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Monday, November 7, 2011

The easier path

The power of the paws...
Churning through the snow...
K is my guardian dog and I am her guardian human. Ever since I was part of a search and rescue team with my dog years ago, I view my relationships with my dogs as partnerships. I don't think of myself as a dog "mom" - a dog "sister" describes my view better.

K watched over me while I followed bear tracks yesterday, and she plans to do the same again today. Yesterday, my friend and I got a good idea of where the bear was heading, and we saw that the big bear had been spending a lot of time in the general area where we followed his tracks. He'd left other tracks within the past few days, suggesting to me that there's possibly a den near that area. K will watch over me again today as we try to pinpoint the den before more snow falls. It's supposed to fall tonight.

Due to all the snow, I've been re-finding my snowbike legs, mostly riding obscure trails where no one else goes so my tire tracks are the biggest blemish on the smooth snow. Yes, that's a big cliff just in front of my bike...
Because no one else goes there, my very wide tire tracks provide the only packed surface for animals to walk on. They take full advantage of the easier path that my tire tracks provide. These are the tracks of a bobcat walking in my tire track one afternoon.
In fact, I got a photo of him as he was making those pawprints.
And, after he passed the camera, a red fox warily walked by, deviating from my tire tracks as he stared at the camera.
The next morning, the bobcat walked past the camera yet again, still using my tire tracks to make walking easier. This time, he/she carried breakfast - a rabbit. I wonder if this is the mother bobcat who we followed via my trail cameras as she raised her kitten this summer. There was no sign of a second bobcat in my photos but the paw prints further up the trail suggested that a second, smaller, bobcat was nearby. Perhaps this bobcat was taking her rabbit to share with her kitten.
This year has been different from recent years, with the onslaught of winter a bit early. All of my photos look like the one above now with white everywhere. Snow covers all of the forest except the most exposed areas.

I'm missing the colors of summer and autumn but I'm starting to get in the swing of winter.
I just had to post one more yellow photo before I fully accept the white snow and blue sky as the main colors for the next few months!

23 comments:

  1. Hi Y'all,

    Love the photo of K framed in golden leaves!

    Hope y'all find another bear den. Those were such fantastic photos the last time.

    Take care,
    BrownDog's Human

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  2. That yellow photograph is a beauty. It's so interesting that the animals walk in the packed snow - of course it makes sense, but this city girl would never have thought of that. You had a super-highway going past your camera the past few days. Do you read this blog? She had some gorgeous autumn photos today. I thought of you...
    http://airedale-baerchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/ton-in-ton.html

    Be careful out there!!

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  3. That last photo of K with her amber eyes looking up at you is so wonderful! Yikes - what a great capture of the Bobcat and the (bunny) - I'm being quiet in deference to Lucinda...

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  4. Wonderful photos, as usual. Maybe the bunny is not realy dinner, maybe the bobcat was playing a game of "fetch" and could not find a tennis ball under the new snow?

    Mogley G. Retriever

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  5. That Bobcat is beautiful. You can't blame him for taking the easy road :D

    Wyatt's Mom

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  6. Here's our idea: we take up a collection and buy a snow plow for the front [or back] of your bike, to make an even better path for all those hardworking woodland critters. :)

    Jed & Abby

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  7. Hi KB
    Do you ever wonder if all the animals in the wilderness are saying
    "keep your paws crossed that KB rides her bike today and makes us some trails"!
    I bet they do!
    Did you find the bear?
    The bob cat is beautiful. The bunny looks big!
    We will miss the golden of autumn too.
    Its seems to be cold and cloudy lately
    love
    tweedles

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  8. Wow! Those bobcat tracks are much further apart than I would guess.

    And I agree. I only call myself mom for a reference, but honestly my dogs are equal to me. There really isn't a higher rank, we are all just one.

    I miss the yellow leaves already and we don't even have snow yet. :(

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  9. The snow and snow stompers are all beautiful, but I do love the one last autumn photo of Miss K and the yellow leaves.

    Hope you are feeling good!

    Cheers,

    Stella, Jo and Zkhat

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  10. Those yellow leaves really do show K off fantastically! I know she looks great in the snow, too, though! ;)

    I am very curious to hear about how your big bear tracking adventure goes! I hope you find the den so we can see how Tiny spends the winter and spring.

    I was so excited that you joined the group today, too! :D

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  11. What a great final autumn photo

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  12. Partnership. Yes, the only way to explain what happens when two beings truly share everything each is. The thought makes me smile. Thanks.

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  13. Hi All, in a couple of months we will be drooling over your nice cool snow photos when its 40C here. Love the last photo. Take care. No worries, and love, Stella and Rory

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  14. I don't blame you for wanting a few more fall days. K is one gorgeous pup! Love that header shot.

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  15. Aww, love that last photo - so cute!!

    Marilyn

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  16. What a wonderful blog!
    I am excited about the nature and wildlife shots.
    That would be a life according to my taste.
    Thank fank you for visiting my blog. I would like to come here often look
    Lots of love
    Violett with Mischka and Hoover

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  17. That last shot of K is sensational. Fun to see the animals following in your tire tracks. Antelope did that before the plains were heavily populated; they would follow in the mini canyon-like footsteps of the buffalo because that's where they could find food!

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  18. Fantastic ! I can totally relate to how you feel about your dog ! My dog is my best pal !

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  19. Snow legs... I can only imagine what hard work that is. You were right about the one bike I had a photo of in the race. I can't figure out why some guys ride the snow bikes in the snowless race except maybe as an extra challenge since there's less serious racers who participate in the Halloween race that the practiced racers would obliterate without some kind of handicap. And yes, I conquer with the others, I love that last photo of K.

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  20. Oh my.... that last photo is stunning.

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  21. I'm with you, KB..we need more golden days before I settle in for grays and browns!

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  22. snow always reminds me that we make tracks for the animals and they make tracks for us. kind of a fun relationship.

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  23. Sista's forever for sure....The white crispness is so clean and pure...it does add that extra bit of effort in your daily routine...PAW POWER!!!

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