They don't call it Elk Valley for nothing!

We decided to venture off to Fernie this afternoon to get some groceries and just 1km from home we were driving through the only bare, flat part of the valley between home and Highway 3 and we saw this....

A whole HUGE herd of elk!!!

I believe we counted about 5 bulls in the herd. I can only image what they would look like close up... HUGE!!

At one point they got skittish and they all seemed to congregate into a circle... with the males on the outside and all the younger elks on the inside.

We finally watched as they went two by two up the embankment, across the road, through one of mine properties and back to the mountain behind!

Apparently this is a common site in the autumn and winter as they come down the mountains to feed in the valleys. It's warmer and there's less snow to have to go through to find food. I can't wait to see the herds in the snow filled valley this winter!

After our adventure to the beautiful Fernie....

(by the way... this is the site from the Canadian Tire parking lot!!!)

.... we stopped in Sparwood to have a little fun...

I caught BOTH boys on the monkey bars!!!!

Todd.... showing off....

Spencer's attempt to copy Daddy.... he didn't make it that high! Thank goodness for padding (diapers)!!


Overall, Spencer's feeling much better today after a few days of a bad cold and I'm still feeling the same. I wish I could get rid of this headache!!! Todd's off to a training course tomorrow and then back to his regular scheduled days of work (Tues - Fri).

This place is feeling more and more like home!