Shirl Ireland's Art Blog

The elk are back.... As winter settles into the higher elevations, the wildlife begin their descent to milder areas - like here in the town of Gardiner. This morning we had a few photographers in front of our place taking pictures of 3 bull elk sparing. (One was missing an antler. Maybe a little TOO much sparing!) On the other side of our property, across the Yellowstone River, there's a herd of about 20 elk grazing and resting right now. It's definitely an interesting feeling. Here we live AMONG the wildlife - We are not separate from them. It's a very unique town, where elk, bison and deer roam about. Even big horn sheep and bears pass through. In the winter, not a day goes by that we don't see wildlife either on our property or out the windows. Wildlife references abound!! For wildlife artists, this is heaven.