Howling Wolf Pendant

       When we were in Durango last year I bought this great ceramic howling wolf oval.  I love wolves!  

       I wire wrapped it with copper wire and added a leather cord for the necklace.  It's for sale in my Etsy shop now.  You can find it here.   

        You can use coupon code FEBRUARYBLOG to save some $$$ on this or anything else you see in the shop.  Simply type in the code when you check out.  But hurry - there's only a few more days left to use the February coupon. 

      Thanks for reading and looking at my shop.   Oh---if you go to my shop, please consider favoring it by clicking on the little heart.  Doesn't cost anything or obligate you in anyway, but it helps small shops like mine.   Thanks! 

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary's Winter Campaign

   I've been a supporter of Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary for a couple of years now.  Ever since I learned about the work they do in rescuing wolves and wolf-dogs (plus a few other animals) from owners who have abused, neglected or mistreated them. I was even lucky enough in May, 2016, to visit the sanctuary and see Teton, the wolf I help sponsor, and meet some of the other wolves up close. 
      A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from WSWS that included an e-book about wolves and dogs and information about their plans for a Winter Campaign.  A few days later I received a second e-mail, and today I received the best and last one about their new campaign.  Included in today's e-mail were sound tracks of the wolves and a video! 
       If you love wolves and are looking for a great way to help support them, take a look at Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary's video.

If you would like to donate, their website is here. Howls of love and gratitude to you!

Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary

      Located at an altitude of 7500' and surrounded by Navajo and Zuni reservations is Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary -- a magical place.  We visited here earlier this month. They rescue wolves that people have tried to keep as pets, only to discover that wolves are not meant to be pets.

      I had heard about the Sanctuary and "adopted" Teton, an Arctic wolf, last Christmas. As soon as I found out they had a cabin you could rent I began planning a visit.

The Gift Shop

    You check in at the Gift Shop for tours and to pick up the key to the cabin.  Across the dirt road is the Candy Kitchen country store where we bought lunch before beginning our visit.  They make a great turkey sub. 

        After lunch we were ready for our first event, a standard tour of all of the wolves and other rescued animals.  Although most of the animals are wolves or hybrid wolves,  they have a couple of coyotes, an aging red fox, and some Australian Singing Dogs. They even have some feral dog survivors of hurricane Katrina that were misidentified as wolves.  The one thing all of the animals had in common was their need for a safe and permanent home. 

Off the Grid Cabin

The cabin is solar powered and beautifully decorated inside. But the best thing about it is that a wolf might visit you here!

Storm

Leyton, the Director, with Storm

       I was so excited when Leyton brought Storm to the cabin. You can read about Storm's interesting family story on their web site.  His wolf mother was a rescue, but he and his siblings ended up being raised by Leyton.
       Storm and his brother Flurry are very sociable.   I was able to rub their ears and pet them.  Storm even leaned against me. Their other brother, Teton, is not sociable.  I could only see him at a distance since he stayed high up the hill that's in his enclosure.  But that's the way of wolves. You take them as they are.
        The next day, however, I got to visit with Flurry and hear him howl.  He has a beautiful voice!      

Flurry

I asked Leyton if I could have some wolf fur to use in my jewelry, and he said I could. I brought home a handful and added a bit to my wolf necklace.  

 On the back is a secret paw pocket that I made from ultra suede.  I tucked a bit of wolf fur into it. Near to my heart until I can return to Wild Spirit.

On the Road to Santa Fe

      We took a road trip to New Mexico last week and made a stop in Santa Fe. It's the home of Guadalupe's Fun Rubber Stamps. I had been to their store a few years ago, but now they've moved into a bigger location on Don Gaspar Avenue near the Plaza.

     I found some great southwest stamps and a new (to me anyway) spray ink from Ranger. I'm still learning its properties. In the meantime I couldn't resist using one of the new scenic stamps to make a quick page for my journal.

     Guadalupe's has a large selection of southwest stamps. This one is from B & J's Art Stamps, which is also based in New Mexico. I stamped on a half sheet of Bitty Scrap Pads Backgrounds paper then used a couple of Copic markers and a few colored pencils to add a touch of tint to the building and mountain tops.

     The wolf stamp is one I've had for a while and love. The maker's name has worn off from use.  I should have fussy cut out the turquoise by their legs, but I was in a hurry. If I make another one for a card, I'll definitely do that.  I stamped them in turquoise ink to remind me of the Turquoise Trail, the name given to the scenic drive between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.  If you get a chance to drive it, I heartily recommend you do.

      The significance of the wolves is that they were the primary reason for the trip. We first went to Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary to see the rescued wolves.  I hope to have more information and a few pictures posted about them soon.  The trip to the Sanctuary and to Santa Fe was great. One I hope to repeat again next year.

           

Wolves in Yellowstone - A Sad Update

      It's been a little over 4 years since I went on the Wolf and Elk Fall Adventure in Yellowstone.  That week was a trip of a lifetime, and I wrote a number of posts on my (then) new blog about our trip.   One of the highlights was seeing a member of the Druid pack, a little pup that is barely visible in the photo.   http://www.desertdabbler.com/2009/10/druid-pack-our-first-wolf.html   But despite the fuzziness of the pix, I was thrilled.    We saw a number of wolves, visited an old den, and had a great adventure.
       The only even that marred our trip was the re-opening of wolf hunting in Montana.  This happened as we were nearing the end of our trip.   Almost immediately one of the Park wolves was shot, a female who was probably looking for a mate.   She was collared and not far from the Park boundary, but that didn't keep the trigger happy hunter from shooting her.
        Those of us who love wolves were appalled, but the hunting lobby won out.    At a distance a wolf looks an awfully lot like an Alaskan Malamute or a husky.   So this hunter could easily have shot someone's pet.   If he saw the collar and still knew it was a wolf, he knew he was shooting a research animal.   Either way, it was a tragedy.  I worried about whether the wolves would survive or be totally killed off yet again.      
      A year later our friends Pat and Jerry went with the same tour guides on the Spring Wolf Adventure trip.   They were lucky enough to see and photograph even more wolves.   One even crossed the road right in front of them while they were in Lamar Valley.  They snapped a great  picture of him.   I was optimistic that the wolves would survive and continue to thrive in spite of Montana's hunting season.
      Sadly, that is not happening.
      In a recent article on The Wildlife News blog, wolf expert Kathie Lynch reports that seeing wolves in Yellowstone isn't very easy.   You can read her report at http://www.thewildlifenews.com/2014/01/20/yellowstone-19-years-after-wolf-re-introduction/. 
       Although there are two very large packs (11 and 18 in each), the other packs are very small.  None of the wolves appear to be hanging out in the Lamar Valley on a regular basis. 
        The Wildlife News is an excellent source for updates about wolves as well as the history of their reintroduction. 
         In many states the killing of wolves is on the increase again.  U.S. District Judge for Idaho Edward J. Lodge has ruled that two wolf packs can be eradicated - totally killed - in Idaho’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.   The Idaho Department of Fish & Game has hired a hunter to kill the wolves, and he has already killed nine.  Ralph  Maughan, Defenders of Wildlife, and other wildlife groups tried to get a temporary Order to stop the killing, but the judge denied their request.  The case is Maughan v. Vilsack in the U.S. District Court in Idaho, Case No. 4:14-CV-0007-EJL. 
        Years ago I wrote letters to help in the movement to reintroduce wolves back into Yellowstone and some of the western state.   I joined the Sierra Club and other wildlife organizations, too.  When wolves finally returned in the 70's, I was over joyed.    
         Throughout the years I have maintained my membership in the Sierra Club and also joined Defenders of Wildlife.     I would urge you to do the same if you can.  They are leaders in the fight to save the wildlife and its habitat.  
        You can also link to Ralph Maughan's blog, which is listed at the side.  
        And finally, it appears that it may be time to get back to basics.   I've traded my pen and pencil in for a computer screen and printer these days, but letters to politicians are still effective.  If they know people who vote are watching, it does make a difference.
        But whatever you chose to do, I hope you'll join me in trying to save the wolves.















             

Bearizona -- A Wild, Wild Place

  Yesterday we went to Bearizona, a wildlife park that you drive through.    It's the best wildlife park/zoo I've ever visited.     Bearizona is located outside of Williams, in northern Arizona.   I had seen a brochure about it a few months ago, and I've been wanting to visit ever since.  

   They have bears, mountain goats, buffalo, Dall sheep, and my favorite---wolves!!!   

 They have two kinds, Alaskan Tundra wolves (pictured below) and Artic wolves. 

      In Yellowstone a few years ago we saw Grey wolves, but only at a distance using scopes.   Of course it was great to see them in Lamar Valley, but I really wanted to see them up close.   At Bearizona I was able to do that because the white one, pictured first,  came right up to the car!   He was beautiful.   

     I was so occupied staring at him that I didn't try to take his picture.  He licked the Prius (lucky car), and circled around it to check it out.    We had to move slowly on because he and the other ones were getting a little too interested in the car.    They tell you to move on if the animals start to approach the car, but I just had to watch them up close for a little bit.       

 

     The bears were great, too.   I've never seen so many, active ones.   In the zoos they usually sit quiet, waiting for food.   But they were playful and energetic here.   It was cool and lightly raining, which may have helped energize them. 

     A few moments after this picture was taken, the one by the tree moved to a different tree and climbed it.  That was amazing to watch.   I knew they could climb, but I had never seen one do it.  Now I wonder how many times a bear might have been up in a tree while we were hiking unaware beneath it. 

     

They easily blended into the rocks and hid behind trees, too.

 

      In  Fort Bearizona, the area where small and baby animals are kept, there were suppose to be bear cubs on display.   At first we thought they had been moved.  The enclosure was empty.   Then we looked up and saw that all of them (at least 5) were high in the tall pines.

      We also saw porcupines, raccoons, beavers, Lynx, bobcats, fox, and many, many other animals in the Fort section.   This prickly little guy was enjoying his breakfast.

       Bearizona has only been opened since 2010, and they are still working on it.   I can't wait to go back again.

     



Lamar, America´s Serengeti

  We hit the hill early on Sunday, looking for the Druid pup and hoping to see more of his pack today. Dan Stahler, another wolf expert, has joined us. You can´t have too many eyes looking for wildlife here.

   The pup is there, and this time there is an adult babysitter with him.  It´s fun to watch the two of them interact.  The pup nuzzles the adult, playing and running around a little.   The pup is not well, however.  He has mange, and I can see the toll it has taken on his fur.  Dan explains about the disease and how it can keep the pup from growing thick enough fur to endure the severe Yellowstone winters.  If he doesn´t improve soon, he may not survive.  So it was good to see that one of the adult wolves was taking an interest in him. 

  While we waited for the other wolves to show up, we watched the other animals. They are the reason it is called America´s Serengeti. 

A buffalo just finished taking a dust bath in this photo.   They roam everywhere, and seem unaffected by the other animals.  They walked right through the area where the two wolves were at. They seem to know they aren´t in any danger.

A coyote came through, too, but he didn´t stay long.

Normally the elk would be here, but they haven´t come down from the high country yet.  The weather has been unusually warm.  The Equinox storm, which usually hits around September 22, is late.  You can´t tell it by the temps in the morning--it is very cold--but it warms up quickly.  By 11 a.m. we are all removing layers of coats and sweat shirts.  

A small herd of Prong Horn antelope are here.  They are very pretty and frisky this morning.  Their rut will begin soon.

While we were watching for the wolf pack, a grizzly bear wandered down from the mountain that is on the other side of the valley.  He came very close to the buffalo, but no one could tell if he was really looking to hunt one of them or not.   At one point, however, a few of them lined up and faced him.  They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, and looked very formidable.   The griz ambled back into the pines after a while.

When the bear left, we decide to take a break, which means we hop into the Adventure bus and ride to the closest porta-potty.   It is at the other end of Lamar Valley.  While some of us stand in line, the others scan for wolves.   They soon spot 3 of the Druid pack trotting into the Valley and heading toward the other two wolves. Quickly we load back into the bus and return to the hill.   Eventually we are able to see another wolf through the scopes, but by now they are really far away.  The day is warming up rapidly, and the Druid pack appears to have left the Valley.
We decide to leave, too.  This time we are going to drive up to Mount Washburn, through the Dunraven Pass.   Bears have been spotted up there, and we decide to look for them.

The Druid Pack - Our First Wolf

Lamar Valley is huge.

Look as far as you can in both directions, and you still won´t see where it begins or where it ends. 

We left the cabins at Mammoth Hot Springs before dawn to drive to

 Lamar Valley.  We wanted to get there early, when the wolves are more likely to be active.  

Climbing up a hill, we set up scopes, prepared cameras, and scanned the Valley.

All of us had seen Lamar in nature films, but only one of the group had been here before.  Linda and Nathan, of course, are experts at spotting wolves.  In that expanse of sage and grass, they know exactly where to look and what to look for. Trees line the back edge, and the road creates the front boundary. In between are sections of sage and grasses. A stream meanders through it, near the road.  I was amazed at its size, and I think many of the others were equally surprised. 

A couple of men were fly fishing in the stream.  From our hillside, they looked like ants.  When I looked to the right, I saw Prong Horn Antelope grazing.  Bison were everywhere.     

The Valley is home to the Druids, one of the oldest packs in the Park. On the first morning, we spotted a yearling pup, who was all alone.    

He was harder to see than I had expected.  Even when I knew where he was, the distances were too great for binoculars.  For me, the scopes were a challenge to use. I think they work better if you don´t have glasses with bifocals. I tried looking with glasses and without.  Mostly, I kept hoping the pup would simply come closer.

 Still, I was seeing a wolf pup, and that was a thrill.

We watched him for hours as he played in the Valley.  He would move in and out of the sage, and occasionally howl.  Whenever he laid down, he disappeared in the sage.   We kept hoping the rest of the pack would arrive, but they never did.   Still, none of the other animals bothered him.   The antelope grazed in their area, and the bison roamed everywhere.   

All that grazing made us hungry, too!   Nathan and Linda brought out hot coffee, huckleberry yogurt, rolls, cereal, hard-boiled eggs, and other breakfast goodies.  We feasted as we stood on the hill, surrounded by the animals, and watched the wolf pup.

Yellowstone Wolf and Elk Adventure

      Last week we left the heat of the desert to travel to Yellowstone National Park. Our 40th Anniversary was in August, and we wanted to celebrate by visiting Yellowstone. We had gone to Glacier National Park ten years ago--our first trip West. Since that time we had been farther north into Canadian Parks, Banff and Jasper, but we had never been to Yellowstone.

      We were on the hunt for wolves.  After years of hard work by scientists, political activists, and animal-lovers, they were returned to Yellowstone in 1995.   I had been one of the thousands of animal lovers who had written letters to politicians to try to save and return the wolves.  I had joined groups and seen and petted a captive wolf named Jethro.  Even made the family go on a wolf howl in Ohio. (No wolves, of course.  Just a tape player and dedicated, or crazy, wolf-lovers!) 

 Finally I was going to get to see wild wolves.

     We traveled with The Wild Side,a wildlife tour company operated by two biologists, Nathan Varley and Linda Thurston.

http://www.wolftracker.com/  

      The Adventure Bus took us to Lamar Valley, Hayden Valley, and other great sites in the Park.  At night we stayed at a variety of neat places: cabins, Yellowstone Lodge, and Chico Hot Springs.

     Our first night was spent in Mammoth Hot Springs.  The elk that live here are smart.  No wolves for miles.  The herd enjoys the safety of the lawn as well as the grass. They also keep the park rangers occupied with trying to keep the tourists a safe distance away. It´s fun to watch.

     We spent the first day getting into the Park, watching the elk, and meeting each other. There were ten adventurers on the trip--from California, Boston, Pittsburg, Maryland, and Arizona (us).   One young couple came all the way from Oxford, England, making our trip an International Wolf and Elk Adventure!  

     A variety of occupations were represented, including retirees, paramedic, computer expert, business executive, soldier, nurse, and public defender (me). The thing we had in common was our love of wolves.  We were all excited about seeing them.  

But first we had to get past the bison.

     Even though I came to look for wolves, the bison were amazingly interesting. I had seen them before, but never so many and in their own environment. They own the Park, and they know it.  The wolves are the heart of Yellowstone, but the Bison rule.

     But we were determined to see wolves, and soon we would. Early in the morning we were going to Lamar Valley...