I'm here in Ohio until June at the Glen Helen Ecology Institute working as a naturalist intern at their Outdoor Education Center. Not quite ready for that big girl job yet. Haha. This place is a perfect mix of camp (as in Manitowish) and outdoor ed. I'm working with 9 other naturalists and some other staff, and let me tell you, we spend all of our time together. I live in a house with 4 of them. Right now we're in training and are being bombarded with information- getting to know the Glen (especially all the trails), learning the many different educational hikes (ex. "Geology" or "Forest Ecology", etc.), learning camp routines and procedures, learning how to work in the kitchen and do all the different chores that keep this place going, and learning how to handle, feed, clean up after, and teach with a raptor. We're working loooong days (think 7:30am to 9:15pm). It's intense but I'm having fun and I'm sure I'm going to gain so much, both personally and professionally.
As a frame of reference for you Illinoisans, the Glen reminds me of Giany City State Park down in southern Illinois.
The "Farmhouse", where I live. It's right down the road from the Outdoor Ed Center.
My room. Don't be fooled- that "Exit" sign leads out a window 2 stories up with no ladder or stairs. Hmmmmm...
My desk. Exciting, I know.
Ta da!!! My closet. Picture the door to the room to the right of that dresser.
The "Yellow Springs" that the town is named after.
Bittersweet. An appropriate name.
Self portrait while I was out exploring on my day off.
A cool covered bridge on the edge of the property. Too bad it's covered in graffitti.
There's a fungus among us.
The "Climbing Tree". Guess why?
Me and Cornelius the corn snake- one of our teaching snakes.
The "Yellow Springs" that the town is named after.
Bittersweet. An appropriate name.
Self portrait while I was out exploring on my day off.
A cool covered bridge on the edge of the property. Too bad it's covered in graffitti.
There's a fungus among us.
The "Climbing Tree". Guess why?
Me and Cornelius the corn snake- one of our teaching snakes.
Yay blog! It's so weird to see you with snow right now, as I am currently roasting. Enjoy your new Ohio time and 500 hour days! Love you.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you started a blog. :) I think the scenery is beautiful...nevermind it's not Alaska. I love the trees, and your house is lovely! It looks like your room is rather big...that must be a nice change. Like Hope said, it's so weird seeing you in so much snow. Florida winters still remain very sunny and green, although this week we're experiencing temperatures in the 50s. Woohoo! Sad, I know.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, hope you're having fun and getting enough sleep! <3
Hi Eve,
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean about comparing Alaska with Ohio. I grew up in Colorado, then Minnesota, then upstate NY, then Cincinnati - where I did take school groups on camping trips to areas around Yellow Springs when I was teaching in the '70s. I learned to look at nature more closely. Instead of admiring the grandeur of peaks that are miles high, you focus on a single dead branch on the forest floor and discover all the life on it - the lichens, fungi, slime molds - too cold for them now, but they are pretty neat.
Hope you are doing well, Your first cousin once removed,
TGC