Monday, December 8, 2008

TRACKS

Snow had fallen during the night. The walk to the park in the dark was made more interesting by new tracks put down by the paperboy’s bike, joggers, automobiles, and animals. I took my camera in hopes of seeing deer along the river path. But someone with big feet and a big dog was just ahead of me. Any wildlife had gone for cover in the brush. I was glad in a way. At six a.m. in July this trail is all chirpy with birds, and the sun is easing through the greens in the leaves, (cue Grieg’s Morning Mood from the Peer Gynt Suite). 

But, even with the reflected light from the snow, the place had turned to Mirkwood (insert scary music from The Lord of the Rings).

I almost expected evil creatures to appear in my path. There were no giant spiders, and the place felt friendlier as sunlight turned the sky pink. A bunny had left tracks across the pathway.

They reminded me of another snowy morning in Grand Teton Park. I went to get photos of the rose glow of sunrise on the Teton Mountains. I found myself following very large bear tracks down the trail.

I tried to be very noisy and slow to give Mr. Bear plenty of time to get away. Glad I never saw the maker of those big footprints!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whoa! That is one big scary bear paw! I think I would have found urgent business in another county calling me if I had seen that.

Anonymous said...

Okay, so I think I would run away as fast as I could. Those are beautiful pictures. I would have you take pictures of my family if you were closer! You are really talented. I like your writing, too. You should write a book. I struggle with the writing thing.

Elizabeth said...

You have much better stuff than shops where you are - and the musical accompaniments are splendid!
Yes Walmart and K-mart aren't too thrilling - but maybe it's safer to be away from the temptations of the exotic!

posting code "in air" I like it

david mcmahon said...

That was a major print you found.

I think it might have been the grizzly that charged me a few weeks ago!!

(Yes, I did get a photograph of him and if you'd care to check it out, you'll find it on a post called ``G Is For Grizzly" which was posted on my blog in early September, hours before I flew home to Australia)

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

I guess you did get a storm out of the system that went thru our area.
Thats one scary foot print. yikes.
3 hours or so above us in Portland they are snowed and iced in right now and we have non freezing rain, which I will keep.:)
Thanks for your comment on my blog.