Young Nature Lover

After a couple of morning feedings and diaper changes, Sam, Olive and I hopped in the car and drove up to the Moran entrance to the Park in search of grizzly bears. Yesterday, Jamie had gotten to see the famous mom and her three cubs out on the ice of Oxbow, searching for food, one of the cubs falling through the melting spring ice. This morning was beautiful, clear with the mountains gleaming in their white glory, frost and a thin dusting of snow coating the sagebrush. Regal moose, flitting bluebirds, stoic hawks...we witnessed them all as we wove our way up north. Sam slumbering in the back and Olive periodically licking my hand when I reached back to pet her. As expected there were a crowd of people, many out with high powered scopes. There were geese and swans welcoming the newly arrived white pelicans, all birds mingling together on the ice. A beaver huddled on the ice edge, hardly moving. Later I learned that its lodgemate had become food for the hungry grizzly cubs. Because beavers mate for life and don't make frequent public appearances in the broad daylight it was most likely grieving its lost love. In the trees you could make out the hulking form of mama bear, standing periodically to toss the latest kill from one cub to another. Nature in all its messy glory. Sam was the youngest viewer there. He took in the sights for a good ten minutes before the stomach started controlling the mind. I like to think that he notices the beauty around us, where we live. I do know that being outside tends to calm him down and fascinate his eyes, ears and skin. I watched some six year olds take turns looking through a scope, their faces coming away full of awe. I can't wait to witness the same expressions on Sam's little face when we take him into the backcountry. Nature will become even more alive for me seeing it through my little boys eyes.