Moose Bog Blog

Moose I Remember... the early years!

2008-11-26T07:36:00.001+12:00

Growing up in Maine as I did, I remember so many, many moose I couldn't begin to count them all, but each one made it's mark, some had their 15 minutes of fame, and some (just like some humans) died way too young. All have continued to heighten the affinity I feel towards them.

There always seemed to be an abundance of moose around back then. I saw my first moose less than 3 miles away from our house when I was about four. For many years we saw moose almost daily, all within a 10 mile radius from home, many quite close by. From our upstairs window we watched one across the road in my neighbor's field. My mother thought it was a horse at first glance. And another time someone called one morning to say on their way home from the drive-in they saw a big bull moose standing in our driveway. I went out to scout the driveway for tracks and found a large tooth that I was sure belonged to the moose. In spite of the fact Mom thought it was a cow's tooth and I was some kind of crazy 5 year old girl, I kept it for a long time. I never knew whether I lost it eventually or Mom threw it out. (I would never have thrown it away!)

We often saw moose in the little bog just beyond the one room school house I attended starting in 1946.

On one occasion I was playing in our front yard when a car coming down the hill stopped suddenly almost in front of me. The lady in the passenger seat rolled her window down and was obviously very distressed when she pointed down the road and asked "WHAT is that...that great beast in the road?" I glanced down the hill and standing there in the road was a bull moose. "Oh, that's just a moose, he won't hurt you," I said casually. She asked me how my mother dared to let me play in the yard with animals like that "walking around loose". I laughed and ran inside to tell mom about the moose AND the lady. What the lady didn't know was I not only played in the yard, but I ran through the woods almost daily, and sometimes took carefree naps in mossy clearings. (You know, I never did see a moose in the woods back then!)

The one room school house was closed back when I was six or seven. It was bought by a local couple who converted it into a family dwelling. One day (when I was maybe about twelve) our phone nearly rang off the wall. It was the lady living in the school house. I babysat a few times for her. She was so excited I could barely understand her. Mostly I heard her shouting "NINE MOOSE!! NINE MOOSE!!.. came out of the woods... NINE MOOSE!!... looked like a (#@//"%!#) parade!... NINE MOOSE!!" I walked down to see her and she told the story all over again, pointing excitedly to the kitchen window all the while. Apparently while she stood there doing dishes, glancing out the window occasionally, she was caught off guard by the sight of a bull moose walking out of the woods (less than twenty feet away) and coming straight toward her kitchen window only to turn at the last possible moment to walk off to her left and through her neighbors yard. No sooner had it turned than another moose came out and followed suit. One by one, like a line of soldiers, out they came straight towards her window and turned until nine moose had come and gone. It was one of those wish I'd been there to see it moments. I laughed then and I still do when I think about it. Every one should have at least one good moose encounter to tell about! Hers is one of the best I've heard.

For many years it was common to hear about car moose accidents near the bog bordering route 11 just before the intersection with route 26. About the time I was going to high school 1956-1960 there was one summer that at least three moose were hit in the same area.

A couple years after that my best friend and her husband bought a new car and were headed home across the "Promise Land" road (north side of the bog that crosses route 11). Her husband had been driving but he agreed to let her drive once they were on the back road. Her driving career took a sudden and spectacular turn that day, so to speak... They, and their bright new car ended up in a ditch, the car on it's side, with a bull moose looking down at them through the open window. I always figured that particular moose car accident had a happy ending! She had avoided hitting the moose by swerving sharply. The moose responded by taking a considerable amount of time checking them out before walking away once he decided his work was done, and they were finally able to climb out and walk home as well. That was the only car moose accident I ever heard about that they all walked away from!!

You must be getting the full picture by now... Not only did my mom mark my height on the door casing, not only am I now one of the Old timers who still measure distance by the hour, but my life - my lifeline - is dotted with "moose markers". Moose were in one way or another as much a part of my earliest years as the dresses my mom made for my sister & me each spring from grain sacks (it's true), or the shiny patten leather baby doll shoes for Easter, or the endless sun-filled summers, and snow-sledding winters.

Of Mangled Moose And Men...

2008-11-24T19:53:00.007+12:00

In my last blog entry I referred to an area where many car moose accidents have occurred. over the years. There were at least three accidents there just in one summer back in the late 50's. There were others before and more since; two people died there that I know of in the last five years.

I'm sure in my lifetime several people have died in that general vicinity as the result of hitting moose. I remember hearing about one man who lived to tell about it. People said it was because he was a big rugged man and that he bent the steering wheel.

Moose die almost every single time when hit by a car, or sadly (but mercifully) they are put down by authorities. There is just no way they can recover when their legs are broken and they are in shock. I've been told sometimes the meat from them is donated to an organization like a nursing home. I know sometimes they are hauled off the road and left for scavengers.

People too, frequently die from the injuries received in car moose accidents. The odds are against you when you hit a moose! It's hard to avoid injuries when a 500 to a 1,000 pound animal suddenly smashes through the windshield, legs and hooves flailing wildly, often tearing the roof off as well. It's a truly terrible thing for anyone to experience and even worse way to die.

These are two really good reasons to slow down, when driving at night especially, and to remember to always brake for moose! It's sad that then and even now people who drive through these hot spot type areas don't heed the warnings to slow down. "Don't out drive your headlights" are WORDS TO LIVE BY!

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I appologize profoundly if this piece is upsetting to you. Maybe it's happened to you, maybe you've lost a family member or friend this way. Please don't think because I'm writing about moose and have an obvious fascination with them that I am insensitive to the horrendous results of these accidents suffered by the human counterparts .

I value human life over moose every time! But we are the ones in cars and on motorcycles sometimes going faster than we should be for the conditions, day or night, but especially at night when moose are harder to spot. It isn't as if there's no solution to an impossible situation. There is one. We KNOW what's what and we need to think of our own safety and well being even if we don't like moose and wouldn't care if they were all dead! We just need to take responsibility for our own safety and the moose will benefit in return. Even so, obviously, accidents do and will happen. But at least logic tells us there will be fewer accidents, possibly some accidents might not be so severe. We need to try.

Moose are just out there being moose. They aren't out to get us... they are just doing what moose do. Some may learn by trial and error not to go near the road, life experiencs so to speak. They may have been witness to what happens when they are careless. So they hesitate, they try to steel themselves like a swimmer about to dive into icy water, and they hurry. I've seen them do this. They may be hesitant and start cautiously across a highway, get nervous and stop, trying to decide what to do. I've seen them do this. They may learn to look before they cross the street. I've watched many moose do this and believe me, some of them really act as if they know exactly what they are risking when they go to cross a road, especially cows with a calf. I think many cows have lost a calf this way, so they learn, or they certainly appear to be trying. One day a couple years ago I photographed a cow and her newborn calf and when I returned early the next morning hoping to get a few more pictures, that baby moose lay dead beside the road.

We really do need to try if not for the moose, for ourselves.

Moose Sightings Up This Year...

2007-11-19T14:09:00.000+12:00

I'm speaking for myself when I say that, of course! After not driving moose tours for two years I've suffered a serious case of moose withdrawal. This summer in between trying to get three acres of run-away lawns, gardens, and woods under control-- plus working on a few dozen other chores -- I made the supreme effort to find time to look for moose. I wasn't disappointed! From early May to the middle of October we spotted (and photographed) over two hundred moose!

In July our friends from NY joined us for "moose looking". I thought at first we might be skunked, but then nearly drove into one while gawking at something dark in a field. My friend shouted "Look! Look!" I immediately focused on the road, braking unceremoniously while a tall, handsome moose trotted quickly across the road and into the woods. Soon after that as our friends returned to camp, we headed home, passing through territory covered earlier. That's when we saw a bull I named "Big Bill". He was gorgeous! I couldn't wait to call Billie and tell her about the awesome moose she just missed. >sigh<

By Labor Day the sightings had slowed down but picked up again in September and October. I normally stop making trips by mid October in order to tackle projects neglected during the summer. We don't bother to go much after hunting season ends, because we rarely see more than two or three additional moose. (I figure I'd hide too if people shot at me!) This year we saw six in less than a week though. Probably gas prices and family obligations are all that's kept me from charging off into the wilderness two or three times a week!

If we were located farther north I'm sure all our numbers would be much higher and believe me, I keep thinking about moving! There's no place I'd rather be than where I could look out my window while drinking my morning coffee and watch moose!

This year the day after the hunt was over we headed north to a favorite spot where we watched a cow, calf, and bull materialize in the morning fog. I shot about 50 frames that might have been fantastic if the fog ever lifted. Unfortunately the moose left before it cleared so I will have to "lift" some of the fog by digital means! As it is, some of the photos are semi-decent as far as I'm concerned. My husband did get some excellent video footage however!

The next day I saw a cow and calf crossing the road. (different cow, calf, location) The cow started across, but with cars approaching from both directions she did what moose do best... she stopped in the middle of the road and waited patiently for her calf to follow, while a half dozen "innocent by-standers" waited patiently in cars. The calf was nervous and only managed to get near the edge of the road for a few seconds before bolting back into the brush. The cow gave in and ambled after her baby. These photos, like many others I took this summer, were little more than snapshots as I was three cars back and shooting through my windshield.

Two days later we returned to the same area and found a another, larger cow by herself, emerging from the woods. She hung around for about twenty minutes, posing for pictures before finally coming up over the banking directly across from where I was parked. At first I thought she was coming to see us, but at the road's edge she veered to her left, walked down the road a few steps and crossed directly in front of our van!

All in all, it was a good "make-up year" with plenty of great moose sightings, giving us a new batch of photos to share and stories to tell. We even saw a mother bear with twin cubs!

Winter is just starting to close in on us here in southwestern Maine. We escaped the first snowfall of the season that fell on several towns around us yesterday, but I'm already looking forward to spring. It promises to be memorable for several reasons: We planted over 400 spring bulbs this fall, so the yard work should pay off. Then, I've planned a couple of fantastic early spring trips -- one for myself and another for hubby and me. AND I'm looking forward to finally starting the tours again in the spring!

In the meantime, I'm going to order oil, do a bunch of holiday cooking on our new range, and put my feet up for a while... Mom always told us. "If it's worth having, it's worth waiting for!"

Scouting For Spring Moose In Maine...

2007-04-10T15:49:00.000+12:00

Spring is trying desperately to fight it's way through the weekly snow storms and left over frigid temps Mother Nature has been throwing our way lately. Not easily discouraged, I awaken daily with the urge to hit the road and find the moose! So far I've been here and there with nary a moose in sight, but I have occasionally spotted fresh moose tracks so remain optimistic.

Tomorrow's another day. As always I will start by telling myself "today's the day -- we'll see some today." My friend, Clara, and I plan to grab our new (twin) cameras, breakfast sandwiches, & coffee and do some serious scouting...

Will keep you posted!

Maine White Moose - Reality or Myth?

2007-01-31T11:13:00.000+12:00

Mind you, I know I'm not the last authority on Moose in Maine or anywhere else for that matter! After my initial excitement over the possibility of even one white moose roaming the woods of Maine I immediately started plotting how I would verify the story, and when and how I would go in search of them! From the beginning there were warning signs. The television station that aired the story didn't respond to my first or second email. Hmmph! Ok...

Other issues including my computer and my "bionic" leg kept my attention to details at bay until finally about a week ago the answer arrived on my doorstep. I've already given Richard, my ex-husband and now best friend, credit for most of what I know about where to look for moose, so I might as well admit he had the answer. Richard stopped by to help me with a computer problem and I asked him about making a road trip with us. He knows me too well, and instantly replied, "I'm not going to waste my time going to Greenville to find white moose that don't exist!" This is where I also admit we usually see different sides of every coin and I was already bristling, readying my defense when he added, "at least three friends I talk to every day have told me those pictures have been circulating on the internet for years now..." Again, Hmmph!

I didn't argue the point with Richard, but couldn't imagine that those two particular pictures had been out there and I hadn't seen them. For the last seven years people have been sending me emails or links to everything that has ANYTHING to do with moose, any where and any color! I have seen the pictures that circulate of white moose in Canada, Idaho, and Norway (the country). I've even seen a white bull moose bagged by hunters in Canada, that had been stuffed, mounted, and ended up in a New England sporting goods store. This moose I recognized from a photo on a Canadian site http://www.whitemoose.ca When I mentioned it to Joel, webmaster of that site, he affirmed my suspicion that it was the same moose.

The thought that there were more pictures out there I just hadn't seen finally surfaced. I began searching the internet for white moose and was joined by an email friend from NY. We talked back and forth as we found new sites, stories, & pictures. After reading several of them we came across one that rang out to me... Here were the pictures -- and the mention of Maine in the same sentence made it obvious how, in this case at least, the story started.. I think we found the original truth about the pictures. Several more sites had these same pictures and all that I looked at attributed the pictures to Bathurst, New Brunswick.

There, on someone's blog, were the pictures I had seen on tv. Beneath the pictures it is clearly stated: ".... photos of twin albino moose shot near Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada back in September. The road reminds me of the route between Greenville and Kokadjo, Maine.."

I'm not in any way trying to imply the owner of the site started the rumor! Not at all. I'm just saying I think someone read this and misinterpreted it, or in the true nature of a game of gossip, perhaps the truth was lost as the story was repeated to others. To see the photos and the article I quoted, please go to http://schreinervideo.blogspot.com/2007/01/albino-moose-pictures.html

My friend offered sympathy when I said, "Well, that's it then!" She said it must be a let down, and yeah, it is in a way, but it's like I told her -- I just like knowing, and now I do! There's satisfaction in that.

>,,<

Of Moose and Men...

2007-01-02T18:37:00.000+12:00

Some dates have proven to be special for me and will forever stand out in my memory, as does April 9, 1985. That was the day I saw my first mature American bald eagle. It was circling low, just above tree level and passed overhead three or four times before gliding off into the distance. This was a thrilling moment. One that, serendipitously, I was able to share with my two youngest daughters, age 5 and 14. Joyous moments always seem sweeter when shared!

Now I have a new date to remember. December 27, 2006, was indeed special to me, if no one else! (Sometimes just knowing about something is enough.) It was a day I had imagined would come sooner or later, but it still caught me off guard. I was thrashing around in the kitchen and barely heard a last minute addition to the six o'clock news program that was ending. Something about "pictures from an unusual sighting in Maine, sent in by a viewer, more at 11...."

Instinctively I whirled around to catch a milli-second glimpse of a photo as it disappeared into a commercial. My elation grew to overwhelming proportions and with unwavering certainty I bellowed " YES! I knew it, I KNEW IT!!!" I wanted to rush to the phone and call anyone I thought might care and tell them the exciting news, but thought better of it and decided to wait until 11 to see if I was right about what I had seen. I managed to hold out for a couple hours and finally called my sister, asking her if she had seen the newscast. No, she hadn't but "a neighbor" told her about it. If they were right I was wrong. That gnawed on me like a toothless old woman chewing on an ear of corn! I HAD to see the 11 o'clock news.

Another hour passed (slower than the last two) when I again felt compelled to talk with someone... so I called my sister-friend's answering machine and left her a vague message. It might be days before she listened to the tape. At least I would have time to come up with a reason for my insanity if I was wrong. I DO need new glasses, and I only caught a split-second flash of the picture...

Eleven o'clock! I was interested enough to remember to change the channel back to the station with the news show, and waited on the edge of my chair until at last, with a similar lead-in ("unusual sighting...") I saw before me first one photo and then a second. Being right was exhilarating, but only because it meant my wildest dream had come true! WHITE MOOSE... not one, but two! There ARE white moose in Maine!! The pictures were sent in (presumably via cell phone) by a lady who was driving through. The moose were right on the roadside, much like spring moose. They were referred to as "albinos," which they may well be. More likely, they may just be "white moose."

Canada has a population of white moose known as the Armstrong-White Moose strain, first recorded about 40 years ago. When I learned of them I read everything I could find about the white moose of Foleyet, researching many sources for information, after which I wrote an short article for my website. If my memory serves me correctly, the Armstrong moose were believed to be albinos at first. Over time theories have risen that they were a new species, or a subspecies, perhaps a mutant moose? But as it turns out their dna is pretty much in line with the brown moose. They don't have that little bit of "magic" stuff that makes an albino an albino, but rather are simply a color variation, a rare occurance employing recessive genes. So if it looks like a moose, walks like a moose, it probably is... even if it's white!!!

Both moose pictured from the Maine sighting looked quite healthy, but I'm not able to tell you if they were males or females, although I did get the impression that one was a mature adult. The second one may be a young adult. I'll admit my excitement over someone, anyone, spotting white moose in Maine made it difficult to "take it all in". All manner of interesting possibilities raced through my head before I realized they will face the same dilemmas the Canadian white moose have been up against for years. Hunters might prize a white moose trophy, and might argue there's nothing special enough to save them from being shot. and car - moose accidents will be color blind.

For the most part though humans today seem to be aware of the importance of protecting various species from extinction. Personally, I'd take that a step further. I'm not against hunting. I believe we (humans) are part of nature's checks and balances. But we shouldn't be the cause of extinction, like wiping out herds of buffalo from the American plains. We may have the beginning of a white moose population, or just two truly unusual, lovely, ethereal creatures. Either way, it's my conviction they should be given their freedom to be, whatever they are. I would like to see them protected, forbidden from the hunt and perhaps one day I'll be lucky enough to spot one (or more). That would be another thrilling day to remember. Imagine being there to share the moment...

Moose, My Maine Obsession! (Photograph)

2006-06-26T07:11:00.000+12:00

My moose tour business evolved from a self-prescribed cure for monumental stress and X-amount of pain. In the beginning my pain was my life! I was searching for an escape from daily routine, the mountain of red tape involved in injury claims, and the frustration of waiting while the gears of bureaucracy ground at a mind numbing snail's pace. I drove north, and just kept driving. That day I ended up sitting on the edge of a boat ramp (I think it was on Upper Richardson). My fishing license in my pocket, I walked out and sat on the edge of the boat ramp, laying my fish pole down beside me, and just sat there. Hours may have passed. A friendly young couple came up in brightly colored kayaks. We talked for a few minutes and they left. The subject of moose had come up. They had seen a bull moose feeding off shore on their way out that morning. I mentioned the fact that I had seen moose almost daily as a child, and was curious why I hadn't seen many in recent years. Sitting there, alone again, it occurred to me that: (1) I wasn't "in the right place" most of the time. (There are very few moose in my living room or the doctor's waiting room, although I did see a moose planter in the town office once!) and (2) I wasn't looking! (Many moose I see now most people would drive right by without seeing them. You do see what you look for!)

So there it is in a nutshell. That seed, planted deep in my psyche, started my ongoing obsession with moose. I miss doing the moose tours. A few times this year I have made trips into or through my "moose country" and have seen only 38 moose so far, (sort of like being on a "moose free diet"... AAAAAARRRGHH!!!) LOL. Still, there is something to be said for the trip itself, whether I see moose or not, it's always worth the trip. The natural beauty, mountains, woods, storm clouds, the freshness of the air, sweet (or pungent) scents, and the quiet.

This is the therapeutic part. It's healing!

Mooseland Tours - Doors Closed In Norway

2006-06-14T14:47:00.000+12:00

Closing our store on Main Street in Norway, Maine, seemed like a monumental task to say the least strictly from a physical reality standpoint. From an emotional viewpoint, it was surreal. Even though we knew at the end of April we would be closing the doors May 30th, there were many things happening that drew my attention and before I knew it we had less than two weeks.

Initially Leon went up many days alone while I stayed home with Mom. Each night we discussed what needed to be done and the next day he would work on various projects like boxing up personal items that were left, bringing up things from the cellar, setting out unused display pieces to be sold, marking stock down, many times calling to check with me about things I hadn't thought of, or to discuss what to do next. Leon is 68 and only human. I knew he needed help bringing many things up from the cellar and the sheer quantity of things to deal with was more than he could manage alone. I called on friends Rich and Diane, and a family member, Dave, to come and help. Thanks to their aid Leon finished clearing the cellar of the larger pieces of furniture we had accumulated as well as boxes too numerous to mention!

The last two weeks I would go up with him on the weekends when Mom could stay with my sister. Other days we brought Mom with us to the store while we worked. She's a trooper. She took everything in stride, but usually after a day at the store Mom & I would stay home the next day, partially to rest and (for me) to try to deal with other details we had to tie up. There were very few crafter's items left in the store because before we closed for the winter most items were returned then, rather than letting them sit for 2 or 3 months in the shop gathering dust.

What I think I felt the worst about was the fact that our closing was affecting other people, as well as ourselves. When we were getting ready for the upcoming season and working toward that end we made arrangements with several talented people who were going to join us and help to fulfill our store's potential. We were especially happy when Norman Jackson talked with us about putting in his wonderful line of pine furniture. He had many pieces already made, but began thinking about some special details that would fit our theme. Many of the pieces had doors with panels and he suggested putting wildlife panels in some. There were many great ideas and I was looking forward to opening with great anticipation. Telling a few other crafters our plans had changed and why was something I had to do, but telling Norman we were going to close was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. He had brought several pieces in already and made one special hutch to match our colors in the main part of the store. I KNOW that if circumstances were different and we were able to open, this summer would have been a great success and that would have been due in large part to the efforts and presence of this dear person. I truly believe God sent him to help us. Norman is a genuine, caring (& talented) person who was not just concerned with displaying his furniture line and making sales. He saw the arrangement as mutually beneficial, but it was clear from the beginning he was as much concerned with helping us in any way possible, covering the store possibly when we had tours, to helping Leon move things, or with ideas, running an errand if needed and most importantly, by being very supportive, and listening in his quiet way. Norman & I talked. While I think he was disappointed with my decision , he understood what I was up against and accepted it graciously. Hopefully, if we reopen our Mooseland Tours & Gifts shop next spring he will be there, pleasant, friendly demeanor, furniture, ideas & all. Norman Jackson is a wonderful man whom Leon & I feel honored to call a friend.

We discounted stock 50%, then 75%. We put stuff out on the sidewalk "free". We sold the display pieces, Norman took his furniture on the last day. A reporter from the Lewiston Sun interviewed me and took a picture that appeared in the next day's paper. Leon's brother made countless trips with his truck. Richard came and went several times to take items too large for the van, (like our park bench with cast iron legs that is sitting in the front yard now thanks to him!) The last two days we were fortunate to have other helpers, who worked tirelessly (or seemingly so) pulling things together, sorting, packing, cleaning, and even climbing the ladder to take down our wooden sign and scraping the lettering off the windows. ~sigh ~

I'm tired and I need to take care of my health right now, among other things. But as they always say, all's well that ends well. In spite of everything, from our humble beginning to our humble closing it was "a great ride". I loved every minute of it. We met many fantastic people, had some incredible experiences, learned a lot along the way, most of it the hard way, but came away with a full heart and the sincere hope that God willing, we (sort of like General MacArthur) shall return!

Moose Tour News From Mooseland Tours & Gifts

2006-05-02T16:13:00.000+12:00

We are not going out of business, but... for a number of reasons, explained below, we have decided to close our store, Mooseland Tours & Gifts, in Norway, Maine, and to suspend moose tours for this summer. It is our sincere hope that our friends who have returned (for several years now) to take tours with us will bear with us as we make some major changes.

Many of you know that last summer was devastating for us. My mother (85year old) recovered from one hip replacement operation, then suffered through the same procedure twice more because of an infection deep in her hip. She was back and forth between the hospital and rehab at a nearby nursing home and my brother, sister and I were at her side daily. She returned to the rehab a few days after the third surgery weak, confused and stressed. Not surprisingly, she was back in the hospital a week later with a heart attack.

While Mom was making her journey through all these traumatic events and eventually was regaining her strength, Leon's father was admitted to another nursing home. Mom was allowed to return home on August 25, and was visited regularly by home nurses and therapists. Lewis remained in the nursing home, failing over the next two months. His brother Francis (Leon's uncle) died October 13 and Lewis died a week later on his 94th birthday.

I had put my own hip replacement off for a year and a half, and planned to have it done in the fall. After seeing what Mom had been through I will admit I was not anxious to rush out and have mine done. We were all exhausted too. Having Mom home and being responsible for her well being and protecting her new hip was a HUGE thing. Doctors haven't diagnosed her with altzheimer's but she does have some form of dementia. No short term memory. The day after her surgery she didn't know why she was in the hospital and pulled out her IV. Even two months later when she came home, she couldn't fathom why we fussed at her about crossing her legs or bending over to pick things up. She cannot be left alone.

Last August we moved the computer home and I have worked from home ever since. Leon kept the store open for a couple months. We normally close for a week or two after Christmas, but this past winter we decided to close for the winter so we could both rest. Then too, I had come to the conclusion I couldn't put my surgery off any longer. I can hardly get in and out of the car. My first appointment with the surgeon was in January and I expected to have it done by end of March. Instead I developed cellulitis in my (bad) leg and had to work through antibiotics and circulation tests. My next appointment was in April. Surgery originally set for May 30th was moved to June 19th when we learned my daughter's graduation was to be June 1st, and I didn't want to miss it.

Add into this mix the fact that I also need cataract surgery, my daughter's baby is due any minute, we need to make repairs to Mom's house, I need time to recuperate, and I may just have a breakdown if I can't stop and rest, get things straightened out! It was time to sign the new lease. I couldn't do it.

We are sad to let the store go and to put off the moose tours, but it feels necessary at this time. The online businesses will stay in place, and hopefully another year, we will reopen and resume the moose tours, probably from a new location.

I'm going to be making some changes to the Mooseland site. There will still be moose stories and wildlife pictures, especially moose, of course. The Gift Shop will be reworked and should be fresh and new looking with lots of wonderful new items, mostly New England handcrafts, starting with a lovely line of quilted hot mats filled w/balsam, balsam draft dodgers, and quilted wall hangings. Also available soon in our online gift shop -- moose wall hangings made from our exclusive designs, our own seasonal wreaths, reproductions of antique toys, original craft patterns, and many wonderful ornaments, clothing items, and dolls. We hope you will visit us there!

Moose Are Moving!

2006-05-02T15:35:00.000+12:00

Maine moose took advantage of an early spring and began their daily tours up and down the roadsides to the bogs even as the ice was melting.

Almost a month ago my daughter and I were on our way home from an errand when we saw three. The first was a mature bull, probably 2 or 3 years old. A few minutes later we spotted a pair of twin yearlings, both bulls. These sightings were between 12 - 1:15pm. Yup! Mid day. All three of these woodland wonders were sorry looking sights! Moose really look pretty mangy when they're shedding their winter coat and these guys were no exception. I was still thrilled to see them! They didn't appear to be too nervous and we managed to get several pictures. We could have watched them all day, but we moved on to let them feed in peace.

We are caught up in a variety of other activities right now that unfortunately mean little time for "moose looking". Even so, we managed a quick run to one of our favorite moose spots a couple weeks ago and saw six ! My daughter, her boys, my mom, and Leon were with me. The boys seemed impressed to see so many moose in one trip. Leon and I took time to visit a local bog last week and watched a mature bull feeding for almost half an hour.

May is my favorite month for moose looking. (Black flies are out already, by the way. At least in some areas!) We usually have higher moose counts in May. Probably no coincidence as the black flies drive them out of the woods! It's my plan to get out and about in search of moose and taking pictures as soon as possible. One of these days when you least expect it you'll discover I've caught up with myself and put some pictures on here. Keep checking, but to be on the safe side, don't hold your breath!!!

Moose Tours, Unfinished Saga, & Other Endless Tales!

2006-03-21T16:16:00.000+12:00

There's one advantage to being old and lame in one leg... sometimes you circle around and come back to where you left off! This is where I left you hanging:

"We went back and signed the lease and thus began our saga... "

First I should tell you - our business began with a dream and was financed "out of pocket". I had turned this whole project over and over, trying to think of all the possibilities, made lists of endless details, talked about it until people would see us coming and run, planned until I fell asleep at random hours of the night and then woke up dreaming about it. At breakfast some mornings after "working all night in my sleep" I would decipher notes I had scrawled during the night, in the dark. In spite of the nearly two year incubation in my now famous brain, there were several contingencies not covered by our plan.

Needless to say, we had no way of totally understanding what we were undertaking until we tried to do it.

As I look back now, standing there in that empty little store the first day, I know we were excited but at least for a few seconds I felt like someone who woke up from a dream about chasing a bobcat to find they had caught it! I stood there with that "bobcat in hand" and wondered, "What do I do now?"

We were going to do moose tours. We needed a base to operate from. A small office. (I had always intended the gift shop would be online.) I wanted to put up photos of moose, lots of moose. I wanted to put up maps and posters and have an area where we could talk with people about the tours they wanted. (The one thing I've left out is the fact that we had always planned to do other tours as well.) A rubbermaid computer desk contributed by a friend found it's way to the shop and my husband (God Bless him!) began what so far seems to be his lot in life. He moved my computer, the file cabinet, and a couple chairs from our home to the store. A hand lettered 8 1/2 x 11" sign in the window told people we would be open soon. But let me sidestep for a minute...

Our home was a 72' trailer in a nearby park and in a moment of cerebral clarity we decided to sell the trailer to facilitate the purchase of our first tour van. My husband moved the couch, more chairs, bookcases, a large table, a microwave, books, puzzles, games, tv, stand & VCR plus a couple boxes of tapes into the back of the store. We kept approximately a third of the space up front for the "office" as we still thought of it, and the rest of our space became our hospitality area where anyone could come in and sit, read, watch tv, etc. This was all very open, brightly lit, and I thought - quite pleasant. It was our plan that this would be a place for the "Downtown Gang" to hang out, but thinking - "even so"- they didn't need to be singled out, so we decided any and all should come, to tell stories, to have a cup of coffee, or to simply get in out of the rain.

The rest of our "stuff" Lee moved into a 12 x 12 foot storage unit in a neighboring town. All of his electronic things, radios, scanners, turntable, CDplayer were lovingly placed on a loft like ledge where they would be safe, high and dry. All my favorite collectibles and Christmas decorations went on the loft on the other side. Trip by trip he filled this unit: our appliances, bureaus, hundreds of cookbooks, hundreds of other books, and probably hundreds of tapes. You must also understand we were just married eight years ago, and both of us being in our sixties and both pack rats, between us we had a lot of junk!! When nothing else would fit, he built a small storage shed on my mother's property, which he quickly filled. As our "Grand Opening!" zoomed at us we moved to my mother's house, temporarily (who had time to hunt for an apartment now?) and, yes, he moved the rest of our belongings onto her porch. (Want to guess where it is now?)

When all the dust settled, we were open for business. We thought we should put a few gift items in the office, a display to draw attention to our website and online giftshop. Luckily for us we realized what we were attempting to do represented at least two businesses on some level, so I painfully decided we would wait to start the tours another year and concentrate on the shop for the time being.

The door was never locked while we worked, no paper over the window for us. The window took up all of the space along the front of our store that wasn't the door. (Did I say that?) As I told you in my first missive the store was 10' wide and 37' long. It was like being in a long narrow fishbowl, or a wind tunnel without the wind. At first people would wave to us, or motion "can we come in?" And in they came. People came in to wish us well, to find out what we were up to, to share advice, and some to offer help. One man visited regularly to tell us it couldn't be done! (He's lived here all his life and there's plenty of moose on his land, he sees the tracks, but he's only ever seen a handful of moose.) How did I think I was going to be able to go out and find moose for people every time? I admitted it might not happen everytime, but my answer to him was "first you have to look."

We were interviewed by a reporter from the weekly newspaper that operates next door and within days we were bottom of the front page news, picture and all. (The two of us standing behind our newly acquired small glass counter looking at our newly acquired second hand cash register!)

Someone asked us one day about the "downtown kids". We hadn't met them yet, but we learned it was just a handful of youngsters ranging in ages from (I think) ten to fourteen or fifteen. When I told this person about our plan for the extra space, they asked how we intended to put the word out to the kids. I know I laughed when I said, "they'll find us," and the next day they did.

I was sitting at the desk, lettering yet another poster for the window when I looked up and saw a young girl standing on the other side of the closed door. I nodded, smiled at her and continued working. A minute or two later I glanced up to see she was still there, watching me intently. I pointed at the door indicating she could come in, and when she stepped into the open doorway I suggested it was warm enough, leave the door open. She visited many times over the next few days, flitting in and out like a timid little bird, never staying long. After a few days she seemed more comfortable, more confident and she returned daily for visits that I have to admit I enjoyed very much. What we talked about I don't even remember now, but we talked while I worked and she helped me decorate the window and move things about. Then one day she came in, another child in tow, saying, "I want you to meet someone"...

That was the same week a tornado (YES, a tornado) picked up our 12' x 12' storage unit in Woodstock, lost it's grip, dropping the building three feet closer to the edge of a ravine, ripping half the roof off in the process. This was just one of the contingencies not covered by our plan!

New Horizons - The Moose Jumped Over The Moon!

2006-03-08T17:12:00.000+12:00

I guess this is a case of putting the cart before the horse, or
more appropriately... the moose before the moon!

Some people lead "normal lives". I 'm sure lots of them do. Not me. For some reason, try as I might, I have never quite made it to the "normal life" status. Someone should have known (my parents most likely) I was in trouble from the beginning. Shoes were something to wear when you went to school or church. Mostly I was outside, preferably in the woods, and barefoot. And although I did all the right things as a teenager; shortened my skirts to right below the knees: wore saddle shoes and full ruffled petticoats (what did we call those things? Stiff slips... who remembers? Kids now-a-days probably say "what's a slip?") I wore my hair in a bun, a page boy, or a pony tail. I still preferred sitting outside at night watching meteor showers, or a flock of geese flying high overhead on a moonlit night, (their plaintive honking stirred my blood). I preferred wildflowers to roses or orchids, the smell of fresh mown hay or daffodils to perfume, anything outside to anything inside! While other young girls read "Little Women" I read "Jungle Book". While my teenage friends read romance novels, I did too... I read "I Married Adventure" by Osa Johnson. (She and her husband explored Africa and then traveled around the US, showing slides and talking about their adventures.) So while my teen friends were thrilled with romantic movies, or swooned over movie stars, I dreamed about places with exotic names like Mozambique, and tried to imagine giant Baobab trees. I loved reading about Leeky, and then Goodall and Fossi. More recently read books like Treadwell's "Among Grizzlies". I'm just a nature loving gal.

All of this to say, I've always been "out there" in one way or another, and what with my obsession with moose it's no wonder my mind has now gone off in an unpredictable direction. Where else would a fanciful creature go on a dreamlike adventure? And all of this was really without trying. While drawing & designing different things to make for my shop I came up with "The Moose Jumped Over The Moon" complete with a verse to match of course. I recently had posters made and am trying to get the design on other items as well. Have some of these little t's on ebay (I had "creepers" on the auction too, but I think they've gone off now. I will be putting them in my ebay store.) I just wanted to get these out there for all to see!

It's been another long day, the sun's gone down over the bog, and this old moose is going to crash for the night!

Come to ME & See Moose...

2006-03-06T17:13:00.000+12:00

Moose Tours are many things to many people. For one young mother and her five year old son, it was a morning's adventure, their first moose, and some quality time alone (daddy stayed home with the 8 month old baby sister). This day I thought was going to be my first time being skunked while driving a tour. I told her "I never give up until we are back in town" and assured her there were a few more "holes" to pass on our way back. Within minutes they were staring with wide-eyed wonder at their first moose, a magnificient bull with a huge rack. He was standing in a small boggy area, (let me get this right...) rear end to the road less than 20 feet from us when I stopped. He turned and looked at them while I reminded her "take a picture!" She had totally forgotten the camera in her hand and fumbled with it momentarily. The moose took time to put his head down for another drink. Lifting his regal dome again, he looked back over his shoulder, right into her eyes, posing for a quick snapshot before walking into the brush! For me, the moose tours are pure joy. I love what I am doing and feel privileged to be able to share these wonderful experiences with people.

For one man not only seeing his first moose but being able to sit, however briefly, and stare into her eyes meant more than I realized. As we drove away his wife said, "you must be happy, you've had your life long dream come true!" The long, slow sigh he released and the dreamy look in his eyes as he whispered "I certainly have!" almost brought a tear to my eye.. And his wife and children were there to share his treasured moment. The fulfillment of my dream to own a moose tour business seems to have turned into fulfillment of another's dream as well.

I am genuinely moved by some of the things that happen while we are on tour. Ours is a small operation. Many trips are just two or three people. A middle age couple on their honeymoon. And elderly couple and their dog. A lady who thought moose were ficticious animals until she saw three and had pictures to prove it. Sometimes my van is full. Six adults... friends on an adventure. Parents with three or four children along. Sometimes the little ones are bored at first, or an occasional teen starts out seemingly bored...and I tell them stories. Their favorite story hands down ( it's true, I tell you) is about the night I chased a bear up a tree in the dark, and stood at the base of the tree scolding him for tearing up my trash. (I wasn't drunk or insane. I really thought it was a raccoon... and it WAS very dark. The tracks the next day told the story however.)

So many trips the car just rocks with laughter as we ride and talk like old friends, and especially when we're stopped and they test their skill at moose calling. On the flip side, not everyone sees a moose. Sometimes we get skunked. One man though forgot his glasses and (he was near sighted) so while everyone else in the car was excited about the five moose we saw, he kept saying, "where are they? I can't see them" Sad but true.

Before I close I want to tell you: (1) young or old, in "ones or in bunches" every one of them was absolutely thrilled when they saw that "first moose." That's my specialty! AND (2) If you go moose looking, for Heaven's sake, please bring your glasses!!!

(yeah, I'm laughing!)

Bogs vs Blogs

2006-03-05T09:32:00.000+12:00

Alas, yesterday I entered the Land Of Blog... I can't say it did much for my ego. Not that I have an ego problem, just, I'm not sure if I have an ego left at all now. First I wasn't sure if I even wanted a blog or what I would do with one if I had it. Then after what probably was hours, but also seemed like it, I finally managed to get the blogger to hold still long enough for me to put my information in. Then to my dismay it swallowed the first batch of info whole, like a small tasty after dinner mint and spit out an empty blog... or post... or something. Not sure what it was supposed to be , but it was definitely empty!

I am nothing , if not patient, (and a brute for punishment I'll admit that). So, not to be thwarted, I tried again. I have a rather large website that I maintain (and having built the first version with one of those user-friendly "websites for idots" programs) I was reasonably confident I could put the link through to my site. bing-bong!! WRONG!

There are not words to descibe the level of frustration I reached before wiping out everything and hitting the "simple" button. I think it was the "error1432kjk23h4h61;34h;000-2" messages I kept getting and the fact it kept giving me choices that my now blood shot eyes couldn't tell apart. One button seemed to be saying to me "republish your blog" while the other button clearly said "republish your entire blog". (Ok, which part was I going to republish? Did I want to republish any of it? How was that button going to decide which part I wanted published? Did it matter?) Brain cramp and all I decided I really didn't care at this point and closed my eyes and hit a button. Nothing seemed to have happened so I pressed the other button. Through some miracle of science I was looking at my blog!

Moose Bog Blog. Clearly I remember choosing that catchy name. But exactly what I had in mind writing after that I had no idea and so sat staring again, wondering what am I doing here. I am afraid to tell you what I did next. My wandering eyes and pea brain crashed into each other and I realized there were links over there. That was supposed to be my, what was it now? That thingie that tells people I'm old and where I live... What could "Norway" possibly be linked to? I clicked on it and to my amazement it was a list of other people who live in Norway, Maine, some of whom were smart enough not to use their real names! (maybe I should have thought of that!) Some were smart enough to wear hats and look the other way. (not an option, I don't own a hat).

There were no instructions in this new found Neverland I had discovered... when I clicked on one of the pictures out of blatant curiosity, somehow another whole page came up and every time I clicked on something, you guessed it, another whole page came up. At this point I don't know where I was but there was an interesting looking old geezer in a boat on the last page and I tried to get back to see what he was doing there. Do you know I never saw him again. So much for ships crossing in the night!

I plunged head first into the sea of pages, through Norway, photography, moose, Maine, and never made it to "new horizons" before, exhausted, I gave up and tried to find my way "home". (yeah, I know ... there's probably a button somewhere that says "home", right? Is was more fun my way. Suddenly and mysteriously I popped up again on my home page. I learned many things this night.

Maybe I was dumb enough to use my real name, but thank God I didn't put down the year I was born. Do you know that place out there is FULL of 16-19 year old kids? The old geezer in the boat is probably all of 57, and really was kind of cute. I mean, in an old geezer sort of way! And it seemed odd to me. Do you know how many teenagers like moose? Moose and cats. Almost every one of them wrote: moose, cats. Curious and curious-er. (reminds me of my youth and that tv show with moose-cat-teers.) And somewhere out there (I do think she's in the USA) there's a person who claims to be 102 year old.. I remember she likes rock n' roll (classic), blues, and some jazz... I could have written that!! ( the music, the music! I am NOT 102) She wrote "nature in general" and I seem to remember "photography" and.... what was it we, I mean "they," were all into in the 70's? NO, not pot!!! What is that long word.. existentialism? If she really is 102, she's one cool old gal. I seldom run into anyone over 35 in my travels, and was genuinely interested in talking to her but there was no contact information. None what so ever. She's probably a LOT smarter than I am. Probably how she made it to 102...

So, unlike the sad 16 year old girl out there who had too much homework and whose summmer was boring, I have emerged from the Land of Blog with a sense of awe... It's definitely different here, but I've staked my claim and I'm sticking to it!

I've found my new horizons...

P.S. Someday I may get back to my original story, but don't count on it. Altzheimers runs in our family and I am 63 and aging rapidly... my three youngest grandsons are here (2, 6, & 7) My brain may never pass this way again, if I survive tonight!!! I am shaking pickling salt out of my keyboard (I did it myself, don't ask!) in between typing spurts if that tells you how my day is going. I told a friend, in an email, this morning....

This is turning into a "this is it...It's all a downhill slide from here baby!" kind of day... LOL!!!!

Coming Soon To A Bog Near You!

2006-03-04T05:34:00.000+12:00

Ok, so I have already established the fact that I'm just a little nutty. I am a moose nut. I met and fell in love with Alces Alces when I was only four years old and the complications have been long lasting.

At the age of (was I really that young?) 57 I started dreaming of doing moose tours for a living and in 1999 (I think it was) I started building a website through Bigstep.com and came up with the name Mooseland Tours & Gift Shop (which I later shortened to Mooseland Tours & Gifts, it was easier to say on the phone!) and in April of 2001 we opened the doors to our new business at 448 Main Street, Norway, Maine.

The first shop was tiny (10' wide and 37' long, with a tiny cubicle in back for storage and a bathroom that was designed by a contortionist). We were mostly about the tours at this point and almost didn't take the lease on the store because it was way bigger than we had envisioned. Mostly we wanted a presence on Main Street, a base for our tour business. The gift shop was to have been online. We toyed with the idea of having just a few items showcased there to promote the online shop. While we were turning all this over and over in our minds trying to decide whether or not to take the lease there was another, far removed from our moose tours thing, going on in Norway. There had been weekly articles in the paper about a small group of kids that were considered as nuisances aka trouble makers. We sat in a local diner having breakfast and, tired of trying to make a decision about the lease, I picked up the weekly paper and started reading. The headlines said something about the "DownTown Gang" and as I read I became overwhelmed, not by the plight of the merchants, which I might soon be one of, but rather the small group of kids who obviously for some reason had nothing better to do than wander the streets and hang around in and out of the stores. Labels stick a long time, and kids with nothing to do will eventually find trouble. They were making the headlines weekly and somehow my imagination took me back to the dark ages when people were tarred and feathered and run out of town. These were just kids!

I threw down the paper and said to Leon, "I'm taking the store. I know what we're going to do with the extra space." My husband is a quiet, accepting man most of the time and as he finished his breakfast I laid out my plan that was still forming as I spoke the words.

We went back and signed the lease and thus began our saga...