Finally... Snow!

It's a lazy Sunday, doing some research on the latest fisheries issues in Western Washington and watching the snow fly. The kitties are seeing snow for the first time and they love it! Took a hike up Mt Sentinel and it felt great to get out in the crisp air and get the pulse up.

A Fire's Burning (in my belly)

Last week I joined the Superior Fire Crew for a prescribed burn in an old logging unit. It was lots of fun, and our fire folks are really impressive when it comes to burning stuff up and keeping things in control, which can be like holding a tiger by its tail, as one firefighter said.

Big changes are on the horizon for me. Last week I decided to resign from the Forest Service effective November 27, without having another job lined up yet. After almost four years with the agency I have concluded that the organizational culture is incompatible with my non-career needs, and so now I am returning to Seattle and hoping that some job applications I have submitted will come through.

It's scary to walk away from a permanent job that pays around 70k and is loaded with benefits, but it's important for me to live life right - which means following my heart and making things work out with my head. Seattle, friends, the Cascades & Olympics, progressive culture, here I come!

Like a Virgin... Island

Last week was wonderful. First I went to Portland to attend the Society of American Forester's annual conference. My colleague Kate and I put up a booth for the Forest Service and took in job applications. While there I got to chat with the Chief, and meet some really cool folks.

After that things got really interesting. I went to the island of St John in the American Caribbean to celebrate the marriage of two amazing human beings and very good friends, Jon and Aimee. The water was turquoise and the sand fine, sea turtles abounded, and the whole trip was full of great people and fun times. The only sad part was that I had to leave right as the sailing trip got under way.

On a bend in the road (less traveled...)

Spent last week with Stephen and Mary in Seattle. While there I got to see some great friends, eat really good food, ride bikes thru town, and enjoy my favorite autumn around.

Now I'm back in Missoula, working at Superior. Today our engineers came out to inspect a tunnel and trestle along our soon-to-be opened Hiawatha bike trail, and it was very exciting to see the project come more to life as they added their bit.

On Monday I went out with a colleage to Missoula Lake and Mink Peak to take pictures for the budget request and close gates for the season. The larches are bursting yellow and the weather has been crisp and clean. Good fall around here. Super busy.

Riding Jon's Freedom Train

It's the end of an era for Jon, so this weekend many of us gathered together in the depths of the desert to send Jon off in style before he marries Aimee.

Nothing Shocking (unless you're a cutthroat)

Last Monday Brian invited me to come out with some colleagues to electroshock fish to save them from impending muddy waters because we are replacing a bad culvert on Cottonwood Creek. It was a wonderful day full of stomping around in the creek, lots of laughs, and fresh air in the great outdoors. We ended up catching 341 fish including the exceedingly rare perchthroat, known only to exist in the upper reaches of Cottonwood.

End of a Summer

This weekend I said goodbye to summer in the company of best of friends at Stephen and Mary's annual Stupendous Selebration. For this year's party they put on an awesome scavenger hunt race. There were seven teams of four people, and to start each person on each team had to race mini bikes around the block before the team got the sheet of clues and the map. From there we had to run around the neighborhood, find clues and challenges, and attempt to earn extra points along the way by finding hidden teddy bears, playing ping pong, and horseshoes, and taking pictures for photo challenges where everyone judged the photos once the race was done. It was a smashing party and glorious race. Most of all it was soooooo great to spend time with kindred spirits in Seattle, without any doubt my ideal home.