Retreat - Part III (the critters)

The magical environment we stay in naturally hosts all kinds of fascinating creatures -

(some possible denizens - actually copies of Jean-baptiste Monge drawings. Done the first evening there...)

ACTUAL critters we saw - Tracks of elk and deer, ravens and eagles.

 Northern alligator lizard!

And this year (the first time in the 10 years we've been going) we actually got to see Chinook salmon running.

This river runs practically next to the cabin. We followed it upstream to where there were gravel beds for spawning...

(Our hostess got right up to the water for the best view of both live spawning fish as well as a number of finished dead ones... Also got to see signs of river otters who had obviously been enjoying the spent ones.)

If you look very closely, you can see a Chinook salmon in the bottom center third....

This was not a big mushroom year - but there were a few out there (here is a fine specimen of chicken in the woods) -

-and here is part of a larger hedgehog mushroom growth (looks like coral) - which we had for dinner. :-)

I neglected to photograph the new bones of this year (drat!) which was a very darling probable bobcat skull. It was quite small, with very worn teeth, so it had obviously lived a long life...

Why are bones so awesome?

And meet our new mascot! (As predicted, last fall was our last time with our beloved Great Dane...). This is Kharma - a rescued street dog from *India*. Really. Did you know you could do that?

She is a sweetie. Very energetic (she's only 5 months old, still a puppy!), friendly, agreeable and always busy. Her favorite activity of the weekend was rolling in dead salmon remains. :-) See her here digging a hole back to India...

Apparently a favorite pose. She even sleeps in that position.  

She is a lovely addition.