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).