Mr. Golden Sun

So much for best intentions.  My plan was to spend the whole day outside; instead it was a half day outside and a 3 hour nap.  I hiked Beaver Pond Trail early in the morning because I knew as the temperature warmed, the snow would soften and it would be difficult to walk on it.

It is receding but very slowly.  There are not many places where the sun shines directly on the trail so the melt is not happening quickly.  

The little birds were in hiding.  Only crows, ravens and magpies were visible.  There were no calls that I could hear.  On most days I can hear chickadees, jays, and woodpeckers but not today.

The trip to Astotin Lake was more eventful.  There were lone bison on a couple of hills.  When the sun came out, they closed their eyes and soaked up the rays.

The Canada Geese were vocal.  Their honking could be heard across the lake.  As I approached, they spread their wings and walked across the ice while scolding me.

The bison were not the only animals enjoying the sunny slopes.  The elk were out as well; most on the hillsides in the distance.  It's pretty amazing that I've visited the national park for years and have never seen the elk until March of this year.  Since then, I've seen them almost each time that I have visited.

There are visible signs that spring is slowly arriving.  The seasonal park staff were decked out in safety gear and were participating in their chain saw training.  Contractors were busy getting the shower buildings fixed up in the campground and parks staff were busy loading in supplies at the Information Center.

A young snowshoe hare darted across the park way.  I'm happy to say that the little guy was almost brown.

On the drive home the white tailed deer were grazing along the fence line.  The sound of vehicles on the busy highway do not seem to bother them.  They didn't look up until they noticed that I had stopped and was rolling down a window.

 I got home and decided that I was going to enjoy the sunshine as well.  It was beaming through a window directly onto a bed and was inviting me to enjoy it.  Just like the forest creatures, I laid down and felt the warmth radiating through.