It's becoming a wonderful journey.

A few months ago I decided to turn a personal project into a book. A rather frightening idea for me. All my apprehensions of putting my knowledge, my talent, myself out for public display keep creeping into my internal dialogue.

What if I fail?

What if I do get it done and everyone hates it?

What if I succeed? Could I live up to the expectations?

My experiences while working on the book have, if not squashed these doubts, at least muted them.

First while driving through a state park on Whidbey Island one morning, I happened across a great horned owl sitting on a sign post next to the road. I stopped my car thinking it would fly away when I did. It didn't. I popped open my trunk and pulled out my camera. The owl was still there watching me. It continued to sit there while I rattled off about a dozen frames before it had had enough and flew away into a tree.

A remarkable experience made all the more significant to me by the fact that my mother loved owls. She has been gone from my life for more than a quarter of a century. But seeing this owl, I knew she would have been proud of me and my project. That her encouragement would have helped me through the tougher times. I was filled with a warmth and happiness as if she had been there to give me a hug. I knew I was doing what was right for me.

Now I am also one who is afraid to ask for help - afraid to be an inconvenience to others. So for most of my time researching parks I've been heading out alone. Driving to and from parks by myself or with my dog Zillah who makes an excellent road trip buddy. But it does get lonely.

My last couple of park trips, I've been on the road with friends and I asked rather hesitantly if we could possibly stop so I could grab a couple of photographs and walk around to get a feel of the place. My friends all replied with an enthusiastic YES - happy to help me achieve my goal.

The support I've received from friends has helped to spur me forward. When I began this journey and decided to devote more of my free time to the book over hiking, I kind of resented it. No I enthusiastically plan my weekends around the book and find hiking can get in the way of it. It may be a hard fought balance in the coming months, but this excitement can't be contained.