A Snowy Day at the Missoula KOA

 I'd been waiting for a day with lots of snow and good photographic conditions. This was the day! It looked like about eight inches of lovely snow. Mr. Keith and I strapped on our high boots, put on warm coats, grabbed our trekking poles and set out. And, oh yes, the camera! We started  slogging through the tenting area of the KOA. I love this old cabin, part of the original homestead on these grounds before Elmer and Marge Frame purchased the land and established the campground back in the early 1960s. The story is that there was a large, white farmhouse which they decided to tear down. Imagine their surprise when they found that this small cabin was enclosed within  the larger house. They wisely decided to leave it as it was.

 The tenting area is strangely empty. Where are the brave souls with their arctic tents?

 No children were playing on Elmer's Playground today. This area once had a pond and a petting zoo, taken out when the neighborhood began growing and streets were put in to accommodate the increasing population. Very soon the KOA was no longer out in the country!

 This willow tree must stand alone. I can't imagine its age, but it is an awesome tree, especially with its beautiful coating of snow. The willow invites a climber, so much so that there needs to be a sign at the bottom prohibiting climbing, in order to keep it safe from damage. At the base there is a large, stone fire ring and picnic tables for group use.

At the KOA there are nineteen camping cabins. These four are particularly picturesque in the snow. Many characteristics of this campground make it an especially inviting place to stay, none more so than the large number of old, tall trees of many varieties. That's not surprising in a campground over fifty years old.

Our rig is shadowed by another striking willow tree.

Our feet were getting cold, but we trekked down another row in the open section of the park. There are usually one or two rigs camping overnight even in the winter. They have full service except for water at the site, which is closed off to prevent freezing. This keeps the crew busy plowing and cleaning to give the campers a pleasant experience.

Home again! We are snug in our little home for the winter.

Rescue!

As I sat calmly at my computer in the KOA store I heard a ferocious yelling outside. Running to the door I spied my co-worker reaching under the pizza truck and grabbing something while at the same time trying to chase off a campground kitty. Her arms were full of campground supplies and...a baby bunny, which she put in my hands, rescued from the jaws of a hunter! Bunny was immobile from shock, and a little injured. We found a towel to wrap the little critter in. Minutes later the camp owner came in, saying the cat had just caught a bunny, the second one. That cat didn't waste any time! Other co-workers came in and admired and petted the baby. We all deplored the very natural instincts of our campground cats, our sympathies totally with the bunny, even though the owner said the cats do a service in keeping the rabbit population down. Part of our job description here is to pick up and dispose of the half-eaten carcasses, left at the office door, before the campers catch a glimpse of the small bodies.

In this photo we see one of our young campers, about 4 years old, thrilled to see and pet the bunny. Toni, the rescuer, a fervent animal lover, is keeping the bunny till it is big enough to escape the hunters. And, wonder of wonders, the owner asked another of our workampers to build Toni a little rabbit hutch so she could safely care for her charge. It was an exciting and hilarious morning! Never a dull moment at our campground!