Capturing the Moment

  Miami is a few thousand miles away but the draw of baby Catalina is great. It had been too long since we had hung out with Nate and Kelly (read about their Oahu visit , and us visiting Miami ).  I had just flown in from running trips off the coast of British Columbia and was ready for some friends and family time in Vermont.    During the visit our good friends Mary and Jackson came over and brought along their dog Rolo to play with Neka. All of us had worked in Southern California and out in Maui, so it's great to reunite with some fun adventures around the world. Proud Mama    We spent the day hiking around Jeffersonville, VT, exploring waterfalls, and drinking, snacking, and birdwatching our way down the river in canoes. Catalina didn't come along for the canoe ride but she was up for some serious hikes.  On the knife's edge Rolo, Jackson, Mary, Me, Kelly & Nate    The second day we hit the ground running with a...

 Waking up to fresh snow on the ground is a wonderful part of spending time in Vermont during the winter. This morning was one of those mornings. And while a roaring fire, steaming coffee, and holding a newborn are powerful lures to stay inside, the winter wonderland on the other side of the glass was calling. Plus Neka the puppy just loves going outside to race around in the snow.  So Heidi and I bundled up young Catalina and headed out on a snowy adventure. Neka and I did a little photo shoot to help capture the playful mood the snow brings out.

She is just the cutest What a change! After the hot African plains, and the tropical Spice Islands, I've returned to the wintry countryside of Vermont. I got my first go around with sub-zero temperatures and some quality snow time with Neka the puppy. You may remember her from such post as Puppy in Vermont , and Back in Vermont .   She has grown a bit now and seems to be enjoying her first Vermont winter. And she really enjoys her yellow softball. She tumbles around in the snow, loves going on snowshoes, and I'm pretty sure she could stay our all day if we let her.

  After seven weeks leading adventure trips aboard the Safari Quest in Alaska's Inside Passage I am back in Vermont for a little rest and relaxation with Heidi and Neka the puppy. It has been a rainy first week here as summer comes to an end in the Northeast. However I did score this one beautiful day out at the right spot, on a island in the middle of Lake Champlain called Stave Island. Look up the lookout tower   It reminds me of my childhood days on another island off the coast of southern Georgia called St. Catherines Island where my dad was a zoologist. It was an immense playground for a young kid as I am sure Stave Island was for Heidi and for Neka now. The kids cottage where Heidi and I stay Heidi and Neka   Next time I come through Vermont will be late October and the summer will be officially a memory. The trees are already starting to change colors as we shift into Fall. It was nice to get the last bit of summer in such a beautiful place with...

   Baby Neka, an adorable black lab, has been living the Vermont summer dream. For the past couple of weeks Heidi and I have been getting the trails ready out on Stave Island to take this little one out exploring.    Just like a little kid, Neka wanted to explore just about everything she could get her mouth on...including things like mushrooms and moths. So we kept a close eye on her as she raced excitedly around the forest and wildflowers of the island.    Now it's time to head back to work in Alaska, but I'll leave a little piece of my heart back in Vermont with this little cutie. And I know the don't stay puppies forever so I wanted to capture a few images of baby Neka.