2021- That’s a wrap, folks!

Calendar year 2021 is over. I’ve herad some folks say that 2022 is going to be just 2020-too. I hope not, but a lot remains to be seen. The pandemic is reving up, not simmering down. I guess we just stay buckled up- the ride isn’t over. So, that means finding solice in nature is more imposrtant than ever. That’ll be my plan for 2022.

I finished 2021 with a good bit of walking, a lot of birds and mammals spotted and having learned a lot about the nature of people. from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, I walked 2,769 miles (4,456km) and took 5,656,288 steps. I suspect that my labrador doubled both of the statistics.

I identified 210 species of birds and at least 12 species on large mammals in 3 states, including a lifetime Minke whale in the Salish Sea. I learned that Timberland makes a damn fine lightweight hiker that is waterproof and under $90 from Zappos. I learned that I really love merino wool more than I previously thought.

I sold the Sienna Van and went one-year and 10,000 miles backwards to a 2011 Rav4. I shot many, many thousands of pictures and spent an enormous amount of time with my family. Despite all of that, I also worked full-time and stayed safely free of COVID-19.

Good bye, 2021. Let’s move on to the next chapter.