The Hard Push

It's that time of year - time when we're constantly thinking of the upcoming season. Of course, we're thinking about our guests. We're thinking about the fun (and work). We're thinking about friends we will soon see. We're thinking about a LOT of things - but mostly, at this late date, we're thinking about how we're going to get everything done in time.

What that boils down to is a lot of long days and short nights. But, we're starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of this long tunnel. And, although we hit the bed tired every night, we're also pleased to see our projects coming together.

But, the highlight of the last two weeks (yeah, I know, I've failed to update this thing for two weeks. However, it isn't my fault! If they'd only advance our computer technology so I could just 'think' it in, it would have been on time.) was an ATV ride we took the other day. No, we didn't have time. But, it was fun - and we saw a TON of wildlife. It was definitely a nice breather.

Oh, and did I mention we saw a TON of wildlife? Lots of moose, over a hundred antelope, two fox, one badger, a large variety of birds including numerous sandhill cranes, and oodles of elk. To borrow a new phrase (to me), "The hills were lousy with elk." It was absolute the best elk viewing I've ever enjoyed, hands down. Never, even in the Park, have I seen so many elk. It seemed like every hill had a half-dozen or more.

Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows I appreciate having the Wildlife Refuge in my backyard. But, I must admit the elk, antelope, and moose don't seem to see it as anything special.

To listen to (and read) all the "hot air" expended by some environmental groups (or as I prefer to call them - eco-emotionalists), one would think that any kind of development is all for the worse. Any kind of 'management' is resulting in some kind of harm to mother nature. Anything but 'hands-off' and 'people-locked-out' is for the worse for all forms of nature.

However, they forgot to tell the wildlife. After driving nearly an hour through the refuge, we turned off into private and state lands. The private lands, of course, are grazed, as are the public lands. As far as I know, the private lands are also logged, on occasion, as are the state lands. However, it wasn't until we began our trek through the private and then the state lands that we began to see wildlife. And, like I mentioned above, there was a LOT to see.

So it leaves me wondering, "Just who do they think they're fooling?" Obviously not the wildlife!

Lady of the Lake