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Garden Visitor's for July

7/26/2018

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The following are just a few pics of the birds that have been visiting our garden this past month! Enjoy!

Inca Dove (Columbina inca)

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

The following is a short video of Bee visiting our feeders! We were a little worried about her at first - being so small, but we have noticed lately that she is catching up to her sibling in size!

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The following is a link to a great You Tube video posted by Total Outdoor Programming showing an alternative way to fix S'mores, a campfire classic, using waffle cones, baby marshmallows, and just about any type of chocolate candy you prefer. I am seriously thinking of trying this out with a diced up Snicker's or Milky Way Bar on our next camp out! Be sure to check out some of their other videos on their outdoors channel!

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Elk Country Reopens!

7/20/2018

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I am so excited! It looks like our Arizona camping trip is back on! We had planned to visit Elk Country in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in late summer, but large portions of the forest was closed this spring due to wildfire restrictions that were in effect until December 2018.

With the arrival of the monsoons, Tonto National Forest had opened back up on July 11, and I had been checking to see if Apache-Sitgreaves would do the same. So glad to hear they have finally lifted the Fire Closure Orders this past week! Can't wait to see the majestic herds of elk we have spotted on past trips to the area!

The monsoons have arrived in Arizona, and the National Forests that were closed are now back open!

Prime Elk habitat -Tonto National Forest as seen from the top of the Mogollon Rim and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest!

Two large bulls we spotted in the early morning hours near our favorite camping spot in the backcountry.

The following is a short video I took of a super herd of elk. It was such a joy to watch the calves frolic in the isolated meadow below camp! This is one of the major reasons Don and I hike several miles into remote wilderness areas far from civilization. - glimpses of wildlife in their natural habitat! You're not going to see this at established campgrounds!

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Pepper Spray Protection

7/19/2018

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     When you're camping in the wilderness, if never hurts to be prepared for potentially dangerous encounters with wildlife, and a good rule of thumb is to avoid wildlife you come across by giving them a wide berth on the trail if at all possible.

     You never know what the animal's mind set is at a given time, and they may have some babies hiding nearby. And there is nothing more dangerous than a mama protecting her young! I always get real nervous when I see baby bears in the wild, because I know that means mama must be close by! Even if you are a good distance away, mama bear may still perceive you as a threat so its always a good idea to leave the area immediately to avoid what may turn into a life-threatening encounter.

     Here is a link to a great You Tube video produced by Parks Canada showing some excellent tips about how to use bear repellent (pepper spray) during a close encounter with an aggressive bear. Remember, when hiking in the wilderness, always carry your pepper spray in a readily accessible area, so that it can be deployed in just a couple of seconds - you may NOT have the time to dig through your backpack looking for it in an emergency situation!

You can purchase pepper spray at most sporting goods stores, and I have heard that "Counter Assault" which uses capsaicin (a super hot chemical irritant found in some chili peppers), is one of the most reliable brands on the market!

More info can be found here > www.counterassault.com/bear-spray/

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Garden Visitor's for July

Waffle Cone S'mores

Elk Country Reopens!

Pepper Spray Protection

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