One Thousand Words: Photos by Geoff Sowrey

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I live in Calgary, Canada's fourth largest city. (It's the third of the four that I've lived in; I've not done Montreal.) It's a bit of a strange place: a metropolitan area with a built-up downtown, surrounded by extensive suburbs, blocked only by the T'suu T'ina in the southwest, and 15 minutes to open plains from pretty much any point in the city. And yet it's got some of the best bike paths in North America, it's barely an hour from the mountains, we get chinooks to tone down our winters, and the Bow River is an escape from the heat of the summer. My children have grown up here and most of my family lives here, now.

See other pictures from Alberta and Canada

Sunburst over Calgary

Sunburst over Calgary

West across Glenmore Reservoir

West across Glenmore Reservoir

Aspens in autumn

Aspens in autumn

Autumn path

Autumn path

Sunrise over Calgary

Sunrise over Calgary

Hollyhock stamen

Hollyhock stamen

Butterfly Blue in profile

Butterfly Blue in profile

Bee on Butterfly Blue

Bee on Butterfly Blue

Blooming Scabious Butterfly Blue

Blooming Scabious Butterfly Blue

Waterdrop on petal

Waterdrop on petal

Butterfly Blue

Butterfly Blue

Raindrops on rivers

Raindrops on rivers

Wild Roses

Wild Roses

Pseudogaurotina cressoni

Pseudogaurotina cressoni

Bee on cherry blossom

Bee on cherry blossom

Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms

Bee on cherry blossom

Bee on cherry blossom

Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms

Dutch Garlic Closeup

Dutch Garlic Closeup

Mayday Flower, Redux

Mayday Flower, Redux

Dianthus

Dianthus

Bleeding Heart

Bleeding Heart

Allium hollandicum

Allium hollandicum

Apple Tree Flower

Apple Tree Flower

Mayday!

Mayday!

Yellow, Purple, and Black

Yellow, Purple, and Black

Up into the storm

Up into the storm

Streaks

Streaks

When the light burns

When the light burns

I need a cable release

I need a cable release

Waves

Waves

Midnight dawn

Midnight dawn

Struts and Waves

Struts and Waves

Frozen Downtown Calgary

Frozen Downtown Calgary

Zoo Lights

Zoo Lights

Oh, nifty!

Oh, nifty!

Frosty Acorns

Frosty Acorns

Apollo 11 in LEGO

Apollo 11 in LEGO

Saturn V and Space Shuttle

Saturn V and Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle in LEGO

Space Shuttle in LEGO

Sunset on Downtown Calgary

Sunset on Downtown Calgary

Contrasts

Contrasts

Dawn over Calgary

Dawn over Calgary

Just Before Sunrise

Just Before Sunrise

Out for Lunch

Out for Lunch

First Sunset

First Sunset

Asia 2004-2023

Asia 2004-2023

Freezing Bubble

Freezing Bubble

Conjunction

Conjunction

Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker

Wintry Downtown

Wintry Downtown

Down the Bow

Down the Bow

Station 8

Station 8

Fire Downtown

Fire Downtown

Vertices

Vertices

One House

One House

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

Snowy doubleheader

Snowy doubleheader

Winter Doubleheader

Winter Doubleheader

Yellow

Yellow

Inner Daisy

Inner Daisy

Purple Cosmos

Purple Cosmos

Tulips

Tulips

Downward Moose

Downward Moose

The Whirlpool Downtown

The Whirlpool Downtown

Downtown Calgary

Downtown Calgary

Peace Bridge

Peace Bridge

Rush Hour

Rush Hour

Step Up

Step Up

West Hall

West Hall

Trains into tunnels

Trains into tunnels

Colours

Colours

Sunset over Calgary

Sunset over Calgary

Steam in fall

Steam in fall

Rounding the corner

Rounding the corner

2024 Crossing

2024 Crossing

SS Moyie in the autumn

SS Moyie in the autumn

Beakerhead Fire Snake Thing

Beakerhead Fire Snake Thing

Science Theatres

Science Theatres

Winter Run

Winter Run

Steam Clouds

Steam Clouds

Wintery train

Wintery train

Storm approaching

Storm approaching

Seed Pods

Seed Pods

Westbrook Stairs

Westbrook Stairs

Westbrook C-Train Station

Westbrook C-Train Station

Enjoying the show

Enjoying the show

Blades

Blades

Dandelion Seed Pods

Dandelion Seed Pods

Bee on Sunflower

Bee on Sunflower

Fleurs en vert

Fleurs en vert

Bow Tower

Bow Tower

Rounding the Bend

Rounding the Bend

Last run of the season

Last run of the season

Departing from Sheppard

Departing from Sheppard

Yellow and Red

Yellow and Red

Taking a Rest

Taking a Rest

CP 2023 arrives at Sheppard

CP 2023 arrives at Sheppard

Heading Off

Heading Off

Birthday fireworks

Birthday fireworks

Stampede Sunset

Stampede Sunset

Unavailable

Unavailable

CP 2816 at Montgomery

CP 2816 at Montgomery

Bonavista Mirror

Bonavista Mirror

CP 2816 departs Calgary

CP 2816 departs Calgary

Calgary Morning Glow

Calgary Morning Glow

Looking up Nexen

Looking up Nexen

Spinning Rings

Spinning Rings

Devin Tower

Devin Tower