I hope this gives you joy. Listen to the trilling of a lone Yosemite toad beneath the shoulder of Mt. Dana.
I thought I had missed the annual love song of the Yosemite toad, as it’s late to catch it. And indeed, the ponds had tadpoles, signaling most of the breeding had passed. But this little guy was not going to give up on true love :D
"Firefall" Horsetail Fall I almost didn't drive into the park today as I am not a big fan of crowds, and the clouds were swirling around Midpines this afternoon (clouds can prevent the natural firefall from happening). So glad I did. This was the most spectacular natural #firefall I have seen in my 20 years in Yosemite National Park. 100% nature-a couple of weeks every February if conditions are right, the light from the setting sun hits Horsetail Fall just right to produce this “firefall.”
Took hundreds of photos today of this remarkable animal.
As I wrote in my book: I am helplessly in love with elephant seals. I never tire of watching their antics, which range from those of an affable dog to a curmudgeonly grandfather to a boastful prizefighter. They sound constantly annoyed with their barks and yells, yet enjoy cuddling together while napping on the beach. For some people their incomplete elephant’s trunk of a nose is a barrier to admiration, but I find it ridiculously cute-ugly. Jacques Cousteau, in his 1974 book Diving Companions, wrote about his affinity for the creature: “At the beginning, the animal seemed unattractive, even repulsive….Yet, we ended by experiencing a real sympathy for these giants who are the victims of their own size. We discovered their virtues, their courage and tenderness, and love of freedom."
While I kneeled down to take a photo of the second bear scat pile I had discovered about 20 feet from the first, I thought “cool, I wonder if the bear is still around.” I received an answer very quickly!
I looked up to see a beautiful, wild black bear gazing at me. What an incredible encounter-just the two of us, high on the Kuna Crest, and miles from a trail and other people. He considered me for a time, then bounded up the rocks and away. I stood there so full of joy and gratitude for his visit.
Encounters with wild things are the most profound moments of my life. As one of my favorite writers, Craig Childs, said “..Times that I have seen animals have been like knife cuts in fabric. Through these stabs I could see a second world ...”
