Such a Wonderful Critter Summer

On a hike...

this massive guy was napping in the woods

we got to see him stand up and just be.....

he stood still for a very long time

driving through the mountains

seemingly 

at the top of the world

endless huge beauty

(B7 Pillar)

this mountain chickadee

sat/stood a foot from me

on this branch for quite a long time

at first I thought it wanted seed (see my last post)

but it did not take any

so we simply stood and listened and looked

and relaxed into the day

In the woods, off trail, taking to heart the details of forest life. Spying a sylvan mushroom, brightly colored red. I must take it's portrait, a photograph. But how to get through the tangle of downed trees, scramble of branches. Ducking this and that, making my way to it, I hear a sound and look up to see a little tree squirrel scrambling up a spruce tree, with the mushroom, the very same mushroom in it's mouth, twice as big as the squirrels head. Up up up the tree trunk and then lays it on a branch to age and dry. The squirrel nearly flies to the earth in search of it's next foraged meal. 

What are the chances of that! The squirrel got to and took the mushroom before me. Still inspires a smile, as I remember. It was quite dark in the forest or I would have tried to video that busy squirrel for you.  

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Lovely end of summer 

(or winter) to you!

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Enjoying Baby Ground Squirrels

I was out photographing a budding fir tree

noticed this little fir ball on my lawn

basically the size of a mouse

where is mom?

i was snapping it's portrait

and the click click click of my camera 

must of sounded like the high pitch sound it's mom makes

because it trotted and tumbled through the grass and cuddled up next to my shoe!

I stopped taking photos

wanted the little critter to find mom

as it was evening the time they go underground

next day 

i learned that this mom has 5 babies to keep track of

teach and cuddle with

across the road i noticed more babies

another family

as i approached they all ran underground

seeing some flowers

i began to photograph them

one of the babies appeared from underground

so interesting to see how they respond to the sound of my camera

look at those cute furry ears

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on another note

Lucy and i have enjoyed foraging morel mushrooms

yea!

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