quiz answer: what's up, buck?

In short, this is the answer to the quiz re: what the above creature has on his mind is

Romance.

As many of you guessed, this buck was lookin' for love.

The doe seemed mostly to be interested in this:

"yum."

The buck also spent time standing very still, not looking at the doe.

Among the other things he'd detect are rivals (far right is another buck).

"Hey, wait a minute..."

Reaction:

"Oh, hell, no."

"And stay out!"

(pardon reflectiness--windows & sun...)

Que macho hombre, no?

=) Vanquished.

So, CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who was correct!

And thanks, as ever, to EVERYONE who submitted a guess--

y'all are brave, smart, funny, and creative.  Nice!

And thanks to Sue for the detailed info re: such behavior.

Gotta love a "guess" where the questioner learns from the questioned. =)

Caveat: I must admit, it is possible that

a) someone was (per Hugh) holding chocolate chip cookies offstage

to get the buck to hold his original pose, and 

b) I actually really hope that he was attempting to plank,

as Sue posited. It could be the new sexy.

Come to think of it, maybe this is where PEOPLE got the idea.

Planking = Sexy.

Who knows?

xoxobb

one more aspen hit

Because, tho' I went from the Pacific (see header)

to pronghorn antelope in one (glorious) day

this last weekend, I'm not feeling blog-posty.

So, here's this. =)

xoxobb

Mumday fall foto

because I'm a snob

Mono Lake, October.

And because I can't look at those tomato slices one more second.

This is not a produce stand.

This is a place for nature to quit being demure, and shake it.

'Cause that's what we like around here.

We like it a lot.

xoxoxobb

don't fall in the desert

Again, not flower blooming time so, like Yosemite, it's kinda dull now.

Joshua Tree NP in October (all these are from 10/2010)

And rocks don't change, so if you've been there once...

Plus last time I went there in fall, it rained.

Bummer.

So, if I think of places that are good to visit in fall,

I'll be sure and let you know.

xobb

p.s. Do you have any favorite places to venture in fall? DO tell. I am curious.

Yosemite in fall? Meh...

There's no blazing fall colors.

It's really dry.

Honestly, I'd skip it.

xobb

P.S. This is another thinly disguised wallpaper post, celebrating autumn & the forecast high temps (80s & 70s) w/ rain possible. Hooray!!
P.P.S. I hope it is understood that my goal is to encourage everyone to visit (wherever), not to actually be obnoxious. =)

wallpaper du jour

Thinking about changing my computer's wallpaper more frequently,

and posting the images I use, if they're ones I shot.

Just for fun.

The above beauties are from fall, 2010,

on a hike to Illilouette Fall

in Yosemite National Park.

Great hike, amazing views pretty much the whole time,

and saw lotsa thirsty birds, drinking from mountain side streams.

And, obv., the snags I adore.

I highly recommend it.

xobb

p.s. Really curious, do you "manage" your computer wallpaper? If so, do you use your work? Other people's? Both? Or, do you just leave it with the image the computer came with?

A new meaning to canvasback (canvas buck?) fm. 10 min ago

 

Was walking towards a doe south of our house, slowly,
with camera in hand, padding across living room floor,
then noticed at my left elbow, this handsome creature.

Took 2 pics, then slowly left as I'd clearly surprised him.

Minutes later, looking for evidence
that I'd not scared him off our property, I found him steadily eating.
First manzanita berries, then many, many nice, fatty acorns. =)

Tho' these aren't all nicely focused
(and are crops of march larger images),
I just love the shadows of the oak on the buck's body.

Lovely.

=)

And I'm glad we got our shed painted red.
A good background for this gorgeous creature.

xobb

fall = horny (well, antler-y) bucks & pretty leaves

ooh, pretty!
(doe = off camera)

grapple, grapple
(mild, not intense; one on right is
clearly smaller, not as muscular)

grapple, grapple

 ooh, pretty!

...annnnd they leave, following the doe off stage. =)

speaking of leaves, the sugar maple in our yard
(Acer saccharum)
(per usual, nicer if you click 'n' zoom)

ooh, pretty!

Happy autumn. =)

xobb

Thilent Thurthday: October in Yosemite, or Yosemite in October?

 

 
 

nature geek tags along w/ golfers on a gorgeous Midwestern fall day

 

The goal for these 2, Bear and his dad, is golf and relaxation...

on a STERLING, Midwestern fall day, 50 dF.

bb, on the other hand, brings binoculars and camera...

jogs off trail to "water hazards" to look for tracks...

squats at dandelions to visit local bees...

stares up at stained glass trees...

takes a quick picture, then leaves a nervous turtle alone...

is drawn off course, toward sunflowers,

so discovers a marshy, boggy mystery,
lurking in the background

and basically spends the afternoon on a wild goose chase,

happy as a clam.

bb


P.S. a few more from-the-plane flight shots,
and a goose ID mystery to solve, later. =)