Where We've been this Winter and Early Spring!

Many of you may have wondered where I've gone since my last post (December 30, 2010). For now here is a quick update on what we've been up to.  It has really been fun taking photography classes at Dixie State College with a great fine art and scenic photo artist (Bob Kulon).  He has a an excellent PHOTO BLOG that is very informative and useful--I strongly recommend it to everyone!  I've really learned a lot and loved getting back behind the lens of a camera in a serious way!

Here is a SLIDESHOW showing some of what I've been working on  besides cataloging thousands of my photos with Adobe Lightroom (a great software tool) from 35 years of professional geographical work--I'm also finally learning how to use CS5 (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and other wonderful Adobe tools)!  And of course, we're continuing to downsize, sort, sell, and give-away goods to prepare for living in a smaller place.  And, like many other Boomers, we're testing semi-retirement status and learning the ropes of being a "grandad" (among many other pursuits) before I likely go back to work at least part time, i.e. consulting, teaching, and "ranching"!

We've also been preparing to build on our lovely property near Zion National Park in Rockville Utah--my "little ranch to be"--which hasmeant clearing a lot of weeds, building fences, and doing all the final preparations of architectural plans and finalizing construction loans--hope we can be ready to build JUNE 1, 2011--wish us luck!  It has been hectic but satisfying to spend time outdoors doing something very different from my recent work abroad (see previous BLOG posts last year such as these)...

In between visits by friends such as Dave and Bronwen Larson from Loma Linda--and our younger son (Colby) who is taking geology at the University of California, Riverside--we've been out walking, attending lectures, gallery-hopping, and enjoying the late winter and early spring around southern Utah.  See more photos in this PDF slideshow.

 This is such a beautiful place.  Do come visit us sometime!!

Bob (GeoBob) & Karen Ford, St George Utah