Sometimes you take a random photo and find it interesting, despite having left it raw and unedited. Such was the case with this picture of a rainstorm off to the northeast of our home this week.
The gradient of the sky was a beautiful mix of warm hues as the evening golden hour came to a close over the valley below. The land was holding on to the last light, giving the grass and scrub a coppery look. To me it is a comforting and natural landscape to let the eyes wander in.
Note: I occasionally find drafts of posts I’ve forgotten to publish. I loved the photos from this day, so even though it’s from January this year, which is a far older gap in time than I would normally publish from, am adding it in now. The text remains as I drafted it then.
The few homes that make up our rugged little valley area that we live above are filled with wildlife enthusiasts who love our local mule deer population.
We are a mix of households in this small community that both hunt and protect the deer, but we all get along for the most part. The animal lovers are not afraid to call out any untoward hunting behaviors from outside the community and the local hunters are generally respectful and follow the law.
Lately, Wyoming has taken a real thrashing from unseasonably high winds. Don’t get me wrong, it’s ALWAYS windy here – our home averages 40-60mph winds in the winter months (gusts into hurricane force speeds over 90-100mph range). But in recent weeks it’s been very gusty (a top speed nearby of 144mph was recorded in one location).
When it gusts here, the deer head for the protection of the scrub brush and the hills around our home. On their way there, they like to stop by our front yard where we keep mineral blocks and water for them.
We like to think of our home as a refuge from the public areas where hunting is permitted. The deer can safely move from the open grasslands we sit on right into the hills our property borders.
Admittedly, it also brings them into viewing range of our home where we can enjoy seeing them. Being an animal lover, I’m not ashamed to admit that I try to name each one for as long as I’m able to distinguish them from each other (which is not a long time).
On this particular day, they did not hang around. After quick sips and licks, they were moving on to escape the winds. It was really hard gusts this day and the smallest yearlings had a hard time staying vertical.
Our local herds constantly change throughout the year and seasons. Bucks come and go, and groups or individuals will break off and rejoin different groups as time goes by.
The fawns are my favorites to watch. Sometimes I get lucky and they have distinguishing features that allow me to keep track of them throughout the year. If not, I lose track of who is who and eventually they all become “the herd” after a year or so.
The does are so attentive to the fawns. They go to great lengths to keep them alive against coyotes and other predators. These are some hard-working mamas here!
This is the most that have congregated on our property in a long time. We counted nineteen in total for this visit. It’s encouraging to see so many still around now that hunting season finally concluded at the end of December.
After they all took turns at the water buckets and the mineral blocks, they followed their usual path. They typically prefer either our two track driveway or the path of prairie dog targets my husband put in as they head for the hills.
Until next time, my muleys!
This one really made me laugh a few days ago. We had tossed some uneaten pineapple chunks from our fridge onto the ground below our back deck. Later that evening, I had gone downstairs in our walkout basement for something and on passing by the sliding glass door, encountered this buck enjoying the pieces in the grass. And if he didn’t seem to be grinning with a piece in his mouth when I surprised him while he was mid-chew. What a ham!
Things start moving and inching in Snail Town when the carrots come out. Quick Gloss snails, big and small, all appear when the juicy delicacies are placed around the terarrium.
Recently I spread out a slew of baby carrot slices along with mushrooms and within 15-30 minutes, ALL the inhabitants came out for a community feast. They will munch microscopically for a few hours and then start to disappear back into the moss, earth, and under the stones.
On food days, this little town is the place to be with gatherings around what must be the most tasty morsels.
I have not figured out why they congregate around certain pieces, unless that happens to be where more snails are snoozing just below. Perhaps there is just something more tasty about some slices versus others.
It’s such a fascinating and curious little place, this snailarium. Never the same sightings twice. Each shell is different and unique.
Sometimes they pick up dirt or calcium powder on their shells and it gives them a more matte looking finish.
Often I will see the tiniest of baby snails. Nearly impossible for my aging eyes to see, a powerful camera lens comes in handy to get to appreciate them.
Apparently they are unbothered to gather in groups on a single piece of food. Sliding around and over each other, the feast continues.
It’s a good time to slow down and look carefully in the smallest of places – I never fail to spot some resting or hiding away. This tiny snail with glass-like whorls found a good hammock in some dried out moss.
It’s a party every time!