January 20, 2025
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We thought the butterflies couldn’t be topped, but Karel took us on an epic adventure today! We had breakfast at the hotel and then met at the Ecotours Vallarta office where we watched a video about the whales and the conservation efforts that are happening in Banderas Bay. We boarded the boat with our Capitán Rafa and off we went!
Heading out into the bay to look for whales
It didn’t take us long to see whale behaviors. One male humpback spent several minutes slapping his tail on the water surface trying to catch the attention of the surrounding females. After a few minutes of tail slapping and pectoral fin waving we witnessed the most sought after behavior…breaching!! To observe one of the largest mammals on Earth propel itself out of the water was truly magical. And we even have video and pictures to capture the memory.
Excitedly watching whales!
After each whale encounter Karel would note the scientific data for research purposes- number of whales, time of day, and location. We also attempted to snap as many tail photos as possible to identify individual whales.
Tail-slappingBreeching (on the way down… didn’t get the camera up quickly enough to catch the real action)Spy-hopping
Our Captain spotted a solo male and we listened to him sing his song using a hydrophone. We also saw a young calf and its mother in the shallow water. The mother was letting the calf rest on her back. To identify the mothers we attempted to get a picture of her dorsal fin.
Karel with the hydrophone
In total we saw about 25 whales. Other wildlife from the day were iguanas sunning in trees, an active dolphin pod, and a myriad of birds. We spent time birding and spotted a Roseate Spoonbill, Black Necked Stilts, Magnificent Frigatebirds and the Blue Footed Boobies. We even saw two crocodiles lounging in the sun. What a truly spectacular day soaking in the wonder of this area!
January 20, 2025
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Comments Off on Trails and Tortilla Tales
This morning was the last morning in Agua Blanca. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t savoring each final moment at this beautiful oasis.
The morning started with a 7:30 am hike to the caves and waterfall on the Agua Blanca property. From earlier posts, you may have noticed that Agua Blanca is a tropical paradise, but there is more to Agua Blanca than meets the eye. Not only are the mineral pools a relaxing pastime, but the mineral springs also have created some striking geological formations. On today’s hike, we explored the stalactite-like cliff wall that have been formed over thousands of years. Within the cliff walls are also caves that are home to fruit and insect-eating bats that we could see flitting around each morning and evening. From the cliff wall, we continued further down the trail to the waterfall where we all posed for photos.
Mini and Beverly checking out some tropical milkweed at the base of some of the interesting geological deposits from the mineral springs
The beautiful waterfall below our rooms at Agua Blanca
On an earlier bird walk, we noticed a monarch caterpillar hanging from a leaf. This morning, we found this chrysalis it had transformed into! This monarch is probably part of a resident population that lives in Mexico year-round, unlike its migratory cousins that we visited in the high elevation reserves.
After the hike, we had another delicious breakfast to help fuel our brains for the learning ahead. Our next adventure was a cooking class with the chef, Angelica, from Agua Blanca. Before getting our hands on the dough, Angelica explained the importance of each ingredient and how these tortillas differ from the ones we buy in the grocery stores at home. Angelica demonstrated with ease the process of making a traditional blue maize tortilla. She made the process look extremely quick and easy. Next, it was our turn, and this is where things got sticky (pun-intended). We learned that the pressure on the press, dropping the uncooked tortilla on to the hot cast-iron pan, and flipping of the tortilla with your fingers require finesse and precision. This experience caused us all to appreciate the delicious meals we have been enjoying throughout the trip all the more. We were all grateful that our own tortillas were not on today’s lunch menu.
Tortilla-making with Angelica
After lunch, it was time to load up and travel to our next location. We gave the hotel dog one last scratch behind the ears and hopped into the van to ride 2.5 hours towards the Toluca Airport for our flight to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast. Stay tuned for another magical migration adventure.
A gorgeous sunset from the plane to Puerto Vallarta
Today, we headed to El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary, where 40% of the overwintering monarch population typically roosts. After arriving at El Rosario, we each mounted up on a caballo (horse) and headed up the mountain.
The horseback ride was steep!
Although there was a hiking trail, we needed to ride horses because the Sanctuary is at nearly 11,000 ft. This is a huge increase in elevation from our hotel in Jungapeo, which is at 4,480 ft. As you increase in elevation, the amount of oxygen in the air decreases, and it is harder on the body to try and take in enough oxygen, thus the horses would help aid us in this journey. Our guides led us up a steep trail, sometimes at what seemed to be a 45 degree angle. To make the journey easier on the horses, we were instructed to lean forward and have our feet firmly placed in the stirrups.
At around 11,000 feet in elevation, we found the hike (as well as the butterflies) took our breath away.
After riding the horses, we hiked the final distance to the entrada (entrance) to the monarch roosting area. At first, we noticed a few monarchs gliding around. The temperatures warmed up, and the sun was shining, which made a perfect day to see the monarchs — when it warms up, they start fluttering around in search of some water or nectar. Hiking further up the mountain, we started encountering greater numbers of mariposas (butterflies). Large clumps of monarchs still roosted in the trees, while others eagerly glided about. We spent about two hours hiking and observing the magical sight of the mariposas.
Monarch clump in an oyamel fir tree
We spent much of our time looking up, like Vanessa is doing here, in the reserve.
On the way back down the trail, we encountered several unexpected sights. A highway of butterflies flew across the trail, over our heads; hundreds of butterflies all flying in the same direction. This got us curious: Where are they all going? What mechanism is making them move in the same direction? Further down the trail, we saw a flutter of monarchs on the ground. These monarch were at small rivulets of water running downhill. This was amazing to witness!
The huge group of monarchs that had congregated in the moist soil along a small creek Monarchs nectaring
Most of the group as we left the main monarch roosting area
We concluded the night with a bonfire, where we were joined by some of the other guests at Agua Blanca. Mini taught us about about the music of Michoacán. She then taught the group how to dance Bachata, a dance from the Dominican Republic.
We started today off with a group exploration of Agua Blanca. After passing the mineral hot springs we gathered near a cliffside overlooking a river. We were training to use our senses for observation techniques.
After a great breakfast buffet we loaded up in the van headed to the Chincua monarch butterfly reserve. As we rode through the beautiful small communities we witnessed two different celebrations of the saints. Boys rode bikes decorated with garland and a whole community dressed in bright yellow marched down the street. In almost every community we passed we saw murals of monarch butterflies covering walls, a reminder of the deep appreciation of in these Mexican communities of the special butterflies we came all the way from North Carolina to visit.
Procession for San Anotonio
Mural in Angangeo on our way to the monarch reserves
From the entrance of the reserve we made our way up the mountain on horses led by locals. For some of our group, this was their first time riding a horse. After leaving our horses behind, we continued farther up the mountain through the Oyamel Fir forest on foot, spotting many species of birds that were new to us.
Trista on her horse!
Meghan and Cindy riding up to the monarchs
About half way up to our destination at over 11,000 feet above sea level we stopped to view the valley below and admire volcanoes that are part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. We saw our first few monarch butterflies flutter by as we learned about the local geography. Finally, we reached the clusters of monarch butterflies we came to see.
Monarch clump at Chincua reserve
After observing millions of monarchs covering the oyamel fir trees, the sun came out though though the clouds giving the monarchs warmth and ability to take flight for just a few glorious minutes before the sun went behind the clouds again. After waiting a little longer for the sun to show itself again, we headed back down and had a wonderful lunch, including some amazing mushroom soup. After lunch we headed down to a pretty meadow where we saw some axolotls in a small creek!
We drove back to Agua Blanca, taking in all the beautiful sights. When we got back, we had a wonderful team meeting and talked about all the amazing experiences of the day. We had supper and then our Mexican guide, Karel, gave us an in-depth presentation on the history of the monarchs.
January 17, 2025
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Comments Off on Waking Up in a Whole New World
Hot air baloons over Teotihuacan at sunrise
We woke up to a beautiful sunrise and over 40 hot air balloons before venturing to the ruins of Teotihuacan. We were delighted to see various species of birds, including the brilliantly gorgeous Red Vermilion Flycatcher, an endemic species to Mexico. Our first stop was the pyramids at Teotihuacan. The steep climb up the stairs led us to ornate stone carvings including shapes of seashells, the Plumed Serpent, snakes, jaguars and symbology of natural resources. After taking in the splendor of the Pyramid of the Sun, the second largest ruin in the world, we walked the Avenue of the Dead toward the Temple of the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun’s base is the same size as the Pyramids in Giza. We were treated to the colorful murals of the Quetzalpapalotl Palace, ornate murals depicting jaguars, owls, monarchs and other important ancestral gods. The rich reds were produced by an insect, the Cocchineal insect – a scale insect that lives on cacti.
Group in front of the Pyramid of the Moon
Before lunch we made a quick stop at a local market where we learned about the many uses of the agave plant. The agave plant provided fiber, paper, medicines, thread, and as an art medium among many other purposes. There are over 150 species of agave. We were lucky enough to see one about to bloom just outside our restaurant stop. Our lunch included a chicken dish prepared with prickly pear cactus, a native species that was grown adjacent to the resturant. Dessert featured the fruit of the pricklypear, and our drive around the area gave us a view of many additional varieties of succulents.
Following lunch we had an opportunity to take in the varied countryside as we drove north to the monarch butterfly overwintering areas. We stretched our legs and took advantage of birding opportunities at a lake along the highway, observing northern shovelers, blue-winged teal, grebes and non-breeding white-faced ibis, among many other species. Interestingly, the white-faced ibis does NOT have a white face outside of the breeding season, a reminder to not assume that common names are 100% accurate at all times. Along the drive we observed the changing landscape, noticing more green foliage in the trees, snow-covered mountains in the far distance and a gorgeous sunset. We were greeted to a nourishing meal before tucking in, excited for our first experience with the Monarchs happening on Friday!
“To hear a thousand monarch wings beating”
“To see a humpback whale breech”
“To hear the song of a painted bunting or pygmy owl”
“To savor foods and flavors I have never tasted before
“To learn from and share with other educators resources and lessons related to this expedition”
“To make connections between North Carolina and Mexico”
“To visit an archeological site of global importance.”
The list went on for three pages of chart paper all carefully taped to the column of Atlanta’s Delta Gate 2E. The bulleted statements on the chart paper listed the collective goals of all 12 educators on this experience. From Cherokee to Greenville and all parts in between, educators from across North Carolina sat in a circle at Gate 2E and tried to prepare ourselves for this amazing journey in front of us.
Our group meeting at the Atlanta airport
Today we travelled many miles to reach a destination we have never seen before, just like the monarchs that brought us here in the first place. We tried to prepare ourselves for the possibility of being witnesses to several of the greatest migrations on planet Earth. We are trying to prepare ourselves for a truly magical expereince.
But this magical experience had to start in a very basic way… with travel. So today we traveled a lot. We traveled from our homes by car to Raleigh and by plane to the Atlanta airport. From there we boarded another plane to Mexico City. We flew above the clouds where the setting sun made the sky a pale pink. Scientists believe the monarch butterflies also travel at high altitudes, maybe even as high as planes. Once in Mexico City we were back on the ground, but new ground. From there we traveled by bus to our hotel near Teotihuacan. And it was here that our first day of travel ended and we could finally rest.
But today was about more than just travel. It was travel mixed with getting to know each other. It was travel mixed with conversations about what we are excited to observe and what we know we had to leave behind to be present in the moments ahead. We look forward to tomorrow with anticipation. Like butterflies, we are fluttering with excitement about the magic ahead.
Oh, Mexico
I’ve never really been but I’d sure like to go
Sing, whoa, Mexico
I guess I’ll have to go now
~James Taylor
On Wednesday, January 15, twelve North Carolina educators and two Museum staff will head to Mexico for our newest Educators of Excellence program: Mexico’s Magical Migrations Institute.
Since our orientation meeting on December 7, the group has been getting ready for our adventure to witness the amazing natural spectacle of over-wintering monarch butterflies and humpback whales. Check out how folks have been preparing, then bookmark this site to follow our adventures as we post daily blogs on our travels!
Kate reading about the monarch butterfly’s migration.
Kate Highsmith: I have been preparing for our Magical Mexico Migration experience with some nightly reading. I have enjoyed learning about Sara Dykman’s bicycle journey along the monarch’s migration route. I also watched the Netflix documentary, The Guardian of the Monarchs.
The well-decorated cover of Beverly’s journal.
Beverly Owens: To prepare for our trip, I’ve been learning about the flora and fauna of Mexico. I created an info sheet about the Crested Caracara to give to participants for our travel journals. I’ve also been discussing the trip with students, so they know they will be able to check out our daily blog articles.
Meghan’s workstation as she researches her expert topic.
Meghan Baker: Amidst a snowy winter day, I’m finishing up my “Expert Topic” preparations and feeling incredibly lucky and excited to experience the monarchs and oyamel firs in just a few short days!
Cindy’s class learning about mariposas (monarch butterflies)!
Cindy Bredenberg: I haven’t packed or anything like that – but my students and I have had quite a few conversations about the mariposas!
Mika’s prep for her expert topic.
Mika Twietmeyer: Doing my homework ahead of my trip next week! I also found out that Mexico has the greatest diversity of oak trees in the world with around 160 species. We hear a lot about the mighty Quercus in the Triangle (Raleigh is the City of Oaks, after all!) and I am looking forward to observing new species and different types of acorns.
Trista in her winter duds.
Trista Williams: I’m 🦋fluttering 🦋 with excitement to leave snowy Western NC and 🐋 whale-come 🐋 the sunshine of Mexico. Time to swap my snow boots for sunscreen!
Doug with some monarch wall-art!
Doug Clark: Today we visited a park and nature center nearby. Sounds like they have a pretty big monarch tagging operation there. Had a nice talk with the park superintendent about monarchs. I’ve also been trying to get a little extra exercise in. Hopefully running some stairs will help with my endurance while on the trip. My wife’s great aunt Pat is a retired teacher that is now in her upper 90s. She and her late husband did a lot of birding in Texas after retiring. A few years ago she handed down part of her collection of bird field guides to our family. Most of them are signed by the the authors they spent time with. Her copy of A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Central America is one I never expected to get much use but will be perfect for this trip.
Marcie doing some Mexico research.
I spent most of this weekend packing for our departure to Mexico this Wednesday! I have also been researching about the places on our itinerary and reading this book about Mexico! So excited to be a part of this group of educators going in this trip!
Kathryn and her dog, prepping for a week of separation with extra love.
Kathryn Edwards: Everyone I’ve told about the Magical Migration Mexico trip are so excited for us! I’ve told my pets too, and made sure to give them some extra loving before we leave for a week.
Check out our Meet the Team page to learn more about the group traveling to Mexico this week.
July 22, 2024
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After a restful nights sleep in the yurts, we were up early for breakfast. After breakfast we made the drive to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Joyce Kilmer was a soldier and poet. He wrote the poem, “Trees,” in 1913, which you can read below.
The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest was dedicated in 1936. This special place is designated wilderness with over 100 species of trees in the forest. Some of the trees are 450 to 500 years old. We identified 31 of these species while hiking through the forest and measured the circumference of several of the larger Tulip Poplars. The largest measured 21 feet around. We also used a non-standard unit of measurement: hugs. That same large tree was approximately 5 hugs around. In addition to trees, we also identified many other plants and flowers.
On of the large old growth tulip poplar trees in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest with Lydia for scale!
While hiking we discussed how the use of mechanized tools is not allowed in designated wilderness areas. We observed the splintered remains of many hemlock trees that had succumbed to the wooly adelgid. These trees were intentionally downed through the use of dynamite instead of a chainsaw because this more closely mimics a lightning strike. We found one tree that had fallen naturally and its hollowed stump was large enough to fit our whole group inside!
After our hike and a quick picnic lunch, we ventured to Yellow Creek Falls for another short hike to view a waterfall, swim, and complete a writing marathon. We were challenged to write continuously for 45 minutes about any topic of our choice. We shared excerpts from this activity at our group meeting after dinner.
Group writing time at Yellow Creek Falls
During our group meeting, we spent some time reflecting on the week and what it has meant to us each personally. We also discussed what we will each be bringing back to our classrooms from all that we have learned this week. We wrapped up the evening with a campfire to celebrate the completion of a wonderful, memorable trip.
Trees by Joyce Kilmer (1913)
I think I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Whose intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
July 21, 2024
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Comments Off on Last leg of the journey…
After an eventful night (thanks for your MacGyver skills Rich!), we arrived back at Pisgah Campground to assess storm damage. Overall, everyone weathered the heavy rains, though one of our pop-up tents collapsed under the weight of the water that got caught in its canopy. We quickly dispersed and settled in for the night. Our neighbors at the campground annoyed us with their loud late night festivities that kept us awake, but this forced us to build our patience, which we know is a valuable skill to have in the classroom. Abby had these folks around her campsite on several sides but was somehow skill perky in the morning. Way to go Abby for exemplary positivity!!
Our morning started with individual campsite breakdown and then group breakfast buffet. Rain was on pause, and we enjoyed warm sustenance and coffee/tea to kickstart Day 6 of our adventure. We piled into the stinky vans thanks to wet river clothes and smelly shoes… a small price to pay to see hellbenders! We traveled down the Parkway towards our final destination of Cherokee. As we curved around the mountain, views of blue misty sky islands rose and fell to our left giving us a surreal vision in hues of blue and yellow.
Early morning over Looking Glass Rock
With our souls refreshed, we scoured the shoulders of the Parkway for turks-cap lilies to practice plant part identification. We got more than we bargained for: we met up with a group of folks from the Tennessee Native Plant Society who were engaging in plant discovery. What an impromptu and engaging team we became, sharing our knowledge and experiences with mountain flora. We explored vase-vine leatherflower, tall bellflower, hedge nettle, starry campion, smilax, Solomon’s seal, and bergamot.
Anita examining Turks-cap Lily
Conversations passed the time as we continued toward Cherokee. We made a brief stop at the welcome center for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and discovered that the US Poet Laureate, Ada Limon was on site to discuss her book, “You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World”. Unfortunately, long lines and limited time prevented us from meeting her. As we drove past meadows near the Visitor Center, we glimpsed an elk in a field, quietly grazing amidst the human presence that encroached upon their once natural habitat.
We spent the afternoon in Cherokee, NC which gets its name from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, our only federally recognized tribe in North Carolina. We were honored to meet with two members of the tribe who shared their history and culture, including a deeply moving and inspirational story about the Trail of Tears. We learned from Marvel Welch, who in 2013 was selected to represent the tribe on the “Remember the Removal” bicycle ride that follows the 950 plus mile path taken by indigenous people as they were forcefully relocated along what became known as the Trail of Tears. Marvel also coached us through making our own corn bead necklaces which symbolized the tears shed by the Cherokee along the arduous journey. We also were amazed to hear from Watson Harlan, Curator from Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual Co-Op as he explained some of the historical context for important artistic traditions and skills of the Cherokee.
Beth making a beaded necklace
Next, we stopped at the Oconaluftee Indian Village, which is a living history museum showing aspects of Cherokee life in the past. We were introduced to the traditional Cherokee arts such as basket weaving, wood carving, finger weaving, pottery, weapon-making, and cooking. In the village we saw contemporary Cherokee people demonstrating their traditions in an 18th century setting. A theatrical performance called “Time of War” gave us a drastically different perception of the “white person: Native American” dynamics which took place back in the day. It revealed a story different from what popular media and (movies like “Pocahontas”) would lead us to believe happened.
Rich asking questions about beading
By early evening, we finally arrived to the yurts and they are LOVELY!!!!!!!!! Now it’s time to dry everything (again)!
This morning began bright and early, though not as early as we’d originally planned. Weather forced us to push back our sunrise hike and make it a sunrise drive instead. Islands of mountains appeared over the clouds at the heights of Mt. Pisgah. Bumblebees and honey bees were waking with us. We could hear them down in the wildflowers along the side of the mountain. Behind us, ravens kra-a-a-kra-a-acked and hawed as they left their snag, a Canada warbler sang a sunrise song, and a fledging junco landed in the joe pye weed just a few feet away, its parent not far behind.
We returned to camp and prepped for the day, adventure waiting for us, despite the rain and chill.
Along the Mountain Trail
We took an easy morning in camp, but prepared for all the things: hikes, journaling, swimming with the salamanders, and dinner in a warm restaurant. Luba later reflected on the challenges of being ready for five changes with one bag and seven minutes to work it out.
Hiking to Skinny Dip Falls, we made our usual educator pace of 0.10 miles per hour. Megan stopped us to show us how to forage cucumberroot. Giving a nod to the People who made good use of the natural world, she explained that early Natives would harvest this tasty tuber in season, eat it raw or add it to other foraged foods. Meticulously slicing a single inch-long root into more than 12 pieces, she offered everyone who wanted a taste of something sweet, crunchy, and watery, growing wild at our feet.
Skinny Dip Falls were quite an eye-opener. The falls are virtually gone, washed away and changed in the last major tropical storm to cross the mountains, Fred in 2021. Storms are incredibly powerful and change the landscape quickly and thoroughly. As our climate changes, through both natural and human action, the storm damage increases, impacting humankind both socially (where we live, how we live) and economically (how we spend tax dollars to compete with nature). As Rich pointed out, nature will always win. It was abundantly clear to everyone in the group that our relationship with this earth must change, because the earth itself will change us whether we are ready for it or not. No one is isolated from the impact of human action on the land. We are just a small part of the community.
Comparing pictures of the waterfall before and after Fred
In the Mountain Field
Stopping at Graveyard Fields, we took some time to enjoy the sun and sit with the wildflowers. Each team of three was given the freedom to find a patch to observe and collect data on the pollinators that visited, then represent the data for others in graphs and infographics that seemed to match our goal. In about 20 minutes (yes, Luba, you have 20 minutes to get this done!), each group came up with interesting observations and hypotheses, as well as a visual way to present the information to others through graphs and diagrams. This simple action of collaboration and quiet was a highlight for many of us.
Some of the data we collected in our nature journals on pollinators
Down the River
We left the Blue Ridge Parkway and headed into the Pisgah National Forest above Brevard. Sitting in the shade of sycamore trees, we took our delicious box lunch while we waited for Lori Williams from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to arrive with a very special friend, Rocky the hellbender.
For many of this, this was our first experience with a two-foot long salamander that has the reputation of a preacher on fire. We learned that the hellbender got its name from enslaved people in Virginia, who saw the creature as a devil bent on returning to hell, and maybe taking a few folks with him. Truth is, Rocky was pretty chill. We all hung out by his kiddie pool and peppered his caretakers with questions about his particular species. Pro tip for hanging with Rocky: he likes his back stroked and his folds scritched.
Finally, our group geared up in double and triple layers to get into the water with Ben the Biologist. For some of us, this was probably the most challenging part of our trip. The water would be cold, and we were told this very early in our preparations, way back in March at our orientation meeting. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become less tolerant of the cold and I dreaded getting into the cold water for any real length of time. I’ve given myself permission to tap out when something felt too much, not something I would ever easily do. But challenging ourselves is has been at least part of the point of this trip, right?
Our snazzy snorkeling duds
Into the drink with Ben we all went. We quickly discarded the high tech gear meant to locate tagged hellbenders for an underwater search with flashlights and snorkels. Soon we spotted blueish eyes below a rock, then a tail below another, and another. Crayfish as big as a hand scuttled backward and a small school of stonerollers floated together in a pool of fast-moving water, surprised at their human visitor. A fingerling trout or two and some sculpins here and there made it seem as if we were in another world, a secret place below the surface of the river where the water is the atmosphere, the rocks a new earth. It was fascinating, exciting, and the cold was forgotten.
Ben Dalton in the river with a device to locate hellbenders with tags
Rich took some time out to educate some curious tubers who wondered what we were up to. Moments like this are important to educators. It seems a gift to have the opportunity to feed another’s curiosity and perhaps help them to see their world less singularly.
As for my personal challenge, I think I beat it for the time being. I left the water earlier than many others, but not because of the cold. I’m certain I would have stayed much longer. Rather I felt that I had seen what I had come to see. The fish, crayfish, and hellbenders had tolerated us long enough. We were guests in their world and I felt that I was beginning to overstay my welcome.
I’ve had that sense a few times on this trip. Though I am hungry for all knowledge of natural things, there are times that I feel I am invading a place that is not mine to haunt. I think this is one of the great challenges of educators and naturalists. How do we walk the balance between action and interaction in the face of the great changes coming our way? Yet, if we do not learn the secret stories of the earth, speak them to the tubers who wonder and the stackers of rocks who don’t understand the world they are disrupting, tell these tales in classrooms and hallways… who will pass them on to others? If not us, who?
Under the Table
Supper was in Brevard, a warm and welcoming place where we could reflect and relax with good food and new friends. Dolly’s ice cream was the cherry on top before we drove back to camp. It had been pouring rain solidly for nearly an hour while we dined, the kind of rain that makes you really glad you are not in a tent. We thought we had escaped a sound drenching in camp, and we clambered back into our vans and spiraled up the roadway toward a good night’s sleep. Rounding a corner, we came to a slow halt behind several other vehicles. A tree had fallen across the road, blocking traffic in both directions. Our team piled out to see how we could help. Perhaps a group effort could move trees, not just mountains?
A young man already had his chainsaw out, but he was struggling in the drizzle to get it running. Suddenly, Rich, the Fixer, strode up with his little 10-inch trail saw, the kind that folds up like a pocket knife. He got to work on the lower branches, taking the occasional turn with a fellow traveler, a strapping guy who cheered Rich on. In under ten minutes the pair had three branches the size of your thigh sawed off the base of the trunk. With seven or eight people on each, the branches were tossed over the guardrail, creating a one-way passage around the trunk, still tilted and sloping down the mountain and over the other lane. We left that part for DOT and climbed back into the vans, grateful for a glimmer of the best of humans.
Rich sawing the log across the highway
May it be that we ever remain hopeful and helpful to one another.
