I’m going to assume that quite a few, if not most, of the people in the natural resources field grew up in a family that spent time in the outdoors.  Whether it was camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, bird watching, or visiting National Parks, it seems that most people in this field are influenced by childhood memories.  I know I am in this field because of my upbringing.  My dad has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for over 30 years, my mom owned a pet grooming business, and as a family we spent all our free time outside.  I’m lucky and I know it.  Now, I’m married to a man that currently works for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department doing some of the coolest research on bears and wolverines.  Our free time together is spent outside, mostly hiking and fishing.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Unfortunately, not everyone was granted the opportunities to get outside and develop a love for the natural world.  

I called this post “The Things We Take for Granted” because of a recent trip my husband and I took through Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.  To us, seeing a bison, elk, or bear is common.  It doesn’t phase us.  We were there for the scenery and hiking opportunities.  Watching all the people there stop in the middle of the road to take a million pictures of a bison seemed silly.  We were mad that the traffic was stopped all because of one – not that impressive – bison.  But, then we got to thinking.  How can people grow up and not know their animals?  How can someone be in their 40’s and not know what the difference between a white-tail deer and a mule deer is?  We had taken our upbringings and current experiences through our jobs for granted.  We were fortunate that we had people in our lives that took us out into the woods and taught us more than a course in college ever could.  We have backcountry skills.  Seeing the other tourists in their yoga pants and flip flops in 45 degree weather makes us cringe.  But, they don’t know any better.

My job with BLM this summer has allowed me to be outside almost every single day.  Through rain or shine, I’m outside.  I haven’t seen anything new in the way of wildlife, but I have gotten to know a new area that I have developed a love for.  I get to watch the antelope fawns grow up.  I get to see the circle of life feed a hungry golden eagle.  I get to continue to be blessed to be outside and increase my knowledge of the natural world.  I’m lucky and I know it.  I know I take things for granted, but I know I’m one of the luckiest people in the world.  I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.  I hope all of you are enjoying your jobs this summer as much as I am and I hope you know just how lucky you are.  Keep up the good work, everyone.  The world is counting on us.    

The night air is cool in the desert. Leaves rustle, the sky darkens, and thunder rumbles quietly in the distance as this evening’s storm gathers. The field season has continued to progress well, presenting inevitable challenges and unexpected delights along the way. Countless conservationists have crossed our paths, each leaving a significant impact on my ecological outlook. Everyday experiences with this landscape have been similarly impactful. Recently I encountered my first endangered species, Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus (holy ghost ipomopsis), in the Pecos National Forest. I appreciate the balance of the inexplicable delicacy of this endangered species with the incredible majesty of the night sky in the wilderness. Weekend adventures intensify my connection to this landscape- climbing through slot canyons, trudging through gloriously lit sand dunes, and exploring the hidden mysteries of ancient cave dwellings. I am looking forward to seeing what the fall brings!

Ella Samuel

Santa Fe, NM BLM

One of the recent projects I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in is raising Monarch butterflies. Monarchs are under a variety of threats including loss of habitat, particularly milkweed. Although there are a variety of types of milkweed, this is the only group of plants that monarchs lay their eggs on and monarch caterpillars eat. Monarchs also have a variety of predators and parasites, including the tachnid fly, a parasite that lays eggs inside monarch caterpillars and kills them.

In order to avoid parasitism and enable tagging, one of the biologists in the Klamath Falls USFWS office collected monarch eggs and caterpillars from patches of milkweed in the area to rear in captivity. Within 1-5 days of being laid eggs hatch into caterpillars which spend the next 10-14 days eating milkweed and becoming exponentially larger before forming chrysalises. The monarchs then develop inside the chrysalis for 9-14 days before emerging as adult butterflies.

The monarchs I raised are the fourth generation of the season meaning they will migrate to Southern California and Mexico. Once the monarchs became adult butterflies I placed very small polypropylene tags with unique letter and number combinations on each butterflies wing before releasing them. These tags are linked back to a researcher at Washington State University. If these tags are sighted as the monarchs make their journey Southward researchers will be able to determine where that monarch came from and learn more about monarch migration.

Below are some photos of the developing monarchs:

Monarch caterpillars munching away on milkweed.

A translucent chrysalis just before the butterfly emerged.

A monarch dries its wings having just emerged from its chrysalis.

Tagging a monarch before releasing it into the wild.

A polypropylene tag on a monarch’s wing.

Hello, everyone! I’m checking in for the first time from Carson City, Nevada. I moved here at the end of June to become a botany intern with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) only 2 months ago, but I already feel at home. This is a pleasant surprise, considering how different Carson City is than the town I just moved from. It’s amazing how drastically the landscape shifts during the 4-hour drive east from home to here. Ferns and redwoods fade to sagebrush and juniper; ocean breezes dry out and are tinged by smoke. Among the differences, though, there is a familiarity between plants of the desert and of dunes at the coast. A reprieve from the newness of the Great Basin that lies east of the Sierras.

A species of Astragalus that looks a little like the plant we searched for in the Pine Nut Mountains.

In any case, I like it here. The town, which is the capital of Nevada, is calm and simple. The sagebrush steppe is parched by sun and heat, but is a perfect array of pastels. The mountains stacked to our west (the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada’s) are mostly brown, but the pines lining their peaks promise an escape from the sun. We often work in shrubby sage and rabbit brush communities, but sometimes diverge toward these cooler mountains west of the BLM office. I love sagebrush, and the bright red cicadas that shoot out of its branches when you approach too quickly, but I really enjoy our time working in pine-covered mountains.

I first experienced these mountains in my second week of work. We drove to the Pine Nut Mountains and surveyed about 400 acres for a tiny, yet vibrant, rare plant in the genus Astragalus. Ecologists were worried about the fate of this community. They feared that the mixed sage, pine nut tree, and juniper habitat was being dominated by juniper and pine nut trees. Long ago, mild fires frequently passed through and killed tree seedlings growing among sagebrush. The larger juniper and pine nut trees tolerated these small fires well, and a balance between sage and tree-dominated communities was preserved.

Two wild horses silhouetted in the Pine Nut Mountains

But more recently, humans have taken steps to prevent even the smallest burn. Without the thinning capability of fire, trees grow among the sagebrush and gradually replace sage communities. To prevent this encroachment without fire, ecologists hoped to use a large machine to “masticate” the offending trees and give the sagebrush communities a chance to thrive. First, they wanted our help to make sure their plan would not hurt any rare plants that may have been living among the offending trees.

We spent two days combing the hilly pine nut tree understory for the small plant. We found none. During our first night of camping, though, I found a different species iconic to the area. I took a short walk down the dusty two-track we drove in on to enjoy the evening breeze. The dust seeped into my tennis shoes and between my toes as I scuffed along. Turning a corner, I heard a snort. Squinting ahead through the sunset, I saw a fair-haired stallion standing, offended, between me and his chestnut mare only 20 meters away. I dropped to a crouch behind a sagebrush, afraid to startle them more and make him charge, and listened. To be honest, I should have left as soon as I saw them. Wild horses are dangerous, and deserve to be left alone. I knew, and ignored, this fact. I stayed in a crouch, separated the sage with my fingertips, and watched until the stallion reluctantly returned to grazing. He still stood between me and his mare, still occasionally snorted, and still perked his ears in my direction.

Collecting Elymus elymoides, squirrel tail grass

As I crept away to have my own dinner, I considered the difference between this new state and my previous home. The wilderness here is an expanse of sage, pines, wild horses, and predators that wild horses have to be cautious of. It dwarfs the presence of occasional shooters, ATV riders, and BLM botany interns who pass through. I don’t know why I’m so surprised by its vastness; the BLM public lands cover over 60% of the state of Nevada.

A sedge (Carex sp.) collected near Indian Creek

Over the following few weeks, we collected seeds and searched for native plants in the far corners of this territory. I still haven’t become accustomed to the hugeness of BLM land. Though our efforts sometimes seem unfruitful (like not finding the rare Astragalus in the Pine Nut’s), I have been impressed by the BLM’s strength in protecting both the ecological and cultural resources of such a massive area. For example, officials recently stopped the proposed project in the Pine Nut’s. Not because we found Astragalus (which we didn’t) but because the pine nuts themselves are an important source of income for local folks. It feels meaningful to be a part of this group of dedicated people.

Thanks for reading. Until next time!

Mountain mahogany, Cercocarpus ledifolius, in the White Mountains

I have written all about the work that takes place here at the Shoshone Field Office, so I thought I would go into a few details about some of the amazing adventures I’ve been fortunate enough to have while living in Idaho!

Within the beautiful state of Idaho itself I’ve experienced several miles of trails throughout the Sawtooth, Boise and Salmon-Challis National Forests. I’ve biked the 25-mile Boise River Greenbelt, which is a rail trail running through the city and extends outside of the city both ways. I’ve kayaked the Snake River in Twin Falls to beach caves, waterfalls and underwater lava tubes. I’ve gazed upon dozens of breathtaking waterfalls all throughout the state and I have big plans to bike the 71 miles of paved path from high mountain splendor, through the historic Silver Valley into the chain lakes region, along the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene, over the Chatcolet Bridge to Heyburn State Park, and finally climbing to the Palouse prairie in the Idaho Panhandle sometime soon!

Alpine Lake in the Sawtooth National Forest

Biking the Boise River Greenbelt rail trail

The Boise river off of the Boise River Greenbelt rail trail

Kayaking the Snake River to beach caves, underwater lava tubes, and waterfalls!

Inside one of the beach caves on the Snake River during my kayaking trip.

Can you find me? Taking in Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

Mt. Borah! The tallest peak in Idaho at 12,662 ft. I gave the peak my best effort but I chickened out at the notorious “Chicken-out Ridge” one thousand feet from the summit

Outside of Idaho I have been lucky enough to see some pretty incredible sights. One of my favorites has been Glacier National Park! From panoramic views to frolicking wildlife, it is easily one of my favorite places in the world. I’ve visited the park two times and have put in over 50 miles of hiking. I have also biked a portion of the infamous “Going to the Sun Road.”  I have seen more bears than I ever have in my life (an adult grizzly bear, a grizzly bear cub, and a brown bear), four moose (one of them a baby!), two ptarmigan, several mountain goats (I even witnessed a male-to-male fight!), and one billion deer! The surrounding areas around Glacier National Park, including Flathead Lake and National Forest, Swan Valley, and several other lakes are all equally breathtaking. Montana took a small part of my heart.

The rocks at Glacier National Park are so rich in color!

The views on the Highline trail at Glacier National Park are unlike any I’ve ever seen.

Wild Goose Island at Glacier National Park!

Beautiful Iceberg Lake (minus the icebergs, I was too late in the season).

Little grizzly bear cub!

Mother moose and her baby!

Just recently I took a short trip to visit my sister, who lives on Whidbey Island in Washington. Along the way I stopped to visit the beautiful Columbia Gorge, which is jaw-dropping in its beauty with waterfalls and winding rivers every which way you look. I also had the great pleasure to hike through the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to the Talapus and Olallie Lakes. Upon visiting my sister, we made a short day trip adventure to Olympic National Park, where the green forest was so vibrant it almost hurt your eyes. My sister and I spent a lot of time seeing the surrounding sights on Whidbey Island, hiking near the ocean, and playing with her hyperactive Boston Terrier!

Wahclella Falls in the Columbia Gorge

Relaxing at Talapus Lake in the Mt.Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

The sister and I at Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park!

I like bridges. Olympic National Park.

A beautiful ocean sunset to finish off my last night on Whidbey Island, Washington

I am so filled with thanks and over-joyed at the opportunities I have been given during this internship. I will never forget the experiences I have had and the people I have met. Every day I realize more and more just how beautiful the world really is.

Marissa – Shoshone Field Office – Shoshone, Idaho

A few weeks ago I got to go along with my mentor and an archeologist from our office on an all day trip out to survey one of our offices ACEC’s (Area of Critical Environmental Concern). Bordering this place in the Mule Mountains is a proposed solar development, and we set out to see if this proposed development could infringe on the ACEC or on historical sites of the indigenous people.

A place known as Alligator Rock, on the way to the Mule Mountains.

We turned off the main HWY and began down long sandy roads. Eventually we passed a slab of concrete where a lonely yellow couch sat.

The things you find out in the desert

After sometime we came to a place where we stooped to look at a few sites. We where shown Indian trails, old ceremonial sites, a dance circle, and also more recent things like fox holes dug out for WWII training

This shot up sign tells about the site

It’s unknown exactly what these formations here used for. There where many of them, all in U shapes, all facing towards the mountain, and all with a central point in the middle.

This one was not as well defined as many of the others but I wanted to include it as you can get a sense of the scale with my shadow included

WWII fox hole dug out for training exercises

Back in the truck and down the sandy road we go. I start thinking about how it could only be 100 or so years ago that the indigenous people were here. About this place with a dance circle, well beaten trails, and ceremonial sites. This must have been an amazing place to be when everyone would gather here.

Next stop:

It’s sad that signs like these even have to go up. People come out here though and vandalize the site. They carve in the rocks creating their own modern petroglyph, and they will attempt to steel artifices, often just destroying things in the process.

I had never seen petroglyphs before. This site had so many!!!

It was explained to me that the dark color on the surface of the rocks is known as desert patina and happens via a slow chemical reaction. This process takes thousands of years and because we know this, we can put a rough age on the petroglyph that we see. That is, when the glyphs are brand new the exposed rock is nearly white. In time it gets darker, and after a very, very long time (thousands and thousands of years) it can even show signs of erosion as you will see below.

Cut marks on the edge of a rock. I was told that this is something seen often at sites like these.

Next we go to visit a much older site. This place was only recently discovered and is completely undisturbed.

So this petroglyph dates back between 12,000-14,000 years old! You can tell the the desert patina has returned, and boy is it dark. Not only that, but the edges of the glyph show signs of erosion.

So many amazing things that I got to see that day. As it turns out, we will have to return to to complete our mission and see if the solar site will in fact impact the ACEC and archeology sites.  I was so grateful to be able to witness these sites and learn more of the deserts secrets and history.

It is mind blowing to think that this internship is halfway over already. My time with Seeds of Success has been flying by but the amount that I have learned in just a short three months is amazing. These past few weeks we have been focusing our time on collections around the Outer Banks, NC area and our time has been rewarded with an ever increasing amount of weekly collections. Our trips to the region occurred before and after Tropical Storm Hermine had rolled through. Fortunately the storm did not affect our trips and only shared a few showers with us and some ominous looking clouds. However, we noticed that it did have an impact on the region with areas of flooding and dune movements. Storms like this reminded my team and I how important our work is collecting seed in order to restore ecosystems, like the ones all around the Outer Banks, after tropical storms and hurricanes.

Ominous clouds rolling in at Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge

On our first trip we discovered some great populations of a Fimbristylis sp., Rhynchospora colorata, Fuirena pumila and more exciting species along a few roadsides and in a waterfowl impoundment at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and at Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary. As most of the species were not quite ready to be collected, we made notes on them and were prepared to make collections of them in a week during our next trip. Once next week rolled around, we all piled into our car and set off to the Outer Banks. Upon arriving at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, we discovered all of the species we had noted along the roadsides had been mowed. To make matters worse, once we arrived at Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary the entire waterfowl impoundment had been mowed as well. As disappointed as my team and I were, we were at least able to make other collections in the areas, but we found a new enemy known as the lawn mower.

Later in the week we traveled to Currituck National Wildlife Refuge and spent some time learning the plants in the dune ecosystem. This included species like Uniola paniculata, Ammophila breviligulata, Panicum amarum and more. I was thrilled to spend time learning these species and understanding how important they are for stabilizing dunes and for coastal restoration. Currituck National Wildlife Refuge was beautiful and this dune habitat has become one of my favorites due to the fact that these amazing plant species can grow and thrive in such nutrient poor soils and provide essential ecosystem services to stabilize our beloved beach habitats.

Wild horses seen on beach at Currituck National Wildlife Refuge

View from the dunes at Currituck National Wildlife Refuge

It’s been awhile since my last post.  Time has been flying, once again faster than I thought possible.  The halfway point of my internship very suddenly became less than a month remaining.  It’s equally exciting, terrifying, and sad that my time in Lakeview is nearly at an end!

My crewmate and I hit our target of 35 seed collections almost a month ago now, but that hasn’t slowed us down one bit.  We are continuing to collect seeds for SOS (including one that turned out to be a misidentified non-native – oops!), as well as making several collections for local use.  We have also been doing some large collections for the other office in our district, in Klamath Falls.  I’m glad we hit our collection target when we did, because outside of riparian areas, most every plant around here is crispy to the point of disintegrating.  Very different from my home, where the summer monsoons are pushing up fresh blooms even now!  That said, I am super excited for some sagebrush collections we have coming up!

The other advantage to hitting our target early was that it allowed us to shift focus a bit, getting the most out of the experience and networking opportunities this internship provides.  My crewmate and I were trained in a couple different riparian habitat assessment methods.  We have also been doing a lot of vegetation inventories, as well as planning a pollinator-friendly garden.  Working with a new variety of people has served as great networking and has also helped break up the job and make it exciting!  I’m always eager to learn new things and meet new people.

We also got to visit the Bend seed extractory, as well as some native plant nurseries in the region.  Both visits were super exciting and informative; after doing seed collection for a few months, it was nice to see the other sides of the business and the ultimate result of our efforts.  It has also inspired me to start looking at nursery work during the off season!

I have learned so much these past few months, about plants, land management, and most importantly, myself.  I’m excited for a little bit of rest once my season is over, but I can’t reiterate just how good a step taking this internship was for me.  Here’s hoping the last few weeks are smooth and enjoyable!

Brennan Davis, BLM – Lakeview, OR

Hi all,

August was such a great month of collecting for us. Our month started with a 2-man, 2-day trip of Jake and I to Merchant’s Millpond SP, Alligator River NWR, Mattamuskeet NWR, Swanquarter NWR, and Pettigrew SP. It was my first trip as a pair instead of a whole group, and I think it went really smoothly! We actually made six collections in just two days! We collected Cladium mariscoides (NOT mariSIcoides – no), Bolboschoenus robustus (… of course), Schoenoplectus pungens (also of course), Borrichia frutescens (NOT frUCtescens – no), and Hibiscus moscheutos.

Cute little snake ready to take my life.

Our second trip was a longer 4-day affair. We went to some amazing places, but I think my favorite was Presquile NWR. Which is funny, because we spent hours attempting to get through to a wetland area to no avail. We fought swamp-butt, poison hemlock, briars and spiders… and we lost. BUT – the place is absolutely beautiful and has a ton of amazing plants. We actually found a goldenrod we had been searching for – Solidago juncea, so that was worth it! I also saw my first passionflower – Passiflora incarnata – in the wild at Presquile! It was beautiful and beginning to fruit! Our collections here include Teucrium canadense, Schoenoplectus pungens, Schoenoplectus americanus, Pontederia cordata, and Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani.

Pontederia cordata +1

False Cape State Park

Jake on our boat ride to Presquile NWR.

Passiflora incarnate as Presquile.

Pink hands from dying my hair Pokeweed purple (all the rage with the kids) and milkweed seeds!!

Jake and Caroline at Rappahannock River Valley NWR in Virginia.

Back Bay NWR – Jake and Caroline

Next up, a short trip to Jockey’s Ridge SP, Pea Island NWR, Currituck Banks Reserve, and Mackay Island NWR. Here we collected Bolboschoenus robustus, and Schoenoplectus pungens… plus I found out that I am a skilled photographer and that eggs get nervous.

Model – Sammy W (plus egg)

Currituck Banks Reserve – majestic maritime forest.

Our last big trip to end August started with a Tripsacum dactyloides collection – wooooo! I actually love collecting Tripsacum… something about the way it just breaks off into your hand when you touch it (weird?). Anyway, we collected it at Lake Anna State Park which is beautiful. Just look…

SEE!?

We also hit up Gunpowder Falls State Park, where we went on a few mile hike to a pond area that wasn’t actually a pond area anymore. BUT the hike was nice and the view on the way wasn’t so bad either.

Ahh, nothing like the silhouette of Equisetum.

Our full collection for this trip included: Tripsacum dactyloides, Bolboschoenus robustus, Fimbristylis castanea, Teucrium canadense, Hibiscus moscheutos, Panicum virgatum, and Borrichia frutescens.

Eastern Neck NWR starring Sammy W and Rhexia

“I got paid for thiiiis” (sung like Beyonce’s ‘I woke up like this’). Eastern Shore of VA NWR / Spartina heaven.

Last but DEFINITELY not least is Conoclinium coelestinum – blue mistflower, my favorite.

I can’t help but think about how fortunate I am for this opportunity every single day, and I can’t wait to see what this internship still has awaiting! Thanks for reading!

Melanie

California’s hot and dry summer season is finally changing to its less hot, but still dry fall.  September has arrived, and I’m starting to need a light sweater on my morning bike ride to work. Who knows, maybe we might even get some rain soon (fingers crossed). Even though the weather is cooling down, all the plants are gone, so that makes me really sad. This is a huge bummer, since forensic botany is more frustrating and dissatisfying than exhilarating. I’m already looking forward to next spring, so I can use my Jepson and Sierra Nevada Laws book to key out Calochortus amoenus, Calochortus venustus, Calochortus clavatus, Pedicularis groenlandica, and Aquilegia pubescens. 

Lately, we haven’t really focused on Seeds of Success, because there isn’t much to collect anymore. Instead, we’ve been helping out with SSP (special status plants), Juniper mapping, and water rights. Sometimes our routine days feel monotonous , but I usually can count on seeing interesting wildlife. Nature is unpredictable, and you never know when you’re going to hear a hidden rattling rattlesnake a few feet away, but it sure makes a forgetful day unforgettable. And sometimes nature’s unpredictability is less dangerous, like when I saw 40+ sagegrouse on my way to a Juniper plot. Or like the times, we saw a badger on our way to Skeddadles and a squirreltail monster on our way to Bull Creek. You’re probably wondering about the latter. Well, if you ever read Goosebumps as a kid, imagine the slime monster from Monster Blood, or a very large squishy sea cucumber. The way it rocked back and forth with the wind made it seem like it was breathing, and then it would pick itself up like a dust devil, and join forces with other squirretail haboobs. It was kind of incredible, and I wish I had a video of it, but alas, I don’t. Then, there are the times, when field work is just downright weird.

Marilyn Monroe visiting Susanville

When I’m not in the field, I’m usually working on my answer to the commonly asked, yet dreaded “So what’s next” question. I’ve spent the last week, debating whether I finally have an answer. I was offered a position in Irvine, as a field crew assistant doing invasive species removal and other related restoration projects. There are obviously so many benefits to having a job, like getting paid. If I accept this position, I will also be closer to a climbing gym (only 10 miles, instead of 90), ocean (<20 miles, instead of 300), and my family and friends (70 miles, instead of 600). But if I take the position, I will be further away from the Sierras, the cool Sierra plants, and no traffic. But nothing is flowering anyways, so I shouldn’t make my decision based on the plants, even though it should be a huge factor. I should also mention that this is a great position, but I doubt I will be gaining any additional field and technical skills, that I will likely learn at other jobs (if anyone starts hiring). As you can probably see, I’m very back and forth about this position (I’m starting to feel like the squirreltail monster). I’ll probably have an answer by my next blog…but I’m already overwhelmed with the subject, so it’s time to move on.

I spend my free time reading books (from my long ambitious summer reading list), cooking, and learning about plants. I’m really enjoying the subtle transition to adult-life. A few years ago, I used to cringe at the idea of living a structured and balanced life. I remember wishing to live off the land or in my SUV, away from all the noise and people. It’s really funny how people grow, and therefore change (Bridesmaids reference). In the last year, I’ve noticed that I’m a lot happier when I have goals (career and adventure), and the way I balance my life, usually determines whether I will accomplish said goals. I think I really struggled with this in college, because everyone was so “chill” and carefree. After taking some time off from school, and now, living in the middle of nowhere, I’m learning to balance both lifestyles. I guess you could say my motto is “work hard, play hard.” I’m starting to use backpacking as my outlet to live the free and untamed life I ached for when I was younger. Soon, I’ll be going on a ten day trip to Yosemite, and will be backpacking for six days and camping for four. Then, I’ll be going to Tahoe, for the Tahoe Rim Trail…I’ve accumulated a lot of comp time.

Oh, and I’m also starting to feel like a botanist, which is a really sick feeling. I think it’s so cool when I see a plant, and either know what it is, or can key it to Family or Genus, without a field guide. I get hella stoked when I see Calochortus and Penstemon. I especially love Penstemon newberryi, because it’s pink and grows all over the Sierras. If I take the 36 to the 89 and hang a right, I can usually find a fat population of Penstemon newberryi growing along the granite rock edges. #shakabruh

P.S. My housemate is from the East Coast, and finds entertainment in my Californian vocabulary. This last paragraph was inspired by Jillian Sarazen.