A couple weeks ago, I heard the clip-clop of hooves on the gravel road below us. My first thought was, "Groan. Whose horse escaped?" We know from experience that trying to find the owner of loose horses is difficult.
But it wasn't a horse. It was a cow elk and her calf.
(Here's the calf.)
Mama was looking for a spot to jump the fence, which she did quite easily.
But poor Junior was flummoxed by how to get to the other side.
There was a wall of blackberry bushes as well as rose bushes, and he couldn't figure out how to breach this impenetrable barrier. He trotted back and forth in agitation.
Meanwhile, with seeming unconcern, Mama made her way across the pasture.
Junior was getting more and more agitated.
Finally he pushed/shoved/jumped/struggled through the barrier and went racing into the field.
Then he had to stop and look around. Where's Mama?
There she is! Wait for me!
And he disappeared from sight.
Then, day before yesterday, I took Mr. Darcy for his evening walk. The sun had already set and it was dusky. I looked up and saw this:
This beautiful bull stood in imperturbable majesty, simply watching Mr. Darcy and me. (It's worth noting that Darcy didn't even see him. Go figure.)
I took several nearly identical photos, and then slowly continued down the road with Darcy (who still hadn't noticed the bull).
(By the way, this is why I try to always have my camera on hand whenever I set foot outdoors. I never know what I may see.)
Mr. Darcy and I moved farther away, watching this big boy as we went.
Gradually he disappeared from sight.
Interestingly, our neighbor's horse was watching the bull elk with great concentration. Shortly after taking this photo, she neighed and cantered to the other side of the pasture. My thought is she didn't like elk.
Incidentally I think this is the same elk I saw a few weeks ago in our pasture, eating apples off a tree. How do I know? Take a look at the bent-down tine on his left-hand rack.
Seeing as it's hunting season at the moment, my sincere hope is this beautiful animal doesn't end up as a trophy on someone's wall. He's much handsomer in the wild.
Reminds me of the famous painting Monarch of the Glen.
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