A beautiful Wednesday- Moose edition!

Piffle. Dadburn new blogger program. This is supposed to be a moose, as you can tell, it is not. This is a photo of what I saw while photographing wildlife. It was taken first, but should be at the end of the post. I am having trouble figuring out how to remove a photo or move it--so, this nest is now instead of last. It was odd, I was watching the woods and saw white fluttering with birds. I couldn't tell what it was until I photographed it. I was VERY surprised, also glad it was empty! 

THIS is the moose post!!! When I was making the bed, I noticed moose out the window near the end of the drive. So, I grabbed my camera. I've not seen moose in not evening light yet this summer. There were two. A mom and a calf, the calf seems smaller than it should be. In August, babies are still small, but it is like this one was born later in spring. Odd. Mom wandered off to one side of the drive and the calf went to the other side. I was supposed to leave to do errands, but wasn't sure if I could! The car wasn't close to the house and I did not want to get in between the mom and her kid!

 Someone screamed by on the Pipeline on an ATV with their dog hot footing it as fast as possible nearby. Mom was NOT impressed. She dashed out into the drive to look for her young one, who came dashing back to meet her! 

They went off into the woods and I thought that would be the last I'd see of them. It wasn't. They were in the yard later in the afternoon. 

I didn't see the calf again, but mom was keeping an eye on me. I was outside with a book and heard noise. Yup, this gal was right outside of the mowed areas full of tall clover. There were a lot of people out and about on the road, so the pair kept nearby. When I was playing with the birds, I often heard snuffling sounds. I didn't see much of them after I took these photos, but I knew they were there!

 I was going to add more words between pictures, but blogger is highlighting them all and it isn't what I wanted them to do!

 I also saw one of them Thursday morning, but haven't spied them nearer than the end of the driveway. I think mom was eating daisies. She had a white spot on the side of her jaw! 

All Things Bright and Beautiful

I'm not feeling very good today. So, instead of being in church and doing errands, I'm sitting in front of the window looking out at a shining greenish lake. Fluttering golden leaves are dancing from their summer berths to anchor wherever they might for the winter season. Some are in the lake, others the ground, more are inside evergreens and bared deciduous branches of other kinds of trees. Fireweed are shaking their down coats , sending seeds aloft to land where they might grow into a towering flowering herb. Colors are changing fast from summer to fall, winter's stark beauty isn't far off. Babies are growing up and I was fortunate enough to see a few of them the last day or two. 

It isn't often I see these. Spruce hen used to be much more common on walks to and from the bus stop. This family made me laugh when I spied them on the drive. 

 First this one crossed to the other side. Later, the others followed. They aren't so little anymore!!!

I was excited to see these two Sunday morning. I'm pretty sure this is the baby who tripped over the Dish cables hidden in the moss and brush. Some of my photos aren't very clear, but I was pretty thrilled!!! 

 She is RIGHT at the end of the sidewalk next to the house. She was looking at me and I was making darn certain to stay inside the door. I wasn't sure if she was going to step on the concrete! Thankfully, the young one distracted her from the odder threat of me. Kids tend to do that no matter what the species!!! You can see a little leg beyond her head-

 If you look at the photo, you can see on the edge of the right the corner of the house! I guess fireweed and leaves were too dry for the youngster, it almost looks too big to nurse!

 They both wandered in to the mowed part of the yard and I had to speak sternly when the youngster started munching on mom's lilac! (those photos didn't turn out!)

 They didn't stick around too long, but it was beautiful to see them!! I did see the younger bull on Saturday. He was hidden and then left. I hope he comes back, it looked as if one of his antlers was broken! I think the larger bull was taken down. I heard a gunshot the other day and although it is bow season til the first....

One afternoon I ran off to the lake. I saw this incredible masterpiece and paddled away so I could show how camouflaged it was. 

 I also found this beauty on a birch. I was hoping to capture one in flight over the grasses, it wasn't efficient!

Going back in time. This was Saturday the 17th, the day the Swan Lake fire blew up. When we were driving back, the sky was incredibly eerie! 

I look at this world of our and am thankful. Today our sky is cloudy, but no smoke in scent or visibility. Other portions of the peninsula aren't so fortunate. It's chilly in the shade, the thermometer is in the sunshine and reads it is getting up to the 70's. However, the house is not! I'm looking forward to seeing what else might show up around me as summer draws to an end. 

Fur, Feathers, and Fabric (and a couple other photos!)

One of the prettier days when the mountains could be seen from Dad's bench. 

A VERY scruffy bull moose in the area. I first saw him and was certain he was a horse. Then, as the car got closer, I realised it was a mangy moose losing his winter coat! 

Sunset over by the Senior Center- 

 The bluff is in VERY bad shape.

While down by Arness Dock, I spied this very young eagle. Not immature, as it has it's adult plumage. But, he's a young adult! There was also one swooping over the lake the other day. 

The babies are being born!!! I spied a pair of twins near the yard this morning and last  night, I spotted this mamma and baby. They didn't stick around for photographs! 

The author I met at the Kenai Fabric Center. I'm holding her newest book (it was left at the fabric store!) and Patience Griffin is holding fabric created for the quilts in her novels. Follow the link to find out more! 

I went for a short walk when I got back to the house and found a LOT of mosquitoes. Jon asked if they were in force yet. Yes, Jonathan, they are! 

Steve sent this photo of Dorothy and Jon on Memorial Day. Notice how Jon has his arm around Grandma? Color me one impressed mom! 

A Beginning and an End

Babies everywhere are joining the world! We don't have any ducklings yet, but this mama allowed her baby to sun for a bit...but she was skittish and quickly dashed off with her young one. I am pretty sure it wasn't birthed today, but it is very tiny! 

 The end was this afternoon during the winds we've had. I was in the garage and had just stepped across the threshold to the gravel when I heard a noise. I looked up and saw a tree start to topple. Once I realised it wasn't going to hit anything important, I stood there with my mouth open, staring at the gentle fall of the giant. Sobering, sad, and yet powerful to watch. It wasn't pulled up by the roots, I checked it later, when I was sure it was not going to fall anymore.

 On the photo below, there are two stars. (Sounds sort of Dr. Seuss like!) The lower star is the base of the trunk. The upper star is as far as my camera phone would shoot! The tree keeps going-.

                   This next one was taken from near the back door. The bottom star is pretty far off the ground and you can see how much more tree there is in the trees!                                  

It wasn't kind to the springy young ones. 

 You can see how it is split in the trunk. I thought I heard that sort of a sound when it started to fall-kinda cool creepy.

 Unfortunately, this is why the giant was brought down. It was lovely on the outside, but completely worn out and full of punky wood on the inner rings.

Now, I need to get someone to come out and move it out from the 'snagged' position it is in! I'm really glad it is not near anything too important. I just don't want it to bring down anyone else with it! The young trees it is crushing may spring back..we'll have to wait and see!