“This is an oil painting on hardboard, varnished with Windsor & Newton Damvar (1/2 Matte, 1/2 Gloss).

One lucky day in September, amid the Covid shutdown and several nearby wildfires,  my wife and I escaped to Yosemite National Park.  We were pessimistic because of the haze created by the nearby forest fires, but determined to go for the drive and the distraction if nothing else.  Anyway, at our very first stop inside the park, we found this doe and her fawn calmly having a breakfast of tree leaves.  There was no else around, thanks to Covid required Park reservations and the smoke I suppose.  Anyway, I talked to the deer about life in the Park while I took pictures, LOTS of pictures.  They never responded, but they politely hung around until I took all the pictures I wanted.  This composition is actually a combination of two photos from that stop so that could have the attention of both animals.  Later, we saw a large female brown bear and her two cubs – in the top of a very tall deciduous tree – apparently having some tender leaves for lunch.  It was incredible to see this very large bear – maybe 200-300 pounds, out on the ends of these smaller limbs maybe 80-100 feet off the ground.   So, regardless of conditions, it is absolutely impossible to have a bad day in Yosemite!