I don’t have any clever ideas or thoughts to share with you for the week before Christmas. When this happens, I trust my camera to keep you entertained.

It is a good time to prioritize some of our thoughts – and give thanks. I am thankful to each of you who read this little column and enjoy our Great Bend Tribune. This newspaper has given me some of the happiest moments of our lives. Sandra and I arrived in 1990. Marsh Musings was started by Eric Geising when he worked at KWEC. I took pictures for his articles. When he left our area, it just seemed that the Musings should continue. It has continued for about 12 years, I think, but I don’t have the exact dates of the transition. Who would have thought ... 

This marsh attracted me long before I even thought about moving out here. I hunted here in the ’70s when I lived in Kansas City. It was/is one of the most amazing wetlands I have ever known. When I retired 12 years ago, we couldn’t leave our friends and this marsh. It has been a happy decision. Being able to use my camera for school and athletic events has been a treasure. Our children deserve our best shot. I have met some of the most amazing football moms on this planet. I have seen your children grow wings and fly higher than we could ever have imagined. We live in a good place with great schools and role models.

My message to those of you who are angry or upset with me, I honestly adore you also. America has different ideas about almost everything. I respect your diligence and the disagreements are generally about the process or money involved in the effort to make things or us better. Thank God that we are civilized enough to not murder each other with ghost guns. This world is a strange place. 

I have gained knowledge and a huge respect for elected officials. Our county commissioners work hard at those jobs! Judy Goreham is a long-time hero for being so smart about zoning and planning. She and Mary Ann Stoskopf know so much about how the land should be used to make us all safer and better. I am so glad that these people run for office and do their best to make sense of all the confusion and make wise decisions that protect and enhance our citizens and their land. They are special people – try to talk almost anyone into doing that job and they decline. It’s easy to fuss and not step up. I’ve learned a lot of things – and my conclusion is that we live in a great place with lots of unsung heroes around. I am honored to live here with you.

I have 68,000 pictures in my Lightroom catalog. At least 95% of them are not useful – except I can’t figure out how to triage them and can’t stand to delete them. I have picked out a few of them for Susan and Linda (at the Tribune) to do their magic and share with you. The Franklin gull was pulling a huge stick out of pool one in a nesting effort. That black head is just striking! The Avocet preening its back just had an expression I couldn’t resist. The little possum was patrolling for food. The pelican is a common sight and just looked pretty against the sky. The yellow-headed blackbird is not too common, and I enjoy seeing them when they appear. Baby Killdeers are incorrigible and drive their parents crazy. Such is our marsh. May it always be safe and intact to support our migrating treasures. 

Merry Christmas my friends! Let’s always try to make everyone’s life safer and better.

Doc

Doctor Dan Witt is a retired physician and nature enthusiast. He can be reached at danwitt01@gmail.com.