Google Earth led me to a spot high on a ridge in search of mountain lions. My first camera placement there was a total bust with very little activity for months. But then, I moved the camera about 25 yards. What a difference that small move made. Within weeks, I was seeing activity by all sorts of animals, including a gorgeous mountain lion.
Check out the short video if you have time!
It was a good week for Hachi. We had friends and their dogs visit for a hike. They were people and dogs who Hachi knew from his puppyhood. We were so happy to see that he remembered everyone very well. And, he acted like a perfectly normal dog. He was off-leash during the hike cavorting around us as we hiked. He didn't bark at the people even once, and he played with the other dogs. It felt amazing to us!
Over the years with Hachi, we've learned not to project one good encounter into the future. Indeed, the next day, he reacted with barking when he saw someone who he doesn't know so well. But, that good day did show us what it would be like if Hachi were "cured" of his fears.
We had our trainer over to our place. We worked outdoors in frigid temperatures with a howling wind. The reason for being outdoors is that it gives us more space so that the trainer doesn't need to be close to Hachi. On the Hachi grading scale, it went well. He's learning to look at a stranger and then return to his handler to check in with them. He was less reactive than in past sessions, and there were moments when he even seemed relaxed.
Maybe, someday, he'll be able to accept more people into his life as friends. I sure hope so.
This is one of my favorites of the Labraduo. Our Black Dog was such a strong big brother for Shyla. She seemed to gain strength from simply lying next to him. She always wanted to be touching him.
When he left us for the Rainbow Bridge, Shyla was ready to stand on her own, perhaps because R had spent so many years helping her learn to be confident. There's no better testament to the role that he played in timid Shyla's life.
I've been needing extra strength lately. Remembering our Black Dog's strong love helps me. He never let circumstances knock back his optimism and happiness.
My friends have a pair of ponds on their land, and they kindly let me have trail cams there. In the fall, an elk herd comes down from the high mountains. Most years, the area of the ponds is one of the first that they visit.
They arrived around the third week in October when the rut was still in full swing. As you watch the herd, you can feel the electric energy of the herd. A big bull is near the center of the group, and a couple of smaller bulls are on the periphery. The cows and calves seem to fidget with excess energy.
Then, a little later in the fall, the pond began to freeze. The energy of the herd is much different - as if they are steeling themselves for a long winter.
Check out the short video!
It's been such an odd start to winter. Very warm and almost no snow. And a wicked wind. The world is in that drab in-between state with the vegetation dead but no white snow.
I am grateful to be able to look back at my autumn photos and immerse myself in processing them. It was a brilliant leaf season. The colors were glorious just outside the house. At sunrise, the reds in the grass complemented the golden leaves.
When I walked just a short distance into a meadow, the colors looking toward the house awed me.
While I was out there, I turned to look in the other direction, and it was glorious too!
I hope that we get snow soon. In the meantime, I'll be at my computer looking at my photos of autumn.
There's a spot where three gulches converge deep in the forest. Elk and deer wander through. Hungry mountain lions pass through regularly, probably as they search for their next meal. It's a great spot for a trail cam.
In this video, you'll see an elk have a close call with a pair of mountain lions. Check it out!
In terms of training, it's been an uneventful week for Hachi. We had to hold off on some kinds of training because his muzzle is causing a scrape on his chin. We now have lots of moleskin lining the muzzle but his chin must fully heal before we can go back to the muzzle.
We had a weekend full of holiday visitors. He did great on Saturday even though the visitors were inside the house while Hachi was relaxing on a different floor. But, on Sunday, he had a rougher time even though the visitors didn't come in the house. He broke out of his favorite soft crate because he was anxious. Then, he got an upset tummy after everyone departed. I sure hope that it turns out to be minor. Last year, he got horrific hemorrhagic diarrhea after a lot of stress. My fingers are crossed that he bounces right back this time.
Our Black Dog was so snuggly and loving with Shyla. I'd often arrive home and find them cuddled together as they snoozed. I miss seeing their bond so much.
Happy Black Dog Sunday!
A pair of mountain lions appeared in front of my trail camera. They were on the edge of a large meadow probably hunting for deer or elk. They were very curious about a scrape. As they sniffed it, they began rubbing their heads together. It was a sweet sight in our apex predator.
I think that this pair was a mother-daughter team. The daughter is probably a year or older. Check out the video to see this bonded pair.
There's so much good in a day at Lab Valley.
One of my favorite things is that we can see the sunrise from our windows. We usually wake up before it's light. As I sip my coffee by the windows, the sky gradually gets lighter. Some mornings, like this one, an incredible sunrise lights up the sky.
Lab Valley has lots of cool birds but a recent sighting was the best yet. During a hike, we saw a small bird, tinier than a robin, fly out of the grass and onto an aspen branch. At first, I thought that it was a song bird. Then, I saw his head swivel like an owl. I pulled out my camera with a long lens, and we discovered that he was a Saw-Whet Owl. It's hard to tell how tiny he is in this photo - but he's smaller than a soda can.
We are so grateful for this place that we call home.
