The difficulty

Tonight I walked my dogs. I had an interesting experience while while walking them. I was the entertainment of the evening for one luck fisher. I wrote a little something about the experience in a note on Facebook. One of my friends made a comment saying she enjoyed reading the note which made me realize it has been too long since I have posted here.
I have had to put off my ambitions to join the field of television photography and get a part time job near my parents. The reason? Money. This summer I had saved up what I believe was enough to move to someplace when I received my first job. Unfortunately the state requires vehicles to be in "working" condition. I spent all but about $30 of my savings on my car to keep it on the road. I have been living on that $30 for roughly two months while finding a job. Recently I found employment at the local EMS distribution center and store. I am still waiting to start that job, my first day is the 26th. Have a day of orientation then two days of training. After nearly two months of being unemployed I can not wait to have to get up early and go someplace to do something. Hopefully I am able to save up enough cash to afford moving expenses to my future location.
Here is that little something I wrote.

So you are walking your dog. It's night, its autumn, no moon, and its very cold. The feeling of something watching you is present. You turn your head just a little and catch a glare across the field. You're brain says go inside and get warm in a safe place. You're not smart section of your brain says go find out what that is. As you get closer the eyes start to shift left and right. They blink occasionally but not often. Your dog smells it now and goes from being curious to defensive. As you near the eyes fix on you as an object of interest. When you are close enough to see its pupils dilate you finally realize that you are just feet away from a creature that could easily kill your dog and cause you severe injuries then just walk away as if it didn't happen at all.

That's how awesome my night was.

A Passing

By now almost everyone in the nation has heard about the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy. I found out about his passing at about 7 in the morning half way into the two hour drive to Boston.
I spent the day with leading a GPS program for Boston University's common ground program. After the program I waited around Faneuil Hall for the late Senators Motorcade. Not much I could say about the event would explain what it was like to actually be there with the six thousand plus people who were there to pay their respects. So instead of writing I will let a few photos talk for me.

And I'm Back!

After 10 weeks of grueling and tiring work as a Trip leader for a summer camp I have returned. I have Paddled a lake with swells 4 feet high, I have gone island hoping in a kayak in Jonesport, ME. I have scaled to the top of Mt. Katahdin. And I have loved it all.
There isn't much out there that I love doing to the point where I will do it for free and on my own time and as a job. Leading wilderness trips is probably that one thing that I will do all the above. I spent 9 Days hiking the Appalachian trail in Maine and for 8 of those I was wearing boots filled with water(day 9 I wore my sandals "Why didn't I think of this earlier?!") while tramping through waist deep ice cold rivers and mud up to my "Danger zone" as a select few of friends would call it.
Then after all that grueling backpacking we made it to the summit and I was as happy as I could be having not showered in over a week.

Now comes the hard part, I have to find a job doing other things... Wish me luck.

A "spring" Dip

Such a beautiful Vermont day. The sun was shining, the women were tanning, and the religious were handing out the New Testament. It also only rained half an inch!

While covering the most awesome Spring Dip scholastic fundraiser hosted by some department of Lyndon State college Paul, John and I decided to have a little extra fun on the side. As a result awesomeness ensued when a couple guys with them really fancy cameras and a microphone get bored.

Sad start to Turkey season

Today was the official start to Turkey season in Vermont. Within minutes of the seasons opening a 911 call went out from the town of Wheelock. A 17 year old boy and his father had gone hunting in the early hours of the morning when the accident happened. The boy and his father had separated to hunt different sections of their yard. The boy decided to find his father who mistook his son for a Turkey. After firing a single shot gun blast into the chest of his own son Kevin Kadamus tried to save his son Jake's life.
Unfortunately the efforts of a Game warden, firemen, and other first responders using CPR failed. Jake died at the scene of the accident.
The Local high school, Lyndon Institute, closed down for the day and its flags were lowered to half mast after news of Jake's death spread to school officials.
A horrible tragedy such as this will effect this small community for months to come. I for one am glad I was not asked to cover this story.

Mike Descoteaux

Last December I met a man while doing a story on World Aids Day. I was smart enough at the time to ask for his contact info knowing he had a story to tell. This is a very brief look at that story.

2009 St Johnsbury Maple Festival

What do you get when you send a photographer to a maple festival without a reporter? How about a complete nat sound piece.



This is the first St Johnsbury maple festival in 22 years.

2008 official start to Maple Season

On Monday March 24, 2008 Brandon Wholey and I covered the offical start to Vermont's Maple season

In attendance were many students from Craftsbury Academy, Sterling College, local towns people, and Governor Jim Douglas.



After getting what we needed for this story Brandon and I were invited to one of the most delicious lunches we have ever had to eat. The people of Craftsbury and Sterling College were extremely nice and welcoming people and overall I had a great time covering this story.