headed into the forest and through the meadow on skis
day a blend of subtle grays greens and white
following the tracks of a lone coyote
day a blend of subtle grays greens and white
following the tracks of a lone coyote
a song of twitter tweet
tiny birds
then a splash of movement and rich browns
a tribe of elk
they looked at me
they looked at me
I at them
they turned and trotted through the trees
continuing on
a fresh trail of a lone mountain lion
a fresh trail of a lone mountain lion
I could not help but follow
a month or so ago
I found a lion had walked in my tracks
now I follow the lion
somehow I feel an affinity to these quiet winter woods
~
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the lion tracks were between 3.5 inches and 4"
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That's amazing, gave me a chill! Beautiful photos, wish I was there.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful winter photos from a great area. So beautiful animals in the forest. Exciting tracks you have found.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice winter weekend to you.
Greetings from Hilda
...your awesome photography is amazing! ~ and your winter ~ luscious in a bone tingling way! ~ yoU honour her snow gown sO intimately ~ thankyoU for such an exquisite share Tammie Lee! ~ blessed be!...
ReplyDelete...xXx...
Beautiful photography, Tammie! Be extra careful of that mountain lion.
ReplyDeleteWoW!! My eyes just hypnotized by your stunning beautiful pictures!! =)
ReplyDeleteYou following a coyote's tracks!
you following a mountain lion's tracks!
and before all that, a lion had followed your tracks!
It sounds fantastic to me.. I would be a little afraid for the mountain lions.. am I right in feeling that? I'm not quite sure what a mountain lion is.. if it is a sort of puma??
What fantastic pictures, what a nature, what snow, what TRACKS!!
And the elk is sooo lovely! To me those elks are in some way similar to the deer in my country, but still not the same..
Lovely weekend to you! :)
Hi Jen,
ReplyDeleteyes, I was a bit on heightened awareness, as i knew the tracks were somewhat fresh..... some time during the night or today.
Hilda,
yes, exciting
Emagic,
yes luscious in a bone tingling way ;-)
Juday, thank you, i will be careful- bear spray?
Viola Yes, a little afraid would be understandable. They are also called cougars.... Puma might be similar. Someone to see from a distance or in a car would be good.
I love finding tracks in the snow, it is one of the many gifts of winter. The Elk were gorgeous as can be. There were at least 8 of them. Some where laying on the ground, sorry to have disturbed them! We have deer also, much smaller are the deer.
thank you all for your visits!
Tammie
Your words and photos let us enjoy your experience. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIts not always these days we are humbled by our place in the food chain... cool and intense experience, I'm sure! More so when you found that a cat had walked in YOUR footsteps, yikes. People have seen lions here, but they stay soo hidden and in the rocky hills that not everyone is convinced their here.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots!
Terence,
ReplyDeletewonderful to have you stop by.
Valerianna,
I have never seen a lion here, just a few of their tracks. But my neighbors had two in their drive way this summer!
So we are seeing them.....
~i am savoring this post after a long long day...tammie...the life you share is one so many long to live...blessed you are to live near the woods and experience the magic of nature...the rythms and cycles of life...you captured the esssence of winter beautifully my dear friend...much love light and blessings
ReplyDeleteYou bring back memories I had forgotten, of snowy afternoons midst the pewter; snorting deer suddenly there. . . . just wonderful! thank you
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
> < } } ( ° >
You are a part of this magical land.
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking words and pictures...you really took me with you on this wonder-walk.
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed to walk in harmony with Nature, Tammie. Your scenery and encounters are magical. Stay safe.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful winter scenes! Those elk are just gorgeous - and huge!
ReplyDeleteOh Tammie you are so lucky to live so close to this level of magnificence. The elk are stunning; I was once lucky enough to encounter a mother and two calves in Finland.
ReplyDeleteMountain Lion tracks and the cat itself! It is heartening to have someone like yourself near them as guardian of a wilderness. I hope your winter brings more of the same beauty to your door.
Charlotte
Wow! Thanks for sharing this beauty! So beautiful to see and reed.
ReplyDeleteWarm greetings to you, Mirthe
TL - what an amazing adventure - the tracks of mountain lion - so superb and clear in the snow - wonderful thing to see and photograph. B
ReplyDeleteThanks for so much peace ... by such beauty, soothe the soul ...
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful ... beautiful ...
A kiss!
You live the life a great many of us dream of living but might not be capable of living. This is so perfectly heavenly...
ReplyDeleteOh Tammie! You are more courageous than I!! Your world more wild . . . a larger westerly way. You are daring that mountain lion. I hope he or she sees you as we do . . . a gift in nature not to be eaten or preyed upon but to marvel at and appreciate. Take care! I hope you are not alone out there . . . I know it must be thrilling beyond words. . . not knowing what creatures may be eyeing you! Wondrous photos! What stunning woods and Elk! Any mountain lion would smile and stalk awhile. Thanks for sharing your large and wonderful world. Carol
ReplyDeleteWOW...this totally sends shivers up and down my spine Tammie...to see mountain cat prints and to follow them? BRAVE WOMAN!!
ReplyDeleteYou always capture the 'Best' Photo's!!!!!
Hope this weekend is filled with many magic moments for you and each one is blessed. :)
such gorgeous winter woods...
ReplyDeleteand noticing the little things...the tracks in the snow! beautiful!
the white on white mountain lion tracks and the pair of elk butts!! love it!!
so peaceful...thanks tammie...for sharing the beauty in YOUR world...through YOUR eyes! :)
I'm just fall in love with elks.. thanks a lot for share with us this worderful vision.. thanks my friend
ReplyDeleteZia Artemisia
Montana and Alberta have such a wealth of wonderful wilderness. Here in South West Scotland we have a mini wilderness, but nowhere near the variety of wildlife and flora and fauna that you have on the prairies and mountains.
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures.
wow...that is so wonderful.xxx
ReplyDeleteElk and mountain lions wandering around in this wilderness is a dream to encounter! These pictures are wilderness captured through your lens :-) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteRune
Tammie,
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I have a deep fear of mountain lions. In California, they have attacked & mauled people, & here in NM (down by silver City) a guy got killed by one. the odds are low, but still- Be safe out there!
How many times have I come here and been transported to a different and most magical place? Thank you, once again, for the experience.
ReplyDeleteWow, stunning photos Tammie. Love the lion story to finish. And elk, how majestic these animals are. I haven't seen one in years, thanks for sharing here.
ReplyDeleteHappy Week, G :<)
Precioso blog y bonitas fotos.
ReplyDeleteSaludos desde Gijon-Asturias-España.
I often envy you for the life that you can live and am very excited about this fantastic impressions and your poetic words.
ReplyDeletewarm hugs an be careful ... but I'm sure, that you know whatever you do ♥
isabella
What an experiene, Tammie. Were you afraid?
ReplyDeletethank you all for your wonderful messages and thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI was not afraid, don't know why. More curious and cautious. I thought the tracks were fairly fresh, but hours old. It was interesting to see elk tracks join on at one point, following the lion for a while. I never saw the lion, they get around.
Wow..what a truly gorgeous post..in words..energy.and visually....such a mystical journey unfolding..MAGICAL! your words pulled me into the snowy dream of creatures!!
ReplyDeletehugs..that was mega-beautiful!
Victoria
Terrific series of photos! I wish we had that much snow now. I also followed a cat the other day, but his tracks were about three days old.
ReplyDeleteDear Tammie, you're a real artist.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wonderful work!
You are so very talented. These elk are so elegant to see. Thank you for this gorgeous post.
ReplyDeleteyou are very privileged being this close to so much natural beauty
ReplyDeleteSo breathtaking. The elk are so majestic. And the tracks...it is amazing to find them in the snow - to wonder when they were there and what it was. Glad you were safe and that you were able to capture this beauty on film.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if you had an awesome outing on your skis. To see elk and to follow a mountain lion is marvelous. Your next to last photo is beautiful.
ReplyDeletewinter beauties!
ReplyDeleteAnd you are blessed to walk where they have done..
ReplyDeleteand they with you beneath the Sun...
You and I are very similar - and most people don't understand us. "I could not help but follow" - I have said that so many times when I've found mountain lion tracks.
ReplyDeleteAnd, like you, I've found lion tracks in my tracks when he must have followed just a few minutes behind me. I have to admit - that one did scare me a little.
Isn't our wildlife wonderful?
Some beautiful nature shots and at 3.5 to 4 inches it's a good thing for you that neither of you ever found each other.
ReplyDeleteStunningly gorgeous scenery. If I exhale, I swear I can almost see my own breath. The mountain lion was tracking you???? Oh, brave soul. Be careful!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post, Tammie. If you weren't such a keen observer and so in tune with nature, you may never have noticed a mountain lion walked in your tracks. Amazing photo...and a gift for you. It really is a connection.
ReplyDeleteFunny, Tammie - I've just been having an online discussion about elk with another blogger from Finland. He tells me they are involved in thousands of road collisions each year in Finland. Far better to view them safely in the forests. As for that mountain lion - I wonder if you'll ever come face to face! Beautiful scenery as always, and you are as much a part of it as it is of you.
ReplyDeletex
They all touch me. Knowing we get to live with such beauty, that you bring it that much closer, warms the heart. The sky , the water, the macro detail,leads one inside, to become a part of the photograph. I see those things in your eyes as well, beyond the blue, like falling into space, into nature, into life. Thank you for all.
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