John gained an appreciation for nature from his mother who would never hesitate to share her love of nature with her children. As a child, his family was blessed to be able to spend several weeks each summer in northern Minnesota to experience the wonders of the North Woods. When he moved to Texas for school, he met his future wife, Susie, who also loves to observe nature. Often on vacation trips, they would take long drives to find various wildlife (and local geology). Their interest in birds grew even more eight years ago when they observed painted buntings at their feeder. When John knew he needed to make a career change, he left his position at a geophysical company to open a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise with Susie in Kingwood, where they could not only continue to grow in their appreciation of nature, but also help others learn about habitats in their own backyard. Over the past year, John has given monthly presentations in the Humble, Atascocita, and Kingwood area about backyard bird feeding.