27/08/2009

Photos from the Deeps


We are the tiny yellow dot in the middle of the grid.

Roy, this one's for you.








Cookie's Special after a long hike



25/08/2009

Back from the Deeps

We're back from our camp trip to the Deep Creek Range. More later.


Hotel Nevada, Ely


Homestead junker, Utah


17/08/2009

Gone camping


Evening in the Bird Park
Hasta luego mis amigos. Hasta la vista la próxima semana.


Crow talk

photo by Life Writer

"I shall live bad if I do not write, and I shall write bad if I do not live." ~ Françoise Sagan


And to this end, Mr. Lee has dedicated himself to see that I LIVE. Fuck him. Tomorrow he is dragging me out into the Great Basin for an off road, off the grid, out in the true heart of fucking Nowhere for yet another wilderness experience. I am sneak writing this. Mr. Lee has his eye on me because, at this point, TIME HAS RUN OUT. I should be packing but I am barely packed however I am charging my two camera batteries and have amassed a pile of pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks, and sketch pads to comfort me out there. We go to very remote places. In one favorite location, a military plane crashed and wasn't found for 50 years. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?

For the last few days I have been scaling down the amount of food I shovel out into the Bird Park so that it won't be a total shock when the food dries up but, even as I write this, my old friend Minerva, and her similarity decrepit buddy, have showed up for a mid-morning peanut. I am sorry to say that the crows are winning the contest of who trains who. The other day Minerva landed and clomped (crows don't hop, they clomp) straight to my bedroom window (she not only knows where my office is, she knows where I sleep!) and demanded a treat. Unchecked, this will not end well. Crows have a hot-line. I fear that, before long, hundreds, perhaps thousands, will take up cawing at my window. I suppose it is better we go to the desert a while. Let things cool off.

And when we get back, if we do, it's off to Portland to see Baby Thea (a good thing), then LA (a just okay thing), Tonapah (an okay thing) and, on October 1, we leave for Costa Rica. Yikes and ey yi yi! It feels like a yawning chasm has opened up beneath me into which I plummet.

15/08/2009

Beco's Tub Toy


At least somebody is having fun.

I don't believe elephants should be hostage to a circus or confined to zoos, but this little guy at the Columbus Zoo is making the best of it and, with the dummies on the reactionary right pitching absurd, hysterical tantrums at town hall meetings across the country, don't know about you, but I need a time out from the madness, even if it is only 01:27.

13/08/2009

Local news at 12:56


Detail in a painting
Getty Museum in LA
.

It is all in the details and today the details are driving me crazy so I thought I'd drop in here and complain a bit. Not only are we leaving for Costa Rica on Oct. 1, we are busy pretty much up to that time. It's all good but I am overwhelmed.

Do you like the photo? Sorry I don't remember the artist or the painting, something at the Getty. You'll have to go and see for yourself. One of the many great things about the Getty is that you are allowed to take photos, JUST NO FLASH. But back to work. Thanks for the shoulder.


07/08/2009

Rest in peace Koala Sam


Sam the little koala rescued by firefighter David Tree during Australia's devastating wildfires earlier this year died yesterday. She was euthanized during surgery after the veterinarian found the cysts that threatened her life were inoperable.


Sadness upon sadness, Sam's cysts were caused by stress and these days are very common among Australia's koala population. One bright spot is that her life, rescue and death have helped raise awareness and support not only for koalas, who are in serious trouble throughout Australia, but has also helped highlight the plight of wildlife worldwide. Bye-bye little Sam. I am so sorry it ended this way.

Full story here

06/08/2009

Local news at 11:24


The Bird Park is full of little birds today. They must be fueling up for bad weather. Snow is predicted above 9000 ft. in the lovely Sierra at whose feet we are nestled. I am in the hamster wheel today. Too much to do and too little time to do it all. We are going to Costa Rica on Nov. 1 for six weeks and already the long shadow is upon me. It would be wise to layout the newsletters through the end of the year. And I just volunteered to do a blog for a local animal welfare group. I got the url and did a mock up for it last night but much remains to be done before it's functional. So far I am 0 for 2 on this kind of thing but what the hell? Three is supposed to be a charm. The one I started for the shelter in Nicaragua turned out to be a terrible experience. The director was impossible to work with. Anyway, I should already be out the door, but just had to come here first and cry. It's a tradition.



Oh, and Baby Thea is now 12 lbs. 6 oz.
and more beautiful than ever, if that is even possible.