While finishing up an appointment with the eye specialist, Dad texted. He sent these two photos, which granted aren’t National Geographic caliber—more a problem of their bieng hugely downsampled during transmission. He used one of the newer, high-end smartphones to capture the creatures, so the detail should be sharper.
Moose are common back on the family farm, which Dad leases out. But there is no crop this year—part of the rotation process meant to keep from exhausting the soil. I asked where he saw them. “In the field behind the house. The bull was just about 100 feet from me. I was standing on the deck”, he answered. “I was trying to take pictures and call my friend Randy who I let hunt here—so I could not get all the Moose but I did count 10 in all; two were Bulls”.
Ten? How would you like to be up close to that many beasts? Dad sees all kinds of creatures on the farm, even during winter, which has got to feel close. October is generally quite cool. My phone weather app says the temperature is 1 degree Celsius in my hometown this evening. Forecast high tomorrow morning, with a 60-percent chance of snow flurries: 3 degrees C.
Funny thing, I wouldn’t guess how cool is the air from the photo. Would you?