Oceans, Fog and Missing Home a Bit...

It has, yet again, been a long time since I posted last. So much has happened.

Two weekends ago I went to a conference in Malibu that was full of other Environmental Educators. It was so refreshing to be surrounded by hundreds of people that share my passion for the environment and education. We all learned much from each other (and had a great time celebrating as well). I also got my long-overdo ocean fix.

Below you can see an image of a desert cottontail running across the road. When I walked out of my room this morning it was there to greet me. 

This past weekend I finally met up with my cousin Crystal. We went on a hike where we saw the oldest western structure in Riverside County, CA. It was an adobe house built for vaqueros (cowboys) in 1846. We also found a Native American plant use garden which really excited me. I learned some new things from it--and shared a lot of information with my cousin as well.

We are all starting to get into the summer mindset here. This past week even in the mountains it was in the mid 80's. This week it's back to the 70's again and feeling refreshing finally. I woke up this morning to find FOG outside. This is crazy here if you knew how dry it is. I can accidentally soak myself with a hose and be dry in 20 minutes.

An absolute
patience.
Trees stand
up to their knees in
fog

-Denise Levertov

I went to the orthopedic this Monday to find out if I do in fact need surgery on my wrist. I found out that I probably don't. I got my first cortisone shot of my life (and learned at the conference that it is derived from Mexican Yams). My wrist is quite sore now, but should improve in the next day or so. I go back to the doctor on May 21st to assess how things are going. In less than 6 weeks I also fly home! I am so excited.

I just got an email a couple of days ago about my coworkers/roommates for the summer. It looks like we should all get along pretty well. If we don't I can also run away to Birch Lake--where I am always happy regardless. I am so excited to get yelled at by red squirrels again--wake up to the call of the loon--and harvest wild edibles that taste and smell like home.

"The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." -Maya Angelou

To the right you can see the onion spinach bread that I baked on Saturday night to complement our Rabbit stew!

Just tonight I went for a run and saw my first up close and personal BOBCAT! It took me a second to figure out what it was, but then I saw its feline gate and bob-tail! I kept running and saw my first Great Blue Heron of the season:) So much fun!