So now we've had sunny, lovely, gorgeous weather for most of 24 hours (not counting a brief thunderstorm yesterday). It's been better than the forecasts, which is part of the Calgary charm. Since the weather's so hard to predict, sometimes it breaks in your favor.

We took a walk in the evening, gazed on the mountains, and strolled past the side of a school overrun with gophers (Richardson Ground Squirrels). Must have been ten or twelve, all just having the time of their lives. As we approached, they took their sweet time before disappearing down one of the numerous holes. Then as we stood by and waited, they'd poke their heads up to see if we'd gone. Cute.

Interestingly a lot of the different (in identity or in numbers) species we've become aware of here seem to have a pest or problem side: magpies, gophers, bears, beavers. It's why some ranchers keep their firearms handy.