We are flying out tomorrow!!!!

It is sooner than we wanted. So many things to do. There are 78 Tomatoes in the greenhouse just starting to blossom, 5 rows of potatoes planted, 1 of Beets, 1 of Turnip, 1 of Carrots and some Broccoli and Cauliflower, and 57 Cabbages. The electric fence is up and running on Solar. Everything is away so the Bears can't play!!!!! Everything in the deep-freeze has been canned. The cats have a BIG bag of catfood. The chicken are on a stream feed waterer and 2 large self feeders. We had original planned on being out for 3 weeks after being in for 8 full months but now we think we will be only out for 10 days. So much to do here and see. I am not taking the computer so no more posts until we fly back in.

Boxcar....A Huge Grizzly

We spotted this Grizzly standing in 7 feet of water, his shoulders and head above water infront of Lodge dock 1 km east of us. He definity had our scent. His nose going back and forth collecting the scent floating across the water. After we were sure he was gone we boated over. He had left incredible footprints. This is one Big Bear. Probably 5 feet at the shoulder heigth. Side Note..... Bryan was sitting in the outhouse 2 years ago when this same Bear showed up 25 feet away.....made a big impression on Bryan then. he called him Boxcar. Didn't see him last year. This is one bear we do not want to meet on the trail.


3 " Pocket KnifeFront Foot

Hind Foot

This morning we found Boxcar had visited us during the night or early morning. We found his large foot impressions 10' from our back gate and also found a place where he had bedded down. He had stayed along time here. Hopefully he will not be back tonight.

Humbling...Stump removal

Humbling for a man who used to own a Back Hoe, a Cat , an Excavator, a Skidder and a Hi lead Yarder

Each Season is Welcomed!!!!

What is wrong with this Trumpetor Swan?????

This poor Trumpetor has been collared or if not it has been attacked by a Golden Eagle. It has a 5" band at the bottom of it's neck that is bright red. we couldn't get any closer to see for sure.

So Many Special Events Here!!!!!

Like the day the ice goes off (May 20) and the day the Goats come back (May 21). Lake was overed in 4 " of soft ice in the morning and at noon the wind come up and by four it was all pushed down to the east end of the lake. Our world just got alot bigger. Four castes and nothing. Lake is forest green.

At noon Brown Black Bear with her last year's cinnamon cub.

At 7:30 pm 3 Mountain Goats showed up. The 2 big Nannies that came last spring and their last years baby.

Bryan looked two minutes later and they were gone. He found them way up the canyon on a steep cliff huddled together. Knowing something had startled them into hiding, he scoped the other area where they had been and there was a Black Bear eatting grass ioo yards below them unaware of the fright he had created in the three Mtn Goats. (This pic is before they went into the cliffs)

Long Legged Dark Grizzly

Hearing a loud snap we thought it was the old cow moose and her calf that we had just seen 100 ' behind the cabin.....but no, it was this long legged Dark Grizzly across the narrows from our cabin. An interesting side note....this same Griz walked the same route one year ago today. This year on may 18, last year may 19. We keep a calender with every animal and bird sighting so we can compare.

Black Bear...Grizzly Bear

We'd been watching a Black Bear and a Big Blonde tipped Grizzly on the Bear Mountain behind us. Now they were 300 yards apart and on the same altidude....the Grizz and Black unaware of each other, just busy eatting. As the Grizz got closer and closer, we watched ....thinking Holy S---. The Grizzly must have got wind of the Black, because off it went at a run towards where we had last seen the Black. We haven't seen either since. This was two days ago.

Wolf Across the Narrows

We'd stopped work for coffee at 2. A shadow form appeared in the brush across the narrow from us 200 feet. Out stepped this big boy. The ice is too weak to support him now.

Narrows is open

A MARTEN came for coffee

This mature female Marten visited us while we were sitting on our front porch having morning coffee. She was growling the whole time in a low voice. They are guite curageous. She will have a nest of offspring near here somewhere. Usually a batch of 4 to 6. Once the young leave their nest they are independant hunters on their own. Eatting voles, small birds, ducks and grouse.

Pair of Fleckers

They've been checking out these holes for two days now....it might be too busy here for them to nest.

It's Bear Watching Time Again

He's just under the snow belt curled up on a grass slope with his back against a big rock bluff sleeping. Yesterday we watched him near the same area. There was also a big brown boar Black bear just above the Lodge. He would lay on his back pulling poplar branches down to his head eatting the new buds.

Wolves have found our lake

The howling started well over a month ago. The snow had changed and had a hard crust on it. We knew it would not take long for them to come. All winter because of the deep snow accummulations of 10 to 15 feet, a group of 15 moose had stayed on our lake, using the skidoo trails to get around. They conserved their energy only getting up very little. At the end of the winter they were looking pretty grime, but they did not deserve this. I love to hear the long mournful howls.... it is amazing......but my heart can not get past the torment they cause.....If they killed outright it would be one thing. But they don't. They feed on the ass end, pulling out the intestines and eatting off the back quarter, all the while the poor moose is rolling it's eyes. This goes on for 3 to 4 days depending on the size of the pack. It is just horrible. I can not imagine the total fear and horror the moose must go through before it dies. Wolves are an important part of the food chain but I have not joy when they are here. I want them to go.