MOOSE!

All weekend we sat on the porch of the Grand Lake cabin and waited.  We watched hummingbirds dance, golden-mantled squirrels play, and we continued to wait and watch for The Moose.  On our last day there, our Moose stepped out across the river.  We were elated!

Then the Moose turned and walked across the river.  We decided to get in the car and dare a little closer, still keeping a good distance.  The Moose walked towards us as we waited.

As it neared we marveled at the enormity of this beast, the huge rack, the bell, and the slow saunter as it walked right in front of us.  Then it did something we didn't expect.

We turned the car around to go back to the cabin and guess who was peeking around the corner of the house.  The Moose again!  But it paid us no attention.  It slowly walked off into the trees after 15 minutes or so and even though it's such a large animal, we lost it only 50-60 feet away.

This wasn't my first Moose but it was the biggest, the closest, and the most gentle one I've experienced yet.  And the best part, my Mom visiting from South Carolina was standing on that back porch, only 10 feet away as it peeked around the house.

Thank you big Moose.  I hope we meet again.