Hi!
We had a really pleasant five days away. The drive to and from were beautiful with the Autumn leaves many beautiful different colors along the way up and around different mountains. And at times, especially in the morning sitting on front porch the silence was intense and so relaxing and sometimes interrupted by distant woodpecker and a distant elk bugle once. The deer are silent and stealth walking around. We definitely used the wood stove at times. Was nice. Outside looking up at chimney top was nice seeing the smoke exiting knowing it was cozy warm inside. An exciting story below but first ...
LB, Today is day one for you wearing heart monitor. I hope all goes well with good news results for you. A suggestion .. Ask your doctor who suggested the stress for more clarification.
Phyl, Cute morning pic yesterday. How are Jim and Maggie doing? Did you get your car back yet? I remember your "mommy misses you" comment a few weeks ago.
Now the story.
Last Saturday the guys (my husband, son and family friend) went to the Sportsman's Club that's kind of nearby (considering we're on a mountain) but still a drive to get there. I didn't go preferring to stay at cabin by myself. It was warm inside with wood stove and I sit and relax on the front porch a lot!!
So one of the times I went out on porch, when I turned to the side to sit down, I was literally stunned when I saw a herd of Elk standing and eating clover not far from the side of the porch where I was. I slowly set my mug of coffee on table then stood there looking while super shocked and surprised!!
We already knew there were elk in the next county north of cabin and there have been some sightings reported in our area but only saw one on our trail cam last winter.
I must say I knew they are large and have seen photos of them in brochures but Oh My Gosh!! They are enormous!! I honestly don't know how to describe my amazement, excitement and down right speechless frozen in place standing there looking at them .. and very near too!! I felt safe though because I was on raised porch with railing all around it and it has three steps in the front to walk onto porch. Standing there one of my thoughts were that huge male elk with huge gigantic antlers would not fit on the stairs. If provoked run and smash side of railing probably but all was quiet and calm and the front door wasn't far from where I was. Anyway .....
When I saw them the male elk and I made eye contact first. Was impossible not to because of his size and he was standing facing the cabin porch upright, still, huge and soooo regal!! I stood motionless looking at herd next and began to count. 3 large females and 7 younger ones born this year some time. People call them "the babies". I'll tell you what .... they are really big babies!!
There was 11 total.
I kept thinking and telling myself take pictures or video! Well I usually keep my phone was in my pants pocket but I also had on a light
house coat thing with a pocket and also had on an outer coat. I didn't remember which pocket I had put my phone in!! So while the male elk and I maintained eye contact and I also look at the herd I slowly moved my arm and hand down to get my phone while asking myself which darned pocket did I have it in!! It was then that I realized my hand was shaking!!! Oh my yes it was.
The male elk remained calm and thank heavens he didn't do an elk bugle alarm because honestly I would have peed myself if he had because it's loud!
He somehow got the females attention and they slowly turned around and began to walk the opposite direction then the younger ones turned and slowly walked away with them. Mr. gorgeous elk stood there looking at me. He eventually turned and slowly walked away too. He stopped once and looked back at me then continued on stopping and waiting until all of the herd was out of sight then him too.
Holy mud that was an experience!!
There's more to the story after the guys returned and they went out back of cabin up into the woods a bit sitting in a hunting blind. Well eventually along came the herd of elk walking back up through going in the opposite direction in the woods behind cabin. My son got some photos and a video too. Their excitement was the same as mine.
I apologize for this being long. I tried to shorten it but apparently didn't. I did some reading on Elk afterwards. What I called a herd .. and was .. is also called the male elks Harem. Well from what I saw it sure was!!
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Oops! I had to come back because I forgot the quote. #1 absolutely!!
