Well, the last half of 2011 was a whirlwind. And I've been awfully absent from this whole blog thing. So what's shakin? Well, to start, I moved back to California. As in California knows how to party, as in the Sierra Nevadas, as in Big Sur and the whole amazing coast line, as in Lake Tahoe, as in great wines and beers, as in granite and sandstone, madrone and manzanita. Yep, that one. It seems like ever since I moved away every vacation I've had has brought me back here. So now maybe I'm here for good. Still waiting for some snow... my snowboard is patiently waiting as well. In the meantime I've been road biking and spending more time outside exploring with the Bon. I promise more photos to come. Soon. In the meantime, we'll start off with some road trips.

This is from Wyoming, where it was amazing fall weather with patches of golden leaves in early October.

And another road trip down the eastern side of the Sierras. This one's of Bishop, one of my all-time favorite places on earth.

And Malibu, home of the rich and famous, and lots of egrets. 

After way too much time I finally opened up my Etsy shop - Spruce by Emily Setzer. It's small now but more sweet goods are on the way. So if you're into nature decor, check back every so often.

Wildlife and nature are big. Real big. Not since the age of Romanticism has nature been so cool. Of course, these days they're calling it "modern rustic." Perhaps that's how wildlife biologists, ecologists, environmental nonprofits, and even lobbyists and policymakers should start touting their work. I can hear it now. "We need to protect this very modern rustic landscape from ATVs." Maybe, despite all the disbelief of global warming, a second era of Romanticism is actually booming - an era full of "modern rustic" design; and folks who recycle, compost and grow their own food because they really love their land; box stores that sell organic clothing; a time when wildlife protectors can make a decent living. Even the thought of that happening is super, super foxy. I like to believe that most of us really do love nature. To prove it I've included a few highlights below, focusing first on the fox.

Desire to Inspire shows quite an amazing must-have bathroom (the photograph is by Heiner Orth). This bathroom, however, is amazing because it has this great mural of a fox photograph. Not sure if that is Orth's photo of the fox or not, but it is superb. Who wouldn't want a fox jumping over their bathtub?

Etsy: Foxes are very in with the artists on Etsy. Click the photo to see the artist's store.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (with a tribute to the wolf, might I add): Wes Anderson is the epitome of indie cool.

P.S. Bonnie has an often striking resemblance to a fox. Note the red hue to the fur, the pointy nose, the white-ish belly. Lovely girl. You should see her deftly dash through the forest after a squirrel or deer. Bad girl.

In the past year I've whipped out the old credit card (thank you airline miles) more than a few times for the wildlife organizations on behalf of the wolves and polar bears - especially Defenders of Wildlife and the Center for Biological Diversity. You see, they send me these emails, or they call me (I know, I know, they know me now), and I get suckered into opening my wallet. But they do good work by providing scientists, lobbyists and lawyers to protect various species and ecological balance. And how can you say no to furball baby wolf pups and huggable (ok, not really - they're actually dangerous so don't let the Nissan Leaf commercial fool ya) polar bears losing their habitat? (I might watch too much Animal Planet and NatGeo... Bonnie is a big fan so I leave it on for her - she likes to bark at the animals.) Yes, I am a wildlife sucker.

A donor for the Center for Biological Diversity is triple-matching any donations made by Dec. 31 to protect a polar bear reserve. But you can choose your own cause, too, and let me know how you supported it! It's good karma for the new year. I'm just sayin. (Are you opening your wallet yet?)

I haven’t wanted to take photos of anything lately besides the dogs. But as I was walking Bonnie after work the other day I couldn’t help but notice the really loud birds and beautiful sunset. There seems to be a point of day around dusk when birds are overcome with energy and sound and flight. Flocks of birds were flying west towards a stand of trees across the street, where they took up residence on new branches. I love how they maximize the few minutes left before darkness settles. I guess I feel like that, too – especially when I’ve been inside all day long on an already short winter day and I know I only have 20 minutes left of natural light. So it’s a good thing that those last 20 minutes tend to be really beautiful and calming.

I think I first visited the San Juan mountains in 2003, and I’ve been addicted ever since. The forests, tall mountains, mesas and red and black cliffs are unforgettable. Actually I’m trying to plan a trip back in the next couple months for big dose of steep powder and hot springs, without the crowds. For a popular state, those mountains feel more wild and desolate than many of the other ranges in Colorado. But as towns like Telluride, Montrose, Ridgway and Ouray continue to grow and festivals get bigger and mansions spontaneously reproduce, that area could use some more protection. For those interested in potential increased regulation, the San Juans Mountains Wilderness Act of 2009 was just introduced in the Senate.

f you ever have a couple hours in Monterey, California, go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It’s amazing. I mean, just look at those jellyfish. They’re mesmerizing; all in-your-face-orange and gelatinous, yet also delicate and graceful. I took a step back to take in the whole scene, because I just love watching people watch nature. Somehow all our differences get pushed aside and we all agree that something is really spectacular. Age even disappears. Kids are oohing and aahing and parents are speechless, and everyone pushes their noses to the glass just to get a closer look. And when we all left the aquarium and walked along the streets and got in our cars, we felt different. Refreshed.

I’m really happy to say that my photo of elk running through Mountain Village in Telluride, Colorado has been published to Patagonia’s “Freedom to Roam” campaign. Protecting wildlife corridors is a critical environmental issue and I’m proud that my work has done a small part to raise awareness. Having lived in crowded suburban and city areas and remote mountainous regions, I’ve seen wildlife corridors damaged and invaded upon in each place. This balance between human life and wilderness is very fragile, and as I examine my work more closely – both written and photographed, I’ve begun to notice that it is the central theme of everything I do, whether I knew it at the time or not. Be sure to check out Patagonia’s campaign and do your part to help.

My roommates have named the two local red tail hawks Hank and Henrietta. Because the winds were pretty strong today, they were particularly active, soaring around, catching the currents, swooping close to the yard and driving the dogs crazy. I love knowing that some wildlife still goes strong after we build huge neighborhoods in what were once wild lands. Although red tail hawks are very common throughout the west, they still make me happy every time I see them because they really are gorgeous birds. And while it’s not that often we get to see other types of large birds of prey, these guys are pretty much our neighbors. Only we actually see them.

What a Folgers morning. As I made my coffee in the hour before it began snowing this morning, I looked out the window to see my neighbors – a herd of elk – already gathering for Thanksgiving dinner. As they grazed in the field across from my house, I tried to sneak up to them to get a closer shot. Of course, it’s not like they didn’t see someone with a shotgun-looking lens, slinking up the road in her slippers and sweats in the otherwise stillness of this gray Thanksgiving morning. So of course they ran away from me. And I got this wonderful view of their backsides.