Photos A Walk in Nature

[Pt-Luso]

 

[DirtDawg]

Thanks, it's a Taylors Eye Witness Lambfoot ram's horn and worked back.

And I thank you for the information. Now to wipe the drool off my chin. Seriously, I do like the knife.

 

[CelloDan]

Looks like quite an adventure, my friend . Glad you didn’t get lost in a whiteout…

I was a lot less brave today - temps were warm, but it was raining cats and dogs all morning. I only ventured out to go the hardware store and the office supplies store (after spending 3 hours preparing my taxes ).

Thanks Tom ! It was fun however I am sure glad I was able to return home as the car got stuck in the snow a couple of times on my way back.

Later that evening, our cars in the driveway were literally buried in the white stuff and they would not budge.
It took a while, even with a snowblower to clear things up.
It seemed like the whole neighbourhood was outside yesterday evening battling it out.

We woke up this morning to more accumulation and my snowblower auger was frozen up and would not move.
I finally got it going and made a point to make sure I put it away every time clear of snow and ice to minimize the risk of this happening again.

"Serena" was NOT impressed !!!

Neither was "Esperanza"

And even less impressed was my cuchillo criollo

"Serena" and "Esperanza" were no doubt dreaming and reminiscing of wonderful past adventures and new ones to come

Tax time already ? J Just Tom.

 

[Just Tom.]

Later that evening, our cars in the driveway were literally buried in the white stuff

Ouch! My back hurts just LOOKING at all that…
I guess all that snow is the price you pay for having access to such beautiful outdoor spaces close to home

It doesn’t snow that much here, but we had 3 storms this winter that required shoveling out. I shoveled out a total of 5 properties this last storm - probably still doesn’t equal your place alone with that much snow, but no with mechanical assistance. This storm in January totaled no more than maybe 6-7 inched by the time it was done:

"Serena" and "Esperanza" were no doubt dreaming and reminiscing of wonderful past adventures and new ones to come

The Green Heron is snug under its tarp as well, patiently waiting for spring.

Tax time already ? J Just Tom.

Yeah. I’ve been swamped with paperwork related to my folks’ estate lately, so I figured I would take advantage of a rainy day to get my own taxes out of the way. Being until now a gentleman unencumbered by wealth or property, my taxes are pretty simple.

 

[RLB0414]

CelloDan , looks like great times in the trails. Clearing that much snow, well glad there were summer thoughts around to help

 

[Ironbut]

Here are a few pics from our daily walk. We live back in the sticks, and my wife, the dogs, and I have been walking this same road behind our house for over 26 years now, and it never gets old. The road cuts between two ridges, and although you can't really tell by the pics, the terrain on both sides is pretty steep. We try to walk a couple hours every day, and if three cars pass us, that's a busy day.

 

[Ironbut]

And a few more. These pics & the ones above were all taken today.

And the daily carry:

 

[meako]

Didnt have a knife on me to fend off this Water Dragon ...so well camoflaged I almost trod on him....I threw a little chunk of Schpeck at him which he pounced on and devoured.The Mantis was at the front door eyeing off a nest of baby spiders.
Plus a couple of beach pics without snow.

 

[Ironbut]

This is from yesterday morning's walk. It made it up into the 40's the last few days, but there's still snow on the North facing slope. The South slope on the other side of the road is almost bare.

Yesterday's, (and pretty much everyday's), carry.

 

[Pt-Luso]

 

[MessieurRick]

A walk along Lake Michigan's Wisconsin shore. I know, I know, I should have included a knife but, against this majestic backdrop, even Arthur's Excalibur would have seemed, shall we say, inconsequential?

 

[CelloDan]

Magic on the trails.

I had a knife with me ... a modern one so can't show it here.
Reminder to self: Always bring a traditional knife when out in nature ( never know when a photo op might come up )

 

[Will Power]

CelloDan Out without a Traditional ???? What kind of a walk is that ?!

Is that Wolf or Coyote? We don't have Coyotes here but I've seen Wolves and been only a couple of metres away from one once! Frankly, they don't unerve me nearly as much as some violent Dogs people let off the lead unsupervised at times. Wolves, unless in a big pack tend to want to mind their own business

 

[RayseM]

More trail magic today ~




Later on my walk -

One that did not get away - and a Hawk. We have big coyotes around here - actually hybrid wolf/coyotes called coy wolves. I don't like poking around off trail with only a belt knife when I know they are out there. Silly, I know because they are as reluctant to encounter me as I them but it is getting on birthing season so why not carry a bit extra?

Look - no snow here. It is melting in spots on thin ground over ledges and in the sun. You can see some open spots at the bases of the trees in the photo above too. Spring is springing.



A healthy coywof in our back yard caught on a trail cam. These are impressively big creatures.

 

[lambertiana]

CelloDan Out without a Traditional ???? What kind of a walk is that ?!

Is that Wolf or Coyote? We don't have Coyotes here but I've seen Wolves and been only a couple of metres away from one once! Frankly, they don't unerve me nearly as much as some violent Dogs people let off the lead unsupervised at times. Wolves, unless in a big pack tend to want to mind their own business

Looks like a coyote. We have a lot of them around here. Not just in the mountains, but running around the farms in the valley. They adapt well to human presence. My mother lives near St George Utah and she won't let her cats out of the house because the coyotes there have a taste for cat.

Last year we had a mountain lion show up in town, in a neighborhood where one of my friends lives.

Once when were had the scouts on a winter campout at Lodgepole in Sequoia National Park, as I was frying scones after dark a coyote walked up. I don't know how that coyote was surviving there; the snow depth was ten feet.

 

[John A. Larsen]

In the late 1970's we did an exercise at then Camp Drum, just after most of the snow had melted. Pulled into a area where we were going to make our camp, and did a Listening Halt. All of a sudden we hear something big crashing thru the woods, coming our way, sounded like King Kong heading our way. It was cold and misty, and could not see very far, when suddenly a big Buck ran right thru our position. He had been chased by CoyDogs, and apparently figured our scent would stop the CoyDogs, and he could make his escape. It worked for him. Now I wondered would they bother us? Did the old scent thing and we all peed in a circle around the camp. Only 12 of us so not a big area, must have worked as they did not bother us. John

 

[Just Tom.]

My closest coyote encounter was on this camping trip a couple of years ago (quoted below). Just as I started to drift off to sleep, a pack of coyotes or maybe coy-dogs started yipping and making all sorts of crazy sounding noises right next to my campsite, maybe less than 100 feet away. I heard them a couple more times overnight, but I was too tired to let it disturb me much. I did decide to carry bear spray with me when camping after that.

Sorry, Dan - it was Sunday night I skipped due to winds. I left Monday morning and got home this afternoon.

Fall colors beginning to show:

I visited Fort Frederick, as I mentioned earlier I had planned:

I ate Camembert and Stilton to represent each of the warring parties:

I was worried that the racket from a pack of coyotes, which made itself known at nightfall, would disturb my sleep, but I slept like a log.

Early morning coffee:

Misty morning on the river:

Pallares assisted in breakfast preparation by sharpening the stick:

This thing can get more work done than you would think!:

(A beaver felled this tree and I had to pull it off the towpath to pass this morning)

Five or six wild turkeys crossed my path this morning, but they ran off too fast for me to get a shot.

 

[MessieurRick]

We live in a residential area and have heard 'yotes teaching their young to hunt. The yipping of the pups is quite chilling. Last summer we had one stop at the curb across the street, stop and look both ways before crossing. At 4:00 in the afternoon. Better manners than some people.

 

[CelloDan]

CelloDan Out without a Traditional ???? What kind of a walk is that ?!

Shame on me Will !!!
Never again, I promise !
(well technically it was not a walk, more like shuffling on xc skis )

Is that Wolf or Coyote? We don't have Coyotes here but I've seen Wolves and been only a couple of metres away from one once! Frankly, they don't unerve me nearly as much as some violent Dogs people let off the lead unsupervised at times. Wolves, unless in a big pack tend to want to mind their own business

I am pretty certain it was a coyote.

Funny thing is than when I first saw it from way further back I thought it was a dog with its xc skier human master somewhere nearby ( I've seen skiers bring along their dogs for a run in the forest before).

As I got closer and gazed up again I realized it was no dog !!!

I am with you regarding unruly, even violent big dogs and their owners that have almost no control over them. This was becoming an issue at a local park. It seems to have improved lately. That is why I made a few walking sticks out of local hardwoods and would bring them with us when walking our little puppy.

Looks like a coyote. We have a lot of them around here. Not just in the mountains, but running around the farms in the valley. They adapt well to human presence. My mother lives near St George Utah and she won't let her cats out of the house because the coyotes there have a taste for cat.

They are adapting more and more to human presence around here as well.
Here also have been some reports of coyotes taking small dogs and cats.

My closest coyote encounter was on this camping trip a couple of years ago (quoted below)

I remembered your post while on the trail today after the coyote encounter Tom
I thought my sighting was not that bad really when considering you had to sleep in the woods with coyotes howling and yipping all around.
Did you used the pee trick around your tent ?

We live in a residential area and have heard 'yotes teaching their young to hunt. The yipping of the pups is quite chilling. Last summer we had one stop at the curb across the street, stop and look both ways before crossing. At 4:00 in the afternoon. Better manners than some people.

Amazing how they can adapt !!!

We have big coyotes around here - actually hybrid wolf/coyotes called coy wolves. I don't like poking around off trail with only a belt knife when I know they are out there. Silly, I know because they are as reluctant to encounter me as I them but it is getting on birthing season so why not carry a bit extra?

Look - no snow here. It is melting in spots on thin ground over ledges and in the sun. You can see some open spots at the bases of the trees in the photo above too. Spring is springing.

Thanks for sharing the magic Ray !

I have read about this hybrid coy/wolves becoming more common in some parts of Canada as well.
Next time I should bring my big puñal criollo ( or at least my Verijero )

THey are calling for steady temps above freezing during the day and below freezing at night from now on.
Perfect maple syrup weather.

Today was more than likely my last ski of the season.

Here is my wolf-descendant
He still thinks in his mind he is a big wolf for sure. Fearless little rascal.

"Little wolf" Toby and "Little Rattler"

 

[John A. Larsen]

I have only seen one coyote in our neighborhood, and that was some years ago before the small local woods became a housing area. When for awhile I would ride my mountain bike to work on Fort Lewis, I would enter on Range Road. Put big headlights on so I would not hit a rut and bite the dirt. I would see Coyotes running in front of me, they were confused (I think) as a moving object with lights, but no noise of an engine. Also saw deer and twice black bears, but with the bears I was in a car, good thing as one time it was a Mother bear and two cubs. John