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Sunday, April 15, 2012

Snow, mountain lion, and courage

Yesterday evening, a snow storm hit. K and I were out walking during the deluge of snow.
At almost the same time, a good distance away, a mountain lion walked among my trail cameras.
He was curious about the cams and looked at them closely.
He passed at least three of my cameras, one of which was shooting video. I'll compile the fascinating footage for a future post. I am so happy to have these big cats back in our forest after their winter hiatus.

This morning, K and I headed out for our ride, with me on my snow bike for the first time in more than a week. I had switched over to my summer bike last week.
K romped through the 6" of wet snow with incredible enthusiasm. This girl never ceases to amaze me. The "median survival time" after osteosarcoma goes to the lungs is not long, yet she is still running around joyfully.
She trotted over Hug Hill, with the mountains obscured behind the storm clouds.
As we descended from the peak, K ran parallel to me in the pine forest. As I watched her, she leaped up onto a big fallen tree about 3' off the ground. She touched it briefly with her paws and then gracefully leaped off onto the other side. Wow! She is still living with verve! Our girl is seizing each day!

On our descent, we stopped in a spot where I photographed K yesterday. Here she was yesterday, looking coppery in the green clearing. Both of us were a little hot in the sun yesterday.
Here she is in almost the same place today. It looked completely different, and I was getting cold as I photographed her.
Here's to the amazing courage of a mountain lion in a spring storm and of our K in the fight of her life.

35 comments:

  1. She is amazing! I can just imagine her leaping on and off of the tree. :-) We got about a foot of snow yesterday and today most of it is gone from warm temps.

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  2. Looking at K in these wonderful pictures, you'd never know she is battling anything let alone osteosarcoma! She still seems so strong and perfectly content in her surroundings. She is so graceful and happy, how can she not be; after all she is doing what she loves everyday with the one she loves by her side! I just showed my husband the pictures you captured of the mountain lion and like me he is in awe!

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  3. Did Khyra make it yet?

    I told her last night about your snow!

    Of course, the KHYTTY will really wow her!

    Yet another great post!

    THANKS!

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  4. Hi Y'all,

    Oh wonder of wonders...everything fascinating wonder. Simply amazing scenes...almost identical posture from one day to the next in the same spot.

    Y'all come by now,
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  5. It's neat that the mountain lion is interested in your cameras, and also that you can see the radio collar around its neck!

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  6. The wild weather never ceases out there. Of course, K is amazing. She is a wonderful creation of nature and so happy to be out with you. Go K!

    Mango Momma

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  7. Keep leaping, K, keep leaping. We have been below freezing most mornings lately, but no precipitation of any sort. We could really use some rain after so little snow all winter.

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  8. life is constant, that is for sure.....living each day to the fullest is a goal that we all should aspire to...you actually do it..
    love to you and K...

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  9. My heart leaps w/ K's enthusiasm!
    xoxo

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  10. You really inspires us K, I'm glad that your still fighting and were always praying for your complete recovery.


    Dog Shock Collar | Puppy & Human Bond

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  11. Wonderful to see your happy days!

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  12. Look at you go K! Your so beautiful as you seize each day!
    You love the spring day and the snow too. Your more than amazing!
    That is a very big kitty!
    love
    tweedles

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  13. The weather is so wacky everywhere. Snow - oh, how the OP Pack would love that now.

    K is an inspiration - she truly is one courageous pup!

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  14. Both you AND K are an inspiration to us all!! What awesome pictures!! K is awesome!!

    The mountain lion is amazing too...Interesting that he noticed the camera!!

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  15. Snow in April in the mountains is nothing too unusual, we get it here. Though I don't think it's likely this year unless the weather totally changes. There's plenty of the stuff at the higher altitudes though; I'm at about 5800 feet so not all that high.

    K looks lovely no matter the surroundings. And so happy! Few animals can look happier than a happy dog. :)

    That is a beautiful cat! I hope you see more of him so that we can as well.

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  16. It's hard to pic a favorite photo but we like the 5th on with K's looking straight on to the camera and you with her happy face and playful eyes.
    I looked up inspiration and know what I saw? A picture of K.
    Blessings,
    Goose

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  17. Mother Nature is so fickle! I love the last two shots of her in the green forest and the snowy forest. That's pretty cool!

    Despite the snow, it seems like things are really waking up in your corner of the world with bears and mountain lions returning. Hopefully they didn't arrive too early and this was just a brief passing through of snow!

    K looks beautiful and happy in every shot!

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  18. Here's to you ALL and to your knowing the wisdom of living in the moment! You are blessed.

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  19. I keep reminding myself that it's springtime in the Rockies! Your girl is enjoying each moment. I'm glad!

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  20. The weather here in the U.K. is very strange at the moment, going from one extreme to the other.

    What a fabulous shot of the mountain lion. I love the photo of K romping through the snow. She is looking at you telling you she is having so much fun.

    Take care.
    Love from Eileen and Annie xx

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  21. K is such an amazing girl . . .I hope she continues along this merry way for a long time.

    The Collar on the Mountain Lion looks way too snug to me. Do the people who attach them ever look at them again? When they catch a meal, can they tear it up like they might want to or do they wind up eating differently. I hate those collars!

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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  22. What a difference in wheather!! K looks to be very ok hiking with you. You see, she´s not giving up and we wont either.

    The mountin lion looks great. Are the in a project because the collar?
    Hugs from us!

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  23. I love to see you happy and enjoying yourself, K!

    Love ya lots,
    Mitch

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  24. K is just amazin' and courageous and so is you KB! You both don't ake nuttin' furs granted, and dat should be taught to many hoomans.

    I am always in awe of your world, It;s beautifuls in da winter and when it wakes up in da spring.

    Puddles

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  25. K always reminds me of a lion - especially in the picture of her lying down in the "Springtime and Tomorrow" post. She certainly has the heart of one!

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  26. Great shots of the mountain lion. Glad to hear K is hanging in there.

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  27. I hate to start out by saying "I'm sorry" BUT, truly I am sorry for having been absentee in your beautiful part of the world lately. I've had time to take a peek here and there but never enough time to compose a comment. Work has been busy and home life with aging parents and their needs has taken precedence over blog time. This is my life, and just like you - it's not always what we'd like it to be, but it is what it is and we have to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and keep putting one foot in front of the other. On that note, I am truly sorry that the report you got on K's tumors was not a good one. I'm sure that was a gut-wrenching news. I think I speak for all of your blog friends when I say we understand, because you are not the only one holding out for that miracle.

    It would be IMPOSSIBLE to make comments about all the great pics you've had the last week or so but several pop out in my mind that need mentioned. First off - K in your hat! Who can resist doing that? At least she left it there long enough to get a pic - Ches either tries to bite it or swat it with his paw before I can even get the camera on him.

    The bear and his whammy tree! I never heard of that and the pics were awesome of him marking his tree - especially the one where he almost fell over. Made me LOL!

    The top of the world pic overlooking the desert is breathtaking and the picture almost makes me dizzy - I can't imagine actually standing there. What a feeling of "smallness" that must be to sit there and look down. God has blessed us with such natural wonders! Thanks for sharing your piece of paradise with us.

    The bobcats, coyotes and hawk are wonderful pics too. Of course, I enjoy watching K and R romp and frolic in your wonderland. I love coming here to visit, your pics always bring a sense of wonder and peace to my busy brain. Thank-you!

    Chester's Mom

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  28. I love the kitty photos, but my word! The two pictures of K in two completely different seasons just hours apart!!!! Magnificent!

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  29. Look at your K doing her thing! You show your courage as stick with her, fighting each day to live to the fullest.

    I had a day last week when (for no good reason) the world felt like it was coming to an end. Just as I decided to skip our trail time, I thought of you and K, your example to always carpe diem, and I got my tush and Kona Dog out the door. Out on the trail we ran into a bobcat =)

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  30. Seeing that mountain lion so close is amazing! I salute K and the lion, both are magnificent.

    Your pal, Pip

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  31. Well, somebody has to be on the extreme end of the bell curve and I keep hoping that K is at the far end with the best case scenario. Loved every one of the photographs.

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  32. What a beautiful and brave girl...we love her, too.

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