We're still in a cold snap, it was -18 this morning. I've been spending the mornings under a quilt in the living room, drinking coffee with Mom & Ray. We watch some news or other TV program or chat.
This morning Ray pulled out a really cool pipe he's had for a long time and gave it to me. It has a long curved stem and definitely looks like something a Hobbit would own. I loved it instantly. There is something compelling to me about pipes and pipe tobacco, the smell, the ritual. It all conjures memories for me that remind me vaguely of my dad, my uncles and my childhood. Ray had given up smoking 30 years ago so the pipe was getting no use from him. I had a half smoked cigarillo left over from when my brother Cyril came to visit. He likes to smoke them and I had one with him. I can never finish a whole one so I had saved what I had. I pulled it a part so I would have some tobacco to try out the pipe. I've never had a penchant for smoking cigarettes but for some reason a pipe feels different, more like an event than a habit. I puffed on it a few times in delight of my gift and at how slightly ridiculous I must look wielding this curved and rather dramatic pipe. Both mom and Ray were laughing, taking pictures and getting a kick out of the whole production. We began to talk about pipe tobacco and I wondered aloud if there was a safer version of something to smoke that wouldn't have pesticides and crap in it. I'm sure the right solution will come my way and I'm kind of intrigued with what I could create myself. I know there will be times in the future when I'll be sitting outside in nature, maybe watching a great sunset, and I'll have a smoke from that pipe and think of Ray.
I got my ass in gear by 3pm and started out on my run. It had warmed up to -7 which is decent running weather. I wanted today to be an easy run as MaryAnn and I are heading out for a big day tomorrow. She is going to be on her skis and I'm going to be running and we're heading back to Ormand Lake. It's going to be a tough day for me I think but it will be good practice for the marathon. It'll be fun to get out there again and to have the company.
Today on the run I called for the crows but only 3 came. Still I was happy with the outcome as I was looking around before I started my experiment to see if there were any crows about. I didn't see any. About 3 minutes after I started my cawing I heard a response from a crow. I couldn't see him at first but his calling was getting louder. I finally saw the crow and two more joined in as they were circling above me.
Eventually they got bored of the noisy human and continued on their way. I started to think about how cool it would be to see a moose. When its not crashing into me of course. They scare me a little bit because of their size, I doubt they would charge me while I'm on the road but there is always the outside chance that they could charge so there is an element of risk to seeing one while I'm running.
I started to scan the forest intently, I was looking through a stand of tall, bare Poplars. The snow was gently falling and the forest was a mix of browns, creams, beiges, whites and muted greens. I was scanning with soft focus hoping to notice something big or dark that didn't match the trees or what ever else would break up the natural patterns.
There.
A large mass that doesn't look quite right.
My heart beats faster as I pull out my binoculars and begin to focus on the area that I saw something different, half assuming that wishful thinking was getting the best of me but hoping it wasn't.
As I stare intently at the area, I'm deciding that I'm probably wrong and that maybe it's a big stump or something else and...
It moved.
There was a cow moose staring back at me from the bush. I felt the flush of success! She was far enough away that I didn't feel threatened but close enough for me to easily see her in my binoculars once I knew what I was looking for. I started talking to the moose not knowing if I should but doing it because it felt like the right thing to do. She heard me and began to lope away in the deep snow. Once she had taken a few nervous steps she stopped and continued to stare in my direction. We watched each other for about a minute.
That felt like enough animal excitement for one day so I continued on my run. I figured that the moose would appreciate it if I stopped staring at her. I really didn't want her to come and take a closer look at me although I would have liked to have seen her shoulder to see if she was missing hair. I thought it wasn't outside of the realm of coincidence if the moose I was observing turned out to be the moose that ran into MaryAnn and I. There are plenty of moose that are out in about in this area but you never know. Nature was giving me all sorts of gifts lately like the eagle sighting the day before.
The rest of my run was uneventful, I didn't want to go too far and the snow was starting to come down heavier. I headed home feeling pretty good that I was able to spot an animal in the woods. Moose are a good start and probably the easiest to spot given their size. Next on my list is to see a fox. I do desperately want to see a wolf but I also don't want to be terrified so I have some competing interests going on there. With a fox though I doubt I'll be too scared. Being out here amongst the critters does have a certain risk factor even if the chance of harm is low. I'm keenly aware that I rank lower on the food chain than some of the animals out here.
I'm getting this feeling that the local animals are starting to get used to my presence and perhaps that's why I'm beginning to see them. Or perhaps my forest eyes are getting shaper too. Either way its cool.
Till next time.
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