April 18, 2008

ast night when I got home from another town, it was almost white out snow conditions while driving the last 8 miles. This morning the snow is still blowing sideways, but the ground is barely white.

In the ditch right by my home, a vehicle had to have been driving WAY too fast, as not only did the person kill a moose, they killed 2 at the same time. A cow and a large calf moose. Due to my fascination with moose from working with other ungulates (albeit African ones) at the zoo, I had to get out and check the "Swamp Donkeys" out. I have never seen one that close before, let alone two of them. I do hope whomever hit them is ok. There was only about 2 feet of skid marks from a tire. Moose are very difficult to see in the dark.
 

Picture Above: Mamma moose laying in one ditch, she is about 1,200 pounds?
Picture Below: Baby moose laying in the opposite ditch, the baby is about 400+ pounds.

Many people get killed by moose when they hit them, as they knock the animals legs out and the animal comes through the front windshield. These were hit hard enough there was one in each ditch. Slow down this time of year as there are many animals on the move. On my small road trip yesterday, I must have seen 50 deer and 3 moose (not these ones) crossing the road. Some of the deer were dead, laying by the side of the highway. By slowing down, you may save a life.. even your own.

Later a local farmer came and got these moose out of the hitch with his large tractor. What he did with them I have no idea. But glad someone moved them as I had no time to butcher them out for my dogs.

A friend gave me a sweet gift yesterday. He builds awesome doors and windows for rather expensive homes worldwide. From time to time they build a window which will not work for whatever reason, usually size. He gave me five 'rejects' which were destined for the kiln fires. Other than not being the right size for the house project they were working on, they are perfect.  If and when I ever fix the windows in the back of the house which are a scourge, these ones will be replacing the crumby ones. They do not have glass in them, but he said glass is easy to cut. He even cooked me a Japanese dinner, which he used to cook when he lived in Japan.