A Small Something

Rachel and I went to Salt Lake today and saw the IMAX movie, Deep Sea. It was a 3D movie. Usually I think that 3D is gimicky, but in this case it really added to the movie and was well done. Beautiful shots of sea life. I really enjoyed it.

After the movie we went to Tracy Aviary, which is always a treat. Spent some time watching a Great-horned Owl, a Sandhill Crane, Burrowing Owls, and others. There were some peacocks with amazing displays, and an Andean Condor who was also showing off his wingspan. Many beautiful ducks and waterfowl.

After that we went to Trolley Square and had a nice dinner at Rodizio Grill.

Last night Jonathan, David, Rachel, and I went to see Over The Hedge. It’s a pretty cute family film. We all had a good time although it cost the four of us over $45 after you factor in soda and popcorn. Still, every evening I can spend with my kids is a nice evening.

Sarah seems to be having a great time in Guatemala. She is answering email there whenever she can make it to an internet cafe, so drop her a line.

In my last post I mentioned I’m considering a digital SLR camera and a zoom or telephoto lens. After reviewing what money can buy and how useful it is for nature photography, I’ve revised my wishlist to a regular point-and-shoot digital camera (probably something in the Nikon Coolpix line) and a good spotting scope. People who have both are now routinely coupling them using mounting sleaves or brackets to take pretty stunning pictures for much less money than a similar DSLR setup. It’s called digiscoping. Although it will still be expensive, I’m planning on buying the necessary components over time. It’s something I know I’d enjoy for the rest of my life.

Tuesday I identified two of the wading birds we’ve seen this spring over in the farmer’s pond. One is a Snowy Egret, and the other is a Black-necked Stilt. Birds have cool names.

Last weekend Jonathan, David, and I went to a Father and Sons Outing™ at the Heber Camp™ owned by The Church™. We survived and possibly even had some fun. I spent some time talking with my friend Mark who, sadly, lost his wife in an automobile accident a couple years ago. He and his children seem to be doing quite well in spite of what life has thrown at them.

The next morning Jonathan, David and I had some fun with a frisbee and had breakfast before heading back to the valley. That evening, Rachel and I met my Dad and Leslie in Salt Lake for dinner.

Thusday I went with Jonathan to an overnight camp for the sixth grade at Maple Dell. We went canoeing and did some other activities. Friday David and I went to Take Your Son To Work Day at Novell. Sarah left Friday morning for a trip to Guatamala with her school group. One of the teachers on the trip is keeping a travel blog here.

Jonathan and David spent the weekend with me and Rachel. We started making a model rocket that we’re going to launch in a couple of weeks. We also had a nice time at a restaurant last night.

On the health front, Rachel fell down at work a couple of days ago and got scraped and bruised pretty good. My back has been hurting quite a bit this month–symptoms of the car accident in December. I’ve been to the doctor a couple of times, and got some X-rays. The last couple of days the pain has been in my neck. I’m hoping the flare-ups are a sign that it’s healing. Now that the weather is nice, I’ve been walking around the neighborhood more in the evenings.

Rachel and I have really enjoyed seeing all of the wildlife in the wetland area behind our home this spring. We have consistently viewed muskrats, pheasants, a crane, killdeer, and of course ducks and ducklings as well as a lot of other birds I haven’t identified. Seeing all of those birds has sparked an interest in birding. I just ordered a couple of field guide bird books and am contemplating getting a good digital SLR camera with a zoom lens so I can capture some of the birds I see.