Approaching Twilight

Located in Saint Genevieve County, the Crown Valley Winery overlooks miles of vineyards with rolling hills in the distance. The setting is strongly reminiscent of the Napa Valley in California. Just as the afternoon wanes and it is time to move on, rounding a curve in the road brings a surprising encounter with a herd of elk. They are not afraid of the close contact but keep an eye on the new presence. The setting sun casts raking light over the distant vineyards and fields, and creates a halo of light around the elk. One wonders if the elk just wandered into paradise or if they are part of an intentional program created to bring back the elk population of Missouri.