I swear to God, Nature...

If you don't start showing me wildlife, we are going to have to renegotiate this deal.

Heather emailed me this morning, offering to take me on a tour of some of the nature spots that I have yet to explore around Faro. I haven't really done much exploring. At first, it was because I didn't have a vehicle of my own to explore in, and later it was because I am always so tired after work and would much rather curl up on my couch with plate of shrimp and watch DVDs. I know, I know.

But at any rate, I said sure, and (after our afternoon meeting) off we went. We drove up to the Fingers Site (no, I don't know why it's called that and no, I didn't ask) to see if we could spot some sheep. The festival is just around the corner, and it might be nice for me to see one before the tourists get here. Alas, no sheep were making merry on the mountain.

Someone had been, though - we stepped over a used condom. Who has sex at a sheep viewing platform? I made a mental note not to get roped into going up to the site on Sunday for the big Clean Up...no sirree, I will be busy in town where we only have to deal with empty aerosol containers in the gazebo.

At any rate, we drove up to the Mine, so I could see the pools of toxic sludge and shiver at the ominous look of the mine complex. Interestingly (to me, anyway), the sludge in the lagoons is the same colour as the dirt my boss imported to lay out at the kindergarten in Japan...coincidence? There were no animals around the mine, but I hardly blame them for that.

Then it was off to the cabin at Mt. Mye. I was getting a bit tired by then (our jaunt up the mountain to the mine wound up taking an hour and change), but really hoped my wildlife-luck would change. Plus, I didn't want to seem like a jerk when Heather had made such a kind offer. We chatted, and I was really sure I would see a sheep.

But I didn't. Mt. Mye was bare. Now I was chilly and disappointed. But we kept driving, down the Blind Creek Road toward Lynx Track Farm. We saw some moose tracks, and Heather stopped the car to show me wolf poo (complete with moose hairs!), and we stopped at the end of the road to take in the Pelly River. Then we turned around to go back.

I did see one thing on our journey back - a male grouse, standing in the middle of the road, staring at the bushes. The car didn't bother him - he was fixated on whatever lady-grouse was in those bushes. It is spring, after all - the sexiest time of year.

By the time I got home, it was 7:30 and I was two hours late for my supper. It's a good thing the days are so long now - it was still bright when I had my rice and shrimp dinner ^_^

And now to bed, I think. Not to sleep, but to imagine all the wild things that lurk in the bushes, ignoring me.