VISITORS IN MY YARD

When I was a kid in East Los Angeles, I had never seen a moose, or any other variety of ungulate. But Alaska is a marvelous place where wild critters abound (including the four-legged variety). Moose are frequent visitors to my yard on Trapline Drive in Anchorage.

Today a mama moose and her two lanky calves paid our back yard a visit. The photo is one of a zillion pictures I shot, as well as voluminous video –taken through our dining room window of course. I wasn’t about to venture outside. I have enough problems without being attacked by a moose protecting her calves.

Living anywhere in Alaska – even within the Municipality of Anchorage – is like living in a national park. I’ve had moose (the plural of moose is “moose,” not “mice.”), black bear, rabbits, and foxes in my yard – and nearby I’ve seen lynx and Dall sheep, plus salmon swimming up stream. People spend thousands of dollars to visit Alaska for such sights – but the Lynn family gets to live here year round (and even gets the PFD).