I have the habit of leaving for work 15 minutes earlier than I need to when a little voice tells me that something special is going to happen.  Without fail, each time that this occurs, I have a 'first time' experience.  This morning was no different.

Just west of the Strathcona Wilderness Center driveway, a white tail deer stood in the ditch on the southside of the road and a young moose stood directly across from the deer on the northside.  Neither saw each other.  Both were watching me approach.  They did not move as I pulled over to the side of the road and inched closer.  I stopped and was readying my camera when I glanced up in time to see them spy each other.  The deer leapt into the trees and the moose ran through the middle of a pond; splashing water in every direction.  That would have been the ultimate snapshot if I could have pulled it off.  At the far end of the pond, the moose ran up the side of a hill into the trees.  I managed to snap a photo of it as it turned to take one last look for the deer.

I returned to the SWC this evening for a hike.  The rain was falling gently.  I could hear the pitter patter on the leaves.  Birds called from the tree tops and the frogs sang in the pond.  Mama and papa goose were taking their young family for a walk in the rain.  The little ones stopped at each little puddle for a splash.

The greens were greener in the rain.  The forest understory is filling in.  Soon it will be difficult to see the wildlife amidst the trees.  The wild flowers are beginning to bloom.  Beautiful purple clematis flowers adorn the shrubs that the vine is entwined around.  The honeysuckle is budding up and will be blooming soon.  The chokecherry trees are sporting their white spring blooms.  What a relaxing night.

I didn't want to leave.  I was addicted to the forest sounds and the smell of the forest in the rain.