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It has been a beautiful 10 degrees below zero day here at the Essen Wildlife Refuge. The clouds moved out, and the sun was at the perfect angle to catch the snow glistening on all the trees with a tall mountain peak in the background. I’ve fallen in love with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 large-chip […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4204: Some people say religion makes a person good. That’s bullshit. Practically without exception, the most awful people I know—and know of—are the most religious. No, the true test of a person’s character is how they treat their dogs (or cats, if they swing that way). Yeah, I’m not guided […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4180: Nellie and I love the cold weather (anything below 20 degrees Fahrenheit), and we are disappointed that the temps are predicted to rise above freezing later this week. Cold weather means packed snow on the gravel roads for my early morning bike rides (instead of ice after a freeze-thaw), […]
Marty’s photos of the day #4174-4176: No, these are not photos from the James Webb Space Telescope. They’re photos from my driveway. Last night, when I took Nellie out for her final pee break, tiny snow crystals were falling from the sky. I shined my flashlight straight up and realized a cool photo opportunity was […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4168: Yesterday, we got about seven inches of snow. That meant work for me and play for Nellie. I think winter is Nellie’s favorite season. She no longer has to protect our house from killer squirrels and can spend more quality time with “Wilson,” her volleyball, running through the woods […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4108: Deb and Nellie watching the sunset over the Judith River in the American Prairie Reserve. I don’t know what treasure Nellie has in her mouth, but as long as it isn’t elk poop or a bone from some wild animal, we’ll consider it legal.
Marty’s photo of the day #4107: In this photo Nellie and I have a difference of opinion: I’m trying to teach her how to walk on water, but she’d rather we play with the great stick she found! (Photographed on the Judith River in the American Prairie Reserve)
Marty’s photo of the day #4101: The prairie is not always flat. I shot this photo last month in the American Prairie Reserve of Montana. Deb (wife), Nellie (dog), and I hiked rolling prairie that climbed up to this magical spot, where we could overlook a valley that we had all to ourselves. The only […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4100: “This is the moment I’ve been training for, Dad! I can herd them. Just tell me where you want them to go!”—Nellie Since Nellie is one-half Australian cattle dog, she practices herding me all the time. But with real live range cows in the American Prairie Reserve, she really, […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4094: “The Little Dog on the Prairie.” Okay, at 58 pounds, Nellie is more of a medium-to-large-sized-dog, but you get the point. I shot this photo during a long hike in the American Prairie Reserve, after Deb and I discovered that Nellie could successfully dodge all the cactus and gave […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4092: Two years ago, before Deb’s and my first visit to the American Prairie Reserve (now officially called “American Prairie”) in central Montana, we were concerned about our newly adopted dog, Nellie, stepping on the cactus there. So months ahead of time, we patiently tried to get Nellie used to […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4089: When visiting the American Prairie Reserve earlier this month, Deb, Nellie, and I spent all five of our evenings there, lying on our backs, drinking adult beverages, and watching the stars. (Well, as responsible parents, Deb and I didn’t actually let our dog, Nellie, have any of the adult […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4087: Aw! It’s a baby yellow-bellied racer. I shot this photo two weeks ago, while on vacation in the American Prairie Reserve. Deb (wife), Nellie (dog), and I were near the end of a long hike—just at the point where we were hot, tired, and thirsty—when I spotted this snake […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4086: Remember the children’s stories about leprechauns and how they’d disappear if you blinked? Nellie has the same power when it comes to cow poop. Of all the dogs I’ve had over the years, Nellie rolls in shit less than any of them, so when she does it, she makes […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4085: During last year’s vacation at the American Prairie Reserve (in central Montana), I was able to capture some outstanding prairie dog images. Midway through this year’s five-day-stay, I was getting discouraged. The prairie dogs seemed more skittish than the previous year—although having Nellie, a very active actual dog with […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4083: Nellie thinks I can walk on water, and I think she can walk on water too. And when you both believe—anything can happen! My wife, Deb, shot this photo of Nellie and me a little over a week ago, at the American Prairie Reserve in central Montana. We were […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4082: Our vacation is over . . . sigh. First, Deb (wife), Nellie (dog), and I spent six days in the American Prairie Reserve of central Montana. There we stayed in a remote yurt, with no running water, no phone, no internet, and limited solar power. It was awesome! Then […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4081: Deb, Nellie, and I just spent six days in the American Prairie of central Montana. On Sunday, we enjoyed a spectacular high prairie hike that climbed to an outcrop, which overlooked an entire valley. Nellie raced to the edge of the bluff and started barking and growling at something […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4080: Deb, Nellie, and I have returned home from the first six days of our nine-day vacation. We spent the previous days at the American Prairie Reserve (now officially known as just American Prairie) in central Montana. This was our second consecutive year renting a yurt there. The yurt sits […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4057: In a few weeks, Deb (wife), Nellie (dog), and I (Nellie’s plaything) will be returning to Montana’s American Prairie (formerly the American Prairie Reserve). Last year’s visit was too brief, so we’re going to stay longer this time. There’s so much to explore! This photo is from last year—the […]
