Amanita muscaria - just looks cool to me.

Wish I was a little person

Looking up 

It would look as big as a tree.

.

Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria

This, as far as I can figure, is the Fly agaric ( Amanita muscaria) mushroom.

There was a number of them on the old road I came out of the bush on to. In the sun the colour was super!

There are some interesting links about he mushroom, sounds like it could be very powerful?

Andy's Northern Ontario Wildflowers

Morning Earth - The Biosphere Community

Ancientforest.org - The Blueberry Lake Ecology Trails

This moose the dog wanted to chase. It was far enough away that he had no hope of catching up to it.

It was different when the moose is so close you can hear it breathe. The whole shortened story.

Walking out of the bush the other day, I have my head down, watching my footwork in the tangle of vegetation on the forest floor. A low grunt startles me. I look up into the eyes of a moose I have stumbled a little too close to. Talking to the moose I back up until I am behind a very big cedar. "Dog where the hell are you?"

Roll'n arrives from the side and does not see the moose right away. Roll'n is now standing beside me and sees the moose. A little too close for him too, he will not chase it 'cause it is not running away yet.

The moose sees both of us and decides to back off rather then continue his grunting advance. Once behind the tree I remember I have a camera, but it was too late the moose had turned and was leaving.

That is the closed I have ever stood eye to eye with a moose, usually the dog clears my path.

Moose Grow in the Forest

Bull wonders about me.

Only wonders off when dog arrives.

This "bull of the woods" was not concerned about my pickup, and just walked in front of it.

He moved off the road to feed. While his head was in the water I was able to walk up to within 10 meters. When he lifted his head he just looked at me. It was not until the dog finally came out of the truck that he moved off.

I remember reading a book when I was about 12 years old, the book was called "Bull of the Woods" about a fellow who logged in the days of horse-logging. He was a man bigger than Paul Bunyan and was real!

I will look for the book in the library this weekend.

This is where the moose was standing, right here!

Moose Antler Freshly Dropped

It is interesting to compare a moose antler freshly dropped to an antler dropped last years and then chewed for a summer.

Last year I found the older antler. Roll'n has enjoyed chewing on it for a year. To him it is a big bone with the taste of moose.

This winter while having a safety discussion at the side the road the dog found something. He would not come out of the bush, he just sat there looking at me. That usually means he needs help with something.

I walk toward him and he starts to bark and "talk" to something. He has found an antler that is too big for him to move. Judging from the tracks and the fresh snow the antler had been dropped (map) that morning, less then 6 hours ago since it had none of the fresh snow on it.

I suspect by the size of the antlers the two different moose were very close in age. The shape is very similar. I am know expert but I would say they came from a bull that was about 6 to 8 years old.

I will not let Roll'n munch on this antler, it is in really nice shape. Wonder what to do with it?

Guess I will give it to Muddy Mark, he will know what to do with it.

Facts

Hinterland Who's Who

Moose Management in Ontario

Art, wow wish I could do that!

Distinct Northern Art

Alaska Antler Works

Porcupine Watchful Eye

This evening was regular meeting of the Porcupine Watchful Eye people. This group has been meeting for a number of years, I think I have been a regular for the last couple of years.

Goldcorp is in the postition to work with the 
City of Timmins and private land owners to capture tailings that have a problem for the last couple of years.  It is an interesting project and some of the walking trails will have to be relocated for the short term.

In the picture Kees poses for the before picture. In the background a drainage ditch will be constructed to improve water quality.

Tree planting I expect will be the final phase to the rehabilitation.

Moose on Highway 101

Come up over a hill and right on the middle of the highway are 2 moose. One large cow and a smaller yearling got off the road faster then I could get my camera out.

I did have to slow down before reaching into the back for the camera. The cow went south and the little one went north. Roll'n really wanted to go and give a little chase. 

If we had been in the bush I would have let him out, he will only chase for a short time, or if the moose turns around.  If the moose stops he stops.

He likes to chase, but he knows better then to catch. Moose are a little bigger then he is.

He does like to attack, once they are down.  Look, here is a youtube video called

"Roll'n taking down a moose"

We also saw our first bear of the season. We pulled to the side of the road to watch the little bear. The window on Roll'n side was down and he has jumped out of the window before. Not to go after a bear, he knows about bears. He is funny in the bush - a bear is the only animal he will bark at. As the bear leaves the side of the road and enters the bush Roll'n lets out 2 little barks just to tell the bear he better get going.

Record Breaker - Sunny Day

Summer is here finally!!!

It was a wonderful sunny day in the forest today. My dog and I walked about 5 km, well I walked that far and he must have ran about 10km. I only see him when we cross paths now and then. Sometimes he chases something for awhile then comes to find me to be sure I am not lost.

Heard the blue jays and chickadees. Watched 3 spruce grouse fly up into a tree and sit there watching me as I was watching them.

Pictures are super special for one reason. They all have a ray of sunshine. Even the moose poop looks interesting when shinning in the sun.

Timmins temperature record November 4th 1975 17.8C.

Yesterday we only hit 16.7C

Todays record from 1956 of 14.4C was crushed! Do not have the official high temperature but it was over 19.0C.

I wonder about tomorrow's record 1975 18.9C. The call is for only a high of 12.

Pictures are:

A moss

A pile of moose poop

A white birch growing on a rock

A hollow birch bark