Where does the Wildife Go?

It's early March, and like most years, I am pining for the wildlife to return to our area. I don't truly know where they all go at this time of year. My best guess is that they go a bit lower where the snow has melted out in exposed areas.

Only a few large mammal species are apparent. The deer disappeared for February but they seem to be back now.

I see moose tracks and occasionally see a moose or two.

And our trusty bobcat passes the house regularly. I wonder if he has any idea how much his photos make me smile!

I am anxiously waiting for our snowpack to shrink so that the wildlife who are avoiding this area can return. I know that the wildlife activity will skyrocket in the next 4-6 weeks, and I am looking forward to it. I love following their secret lives with my trail cameras.

In the meantime, Shyla and I are keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of wildlife.

And, we're trying to help R take it easy until walking/running on the snow becomes less treacherous. Our trails are presently extremely tricky. They have slippery slush on the top of the snowpack.  Moreover, deep snow seems to melt from the ground up, making us suddenly fall through the snow with no warning. It's not good for the joints, to put it mildly. And there are no sidewalks around here to use for walks/runs. So, R is taking it easy.

I've been a little down, with the "great melt" underway, limiting what we can do outdoors and making my favorite hobby of photographing wildlife almost impossible. The ironic part is that there will probably be multiple "big melts" because spring is when we get our biggest snowstorms. Like Shyla, I sometimes want to cover my eyes until the melting is finished!

But then I feel ashamed of myself for such a dour outlook. Just the other day, I had to spend hours at the department of motor vehicles office. One worker in that stuffy and noisy little room had the most mundane job, doing the same thing over and over again, all day long. Yet, as I watched her, she smiled genuinely at each person who came to her station and often laughed along with them. I thought that she was an an amazing example of how your outlook can change your life experience. She certainly had a great outlook despite a boring, and perhaps sometimes unpleasant, job.

On that note, here's my contented girl, looking as happy as a dog can be. Despite the tricky snow, I still love seeing sunrise with my Shyla. If I can do that, I have "one good thing" in each day.