I Spy With My Little Eye...

I love hiking in Wisconsin.  I struggle at embarrassing proportions attempting to scale mountains in the scorching heat of Utah's desert, which seems to be the only hiking allowed there. But when I go home, I feel like I can walk forever.  And even though there is humidity and clouds of mosquitoes to deal with, the abundance of wildlife is the greatest thrill for me (see this post from two summers ago).  Here are a few of the creatures I spied on a hike my dad and I took at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve just outside of Green Bay in June.

This is a snapping turtle.  It creepily rose to the surface from the murky depths of the pond, and then just as creepily sunk back out of sight.

But this is my favorite - Dad and I were crossing a boardwalk that opened into the middle of a cattail marsh.  A deer bolted off in the distance, and we took a minute to reapply bug repellent and take a water break.  As we headed back down the boardwalk, I noticed this little sweetness curled up next to it.  We had walked right passed it without noticing:

I couldn't even see it breathing, it was so still.  Even when I stopped next to it and whispered to my dad to come over, it stayed stone still.

Dad suggested I pet it, so I crept quietly above it and reached a few fingers down to lightly stroke its head.  It must have been so worried, but still it refused to move.  I was impressed with how strong its camouflage and instincts were.

After only the slightest touch, I backed away, not wanting it to worry any more than it had to.  And that's when it moved it's head upright and stared me right in the eye.  I had time to take one picture, and then it bolted into the forest.

It is an experience I will never forget!

Spring Creek Hike, Kanarraville, UT

Most of the time I get to see cool things only because cool people I know know about the cool places.  I don't.  I just tag along with those that do.

Remembering Fall In the Middle of Winter

I spent all substantial time I had to enjoy the fall in Portland, Oregon.  Here's to remembering my favorite season in one of my favorite places!

Out in the country

Multnoma and Bridal Veil Falls

At the coast

 Voodoo Doughnuts

Goorin Brothers Hat Shop on 23rd Street (LOVE< LOVE

Remembering Summer In the Middle of Winter

My brother's wedding in Wisconsin, August

Trips to the zoo, Bay Beach Amusement Park, and the back yard in Wisconsin, August

Zion National Park in Utah, July 

Zion National Park in Utah, August

With Megan and her family in Midway and Park City, Utah in July

With Libby and Lisa in Cedar City and around Panguitch Lake, July

Just a few more months and it will be spring.  I am ready.  So very ready.

No Painted Desert, No Sedona...but Flagstaff and Bearizona

When I was in college, the song "No Arizona" frequented the radio waves, and I belted along as the music blared through the radio. The lyrics trace a path through some of AZ's most famous and picturesque destinations, and when my friends invited me to travel with them to some of those destinations for a weekend of football and roadtripping, I was anxious to attend and cross some of those spots off the list of must-see Western destinations, of which I have seen an unfortunately low number of considering how long I've lived in the West.  I also had full intentions to sing Jamie O'Neal's song.

My friend Camaree works at SUU, and though she is not an alumnus, she is one of the biggest die-hard Thunderbird fans out there (and one of the only ones I know), much to the shame of Kyle and I who are alumni.  SUU was playing their final football game of the season against Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff on November 11th.  The plan, as I understood it, was to watch the game on Saturday and then drive back to Utah through Sedona.  I've never been to Arizona - the little strip I need to pass through on I-15 on the way to Las Vegas doesn't count - and Sedona played such a prominent part in the song lyrics that it must be worthy of a view.  OK, that was mostly a joke as I had heard of it before outside of some song lyrics, but it certainly would make singing the song a lot more interesting.

The four-hour, rainy drive went quickly.  We drove through Colorado City (the two photos above were taken just outside of it) and Page, AZ.  The morning after we arrived in Flagstaff started with a walk around its historic downtown shopping district.  It was absolutely charming!  They have great little boutiques and gift shops and outdoor sports stores, and I would love to go back and explore even more of what this city, a gateway to the Grand Canyon, has to offer.

You can't fake a sky like that -  what clean air and sky look like.

Following the shopping was SUU's tailgate lunch, actually held indoors at the NAU commons and cafeteria.  It was quite chilly outside as it had rained and snowed the night before, so I appreciated the warmth.  The game was great, and SUU won in triple overtime!  I am such a sports pessimist that when games get close I am so prepared for disappointment that I have come to expect it.  I was glad to be wrong.

Our trip home did not include Sedona as I had expected.  I was a little disappointed.  I wanted to see quintessential Arizona.  AND I never got to sing my song!  Instead we drove back through Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam.  Before we got that far though, we detoured at Bearizona (because if you can't go to Sedona, Bearizona is the next best thing, right?), a wildlife park where the animals are wandering free and you are driving past in your vehicle, and bears are the featured residents.  It was actually pretty interesting to get so close and personal to the bears and wolves.  There is a traditional zoo-like part with a lot of baby and adolescent bears and other animals native to the West.  And if you know me and my love of wildlife photography...er, captive animal photography, you know that I was clicking away.

This is dedicated to my niece Claire-bear, who from an early age learned from her
nick-namesake the best way to scratch your own back. 

Baby bears are extremely active an exceptionally entertaining.

I LOVE foxes!

The Hoover Dam is a great architectural and technological feat, especially considering it was constructed during the Great Depression.  I kept waiting for my friends to start the "dam" jokes like my family did almost 10 years ago, but they didn't, and I'm kind of glad so I can keep that as one of the funniest afternoons I had with my family.  A few years ago, a new bridge was built across the canyon so people didn't have to drive over the dam to cross, and it was my first time seeing it from the dam itself (saw it from a plane).  The dam was packed with dam tourists (sorry, I couldn't help myself), but we had a relaxing afternoon considering the drive, and a fun weekend exploring some interesting places.

I Blame My Dad (aka Flora and Fauna)

It's his fault really - the compulsion I have.  It's so disruptive too:  I can't go anywhere without wanting it,  I can't be with others without thinking about it, I slow others down because I need to stop frequently take to take part, I feel sadness and/or anxiety when I miss out on it - like, a real loss.  And the only thing I can think of that would cause this is the years and years of being subjected to my father's example.  So yeah, I blame him for my propensity to take (or at least try to take) photographs of every living thing I see while hiking or walking or visiting a new place.  I can remember Dad, stopped in the middle of a nature trail, hunched down with his lens up close to a flower.  Him making us stop to take a picture in front of a panorama.  Zooming in on a tourist attraction.  Yup, he passed it on to me, and I know because I can't go anywhere without taking a camera with me (even if I end up not using it).  And I sure did use it this summer!   Here are some of the moments of natural beauty my addiction compelled me to capture.  There are kind of a lot, but I kind of like pictures, and I kind of like looking at details, and I kind of like the beauty of Wisconsin in the summer.

At the Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Green Bay Wildlife Sanctua

Sandhill Crane, Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

OK, not a native to WI, but I still liked how this turned out.  At the Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.

Queen Ann's Lace, along the East River trail

Along the East River trail

At Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Red-tailed Hawk at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Wild lilies at  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

At  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

12-Spotted Skimmer,  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Painted Turtle,  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Leopard Frog,  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Green Heron (I've always wanted to see one of these!),  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

No, this is not Hawaii!  10 White Egrets,  Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

This and the next are dahlia's my mom grew in the back yard

UWGB Arboretum

UWGB Arboretum

UWGB Arboretum

UWGB Arboretum

UWGB Arboretum

UWGB Arboretum

Sumac at the UWGB Arboretum

Back when John Mayer wasn't a terrible boyfriend with an identity crisis, he sang a song, 3 x 5, whose lyrics I still  hope will someday be something I can say with confidence:  "Didn't have a camera by my side this time. Hoping I would see the world through both my eyes"..."Oh, today I finally overcame Tryin' to fit the world inside a picture frame."  Maybe I will someday abandon my addiction, but what will have to happen for that to happen? Who can say, really.  Until the day I find out, I will be the one clicking away at whatever moves.  Don't mind me.