Thoughts in General

I've been getting some bad reviews on some of the Facebook pages related to the bears. When you voic3e an opinion, someone is going to disagree, and many may not like you for what you say. But, a blog is a person's opinion. and I'm pretty one and upfront about mine.

Fortunatley, I'm so far into my career as a writer, speaker, author, outfitter, guide, researcher - and chief cook and bottle washer around our house - that I'm probably at a place where what some people think- no longer bothers me, and can no longer affect my businesses, or the way people who really know me - think of me. I've still got a few true-blue friends out there,a nd at least one or two people who think my opinoin counts or is right on.

Naure Trips

I took a walk in the park a couple of days ago, and noticed that some wildflowers are still out, such as the depised goldenrod, balck-eyed susans, purple coneflowers (echinacea, which can be used to treat allergies). Plus several white and yellow flowers I could not identify. While walking I heard red-bellied woodpecker in the oak trees, but in two yars he never seen one. speaking of oaks, I see that most of th white oak acrons in central Mnnesot are already on the ground, which makes it hard for deer hutners to "hunt the acorns" because they are eigher gone, or have gone bad ( that littel worm hole. Ialso heard a nighthawk, barn swallows, chipping sparrows and red-winged blackbirds.

I suspect it wont' be long before we will start seeing fall migrant perching birds and some waterfowl. A look at what is occuring or about to ocur on wildlife arers aroudn the state shows peak numbers of blue-winged teal and wood ducks, duck population increasing, sandhill crane and goose populations building, the peak of hawk and warbler migration is occuring in western Wisconisn, many shore birds are present at Crex Meadows dn the f irst eagle concentrations are occuring there. Many of the fall prairie plants are still in bloom.

It is getting close to the time when a trip to Crex Meadows, about 2 1/2 hours north of St. Paul, is in order, to look for birds, and photograph bald eagles, osprey, waterfowl, trumpeter swans and sandhill cranes. If anyone is interested in joingin my family and I on a trip up there, anytime, we are just looking for excuses to go. If interested e-mail me at TRMichels!@yahoo.com. For the larger birds, and the sandhill migraion, the next two months should be prime time. We are also thinking about looking for the rare Whooping Cranes in central Wisconsin, and stop off at the National Cane Center to see cranes from around the world. I've been invited by biologists at both places to do a story on the efforts to save and increase the beautiful birds.

My wife Diane's Health

I told her to tell the Dr.'s to give her the blood of a 25 year old super model, just in case it rubbed off on her. I also told her that she would probably be feeling like "Wonder Woman" with all that new blood coursing through her veins. Just in case she does, I'm hiding all of the frying pans, because she can actually catch me now ..

I thnk the hope is that they can shrink her tumor so the size wher they can rem ove her libng, because taht way they woudl get all of teh cancer out of her. I'm praying.

My Daughter Tawnya's and son Dallas' Health

My youngest daughter Tawnya had to have two large moles removed from her back and stomach, because they had grown in size and changed in shape, which often signals that they may be carcenomas. She is in a bit of pain, but is upbeat about the outcome. My son Dallas had surgery 8 weeks ago to remove a hernia from a lumbar disc, which was causing him sciatic pain. Before the doctor did surgery he told us there were hernias on both sides of his spine, but he was only going to remove the one on the right, because that was where he was in pain. So, what happens? At 6 weeks he began to feel pain on the left side.

Having had sciatica since I was 19 years old, with three surgeries, and having pinched nerve pain in 10 different areas due to back problems, I know that they often recur. My questions is why didn't the doctor remove both hernias while he was in there? Since my sons' disability has run out for this year, he has to wait until next year to have surgery again. Another question: How does my son get back the 8 weeks he has already lost during recovery, or the 8 weeks he may loose again? I d be looking for another doctor.

Femember - if it is too hot, too cold, too windy, too wet, or there is too much predatory or human behavior - the animals are not going to do what they would normally do, in areas where they would normally do it. If conditions are not conducive to animal movement figure out where they are based on the current conditions, and what times thery are most likely to be active. Then go where you think they will be at the times you think they will be there, and hunt them there, do not wati for them to come to you.

Enjoy Nature

With the great weather we have been having - get outside for a natrue hike and enjoy it while you can. Before you know it the seasons will change, and it will be colder. TAke a family membe or freind, introduce someone to nature, bring along a still or video camera for memories sake, and binoculars or spotting scope,plus a notebook.

Here are a couple of thoughts I had sometime in the past.

Spring has sprung, fall has fell, winter is here, it is cold as ... (you get the idea, this is Minnesota).

God bless,

T.R.