Movin' Moose!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

My hope for the future is to give the gift of music to those who need their spitits lifted and their hearts gladdened!

This month marks 30 years since my mission in Australia. Today marks my 49th birthday and truthfully I find myself stumbling through the halls of my memories, stubbing my toes on the darkness of some while pausing to bask in the warmth of others. I own both the good and bad and do not really seperate them, they are part of me. But the door at the end of the hall, this is the one that really confuses me because I have never seen my future as an old man and I am getting there fast. The old man of today and tomorrow shares something in common with the boy of the past--as in the photo above, I simply want to contribute to the lives of others.

As I participated in this flight, I thought of Dad and his career as an aircraft mechanic and how many times he sat in mesh seating to recover aircraft that had crashed in the Arctic. I feel deep gratitude for servicemen and always look for opportunities to give them or their families a "campfire companion" package as a small token of thanks.

Gone Fishin'!

Great Boys From Eureka Nevada

Head Waters Of the Green River

Maui Sunset

I have had a taste, and it is not enough! I so badly want to return--soon!

Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. So, as the sun goes down today, nothing gold can stay.

Small Tribute To Gerald & Phyllis Douglass

Both of these wonderful people passed away in 2007 within three months of each other. Mom was 82, Dad was 83. I was going through their papers one day and I found a card that Mom had given to Dad, saying that she was sorry for flarring her temper at him one day and she signed the card, "I still love you!" and underneath that, in Dad's writing, underlined was, "Me too!"

I am proud of their example, proud to be their son.

Getting To Know Moose!

Moab Winter Blues...

...The "blues" in Moab have nothing to do with feeling sad! In fact, it's just the opposite. The crisp blue sky and frosty temperatures were just what I needed this past week.

20 Years!

This year marks the 20th year of my service to Utah's wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts. It has been a great career--I have met so many nice people and had great experiences.

May 21, 2007

This is a computer art photograph of a great blue heron at Farmington Bay that I took near the artificial nest structures that we had eagle scouts erect when I was the assistant manager there. I remember Justin and I talking about how an eagle scout candidate approached us to see if we could put up roosts for eagles. I suggested that we use their materials to try to reestablish a heron rookery that had been abandoned when people got too close several years ago.

It has been a great addition to watchable wildlife activities. Most of the platforms had young herons that fledged this year. The morning I took this picture, I was surprised to see this heron sitting so close to the road when I drove by. When I turned around and came back, it still did not fly away--at that point, I knew that it was fishing and most likely had a prospective meal near by. I quickly got out my camera and this is the result!

When I enlarged the photo, I was surprised to see the lower jaw of the heron piercing the carp! This photo was used in the state fair exhibit this year with a explanation of how fish-eating birds like herons target slow-moving fish like carp that are in warmer, shallow water.

November 4, 2007

A crisp week! The mornings are frosty cold and days awash with abrilliant blue sky. I again find myself taking great gulps of this weather to fill my lungs and soul.

Highlights of the week were a long bike ride to shoot video (and maybe some ducks!), Pineview fish population survey and Hardware Ranch rebuttal for the Standard Examiner.

My son was off from school so we went on an extreme bike ride out to the crystal unit of Farmington Bay with our good friends. We had a grand time! I shot some nice video that explains how Farmington Bay and the Great Salt Lake were used as hunting grounds for native Americans. I also talk about how hunting is an important part of wildlife's future with the money collected from license and equipment sales taxes.

s.

October 22, 2007

Black-capped chickadees have been visiting the yard lately. This one hit the picture window and was really knocked out! I gently slipped my finger under it and was amazed when it instinctively grabbed onto my finger. I placed it on an aspen branch and again,it quickly latched on--even though it was still knocked out! I thought certainly its chances of surviving were much greater off the ground. After about 20 minutes, it began to hop from branch to branch, then it flew away!