Dear Family and Friends, January 19, 2009 Due to problems with our address list, I put off writing this year’s letter until now. But since the address list problem appears to be solved I decided to give it a try. I will use pictures to tell about our year. In January 2008, I visited Hickory Knobs State Resort Park in SC for our annual Rook Card Collectors Association convention. I had a very nice campsite right on the lake.
Near the end of January, Jeri Schey came to visit and we took her to the Chattanooga Zoo and the Georgia Aquarium. Mary and I had not been to the Georgia Aquarium so it was great to see it. To the far right is a picture of Jeri in front of the World of Coke building, which is right next to the aquarium.
During February and March I helped Doug Anderson and Lloyd Speer build a 28x26 foot grange for Lloyd.
In late April and early May we took a birding trip along the Texas gulf coast, up the Rio Grande valley and, over to Big Bend National Park. We added about 20 birds to our life list, including the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Gull-billed Tern, Crested Caracara, Green Jay, Plain Chachalaca, and Vermillion Flycatcher.
In May we traveled to WI to help Doug Anderson scrape and paint his daughter’s and son-in-law’s barn.
In July we biked (minus Mary) around Cades Cove and visited Cherokee, NC to see the pageant “Unto these Hills” with Sharon and Doug Anderson and Dolph and Jane Diamond.
In September we went to Utah via Rocky Mtn. NP and visited all five Utah National Parks, Grand Canyon NP, Phoenix, Mesa Verde NP, and the beautiful Mountains of Southwest CO. It was good to see my sister and family.
Rocky Mountain NP	Arches NP
Canyonlands NP	Capitol Reef NP
Bryce Canyon NP	Zion NP
Grand Canyon NP	Mesa Verde NP
Southwest CO Mountains
We went to Dollywood 3 times - Festival of Nations, National Gospel and Harvest Celebrations, & Christmas Celebration. In October we celebrated Cara-Lea & Ryan’s graduations with a party.
Also in October Jana took me to the Pep Boys Auto 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on my birthday and Mary paid for a Pit Pass for me!
God Bless and have a very good 2009. Jared and Mary