Why?
Calgary Herald
A new neighbor posted this on Facebook yesterday.
"One of my girls said she saw a cougar outside our front door today about 4:00. Do they come into town often? This was in the area of 400 s 100 e, just off Main Street. She's not sure which way it went, keep a look out for it..."
Now I have 2 choices for my walk today.
I can go across the fields and go west from our house
OR
OR
I can walk to the Post Office, a mile away and where the cougar was spotted.
Two days ago I took a new trail. It was a game trail, very narrow with high sagebrush on either side and very remote.
It was a beautiful walk but I felt as if several eyes were watching me. I decided to take turns whistling and singing so as not to surprise an animal (or me).
Don't think that I will be going that direction for a while.
Happy trails to you my dear friends.
Gina
Dear Gina,
ReplyDeleteyou must like living "dangerously".................taking walks with a Cougar out and about. I know you are protected by your faithful dogs but still.
Your field of Daffodils is so pretty and the orange colored Tulips fit right in.
Happy greetings, Sieglinde
Dear Sieglinde, It will take a few walks for me to get that cougar out of my mind and I don't want Charlie or Lucy to have to face him either. I think open country walks will be best for a while.
DeleteI used to have a lot of tulips planted among the daffodils...but the little critters feast on them during the winter. Thank goodness that they don't like the poisonous daffodils.
Jeepers, Gina, don't think that roaming cougars fit into my "country dreams," although I do think they are really beautiful animals.
ReplyDeleteDo take care, and please let us know of any more sightings. xo
Dear Frances, When cougars come this close to town they are usually not well. There is plenty of room (and food) for them in the foothills and in the near mountains. Some of our neighbors live in forests nearby and often see Mountain Lions, Cougars and Brown Bears. They are usually as scared of us as we are of them. .
DeletePlease stay safe! I have foxes in my yard occasionally (we live on a lake), but I think a cougar would definitely be more dangerous!! I think I would take my walk on a treadmill inside!!
ReplyDeleteHello Diane, I just can't do the treadmill. I have run into a few foxes but by the time I see them all that is visible is their tail. We have so many sheep in our area that it attracts all kinds of predators. We even have an official government trapper.
DeleteLife in the country is calm, peaceful, and sometimes scary! I'm with you about avoiding surprising creatures while meandering by dense areas. I found you at Tablescape Thursday. I'm off to see your art! It's nice to virtually meet you. :-)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kim @ Curtain Queen Creates
Hello Kim, How nice of you to stop by. Life is peaceful and calm here most of the time. But when animals are everywhere they either need attention or need to be chased away. It's all in a days work. I wouldn't change it for the world.
DeleteOh my gosh, Gina! Please don't take any chances and stay close to home!
ReplyDeleteI have a sister-in-law in Virginia who came face-to-face with a Brown Bear. She had read to stand tall and look down, which she did. The bear charged at her and then stopped short — twice!! Then it ambled away. (But I don't think that wouldn't work with a cougar.) Now my sister-in-law takes walks with a bell.
Dear Mark, What a fantastic idea,A BELLl. Why didn't I think of that! What a terrifying experience that was for your sister-in-law. Bears are more dangerous because they like to confront. Most often cougars will sneak away. The only animal that has ever charge me was a Badger. They're ferocious when disturbed but I think that I can still outrun them.
DeleteDear Gina,
ReplyDeleteI do not know how I missed the special post of April 20th where you so beautifully announced me the winner of the rabbit counting contest.
Thank you so much for this lovely post and the seeds which arrived today in your sweet little bags. Wish me luck so that they may grow into flowers just like yours. I will certainly keep you posted on their progress.
Thank you again, Sieglinde
Dear Sieglinde, No wonder you didn't see the April 20th post. It disappeared only to show up again but only now and then. Just a little glitch in the blogging sphere.
DeleteThe Asters will do well in your garden, Give them a little sun or a lot of sun...they are not too particular. And they will bloom this year. I don't know about growing Hollyhocks in your area. You will see little seedlings this year but you will have to wait another year to see any blooms. They are worth waiting for. So glad you won. ox, Gina
Hello Gina! Oh my goodness, please be caaaarefulllll. And when we did a story in the Canadian Rockies, they suggested that we hike with a bell to keep away the scaries, so I second Mark's suggestion. :)
ReplyDeleteI am SO late to answer your question that I think that you might give up on me so am copying it here too!
Gina, I am SO sorry that I am so late in responding to this - we had even less internet than usual while away. The Jules Cesar is not a small hotel! :) It is currently being renovated by famous designer Christian Lacroix and will most likely be a 4 or 5 star when it reopens. We drove by it on our way back into town and it is looking gorgeous. The building is amazing - it was a convent until the French Revolution and has a garden in the back...
If you need anything else, feel free to email me at robinsonheather (at) yahoo.com...I love to help!
Bisous and sorry again,
Heather
Dear Heather, How very nice of you to respond to my question. We stayed at the Cesar many, many years ago. It was beautiful then. I have made reservations and hope that by September that their renovations will be to a point where they will be ready for guests. For now they have accepted our reservation and that is a good sign.
ReplyDeleteI will look for a little bell to carry with me. I have a big cowbell to use to let Mr G know that we need him when he is working on the back forty. Have not had to use it in the twenty years since we have moved to the country. ox, Gina
Oh Gina, I would be so scared knowing that it is out there very close to where you live and walk...Oh MY. Your images as always are so beautiful. Please take care~
ReplyDeleteHello Mary, It will be a little while before I stop looking for that Cougar. No one has seen him these past few days. He has probably gone back to the mountains. Thank you so much for your visit.
DeleteOh gosh a cougar! I find that both scary and fascinating at the same time
ReplyDeleteHi Gina,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images you have shared and oh how scary if you came face to face with a cougar - eek!
Love the daffodils growing in the field.
Happy week
Carolyn
At first, I thought you were joking about Cougar. This is not something common from where I am. We have wallabies and kangaroos well depends on which part of Australia I guess. That field of daffodils with a snow-capped mountain is so picturesque. I wouldn't mind going through there. Live life on the edge.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Aida