OH, THE THINGS WE'VE SEEN, THE THINGS WE'VE DONE...

Our retirement has taken us in so many directions.  Royster has chosen photography as his retirement occupation. He's really serious with it, and has even given up his beloved 28 year old Harley Davidson to take on this love for photography.  He has an eye for a good picture, and takes some excellent photos.  Royster bought me a really nice little camera that has both manual and automatic settings to mess with, so that I can join him in this venture.  I'm really happy with it, as it takes excellent pictures, and, thankfully, not too many buttons  to do too much to get the picture I want.  I like to snap pictures of things that aren't likely to run away quickly.  And, for the record, these photos are mine! 

For the past year, we've taken on a "See America First" tour.  Admittedly, we've dipped into Canada to see what's there.  It's been totally worth it, as there is some of the most beautiful, unspoiled country up there that I've ever seen.  Though in September, the weather on Vancouver Island, B.C. was pretty nippy.  We were able to go on a bear tour to photograph bears, eagles, dolphins and whales.  We were not disappointed at all on any account.  We also stayed in a cabin at Tofino on Vancouver Island.  I was intrigued with the whole thing. It was all so beautiful.  The beaches were pristine, and there were things I'd never seen down here on the Gulf Coast. In the mornings, I'd don a coat, flip-flops and grab my camera to take pictures of tidal pools.  There were lots of sea anemones, starfish and muscles.  There were gulls, crows and ravens that had no fear of humans.  We did witness crows and ravens take advantage of a picnic basket that had been left for a brief time while the owners explored the beach.  What a huge mess the birds had left.  I have to chuckle at the birds, after witnessing what humans leave behind along the roadsides.

Also, in the past year, we've been from coast to coast; and it never ceases to amaze me that there is so much we take for granted ... things we just don't see on a day-to-day basis.  On our last trip, we "cut a circle" from South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.  We've been there before, but we always see things we haven't seen before.  In every place we've been. I've always encountered the beautiful Ravens.  At Bryce and Zion, they've followed me around from station to station to get the crackers that I carry in my pockets; clearing the parking lots by pecking at fenders and bumpers of cars that had just pulled up.  As fierce as they look, they gently take the crackers from my fingers.  They will call  from 80' up on a dead tree to talk.  All a person has to do is answer them.  They will talk...tell all.  I feel very drawn to these beautiful avian creatures.

As we drove through the Tetons and Yellowstone, there were the beautiful elk and buffalo.  We bowed to their right of way.  Everyone should see this.  Again, this is stuff you just don't see while sitting at your computer, or at your local mall.

On one afternoon, we were blessed with buffalo commandeering the road.  We bowed to their  strength and ownership of the space.

I think we'll be heading east on our next tirp...or will we?  We'll be talking about this through Thanksgiving.  We've been east before, but there is a lot we haven;t seen....Maybe the upper east coast will hold more discoveries in the spring.

Between the two of us, we've taken thousands of pictures.  Some of the best are the wild life photos, but there are also candid shots of people, and the joy they experience daily.  I'll have to post some of those too.  In the mean time.  We're planning our next adventure.