Deb and I own thousands of trees on the Essen Wildlife Refuge. Nevertheless, the trees aren’t always in the right place. A gravel road passes by on the far side of our property, and I’m getting tired of the dust from vehicles passing by. So this year, I’m transplanting trees from one side of the […]
Pissed Off Hippo
Marty’s photo of the day #5055: Canoeing with a pissed off hippo in Zimbabwe. Not that being pissed off is unusual for hippos. It’s pretty much their happy place.
The Beautiful But Unappreciated Tree Swallow
Marty’s photo of the day #5054: People seldom point and exclaim, “Look! There’s a tree swallow!” as they might do with an eagle, parrot, or pterodactyl. Well, here’s a second look at this common bird. You just have to see them at the proper angle to appreciate their beauty. (Photographed in the Bitterroot Valley of […]
Surviving a Hippo Attack
Marty’s photo of the day #5054: This is Deb and me, laughing after canoeing down the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe and being attacked by a hippo. The hippo bit through the middle of our canoe, lifted us six feet into the air, and dumped us on the muddy riverbank. Deb ended up black-and-blue all along […]
Arrowleaf Balsamroot
Yellow-Billed Stork
Nineleaf Biscuitroot
The flowers are blooming on the Essen Wildlife Refuge! The common name for this tiny flower is a nineleaf biscuitroot. It is part of the carrot family, and, apparently, its taproot is edible.
Magnificent Frigatebird
Marty’s photo of the day #5052: This is a magnificent frigatebird. (Photographed in the Galapagos Islands.)
The Call of the Columbian Ground Squirrel
Marty’s photo of the day #5051: The call of the Columbian ground squirrel. (Photographed in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.)
The Correct Tool for the Job
Marty’s photo of the day #5050: I appreciate and use the latest technology for many things in my life. But sometimes technology leads us backwards. For instance, while now many people forgo stereo systems to listen to their music with earbuds or a tiny Bluetooth speaker, they miss so much compared to what they’d hear […]
A Tiny, Tiny Flower
The flowers are blooming on the Essen Wildlife Refuge! I wasn’t able to identify this flower because it is so small—the size of the head of a pin! For the photographers out there, I used a Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS macro lens plus a 31mm extension tube to get close enough. And a lot […]
Blue Lupine Bloomin’
Yellowfin Parrotfish
Marty’s photo of the day #5049: This is a yellowfin parrotfish, photographed last year in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea.
The Tip of Your Pinky Finger
The flowers are blooming on the Essen Wildlife Refuge! This tiny spiny sandwort is roughly the size of the tip of your pinky finger.
Ornate Butterflyfish
Marty’s photo of the day #5048: These are ornate butterflyfish, photographed last year in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea.
Flower Dog
The flowers are blooming at the Essen Wildlife Refuge, so I took some time today to photograph them. Nellie thought she was a far better subject.
My New Pet Tree
This is Woodena, my new pet tree! She is a rescue tree. My spring project has been to move some of the tiny spruce trees on the far side of the Essen Wildlife Refuge and transplant them along the gravel road that passes by Deb’s and my house. I have been busy watering them and […]
A Giant Clam
Marty’s photo of the day #5047: This is a giant clam. And if you are of a certain age, you will now be stuck on “Rock Lobster” for the rest on the day. (Photographed in the Raja Ampat of Indonesian New Guinea.)
An American Coot
Marty’s photo of the day #5046: The word “coot” means someone who is odd, eccentric, or unreasonably stubborn. There are also American coots, like the one in this photo. Although, thankfully, that’s not an actual straw in his mouth, it looks like one. A bird drinking with a straw would, indeed, be odd and eccentric. […]
Mother and Chicks
Marty’s photo of the day #5045: Gadwall ducks, mother and chicks. So much better than Trump and his dicks. (Photographed in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.)



















