Tracks in the new snow; mama moose blocks my path; a treasured seed winds up in the garbage
Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 4:00AM ;)
Finally, it snowed again. Regular readers have read my lament - about how it has basically not snowed here since early December (oddly enough, it has snowed in Anchorage a couple of times, but not here). Yes, you may look at this blog and see snow everywhere, but that is only because this is a place where the snow that falls in October is typically still here in April and sometimes even in patches as May begins.
(Contrast this to the Arctic Slope, where the snow that falls in September can linger in patches into July).
This year, of course, there was no snow in October here. It did not come until early November and then it never built up to much. And the weather has been so warm, for us, even as it has been cold to the south, for them.
Thank El Niño. Thank the Arctic Oscillation.
But, last night, I noticed a few flakes coming from the sky. Then, as I lay in bed, more flakes came. They kept coming, one on top of the other, piling up, piling and piling and piling up until finally this morning I stepped outside and disovered that they had piled up to a depth of...
1/8th of an inch, give or take 1/16th, depending on where you were standing.
Well, one-eighth was enough to allow feet to leave new tracks on the roads.
Here are the tracks left by a young moose and a raven.
;)
And here are some tracks left by some ravens who got together to eat out. What did they eat? I don't know.
;)
I walked on from the spot where the ravens dined and then stepped away from the road and into the marsh. I headed toward Dodd's trail, the one he has tried to keep open for walkers, but to close to machines. It's not that he is against machines, just selfish and immature drivers who tear things up with them and sometimes even wake homeowners from their sleep. I took this picture about 100 feet from the barricade with the "no trespassing" signs that he has placed at the entrance to his property.
When the wind blows, it tears through the marsh. I cannot eliminate the possibility that the wind ripped this sign free from his barricade and planted it here.
More likely, though, it is the work of someone on a snowmachine or fourwheeler who is undoubtedly very possessive of all that is his and wants everyone to respect his rights and propety, but has no respect for the property and rights of others.
;)
Being a walker on good terms with Mr. Shay, I continued on, headed for my house. I soon happened upon some very fresh moose tracks.
;)
And then I saw the moose, separated from me by a few bushes. There were two actually. This one that you are looking at here is the child, the nearly grown calf.
;)
The child decided to step out into the open and the mother quickly followed, keeping her eye on it and on me.
;)
And then, standing right in the middle of the path, they played. Regular readers all know that I love my pocket camera, but right now I was wishing that I had one of my DSLR's, and my 100 to 400 mm lens. But I didn't. When you set out to document your surroundings with only a pocket camera, you understand the limitations from the beginning.
You just have to live and work with them.
;)
If you look through their legs, you can see the trail going on beyond. That is where I want to walk. Right here, I am no more than 300 yards from my back porch - if that far.
;)
But this mama moose is not going to let me pass. I have to back up and find another way.
Two calves used to hang out with this mother. I wonder what has become of the second?
;)
And when I do, I come upon Patty, who, according to the doctor who refused to treat her cancer and told her to go home and prepare to die, should have been dead for two, maybe three months now.
But she is strong and getting stronger. Her eyes match her hat and coat.
;)
When I get home, I find Margie ready to drive to Anchorage, to try once again to help Lavina prepare a room for her sister, who will arrive from Arizona tomorrow so that she can help with the new baby.
I decide that I might as well walk two more miles so I have her drop me off at Metro Cafe so that I can still get my afternoon coffee even though I will have no car to listen to the news in.
Carmen's sister, Theresa, has come out from Anchorage to help out and has brought her son, Evan, with her. While a few pass through the drive-through, I am the only customer in the store right now. Everyone is pretty comfortable with me, so Carmen's son Baranson and Evan get away with staging a little wrestling match.
;)
After the wrestling match, Baranson is feeling pretty bad. It seems his teacher gave him some kind of special seed at school, but Evan took it and threw it in the garbage.
Somehow, I missed that part.
;)
So Carmen and Baranson look for the seed.
;)
Evan comes bearing a little gift, hoping to make up for having throw the seed away. Baranson is not interested. He wants the seed.
;)
Carmen, Baranson, Evan and Theresa.
Just before I left, as I was paying for my coffee, the seed was found and Baranson got it back.
Margie returned late in the evening.
"No baby, yet," she said, "but Lavina is feeling a lot of pain."
Man. That's why I want our new grandchild to come soon, even three weeks ahead of it's due date - so this two week plus labor that Lavina has been in can come to an end.
PS: I was just headed for bed and I looked out the window... it is snowing. It looks like it might be for real, this time. And somewhere out in that snow, with no shelter but their own fur and tree branches aboe them, those moose have settled down for the night.
Reader Comments (15)
The pictures of the baby moose and mama moose were fantastic.. I liked picture no.2 in particular.. :)
About the comment on coffee, there are a few western style coffee shop chains in India now, like Coffee Day and Barista.. I like to hang out there with friends but like you I'd take good, strong mom- made coffee over those fancy coffees anyday :)
Only you could make a moose appear truely beautiful! Loved the portraits as well. Hope to be seeing pictures of the new baby soon! Thank you!
I LOVE Alaska, your neighborhood and wonderful family! Thank you so much for the Moose photos. And here's hoping the 'little bundle of joy' arrives soon!
Love this post! Love the pics of the moose, that's fantastic!!! You always have such adventures just taking a walk around your neighborhood!
great post...love the moose, i hope Lavina will not be in to much pain for to much longer
awesome! isn't it a bit alarming to be so close to an adult moose?
Love your pictures !! I look forward to reading your post each day. If you are really missing the snow, come on down here to Greensburg Pa, we got at least 2 feet last night !!!
Poor Lavina. I cant imagine having a toddler and then contracting for 2 weeks with the new one. Thank goodness the labors I had with all 3 of my kids were 3 hrs from start to finish. I dont think I could have handled anything longer than that! I keep checking your blog, hoping to see a post that the new grandbaby has made its arrival.
I am SO happy that we finally got snow! We're up to about 3.5, 4" at my place north of you.I'd love a few feet but dont think we're going to get that lucky.
LOVE the moose photos. Usually we get moose in our yard all winter but the low snowfall seems to have kept them further in the woods this winter. There is a road over by Houston High School that I visit a few times a week to get my moose fix/pics, as I love to photograph those awesome creatures!
Praying for Lavina!
I think we have your snow here in Virginia. Please come and get it.
The moose pictures were awesome. But like Dahli, I wondered right away: Isn't it dangerous to be that close to a mama moose?
Our best to mama Lavina.
never knew a moose was soooo beautiful until i saw your pix, bill. the long legs and bodies high off the ground. godspeed to lavina!
Bill - love your blog. Sometimes it's just nice to take a break from politics and see what everyday life is for you.
Thanks for the comments and all the good wishes for Royce - who I kept isolated today because he could not have handled the adorations of Kalib and Gracie, who are about to appear on this blog. He seems to be doing a little better again, right now, although he still reeks.
As for moose being dangerous - yes, they can be. They actually kill more people up here than do bears. In a case like this, you just have to recognize their boundaries and respect them. Most moose will run from you, but not this mama.
Awww...the moose pictures made my day. I know what you mean about wanting your SLR - I had to document the Yukon Quest on my iPhone due to a dead battery. LOL.