My Story
“The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations,
I have really good days.”
- Ray Wylie Hubbard
I grew up in a rural community surrounded by extended family. Memories of my early life play in a mostly blissful reel of fishing poles, hound dogs, vegetable gardens, ball games and family get-togethers.
In some ways, I grew up like a half-boy / half-dog, dollar store Davy Crockett. I was always outside, always sweaty and dirty, and endlessly adventurous.
I’m a bit domesticated now, even by my own standards. These days I live in a subdivision, drive a sedan and drink cold brew coffee. Life comes at you fast.
Ebbs and flows of time and circumstance carried me away from much of what made my childhood special and made me, well, “Me.”
Thankfully, those ever-shifting tides have brought me back again to realize things that were true of my identity 20-plus years ago are true still.
I’m family-focused and find my greatest contentment and joy alongside my wife, my daughter, and our friends.
I find peace and contentment outdoors, whether in nature or simply in my backyard around our garden.
Causes
I am an avid turkey hunter, a frequent public land user, a lifelong outdoorsman, and deeply passionate about issues central to conservation of our natural resources. I support several conservation organizations through memberships, donations, and direct volunteer involvement.
Hobbies
What started as a job responsibility has become one of my greatest joys. It allows me to be outdoors pursuing nature’s gifts in a way that I can then artfully share them with others. Check out my gallery!
Gardening
The way my wife goes through cucumbers and my daughter devours cherry tomatoes, it only made sense for this proud owner of the biggest backyard in the subdivision (an exceedingly low bar to clear) to convert that space into a raised bed garden. Squash vine borers, tobacco hornworms and pickleworm moths have become my sworn enemies, but we eat good.
Music
I like to sing and play guitar as an expressive outlet, and played a few bar gigs and open mics during my 20s. These days, I do most of my playing for my “home audience” and my church.
Fossil hunting
I can happily spend hours in a shallow creek sifting through handfuls of gravel or walking along a beach searching for shark teeth from 20 million years ago.
