Say hello to my better half

There are several stages of relationship, the first being a "time of illusion", where everything is beautiful, wonderful, you just can't wait to see them. Stage 2 is the time of discovery or the"pimple on the ass syndrome" these are things that you just have the hardest time dealing with. Not changing the toilet paper roll, spending too much money on shoes, whatever. The third stage is a time of acceptance, and then a time of love. Divorces are easily noted between Discovery and Acceptance. How long does it take? 3 yrs? Maybe 5? The truth is, it can take decades. I wonder if it is not directly related to the amount of time we are willing to take to "change" our partner? And then finally, give in and let them be? I am happy to report that we made it! Twenty-eight years of tough and trying times, still standing side by side sharing our lifes in happiness.

I don't think I have ever introduced my wife Karen. She is my partner in crime, The person I hike with every morning, my sounding board, and the person I have shared my life with for the past 28 yrs. To say that she is my anchor is an understatement, she is the one that holds it all together and puts up with my impulsivity, moodiness, and depressions. with the greatest of tact. She was born in Dallas, on My 19, 1952, and shortly moved to Port Aransas, Tx. PA is located on Mustang Island about three miles off the Texas Coast, and the Southern end touches Corpus Christi. We have many made many visits to the island, it's southern beaches still prisitne. Karen tells me stories about the island in the 1960's, just a small fishing port surrounded by a small number of homes. It's yearly populaton of full timers was about 150o people. The lazy days of childhood before the summer invasion, and the beautiful fall.

I wanted her to ride like the wind on a spirited appaloosa, to sail the Carribean on a triple masted schooner, to dive the waters of the southern pacific and to fight the controls of a
Grumman Tiger at landing. She has done it all. She is so much more than I could ever have dreamed of. She has tasted the spices of Jamaica, climbed the mountians of St Vincent, walked the rich jungles of Hawaii, and tramped the " brecha" of old Mexico. What a woman.

Big Boy February 25th 2006

Is this not the most beautiful old man you have ever seen? He came to visit this morning. He had three younger bucks in tow with about 14 does and several yearlings. Mule Deer normally birth one fawn the first year and twins thereafter, so there are always a bunch of one and two year olds. I love to watch the yearling bucks in their first three to eight months or so. They have thes little fuzzy bumps that have not as year pierced the skin to become antlers. They prance around and harrass the bigger does, and play fight with their male cousins. Sometimes a does will have enough of it and put them down, but for the most part, they puff out their little chests and do make believe motions when the does are in season. Big Boy and I have this thing, we stare at each other. He will be downwind maybe fifteen to twenty feet away, so he gets a snootful of my scent. He looks at me intently, right in the eys, and I return the look. It seems like a long time, but we probably do it for three minutes or so, until he ambles away, unfrightened. The herd here is large and stays right in the local area. We border 400,000 acres of the Pike National Forestm and a very large designated Wilderness Area. I guess this is their spot in all of that acreage. He makes my day, when I look into his eyes I have a deep fantasy that the transfer of thought is possible. I do know that I can calm him if he is agitated, by humming or singing softly. I feel privileged to be able to share him with you.

On March 11, Big boy showed up with his other little bucks and a few does. HIS ANTLERS WERE GONE!!!! For the most part, Mule deer shed their antlers during the first two weeks of March. The larger the rack, the earlier the shed. In two months he'll have new bumps to grow into a more beautiful crown. The more years, the bigger rack. Some do not know, antlers are grown and shed yearly, producing a bigger rack (number of points) each successive year. Animals with horns are lifetime, they do not shed. We have taken ourselves off the path and have been "bushwhacking" for the past week, that is going into areas that we have not been, where we see no other human track. But you would be surprised where you find beer cans! We are looking for Mule deer and Elk Sheds. Most of the time, coyotes are close by and take the shed immediately for it's protein. Their leavings are also a favorite for the Herbert (pronounced A BEAR). squirrel. A little black dude with inch and a half tufts of black fur off the points of his ears. A beautiful creature, very shy, not at all like a city squirrel. They range from 8000 ft in the sub alpine areas of the rockies. Anyway, Big Boy is BALD!

My little baby Timber Wolves

Take a look at these beuatiful babies! (picture 2002). Meet Shunka and Wahkonda. They are six weeks old and rescued from death by my friend Darlene who is the director of the Wolf and Wildlife Center. You would not want to hold onto a package of hot dogs in front of these little guys, ask my mother in law, lol. Shunka weighs 145 lbs now and is an ambassador wolf to schools and civic organizations. He is a magnificent blonde wolf, his eyes gold flecked with copper. I had not seen him in three years, and was walking to the Martini Hut in Woodland Park. I had no idea that the Wolf Center was putting on a benefit there. Shunka broke from the group and made the thirty feet between us in three bounds. His paws imediately to my shoulders, and his tongue in my mouth (wolves greet each other in that manner), and then flopped on his back to get a belly rub! Three years after I bottle fed him and hadn't seen him! Most people were aghast, a volunteer with the Center was so fearful of his behavior that she was shaking. Darlene was there and just told everyone to stay back, and let him greet me. As for me, I didn't see him until he had his paws on my shoulders. It kind of freaked me out until I recognised the behaviors, and allowed him to "taste" me.

Sixty percent of all wolves born in captivity are put to death. Now I ask you, why would anyone want to own a wolf? You can't house train them, ever, this includes hybrids. Try putting your hand in their feed bowl after you have put meat in it, you will come back with a stump. You wll not EVER own another pet while the wolf is in your home, they will die. You CANNOT predict behavior when the wolves head is touched, even with Shunka, I NEVER touch his head or ears. To play and place your head over the neck of a wolf is to ask for an incredibly fast attack. Genetics assures this, it is the Alpha male that will see it as a challenge, and fight for his position. I urge all who read this to understand that wolves DO NOT make good pets, and that which is wild should remain so. We are not protecting our individual herds, our sheep, hell most of the people I know live in the big city. Yet, we seek to put the wolf onto the enfangered species act. I am going to say this one time after exhaustive research into the subject: THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SINGLE REPORT OF A WILD WOLF ATTACKING A HUMAN BEING. So, you can forget the wild wolves where the vampires range. They are quite shy. These beautiful animals are put into shelters when STUPID people realize they can't handle them. It is illegal to set a wolf or hybrid to adoption. Their only option is to be taken in by a Wolf/Wildlife Center, or to be put to death. Darlene recieves no less han 45 calls a month from all over the country to see if he has room to adopt a littler, or other wolves that have been put to shelter.

With kindness in your heart, I personally ask you to support the reintroduction of the wolf in the Rocky Mountain Region far from sheep/goat/cattle farms. Before you look into the eyes of the wolf, you better be ready for it's impact. I was stunned to a great depth at the intelligence looking back at me.

I need to explain the tongue in the mouth communication. When the cubs are old enough to eat firm foods the mother will pre chew raw meat and the cubs will dine from her mouth. It is a demonstration of love when done to a human. To not accept this greeting, is to trample upon thousands of years of genetic memory.

Rocky February 19, 2006

This is my Big Boy

This is my Big Boy. I took this picture from about thirty feet some 4 years ago. He is seven now, his muzzle is grey and he is a heftier guy coming close to probably 250 poounds. He is a large mule deer that has eluded the trophy hunters and chases his harem of about 11 does. He is the man. There are several other bucks in his herd, but none match his size or his rack, the ladies like that. The other bucks make way when he is in the area. Big Boy is a daily visitor to our home, we are on the route of their grazing grounds. Hardly a day passes that he isn't looking through the windows. He is a magnificent animal who has sired dozens of fawn. Mule deer are funny, you can whistle and they will stop, if you talk or sing to them they will stay put, unlike Elk or white tails. His harem sleeps in the sun on the hill behind our house. Sometimes when we are in the garage we get "peekers". I will try and get a more recent picture of him and put it on my next post.