I am no stranger to committee work. When we moved to Wisconsin, over twenty years ago now, I immersed myself in our local school system. I had a boy entering kindergarten within a year and was expecting my second son. Getting involved in our school district was one of the most fulfilling and important jobs…
Today, I went into the field with our land manager and another coworker to do some work on invasive species – namely, buckthorn. It was storming when I awoke around 6 a.m. and I was not sure we’d go due to thunder and lightning but it seemed to be clearing as it approached the time…
It took me until I was in my 40’s to discover (or rediscover) my creative side. In school, I was a serious student, striving for straight A’s (usually getting them), and leaving little to chance through unpreparedness or lack of completing the assigned work. From high school, I carried this work ethic through college and…
“No one ever talks about it,” said the mom. “It is frustrating and lonely.” She insinuated that she did not know what to do or how to parent her son, whose needs were beyond the scope of “normal.” “My girls,” she stated, “are so different, so easy.” “Once you find resources, and supportive people, it…
The English Language In the English language, state is an odd word. Just look at this list of phrases: In what state do you live? He was in a depressed state of mind. Do you know a Head of State? Can you state your case succinctly? In chemistry class, you will learn that water has…
Earlier this week I got the chance to hear a spoken word poet by the name of Chris James. He was the speaker selected to address the winners of the 2019 Congressional Art Contest in Washington D.C.. Most of his speech was motivational and inspirational for the 433 young artists and their family members who…
While having my tea on this glorious Saturday morning and checking my emails, I realized that I have a slight problem with tenacity. Or, rather, my problem might be the opposite – one of letting go instead of firmly hanging on. Earlier this year, I resigned from the garden club advisor position I hold at…
Yesterday, I spotted my first Monarch Butterfly of the season! Today, I reported it to Journey North. Journey North is a website for Citizen Scientists, like myself, to report observations in nature that help scientists study naturally occurring phenomena. Those phenomena related to Monarch Butterflies are: The first Monarch (adult) sighting of the season Any…
Today, I presented nine times on prairies! In the morning, I saw four kindergarten classes. I like students of all ages, including kindergarten. The weather was fine, although a little overcast and cooler. They listened to me talk for about 10 minutes, and then, went on an I SPY walk in a man-made prairie looking…
Over the last year, I have written a series on Leadership. This series includes the following: Qualities of Leadership Series #1: Being Inspirational Qualities of Leadership Series #2: Resilience Qualities of Leadership Series #3: Integrity Qualities of Leadership Series #4: Transparency Today, the series continues with a post on communication. Ah, yes! Communication! It is…