A trip in the BOONIES....in the middle of winter...in the middle of NOWHERE!

The last week of January, I was missing going out into the woods.

Bad.

We had gotten a LOT of snow, so most of the wood roads we drive to find photos

or find wildlife

were snowed over and not plowed.

But, last year, I remembered one road where they plowed year-round

and where we have spotted moose before.

I begged asked

my husband if he would take me there to look for moose.

He laughed.

LAUGHED at me, people!

He said..(and I quote): "Honey, we aren't going to see any moose now....they are bedded down somewhere

deep in the woods. Besides, I don't think they even plowed the road clear this year".

But I continued to whine politely ask until I wore him down.

So we bundled up and hit the road.

We drove about a mile or two down the usual 6 mile road and came to a dead end, huge snowbank ahead.

He said: "See? I told you they didn't plow the whole thing this winter".

But I looked way to the left and saw that they had indeed continued the plowing.

It appeared that logging was going on and someone plowed it enough for our trusty four-wheel drive to get through.

It was Sunday, and the road was VERY narrow....but I cheerfully said:

"But they won't be doing any logging today...we won't meet any trucks!"

My husband, (being a very wise and patient man):

sighed.

Then said: "Ok...but we'll just drive a little ways until we see where they are logging and where we can turn around!".

That was good enough for me.

So,

off we went.

We drove and saw NOTHING for a few miles.

I mean NOTHING.

No critter with a pulse.

Not even a bird.

We came to the first turnaround spot.

He looked over at me.

And I smiled.

And he smiled.

And he said: "You don't want me to turn around yet do you?"

I said no.

He (being the loving husband he is) obliged me. (We haven't been married for almost 39 years for nothing, folks!)

I told him: "I just feel like we are going to see a Moose today. I just can't explain it".

He said nothing.

(Did I not tell you he is a wise, wise, man?).

So we kept driving.

We got about 6 miles in the deep woods. It was getting late.

He found the largest logging spot and said: "Honey, we really have to head back..I don't want to be out here in the dark". 

I agreed.

(Hey, I'm spoiled, but not dumb. I didn't want to be way out in the boonies on a cold, cold night either in the dark).

So, we turned us around....and had gone just about a half mile

and

out of the corner of my eye....

I saw movement in the woods!

STOP! I yelled.

He stopped the truck dead in its spot.

And

THIS is what I saw:

DO YOU SEE

what I saw????

The LARGEST MOOSE

I have seen to date

in the woods!!!:

I had a hard time focusing my zoom on him

due to the many many branches in front of him.

He was WAY back in the woods!

But he was HUGE.

Then....

he saw ME!:

Oh. No.

He was leaving!

Here, Bullwinkle...here Bullwinkle!:

Then he stopped again.

We got out of our truck

so I could try and get a picture through the woods from a different angle.

He was playing with me. 

But, at least he stopped again so I could take more photos:

He was sooooo gorgeous:

You can't tell it from this view, but he had buckets for antlers...

just huge "bowls" on each side!:

He was tired of us.....he wanted to leave again--

He didn't seem to like that I made him bump into a branch and

get snow on his head.

Gheesh! He is a Moose after all! What is the big deal?:

He slowly sauntered off into the deeper woods.

And me?

I teased my husband all the way home....

Guess what we are going to do again soon on a Sunday?

Oh yeah.....

we will be driving in that same spot again.

Only that big boy probably lost his antlers by now...

I will forgive him as long as he shows up

and has forgiven me for making him get snow on his head.