Are We There Yet?

Ike and Bear LOVE to go for a ride. They just know we are leaving in the car when they see Steve and I loading up the fishing poles, extra layers of coats, the cooler, buckets, my camera bag...

And they stare at the door...

Or the window...

We say, "Jump on in."

Ike isn't completely convinced he's going until we close the hatch.

On a recent trip up the mountain, we stopped at Arrowhead Lodge and had some lunch.

After lunch, we opened the hatch so the dogs could stretch their legs and do their business.

But Bear is always hesitant to get out of the car.

If she could talk, I would guess when she whines she is saying, "But we're not there yet."

So we coax and we call and we whistle until she finally gets her nerve up...

...which is short-lived and she makes an abrupt U-turn back to the car.

"We aren't there yet!"

How does she know where there is?

That's a question to ponder...

"See my face? I am NOT a happy camper."

Ike isn't the least bit traumatized. He does his business then sniffs out other critters and dogs that have been in the area.

He checks out the motel.

Then we say "Kennel up, Ike," and he joins Nervous Ninny in the backseat and on our way we go.

"Are we there yet?"

But today has been anything but stressful for Bear.

Yeah, its been that kind of a Sunday.

Have a stress free week, Everyone!

The Beaver Dam

I know I've blogged about beavers before, but not Wyoming beavers. (Is there a difference?)

Recently on an afternoon hike to the creek, we found an area where the beavers have been BUSY.

Busy Beavers!

A wise trapper friend of ours told us this: 

BIG trees, little beavers

little trees, BIG beavers.

And he is right! We saw one of the beavers swim away and he was quite large. Of course, I was too surprised and excited to take a picture.

There is now a pond above the dam when usually this is a fast flowing creek. We'll see how strong this dam actually is as the mountain snow is rapidly melting.

The beaver's main thoroughfare.

And the dogs smelled the construction workers.

But after a few minutes in the brush, they hurried out and shook themselves off.

I was grateful because I get a little concerned about skunks.

Here is the other side of the dam.

We followed a highly traveled critter trail back to the cabin!

We've had three days of warm temps. Yesterday hit 77 degrees. But today we are back down to 50 degrees. It sounds like the wind blowing outside the windows when actually it is the creek rushing with the melting mountain snow. Steve doesn't think that dam will be able to withstand the force of the water. We'll try to get back there soon and see how things are going.

I think there are going to be some unhappy beavers.

The Elk and Other Wildlife

We gaze at these mountains and hills everyday. When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is grab the binoculars and scan for wildlife. (okay, okay...if you read this blog regularly, you are saying, "Nope, she grabs her coffee first.") 

Then I grab the binoculars.

Can you see the elk? It isn't easy if you don't look at this view everyday. But when you have every rock memorized, it gets a little easier. Look to the upper hill on the left.

The elk just miraculously appeared on a Tuesday. They came down every morning, disappeared for most of the day, then reappeared in the evening. It is really something to see.

But then this past Sunday we had a mini snowstorm. And on Wednesday, we had yet another one. But today it reached 70 degrees and is blowing like you wouldn't believe. As warm as it is, even the dogs wanted to come inside and lay on their blanket.

Ike and Bear give a shout-out to the Miller Family -- "Hey! Miss you guys!"

Or is it a bark-out?

But we haven't seen the elk since before the mini snowstorms. This upcoming week is suppose to stay warm so hopefully they will come back and eat the green that is more vivid everyday.

And as we watch the elk, we look to our left and we are being watched by the mule deer.

And to our right, we watch whitetail deer.

I just can't zoom in any better than this with my camera. Sorry. I better save my pennies for a more zoomier lens. :)

Have a safe and blessed Easter weekend, Everyone! He is Risen!