This Week It's "Monday Moose Day", I Guess

 Oops, he hit a deep spot of snow in the yard.

 This time it was his rear end that went down in the snow.

 Check out how high he's having to step to walk, even in my yard.

Sunday Moose

 Mama and this youngster went loping back and forth through my front yard 2-3 times late this afternoon. They were definitely aggitated cos they wouldn't have been moving this fast otherwise in the pretty deep snow.

They eventually moved on to the back pasture where they spent several hours but it's now dark, so no clue if they're still there. I'll be cautiously taking the dogs out for potty breaks this evening via the garage door and not letting them venture away from my side. I do enjoy the moose but hate it when I know they were there before it got dark and am then not sure if they're still a concern or not till daylight.

Moose x2

 

Another moose visitor

I'm sure by now that anyone visiting here has heard the story of Willow's George Murphy, who is known to many around here as an IAF pilot, too, was attacked by a moose the other day.  His wife's efforts to save him, not to mention their dog, has made national and probably international news. Here's a link I hadn't read yet: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/23/dorothea-muprhy-alaska-moose_n_1224657.html

So, in any case, my usual delight wasn't as evident when another moose made a pit stop in my yard today.  I did snap some photos but all through the windows which, given the timing, were reflecting the sun's glare, so not the best.  But, for anyone seeking a moose fix, here you go.

 It's actually leaving the front of the house here, but tossed this one up first to show how very close it was to the house. In fact, it brushed against it at one point in its efforts to stay out of the deep snow.

 It was helping me prune a bush at the corner of the house.

 Looking at this one, I'm thinking it's the same one that visited not too long ago.

 It's face was mostly glared out by the sun, so went for the cute, hairy hump.  Okay, so I entertain easily.

 It's headed around the house here to check out the vegetation on the north side of the house.  No windows in the north wall, alas, so not sure what it was finding to its liking there or how much it ate.  To be honest, as long as it doesn't trample the dogs, me, or someone in the area, it can eat anything on my property it wants.

 This is the shot I took right after the first head shot of it right in front of the living room window and my camera.  I was expecting it to veer out sooner to go around the spruce tree, hence fuzzy focus when it waited till it was practically at the tree to move away from the house.  Understandable since there's even 2+ feet of snow in that area.

 Since I'd been watching and it hadn't exited out the driveway, I kept checking out the back door.  Ah, ha, there it was. It'd meandered out to the back pasture and I spied its nose through the gate and growth there.

It never moved to where I could get any good shots today but, well, it's focus was on an empty stomach, I'm sure, so munch all you want out there moosie, just stay out of my back yard, okay.  The whole back pasture is free game, tho, so eat out there to your heart's content.

Snow Moose!!!

 I plopped down today around 2:40 to take a nap, laughingly telling the dogs that they were in charge of a 3:30 wake up call for me. Well, much to my astonishment, they started barking like they meant it at 3:25.  Kinda mumbling that they were early, I got up anyway cos their bark wasn't the usual "We're bored. Come entertain us" bark. I'm very glad I did as my eyes eventually found this visitor in the back.

 "You taking MY picture?"

 It was a bit jumpy, so didn't try to go out on the deck for any closer pix, but snapped away from all the back windows of the house for a bit as its hunger won out over its nervousness.

 Oh, those ears....

 The dogs had settled into just being entertained following me from one window to the other but, I swear, it was almost like Moosie knew we were watching.

 "Are you one of those Mooseratzzi I hear about?"

 Just an FYI, that chain link fence you see is 5' high.

 Peek-a-boo Moose

 Moose nose.... seriously, I got one of moose butt, too, but spared you. Ha

 Again, hunger wins over being watchful.

 It was at this point that the dogs got bored following me around and started barking from the back, sliding glass door again and Moosie heard them.

 Trying to figure out where the barking it's hearing is coming from.

 Love that snow nose.

 At this point, nerves won out over hunger and tho' I didn't know it at the time, it's on its way outta there.

The scary part for me was to discover that it exited THROUGH the back yard, not over the back pasture fence like most usually do, cos I caught this shot of it crossing the front yard and heading for the gate. I'm going to have to be extra careful about letting the dogs out if they seem to think they see or sense something out there since, sigh, this moose may be back and be using the backyard as a passageway to the more delicious back pasture.