This is the last day before we enter the “critical period”. This is the time when we start tracking against the haunted trail project plan – set tasks that have to be completed for each day or we run the risk of not being ready for the extravaganza. So many things to do, but if not done in the right order at the right time, we start to stumble over ourselves and we end up clipping a root and face-planting on the trail. Those familiar with Intrigued know all too well how that turns out ha. The good news is, we are finishing up all the new props for this year and for the most part all the scares that broke during the event last year have been fixed – all that early year work pays off. In the midst of the trail prep, I happened to notice we were a post down from our self-imposed monthly quota. Although busy, we definitely can’t let a decade plus streak go down without a fight, so jumped on the computer and figured I would end the month with some one-offs from our Arizona trip back in January of 2024. There will be limited commentary due to time constraints, so simply sit back and enjoy the shots.
Hit the jump to see some miscellaneous shots that didn’t have enough companion images to make their own post or not an interesting enough back story to keep you entertained.
I have to say, at this point in September, this is probably the least stressed I have been for many a year. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of fretting going on now, but NOTHING like the norm. Long time followers of Intrigued know we plan our year around our annual Haunted Trail event. This is a 363 day work effort as we get two days off to actually hold the event ha. The usual date for that event is THIS weekend and I am usually an absolute mess by this time – up for days, physically and mentally spent. Fortunately, it is something we absolutely enjoy putting together every year or there would be no way we would put ourselves through this. This year we had to push the event to mid October thanks to my punk-ass ankle. Sure, there is some lack of sleep and we are in the haunt labs from sun up through the witching hours, but the real worry days are still a week away. Those are the days when I wonder Wren I am going to get any sleep…
Hit the jump to see more shots of a featured feathered friend that shares my blood shot eyes.
Unfortunately, it has been a bit since we last talked. Not to steal any valor from the fine men in the Seals organization, but we are officially in our Hell Week[s]. Traditionally, our big haunted trail event (link here) would be scheduled for next weekend, however, due to the insubordinate ankle, we opted to push the date to mid October rather than cancel it outright. Good move as there is no way we would have been ready by this week. That delay doesn’t mean we can sit back and take it easy – for the last several weeks I have been getting very little sleep due to coordinating tasks, fixing broken props, building new scares and everything else related to the haunt. I just looked at the current project plan and there are 306 tasks at the macro level and that is growing daily ugh. Add in dealing with rehab visits, daily workouts and everything else life has been throwing at us (more like a barrage) and sleep has become a luxury. Fortunately we live for the haunt so that is wrapped in enjoyment (big thanks to my brother Ron who has been spending every weekend down here to help us out). Long story short, overly pressed for time, so I’ll probably be a bit scarce for some time going forward. I’ll try to keep you updated as we progress to the big event. Upmost apologies for delays in responding to comments and keeping up with all your fine blogs during this time. For now, Brad is going to take time away from preparing for his upcoming field assignment and step in to give me a breather with one of his adventures. While I take a brief few minutes to celebrate being released from crutches today, I’ll let Brad take it away…
Lately, Jan and I have been taking on more global photo assignments for Wildlife Intrigued. It’s not that we are running out of birds locally, far from it. We want to get to the far-flung parts of the map while we are young enough to handle the strenuous travel distances and locations. Sometimes, Jan and I use a travel agent to help with details in a part of the world we’ve not yet been to. Often times we have already been to a location and take pleasure in setting up travel on our own, even if the Intrigued corporate jet isn’t available. (Isn’t that worldwide pop tour over yet?)
For the same reason, these stories almost never appear in a linear fashion. It’s sort of a “timey-wimey” thing. Sometimes I have a story just waiting for me to take photographs to complete it. Or I have a bunch of photos, and no story. A TARDIS would be helpful in the story writing process sometimes. This story was actually started way before the one about an Eastern Kingbird (link here) that we found about 100 yards further around the lake a bit earlier in the same day. Circumstances, our travel assignments, and me almost deleting all of the bird photos lead to this one being delayed for over a year. (see end of story for details)
During one of our back-to-back-to-back photo assignments from Intrigued HQ, Jan and I were on the downhill side of an early summer trip to Colorado visiting our daughter Allyson. She is also the editor working in the Wildlife Intrigued Western (or Mountain) office. Both the Intrigued corporate jet and motorhome were otherwise occupied, so we completed the 14-hour journey in our Regional Office vehicle. Truthfully, I like travelling this way because we can take much more gear along than the airlines allow. As an added bonus, Jan and I get to stop at Runza for lunch on our way across Nebraska. Both directions.
Hit the jump to read more about today’s featured feathered friend.
Greetings everyone, hope all is well with you. My spirits have definitely been lifted thanks to yesterday being my first day in the therapy pool! Feels good to actually walk again albeit with the assistance of water dynamics. For an hour there I felt somewhat whole again, enjoying the various strengthening and stretching routines and even the treadmill didn’t fill me with dread like it normally does during the off-season – something about it being submerged made it more intriguing. Of course, reality hit when my time was up and re-emerged into gravity – a solid reminder I still have miles to go. The best part, I was completely exhausted later that night, forgotten muscles fidgeting and squawking. It has been 11 frustrating months since I’ve had a really hard run and last night brought a flood of good memories back (runners are wired differently ha). While I sit here in anticipation of tomorrow’s pool session, thought I would crank out another post from the recently processed Colorado trip.
Hit the jump to see a few more shots that “could have been awesome”
We are technically at the first post of September. My last post was published 2 minutes before midnight on the 31st, but the WP servers sit in different time zones so it might look like it creeped to the 1st. Normally I would be in full panic mode and wondering if I’ll make it to double digits in total sleep for the week while getting ready for the Haunted Trail event. Due to the ankle injury, I have a bit of reprieve as we had to push the party date three weeks into October. My ankle was pretty adamant that there would be no trail work until at least the brace phase. Still have a lot of work to get done, but I’ll have a few more weeks of some decent sleep before the pressure builds. In the last post I mentioned I just had to get through the tins from Colorado and I would be current to this year. That is now complete – and there was copious amounts of rejoicing. In recognition of this momentous accomplishment, going with a featured feathered friend from that trip.
Hit the jump to learn more about this stout looking bird.
Last day of the month and we are officially in the “bonus” round. Thanks to the additional time being sequestered in the den, this has been a highly productive blogging month. Believe this is the 8th post of the month which includes the two browser cache burning recollections from last year’s 2024 Haunted Trail Event (link here). I am incredibly shocked we are only a month and half away from the 2025 extravaganza. Note, we had to push it three weeks this year due to the ankle mishap. Might as well update you on that front as well. Thursday I was officially released from the 6 week no-weight sentencing. According to the doctor, everything is progressing as prescribed which is really good news. Apparently the massive swelling that occurs in the foot soon after releasing it from the air-cast is normal (quite the surprise). The original expectations of being released for “walking” fell a bit short though as he wants me to continue to use both crutches to assist the walking effort for a week or so then take away one of the crutches for a period of time before unassisted walking. Honestly, that seemed like a good plan based on the “owwww” that escaped my lips the first time I put the unprotected foot down on the floor. Physical therapy also started that day which brought some additional mutterings, but those came with a smile – that I can handle, suffering is kind of my game and honestly, what got me into this mess ha. I am looking forward to the pool work that starts soon. Only 4 more weeks and I am graduated to a brace and minutes after getting into that I’ll be out on the trail getting it ready to entertain our guests.
Probably not a secret, but my life is driven by goals. As much as I hated putting them together while in the grind, they are a cornerstone on the personal side. Life with purpose as they say. Before you ask, this commitment continues in the retirement years. One big goal to complete while laid up was to tackle the massive backlog of photos. Managed to get through the Texas March 2024 tins (560G) and over half of my Colorado September snaps. That trip just needs a few more hours of work and I will be current to 2025 (assuredly my long-term readers will be flabbergasted). Just to give you a taste of the newly processed Texas folder, thought I’d go with a fitting featured feathered friend immortalizing that rarely uttered word “Owwww”l.
Well, we will get to the Owl part in just a sec – right now you are basically staring at a hole in a telephone pole at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. Linda, myself and about 30 other hardcore birders spent a good hour plus staring at that hole in hopes of getting a glimpse of what was to be a +1 lifer for me. Hit the jump to find out if we managed to get something in the tin!
Wildlife Intrigued 