rock climbing

8
COM

Hardest challenge from my bow weekend was this rock climbing wall which stands at 35 ft and sports a zip line, top left. Closer I got to the top my arms became jelly, my heart raced and I was tired. Still... I climbed on. When I made it to the top platform I changed out ropes so I could purchase open air on the zip line. The whole experience was AweSome.What's been your hardest challenge outdoors?

archery

2
COM

Archery was one of four workshops I took at the bow retreat. Another twelve to fifteen people took the class learning how to handle the bow properly. When instruction was finished we took turns shooting targets. We shot first at the target you see in the picture and then at some balloons, a 3d groundhog and a bracelet. After we shot these targets we lined up in two lines. We were allowed to shoot one arrow at the target. Whoever shot closest was left standing to shoot again. We did this until only one was left standing. My winning shot is shown in the photo above. Besides shooting a Genesis bow we also got to try shooting a crossbow similar to the one Daryl uses in The Walking Dead series. 

Albert

5
COM

The great horned owl who came with Templeton to the bow weekend workshop. Albert had part of his wing amputated because he was tangled in, if I remember correctly, some wire. He'll never be re-released into nature again because he can't fly. He has a new home at Salato Wildlife Center and seems to be adjusting well to his new enclosure. He weighs about 2, 2 1/2 pounds and loves to eat mice. His talons can lock onto its prey at 500 pounds... ouch! Isn't he a beauty??

Templeton

2
COM

A black rat snake brought to the bow weekend retreat. That's me sitting anxiously in the chair. Believe it or not I held him for about two or three minutes after this photo was taken. I could feel his tongue tickling my arm and later he climbed along my right arm and was up near my head. He even went to my waist to peek behind me when I said, "Okay, you can take him now!" So proud I tried something new. Pushed past my fear to hold such a delicate creature.

Thank you to those who tried to identify my photograph Red. The winner of the free download was Rose Swalls from her blogs: Pics & Pieces and Time Stand Still. The name of the plant was a wahoo bush.