Category Archives: animals

How to pack for a Trip

Posted on by

I travel a lot and often I pack at the last minute so I thought I’d mention my preferred method of packing. If you search the internet there are tons of suggestions and I have never done a “scientific” experiment to find the “best” way.

I don’t have much difficulty packing to leave but the return trip is a different story. By the time I’ve added the souvenir sweatshirt and the new T shirts I have a bulging bag.

packlight-overstuffed-suitcase

I had a huge suitcase when I went to Alaska because of all the heavy winter clothes. It was fine when we left but it was overweight when I returned. Cost a bundle in fees too!

debalaska

 One of the advantages of a timeshare is that very often there is a washer and dryer in the unit so when you are relaxing at the end of a busy day/ week you can toss in a load of dirty clothes. It is so much nicer to bring clean clothes home than a suitcase full of stinky, dirty socks and shirts.

washer-and-dryer

But I digress….My preferred packing procedure is as follows:

·        Step 1. Open suitcase

·        Step 2. Remove Cat

Rocky suitcase

·        Step 3. place tripod diagonally in the bottom of the suitcase

·        Step 4. remove Cat again

RockyTravel 003 copy

·        Step 5. add pants, shorts T’s

·        Step 6. remove Cat one more time

RockyTravel 001 copy

·        Step 7. tuck socks, undies and sleep wear in the nooks and crannies

·        Step 8. Wrap any extra shoes or sneakers in plastic bags and tuck in next to the sides of the suitcase.

·        Step 9. Remove Cat for the last time

suitcase cat

·        Step 10. Quickly close and zip suite case. Double check the Cat is outside and not tucked into a nook or cranny of the suitcase

Rocky 001 copy

You’re done! 10 easy steps!

The Great Whale Photo Search

Posted on by

I’m starting to get excited for my trip back to Maui. My timeshare called me. They tried to hook me up for a Luau and a special evening of wine and food put on by the executive chef. I said no to both. I’ve done enough Luau’s now that the thrill is gone. They are enjoyable but my mouth doesn’t hang open in wonder any more, not even for the fire dancers. As for a special culinary evening, I don’t drink and I’m not an adventurous  eater. Probably the most exotic thing I like is escargot. Calamari? Not a fan, salmon? Nope. Even with dessert I prefer plain and simple. Flans and crème brulee? Not interested. I’ll take a dish of chocolate ice cream, a slice of apple pie or a strawberry shortcake. A foodie vacation would not interest me.

img_20160220_133814

 What does interest me are animals. I’ve chased Elk all over from South Dakota

058a-copy

(where I struck out) to Tennessee (where I finally caught up with them)

 Tennessee2014 318a copy

So this trip to Maui is all about the whales and the posts on Facebook are really getting me in the right frame of mind. Just look at this photo taken by Anna Smith on a sunrise Whale Watch out of Lahaina. What an awesome shot!

happy-whale

 Then there is this one from the same place  captured by naturalist Jackson Kowalski. Hats off to this photographer too.

breach

I want to capture my own version of this behavior. I’m ready. I can’t wait!

Jackson Hole Wyoming

Posted on by

I thought I’d give Hawaii a rest for a bit.

One of the places I have been trying to get to is Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It is the only location in Wyoming where I have a time share option but it is always booked. I’ve been wondering if it’s because of the time of year I try to get a reservation. I think Jackson Hole is a big ski area and I’ve been looking in the winter.

 I heard that the Elk herd winters in an Elk Sanctuary just outside of Jackson hole and they have horse drawn sleigh rides through the winter herd.

elk0204062

 I’ve also heard that the animals in Yellowstone are easier to see in winter because they congregate around the hot springs to get relief from the cold. The exception is the bears because they are hibernating but wolves are more visible.

201002yellowstone11

Speaking of the cold, most of the roads in Yellowstone are closed once the snow flies. The only way around the park is by snowcoach, snow mobile, snow shoes, or skis. I wouldn’t be up for the show shoes or skis but maybe the snowmobile although with camera gear for pictures the snow coach might be the best bet. Sadly that takes personal exploration out of the equation.

cross-country-ski-buying-gu

 I recently bought a photography book for the Tetons and Yellowstone and after wading through tons of technical photo speak I’m beginning to think a spring or fall visit might be better than winter. Spring would  mean baby animals like elk and bison and maybe a grizzly cub if I got lucky and fall would mean the elk  and moose rut. Bears might still be active as they try to fatten up for the hibernation.

Buffalo Calf

Buffalo Calf

 They talked a lot about the foliage of golden aspens but being from New England that seems a bit dull. I’m used to the vibrant reds of the sugar maples and every color of orange you can think of. All the photographers spoke of sun rise and dawn or sunset for most of the locations. Jackson Hole is a good 45  minutes away from the south entrance to Yellowstone. That is making me wonder if a decent photography trip can be had for both Yellowstone and the Tetons  if I stay in Jackson Hole.

 So much to figure out. Any suggestions?

Rocky Update

Posted on by

If you have been following this blog for long you know that I am a Cat Lady. At one point I had 3 cats but old age, cancer and illness have been picking off my furry family. Rocky is 16 this year and he is the only one left.

Rockykitten

Since I’ve been Rocky’s pet parent I’ve lost Little Joe, a Black and White Persian tuxedo kitty.

little joe

Then there was Smokey; a fluffy, sweet natured gray kitty. He passed away from a fast moving cancer in his mouth.

Smoke 001e copy

Before Smokey passed away our family grew again to include Buddy, another Black & White kitty. He was huge, tipping the scale at 17 lbs he was a gentle giant. Then as suddenly as he joined us he was gone, just a couple of years after we lost Smokey. Again it was cancer although tests didn’t find the actual tumor the abnormal cells seemed to be everywhere and my poor boy couldn’t breathe.

Buddy2014 005a copy

That leaves only Rocky. My concern was that Rocky had never been an only kitty. He has always been surrounded by a fur family. But here we are 6+ months since Buddy passed and all seems well. Rocky has become a cuddly lap kitty, something he never did before. He seems happy. Of course he has the run of the house now.

Rockyandme 018a copy

For years I worked a sort of 2nd shift, I left for work between 10-12 and got home between 7 – 9 pm. Now that I’m working a normal 9-5 shift I have difficulty getting “Lazy Bones” to get up for breakfast. On the weekends if I let him sleep in he doesn’t come around to eat until 10 am or so.

dsc_4135-copy

As you can tell, he gets grumpy if you wake him up!

dsc_4134-copy

I guess if that’s the worse problem we have then I’m very lucky.

Jackson NH

Posted on by

You’ve seen the pictures now here’s the story. dsc_4055-copy

I had a vision of horses running through the snow and pulling a sleigh. Now I really didn’t care if it was a one horse, 2 horse or a whole team but to get this “vision” captured in a photo I had to go in search of snow and snow with horse drawn sleighs. christmassleighride1920x1200

I did a google search and came up with a few places but the one that caught my eye was the Jingle Bell Chocolate tour in Jackson, NH.

1034-1477331321

This is a Holiday event in the elegant resort town of Jackson, NH.

For a small fee you are driven in a sleigh drawn by a team of Austrian draft horses around Jackson to different inns and locations. Some mentioned are the Wentworth, the Snowflake Inn, The Riverwood Inn and Flossie’s General Store.

dsc_4064-copy

At each stop you get to sample a chocolate treat. You also receive a holiday bag for leftovers and a jingle bell.

The catch is that you have to be staying at one of the Inns. The sleigh rides start and end  at Nestlenook Farms.

dsc_4077a-copy

I figured I might as well drive up because the photo I wanted wouldn’t be from in a sleigh anyway.

It was a 4 hour drive but it was a beautiful day. When I left Taunton it was sunny and the sky was blue however as I approached Jackson the weather began to change. It started to get really cold and clouds began to roll in. It even started to spit a little snow. I was also getting a little discouraged as I passed through North Conway. There was absolutely no snow on the ground! How would I ever get the picture I wanted?

Jackson and North Conway are in the White Mountains and the White Mountain National Forest so you can imagine how scenic the ride was.

dsc_4079-2-copy

Arriving in Jackson you drive over a one lane covered bridge, (Covered Bridge #51) also known as the Honeymoon Bridge. Originally built in 1876  it has had improvements and upgrades over the years. The name “Honeymoon Bridge” comes from a tradition of lovers kissing under it for good luck.

dsc_4069-2-copy

In the end I did not get my “vision”.  It will have to wait for another day and different conditions but I enjoyed my explorations, Jackson Falls, The Honey Moon Bridge and the horse drawn sleighs on wheels.

dsc_4062a-copy

If any of my readers are from the New England area and know of winter sleigh rides, please leave me a comment. I’m still looking for someplace to get that photo and now we have SNOW!