The birth of my second child is right around the corner. I will have less time to devote to Steemit and extracurricular in general. I was looking through my old photos and wanted to share some with everyone on Steemit. This place gives me the sense of serenity I felt when my first daughter was born. Now my second daughter will be born by the end of the month. I hope you enjoy these photos and my words and let it help you find peace, if only for a moment.

I have to give up a lot of my free time in the next few weeks and months really. I've fallen in love with Steemit and want to keep making my mark here. I won't be gone entirely, but much less than I have been until now. I still need a creative outlet, so you will see me popping up now and then. Hopefully, once or twice a week.

These photos were taken as part of a field trip I organized to a nearby gold mine, called the Lone Jack. It was an beautiful place; I could have stayed there forever. I have a passion for geology, minerals, and science in general. I do enjoy sharing it with others. In addition to articles, I want to start a video series about geology called "Kicking Rocks." I will share some of my geology experiences and tackle some of the big misconceptions the general public has about science.

Steemit has introduced me to a newfound love of writing too. I have several stories lined up in the next few months to come. My story Elke and the Piper was just the beginning. Here's a sample:

All you have to do is put the one metal peg in between the two metal pegs, then squeeze. His dad’s words gnawed at Robert, but he just couldn’t hold the barrel steady. A large mat of brown fur and claws pinned his father to the forest floor. He cowered at a gut-wrenching shriek, dropping the gun and curling up into a ball of shock and hopelessness. The violent snap of a log, he hoped, was followed by silence. Robert heard whimpering and quickly covered his mouth. It may not have noticed him. He had stayed in the duck blind when his father left to investigate the strange sound. He held his breath as the rustling of grass outside circled his shelter. A loud crack of many branches came from overhead, followed by a dull thud in the distance. The roof was gone. A reddened claw reached through the hole, clutching Robert.

I do like my creepy tales. I hope you don't find this too out of place with all the serene mountains I just showed you ;)

In the mean time....