Summer at the Center - Part 2

Attention animal lovers - you're going to love this next part!  As I stated in Part 1 of this post, I didn't get to mention my favorite part of the job.  Aside from just teaching the youngsters about the environment, I got to show it to them.  Within the ten plus acres of the nature center, there are many opportunities to incorporate hands-on activities into your lesson plan.  If you are talking about wetlands, take a walk to the wetlands.  Same with the pond, the stream, the forest...you get the point.   If you're talking about animals, take the kids to the animal room.  The animal room?!?!  Oh yeah, we got animals!  Handling these guys and caring for them was my favorite part of the day because let's be serious - I'm an animal lover!  

GVNC is home to a variety of animals, and I'm not talking about the ones that roam the grounds.  We've got tons - mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, spiders, insects!  There are no fish though (sad face from the marine biologist).  Not only had I been gaining valuable teaching experience, I was also learning about animal care and handling.  Now let's head to the animal room!

Rosie - red-tailed boa    

Rosie is about 9 feet long and she's pretty heavy, but don't tell her I said that.  She is probably the largest animal at the nature center and the kids love her.  I've had some interesting encounters with Rosie this summer...let's leave it at that.  

Tony - tiger salamander

This little guy is just adorable - even more so when he tries to nom on your fingers.  He's one of the two amphibians we have at the center.  Tony shares his home with his fellow amphibian, the tree frog.  I think someone started calling her Tiana, but I'm not sure if that stuck.  At any rate, both of these cuties get tons of attention!

Terry - tarantula

While Terry is pretty badass, I tended to steer clear of him.  Aside from feeding him, I enjoyed admiring him from behind the glass.  He did molt over the summer, leaving us with an awesome exoskeleton.  

Andy - chinchilla 

Oh my goodness, these girls couldn't get any cuter!  Without a doubt, my favorite animals at the nature center.  I really enjoyed feeding them from my hands.  There is no way to fully describe their level of adorableness.  Still cute even after they pee on you - that definitely happened a few days ago.



Ava - chinchilla










 

Sierra - chinchilla 

Azul - blue-tongued skink

This guy is another favorite of mine.  Azul is super chill, so he's easy to handle.  And check out that blue tongue - sweet!

Maize & Cobb - corn snakes

This is a pair of well-named dudes...get it?  They are pretty mellow which makes handling easier.  Cobb's face is peeking out from under Maize's body.  Cobb has the regular coloring for a corn snake, but Maize is actually an albino.  Neat!

Boss - hognose snake 

Boss is the smallest snake at the center and cute to boot.  He's also pretty laid-back, but super curious.  He likes to investigate as soon as you open his tank.  

Right above his tank is the home of the legless lizard, Legolas.  He escaped in December and then randomly showed a few days ago.  He is already planning his second escape.

Jennifer - rabbit

We have two rabbits at the nature center.  Jenny is by far the friendlier of the pair.  I think I just got on her good side though.  How you may ask...treats!  

Snickers - rabbit

Yeah, this is her most common position.  She is super adorable, but very temperamental.  The kids do love her though!

Shelley & Lola - box turtles 

These are the female eastern box turtles housed at GVNC.  They are sweet and put up with a lot of shenanigans from Franklin (the male box turtle).  Shelley is on the right, Lola is back to the left.  Sadly, Lola is blind, so I'm glad she has a safe home.  

Franklin - box turtle

Enter Franklin the trouble maker.  I mean, look at him...you know he's ready to make a mess.  He has been separated from the girls for awhile now - couldn't keep his claws to himself.  

Tsar - Russian tortoise

On a related note, meet Tsar.  He's a lean, mean, eating machine!  He goes to town on those greens as soon as the plate hits the floor.  Tsar is adorable, especially nomming away.  

The crickets and Madagascar hissing cockroaches we keep are right below Tsar's tank.

Spike Jr. - bearded dragon

Spike is a pretty awesome animal.  He is super chill and loves his crickets.  We had a little bonding time over the summer!

Curry - ball python 

Curry is probably my favorite snake.  She is sweet and laid-back, so I enjoy handling her.  We did some bonding as well!  

Boz is the other ball python that lives at the center.  He's a bit feistier than Curry, so I steered clear of him.

There are two other snakes housed at GVNC, but I don't have any photos of them.  Ebony is the black rat snake and Baron von Pine is the pine snake (quite properly named).  

Those are all of the animals we care for at the nature center.  Wait...I mentioned something about birds, right?  GVNC's Bird of Prey Center houses permanently injured raptors.  Since they can no longer survive in the wild, we care for them.  They are beautiful birds, but also really intimidating.  Most of these birds are pretty large, even the smallest of the birds of prey (BOP) are fairly big.  And have you seen their talons?!  It was a very interesting experience to handle these creatures.  A thick leather glove was a must, but even though I was protected against the sharpness of the talons, their grip was strong enough.  And catching them was a bitch!  Let's meet the BOPs! 

Broad-winged hawk

One of the smallest of the BOPs at GVNC.      

*Note - None of the BOPs have names because they were never meant to be pets.  These birds came to us from the wild, therefore no names.


 









        

Bald Eagle

This guy is probably the largest bird at the center and the most intimidating, but still magnificent. 

Barn Owl

She is my favorite bird and the one I handled the most.  She is also the only fully flighted bird at GVNC (no injures).  Being born at the center with both parents unable to teach her the ways of the wild, she would be unlikely to survive on her own.  

Great Horned Owl

There are two of these owls at GVNC.  They are pretty cool and I love their fluffy feet!

Peregrine Falcon

These falcons are about the size of the broad-winged hawk, so they are on the smaller end.  Don't let that fool you though!  A pair of these beautiful raptors live at GVNC.

Barred Owl

These guys (there are two) have the classic owl call.  One of the barred owls at GVNC is missing an eye, making his chances of survival in the wild quite low.  

Black Vulture

Vultures are pretty big birds with a "don't mess with me" face!  

Red-tailed Hawk

There are three red-tailed hawks at GVNC.  Two of them have the classic coloring of red-tails while the third is leucistic.  Instead of just missing melanin (which would cause albinism), this hawk is missing all skin pigments.  So the last red-tailed hawk is bright white.  Absolutely beautiful though!


Those are all of the animals I helped care for this summer.  The summer of 2014 absolutely flew by.  While I was sad to see summer end and the nature center quiet down a bit, I am always ready to welcome autumn.  I am also excited that my time at GVNC has been extended and I will continue my experiences throughout the fall (which I'm already enjoying so much!), but more on that later.  Over and out!    

Summer at the Center - Part 1

After a very short-lived banking career, I stumbled upon an amazing opportunity that was practically in my backyard!  Barely five minutes from my front door lies the Great Valley Nature Center.  For the summer, GVNC opened its doors to me to become an environmental educator.  With ten plus acres of beautiful scenery to explore, I had a feeling I'd love this place.    Before I knew it, I felt right at home.  The adventures this place had in store for me would lead to a fantastic season.

Coming into the season late, I had to play catch-up.  My training was three days of shadowing instead of three weeks of staff training, and the next thing I knew, I was teaching my first lesson.  It was a great feeling knowing I was finally getting to use my college degree!  Throughout the summer I had a chance to teach lessons about animal habitats, wetland ecology, endangered animals and so much more.  Every day was a mix of lessons, crafts and games devoted to the specific topic.  These nature programs were a great way to teach new ideas and get the kids excited about the environment.  

Teaching lessons wasn't the only thing I got to do this summer.  If I didn't have a nature program, I had an adventure program that week.  These kids were older and went out of camp everyday.  I got to have the adventures with them because some of the places we went I had never been to either.  One day we visited the Lehigh Valley Zoo in Allentown.  This zoo was excellent; it's on the smaller side, but had a great variety of animals.  The kids loved it too, especially the merry-go-round.  Figures!                                                                                           

We also explored places like Crystal Cave near Kutztown, went whitewater rafting down the Lehigh river (that brought back memories from MoWo), canoeing at Blue Marsh Lake in Reading and soaked up some rays at Island Beach State Park in New Jersey.  Hiking was a must at some point, so we also headed up to the north lookout at Hawk Mountain.  Other adventures included trips to Dutch Spring in Bethlehem and the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.    

Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square was my last trip out of camp this summer.  The kids did better with this one than I would have guessed, but still, flowers don't hold the attention span of preteens very well.  My camera and I, on the other hand, had a blast!  I snapped about 200 photos that day - I never could say no to a beautiful flower...or butterfly!

 

With the adventure camps, we got around!  Between my traveling adventures and the nature programs I taught, this summer was jam-packed with learning and fun.  I got a boat load of experience in such a short time, and boy did that keep me busy!  

Oh!  I didn't even get to mention my favorite part about the job...

Stay tuned for Part 2!

The 4 Amigos

It was spontaneous, last minute, planned the day before...

That's usually how the best adventures begin.  And that's how this story starts.

We all set off after work on Saturday.  Kelly and her boyfriend, Brian, and Kyle. We knew where we were going, but a Saturday afternoon in the middle of summer, we knew we were heading for a crowded affair.  And we were right.  By the time we got to Cooper Lake, all the spots were full.  We kept driving and ended up at the Salmon la Sac campground.  Full.  About to give up, we spotted a small roadside camping area, with one opening.  We thankfully had a spot for the night.

We began setting up the tent, which proved to be a most amusing event.  One of my companions may have ripped his shorts while pounding in a tent stake.  But he took the banter gracefully, unconsciously knowing that soon we'd all be doubled over in tears, laughing til our sides hurt.

After our camp was set up, we started our fire.  With some hesitation, of course.  We went to check the boards for news of any fire bans, but there weren't any.  We kept the fire small and began dinner.  I guess I was having a bit of an off night with dinner, because everything turned out a little...charred. Except the potatoes.  They were just under cooked.  "It tastes great, but..." turned into a running joke.  It led for some rather hilarious talk.  The chicken kabobs were delicious, however, and we didn't go hungry.  After gorging ourselves on s'mores, we wandered off to bed and slept deeply.  Well, all except one of us.  Kelly and Brian brought a hospital mattress (twin sized) and I guess one of them hogged the bed.

As we packed up our things in the morning, Kelly realized she had accidentally locked her car keys in her car.  The sight was something to behold. Brian and Kyle attempting to pry down the passenger side window while Kelly and I ran around the car barking orders.  Okay, we were trying to be helpful.  After awhile we used pieces of wood to widen the the door to get a stick through the opening.  We were struggling to push the lock button with a stick when we, the victorious females, decided to try opening the door handle, which would automatically open the door.  Oh how we all congratulated ourselves over our victory!

Now that the excitement had died down, we settled into making breakfast. French toast and bacon. Yum!  After eating, we packed up the car and hiked down to the river.  It ended up being a beautiful day and the water was clear and cold.  It was a wonderful end to a great adventure.

Fleeing the 'Burg

Fight or Flight?  When confronted by a conflict, which one do you choose?  Well, when confronted with the notion of staying in the blazing heat of the 'Burg or escaping to the cool, relaxing forests... the choice to flee only seemed reasonable.  And it was a great decision!

Although the clouds were out, the day was cool and inviting.  My friend Liz and I chose an awesome campsite that was situated in its own little glen.  We couldn't see another campsite anywhere, although we could still here people.  It was definitely more crowded than it was the previous week.  The week before the Fourth of July was getting busy quickly.

We set up camp, built a warm, cozy fire, and made a yummy stew with crusty bread.  We talked around the fire for a few hours and then exhaustion settled in and we crawled into bed.  We both made the joke that we never sleep in late when we're camping.  We would be up at 8 and ready for breakfast and a trip down to the lake.

As I opened my eyes, I knew I had slept well.  So well, if fact, that it was already 10am!  So much for up with the sun! We boiled some water and ate oatmeal and drank coffee.  The day was looking better than the previous.

We packed up and were out by noon.  We stopped by the bridge out of the forest and were treated by some amazing views.  With smiles wide on our faces, we drove back to town with another adventure tucked tightly in our memories.  A simple overnight was all we needed to recharge our batteries.

Summer Firsts

When you think of summer, what things come to mind?  Picnics perhaps.  Definitely vacations.  Long days filled with summer sun and crisp nights of stargazing.  There's probably swimming and of course, no school.  For me, thoughts of summer are focused on one area of entertainment specifically: camping.  Okay, so it's really camping, hiking, and backpacking (but they all kind fit into the same category).  So when the temperatures started climbing and the cool forests and frigid mountains lakes started calling, I jumped at the opportunity to get out.

I grabbed my friend, Kelly and we headed into the mountains: up to Copper Lake, a walk-in campground on the southern boundary of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  With the sun shining and the warm wind in our hair, we sped off, leaving the dusty Ellensburg heat behind.

Summer firsts usually start in June.  First lake swim, first hikes, first summits, first camping trips.  And the glorious thing about the firsts of your summer is that you'll probably miss the crowds, who peak in late June through Labor Day.  The best camping spots and secret swimming holes are yours.  And that's exactly what we found at Cooper Lake: our own personal paradise.  Cooper Lake has a plethora of beautiful campsites, some more private and some very large.  After venturing around, we finally found our perfect campsite.  It had a gorgeous view of the lake and a decent walk to the bathrooms.  We unpacked the car and proceeded to take some pictures of the lake.

Despite being twenty yards away form our campsite, we neglected our food just a few minutes too long.  And what were the results?  The overfed chipmunks of  Cooper Lake, stole my Reese's.  They ate one on the picnic table and then stole another.   That's right.  They ran off with a Reese's peanut butter cup.  Those little bandits.  Note to all our readers:  Please don't feed the wildlife.  Under any circumstances.  Thank you.

Feeling the loss of our beloved treats, we proceeded to set up the tent and started our fire.  The bugs weren't horrible, but we weren't taking any chances.  We got the fire up to a small roar and then started making dinner.  Dinner was, by far, the best part of the trip.  It was mouth-watering and delicious and aromatic and every raccoon's dream.  Baked potatoes with sour cream, corn on the cob, and BBQ chicken: all over the fire! Amazing!

The stars were out in force, but we were exhausted.  We crawled into bed and passed out within minutes.  That might have something to do with the air mattress for were sleeping on...  I did wake up sometime around midnight to the sound of a dog barking forcefully.  I doubt it was a bear, more likely a raccoon.  But what it was really, was the sounds associated with irresponsible camping.  The barking continued for five minutes and I guess the dog eventually scared off the people's intruder and I managed to fall back asleep.  Another note: Please don't leave your food unattended.  Keep it sealed inside bins and coolers and if you leave the site or it's time for bed, please, PLEASE put your food and kitchen gear into your car.  And if you don't have a car, please hang a bear bag.  A little extra effort won't kill you and it'll prevent animals from become habituated to human presence.

When morning arrived, we were happy and refreshed.  The air was chilly and that made it all the better.  We made a fire and started breakfast.  The result?  The Great Pancake Calamity of 2014.  (This stemmed from our giggle-fest on the way to the lake after reading "Maybe you get bad customer service because you're a bad customer" article.) The bacon turned out fine, but whether the pan was too hot or the pan was too small, what started out as making the most delicious white chocolate raspberry pancakes, turned into scrapping mush into a bowl.  Our pancakes looked more like a casserole than anything else.  But I'll let you in on a little secret.  They still tasted incredible!

We finished breakfast and packed up the car.  Someone mentioned that there's a little outcrop that has some amazing views at the northern end of the lake.  So we hiked  to the edge of the water and low and behold, one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.  We talked with a couple, who were fishing, for a little while.  They caught a nice looking trout, which, sadly, already had a hook lodged in his gills.  The poor little guy.

When summer begins, it's so easy to get swept up in the anticipation of all the exciting things you want to do.  But never forget to appreciate the early days.  Get out into the wilderness early in the summer and appreciate the solitude, the quiet.  Because in just a few short weeks, those pristine campsites will be filled with sloppy, noisy campers and their annoying children and pets.  Take advantage of your own summer firsts.

High on Bowman's Hill

With such beautiful weather on this fine day, my mother and I set out to have an adventure.  Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, in New Hope, PA was our destination.  The 134-acre preserve is home to a fantastic variety of plants native to the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania.  And if anyone knows my mother, you know that plants are kind of her thing.  

 
As we drove into the gated preserve, we were greeted by a sign that read "Native Plant Sale".  I knew right then and there that this place would be perfect for my mom.  After signing in at the visitor center and grabbing a trail map, we were off!  We headed down the Cabin trail to a stone bridge crossing over Pidcock Creek.  As we hiked along, we relished in the blissful quiet of the forest; the only sounds to be heard were the whispers of the light breeze through the trees and the occasional chirp of a nearby bird.  The brilliant yellow flowers of the prickly pear cactus were the first to catch our eye.  The petals peeked out from beneath a small tree right along the main trail.  We snapped a few photos of the beautiful blossom and hiked on.  We ventured on down the main path until we came to the Medicinal trail.  

We hung a right to explore some native flora that have therapeutic value.  As we followed the trail through the trees and along a small brook, we discovered a few witch-hazel shrubs.  A little further down the path we found a bit of bloodroot.  We meandered our way back to the main trail.  We walked a quick loop through the laurels, but alas we had missed their blooming.

Now I would have to disagree with the woman at the visitor center about the next leg of our adventure.  Although I'm quite sure this picture does not do the hill justice, you'll just have to take my word for it.  When we asked how to get to Bowman's Hill Tower, the woman said to follow the main path out of the preserve.  She said the path got "a little" steep...that mountain we had to climb was not "a little" steep!  As we exited the gated preserve, the path curved up.  We now had to share the road with the occasional car.  When the road finally leveled off, we paused to catch our breath and wipe the sweat from our faces.  We were now in the Washington Crossing Historic Park where Bowman's Hill Tower sits atop the mountain.  The large stone tower was built to commemorate a lookout point of Washington's troops of the Revolutionary War.

After only 128 steps (or a quick elevator ride), we had an amazing view of the Delaware River and the surrounding area.  On a clear day such as this, we could see at least 14 miles in all directions.  I can only imagine how pretty the view is in autumn.  We spent a bit of time checking out the view; took a couple selfies and enjoyed the breeze atop the tower.  After counting all the steps down to the base, we took a break for lunch.

The hike back down the mountain wasn't nearly as bad.  Once we met up with the main path again, we continued exploring the side trails.  We combined a few paths and walked along the Fern and Gentian trails.  We got to enjoy the natural beauty of the ferns while listening to the croaking of nearby bullfrogs and the buzzing of damselflies darting to and fro.  The Gentian trail circled around a small pond full of large wetland plants.  Finishing that small loop, we found ourselves back on the main path, and we made our way to the Pond trail.  Along the way, we

stopped to smell the roses...quite literally.  Pretty pink blooms lined the road; they smelled sweet and perfect.  This pond was probably my favorite part of the preserve.  It was surrounded by so many different types of plant, and the peaceful babbling of the water from the upper to lower pond created a beautiful, relaxing scene.  









On the walk back to the car, a large hawk flew over our heads and landed not too far off.  We tracked him down to a nearby tree and watch him for awhile.  It is quite amazing to see wildlife, especially large birds of prey, up close.  He quickly caught sight of something far more interesting than us and swooped away.  Back at the visitor center, we had our chance to hit up the plant sale and check out some smaller birds. 
 
We wrapped up our adventure in the town of New Hope.  A very unique spot if you ask me.  It's rich in early American history with a new age vibe, add a couple of biker bars and voila!  My mom and I each discovered a couple of cool finds hidden away in the cluttered shelf of antique shop.  All in all, a successful adventure and great mother-daughter time! 
 

Ellensburg Highs

"The higher the altitude, the better the attitude."

Some of my favorite words to live by.  So, when the dry desert hills of Central Washington were getting me down, I decided to make for the hills.What makes up the recipe for a great summit hike?  A Nalgene, maybe a snack, definitely a camara, and a friend in tow.  Exhibit A: my new friend, Liz!

Clear days make for epic summit views and today was no exception.  Blue skies, fluffy clouds, and endless views.  The heart-thumping rush to the top of our small mountain was met with jaw-dropping views of the Stuarts and Mt Rainier.  We sat on the bench, chatting for a good long while about life, love, and happiness.  The light breeze was a  nice respite from the heat of the June sun and the mountain air was crisp and clean.

While I find beauty in the shrub steppe environs of Ellensburg, Washington, there will never be anything to replace the snow-capped peaks and green tunnel of the mountains.  Whether I'm deep in the Appalachian hills or high in the Cascades, the overwhelming smell of pine and the soft soil beneath my feet with always grip my heart with such force to draw me back again and again.  So give me vast views and tiny flowers, towering trees and sturdy trails.  Let me breathe deep the fresh air and I'll be happy.

"Of dirt you're made and of dirt you will return."