I have had to stay busy at that other pursuit, making money to eat now & then along with other such mundane activities, so I haven't been writing. Unfortunately, I also haven't been taking many pictures either. Some, but not many. However there are good things happening on the nature lover front.
I signed up for the Texas Master Naturalist training. It is a really interesting program. Rather than try to explain, let me take a paragraph from their website at http://tmn.org.
"In Texas, this partnership among the Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension,Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and some 370 local partners has resulted in a unique master volunteer organization. At the state level, the organization is directed by an advisory committee providing training guidelines, program marketing and promotion, curriculum resources, and advanced training opportunities; and a volunteer representatives committee responsible for representing the varied interests of the chapters and providing a communication link to state committees and program leaders."
It is basically a volunteer organization, but it provides a lot of training to go along with it. The training covers all aspects of the natural history of the area and related topics. Let me refer you to their website for more details: http://txmn.org/about/curriculum/.
Our training started night before last in Jefferson and continued all day yesterday at Caddo Lake.
There are nine people in the class. I believe I heard today that there are about 38 members in this chapter. Everyone that I met has been really nice. Of these, that I have met, a few have some special knowledge in some areas. All of them, of course, love the outdoors and have some knowledge. There are some birders who I haven't met. I don't know of any other specialties that anyone else has, but I am sure there are some good resources there. I am looking forward to having new friends and acquaintances who share my love of nature and from whom I can learn more.
Then, too, they bring in other experts to help with the training. So, it is much more than just the local people who add to our knowledge and joy.
Anyway, I am excited and pleased. I look forward to all the new adventures.
After the middle of February, I think things will calm down again and I will be back out walking in the mornings, camera in hand. I will be getting ready for Spring. I plan on loving Spring this year, not that enjoying Spring is a chore. My comment is more related to missing out on so many Springs because I was buried in work . . .
Michael is a former biologist and Texas Master Naturalist. Originally from Newsome, Texas (Between Pittsburg and Winnsboro), educated in Dallas & Garland schools, then off to the University of Texas system where he received a degree in biology and worked as a biologist with the University of Texas system. After many years away from nature and biology, he relocated to the banks of Lake O' the Pines where he has been rediscovering the joys of nature. He is somewhat surprised that he has become a birder. Most of his interest in nature was centered around reptiles. Perhaps just like birds evolved from reptiles starting in the late Jurassic, he has begun his own evolution. During his formal education, his interests in biology/nature grew to include community ecology and population studies, all with a binding of evolutionary processes. He liked birds, but they were secondary at best. All at once he finds them fascinating.
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