Bald Eagle Christmas

Nature’s Christmas Tree

To my NatureOutside readers who celebrate Christmas, a belated “Merry Christmas!” I love the photo above, of the Bald Eagles in the spruce. It’s definitely Nature’s Christmas tree!

One of my bushcraft goals this year was to visit a family of Bald Eagles that took up residence a few miles from my home. It’s inspiring to see these birds begin to reclaim their former territory, even though we humans greatly altered the landscape.

Here’s one of my favorite pictures of a Bald Eagle that I snapped while hiking in Olympic National Park several years ago.

Bald Eagle in tree along Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park

Bald Eagle in tree overlooking Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to think about our bushcraft goals for next year. I do this each year to spur myself to grow my skills and expand my horizons. I highly recommend you do this. It’s a great mental exercise and helps increase anticipation for the coming year. Remember the song lyric:

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

– Semisonic – Closing Time

This year’s major goals included hiking in Alaska to see Grizzly Bears, learning how to make custom-handled firesteels, getting a gentlemen’s folder (although it didn’t go according to plan), and learning to make leather sheaths for my pocket knives.

Next year I want to improve my bird ID skills, increase my hiking endurance, and take three trips into the Sierras. My biggest goal for next year involves polar bears. But we’ll see if I can pull it off…

Best wishes for the coming year. May all your bushcraft dreams come true!