Bears Will Be Bears

©2013 Ken W. Hall

©2013 Ken W. Hall

Monday evening I got home from picking up dinner take out. When I returned home my friend Wade Miller was in my living room talking with Penny. As I entered the house he turned his attention to me. "Do want some bear pictures?" was his greeting.

Funny he should ask I thought to myself. Earlier today, in the morning, I went to his house to retrieve some apples. While walking to some trees that have a bounty Wade spoke, "You can come out any time but if it's after dark better bring your bear spray." I replied, "I feel like I need it now, there is one in the area. I can feel it! You say there is one in Jeffers but have you seen it?"

Then came his visit at dinner time. The only way I could reply to his invite to get bear images was, "I'll meet there in twenty minutes." With that the "safari" commenced.

When I arrived in Jeffers Wade came out and we set to meet Mr. Bruin. Was it a juvenile or an adult? Subsequent steps across the road to a large stand of old cottonwoods quickly eliminated one of the choices. The bear had passed juvenile seasons in thru past seasons. The bear the bear was settled in the fork of the giant cottonwoods waiting for the cloak of the fast rising of evening. Under the shadows of darkness the bruin could satisfy the gluten of fast arriving fall and an impending hibernation thru winter. Food was calling and the bear was listening.

After surveying the situation I picked my initial camera angle, made some test exposures and took a deep breath. Show time! The curtain went up and the camera began to sing. After a dozen or so images I chose to alter the angle of view for another series of exposures. This change gave me another wonderful angle of view, a view that was acceptable only to me, not the bruin. It began to utter guttural sounds rumbling from unknown centuries of programming. A warning, one observer to the other that enough is enough. The bear unscrewed itself from the confines of the aforementioned fork where had waited for darkness. The altering of its viewpoint of me had a specific intent and the intent was to let me know, one participant to the other, things were changing and changing in quick succession. The modeling session was over and whatever i had captured was all there was going to be, at least without putting myself in the crosshairs of the the bear. The decision was simple for me since I was the one who stood the largest chance of physical change and possible rearrangement of my body.

"Adios, and thank you for allowing us to come eye to eye with each other for this time and to experience our divine creation. You enjoy you apples and a long winter's nap. Who knows, if you be a mother, I would love to meet you and your cubs next summer. You will likely remember our time together so why wouldn't you share the story with the little ones. Tell them honest and favorable tales of Uncle Ken and the whirring sounds of his camera and a sincere donation to posterity."

We fear bears because of  because of stories of bears, some horrific. Then there are the "Winnie The Poo" ones, gentle and childlike. Both transfix our senses and spawn a primal urge to tell stories. This is my story, what is your's?"

Ken W. Hall

September 10, 2013

Ennis, Montana

Smokey Skies and the Moon

©2013 Ken W. Hall

There have been a few really heavy rainfalls these past few days.  It is  unusual to have so much moisture this time of year.   Temperatures remain in the eighties for daily highs and in the forties in the mornings.  

Ken sent me this photo with his comments.  I thought I would share them with you.  The image is spectacular.

Penny

This image was captured the evening of August 20, 2013 at 7:40 pm. That evening the valley was filled with intense smoke from fires in Montana, Idaho and California.

I got a phone call from a great artist friend, Bill Sweney, who lives with his wife Karen in Bozeman. At their home they have deck and yard with a due east view of the Bridger Mountains and in particular the pass that heads to Livingston. Bill called to see what kind of "show" we were getting here in our valley. Since the moon rises approximately 15-20 minutes prior to ours here, the call was enough lead time to grab my bag and head east 1 1/2 blocks to an open sage field where I sat poised and waited for the moon to peer over the Madison Range.

The majesty of the Creator never ceases to amaze me!

Ken

Moose in Ennis Montana

©2012 Ken W. Hall

©2012 Ken W. Hall

©2012 Ken W. Hall

©2012 Ken W. Hall

I just realized a month has passed since my last post.  We moved from one house to another in town.  It took longer than planed due to the need to paint the new location and the time it takes to move three businesses as well as a home.

We are blessed to be caretakers of a beautiful old home located in lower Ennis.  We have a strong connection with nature, the land and the animals.  Surrounded by trees and bushes on a beautiful creek we feel as if we are in the country but are just two blocks from main street.

While unpacking and setting up his office this week Ken received a call from a neighbor.  He asked Ken if he would be interested in photographing a moose that was feeding on apples in his neighbor's yard.

Ken grabbed his camera and the above photos are the result.  Moose sightings are rare so the three hanging out in town are causing quite a stir.  I am grateful Ken was able to preserve their visit.

The weather has been interesting the past month.  Lots of really hot days in the nineties, some afternoon thunderstorms, a hail storm and now afternoons in the lower eighties.  We were blessed to have such a pleasant summer.

With our move occupying so much time and energy we feel as if we missed much of the summer's activities.  Our collective creative juices are flowing.  It will be fun to see what we create this winter to share with our friends and visitors next summer.