WONDER

Oct 26

Return to Normalcy

Greetings are long overdue: returning to normalcy took a bit longer than expected. Noted in the last blog (9 months ago) I anticipated the interim dean assignment concluding during summer and it did. Since then my biggest challenge was getting back in shape, losing some weight (gained over ten pounds this past year), and cataloguing neglected photos. So far so good: running again and exercising more, lost some pounds, and catalogued a few thousand photos (but thousands to go and more coming soon). In a few days Susan and I depart for Vietnam and Cambodia – a nearly three-week adventure long anticipated. We’ll visit Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), cruise the Mekong River for seven days, enter Cambodia, and conclude with two days in Siem Reap experiencing iconic Ankgor Wat. Looking forward to sharing photos via the blog shortly after our return in mid November. At that time I’ll also add some photos from an awesome weeklong rafting trip in the Grand Canyon (June). Below is a sample of some recent photos. If interested in locating prints, two Laramie galleries are now displaying some of my cards and posters: The Frame Plant and Artisans’ Gallery. Contact me for more information.

We’re having a BEAUTIFUL fall 🙂

[Note: John Kambutu and I are once again coordinating a Kenya Wildlife Safari in June 2017, visit the Up and Coming section of the blog https://michael-day.org/up-and-coming/kenya-wildlife-safari-2013/for more information. Can only accommodate a dozen participants so if interested email me at mikeday@uwyo.edu.]

Spraque Lake Trailhead – Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Blair Picnic Area – Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming

Male Pronghorn – Hutton Lake National Refuge, Wyoming

White-tailed Prairie Dog – Hutton Lake National Refuge, Wyoming

Pronghorn and Fawn, Slough Creek Trail – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Devil’s Tower in Fall – Devil’s Tower National Monument, Wyoming

Lusk Water Tower – Lusk, Wyoming

Wild About Bears (Posters and Cards)

Wild About Pronghorns (Posters and Cards)

Wild About the Rockies (Posters and Cards)

Jan 24

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Statewide Visits

Greetings and Happy New Year,

Hope you all had a relaxing holiday season and have a wonderful new year!

Susan and I are looking forward to some return to normalcy in 2015. Though Susan may continue working for the Wyoming Community Foundation for another year, or so, I’m looking forward to becoming retired again this summer. (Our big travel adventure in 2015 will be to Vietnam and Cambodia in November.) But, I did want to share a collage capturing photos from my most memorable adventure in 2014. In the last post I shared some photos from a trip to Churchill, Canada with Ed (photographing the Polar bears was an experience of a lifetime) but this trip occurred in the midst of another adventure begun September 16 and concluded December 11^th. During this period 3-4 day road trips to specific parts of Wyoming were scheduled, the purpose being to gradually visit schools, teachers, superintendents and folks interested in the College of Education in all 23 counties. Every other week I traveled the state (nearly 5,000 miles) and over seventy schools were visited. (The UW College of Education website as links to material regarding the tour: http://www.uwyo.edu/education/). In the collage below, I’ve tried to capture the experience of traveling across Wyoming. As many of you know, the state has an abundance of natural beauty (major rivers and mountains, grassy plains and stark deserts, wildlife and the ever-present pronghorn) as well as a rich cultural history: the Plains Indian tribes whose ancestors traveled the land for generations; the mountain men who traversed the landscape in search of adventure, livelihood, and solitude; the early pioneers who crossed the land with visions of new homelands further west; the repeated presence of miners in search of the rich bounty land can provide; the laying of railroad tracks connecting the Eastern United States with the West; cattle men, sheep herders, the settlement of homesteaders, and the growth of communities. Truly fascinating; a constant traveling companion is Cindy Moulton’s Roadside History of Wyoming; I generally never pass up a pull out where a roadside display is provided.

UW College of Education 23 County 100th Anniversary Visits (September 16 – December 11, 2014)

UW College of Education 23 County 100th Anniversary Visits (September 16 – December 11, 2014): Northwest

UW College of Education 23 County 100th Anniversary Visits (September 16 – December 11, 2014): Southwest

UW College of Education 23 County 100th Anniversary Visits (September 16 – December 11, 2014): Northeast

UW College of Education 23 County 100th Anniversary Visits (September 16 – December 11, 2014): Southeast

Nov 23

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Polar Bears of Churchill

Greetings,

Hope you’re doing well and enjoying the final days of Fall. Technically Winter doesn’t begin for another month but we’ve already experienced a number of “icy” days. This year I’m ready for it though, partly because of recently spending five days just below the Arctic Circle in Churchill, Canada; Ed and I traveled there the beginning of November, Susan stayed home with the kids. We went to primarily observe polar bears (and were not disappointed) but also to learn about this small port town near the Arctic Ocean and its earliest inhabitants, the Inuit people (once referred to as Eskimos). We traveled with Natural Habitat Adventures (Nat Hab). (Susan and I traveled to the Galapagos Islands with Nat Hab and highly recommend this travel organization based in Boulder, Colorado; they have a long history of organizing tours to the Galapagos and Churchill.) With Nat Hab we spent a few days roaming the snow covered and ice forming edge of Hudson Bay in custom-designed Polar Rovers (photo provided below). Once the ice hardens, polar bears depart the area until Fall so the viewing season is short. We experienced a variety of severe weather conditions (mostly cold and wind) but enjoyed a few hours of calm and sun. In addition to spending time viewing polar bears, we saw a few other animals, visited town (museum, shops and restaurants), flew over the tundra in a helicopter, and ate some delicious seafood; we also spent a few days in Winnipeg. Another grand adventure! Below are a few photos.

Polar bear, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Inukshuk (Inuit Stone Landmark) – Churchill, Canada

Wind blown trees near Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Female polar bear walking, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Adult male polar bears play fighting, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Polar bear resting, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Great White Bear Tundra Lodge, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Ed in front of Polar Rover near Churchill, Canada

Ed and Michael in front of Polar Rover near Churchill, Canada

White-tailed ptarmigan, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Red fox near Churchill, Canada

Inukshuk (Inuit Stone Landmark) – Churchill, Canada

Rising moon, edge of Hudson Bay – Churchill, Canada

Jun 18

3 Comments

R&R in Yellowstone

Greetings,

Hope you’re doing well and enjoying summer. This is such a beautiful and hopeful time of year: pleasant weather, color and fresh growth returning to the land (flowers, flowers everywhere), and lots of newborns — a great time to travel about with a camera. So I took a few days off and joined Peggy and Ed in Yellowstone. (Because she used her allotment of vacation days when we traveled to Chile a few months ago Susan stayed home with the kids.) Highlights included sitting on the deck of Dornan’s in Moose, Wyoming (just a few miles from Jackson Hole) and watching the sun set over the majestic Tetons; spending time with a pronghorn and her fawn while hiking the Slough Creek trail in Yellowstone; viewing Osprey Falls when the rushing water was so powerful you could barely stand without getting soaked; arriving just in time to see a grizzly bear swim across the Lamar River; observing a coyote mousing in the Hayden Valley; and just being around black bears and bison with their cubs and calves. Just grand! Below are a few photos.

Dornan deck with view of Tetons – Moose, Wyoming

Mount Moran view, Oxbow Bend – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Bison, Lamar Valley – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Mule deer with velvet antlers, Pelican Valley – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Osprey, Lamar River – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bighorn sheep near Tower Fall – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Osprey Falls – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Pronghorn with fawn, Slough Creek Trail – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Black bear near Tower Fall – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Coyote, Hayden Valley – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grizzly bear, Lamar River – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Apr 13

4 Comments

Chilean Hospitality

Greetings all,

A timely break! As many of you know Susan and I left our retirement worlds a few months ago (early fall) so a planned vacation to Chile in April helped retain focus: our desire to travel and continue exploring this wondrous world. Chile did not disappoint. We began thinking about visiting Chile back in 2010 after a trip to Ecuador: our first real experience of South American culture and landscape. Chile especially attracted us because of its shape and interesting scenery: a very narrow stretching topography bordered by the dry heat of the Atacama Desert to the north, the frigid Strait of Magellan to the south, the majestic Andes Mountains to the east and the dramatic Pacific Ocean to the west. (The country extends nearly 3,000 miles north to south but less than a hundred miles east to west). Though initially we planned a month long travel from north to south in Chile (and visit Robinson Crusoe Island) we decided two weeks would have to do: a few days in the capital city of Santiago (located in the center of the country, sort of), four days in the lake country of Puerto Varas and five days in picturesque Torres del Paine National Park. And it was grand! Wonderful people, wonderful sights, wonderful food and drink, and wonderful weather. We are already planning a return visit; we may even finally retire there. Below are a few photos (plan to add more to the blog as time allows).

Waterfront, Lago Llanquihue – Puerto Varas, Chile

Lago Llanquihue and volcanos – Puerto Varas, Chile

Volcan Orsono – Puerto Varas, Chile

Volcan Calbuco – Puerto Varas, Chile

Country side near Puerto Varas – Chile

Gray Glacier – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Rio Paine Falls – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Guanaco – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Lago del Toro – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Susan with guanacos – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Sunset Lago Sarmiento – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Hike to the base of Las Torres – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Base of Las Torres – Parque National Torres del Paine, Chile

Jan 26

1 Comment

Best Wishes 2014

Best wishes to you all,

Hard to believe I’ve been on the job nearly three months (four months for Susan). We’ve been busy but not a lot to report. The holidays seemed short but we did do some fun stuff: a college tree decoration party, Christmas day with the pooches, and a New Year celebration (managed to stay up long enough to watch the ball drop in NYC).

Due mostly to work and car problems, the poor kids haven’t had many outings recently. But the dogs are working with us. Their car (our nearly 14 year old jeep) finally broke down (over two weeks in the repair shop so definitely no visits to the prairie). We eventually sold it and leased a new black jeep (it arrived Wednesday) so Trapper, Sorrel and Rusty are quite excited. During the holidays we did get the kids out for a run in the snow, which they thoroughly enjoyed (a few photos are shared below.)

Last week I returned to Houston for my annual post treatment checkup and all is well (a very nice beginning to the new year). Future trips/adventures are still a go so Susan and I are preparing for Chile in April and Moab in August; we’ve also begun planning a November 2015 trip to Vietnam and Cambodia (my sister may join us). Ed and I are also planning to visit Churchill Canada in November to spend some time with and photograph polar bears. So, things are going well. Hope they’re going well for you too!

Happy New Year!

Michael

P.S. I am planning to take lots more photos this year 🙂

Holiday greeting – Laramie, Wyoming

Holiday tree decoration party, UW College of Education – Laramie, Wyoming

Christmas tree ornaments – Laramie, Wyoming

Susan and Trapper preparing treats for the birds – Laramie, Wyoming

Rusty – Laramie, Wyoming

Sorrel – Laramie, Wyoming

Sorrel, Trapper and Rusty – Laramie, Wyoming

Trapper and Rusty – Laramie, Wyoming

Trapper – Laramie, Wyoming

Sorrel – Laramie, Wyoming

Trapper – Laramie, Wyoming

Rusty – Laramie, Wyoming

Nov 23

3 Comments

Sea Change

Greetings!

In my last blog posting I mentioned Susan returned to work, well now I did too. This opportunity occurred under extremely troubling circumstances happening at the university and in my old college. I’ve accepted an appointment as interim dean of the college for a period not to exceed twenty months (i.e., no later than the end of June 2015) or when a new dean is appointed – whichever comes first. Susan and I are still shaking our heads — retirement was nice for both of us but opportunities happen. As interim dean my job is much much easier than that of a dean whose contract with the university often includes an extensive “to-do” list. To date, my to-do list includes only one thing: to support and to reassure students, staff and faculty that they made a good decision in choosing to study or work in our college. That’s not bad. Below is a collage I just completed … designing it provided much needed relief.

Stay warm,

Michael

Oct 29

1 Comment

Goodbye Summer

Greetings!

Always hard to say goodbye to summer, but it is what it is. Winter is in the air! A few weeks ago six inches of snow fell in Laramie but it melted quickly; now we’re preparing for the real thing — the first lasting snow tends to fall on Halloween, which is only two days away. As noted in the last blog we had a busy summer. Since then Susan returned to work — she accepted a nice position with the Wyoming Community Foundation https://www.wycf.org/. And I continue to catalog photos — I took over 10,000 photos this summer and each must be cataloged 😦

Beginning in a few weeks Artisans’ Gallery will display some of my recent “In and Around Yellowstone” photos. They’ll be in the gallery through the holidays so if you’re in town drop by (http://www.artisansgallery.net). (Some of the photos are presented below.) It seems the gallery may also display some of my Snowy Range photos.

And, sort of for the holidays, I’ve designed a few “collage” greeting cards and posters that are now available for purchase: 5×7 greeting cards for $3.00 (2 for $5.00) and 18×24 posters for $40.00 … can also mail for a slight additional cost … great gifts for the holidays … contact me … always nice to hear from you anyway! (The collage photos are also presented below.)

Pet Photography photos also available – another great holiday gift … feeling like a real huckster these days.

Stay warm,

Michael

Black Pool, West Thumb Geyser Basin – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Tower Fall – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Moose – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Upper Mesa Falls – Mesa Falls State Park, Idaho

Bison, Hayden Valley – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Porcelain Basin, Norris Geyser Basin – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Medicine Bow Peak from Brown’s Peak – Snowy Range, Wyoming

Bison and calf – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Trumpeter swans – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Grizzly bear and cubs – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Aug 23

Dog Day Afternoon

Greetings!

Was terribly remiss this past month about updating the blog — like to blame it on being busy but actually being lazy is more like it. We did have a number of wonderful guests, spent time in Yellowstone and Jackson, and also had some nice outings to the Snowy Range (below are a few photos). I also had a few pet photography gigs and am actually doing a large event this Sunday (August 25^th): the 8^th Annual Dog Day in Washington Park. From noon to 4pm I’ll photograph pooches for the 2014 Dog Day Afternoon Calendar. If you’re in Laramie drop by and say hi (location just east of the band shell) … and bring a dog. In addition, I’m exploring new ways to market my nature photographs: am planning to make cards and posters available both via my website and at local art fairs (the summer weekly markets in Undine Park may provide a good outlet to advertise pet photography and to sell some cards and prints). I plan to share some of the posters and cards in a future blog but a few are variations of how my nature photography and pet photography posters are designed. (The idea came when working with Karen and Gary on a collage to capture our 2013 Kenya trip; below is the collage as well as the two posters.)

Hope you’re enjoying summer and doing lots of fun things!

Michael

Exploring Kenya poster by Karen, Gary and Michael

New pet photography advertising poster

New nature photography advertising poster

Trapper helping find a location for the Dog Day Afternoon photos

Hiking Medicine Bow Peak trail – Snowy Range, Wyoming

Hiking Taggart Lake trail – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Moose and calf – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Moose calf – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Beaver – Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Elk – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bison and calf – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Bison – Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Jul 12

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Kenya 2013 Adventure

Jambo! Am back from the bush. Ever since Susan and I first visited Kenya and the Massai Mara National Reserve in June 2004 I’ve frequently needed to return to this magical part of the world. I call it “getting my bush fix”. These visits (my 6^th) tend to rekindle affection for all living things and a visceral connection to the East Africa landscape. (Susan and I are already planning our next trip in 2016.) This adventure was again coordinated with my Kenyan colleague and friend John Kambutu and utilized the services of Maridadi Safaris (located in Nairobi). Eleven travelers participated in the two-week program (a very fun group to travel with) and we experienced wonderful things, highlighted by seeing African wild dogs in Samburu (a first for me) and the beginning of the great migration of wildebeest from the Serengeti plains (in Tanzania) to the rich grasslands of the Massai Mara; we also saw the president of Kenya. A wonderful trip! Below are a few photos. (Will add more when they are completely cataloged – that will take awhile because I tend to take lots of photographs.)

Lilac-breasted roller – Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya