Tuesday, September 23, 2008

North Dakota





7 comments:

Amy Shmamy said...

Wade,
Its funny how us coastal brains are wired(or maybe just mine). As far as I thought every state between WA and NY is flat with no grass LOL. That included Montana until I went there for my great aunt and uncles 60th wedding anniversary. Beautiful place. You were lucky to grow up there.
Amy

Wade G. Burck said...

Amy,
I was very lucky to grow up in North Dakota. You would be amazed what you can learn about animal behavior, by looking for them and spending hours observing. It must be just your coastal brain. Once you get off the farm, it is a beautiful world we live in. LOL
Wade

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Amy,
Do you realize how lucky you are to live where you do? You are rite around the corner from Olympic National Park. I spent many weekends in that park as a child looking at Elk, Black tailed Deer, river otters, Raccoons, and 20 kinds or Moles and SHrews. Even when I was a towner kid, I knew animals were something I wanted to spend time with. I even remember twice tracking a Black Bear through the woods with my dad, hoping to get a glimpse at some cubs. You should really get out there, it's a jungle.

Amy Shmamy said...

Wade,
I wasn't able to look for animals where I lived since I have always lived right off of a busy street and the occasional rabbits are eaten by my neighbor's cat. However, when we are on our boat I would spend my days on the dock with my head over the edge, a net in one hand and my other in the water. I took a hands on approach in my observing by pulling tube worms off the sides of the docks or catching jellyfish (harmless little ones) in my nets. Did you know at night when it is really dark if you move a net, arm or anything else in water it sparkles? Its from organisms in the water. They do it always, but you can only see it when it is really dark. I also have too many scars on my knees from tumbling down barnacle infested rocks to reach the beach below.
I spent one day of my life on an island called James Island, completely overrun by raccoons. I spent the day bribing them with water and trying to catch them. This was when I was very young, we have not been back since. Very small island and my father had a run-in with one that night as it tried to steal his phone as he was on it.
Another island is called Jones Island and is known for its deer population. I sat on the grass for an hour or so until one of them was less than a foot away. I felt at peace, knowing an animal trusted me enough for me to sit there.
If you haven't been up here to the San Juan Islands, I would highly recommend going at least once. There is so much to discover, so much to learn and so much to fall in love with. I could never live anywhere else.
Amy
Ps. If you ever go to Friday Harbor keep a lookout for Popeye. Shes a seal thats been living there for ages and has only one eye.

Wade G. Burck said...

Amy,
Animals aren't usually found near where you live. You have to go in search of them. In 1984 when Ringling played Seattle and Spokane, myself and Charley Baumann took my boy's Adam and Eric out Salmon fishing in Puget Sound. It was an unforgettable day because in addition to the scenery we caught 18 Salmon, which Charley smoked for the next month.
Wade

Amy Shmamy said...

Wade,
Eastern Washington and Western Washington are very different as I am sure you saw. No longer can you catch 18 salmon, they have put a limit on that due to the species being endangered. My parents go out every year on their 36ft Cris Craft named "The Island Hopper". Not much of a fisherman myself since I prefer to not get up at 5 am on my day off. I put a post on my blog for you to show you my home away from home. Where I spent most of my childhood (usually alone since no siblings). The best taste in the world is crab you caught yourself and cooked that day.
Amy

Amy Shmamy said...

Casey,
My mom wouldn't take me to the zoo, little less the National Park. LOL. I was more of a sea life kid anyhow. I could stare at tidepools in Ocean shores for Hours.
Also encountered many shrews as my cat gets a kick out of bringing them into the house alive and watching the dogs scamper around chasing it.
Amy