The Teton Badger

Lay of 253M

2008-12-06T14:57:00.001-07:00

Snow crunches as paw presses down.
The cold of the night has made the snow crispy,
Squeaky as snow only is in the deep cold of Wyoming winter.

But quiet! For the wolf he hunts the elk,
And our human noise and scent will as usual,
ruin things if we are discovered.

Quick as night he leaps,
The black wolf leaps, and all is still.
The elk sleeps but will not awake and
The wolf limps over to feed.

Until he notices us, a misplaced footfall
on crunchy show. His ears perk and
Quick as night he is gone,
he leaves, a meal undone,
and I shuffle away in misery
the Lamar stretches around me
His home here is safe for him and his people.

253 can you tell me of Yellowstone?
Can you still feel the pups in the den
your brothers and sisters.
The soft mewling of the newborns.

Can you tell me of the Elk Refuge?
Elk by the thousands,
a heaving multitude of life.
A wolf living like a lottery winner.
And what of Utah?
Full of people, full of traps.

253 can you tell me of Wyoming,
Of the sharp winds of the spring meadows,
how does it feel to be shorter than the flowers
but stronger than the hills?
How does it feel to smell the essence of our world,
long before you see it.

253, can you tell me of the final blackness.
Did you smell them before they shot you?
Did you look them in the eye as an alpha as you died?
I wonder did you understand why they had acted,
while others like me had only been
a jagged interruption on your consciousness.

Did you fade away quietly
Or did you fight as you always had to survive?
Your paw has tread many thousands of miles I will never see
And you will never see, again.

253 know this: we are all too much the same for this.
I know, you know
We are all too much the same.

Copyright 2008 Tenley Thompson.

Glowing Bear

2008-10-23T11:00:00.001-07:00

Photoshop Fun, bear was photographed in Churchill Canada.

2008-09-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

AHHHH!

2008-06-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

Gummy Bear

2008-06-15T11:47:00.001-07:00

Monorail Cat does D.C.

2008-06-10T14:33:00.001-07:00

Why cant all comercials be the good? (Part 3 million)

2008-06-08T20:09:00.001-07:00

2008-06-02T15:58:00.001-07:00

For All

by Gary Snyder

Ah to be alive
on a mid-September morn
fording a stream
barefoot, pants rolled up,
holding boots, pack on,
sunshine, ice in the shallows,
northern rockies.

Rustle and shimmer of icy creek waters
stones turn underfoot, small and hard as toes
cold nose dripping
singing inside
creek music, heart music,
smell of sun on gravel.

I pledge allegiance

I pledge allegiance to the soil
of Turtle Island,
and to the beings who thereon dwell
one ecosystem
in diversity
under the sun
With joyful interpenetration for all.

"For All" by Gary Snyder from the Gary Snyder Reader. © Counterpoint.

Hmmm...

2008-05-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Why cant all comercials be this good? (Part: whatever)

2008-05-23T20:42:00.001-07:00

The Hobbit

2008-05-20T20:13:00.003-07:00

A great essay on what needs to be in the Hobbit film, what does not and what they need to be keeping in mind..

Seven things we want from the Hoobit:
http://www.thedeadbolt.com/news/104554/7hobbit_feature.php

Long time no see...

2008-04-20T13:46:00.002-07:00

Hello from Moab UT!

Polar Bears!

2008-04-08T23:56:00.002-07:00

Thou shalt not judge a book by its cover, Thou shalt not judge Lethal Weapon by Danny Glover

2008-03-14T13:05:00.005-07:00

I found this Scroobius Pip listening no NPR the other day- interesting guy...

Shy Fox

2008-03-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

Red Fox, Flagg Ranch
Copyright 2008 Tenley Thompson Photography

Perhaps fritalian...

2008-03-03T21:17:00.001-07:00

Why cant all commercials be this funny?

Introducing

2008-02-27T16:07:00.004-07:00

My new site!

TenleyThompsonPhotography.com is now live!

check it out and let me know what you think!

2008-02-16T12:08:00.004-07:00

Another 169 Bison captured inside Yellowstone national park are being slaughtered as we speak simply for attempting to travel to a 10,000 year old traditional migration ground in Montana just outside the park. According to the Buffalo Field Campaign that makes 239 now this year killed. And we all know that the deeper the snow gets the more bison are going to travel to traditional wintering areas where there is less snow so they can dig under it to find food. If they don't they face starvation. I wont be shocked if we hit 1,000 slaughtered this year. Just for being bison, behaving like they have for far longer than you and I have been here. The whole thing disgusts me.

Propaganda time!

2008-02-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

And just because its funny heres a great McCain parody:

Snow Cave!

2008-02-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

It has snowed so much we made a cave in the backyard! Whee!

Why you need to watch for wildlife

2008-02-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

This fellow was later put down by park police, please watch for wildlife.

Echo

2008-02-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Echo was adopted in November 2007

Druids taunting a bison...

2008-02-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Taken in Yellowstone this week

How to get a great shot....

2008-01-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

...by being a bad person! (Sorry I scared you Mr. Moose!)
Poor guy- its a great shot but I still feel guilty- Bumble (the dog) started to bark in the car and the moose didn't like that very much- I should not have been out there with Bumble and I got him to hush pretty quick but, any time you make a moose run in the winter he loses energy and with that, body fat that they need to survive...sigh. It wasn't that bad- he stopped running a little bit later once he felt safe again, but still.

I think its "Big Bull" who I have been trying to get a good photo of for YEARS, and now I have it and I feel guilty....Here are some other shots of big bull- do you think its the same guy?
And of course....(hehheh)

The antlers are pretty similar- so it may all be the same moose, they were all taken in the same 3 mile radius near the Gros Ventre river...I don't know but it may be the same guy I have been watching for years...
man I suck.

Apinist Fim Festival

2008-01-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the final night of the Alpinist Film Festival

http://www.alpinist.com/film_festival/2008

Tonight was "Stone" featuring climbing and while I attended all three nights this one was my favorite. I don't know what it is but I have been to the festival 3 years in a row and all three years "stone" night was always the most intense.
Two of my favorite movies I actually found on You Tube, and so have them for you here below although the final film blew me out of the water.

This one "The Western Lands: Hoy" was bizzare, youtube only has a minute or so of the 8 minute film but hopefully it will give you a glimpse. Its about a man climbing a pillar in Scotland on his 60th birthday. Trust me on the bizzare part its get weird after this with comments like "the stone smells like sex" and such but the cutting and editing of the film and the narration were really superb, I really like the low tone in the background, and how it lends such atmosphere to the film...

The other one I found is called "Climber" and youtube has the full 2 minute film it was created at the Vancouver film school and was just kinda fun. Talk about fighting your inner demons....

While these films were a good watch, I left the festival feeling pretty introspective mostly because of the final film called "Beckoning Silence". It is a film adaption of the book of the same name, by Joe Simpson the author of "Touching the Void" Probably one of the most famous climbing books and movies of all time.
http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/minisites/beckoning/
It is difficult to explain so I am going to use the film festival websites description here:

"The Film adaptation to Joe Simpson's bestselling book and follow up to Touching the Void. The film follows Simpson to the perilous north face of the Eiger where the notorious and tragic story of Toni Kurtz's 1936 attempt unravels alongside Simpson's own horrifying experience in the Peruvian Andes. An unbelievable tale by one of the great storytellers of our day. "

Ok fair enough, but to put it in short all of Kurtz party members die in an avalanche trying to get one of the injured members off the mountain... except that is for Kurtz who is stuck in the middle of the rope over an abyss with one dead party member hanging above him and one below him (the fourth plunges 3000 feet to his death). Kurtz manages to survive a night suspended over the cliff, then climb up with one useless frostbitten hand, cut away the dead party members from the rope, unravel the rope into 3 strands and tie them together, get another rope from the rescue team who cant reach him and lower himself to within 50 feet of the rescuers. But he cant reach them and in the end dies from freezing to death suspended by a rope with a drop of 3000 feet below him feet from help.
All of this is told to us by a man who broke his leg, then fell into a crevasse stuck there until his friend had to cut him free, or die too. He falls crawls out of the crevasse on a broken leg and over the next 4 days crawls back to the camp down the mountain...yeah I am not kidding (check here if you don't believe me)

So yeah... where does that leave me? The watcher?
I stand in someways in a bit of a unique place of understanding when I watch films like "Touching the Void" and "The Beckoning Silence". Always in these climbing films there is a point where the climber says to us; this climb, (or mountaineering/soloing/ice climbing/free climbing etc.) is what makes me feel alive, that life is not worth living for them without the occasionally (or common) deadly risk that they take. That they cannot live their life otherwise and that they are willing to die for it.
As a viewer most people just shake their heads at the crazyness of a statement like that, your life is worth that climb? really? And much of the time I am in agreement. There is more to life than the top of some snowy mountain...much more.
But... I love to climb (when I actually am healthy enough to..sigh) and to be honest I am really pretty bad at it- but it is unbelievably addictive and many people have tried much more successfully than I to explain why. But for me I love it both for the feeling of accomplishment and fun of scrambling up rock and scaling peaks. For the feeling of rough untrodden nature under your hands, but also for the very risk it is. Climbing even when it is bomber safe, doesn't feel safe, it doesn't feel sane, it feels risky even when it isn't- and that feeling of danger is part of why I like it so much. That feeling of adrenaline is hard to get doing almost anything else. I climb badly like I mentioned, which means I climb under a lot of protection I don't really lead and I usually am top-roped, if at any time I fell, max it would be 5-8 feet and that isn't going to kill anyone, but looking down at 500 feet below you even knowing you would only fall 8 feet it doesn't feel like that, it feels like you would fall 500, and thats the addiction.
For me its a question of acceptable risk, I am ok with breaking a leg climbing, but I would never risk death- there is just too much to live for, but I can sometimes understand why you would.
I didn't climb the Grand Teton because I thought it would be fun or a challenge, I mean part of the reason was for those things- but mostly it was because something in me HAD to climb it, I felt like I really had little choice, my soul NEEDED to see the top of the Grand, and I would always have been...missing a piece of myself if I had not gotten to the top. I have spent my entire life looking at this one mountain. I would not have died trying but I would not have stopped trying either. But once I got to the top I suddenly felt very small in a very big world, and that feeling is probably common when you summit.
I guess what I am saying is if you are constantly summiting peaks and therefore constantly feeling small and unimportant in a very big world, and at the same time you are driven sort of like I was to climb those same peaks...Then I can begin to understand how an accomplished mountaineer would begin to feel like their life was worth the summit. That they would be willing to die to get there, a constant rush of adrenaline is very addictive, combined with a feeling of unimportance in the grand scheme of things ("were all gonna die anyways") and a drive to get to the top and to not give up...If it can push lazy poor-climber me to the top of the grand, I can understand why people die for a mountain.

I wouldn't... but I do get it, they are not crazy at all- I think that they feel life more broadly and intensely than most of us. If there is no existence beyond this life then why not live that life in a way that pleases you, that gives you joy and if life is not as long because of it... what really is wrong with living an intense full life, if not a long one?
Now, I am happy on the couch too, and I want to see what it is like being old, so for me it will always be a case of acceptable risk to find joy.

But I think I can understand that other way of living, so the next time I see someone shake their heads at one of these films I think I am going to smile instead of shake mine too, we all make choices and I cannot be critical of theirs now that I understand... somewhat, the choice they are actually making.

I have too many sports in my car...

2008-01-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

2008-01-17T01:58:00.000-07:00

Outside the National Museum of Wildlife Art

Why can all comercials be this good? (part 2)

2008-01-12T16:31:00.001-07:00

Good Stuff

Already a foot!

2008-01-05T12:02:00.002-07:00

...of snow outside and its only noon!

Mountain Time

2008-01-03T00:05:00.000-07:00

It was a cold day in Wyoming today (5 F this morning I think...)- but sunny and clear as can be. Somehow the cold days are so much more bearable when its sunny too. I would much rather be in -15 F on a sunny day then in 5 F on a cloudy windy day, and we have had all too many of those lately.
It nice really to see the Tetons every once in while even if that isn't a day where the snow is dumping as a result. I love skiing.... really I think I do believe it or not, but I love being in the mountains too- just being there, just being now. I felt a bit more able to do that today than most days. It is something I struggle with being- in the present, and I find it a somehow hopeful sign I was able to pull it off so close to the new year. Perhaps just maybe it is a sign of good things to come. Finding wildlife today was almost simple- poof! they just were there, the big hits anyway like moose, bighorn, elk and mule deer- even bison. It left me able to concentrate on the more fun harder to see things like eagles and coyotes. hawks too. I even had plenty of time and leisure (and good visibility!) to look for wolves and still entertain the kiddies. It was so effortless at times, the sun was shining on my face the mountains stood stark and snowy, like a long lost friend back from the stormy weather- they looked friendly and I wanted to take Bumble and start climbing...
- anything- for a brief beautiful moment- was possible in those mountains once again, my options felt endless like they once did. But also present was a sense of more wisdom and a more powerful sense of place than I used to have. Some of it was like back when I had first moved here and was fearless and lazy not knowing what I had. But on top of that instead of wistfulness I felt fullness, completeness and serenity all at the same time. Unlike then, I more fully understand these mountains now, not that I will ever fully understand them. I saw both a beckoning to be in them and also felt their wisdom and knowledge that all things have their time, and I would live my life in mountain time, sometimes buffeted by hurricane gale force winds and then- other times the endless stillness of air on a sunny day, the peace, the calm.

I think I will live my life like that- in mountain time, slow and calm then fierce and strong. sometime scary, sometimes soulful, sometimes trying and dark, but other times like today peaceful, sunny and fully in the now. In some ways we all live in mountain time, I think mountain people- this tribe of people who share my passions and loves we just see it better than most, thats all.

And so in this new year I wish you a full life, measured in mountain time and the knowledge that all things will pass- in their proper time.

Best Ad Ever!

2008-01-01T21:10:00.001-07:00

Why cant all ad's be this good?

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

Stuff

2007-12-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

So lets see its been forever I know so lets touch on a few topics here...

The computer- I am actually using my computer right now believe it or not- but it still has no hard drive, I am using Dans hard drive in my computer, Gateway sent me a new hard drive- and it doesn't work! No kidding! They sent me non functioning replacement hard drive. Meanwhile I tripped last night on Dans computer cord (typical klutz Tenley style) and KILLED his computer. I drove the power supply right through the back of it- what are the odds that it would fall off the table right onto that spot? So its dead and I feel really bad about it- it was his graduation present! And I killed it! I suck big time.
So having NO COMPUTERS now we combined them, my computer, his hard drive. Hence the blog posting. Gateway says it is sending me a new hard drive- maybe this one will actually work...

Polar bears- I know some of you have been waiting for more polar bear shots, but now maybe you can understand why they have not been to quick coming to you. I was very lucky that I backed up my hard drive with the polar bear shots before it went but I didn't have a computer to put them on, now I REALLY don't have a computer to put them on but I do have a few so I will post them periodically on here, hows that sound? good? Fine here's a nice one

This guy was actually heading into town, he was probably not going to enjoy the flares and poppers that awaited him but hey I bet the bacon smelled really good if you hadnt eaten in several months so I cant really blame him.

Christmas- Merry Christmas everyone! well holiday season anyway, I may be a bit early on the Christmas part but the holidays are always fun if a bit stressful, Dan and I even got a tree!, its about 3 feet tall its really cute we got it out of the national forest. If I can remember I will post some pictures

Well that all for now.

Broken Computer

2007-12-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been so long since I have updated but my computer has died on me and so I dont really have a way to update....

More soon...

interesting point...

2007-11-25T12:15:00.001-07:00

A really interesting commentary on the wolf delisting is up over at http://wolves.wordpress.com/
Ralph Maughan makes some really interesting points, if your interested go read the whole thing but heres a sample

"Anyway is 1500 wolves a lot? Is it too many? What if elk had become extinct in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming and 66 elk were released in 1995-6 to try to restore the elk population. If there were 1500 elk after 12 years, would reporters say the number of elk is astonishing, “exploding,” “ballooning?” Would the states call a hunting season to knock this “huge population back” to 450 elk? Would conservationists be condemned for suggesting 2000 might not be too many elk?

Going back to the rancher(s) for a moment, how many coyotes, bears, cougars, and feral dogs are there in the area and how many calves have they lost to these? This is never mentioned. This kind of reporting is like a story on homicides where only the those committed by one ethnic group is mentioned. It think people quickly call that “racism.” "

And...

Finally we get to “environmentalists” who, of course, condemn the current plans, but more interesting, it is never reported how many generations the attorney quoted has lived in the West. We always learn right off that rancher Petrich is “third generation.” We always learn that about other ranchers (except then they have not been here for land). I suppose this is intended to prove ranchers have some special claim and at the same time all others a newcomers.

I get quoted in the news. No ever asks how many generations my family lived in the area.

Really interesting stuff and some very good points, good work Mr. Maughan!

Polar Bears (3)

2007-11-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken so long for me to post some of these- Thanksgiving has kept me really busy, so here a start on some of my favorites, I will try to do one or two a day.

Polar Bears! (2)

2007-11-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

I am back! Did you miss me?

I had great fun off on the tundra! Pictures coming soon!

POLAR BEARS!!!

2007-11-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

I am going to Churchill Canada!!

I am off to go experience polar bears and the far north on the Hudson Bay! Heres what I am doing!
http://www.nathab.com/destinations/index.aspx?pageID=5&tripID=19&action=full_itinerary

Dog Sledding, northern lights, tundra buggies! I AM SO EXCITED! I leave on Saturday!
Yay!

My Pumpkins

2007-11-06T19:57:00.001-07:00

Ravens :)

Pronghorn and Tetons

Some very sad news

2007-11-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

541M The Alpha Male Of Hayden on a lovely day this spring He passed closer than any wolf ever has when I was on foot that day he was a great leader.

I regret to inform you that the alpha pair wolves of the Hayden Valley pack were killed yesterday by members of the Mollies pack who had invaded the Hayden valley for migrating elk. At this time it is not known the fate of the pups and whether they or the yearling's will survive. All I can do is look at my picture of one of the pups on my wall and hope. 540F and 541M were the first wild wolves my parents ever saw and were regulars for me and my clients,
They were some of my favorite wolves in the park. 541M was bold as could be, perhaps the boldest wolf in the park with a wonderful coat pattern, no one knows for sure why he was such a bold guy but one thing was for sure, when he looked at me I saw no fear, no uncertainty. 540F was beautiful, white as the snow, and as far as I know the only white wolf in the park. She was also far more shy than her partner, I saw her rarely and when I did it was always a privilage. One of my goals had always been to get a photograph of her in the wild, I never did.

They will be missed.

For more information on this as it unfolds go here http://wolves.wordpress.com/

Since I never got a shot of her here is a great one (Taken from http://wolves.wordpress.com/category/wolves/wolves-yellowstone/) Totally without permission, go here if you want to see more of his great work http://www.markmillerphotos.com/html/whitewolf.html

hmmm...

2007-10-31T15:10:00.001-07:00

Fun with wine labels

2007-10-30T12:12:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Ravenswood Winery for the label- http://www.ravenswood-wine.com/
The raven Celtic-ish image is theirs I just had fun manipulating it

Ecosphere Update!

2007-10-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

50 days since the start...
I think my fish are finally dead- I haven't seen any for several days, but they lived a really long time! Everything else, including snails etc look really healthy! I am rather impressed it has done so well. I kept fish alive without any external help in a sealed atmosphere for 45 days! wow. I really didn't think I was going to be able to pull that off.

Great Griz!

2007-10-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

Came upon a great mom and two cubs today, right off the road.

Colbert '08!

2007-10-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.colbert08.org/

Hi

2007-10-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

Miss me?

I was in Zion and Vegas and...well it was neat. I will post pictures if I get a chance.

In the meantime I went to the neurologist today (finally!) and he has two main ideas of whats wrong with me

Polymyalgia Rheumatica: basically my white blood cells are making my neck/spine/head/shoulders/nausea hurt and are making me feel sick, only thing its an old people disease so why do I have it?

Lyme Disease: Basically a tic bit me and now my back/neck/shoulders/head/nausea hurts only thing... I don't remember a tick biting me....

If I don't have those then I have some more rare stuff that is often misdiagnosed as these two...but at least I am getting some answers! The guy really seems to know his stuff he is from the university of utah. They took some blood tests that should tell me if I have lyme disease. If not I have to go to salt lake shity to have some test where they shock my nerves....ugh.

In the meantime I am headed back up to Yellowstone for more wolf and bear fun, see you ina few days!

Wolf and Bear

2007-10-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

I am off to Vegas! See you in a few days!

My wolf and bear went well this week here are a few shots...

Oxbow Pack!

Elk hanging out around the buildings at mammoth

Bison by Yellowstone Lake

2nd in a continuing series (6:30 in the morning)

2007-09-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

what does a bull elk look like at 6:30 in the morning?

Winter is coming

2007-09-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Badgers are entering mid-season, temperatures in the evening are below freezing, snow is on the Tetons, and in the early morning as I head off to work it smells like winter with stove smoke and snow in the air. It all means one thing winter is coming.

recrakulous

2007-09-28T16:28:00.000-07:00

Quote:
"Though wedding day showers have long been a sign of good luck, most couples hope for sunny sky's. Since the weather is one detail you just cant plan, have a few attractive white or color-coordinated umbrellas on hand. That way you and your attendants can take cover without clashing."
-Martha Stewart Weddings

--What!?
Ok, seriously what planet do I live on?
If its pouring rain why do I care if I am color-coordinated?
Wouldn't, oh I don't know- getting out of the rain- be a smidgen more important?

wow.

Presenting...

2007-09-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone, Big Bull, Fall

2007-09-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hello from Yellowstone part 2 (I had another Yellowstone trip yesterday...) Saw a nice griz near the south entrance, one of the biggest I have ever encountered...

Bison and Grand(?) Gyser

In other news Big bull is back at the Gros Ventre campground!
Not the best shot- I know but my Minolta died! (it wont load film) I have to send it in :( so this was taken with the point and shoot as were all the others...boo... it never fails the biggest bull in the park (or so I think) is right up close in beautiful leaves and I don't have my good camera...sigh
But I think he will stick around, he already had 2 females in his harem and there was a smaller bull poking around as well. There has also bee a mom with twins there lately so its a moose bonanza. Why in a campground you ask? I have not a clue, totally bizzare- but he has used the campground for the rut for the last several years...maybe the moose enjoys camping?

in other news what does a bull moose look like at 6:30 am in the fall? He looks like this...

lol.

Other than the non stop rain things are well here, colorful and elk bugling is in full swing. There are giant bull elk with huge racks everywhere- its crazy awesome.

Hope all is well with you!

Prometheus Unbound

2007-09-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

To suffer woes which Hope thinks infinite;
To forgive wrongs darker than Death or Night;
To defy Power, which seems Omnipotent;
To love, and bear; to hope, till Hope creates
From its own wreck the thing it contemplates;
Neither to change nor falter nor repent;
This, like thy glory, Titan! is to be
Good, great and joyous, beautiful and free;
This is alone Life; Joy, Empire, and Victory!

- Percy Blythe Shelly

Hello from Yellowstone!

2007-09-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

Finally got my ass up to Yellowstone after having been away all summer, so

Hi from Yellowstone!

Grand Prismatic

Coyote Tracks in bacterial mats

Paragliders off the butte on my drive home

nice day.

Fall is here...

2007-09-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

And the leaves are really starting to turn, cottonwoods were first, then aspens, soon everything else will. Any day now will be perfect for pictures.
On my morning trip today it was strange, I had not been in the field for one day and poof! the trees changed, that fast- crazy. I may not be in the field tomorow and yet I might have to check up on the senescence to make sure I don't miss it!
On a similar note, bears seem to just not be around, have they all starved to death?? (I am kidding- ...sort of) No cutworm moths, no berries, not even green plants or tubers. For a while it seemed like they were killing 2 a week for getting into human food and reports and fliers everywhere. 2 people were mauled just this month! now suddenly nothing...its vaguely creepy.

You know what, I am sure they are still around but no one has seen them so it not just me or my bear finding skills needing brushing up or something. Hopefully the whitebark pines will have a good crop this year, soon or we will have a BIG problem...

(photo: Bear 399 and cubs)

Ecosphere Update!

2007-09-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

So its been 5 days since I went down to Kelly warm springs and came back with a mini ecosystem here is my first update.

A day after I got it I took out some of the mud, as I don't want a build up of decaying matter and nitrogen/ammonia. Today I also took out some of the plants once again to keep oxygen levels stable. Then I sealed it!

Here is what it looked like right after I got it home on the 11th and here it is now:

Everyone is alive and well! Let me introduce you to the key characters:
The plants! (I have no idea what species...) but note all the little micro organisms and algae too!

The fish! (sorry about the blurry shot) There are 3 I think they seem happy

The other stuff in the mud! This is showing a snail (the white thing) I think there are a whole bunch I saw one on the glass today, I also think there is a whole bunch of other stuff in the mud at the bottom.

Cool huh? We will see how long everything lasts as a sealed system- I hope I put enough air in at the top!

Big Bull is back!

2007-09-13T12:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok so I got in trouble once for giving moose names but he is the biggest bull in the park, so "big bull" would make sense!

An he s back in the Gros Ventre campground like last year during moose rut and he has 2 girlfriends!

I got the most amzing pictures of them last year wanna see?

"Big Bull" right in front of the campground

A cow- not one of his girlfriends but she was hanging around note the number stakes and campground background- thats why it is cropped so strange
Her calves

one of the "girlfriends"

See how cool that week was- I hope big bull sticks around! Perhaps even better shots this year! Hooray!

P.S. EcoSphere is doing well! took out some soil and I think its set to go now that it has settled a bit, I took the biomatter from Kelly warm springs (shh don't tell the park!) not that I think they will miss some mud, a plant, snails and an invasive fish...but still technically I don't think removing stuff is allowed....

P.S.S I sold a photo!!!

Seen around Jackson

2007-09-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of poking around town while my parents have been in town and there are some really funny bumper stickers in this town if you stop and take a look, some I even had my camera on hand to take a picture of, wanna see?

My personal favorite is one that said "Save an Elk kill a Land Developer" too bad I dont have the picture but I will be on the lookout for it?

I have to admit I dont even understand this one- I must be missing something....

All of these "save a (blank) kill a (blank) are based off a sticker common on ranching trucks in the area, "Save 100 Elk kill a wolf" which I might add is just silly logic and completely contrary to biological fact, but that has been well discussed in other places and I wont bore you with it here.

Maybe I should make a bumper sticker that I have heard about "Save 100 Elk, don't hunt and shoot 100 Elk" except we have way too many elk so nah.

One more t-shirt I found thats funny too:

(hey look you can see my reflection!)

...

Good news about Bumble! He wont need surgery! Just a month of rest and pain meds, bad news is its only a matter of time before he blows out his opposite knee since he wont use the leg...sigh

...

Oh also tomorow I am going to try and make an ecosphere, it will be fun! I am going to try something like this:
http://cachefly.oreilly.com/make/wp_aquanaut.pdf

I will let you know how it works out.

The best fetch location on the planet...

2007-09-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

Even if poor Bumble is a little limpy these days.... he and I had a LOT of fun.

South Park!

2007-09-04T22:07:00.000-07:00

I am:

An anouncement..

2007-09-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Classy.

I have an announcement to make...

I am not nearly girly enough to put on a girly cheesy wedding...something all these bridal magazines seem to think is a crime apparently..so

Fine! I am having a fun wedding!

Bring it bitches.

Superclassy. (Dan likes this one :) )

Awesome.

Classy to an extreme.

Check it out

2007-08-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

you can find out who contributed on your area to whom or presidential campaigns..

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/wyoming_wilson_83014.asp?cycle=08

Happy and Frustrated?

2007-08-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

I keep reading and listening to all the neat things people are doing this summer in the Tetons (for example see thesnaz.com ) it gets me so frustrated, I cant seem to do anything out here, and haven't for seasons because I keep braking myself or in the case of this neck thing I just become broken.

My neck does feel better, but the last time it felt better I overdid it and it got worse again- ugh so I am scared to do anything, and my knee is still tricky on anything but a sedate walk, and I still keep getting dizzy, between them all I am screwed if I want to do anything fun around here.

I think part of the problem is that everyone is so ultra athletic around here, and if you want to have fun you need to be too, trust me people I WANT to go do this stuff- I really do! And Dan superman is not any different. Its driving me nuts.

I am happy here- I don't want to go anywhere else, I am happier than I have probably ever been or at least happier than I have been in years- blissfully happy...

but...

it would be so much better if I could do normal 25 year old activities in the athletic department- I want to climb middle Teton, I want to climb Granite peak, I just want to go on the alpine slide without fear of pain! I did death canyon (just 2 miles to the overlook and back) with Dan the other day and just being out DOING SOMETHING even if it did hurt brought me to tears, there is so much that I am missing!

And now the summer is almost over, and I missed it and my chance... maybe it will be better next summer but it wasn't this year and it wasn't last year so really thats unrealistic, I will probably develop diabetes or something next...

All I have now is the winter, more frustration. Skiing hurts plain and simple and no one seems to understand that or care. All anyone talks about around here in the winter is skiing, and they watch ski movies and I just sit there and listen and I cant do any of it. And when someone convinces me to try, I do- hoping it will be better somehow this time and I end up on the mountain wishing I could die because it hurts so much...thats what I have to look forward to. I am going to spend $500 dollars tomorow buying a ski pass so that I can sit on the mountain wishing I was anywhere else, why do I do this to myself?

Actually I know why, because I want to be and live the Jackson lifestyle- and I cant.

Happy Birthday to me! (Part 2!)

2007-08-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

So Dan and Trina had a surprise party yesterday for me! We had live blue crabs that were shipped by my parents and everyone had an awesome time :) it was so cool, I will put up pictures soon I hope.
The crabs were really tasty, I had missed having crab so much! It was just really great!

Happy Birthday to me!

2007-08-23T14:27:00.001-07:00

I am going to go play mini golf now :)

Interesting

2007-08-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

From http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005116488

"From the company's perspective, agreeing to live with wolves is the least it can do in exchange for being granted the right to graze public lands."

Wish more folks felt that way...

Garden Update!

2007-08-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to see what has happened in the last few months with my plants in a sort of before (June 19th)/after (today) thingie...ready?

Herbs

Sugar Snap Peas

Before 1st pic (LtoR) Lupine, mint & Fushia and strawberry
After (2 pictures on right) strawberry, fushia & Mint and a new plant (the lupine finally faded)

Broccoli (harvested) and Cucumber

Peppers (2 left ones the tomato broke and the rasberry got a fungus)

Ferns and houseplants

Hanging plants

and last but not least

sunflowers!

neat huh?

Summer

2007-08-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

Not a ton going on- lots of work.

Ran an all day trip yesterday, and saw 8 moose in 8 hours, not bad for the summer and 85 degrees, kinda surprising really. Group was nice enough, thought we were going to Yellowstone however, (the company had booked wrong) and neglected to ell me until 9:15 AM, so that was interesting. Ended up splitting the group with the other guide and we continued with folks who wanted to stay in Grand Teton, while he took some to Yellowstone, I was quite content to stay down here I must say, it was a great day with little in the way of crowds (Yellowstone would not have been).

All was well really until I tried to get back down the moose road to the village. They were setting up for the visitor center opening and Cheneys arrival and treated the fact I wanted to use the road like it was a crime, the park stopped me and questioned me like I was doing somthing wrong using a public road...sigh, finally they let me through. The opening is actually today and let me tell you and I not going anywhere near Moose WY today.

Funny enough some folks are marching to Cheneys house to protest today and he wont even be there, he will be at the opening. I wonder what the organizers were thinking, probably just didnt occur to them, but all that work and he wont even be there...

Bumble and Dan headed for a walk on the pass, I feel to sick to go...bummer, so I am relaxing and missing a beautiful teton summer day instead, days like today are why I moved here right?

Sigh.

Weird

2007-08-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

Ran into this...

Beautiful and strange...

http://bustedwonder.com/bw/01.html

and unfinished...

Guess What?

2007-08-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

I am Engaged!

Yay! I am so excited!

.

wow!

2007-08-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.20q.net/

its awsome!

also...
Big News Coming Soon!

Introducing...

2007-07-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Tenley Thompson Wildlife Photography!

Website coming soon!

New Bling for the bike!

2007-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

So Dan just got a new carbon road bike (OCR C3) we went to buy stuff for it today and I got a new piece of bling for mine, a new horn! wanna see?

Squee!

2007-07-08T14:46:00.001-07:00

We are finally getting settled into the new place, stuff is finally finding a place to be stored (we have to many sporting things!) its hard moving from 800 sq feet to 500 sq feet and not having trouble with space.
Bumble has been enjoying ripping the fuzz off a tennis ball all day while I attempt to cram twice as many t-shirts and tank tops into the closet as it will actually hold. I managed to clear the kitchen enough to maybe cook with, a week after moving...Dan built a shelf system in the laundry room of which he is quite proud and that had helped a lot...

You know what? we just have too much stuff, honestly.

There that shortened what I was gonna say, and really was the point.

We are gonna need to make a Slut Lake City Ikea run at some point...but maybe after busy summer season and when I am feeling well enough. Not much progress on that by the way, still dizzy sick and generally in pain...sigh.
whatever its just not going to go away...I worry it really wont and I am stuck, not being able to be able to do anything this summer (I cant even go tubing!). Then winter will hit and my knee will still keep me from skiing, and at that point why am I really living here??... okok thats worst case scenario but honestly its not like I was a sickly child- am I just unlucky? This sucks.

Ok enough Debbie downer-ness, let post a pretty picture I took what do you think? Violet green swallow or Tree Swallow? I think Violet green but eh...

Some random thoughts...

2007-07-06T17:33:00.001-07:00

...So it turns out bear 299 is actually bear 399, my bad so just substitute the 2 for a 3...

...I have fallen back in love with William Russo, seriously go look him up on itunes, particularly the "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra" it kicks ass, go listen to it...now!...

... I have been working on photoshopping my stuff prior to making an attempt to selling it and boy it makes a big difference, here is an example

Crazy huh?

...Bumble actually did well n his walk tonight, limited craziness about cars- perhaps he is finally getting old on me...nah.

...I found a great new blog about Jackson and the culture of the area: http://www.thesnaz.com/
check it out.

Moving....

2007-07-01T08:58:00.001-07:00

So we are safely ensconced in our new place and aside from some cleaning out of the old one, I like the inside of the new one a lot more but I liked the outside of the old one better for plants and Bumble.
Despite the new place being 50 ft away...I worry with traffic being right out the front door (vs an alley at the old place) that Bumble could dart out the door when someone who does not know how much an escape artist he is opens it, and then he would get out into traffic and be run over. I think I will put up signs on the doors "Dog is escape artist please knock" or something to that effect and lock the front door since my friends have a habit of just walking in without knocking. It would take 2 seconds to shut him in another room or grab him, we only have 500 sq feet after all :)
Still I worry because at some point he is going to get out, accidents happen. At least there is a stop sign right there so people are not going to fast. arg Bumble Bumble Bumble what am I going to do with that car chasing, dog aggressive, and occasionally men aggressive dog? Its a good thing I love the silly thing to death.

The new place is smaller but its nice not having a roommate, smaller is preferable. Trip was a great roommate but I like to be able to put my stuff everywhere and if I want wear a bathrobe around since only I will be there. We are trying very hard to make things look "nice" but figure we can make the kitchen a more "fun" area for beer posters and stuff, I think the combo will work nicely. There are only 2 parking spots, so we will have to figure that out, where do people go when they visit? Eh, I still have too many boxes to unpack before I figure that out...

Pictures soon!

I made a pie

2007-06-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

for the fair- I am trying it out for the fair in july! It a summer berry pie...mmmm!

The Classic Yellowstone Shot

2007-06-26T11:04:00.001-07:00

It had to be done... :)

Bear 299 and Family

2007-06-25T17:08:00.001-07:00

A Family Portrait

Lamar Valley

2007-06-24T16:36:00.001-07:00

I was looking through my photos from this Wolf and Bear season and found this one of the Alpha Slough Creek male crossing the road near fisherman's pullout in he Lamar Valley in Yellowstone. It made me laugh as hard as the first time, when I took it. Look how bewildered the people in the cars on the road must be...

The photographer in the pulled off car later was fined for approaching wolves too closely, keep in mind I was taking this with a 400 lens, and the aggravating thing is that the wolf would have probably crossed right in front of us had that photographer not gotten in front and the way. We waited patiently for about an hour and a half for him to cross, I thought I was going to get just a bomber shot when he did, and I was at a safe unharrasing distance, then this jerk ruined it for everyone....sigh

Still its pretty funny and in the end I got a better shot than he did I think, see?
Nice ethical viewing girls finish best buddy :) I may put this shot up for sale, sans carcass and after a little cleaning up...

Sunny

2007-06-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

Its sunny today and really nice out.

I wish I felt better, I do seem to be a little better but I have not imporved over the week at all just sat at this one point...I am frustrated

Maybe a visit to the park will help, go look at baby animals

Why Bumble has to have a leash in the park...

2007-06-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

hee hee just playing around with my new software....

Yay! I have a bone spur!....

2007-06-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

...No seriously I am glad to finally know whats wrong.

Apparently I have a bone spur on my nerve of my c5 vertebrae and thats what all the trouble is from. It caused my back to swell up like a balloon crushing my artery and keeping blood supply from my head making my dizzy and sick...

well now I know. erm..so now what?

Bad news is its not an easy or quick fix, first I have to get the swelling down then I can think about relieving pain...but its not just gonna go away...

So I am going to try and go back to work on Saturday, and work on my photo business until then, I have almost all he negatives ready for high res scanning then its time to get the thing in high gear.

Bumble at least has been enjoying all the attention with me at home!

In other news we had really neat clouds the other day and I took pictures of them because thats what I do...I take pictures of stuff:

Thats all for now...

urp...

2007-06-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Still not feeling great today, but I am in a little less pain I suppose. I just took it easy today to try and see if that was going to help, well aside from a free dogwash at the dogwash place for Bumble. And while it was not a matter of taking it easy washing him...lol, he did do really well with the other dogs and people, I really think he is improving. Now hes clean too to boot, the house sure smells better. Dan also cleaned a lot today while I sat around- what a nice guy.

My sister won some big deal Emmys today, including best reporter - I am super proud of her.

Well... I dont have MS..

2007-06-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

but they still don't know whats wrong...

In other news Bear 299 my favorite grizzly the one with the 3 yearling cubs mauled someone this week. It was only a matter of time before some fool provoked her or her cubs who are teenagers now and would maul anything if they a get chance. The bear has been hanging out within 20 yards of people for 2 years and never got aggressive at all, its just too bad someone had to be so stupid, the area the guy was jogging in had been closed for 2 days because she had a carcass there and had just reopened and there were warning signs all over...there were warning signs in the paper even! How stupid could you be! Watch I bet he sues the park...
To all those stupid photographers who were getting too close, this is your fault, I hold it over your head, tourist see you get close and think they can too, and then this happens, were just lucky they are not going to kill her and the cubs, the loss of 4 grizzlys would probably place them back on the threatened species list at this point. All because of stupid uncaring people who just want to get a stupid photo...it makes me just so angry
Now when ever people see her and the cubs they are going to think she dangerous and the park is going to probably start driving her off. You know its not like she has a McDonalds to go to when she gets hungry, if she takes a carcass people need to leave her alone she has 3 yealings to feed, there is a reason there are almost never 3 yealings, they starve because mom cant find enough food, so hey! I have a great idea! Lets harass her when she gets food!

Honestly!

No news...

2007-06-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

...is not always good news

still don't know whats wrong with me, no they are raising some scary possibilities...I don't even want to think about them or scare anyone who is reading this until we know...

this sucks

MRI again?

2007-06-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

So now the doctors want to send me to salt lake! Augh! I was so sick today until they gave me percocets..now I feel better, but I am not actually better....

They said they want a brain scan- what do they think I have a tumor? greeaaatttt.....

sigh.

Veggies

2007-06-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

So I have finished the garden!

*I have 3 types of peppers
*Cucumbers
*Broccoli
*Raspberry's
*Strawberry's
*Sugarsnap peas
* Fusha
*Verbena
*Sunflowers
*Fiber optic grass and these neat purple flowers in hanging baskets
*Ferns
*Lots of herbs!

Stupid apartment

2007-06-09T11:23:00.001-07:00

So now to make it worse, my landlord is selling our place and we have to find a new one-
crap crap crap. I like it here and don't want to leave!

So now I have to pay for the MRI, the first, last rent, security deposit, anything they find out from the MRI, a puppy we were thinking about, and the photo business? somethings gotta go...
Crap crap crap... I guess the photo business...sigh

Anyone else want to throw in something expensive? Seriously. Is it possible to get a Christmas bonus in june? Oh yeah I forgot...my company dosent give bonuses OR insurance...or crap.

Ah well this is probably the vicoden and steroids talking- at least I feel better, I slept better last night than I have in months pain free wee!

So tell you what here is a picture of the type of puppy we were no really seriously thinking about.

Stupid body...

2007-06-08T17:45:00.000-07:00

So I had an MRI today to look at my back/neck/head/shoulder/crap
it sucked...and I mean really sucked and the money thats supposed to go in my photo business may have to go into this...

crap.

Blogger Sucks!

2007-03-29T22:37:00.000-07:00

They took my site down because they thought I was an advertising bot!

Augh! Yeah right!

Sorry if you missed me :)

Best Movie Evar

2007-03-01T00:38:00.000-07:00

Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.
Rumack: I am serious... and don't call me Shirley.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080339/quotes

P.S. New blogger sucks!

.

2007-02-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Soft and Gentle
Sweet and Bright
Silly and Happy
A light of my life
Kind and Loving
Faithful and Wise
Oh how I love that look in your eyes

A dumpster diver and ball chaser true
My love I owe great happiness to you

Oh swimmer, and snowball muncher,
oh snuggler and snorer and master hoop jumper

Oh licker, oh trickster, oh happy goose poop roller
oh romper and barker and bank creek stroller

Oh sniffer, oh lifter I will always remember and love you my friend
Oh Zuni my Zuni our love will never end.

Thank You, I love you.

wee!

2007-01-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

Three more wolves from the flat creek pack today! Hooray!

Howl!

2007-01-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

So I have had two days of really good sightings. 4 wolves yesterday from 2 different packs in the elk refuge and Grand Teton and today a whole pack of 7 coyotes eating from a carcass and greeting each other as they returned from the days work to be a pack again. Both sightings are really rare and were awsome to watch. They also started feeding the elk yesterday- seeing thousands of elk running miles at full tilt in the morning mist to get to the feed was just an amazing sight :)

I have another double tomorow- hopefully more good sightings! :)

Back from Mexico!

2007-01-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

So I got back from Mexico yesterday- it was a blast! I had a really awesome time. I would like to note it is -2 right now in WY when we got home last night it was -20! I miss the 95 of Cabo san Lucas.....

Bumble seemed very happy to be home, he wriggled his way through every room before rolling around on the carpet on his back with a gleeful smile on his face. The trainer said he did better this time at the kennel and was better with the other dogs which I take to be a good sign...I wish with all my heart the silly beat could just figure out that not everyone is out to get him all time...people, dogs, trucks, noises, snowballs....sigh....

I have a double trip tomorow- I have never done one of these I have 20 minutes between trips so I am a little uncomfortable with the idea but I bet it will work out fine...thats just an awful lot of animals to be found...!

Anyway today is Martin Luther King day and I cannot believe that the kids here in WY don't get it off! The contributions of MLK to me, to my generation, to the American people and to the world should never be left unrespected I will leave you with a 2 of my favorite quotes from him:

"Cowardice asks the question - is it safe?
Expediency asks the question - is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - is it popular?
But conscience asks the question - is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular; but one must take it because it is right."

"But I know somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars."

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

owwww!

2006-12-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Moose-Wilson Road, Grand Teton National Park December,2006

Deers

2006-12-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Deers!

Ow...

2006-12-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

I didn't know skiing was going to hurt!

Actually I think its a temporary thing. I think I am just ripping out scar tissue...snap crackle....

Oh well, I love my new skis (super stiff!) and my new helmet with pink bunnies on it (yay!)

sleepy time :)

More Pitchers

2006-11-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

From the vacation :)

Ooh! Look the 4 Corners!

Montezuma Castle

Grand Canyon

The Teton Badger

Lay of 253M

Glowing Bear

AHHHH!

Gummy Bear

Monorail Cat does D.C.

Why cant all comercials be the good? (Part 3 million)

Hmmm...

Why cant all comercials be this good? (Part: whatever)

The Hobbit

Long time no see...

Polar Bears!

Thou shalt not judge a book by its cover, Thou shalt not judge Lethal Weapon by Danny Glover

Shy Fox

Perhaps fritalian...

Introducing

Propaganda time!

Snow Cave!

Why you need to watch for wildlife

Echo

Druids taunting a bison...

How to get a great shot....

Apinist Fim Festival

I have too many sports in my car...

Why can all comercials be this good? (part 2)

Already a foot!

Mountain Time

Best Ad Ever!

Happy New Year!

Stuff

Broken Computer

interesting point...

Polar Bears (3)

Polar Bears! (2)

POLAR BEARS!!!

My Pumpkins

Some very sad news

hmmm...

Fun with wine labels

Ecosphere Update!

Great Griz!

Colbert '08!

Hi

Wolf and Bear

2nd in a continuing series (6:30 in the morning)

Winter is coming

recrakulous

Presenting...

Yellowstone, Big Bull, Fall

Prometheus Unbound

Hello from Yellowstone!

Fall is here...

Ecosphere Update!

Big Bull is back!

Seen around Jackson

The best fetch location on the planet...

South Park!

An anouncement..

Check it out

Happy and Frustrated?

Happy Birthday to me! (Part 2!)

Happy Birthday to me!

Interesting

Garden Update!

Summer

Weird

Guess What?

wow!

Introducing...

New *Bling* for the bike!

Some random thoughts...

Moving....

I made a pie

The Classic Yellowstone Shot

Bear 299 and Family

Lamar Valley

Sunny

Why Bumble has to have a leash in the park...

Yay! I have a bone spur!....

urp...

New Bling for the bike!