Not every workday begins with wildlife in your backyard — but for one Alaskan man, it became a front-row seat to one of nature’s sweetest animal life stories.
On a quiet June morning in Anchorage, Roland Rydstrom opened his blinds expecting sunlight. Instead, he found a mother moose and her twin calves sprawled out across his backyard lawn, basking in the early summer warmth.
“I was about to start work,” Rydstrom said, “but that plan went right out the window.”
What he saw wasn’t just a passing moment — it turned into a full-day visit that reminded him what coexistence with wild animals can look like when we slow down and simply watch.
A Peaceful Morning in Alaska
Rydstrom had often spotted moose near his property before. Living in Anchorage, it’s common to see them grazing by the roadside or walking through the woods. But this morning was different.
He knew two female moose in the area had recently given birth to twins, but usually, the families just passed through. This time, one decided to stay.
The mother moose lay down in the grass, her calves curled up beside her. Their legs, still wobbly with youth, stretched out as they shifted to follow the moving sun.
“I sat down to work, and fully expected them to walk away — but they didn’t,” Rydstrom recalled. “They just changed positions from time to time, chasing the sunlight. The babies especially loved lying together.”
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An Alaskan Backyard Becomes a Playground
As hours passed, the moose family made themselves completely at home. The calves explored the flowers, sniffed at the fence, and even caused a little chaos.
“At one point, one of the babies knocked over my marigold pot,” Rydstrom said with a laugh. “It looked like he was scratching his head on it — but when it tipped, that mischievous little grin told another story.”
Even with the accidental mess, Rydstrom never considered chasing them off.
“We know these are wild animals,” he said. “Especially a mother with her young — we just watched respectfully from inside. It was their day to lounge, not ours.”
He quietly snapped photos from his window, capturing what most people only dream of witnessing: two newborn moose napping peacefully under their mother’s watchful eyes.
A Day of Rest — and a Dash of Drama
Throughout the day, the family left the yard twice — only to return both times.
“They got up and walked away, and I thought that was it,” Rydstrom said. “Then they came back and did it again, just like they owned the place.”
Between naps and nursing sessions, the calves explored every corner, nibbling and tasting everything they could find. “They did what babies do,” Rydstrom said, smiling. “Putting everything in their mouths.”
But as dusk approached, the calm turned briefly into chaos.
Around 7 p.m., Rydstrom heard a commotion outside. When he looked, another mother moose and her twin calves were charging through the yard, right toward the first family.
“The mom and babies jumped up and took off after them,” he said. “It was like watching a wildlife chase scene play out in my backyard.”
Within minutes, the forest swallowed them up again. Just as suddenly as the day had begun, it was over.
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Living with Giants
In Alaska, such encounters are a reminder that humans share space with some of the largest animals on land. Adult moose can stand over six feet tall and weigh nearly 1,000 pounds — yet they’re often surprisingly gentle, especially when left undisturbed.
While it’s tempting to approach or feed them, experts warn against it. Moose are protective, especially mothers with calves. Giving them distance ensures both their safety and yours.
Rydstrom knew that. He didn’t interfere, didn’t step outside, didn’t try to get a closer shot. He simply watched, allowing nature to unfold on its own terms.
And what he witnessed was a small miracle of ordinary wilderness life — a mother providing warmth and shelter, and her calves learning the world one curious sniff at a time.
A Reminder of Wild Harmony
For Rydstrom, the unexpected visit turned an average day into something quietly extraordinary.
“It was fantastic to see the babies lounging together,” he said. “They were so relaxed — just pure contentment.”
That evening, as the sun dipped low and the moose disappeared into the trees, he realized how rare it is to see wild animals so comfortable in human spaces — not because they’ve lost fear, but because they sensed peace.
Moments like these are what make Alaska special: where backyards blend into wilderness, and wild mothers still find a safe spot to rest with their young.
A Story to Keep Close
In a world often full of noise and speed, this gentle encounter is a reminder that animal life stories don’t always need grand adventure or danger to be meaningful. Sometimes, they’re just quiet afternoons under an open sky, where wild and human worlds meet in stillness.
And for one lucky man in Anchorage, that quiet moment — filled with sunlight, curiosity, and a family of moose — became a story worth keeping forever.