I am a very lucky person. Me and my guy live from fall to spring surrounded not only by our wonderful family but also an honest-to-goodness winter wonderland. Winter here in Fernie, B.C., can be long, very cold, and at times overwhelmingly snowy but it sure is pretty.
The Elk River and the Lizard Range forming the slopes and bowls of Fernie ski resort in the distance.
The Elk River is just a five minute walk from our apartment and the groomed trail that hugs its shoreline is one of our favourite places.
Left: Walking the trail along the frozen Elk River. Right: The Elk choked with accumulating ice.
Being in a small town in the heart of the Kootenays (the southeastern part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains), we are constantly reminded of the fact that we share this beauty with a variety of wildlife. And even though we are in the middle of winter, we are often treated to encounters with large critters of the four-legged variety. Grizzlies, black bears and cougars are scarce at this time of year (thank goodness!) but deer and elk have been known to treat our front gardens as buffets.
Wild Bighorn Sheep escaping inconvenient traffic on the road out of Fernie, B.C.
We’re also very lucky to live next door to herds of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis). Small herds of them live only about 20 minutes to the east and west of town. They love to come down from the steep mountainsides that flank the two lane highway that runs through town and connects us to our neighbouring towns. There’s something about the grasses that sprout alongside the road, I guess, that are particularly attractive to them and they’re often found nonchalantly munching away as cars and trucks whiz past them just feet from their noses.
Eryngium with deep purple daisies shot recently at the home of a dear friend in Fernie, B.C.
Of course, winter (no matter how beautiful) can be a little bereft of colour. Even the sheep, elk and deer are all the same shades as the rocks and dirty snow. But, hunkering down indoors, I’m cocooned in glowing colours. What’s catching my eye these days are gorgeous deep purples. And not all of them are being poured into my wineglass.
Three views of a Stromanthe in all its variegated glory.
Take the Stromanthe (Stromanthe sanguinea), seen above. I love those deep purple stems and lovely variegations of cream, green, pink and purple leaves surprisingly lined on their undersides in lush purple. If you’re all about nurturing your take on hygge, you can’t go wrong with this tropical beauty. It thrives on a warm, sunny windowsill and grows those stained glass-like leaves at a glacial pace. Since Stromanthes are pretty much stress-free, they’re very conducive to keeping up those coziness vibes.
I know. Hygge-ness aside, you’re thinking why on earth are the undersides of each leaf coated in a deep purple rich enough to rival a king’s cape. I had to know, too.
As far as I can figure, the answer is a very firm “We don’t know why for sure.” Photoprotection (a biochemical process that amounts to a plant making and wearing its own sunscreen) may be the answer. Here’s what ScienceDirect published about it:
If you understand what that means please let me know. In the same article, however, the authors go on to say there are other pretty good reasons why leaves can have red/purple undersides including leaf camouflage, undermining insect camouflage and defence from fungi. So, the bottom line is there is no definitive answer. I love a mystery.
A close-up of the rich burgundy bracts of a Guzmania, also shot at my dear friend’s home in Fernie.
Here’s another purple wonder, seen above, that just has me dazzled. This lovely specimen has made its home on a windowsill at my friend’s home in Fernie, B.C. Also called vase plants, Guzmanias need bright indirect light, warm temperatures and humidity (although you never want the roots to stay wet). In summer, pour a few drops of water into the centre of the plant–into the vase, if you will. Eventually this plant will sprout a spiky bloom of epic proportions. What you see in the photo are the plant’s sumptuous purple bracts.
Looking outward or inward, I’m seeing beauty everywhere. What dazzling you these days?
Ministry of the fence 