I had expected to be in London today, perhaps strolling through Harrods (I love the look of the food courts), or the V & A. But that is not going to happen, so I took a stroll nearby, to a place I used to often go when Miss Dog was still alive. This is part of my neighborhood.

I had hiked up the side of a small bluff to get this shot of our beautiful mountain. It’s a bit hard to tell, but there is still snow on peak. The ugly building in the middle ground is a car dealership that has been there about 15 years, it replaced waste ground. The blacktop parking lot was being constructed on this day, in preparation for something that will perhaps need a lot of parking. They had removed all the dirt from a former train track to flatten the area out.

Looking south is my neighborhood. The big rock sticking up is what gives the area it’s name. The traffic circle is brand new, and was added to confuse the local drivers.

And this was what I had really climbed up to capture, a hoodoo (a column of rock wearing a little rock hat).

So here is another one, hidden away at the top of the bluff.

Here’s the north side of the bluff with a pair of hoodoos. The dark streak is coal and the yellowish streaks are ochre. Once upon a time there were coal mines nearby, but they all closed years ago, and now the real estate is too valuable to be mined. The hillside was originally cut away maybe 15 years ago when the city changed the shape of the road. And now they have changed the road again, so they cut away even more of the bluff. Construction has also removed a pair of large hoodoos and at least one small one. It’s surprising the changes that occur when one’s back is turned. So this is the neighborhood as it exists today, it still has these secret lovely places, hidden away from the busy roadway.

Just where are the sorts of places that might need a stuffed animal head for display? I do notice them in restaurants, bars, fraternal organizations and clubs and sometimes in stores. I had gone down to the local feed store to pick up some treats for my four-legged friends, when I spotted these heads.

Not strictly speaking just heads, these plastic birds feature turning heads to scare off unwanted birds (yes I’m talking about you, woodpeckers!). (And probably you magpies as well).

This shop features a fine collection of guns and rifles, perfect for bagging the elusive stag. Here’s a sample beast, casually displayed over excess stock.

A fine rack of antlers may attract the ladies, but they attract the hunters even more.

What the heck??? Some gun-crazy hunter even took down this stuffed deer. Who would do such a thing? I guess when one is looking for a trophy, the exact species doesn’t matter. It’s still a prize.

So after admiring the trophies I paid for my sacks of feed and went on my merry way. I am too wimpy to shoot a deer, except with a camera.

This is Sarah.