Summer Snow

Some days, I am forced to admit that I have too many things to do for the number of hours in the day. Today is one of those days.

I have been overwhelmed with the number of extraordinary wildlife stories nearby. I'd love to make a video today but I don't have the time to digest the wildlife video footage and then synthesize it.

So, I'll share a scene that sums up summer for me.

And, I'll end by saying that, by the time you read this, the weather forecasters say that there will be snow on the ground. Let's hope that the summer blossoms and the baby birds are hardy enough to keep flourishing through a snow storm.

The Hachi Chronicle

Prince Hachi had another good week. Shyla and I ran into Hachi and the Runner atop Hug Hill. I have recently taught Hachi the "paws" cue which means to plant his front paws where ever I point and stay. He did it well on Hug Hill, although he seemed nervous to me.

Then I called him, and he showed his young dog flexibility as he crossed his front limbs while accelerating toward me.

Hachi has a daily rhythm. He wakes up very relaxed and super happy. He sprints between me and the Runner, trying to sneak up and playfully ambush us while we get breakfast and do other morning chores. During his morning run, he's more likely to be outgoing with strangers than later in the day. As the day goes on, I can feel his anxiety and fear rise. They are at their highest point during our evening hike.

Our behavioral vet says that this pattern is not uncommon for dogs like Hachi. Without knowing that, I chose early morning as when I do my daily play session with Hachi way back in December (we've stuck with it for SIX months!). Now, I am thinking that I should consistently have another play session later in the day to see if it can change Hachi's state of mind.

Playing is the most fun form of therapy for a pup like Hachi. I think that he and Shyla were just about to play in this next photo!

You can't go wrong with play.

Black Dog Sunday

The yellow flowers are beaming and so is our Black Dog. When he and I head out into the flowers, he smiles.

I think that he's completely recovered from his big surgery. He's regained all the weight that he lost while he was sick (and then some). He loves his runs and hikes. And he loves his time in the flowers. He loves singing, although his voice is changing due to laryngeal paralysis. It's huskier now. He used to be a tenor and now he's a bass.

He sleeps deeply during his down time (which is about 23 hours per day) - and is ready to go whenever fun is in the air.

Happy Black Dog Sunday.

Shyla Saturday

It was a fun week of trail time with Shyla, as our world became a brilliant mosaic of greens and yellows.

We started trying to get out earlier in the morning, as it's getting uncomfortably warm for Shyla later in the morning. We rode in a couple of meadows, and the coyotes left us alone. I suspect that they've become used to seeing us in the mornings. In one meadow. we saw these magenta "Shooting Stars". I almost lay on the ground to take this photo with Shyla sitting right behind me watching for predators.

Shyla seemed happy this week, except for one night. She awakened us around midnight, and she could not settle down. She insistently licked our faces repeatedly. We tried taking her out - but that wasn't the issue. We began to think that she was having something like an anxiety attack. We gave her a short-acting anti-anxiety med prescribed for her by our behavioral vet - and I hugged her close until she relaxed and fell asleep. Has anyone else ever thought that their dog might be having a panic attack?

She was fine the next morning, galloping through the meadow and our new flowers!

Happy Shyla Saturday!

Feline Friday - A Hungry Mother Mountain Lion

We've had a female mountain lion sticking close to the heart of our woods for quite a while. I believe that this was the lion who was caterwauling for a mate back in February. If so, she likely has kittens stashed somewhere in the vicinity.

We've had lethal signs of a lot of lion activity nearby, including a dog disappearing and a deer being killed and eaten. It's a time when we all need to remember to be careful because this lion being out and about in daylight is a sign that she is very hungry and may take big risks to get her next meal. We share this world with her - so we need to be mindful of keeping her safe from the temptation to go after the wrong prey.

She was out near all of us humans during the day repeatedly during May. The photos/video were particularly good on one day so I'll share those. Her "signature move" is raising her head high in the air, opening her mouth, and sniffing the air.

She focuses on areas where the male lions have scent marked. She's sniffing the piles of pine needles behind scrapes left by male lions.

After sniffing the ground, she again raised her nose in the air. Her scenting ability is enhanced by having her mouth open.

If you'd like to see this beauty in action, check out my video.

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for the gifts of Nature that I've seen this week.

The flowers are starting to bloom. I love seeing them along the trail to the mountains, like I did during a long mountain bike ride a few days ago. I love sights like this so much!

As I rode that mountain trail, I saw a hawk land on top of a tree. I stopped to watch him, and he took off to fly again. He was stunning!

Then, during last evening's hike, Hachi stared pointedly into the meadow. At first, we thought it was a false alarm. Then, the Runner spotted this velvet-antlered beauty resting in the green grass.

He was breath-taking.

Spring's bounty brings us so many things to be thankful for!

Wordless Wednesday

The beauty of sunset over the mountains never ceases to astound me. We haven't hiked to my favorite lookout point at sunset in quite a while. As the sun fell behind the mountains, the world was tranquil except for the ethereal songs of three hermit thrushes nearby.

Given all that is going on the world, the peacefulness of sunset in the mountains is balm to the soul.

Black Bear Mating Season - How Mohawk and Tiny Ended up Together

Mating season is a tumultuous time for black bears. First, the sow has to send her yearling cubs out into the world to fend for themselves. We watched Mohawk raise her cubs last year, with all their hilarious antics that made us laugh. Mohawk watched over them closely, and she performed the miracle of getting both of them to this point healthy and alive.

The bear way is that the sows mate every two years. So, Mohawk sent her cubs off a couple of weeks ago. The first to leave her side was Blackie, the more timid of the two. If I had to guess, he's been hiding high in the trees for these tough weeks. Brownie, who actually looks blond now, stuck around for longer. However, by May 18, he was on his own and looking pretty confident.

There's no rest for sows. Almost immediately, Mohawk was searching for Tiny. They mated two years ago, and I suspect that at least one of her cubs is Tiny's. Thus, they know each other, and it's not surprising that she wanted the biggest and strongest bear as the father of her cubs.

Tiny was marking trees, and Mohawk began following him. She was a couple of hours behind him, walking his exact route when I picked up footage of them. Eventually, she caught up, perhaps as he was snoozing in the forest.

After they got together, they came to visit me at my house. I will never forget it. This photo was Tiny in the foreground and Mohawk in the background.

Tiny turned toward me. It's not the greatest photo but I will treasure it. I may even put it on my wall. Tiny has taught me a lot about bears even though I have rarely seen him with my own eyes.

As much as I loved seeing them at my house, the back story is even more fascinating - because they behave naturally when recorded by trail cameras deep in the forest. The video includes Mohawk with her cub just before he finally left, Mohawk following Tiny in the forest, and the the two of them finally together. I hope that you enjoy it!

The Hachi Chronicle

This week, I've felt gratitude that we can be Hachi's rock in a world that he finds scary. We give him safe haven, a sheltered home, where he can feel safe.

Part of our role is not as easy - taking him out into the world and helping him learn to navigate it. This week, I took him out onto our land at about sunrise a couple of times. Hachi loves a schedule and predictability so this totally new event stretched him. He was a bit scared when we first headed out. It didn't help that bears have been around so he certainly smelled them.

I worked with him, helping him to be confident despite the novelty of being out with me at sunrise. We practiced some recalls - which he loves. He seemed happy and goofy by the end.

To keep my sanity, I have to remember that rehabilitating Hachi is a long journey. For example, the next time that we go out at sunrise, I think that he'll be as nervous as he was this week. At some point, I hope that he will begin to generalize but it won't be in the near future.

We also do our best to find quiet places where he and his sister can play together. That's been a much bigger challenge in this pandemic which seems to have made everyone take up hiking. We need a cloistered spot so that Hachi doesn't spot a stranger in the distance. We succeeded this week, which makes us smile. They are so happy when romping and playing together.

It was a good week for Hachi and for our pack so we are all smiling!

Black Dog Sunday

We made it to springtime! It's a huge gift that our Black Dog is here with us after all he went through over the winter.

Yesterday evening, yellow flowers started singing in the meadow. Our Black Dog and I lingered behind the others to enjoy the warmth and beauty.

Some of R's and my favorite times last summer were relaxing in the flowers. I know that R can't see them anymore but I'm sure that he can smell them. I've been waiting for this day. It's a celebration of our Black Dog's indomitable spirit. Seize the day!

Happy Black Dog Sunday!

Shyla Saturday

Every morning, Shyla and I get ready to head out on the trails together. She brings me toys to play as I prepare. Years ago, Shyla couldn't play because she was too afraid. Now, she begs me to play!

Then, we roll out the door onto trails that look like this. Heaven.

We go look at the meadows where those brilliant yellow flowers will bloom soon, and they aren't blooming yet. So, we play in other places, still featuring the snowy mountains and blue sky. Shyla waved hello to all of you from a favorite perch.

The bird season is still fascinating me, as our newly arrived migrants are getting their nests ready and fluttering around in the sunshine. Shyla knows where I like to stop to watch them, and she settles in the shade next to my bike to keep an eye on me while my eye is pressed to the viewfinder.

The tree swallows appear to have had a problem with their first eggs (perhaps recent sub-freezing temperatures hurt them), and they're making more. Suddenly I felt guilty for invading their privacy.

Then, we roll onward. Today, we stopped at a new viewpoint where I photographed my beautiful girl.

Shyla has reached that sweet age where she and I mostly move in sync. I rarely have to ask her twice to do something (unless I'm calling her away from elk poop!).

We still do clicker training regularly. Today, I was going to show you how I taught her to get up on a new platform dog bed and lie down. However, it took her less than 30 seconds to figure it out so it wasn't very interesting! I love having a dog who can read my mind. That happens with years together.

I love this girl. I feel so lucky that we've had so many years together, romping on our trails side by side!

Tiny and Mohawk come visit me at home!

Last weekend, I was sitting quietly at my computer looking over memory cards from my trail cameras, contemplating Mohawk's choice of male bears. There seem to be 6 or 7 male bears all looking for females in our neck of the woods. And, as of now, Mohawk seems to be the only female on the mating trail.

I knew that she and Tiny were together two years ago, and I believe that he was the father of at least one of her cubs. I felt sure that I'd get to find out who she linked up with because male and female bears spend several days together when they find each other.

I was totally engrossed in my computer when I heard a thump from outside. I looked and there were two bears outside my window! I had a camera with a long lens next to me, and I grabbed it. I got the female's butt as she galloped away, although my focus was accidentally on an aspen tree instead of her.

A large male was standing nearby, under our bear-proof birdfeeders. I got better photos of him.

I thought "TINY" when I saw him! My only question was that injury to his right ear which I didn't think that I'd seen before. In fact, I think that it's really fresh. You can't see it in this photo but he also has a small injury to his snout. He must have had to fight for this sow, who I later confirmed was Mohawk! I'm glad that he won - because there are some other pretty big bears out there this year. I worry about him with his lack of mobility due to his injury.

My trail cam pointed under the birdfeeder gave a more complete story of what happened. Mohawk arrived, and gazed up at the bird feeders that are way over her head.

She sniffed the ground, and her trademark mohawk showed up along her neck.

She gazed up again, wishing to eat those bird seeds.

Then the thump happened. I don't know what it was. I appeared in the window, and Mohawk started to leave as Tiny appeared.

Then, they both realized that the Runner was outside and nearby. They looked at him. He never saw them.

Mohawk fled, and Tiny turned to walk away. You can see Mohawk's head up above Tiny's butt in this photo.

I am so happy that I got to see these two in person this year. They are my two favorite bears. I did have a glimmer of worry about them so brazenly going near houses but most people around here are bear-savvy. To be honest, seeing them in person made my bear-watching year complete.

Thankful Thursday

My gratitude for the warmth and green of springtime is endless. It was a long winter, and that makes springtime all the sweeter.

We've had a plethora of migratory birds this spring. One of my favorites is the Yellow Rumped Warbler. He has yellow splashes on his head, chin, and rump! He catches my eye almost daily. There is nothing drab about this guy.

Of course, I never take our mountain bluebirds for granted. They have set up their nests and appear to be tending to them now. I love these birds!

Another green gift is the veggies growing in my new greenhouse. We are eating only home grown lettuce now. It is stunning how much better it tastes (to me) than store-bought. We always pick just minutes before we eat it. I have "fancier" stuff in the works for the summer in the greenhouse but those plants are still small!

There's lots of green out on the trails too. It may not be obvious to those of you from warmer climes how much greener the grass is now but it is!

And, the aspens. Oh how I love them!

I think that Shyla loves springtime too. I sure do love our time on the trails together.

There's so much in our natural world to be thankful for!

Wordless Wednesday

Fairy Slippers

Springtime on a Peak

Love