Osprey nest

Near the road is a tall poll with a platform, built as a nesting poll for the local osprey. A pair took advantage of this kind offer and nestled in for the summer. Notice how the birds incorporated bailing twine in their home improvements. It was great to check out the birds progress each day. The pictures below were some of the first glimpses of the new osprey chicks.

More water in 2014

The sad view of the local lake in 2013.  Lack of snow during the winter caused a general drought, lack of water in the lake caused a financial challenge for the communities that depend on tourism.    

More snow this last winter (2014)  was a great benefit--to the community, the farmers in the valley below and the wild animals in the area.

Cool old barn

I saw this cool pulley system on the front of an old barn.

Probably has been the backdrop for many family pictures.

Signs of spring

All around the signs of spring are appearing...

new calves...

 fruit trees in bloom...

 spring plowing and planing,

for sale signs everywhere.

Lucky day.

Big day for animal sightings.  Early this February morning a moose. Yea! I had  my camera. I grabbed it at the last minute as I ran out the door. Now, eye to eye with a moose.

 The moose blinks first and heads off into the trees.

Down the road I spotted a flock of wild turkeys.

I have seen the turkeys several times, this time I had my camera ready.

Downside of a beautiful mountain commute. Snow

Snow, snow, snow and of course I have to go to work.

Ski resorts are happy about the new snow but I don't recommend going skiing on a day like this, but tomorrow will be a tremendous day for power skiers. Wish I had tomorrow off.

The pass is 7% grade up and then 8% grade down the other side. I followed this truck full of construction materials going down. With the wind in some areas it was hard to see!  

Barns

I love the colors of each season, the early morning sun on the mountains and the dramatic clouds.

Update on the Yaks

They are multiplying at an incredible rate. At first there were four yaks, a few weeks later there were about eight, but now there are about 16. It's hard to get an accurate count as I drive by each day trying to get to work on time. One person told me they are Yattle (plural) or yows (singular), a mixture of cow and yak. I surely don't know.

I stopped one morning to get a few pictures. This is the big bull of the yak crowd.  He prefers to lay under the few pines along the fence line. Phew what a stench! Even on a frosty winter morning. I pity the people who live in the houses near by come summer.

Most of the herd is black but a few feature some white fur... hair...ah wool.

The south end of north going yak. This one was camera shy.

What is it??

I am use to seeing horses on my drive each day.  Horses, different breeds, the whole gamete of  horsey colors.

I know cows when I see them.

But what the heck is this???

It took some research but I did find out about this new creature.  A yak.  Why would someone want a yak?  Well you can milk them and have yak milk or make yak cheese.  They have very shaggy thick hair which can be make into expensive yak wool.  The wool is comparable to Merino wool for warmth. Yaks are domesticated farm animals that are common in Tibet and parts of China.  They can live at high altitude and frigged temperatures. We have cold winters but hot summers, I wonder how this shaggy critter will like summer around here?