Monday, April 15, 2013

M is for Moose

Source: Wikimedia Commons

As with everything else in Alaska, the Alaskan Moose is big, and in fact it is the largest subspecies of moose in the world. There is also a large population of the Alaskan moose, with about 225,000 ranging from Alaska to the western areas of the Yukon in Canada. As a result, humans who live in or visit the area frequently come in contact with these giant creatures.

My main reason for choosing moose as my "m" word was the memory of the moose who ambled through the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska in the Northern Exposure opening credits.

Northern Exposure aired from 1990-1995 but, in a sure sign of my advanced age, it doesn't seem like that long ago to me. I think the show had one of the best opening theme songs ever and I'm sure everyone who ever watched the show remembers the moose.

I tried to find a video of the credits but apparently all have been taken down from youtube due to copyright claims. So I settled for this clip of the music with a picture of the famous moose.




My A-Z theme of Alaska is inspired by my debut novel, Polar Night, which is set in Fairbanks and the Alaskan Arctic. Click here for all the info on the book. 




It's the third Monday of the month, which means it's time for another round of Writers4Writers. This month's featured writers are E.J. Wesley and M. Pepper Langlinais. I'm not familiar with M. Pepper, so it's fun for me to discover a new writer, but I already know E.J. and he is totally awesome and one of my favorite people in the blogosphere. He's also an excellent writer and his Moonsongs books are great reads. 

Visit the W4WS page here for all the info on how to support these two writers.


54 comments:

  1. Can you imagine driving along and suddenly a moose is in your way?

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  2. Oh, I used to love Northern Exposure! Now I want to watch it again - I wonder if it's on Netflix or DVD or something. Hmm...

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  3. I would die if I saw a moose up close. They are huge!
    Dani @ Entertaining Interests
    #warriorminion

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  4. I think they are majestic! Beautiful pic.

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  5. They are quite mighty animals!!!!

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  6. @Alex, haha, I'd probably have a heart attack.

    @Madeline, I wondered that too, probably is. It was a great show, no doubt.

    @Dani, I know, I can't imagine.

    @Jackie, I agree, they're beautiful animals.

    @Susanne, no doubt!

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  7. Finally, something about Alaska that I was actually aware of - big moose...er, mooses...meeses. *sigh*
    Big animals. :)

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  8. I live in an area where moose do happen to wander freely through town and your backyards and wherever else they feel like going.

    I came close to hitting a pair of them once with my car. Fortunately, I stopped just in time.

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  9. We don't have a lot of moose sightings, but they do appear from time to time. Such awkward and big animals! I liked Northern Exposure until it started getting into political rants.

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  10. Never seen a moose except on television.

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  11. We have tons of deer where we live. I can't imagine what it would be like to have moose, meese? instead!!!

    Thanks for following me on A to Z.

    Mary Montague Sikes

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  12. I'd love to see a moose! Thanks for the W4WS mention. Hopefully it's going great for M and EJ!

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  13. Julie nice to meet you through A to Z
    Best with your book

    Never met a moose but have heard they are not to be messed with

    Lady's Knight

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  14. When I was a kid there was a song that went, 'I am a moose and I live in a hoose'. I didn't know what it was talking about! I'd never heard of a moose though I did know that hoose was a house with a Scottish accent!

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  15. We used to watch Northern Exposure religiously. And Moose are extraordinary creatures. So gangly and yet majestic.

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  16. gosh. Moose crossign the headlights sounds like a scary thing to witness. those things are huge!

    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  17. @MJ, oh, I can't imagine that. We have tons of deer around here and I worry enough about having them get in front of me.

    @Julie, I can't really imagine how big they must be. It's funny but I can hardly remember anything about Northern Exposure except the song and the moose LOL.

    @Sheena, I haven't either.

    @Michael, I think it's moose!

    @Mary, I can't either. Thanks to you as well.

    @Christine, I hope so too!

    @Lady's Knight, thank you, it's nice to meet you as well.

    @Rosalind, haha, I've never heard of that song LOL.

    @Cathrina, that's a great way to describe them.

    @Nutschell, I agree!

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  18. Northern X (as Hubby and I call it) is one of my all time fave shows. We recently watched the entire series together for his first time and it didnt take long to remember why I loved it so much. The writers were amazing. TV like that doesn't exist anymore.

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  19. Hello, Julie!

    Don't ask me why it's taken me so long to discover your site but better late than never! now that i'm here I will certianly be checking out the rest of your A to Z posts!

    As for Mooses, they kind of scare me. I mean the males are bigger than a grizzly bear and get very aggressive during mating season- not something I would ever want to run into! Lucky for me, I live in a part of the country that has never seen a moose outside of the zoo, so I think i'm safe!

    Anyway, lovely to meet you!
    Bev
    http://bev-thebevelededge.blogspot.com/

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  20. @Pk, I should watch it again sometime, brings back good memories just reading about it.

    @Beverly, oh, thank you! So nice to meet you as well, I appreciate it!

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  21. I haven't thought of that show for a while. I used to enjoy it and loved the opening with the wandering moose.

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  22. Loved Northern Exposure. One of my favorite shows. There are still lots of clips on YouTube. I watched one about Chris and his ode to some poet not long ago. Good stuff. :)

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  23. @LD, me too, the opening is the main thing I remember. :)

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  24. Northern Exposure was awesome. The caricature characters were so entertaining.

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  25. @LG, yeah I saw lots of fun clips too, just couldn't find the opening to save my life. I don't get why that would be taken down everywhere but I guess it's because of the song.

    @Susan, I agree!

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  26. We have moose here in Colorado. We don't see them as often as the Elk, Deer, or Antelope, but every once in a while... Great M pick :)

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  27. With those antlers, that's one moose you don't want to be on the bad side of...

    I remember Northern Exposure..it was a fun and quirky show :)

    Left and Write

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  28. @Rebecca, oh, I'd love to see one sometime.

    @Mark, yeah, I wouldn't want to tick him off LOL.

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  29. I grew up in the north and spent many holidays in Canada, but have yet to see a moose in the wild. I hear they're something. And I hear you don't want it to see you.

    Thanks for helping get the W4WS word out. :)

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  30. Thanks for the W4WS reminder... I completely forgot!
    Is the moose related to the deer? Cousins or something like that?

    Writer In Transit

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  31. HI, Julie,

    I remember that show, and you are HARDLY of an advanced age... PLEASE! LOL.

    And you are right that opening was amazing.

    Moose are such an interesting animal because they look so gentle but they are MASSIVE. Glad to hear the numbers are up...

    So many of natures amazing creatures are beconind extinct. Thankfully this isn't one of them.

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  32. It doesn't seem that long ago when Northern Exposure was out. Oh well, just tells you how long we've lived when a decade doesn't seem that long ago. :)

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  33. Northern Exposure was such an original show. The characters were likable in their own quirky way.

    Julie

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  34. I loved watching Northern Exposure. I had a crush on the DJ guy. Then my mother tells me that he (in real life) is married to Bo Derek. Huh.

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  35. @Mary, the W4WS is a lot of fun to do. :)

    @Michelle, I would have forgotten too if I hadn't seen a reminder from Mary. The months just go by too fast! As far as moose and deer, I don't know. I would guess so though. Maybe distant cousins LOL.

    @Michael, I really feel like I am LOL. I totally agree with you about the extinction, it's nice to see one that is safe.

    @Nancy, that's what I thought LOL.

    @Julie, I agree, the characters were fun.

    @Brinda, he is?? LOL I had no idea.

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  36. It would be quite a sight to see a moose wandering through town!

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  37. I've never seen a moose in person, so it's hard to imagine them being common to run into like this!

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  38. Moose are cool. I'd love to see one in the wild. Moose always comes up in my class when we talk about singular and plural nouns that are the same.

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  39. I have seasons 1&2 of Northern Exposure on DVD. Loved that show :)

    A friend of mine used to call them "Meese" in the plural, as a joke. hehe

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  40. Man, I loved Northern Exposure. I wonder if I can find it on Netflix. Thanks for reminding me.

    A fellow A to Zer: Julia at http://juliawritingjewelsking.blogspot.com/

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  41. I see Moose. What about flying squirrel?
    We used to see a mess o' moose when we lived in Maine. Pretty dopey, slow moving creatures. But, they sure could put a hurtin' on you if crossed!

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  42. I loved Northern Exposure. I remember the moose!

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  43. That song sounds familiar. I watched a few episodes of that show.

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  44. Wonderful trip to the past with that music and the moose. I loved Northern Exposure.

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  45. I don't think I'd like to meet a moose in the wild...

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  46. I don't think I've ever actually seen a moose. I'm pretty sure they aren't in any zoos around here...

    I would probably faint. I'm a total weenie :D

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  47. Loved your Arctic themed post about Northern lights. I lived in the Canadian Arctic for about a year so I got an appreciation for the true North, even more Northern than the rest of Canada that I used to think was considered the true North, strong and free.

    The Northern Lights look so ethereal and mysterious. So beautiful!

    Cattitude and Gratitude

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  48. @Nick, no doubt.

    @Heather, that's just what I thought, I can't imagine it.

    @Tim, I know my sister saw a bunch of them when she went to Yellowstone, I'd love to see them in the wild too.

    @Trisha, LOL, I kind of like the word meese.

    @Julia, you're welcome, thanks for coming by!

    @Al, I've never seen a flying squirrel either LOL.

    @Theresa, me too!

    @Medeia, I love the opening song.

    @Carol, glad you liked the trip back! :)

    @Lynda, I definitely agree.

    @Samantha, I am too LOL. I would love to see them but not get too close.

    @Writercat, thanks!! I agree, I would love to see them in person some day.

    @

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  49. I had a friend who lived in Alaska tell me about the Moose that "ambled" up to their front door to their house, or got trapped in the grocery store. It's something that's of the "norm" up there. :P

    Jamie Dement (LadyJai

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  50. @Jamie, oh my gosh, I didn't realize it was actually common! I can't imagine it.

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  51. Hi Julie .. the thought of a moose turning up - is slightly better than a bear I guess! The moose are magnificent creatures though ..

    Love the music - but the show I've no idea about ... cheers Hilary

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  52. @Hilary, yeah, I would prefer a moose to a bear but really I wouldn't want to tangle with either one LOL. I would love to just look and keep my distance. :)

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