerably, although mornings still very chilly.

Yesterday my friend S and I and her 5 year-old daughter went to the Calgary Stampede - described on the posters as 'the greatest outdoor show on earth' - not strictly accurate, as many of the events take place indoors, but anyway ... It's on a huge site with different attractions in each area: a funfair, a kids' funfair, rodeo events (ticket only as it was the last weekend of the show, so we didn't go in, but saw some of them on TV later), agricultural stands, holding pens where they keep the animals participating in the rodeo events etc.

Full of spectators dressed up in Western gear (well, sort of - lots of cowboy/cowgirl hats & boots anyway), stuffing themselves with burgers and 'corndogs' (= hotdog sausage surrounded by greasy cornmeal coating). It was quite hot & sunny, so we appreciated being able to go inside and look at the horses - the 5 yr-old goes bareback riding, so she loved this. We also saw some young girls doing trick riding (standing up in the saddle etc). There was an Indian Village, where you could visit selected teepees and see the special costumes, and we also saw some First Nation dancing.

Oh and there were llamas! Including a two month-old cria. And according to a notice on the pens, the mother llamas hum to their babies!

Today has been another warm sunny day, but with some cloud cover, which made it cool enough to need a sweater when we were out walking. We drove to Kananaskis country (where Brokeback Mountain was filmed), had a picnic lunch, and went for a walk round Elbow Lake. My friends have two black Labradors, and they went for a swim in the lake - one of them doesn't usually swim, she just went rushing in after a stick and it was a bit deeper than she expected, so she paddled back looking a bit panicky and refused to go in again.

To be continued ...