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Author Archives: Teri J Pieper

A Watchable Wildlife Moment

Last Thursday I travelled down to Wenatchee for the weekend and as I approached Beebe Springs I noticed an animal getting ready to cross the highway. Having had a bad experience near there two years ago with a mule deer, I slowed way down in order to let her cross the road. I was surprised to see it was a bighorn sheep! I have seen them on the cliffs along that route but never on the highway. She was followed by a group of maybe twelve or fourteen with one big ram. After I stopped, giving them plenty of room, they turned and went to the railroad tracks above the road where they watched me and other people who stopped to watch them. It was sort of like a traffic jam in Yellowstone but on a smaller scale. The sheep finally decided that this was not a good place to cross the highway and retreated up the cliff face and disappeared over the top.

 

Watching from the RR tracks
Their ability to scramble around on sheer cliffs is amazing.

The Latest Addition to the Family

Our old lab, Sam passed away in June leaving Luna an only dog. We knew we would get another dog, in particular a hunting dog for Ken but also a pet and friend for Luna and maybe she’d be an agility dog too. Who knows? And we had decided that fall would be a good time for a puppy. Summer is just too busy around here.

Friday morning Ken got up and one of the first things he said was “Did you see what was in the (Omak) Chronicle yesterday?” And I’m thinking to myself, “besides the weekly diatribe against the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife” and he said “Puppies in Omak!” Uh oh, I thought, I guess the time has come.

He called the fellow and we got over there before midday and sure enough there they were – seven lab puppies, five black ones and two brown ones. One brown male was spoken for. I prefer female dogs and we both gravitated towards the brown female. She was on the smaller side (also a preference) but not shy or timid. All the puppies were well socialized and both parents on site. The dad is a stocky yellow lab, maybe with some English lab in him. The mom is a petite chocolate.

Before we left, Ken had written a check for the deposit and we will pick her up next week! How exciting is that?

Oh, and we are looking name suggestions, in case you have any good ideas.

 

Getting to know her
Puppies on the move
They haven’t missed any meals
They don’t stand still for pictures
Til they go to sleep
Reuben is stocky with a broad chest and looks like he might be an English lab
Nasha likes attention
The mom, getting to me
What a pair!
Smitten
Ahhhh.

The Northern Lights from my Porch

Last night I saw on FB that my friend Julie was seeing the Aurora Borealis from her place. She’s at least 50 or 60 miles east of here and 30 miles north but still in Okanogan County. We do get to see them here from time to time so I went out to see what I could see. There was a long glow on the northern horizon but nothing too exciting and I was underdressed for being outside on a cold night (still adjusting to fall temperatures). Inside, I found some warmer clothes and put my camera on its tripod and returned to the porch.  Luna kept following me around and looking at me like I was nuts but that’s how it is when you’re a dog.

After a while the sky got brighter and soon there were curtains and streaks and colors and it was all very exciting for an hour or so. My view to the NW is blocked and I wonder what my friends across the valley were seeing – something even more spectacular is my guess.

I love that I can see the Big Dipper in some of the images!

Fall begins

Luna and I went to Big Valley this morning. It is one of the MVSTA winter ski trails where a person can take her dog and it is a great place for a contemplative walk the rest of the year. My computer has been under the weather recently so this post is from my phone. That is why it might seem klunky and abbreviated.

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Luna

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We will be skiing across this field in a few months

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Bear marks?

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Pine drops

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Not too cold for swimming yet

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Methow River

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Puffball

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Love this trail

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Wasp nest

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Old aspen

End of Summer Hike

The days are growing shorter and this week the forecast promises cooler temperatures and rain again. Fall is coming. Summer is always the shortest season here in the Methow. Luna and I got up high in the mountains once more this past week to enjoy the sunshine and warmth before fall’s chill settles in.

I always have to stop and take in this view
That’s where we are going
A group of three ravens kept us company
Luna runs for joy
She’s wearing a colorful scarf because hunting season has started. I would not want anyone to mistake her for a bear or mule deer
We hiked across and down that talus slope and through the basin
Blue gentian – one of the few blooming wildflowers
A few creeks were still flowing, probably from the previous week’s downpour
Aster with pollinators
Two of these Red-tailed Hawks soared above us – kiting in search of food
There were few mushrooms along this route
And the view down valley from up high
Mountains looming above the ridge where we started
Slate Peak
Are we going that way?
Canada is only twenty miles away, thirty if you are on the nearby PCT.
A disappearing snow patch
Old, dirty snow
Ravens watch
We went up this trail to return to the road
Mt Baker
We made a little detour to the lookout before walking down the road to the car
I always like to take a walk through the silver forest. There are usually good birds
Another hawk
It could have been the same one we saw earlier
Tiny Campanula flowers