Fight

Photos have a way of taking us back to a time and place.

February 2012~ I had gone out to check the lek grounds. I took a side road and stumbled across this bull on my way home.

He wasn’t doing well. It was cold out that day, bitter cold.  I can still recall, even a year later all the things I thought and felt as I watched him waiting to see if he was going to be ok.

I put a call in to Game and fish, sent them the photos I took and let them handle the situation.

But this bull, and the timing, left a very lasting impression on me. And today when I came across the photos I took of him, I couldn’t help but be touched by his strength and the irony of the entire situation.

  Never give up. Rest when you need to and then get up and fight for what you want.

Nap time

You know it has been a long week when the alarm clock goes off and you lay there trying to remember what day it is.. is it Friday, or Saturday?
Please tell me it is Saturday and I can shut this thing off and go back to sleep a little while longer…
Alright fine! It is Friday~  I just watched a gorgeous sunrise over the Pryor Mountains.
and now out my office window I can see the clouds slipping through the sage.

My world out side is damp and beautiful today, and I hope we get more much needed rain.
Its been a very dry Spring. (and rainy days always make for the best naps)
Coffee is poured and birds are starting to sing,

I am grateful I got up.
Happy Friday! and if I don’t answer my phone today it’s because I am extremely busy working …yeah.. that’s it.. working

Spring surprises

More signs of spring.  This brown bear was loving the fresh Spring grass. (another reason not to believe that eating only veggies will help you lose weight… like my dad always says..”Have you ever seen a skinny rabbit?” )

Even though the hide on this ol’ boy looks ragged ~ his antler growth is still quite impressive.  I still say he would love a good brush with a curry comb

Shooting star~ Beauty reborn (and the scientific name is Dodecatheon.. for my friend over at MyNature Apps)

and danger, danger, danger. Sow griz and 2 yr old cubs.. not something you look forward to running in to in the woods.  Just very glad I didn’t surprise her or the babies (or should I say they didn’t surprise me.)  Spring is a beautiful time in the woods. But as with all things in nature. Unpredictable~ abrupt storms, hungry animals, unstable glaciers and rising rivers are just a few of the dangers  one can encounter ~ but if you use common sense and stay alert at all time. Spring can also become one of your favorite times of year. I know it’s one of mine..

1 of 4 Spring , Summer, Fall and Winter

Elk Creek

Makes you wonder if they know….

Today is May 1st.. don’t forget to order your special copy of the Desk top calendar my clicking the link on the top right~ This month is one of my favorites!

God’s Country

God’s Country

Had a beautiful weekend. Snow capped mountains and frozen waterfalls.

Osprey~ Sand Hill Cranes

Wapiti ~ Fresh air and time together in nature as a family…

Alluring

Back country in early Spring. Alluring.  Beautiful, and on a day like this one, so very peaceful.

As the deep snow drifts melt the high mountain passes open and the elk return once again to the back country.

Beautiful girls resting in the sunshine on a high alpine meadow. Healthy, and obviously pregnant.

(Photo by Josiah)

Even in a photograph it is hard to put the vastness and  beauty of this country into perspective.

It is one of those places that you need to immerse yourself in, feel the burn in your legs and lungs, to fully appreciate the grandeur

Yes, we saw a few elk.

Any stress this time of year can cause the cows to lose their calves ~ so we kept out of sight and enjoyed their company from a distance.

Spring migration is in full swing.

It was a magnificent day  in the mountains because, it was shared with my family.

We found 8 winter kills but only 1 ivory

The elk sign was thick.

* 1 set of coyote tracks picked their way across a deep drift

2 sets of bear tracks descended a steep draw to the open valley below.

Once we returned to that bottom land and the truck we saw a mother and calf moose resting among the red willow shoots next to the river.

and more little birds darting about searching… for what? I am not sure. A mate or dinner?

Or maybe just a perfect place to call *home*

Periphery

No tips~ just a little humble advice~

If you love photography~ or just being outside.

Take  the time, experiment, explore .. and always appreciate~

No matter what you enjoy doing…

take time in your life to do it~ share it with those you love most ~

Find the good in,

and be grateful for every day.

Thank you to those who took the time to play along with this little photography tutorial.

Winter

A “Focus” in the Wild has been invited to participate in the Winter Gathering book fair  ~ at the library in Cody Wyoming.  If you are in the area stop by and say HI! We will be there, along with other authors on Saturday 21~ from 1 to 3:30 ~Sponsored by the Park County Library foundation.   (sneaking out early to attend an award ceremony for our son’s race Kart club.)

 

In the mean time~ Winter has once again returned to the West. Temperatures are in the negative numbers and the wind chills are extreme.

Snow is piling up in the high country. Yet the wild creatures still continue to survive there with grace and beauty.

“Wind slices through the snow covered pines sending a shower of falling snow from the treetops. Up this high silence is more a certainty than deep snow or brisk wind. One lone warrior walks from the tree line wearing half of his once majestic set of antlers. He walks with head tilted to the right and stops often to shake his head. He seems almost confused by the fact that his antlers are now such a nuisance. “Yes”, I think to myself, “Change comes so quickly and silently to the high lands. In the last few hours alone, the temperature has dropped by many degrees. The wind has changed direction. A troop of ravens has left the area on swift wings heading to their secret hideouts. The cloud cover has thickened and one antler has fallen back to the earth from which it came… silence up this high is certain, and subtle changes convince me that the circle of life is still in full swing.” ~ Hawk “

High country

Squirrels skitter from tree top to tree top cutting and gathering pine cones, stashing them for the cold weather and deep snow. Stopping ever so briefly to scold any and all who would get in their way.

 

Cold, frost bitten nights ~ bring a slow, nearly undetected change to the forest. Aspen leaves slowly fade from green to gold and whisper tales of weather to come before silently floating to the ground.

 

    

Fall~ a time when change is in the air.  A time to gather and prepare for the unknown of the season ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pine soup