Mooooooose!

When we were in Michigan we had a family ritual that went like this: every time we saw cows my husband or I would call out, "Say hi to the cows!" We would all chime in "Moooooooooo!" Then, "Say good-bye to the cows!" "Moooooooooooo!"

Since we never see cows here, our new mantra is "Moooooooooose!" whenever we see a moose. Lately, that has been one, two or even three times during a few mile drive to town. Yesterday as I headed to the Bay Club down Kachemak Drive I saw two people walking on the snowy road ahead of me. I thought it unusual for anyone to be out walking on such messy roads, but as I got closer I discovered it was the back end of a mommy moose and a baby moose, trotting side by side down the road. They veered off the road as I neared, with junior taking the lead.

Then I got to the club and settled on the exercise bike and lo and behold! A moose was kneeling on the lawn eating grass, gazing benevolently at the building (now why didn't I think to take my camera to the Bay Club with me??!!). The entire hour I was on the bike he traveled only a few feet in one direction or another and finally darkness hid him from sight. No one else was paying any attention to him; it is just like watching a horse or cow graze--and just how long can you do that?!

Seeing lots of moose this winter has been a blessing. For a good eight months before that I hardly saw a single moose and I was afraid they were gone. While it is neat to see them in our yard, it is also a little disconcerting since they can be very aggressive and unpredictable and I don't always want to have to think about them every time I run outside. Mostly though, I would rather have them around than not, and I have been happy saying "mooooooooose!" a lot lately!