A snowshoe trip in Grand Teton National Park in January:
Remembering Jake, as he was in February, and the chickens at his grave in March.
As spring progressed, we improved some of the trails around the property, building foot-bridges over the streams,
We maintained the path to the beach ...see the "before" and "after" below
We installed owl boxes, inspected our trails with the Land Trust's Stewardship crew, and found couger sign while hiking the Land Trust's property at Elk Creek.
Using a weed wrench we uprooted Scotch Broom, an invasive bush. The accumulated brush we piled up and burned.
Here are some of the local fauna.
- A Western Toad, a species of concern due to declining numbers, but a frequent sighting on our property.
- A property owner at ease (an infrequent occurrence), and
- A mountain beaver. This rodent over-populates the area because its natural predator, the fisher, was extirpated during the last century. The mountain beaver lives underground in burrows but emerges to strip branches from the young trees that we plant. I caught this one crossing the road just up from our house. He was faster than I, however, and escaped what otherwise would have been certain death.
It is worth remarking on the Elwha River Dam Removal Project, most of which has been completed this year. Here are some pictures of the changes that have occurred. First, the river mouth in July, showing some sediment that had been trapped behind the lower, Elwha Dam, washing down to the Strait.
As summer progressed, the upper, Glines Dam, also was breached. We took these pictures while on a tour, part of a symposium we attended.
The former impoundment behind Glines Dam was named Lake Mills. Here are two views also taken in July, one an aerial photo, the other taken as we walked the former lake bed.
By November silt formerly trapped behind both dams is washing down, reconfiguring the river mouth. We are fortunate to be on an e-mail list that forwarded these pictures, taken by Tom Roorda in November and early December, to us.
But enough of the land and landscape! Going back to September, here are some pictures of Bo and Leah's wedding.
Besides these few pictures, a friend of Leah's took others that are particularly beautiful. You can see these by linking to her website.