Winter, at last...

Snow finally made it to Wisconsin with our first measurable snowfall in early January.

The ever-so-hardy pines of the northern states.

What a crazy winter we have had. I seem to be one of the relatively few people who enjoy Wisconsin winters. As a matter of fact, I would have to say it is my second favorite season, surpassed only by fall. It is such a peaceful time to be outdoors; the snow seems to absorb all the noise that comes with our busy, never-enough-time-in-a-day world; there are fewer people venturing out once the thermometer registers below freezing; and it is a great time to recognize all of those hearty creatures that have found adaptive ways to weather less than ideal conditions.



A dark-eyed junco enjoying the fresh snow...

then again, some creatures aren't quite as lucky.

So, take the opportunity to get outdoors in winter. Take a short hike. Strap on a pair of snowshoes. Try cross-country skiing for the first time. For the adventurous, pitch a tent--there is nothing like waking up to the silence of a winter morning, snuggled in a toasty sleeping bag, the cold gently nibbling at your exposed nose.

Contrary to winters of recent past, this one may truly be short-lived. I say enjoy it while it's here.

It's been a while...

So, I have been an absentee blogger for over a year and feel it is the right time to rehash A Life Outside. I will be the first to admit that the past year has been a bit of a struggle for me. I like to think of it as a year of soul-searching, trying to find out what I want to be when I "grow up." And, admittedly, I am still searching.

Over the past couple of years I have made some new discoveries in the interests I have-- mainly writing and photography. I still have a overwhelming interest in our natural resources and my goal is to combine these three interests into a career.  As I have found out, it will not be any easy task; however, it is one I am going to do my best to make happen. So, I will continue to use this blog to relay some of my outdoor experiences (I know Joe, I missed relaying a summer of chasing spruce grouse in some of the most remote places of WI), my thoughts on natural resource issues, and my hopeful journey to a new career.

Here are a few pictures to get going and brush the rust off of my blogging layoff.

One of the female spruce grouse we tracked this past summer. If you look closely you can see the "bling" she is wearing--on her breast is the radio transmitter, on her left leg is an aluminum band, and on her right leg are colored bands to aid in positively identifying her while in the field.

I like the composition of this picture of a drake mallard taken at Horicon, however I haven't been able to correct the overexposure (still learning Photoshop).