Loose Moose~

On October 13, 2015October 13, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS235 Comments

If you don’t look carefully you’ll miss them. They are quietly munching all around the Tetons. Once, a long time ago, I was skiing here, and came upon a moose! Unlike a boulder it MOVED, and I had to dodge it!

You have to watch or you’ll walk right by and not even see them,

which is what happened with this mama moose!

After she finished eating, she called her calf,

and off they ran, away from us.

You gotta keep your eyes open in Teton National Park.

Beauty is everywhere.

Cheers to you from the loose moose of Jackson Hole~

Nevermore~

On October 8, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Birds, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES259 Comments

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master……”

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

I was as puzzled as Poe.

But, unlike Poe, I found a way, to stop the raven from endlessly screeching.

Move away from his food Poe, and he’ll say thank you, instead of screaming nevermore!

This raven carried on forever until we realized we were preventing him from reaching his cache of whatever he was eating. We moved and silence reigned. Still, I developed some empathy for poor Poe!
Ravens are highly intelligent birds with intellects similar to Chimpanzees. Check out this link for 10 facts you probably didn’t know about ravens:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/53295/10-fascinating-facts-about-ravens
Cheers to you from the very smart, and finally quiet, Raven~

Waterton Lakes National Park Canada~

On October 7, 2015October 8, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS152 Comments

At the beginning of the 19th century, there were an estimated 1.5-2 million big horn sheep in North America.

By 1900 that estimate had dropped to several thousand.

Conservation efforts have brought current populations up to approximately 70,000.

We saw several groups in Waterton Lakes National Park.

Waterton is busy in July and August and essentially closes in late September. In the town of Waterton, most summer residents leave, with only around twenty or so souls remaining year round. The day we left the winds were blowing at 65km/h with gusts up to 90km/h! It gets COLD here fast and the locals tell me winter can be hard to take, with everything shrouded in mist. I would love to visit in winter and do a post about what life is like in a town where almost everyone has left!

The road to Waterton.

The iconic Prince of Wales Hotel brooding over the stark fall landscape. How would you like to stay here as the winter caretaker while the hotel is closed all winter long? I would love it, as long as Jack Nicholson doesn’t visit! No ‘Shining’ for me, thank you very much.
Cheers to you from gorgeous and uncrowded Waterton Lakes~

Bouncing Baby Buffalos~

On October 3, 2015October 4, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS, Uncategorized212 Comments

don’t like birds on their bum!

Some fight with their friends,

while others prefer their sulfur-bath time!

They are cute enough,

to want to bring home,

although they need their prairie to roam.

Cheers to you from Yellowstone’s baby buffalos~

The Elk are Bugling~

On September 28, 2015September 28, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS262 Comments

As fall descends in Yellowstone and the Tetons,

painting the trees golden-yellow,

the elk are rutting,

bugling,

and posturing.

They become so exhausted by all this effort, they bugle while resting!

The calves,

and does,

provide a peaceful contrast!
Cheers to you from the Tetons in the fall~

Boo Bear Loves his Berries~

On September 22, 2015September 22, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS224 Comments

and he will go to great lengths to get them!

If he gets jam on his head,

he just takes a nap in the berry patch!

There are lots of nice places to snooze,

in Glacier National Park,

and no one wakes you up!

Humans like it too!

Cheers to you from Glacier’s little brown bears~
Note: I miss you & your blogs! We have no wifi now in Yellowstone, so I will touch base when I can.

Grizzly Daze~

On September 17, 2015September 18, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Uncategorized296 Comments

Glacier National Park is Blackfoot ancestral land. The Blackfoot people believe that grizzly bears can see into a human heart and read a person’s intentions. This is mama grizzly and her cub when we first encountered her on the trail and she went into high alert.

Here is mama after she looked into our hearts, approved our intentions, and took one of several naps. We spent several hours watching mama and cub, and have encountered bears every day since, both in Glacier and Waterton National Parks.

Here mama and cub are both relaxed enough to nurse in our presence!

She knew we were here, and looked at us regularly. We respected her space and never moved close enough to provoke any anxiety.

We watched her forage,

turn over rocks, hunt for rodents,

and fish.

We watched baby bear scratch his back on a little pine tree,

and we saw mama yell at him!
.
This is mama bear’s home. She is as magnificent as her surroundings. Grizzly populations have been decimated in the wild. I have a lot more bear and other wildlife photos to share with you, but wifi out here is far less present than bears! This my first connectivity in days and it won’t last!
I miss you and your blogs, and send you cheers from the wonderful wild grizzlies who see into our human hearts and look to us for protection~

America the Beautiful~

On September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS168 Comments

with amber waves of grain.

Fall is coming to West Glacier National Park.

The leaves are turning,

and although the days are still warm, the nights are quite crisp.

Tomorrow we head over the ‘Going to the Sun Road,’ across the continental divide, to East Glacier.

There is no internet in East Glacier so I will be out of touch for awhile, until we cross the border into Canada and Waterton Lakes National Park~
Until then, cheers to you from West Glacier

Road Tripping, Coeur d’Alene Idaho~

On September 11, 2015September 11, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, TRAVEL REVIEWS263 Comments

Will I look fat if I eat this whole fish?

Errrr, no, but, but you might look a little weird if you swallow it whole.

On second thought, you are looking a tad chunky……

and weird!

It’s a gull eat fish world out here in Cour d’Alene!
We are road tripping again, and our next stop is Glacier National Park. I haven’t been able to read your blogs as much as I would like to since we are traveling, but cheers to you from the happy, albeit quite chubby, gull from Coeur d’Alene!

The Birds & The Bees~

On September 4, 2015September 4, 2015 By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS238 Comments

Can a Bee in flight balance on the beak of a hummingbird? You, betcha!

Can a hummer skewer a Bee in mid-air? Yes, indeedy!

At first I was worried the Bees would sting the hummers, but when I looked at the photos I realized I should be worrying about the Bees.

It’s good to know this feeder is guaranteed “Bee and Wasp proof” as you can read on the label,

but it is unfortunate Bees and Wasps cannot read.

You do see this hummer stabbing another in the back of the head from behind, which unfortunately, proves I have been wholely unsuccessful in teaching the hummers any manners.

But this is okay. I am accustomed to this.

I am a mother.

Cheers to you from The Holler birds & bees~