Planting Rice, Listening to Gossip

Yesterday we drove out to Tahsang Village. WE drove out.

While I was away in the USA, Duang went to school and obtained her driver's licence ("ID Card Drive Car"). The previous day she drove the truck for the first time with me as a passenger.

Two days ago, we went out to Tahsang Village and Duang drove part of the way. She drove well - slow and carefully. However it seemed that she was not totally familiar or comfortable with down shifting. Since the country road from Kumphawapi is in such a poor state, down shifting is often required in navigating the bumps, ruts, holes and other road obstacles. The area headman had promised to have the road repaired in 5 months last December. It is now 8 months later and the only change that we have experienced is that the roads are worse. Sound familiar? I spoke with Duang about down shifting and when it was necessary to change gears. She said that she now understood.

On yesterday's trip, it was obvious that Duang now understood down shifting. She did very well. I got to enjoy looking over the countryside as we drove along the country road. We get rain just about everyday and due to micro-climate conditions, Tahsang Village area gets more frequent and greater rains than we do back at our home. The fields are flooded and the farmers have been busy planting this year's rice crop. The return of the monsoon rains have worked wonders with the sugar cane. The sugar cane has grown at least 3 to 4 feet in the past month with the return of nourishing rains.

Fortunately yesterday's rains did not come until late at night. We had a partly cloudy day - hot and humid. People were busy taking advantage of the dry spell. Along one stretch of the road farmers were busy harvesting peanuts. The men were occupied in pulling the plants out of the ground and bringing them to where the women had placed some sahts on the higher ground near the road. The women removed the peanuts from the bottom of the plants and placed them into plastic bags to sell to passing motorists. A bag of peanuts sells for $0.30 USD for 2.2 pounds. Duang is fond of them so we have had fresh boiled peanuts the past week. When she gets home, Duang empties the plastic bag into a sink of cold water and cleans them before boiling them in salted water. Being from New England I had not had the Southern delicacy of boiled peanuts prior to relocating to Isaan. Boiled peanuts are one of the few items of "Kao Lao" (Lao food) that I eat and enjoy. Perhaps it's a start.


Along the road past the peanut farmers we passed some people working in their rice field. Duang pulled over and I got out to take some photographs. The three people were not relatives of hers but it did not seem to matter. In no time at all they were filling her in on the local gossip.

The Tahi man that lived in the house next to the field had died. We saw the truck with the rental refrigerated casket headed back to Kumphawapi as we drove towards Tahsang. That was news but the gossip involved the "falang" who lived in the local "big fancy house".

The house and its associated compound is very nice and was an inspiration to Duang and I when we did not have a home. Recently the place was declining in appearance and Duang had told me awhile ago that a Thai man had bought it. Two days ago she told me that the foreign man had gone back to his homeland when he found out that his Thai wife had been sleeping with a Thai man. Worse than that, the little baby that she gave birth to was not his but was fathered by the Thai boyfriend. This seemed to make sense as to why and how the property was declining. The Thai boy friend had not "bought" the property. He was only using it - kind of like he was doing with the Thai woman. He didn't have the money to keep the place up. Duang said that the Thai woman was trying to sell the property so that she could send one-half of the money back to her foreign husband. I am not sure but this could be a "first".

It now turns out that the 68 year old foreigner has returned to Isaan and is once again living in the house with his 32 year old wife. The Thai boy friend has returned to "Wife #1" in Khumphawapi and the baby remains with its mother in the fancy house. Now the foreigner is sick and the neighbors don't expect him to live much longer. Being able to gather in and participate in the local gossip makes the wait while I take pictures easier on Duang. She later fills me in on the details so that I am informed.

I enjoyed myself for about an hour and a half photographing the people. As much as I found them interesting and fascinating subjects, I suspect that they were amused with me. Many passing motorists and motorcyclists drove by and shouted out hello to the "Falang" (foreigner) taking "Tai-loop" (photographs) - some were relatives or neighbors in Tahsang. It was all good natured. I have found the people of Isaan to be very fun loving and very good natured. There is never a problem in stopping along the road and photographing people as they work.

Work in the fields yesterday involved harvesting the rice sprouts from on field and transplanting them into another larger flooded field about 50 meters away. One woman pulled the sprouts, washed off the roots, and bundled the sprouts into sheaves which she bound together using some rice sprouts as a string. A man and another woman were in the other field planting the sprouts in clusters of three throughout the field. A community water cooler and battery operated transistor radio were located on one of the nearby raised dikes bording the fields. Mahlam Lao and Mahlam Sing music blared out from the radio as the workers went about their stoop labor in the fields. The workers were dressed in mostly red clothing which made for some interesting photographs. After awhile the man put a brightly colored pakama on his head for protection from the sun.

We continued on to Tahsang Village only to realize that we had developed a flat tire. I spent the next 30 minutes changing the tire. I had help. Kwan, Duang's 18 month old cousin, came over to watch me. She didn't say anything but constantly remained about 3 feet from where ever I was working. I appreciated her morale support. It was refreshing every once in awhile to see that cute face and large dark eyes watching over me. Duang helped out by crawling under the truck to help connect the rod to lower the spare tire from underneath the pick up bed. We had apparently picked up a metal screw in the tire when we pulled off the road to photograph the field workers.


Just as I was finishing, one of Duang's older uncles came by on his three wheeled bicycle and wanted to know how I was doing. I told him that I was going to pay him 1,000 baht (equivalent to one week's wages for farm worker) to change the tire for me but I got tired of waiting for him to show up so I changed it myself. He got my joke and we had a good laugh as I tightened the last of the nuts on the wheel. I asked Duang's mother why she didn't help me and she pointed out that it was she that sent me the ice cold Pepsi from the market - another good laugh.

On the way home, we stopped and had the tire repaired and remounted - $3.00 USD!

It was another great day full of surprises.

Word arrived today that Duang's cousin who lives two hours northeast of here will be going out catfishing this weekend, dependent upon water levels. We went to his wedding last year and he had said that he would let us know when they would be going out fishing. Last year I put my foot through his fishing boat - more like a big very old bamboo raft with an "A" frame on the back for set and raising big nets. Hopefully some of the bamboo has been replaced.

If the fields are not too flooded and it doesn't rain, Duang's daughter and other relatives will be working in the rice fields too.

It is a busy time in Isaan - I'll need to be sure that all my batteries - camera as well as my internal ones are fully charged for the upcoming busy weekend.

Foz do Iguacu

One of my favorite television shows back in 1966 was "Tarzan" on NBC starring Ron Ely. The show had a very impressive opening with Tarzan standing a rock outcropping before many spectacular waterfalls giving his Tarzan call. This was a truly inspiring opening to a show that often failed to meet even modest expectations. Perhaps it is only fitting that the opening was based upon a lie as well as ignorance of geography. The opening scenes of each show were filmed in Brasil and not Africa.

Tarzan in the Edgar Rice Burrough's novels as well as films of the late 1930's and 40's lived in Africa and not South America although I distinctly remember a movie where he did visit New York City - which some people refer to as a concrete jungle.

Ignoring history as well as geography, the opening scenes were filmed at Foz do Iguacu or Catarates de Iguassu at the conjunction of Brasil, Argentina and Paraguay. The raw majesty and beauty of this natural wonder of the world was too great for the director to ignore.

Foz do Iguacu is the world's largest waterfall. Various sources list the number of individual waterfalls located there as ranging from 234 to 275. I have been fortunate to have visited the falls on two separate occasions while I was working in Araucaria, Brasil. The exact and specific number of waterfalls depends upon the season as well as rainfall conditions for the year. I visited in April and later in the year returned in order to photograph the falls under a full moon. I have been fortunate so far in my life to have had the resources as well as determination to fulfil my whimsies. Although my attempt to photograph the falls under the full moon was not successful, walking out and along the falls under the guard of Park Rangers was memorable and worth the trip. Just as I had returned to Machu Picchu a second time to take some missed shots from my first trip but with a new camera, I returned home fully satisfied.

Foz Iguacu is a unique location. The mists generated by the waterfalls creates a rain forest micro climate that is home to many exotic flora and fauna. The falls are surrounded by lands reserved as a national park. The highest fall is called "Garganta do Diablo" (The Devil's Throat). The Devil's Throat is 1-1/2 times higher than Niagara Falls. Speedy tour boats take people to the base of the falls. The power of the falls experienced up close is thrilling - the roar of thousands and thousands gallons of water plummeting 266 feet to your location on the river is memorable. Hundreds of sparrow type birds live in cracks, alcoves, and recesses on the rocky cliff behind the falls.

After initially being introduced to this natural marvel through the magic of television, it was a treat to actually visit the falls and totally experience the location.

Back Home - Back in Thailand

I arrived back home - here in Thailand three days ago - finally - home to my wife - home to the life that I have chosen.

During the month that I was away, the Isaan farmers have been busy setting out the new rice crop into the recently flooded fields. Flying over Thailand, the sun reflected off of the many rice fields creating an astonishing mosaic. There is a sense of continuity with the planting of the new crop - one year to another. Life moves on in harmony with the seasons and the rhythm of the required farm activities.

Yesterday was spent getting Yahoo Voice Messenger back on line. Some how in the two days that I spent travelling from California to Udonthani, my version of the software became incompatible with the system. I could call out and hear people but they were unable to hear me. The problem was resolved relatively quickly and very efficiently using On-Line Chat with a representative named "Hugo". He walked me through removing my old version and reinstalling a newer version. The solution worked the first try and I am back in contact with the outside world.

Why does this matter? Why do I even bother to write about it?

I believe that it is important - important to all of us. It is about the power and benefits of people helping people. It is about service. It is about people connecting to people. This incident is tied to some of my observations and experiences back in the USA over the past month.

United Airlines in an apparent effort to reduce their costs has eliminated many "Airline Representatives" at their check in counters at US airports and replaced them with electronic kiosks. To summarize my experience with the electronic self check-in - of my 6 flights, I was successful in using the kiosk twice. The four other flights for various reasons, none of which were my personal incompetence, required the assistance of a real person.

I was not alone in my frustration and contempt for the electronic self check-in system that has eliminated jobs. I would to have loved to have taken a sledge hammer to the machines. I am confident that had I started to destroy the machines others would have joined me. I was careful to not to express a desire to blow them up. The USA is still at Security Threat Level "Orange" - the next to highest level in their system. After so many years of war, thousands of deaths and billions of taxpayer dollars spent, the perceived threat remains the same. I did not want to add to anyone's paranoia by mentioning bombs or explosives.

It seemed ironic to me that in today's troubled economy, jobs have been eliminated at the cost of poorer customer service for the consumer. I personally would be willing to pay $5 or $10 more for each airline ticket to ensure I received personal service in checking in at the airport. Here in South East Asia customer service and assistance is still provided by real people and is expected as part of a company's services to its clients. This connects people to people, provides employment, and improves the consumer's experience.

A similar situation exists related to luggage carts at US airports. For domestic flights, a traveller must pay to use a luggage cart. In South East Asia the carts are readily available for free at all luggage carousels at airports and airport entrances irregardless of domestic or international flights. How much more convenient would it be for all travellers to have free and readily available luggage carts at all airport locations in the USA? Again the $4 fees could be added to the price of each ticket to cover the costs of managing and distributing the carts. Once again this is related to connecting people to people, creating jobs, and providing a higher quality of service to the consumer.

How many times have you become unsnarled in a company's electronic switchboard? As you listen to the electronic "elevator music" and go through the selection of "Press 1 now", "Press 2 now" it becomes evident and painfully clear that your situation is unique and has not been anticipated or perhaps was ignored in development of the automated switchboard. No matter what combination of numbers that you press, your problem will not be resolved or even addressed. You need to speak to a real person - a person who can listen, think, and act responsively to your situation. There have been times where I have given up and hung up the phone in trying to speak to a real person.

This is another situation where jobs have been eliminated to reduce costs at the expense of customer service. We the consumers are partly to blame for this situation. We blindly and complacently accept corporate America's efforts in eliminating jobs and reducing services. Perhaps we wrongly believe that the cost savings are being passed along. Our neighbors are put out on the street and we end up with less as well as poorer service.

We may or not be our brother's keeper but by advocating for better service we can help others as well as work to improve our life.

The job you save could very well be your own.

Yellowstone National Park Spring Photo Gallery

I have finally completed reviewing, editing, and adding captions to the photographs that I took during my recent trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Some of the photographs are available to view on my photography website:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/gallery/8727250_Ue4uA/1/577119599_q3H4e

I researched and added the Latin scientific names for the animals in the photographs i.e. ursus arctos horribilis, ursus americanus ...

Adding the Latin names brought back fond memories of 9th grade Biology class where we had to memorize many of the names. I remember that my studies motivated me to develop my own family and genus associated with my younger sister - "Bitchus americanus". I am no longer angry at my sister and do not use the term in association with her. However during my stay here in America I did take some photos of "Bitchus americanus" but for obvious legal considerations I will be sharing them only with my wife back in Thailand.

It was my observation that the species "Bitchus americanus" is thriving in the USA both in numbers and definitely in size. Perhaps the proper name should now be "Bichus americanus magnus"

Giving Credit and A Tribute to My Own Ones

In writing you have to give credit to others.

In life, you should give credit.

As I prepare to return home to Thailand in three days, I would like to share one of my favorite (I have many) songs that seems to summarize my emotions and thoughts so well regarding this trip back to the USA. Although I am not Irish, the words and thoughts of this song are meaningful and applicable to me and I believe to everyone. I got the lyrics from http://www.lyrics.astraweb.com/.

Artist: Van Morrison
Album: Irish Heartbeat
Title: Irish Heartbeat

Oh won't you stay
Stay a while with your own ones
Don't ever stray
Stray so far from your own ones
'cause the world is so cold
Dont care nothing for your soul
That you share with your own ones

Don't rush away
Rush away from your own ones
Just one more day
One more day with your own ones
'cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing bout your soul
That you share with your own ones

There's a stranger
And he's standing at your door
Might be your best friend, might be your brother
You may never know

I'm going back
Going back to my own ones
Come back to talk
Talk a while with my own ones
'cause the world is so cold
Don't care nothing 'bout your soul
You share with your own ones

Oh won't you stay
One more day with your own ones
Don't rush away
Rush away from your own ones
This old world is so cold,
Don't care nothing for your soul
You share with your own ones

I came back this time to be with my own ones - my family and some of my friends.

Highlights of this trip were visiting and spending time with my parents, my son, three of my aunts, and a few of my friends - friends that I see every year on my visits back and some friends that I had not seen in 38 years.

Of course, it was a given that Mom and Dad would care - about my soul, about my happiness, about my life - they always have and I know that they always will. They have always been there for me throughout my trials, tribulations and travels. Although at times it seems slightly awkward that at 60 years old - it is still very comforting and satisfying that they still consider me to be their little boy.

The surprise and joy for me was the caring and camaraderie I shared with some of my old friends. Some friends I had last seen and spoke with during my last year of college back in Rhode Island in 1971.

Despite the lengthy physical separation, the bonds of our shared experiences during the four years at the university survived the years and tribulations of our individual lives. Although we physically changed a great deal, spiritually it was as if we reunited after only a semester break. Going back last week with them to our own home of 4 years at the LXA fraternity house was an experience that I cherish. Knowing that some of them will assist the current brothers in rehabilitating the house is a comfort as well as tribute to the ideals and opportunities that we experienced and shared during our time there so long ago.

Some people say that it is difficult to make friends in New England and that the people are not all that friendly. The same people say that when you make a friend in New England, you have a friend for life. I am not so sure that it true that New Englanders are not friendly - it just might be that they are suspicious! I am joking. However I know it to be true that a New England friend is a friend for life. There is no need to call, write, or visit often. The friendship is kept and maintained in the heart as well as in the soul.

Yesterday, I shared some time with a former boss and a former co-worker - a pleasant afternoon on the shores of San Francisco. We manage to reunite just about every time I am in the San Francisco Bay Area. I always look forward to our gatherings. One of the friendships is somewhat surprising.

My former coworker and I did not always get along - well or any other way. We came from completely different backgrounds and experiences. For some reason we rubbed each other wrong from the start. One weekend, the company for other reasons than our lack of a good relationship sponsored a "Team Building" retreat for the company managers. Part of the retreat other than to get all of us together outside of the work environment, was to get us to participate in exercises and workshops that revealed our personalities. The results were reviewed and discussed with the participants. WARNING: THE EXERCISES AND DISCUSSIONS WERE CONDUCTED BY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS AND SHOULD NEVER BE ATTEMPTED BY ANYONE AT HOME OR ANYWHERE WITHOUT PROPER SUPERVISION. Sorry, I couldn't help making a little joke about psychologists and other mental health professionals. Often they are objects of jest and we don't even know "how they feel about that .." In this example their work and guidance was invaluable. For me, their efforts has enriched my life.

At the conclusion of the exercises that revealed personalities and identified what motivated us, it turned out that my co-worker and I had exactly the same personality as well as motivating factors. We had the same personality and motivating factors to the extent that every single answer in the pamphlet of questions was EXACTLY the same! I was shocked and I am sure that he was just as shocked (He must have been because we are the same!). I quipped that when he shaved in the morning from that point on he would be looking at me in the mirror!

We ended up doing a project together and developed a trust, respect, and camaraderie that continues to this day.

"...There's a stranger
And he's standing at your door
Might be your best friend, might be your brother
You may never know ..."

He was the stranger. I now know that he was a "Best Friend". Life is surprising and can always be explained. Often it is best to accept and enjoy its richness for what it is.

"Oh won't you stay
One more day with your own ones
Don't rush away
Rush away from your own ones ..."

I must go. I need to go. I want to go ... go back to my home, back home to my own one - my own wife.

However, it is through this blog and the Internet that I can continue to talk to my own ones.

I leave proud and happy to have seen and talked with my own ones. Although the world in America has grown old and is experiencing serious economic hardships, their friendship as well as camaraderie survives and prevails. I am a richer man for the friendship, affection, and love of my own ones. I give them credit and I pay them tribute.

I am sure that you too share the wealth of your "own ones" It is one of the treasures of life.

Yellowstone Park in Spring

Last week I spent four days in Yellowstone National Park photographing all creatures great and small. Some creatures were not so great and many were definitely not small.



I saw bald eagles, moose, elk, mountain sheep, deer, grizzly bears, black bears, bison, pronged horn antelope, sand hill cranes, coyote, dogs, ravens, many song birds and people.


Having spent most of the past five years overseas I realized that I was looking at America with a different set of eyes. I am amazed at how large a country America is - relatively and figuratively. It is very difficult to find a small soft drink to buy. The small size that is commonly available now as well as its associated price is more than I need or want. Bottled water was available for $1.79 a bottle. I filled my empty juice bottle from breakfast with water from the drinking fountains at visitor centers and bathrooms. I can't imagine the $1.79 bottled water being better than the free water that I enjoyed. It is not that I am cheap. Maybe I am, but in Thailand we have to buy bottled water for drinking and it costs all of $0.35 for approximately 5 gallons!


Portions of food served at restaurants are very large and you are faced with the dilemma at each meal of wasting food or eating too much. My observations have been that most people choose to eat too much - way too much. It was rather shocking to see so many morbidly obese people - especially women waddling around Yellowstone. I have never seen so many canes and walkers being used in a public place as I observed in the park.


The populations in South East Asia are much younger than in the United States. The aging population will present serious social and economic challenges for the United States in the near future. In addition to the increased need for services and care for the elderly people, there will be fewer working people to contribute taxes to fund the programs. In m travels on this trip, the effects of the economic crisis was readily apparent. I am shocked at the number of stores and companies that have shutdown. It is all rather depressing - I see it on the faces of the people and feel it myself. There is a lack of optimism that pervades American society at this time.


However Yellowstone was great - as usual. This was my seventh trip to the park and it was just a fascinating as my first trip 33 years ago. The fires of 10 years ago have dramatically altered the scenery in many areas of the park. Twenty years ago I hiked in the back country along Grebe and Ice Lakes. At the time I felt that I was hiking through a jungle. The tall and crowded mature lodge pole pine forest has been burned away and replaced by a more open forest of small pine trees. The sight of these changes at first is disturbing for we always seem to want to maintain the status quo of our lives and surroundings however upon reflection one realizes that these changes are a natural occurrence in the life cycle of the area. The changes provide opportunities for species to adapt and thrive. The species that can take advantage of these opportunities decline. Yellowstone Park is a large theater where the ebbs and flows of life and death are played out each day.


The Park was a bright green due to the daily rains. The precipitation was sporadic and localised. I can honestly say that it did not really affect my visit. Understanding that the rains were responsible for the reemergence of the plants and grasses that the bison, bears, elk, sheep, and deer were feasting upon made dealing with the occasional inconvenience much easier. The lack of brilliant sun light and higher temperatures actually made observing animals easier. One day was particularly cool, wet, and heavily overcast - the best day I had for watching animals.




For some reason on this trip the thermal features as well as thermal activities of the park impressed me the most. It was very as well as readily apparent that the Yellowstone Basin sits atop an active volcanic region. The geysers, mud pots, and hot water springs all give testament to the heat and pressures beneath the surface of the park.


The Park was not very crowded and the anticipated traffic jams due to road construction or tourists never materialized. There were nightly road closings from Norris to Madison but they started at 10:00 P.M. The road reopened at 8:00 A. M. which could have affected early morning efforts to get from West Yellowstone to the Lamar Valley but I slept so well that I wasn't on the road until 8:00 A. M. anyhow. I was fortunate to see Grizzly bears at the beginning of my trip so I felt no need to get to the Lamar Valley for sunrise. It would have been great to see a wolf and even greater to be able to photograph one but most likely an unrealistic expectation. There were many reports of wolf activity from the friendly and dedicated wolf watchers that frequent the Park. However in listening to their expert accounts it was readily apparent how serendipitous a photographic encounter would be - so remote a probability that I could not rationalize or justify getting up at 3:00 or 4:00 A.M. to get to the Valley in the early morning. My 300 mm lens was also not powerful enough to capture a good image of wolf at the typical spotting distances. I slept later, relaxed, and more thoroughly enjoyed each day in the Park admiring the animals and scenery.

I failed in my first tests of cultural re-adaptation in America. I came upon two courting black bears at Petrified Tree in the park. It was not difficult to locate them or to come upon them. Another tourist at a different location where I was photographing baby coyotes told me about it and when I arrived there were two Rangers attempting to control the jam of cars as well as people. I pulled over off of the road and walked down to where one of the Rangers was located.

The Park Ranger was not allowing people pasted the point where he had stationed himself. The other Ranger was not allowing people past the point where she had positioned herself further down the hill. The Rangers wanted to keep the area directly in front of the bears open over concerns for the safety of the people. A female in estrus and a male courting her are an emotional unstable pair of bears.

In addition to controlling the spectators, the Rangers were attempting to keep traffic moving past the site. Besides trying to eliminate emotional flare ups of drivers due to congestion, cars stopped in front of the bear's location could provoke an attack by the bears.

The Rangers politely informed everyone not to go past their position for their personal safety. Our location was demarcated by a small pine tree. I was amazed at the lack of respect and attention paid to the Park Rangers by the motorists. Drivers ignored and openly defied the Ranger's requests as well as demands that they keep moving. Since the Park Rangers were not carrying guns, I suggested that he use the Bear Spray on some drivers to get them to move and to make an example of those who defy authority. The Ranger indicated that he would like to use the spray but could not. Instead he left the tree to go down the hill to the traffic jam to give the offending driver a little more personal attention to get them to move along.

Additional people were joining our group after having parked their cars and walking down the hill to our position. One group of people lead by a plaid shirted wiry elderly man with a baseball cap that honored some naval vessel sauntered past our location towards the bears. I politely called out in a non threatening manner "Excuse me sir. Excuse me sir. The Ranger said that he did not want people going past this point"

He stopped and looked at me and yelled "Who are you? You are not the Police! You shouldn't be telling people what to do!" I shocked myself and calmly replied without hesitation "Fine. Go ahead and get attacked by a bear. I will take a picture and make some money!"

I did not feel threatened by him since his voice and demeanor were more like a small child whining and complaining to their parent then an adult preparing for a physical confrontation. However I was somewhat taken aback by his anger. I suppose that he was upset that in his mind I had attempted to take away some of his perceived freedom to do what he wanted, when he wanted and how he wanted. One of the tourists, I believe her to be English, next to me remarked to me in a supportive tone that I was only trying to help him and that I was concerned for his and his party's safety. I replied that I was not necessarily concerned about their safety but I was concerned that if they were attacked the Rangers would make everyone leave and I wanted to take more pictures of the bears. She thought that I was joking and she laughed.

As the man left he waved good by to me - sort of. I thought it to be all rather amusing. In Thailand people watch out for each other especially in matters that involve figures of authority. As Duang would remind me "America not same as Thailand!"

Having not had the opportunity to photograph a bear attack on a human, my secret desire was to be able to photograph a grizzly bear or even a black bear carrying off or devouring someone's precious FiFi or Fido. I was amazed at the number of people traveling with their dogs. Most of the dogs were lap dogs. It did not seem proper to me to see domesticated canines in amongst the natural beauty and wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. Many of the dogs appeared to be substitutes for children which made the sight of them and their owners even more revolting to me.

I once read about some people who were into low impact camping and were concerned about the color of tents used in the wilderness. They objected to the use of unnatural colors corrupting the natural beauty of the wilderness. I guess that I have gone beyond them. Somehow I believe that it is sacrilegious to contaminate the park with barks, yips, and feces of domesticated dogs - city dogs worst of all!

I left Yellowstone with 1,100 new photographs to be reviewed, edited, and cataloged. I have started the process and with all the wet and cool weather here in Connecticut at my parent's home, I have made excellent progress in the tasks.

Once I return home to Udonthani in early July, I will consolidate my favorites and create a new gallery on my photography website, www.hale-worldphotography.com

Back In The USA

I have been back in the USA for a week now.

I finished my second full day at Yellowstone National Park.

Although it rained almost all day, it was a productive day. These are some shots of a young grizzly bear on Dunraven Pass in the rain. Haven't had time to edit all the photos or to write a blog on the activities of this trip.

I will get around to it soon.