KOA Blog

Here I sit at a picnic table in a KOA campground 12 miles south of Jackson Hole.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Last week I woke up with a monster in my eye. Not really a monster...a blob. Well maybe a big floater. What the heck this is my camera eye. Everywhere I look it's like looking through a bottle of my Dad's no-fat, powdered, diluted milk. A royal pain in the butt. The Doc says it's a floater but not really its a "mass" that could be a floater but still attached to my retina. No pain. Just a lot of blinking hoping it will go away. My other eye is the reason why I wear glasses. Probably would have helped that eye if the BLOB was in it.

Made the trek to Yellowstone and Jackson. I am tempted to tell all the bad things that happened like the water pump went out on the suburban, the batteries died in the trailer, my grandsons were having diarrhea contests, my wife came down with a terrible cold, the boys were coughing constantly, and today the body aches, sore throat and coughing started with me I won't tell all the bad things.

My daughter and I went out two early mornings to shoot. It was wonderful to share time with her doing what we enjoy in common. She has a great desire to improve her skills. The best part for me was to just be alone with her in the great outdoors. Not the best time of year for wildlife photography. We enjoyed the vistas and scenic views. Good thing for auto focus with my bum eye. Not a lot of shooting on my part just helping my daughter.

Today we went to oxbow bend in Teton National Park. The countless times that I have been to this spot I have never enjoyed the smooth, glassy water as "reflected" in the photo above. In the circle of photographers that I often hang with we would say today.."the lighting God was with us". In truth, he was. Making our experience together that much better.

Now for the grandsons. Oh my heck. They surely have my good looking gene, my ADD gene, my non-stop try something new gene and my wife's argue gene (I'll get it for this note). How can a grandfather's love be measured? Not sure! Mornings have been greeted by these two little guys giving me a big hug while shouting PAPPA!!!!! My little Cameron is afraid of everything and nothing. A climber, a wrecker, a wild monster. But a little bug I tried to show him turned him into a sprinter in the opposite direction. We walked the hot pots and Geysers near Hayden Valley. He was so scared he shook and about pulled my neck hairs out. My arms wrapped around him and held him tight as I mentioned "Pappa will protect you". He squeezed me even harder and replied back "protect me Pappa from the bolcayno". Never felt so much responsibility in my life. We made it.

I bought Andrew a couple of cameras (that disneyland Pappa thing). What a blast to see him enjoy what his mother and Pappa have so much passion for. He is my morning light and joy. When he smiles his eyes wrinkle up and the grin goes ear to ear. What a blessing in my life.

Last night we saw Bar "J" perform. Fun, Fun, Fun.

Tomorrow we head home. The traffic jams in Yellowstone and the the Tetons, the rushes to the potties to peeps and poops, the long days of driving will not mask or take away the wonderful week I have had. My only wish is that my son and other daughter were here too.

I'll post some of the fun shots we took this next week.

Never take your eyesight for granted.