Capital Area Master Naturalist '09 Class

I dropped out of graduate school the first time in '88 when I was studying CIED, or Curriculum Instruction and Education. I couldn't see the point at the time, I was sick of school and just wanted to get on with my life. Well, 20 years later I'm starting to see what the appeal was all those years ago. I'm a learning junkie, kinetically speaking, I get headaches when I read for prolonged periods of time...but if I get to get out, meet new people and be around "masters of their craft" I have an amazing attention span...which I usually follow up with in-depth reading...still, what I learn in a class and do with my own hands is what tends to stick.

Shortly after the Master Gardener class was over I was ready to start again...it took me two years to get into the CAMN program because it fills up quickly as they only take 30 students.

Armadillo foraging so feverishly he kept on while I took several shots.

When you sign up for a class like this you're not sure what you're going to get. For instance, I took a yoga training last year that was longer, more expensive and I can already tell I'm going to get way more out of this program simply because the instructors are top notch, we are on location, a different one each time,there is a bus field trip and each meeting involves some sort of activity...science lab or art class scenario. The more variation in the schedule, presentations and instructors...the more exciting, I think.

The begining of our walk.

The first meeting was about getting to know each other and each of the teachers who will be presenting on their given Saturday. They seemed excited to make their presentation the best and a healthy competition ensued about which class would be our favorite. Oh, since the class meets on Saturday's the group varies from a 14 year old home-schooler to seniors, with a lot of people and a few couples in between.
After the gathering and getting to know each other we received our materials and shared a delicious lunch together followed by a choice of hikes. I took the nature hike around Zilker so I could chit-chat and take pictures! This one is of Mirror Pond, as you can see the pond is dried up but the effect remains! It was a beautiful day.

I love the leaning trees and the forest floor was a carpet of things to observe
A lone bench in the distance...a perfect place to meditate.
This isn't a photo shop enhancement. The moss on this damp wall was truly Longhorn Orange!
November is slowly becoming my favorite time of the year...I've been spending more time outside this year than I have in the past decade...

The end of the group was brought up by one of the most interesting people, a lifetime birder and I quickly migrated her way. She seemed to know exactly who was speaking to us and what they were saying. I can't wait for the mammals class!

It was amazing to me that this is right in the heart of Austin and being an employee of the Green Garden, that I'd not wandered over to the science center and explored the area more thoroughly. My intention is to drag my family back to the place where each class meets on the following weekend and recreate the hikes with them as a way to commit what I've learned to memory and share new places and experiences with them. I will also be making a post about each class because as I have a desire to share all things wonderful with my fellow man and I've already had so much enthusiasm just talking with my friends and fellow blogging gardeners about...the next step.

Seeing into the Future

The corner of Woodrow & Dartmouth Av. Live Oak, Cypress, Peach trees

I wish I'd have been walking around with a camera because Saturday morning was awesome!
There wouldn't have been anyway to capture the neighborhood spirit though, it's intangible.
11 years I've lived on this block and I was amazed at how it all came together in the end...or rather, as you can see by the stick trees...the beginning. The project began last spring as a collaboration between the East side neighbors of Dartmouth Av and the Crestview Baptist Church...an unlikely pair. 5 trees down in a decade, left the backside of this 1970's brick block staring us in the face when we left our houses and yards of pavement cooking in the relentless heat of full summer sun. Today, 17 infant trees mark the beginning of change and growth. We had some 30 volunteers, including children and ladies from the CBC who graciously provided us with a taco buffet for lunch and coffee in the morning. In less than 4 hours all the trees and 8 cubic yards of mulch later we are looking at, again...the beginning of change.

Yesterday, I was working at Zilker, and explaining to my volunteers what had happened over the weekend and how we were able to bring some unlikely people together. Our side of the street with straight Obama signs and a parking lot that's been full of Bush/McCain supporters and not a person on our street in attendance or ever having stepped foot in the church or on the property sat down to eat and worked throughout the day...together to help improve the street we live on and love.

It's no surprise that this blog is appearing days after the fact. The energy around here and on our street has been so charged with optimism that at a neighbors house last night several of us popped the cork and ushered in what we feel with every cell of our bodies is something bigger than our street view...but an exciting, healing, peaceful change that we are proud to be part of and are amazed for our children as their world view has just been expanded!

Today I'm filled with brimming hope for our nation and also the earth. I wish every vote for Obama were a tree in the ground, rooting this full bloom of optimism. I think though that for true healing we all must come together and help each other understand that the beginning of a new era resembles a grove of freshly planted baby trees. It requires an agreement among neighbors and nation that we will all step up and get involved in the care and support of responsible new ideas. There isn't time or place for cynicism and doubt. Let's get to work!

Happy Governing and Happy Gardening!

Stay tuned for phases 2 & 3 of the CBC Beautification Project: The rose garden and pergola!
All Trees provided by TreeFolks, mulch proved by Davey Trees & Labor of Love provided by
the citizens of Dartmouth Av and the Crestview Baptist Church