30,000 Posts :)

[Arthur Morris]

I was around when BPN was hatched. There were five of us: James Shadle, Al Forns, Jim Neiger, another I prefer not to mention, and me. The formative meeting was in the living room at my home in Indian Lake Estates, FL. I funded BPN then and have continued to do so ever since. Some left as friends, some left with. some degree of animosity. A few years ago it was down to Froggy (Captain James Shadle) and me. James bowed out for personal reasons and bestowed his half of BPN to me. As I did not have a clue about the behind the scenes admin stuff, I enlisted my good friend and BIRDS AS ART webmaster Peter Kes to help out. I then bestowed half of BPN to Peter.

Over the past twelve years here I have participated a bit, and then gone missing, sometimes for months at a time. But I always return and find the time to do a fair number of critiques. I have helped a lot of folks here and I too have learned a ton. My life, in general, has been a truly blessed one as I have traveled the world doing what I best love to do. All while making a fine living. And at least in part supporting two other families: my older daughter, Jennifer has worked for me full- and now part-time since 1998, and my right-hand man Jim Litzenburg has been with me for more than a decade.

I greatly enjoy participating here and plan to do so at least until they nail the box shut. Now is a fine time to thank all of our great Mods, so Thanks guys and gals!

with love, artie

ps: the GBH photo was on film and pretty much helped to put me on the map in 1998 when it appeared on the cover of the original The Art of Bird Photography II. I thought that posting it here was a good way to celebrate 30,000 posts. :)