Trees, Trees

I have spent the last two days cutting down trees, while simultaneously working on a project to enhance our "Tree Trek" class. So while I've been destroying ecosystems, I've also been learning about them. Quite an interesting dilemma. The reason for cutting down trees is actually incredibly ridiculous - one of the property owners on the mountain decided he wanted his view from his mountain-top house to be of the river down in the canyon, and of course there were pesky trees in the way. So he cut them all down. Unfortunately, the fallen trees landed directly across one of our most popular trails (called Billy Goat), so we had to head out with chainsaws and loppers to clear up the carnage. Quite a bit of a mess, and quite a lot of destruction, simply for a view from one particular window in your house. Today's tree cutting endeavor was less clean-up and did involve some Nature's Classroom-inflicted destruction; we had a large dead tree teetering over Split Rock, one of our most popular activity areas, so we had to cut it down. It took most of the day as the tree was not quite as eager to fall even though it was completely dead. After several interesting (and rather heart-stopping attempts), we finally managed to get the tree down. After counting the rings, I determined that it was about 70 years old. In trying to keep the area as "natural" as possible (while it was necessary to remove the hazzard of the dead tree), we cut the trunk up into several logs to make a sitting area. It's actually pretty nice, although it's always hard to justify disturbing nature in such a way. Anyway, in an homage to these destroyed trees, I've compiled some interesting tree facts thanks to my "research" to make our tree class better. I thought I'd share...

*In one year, an acre of trees can absorb as much carbon as is produced by a car driven up to 8,700 miles. (Which is scary when I think about how many miles I drive...)

*The average tree in a metropolitan area survives only about eight years.

*The death of one 70-year-old tree would return over 3 tons of carbon to the atmosphere.

*A tree does not reach its most productive stage of carbon storage for about ten years.

*The amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per year equals the amount consumed by 18 people annually. One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.

*One acre of trees removes up to 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide each year.

There are over 23,000 different kinds of trees in the world. Trees help us by:

*keeping our air supply fresh by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen

*providing shelter and shade, reducing yearly heating and cooling costs by 2.1 billion dollars

*lowering air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves

*cutting down noise pollution by acting as sound barriers

*roots stabilize soil & prevent erosion

*improving water quality by slowing and filtering rain water as well as protecting aquifers and watersheds

*providing protection from downward fall of rain, sleet, & hail as well as reduce storm run-off and the possibility of flooding

*providing food and shelter for wildlife

*when located along streets, act as glare and reflection control

*shade trees can make buildings up to 20 degrees cooler in the summer

*lowering air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves

There's a lot more going on with trees than one would think! Trees also play a really interesting role in our history - check out the arbor day website (www.arborday.org/kids/teachingYouth.cfm) for some really interesting facts and games (geared towards kids, but still a pretty good resource). :-)

Gushing

The last few weeks have been incredibly emotional for a couple of reasons, but have also shown me something very valuable. This might be corny, but through the entire ordeal where my emotions have been random and almost out-of-control, D has been my side through it all. He's encouraged me to talk when I wanted to bottle things in, he let me snot all over his sweatshirt when I cried (I think there's a permanent stain on there now...), he helped me come up with practical solutions to issues, and also been supportive in my quest to relinquish control over circumstances that I have no right or manner to control. I've always thought we had a strong relationship, but the last two weeks have really shown me how much he cares for me, and what he's willing to do to show me this. Most recently this included attending Becca's funeral with me, even though it involved taking two days off of work (and thus not getting paid for those days) and wearing dress shoes (trust me, it was a bigger deal than one might think). And he hardly knew Becca - he met her briefly at her wedding last May. It really meant a lot to me to have him by my side; I definitely feel stronger when he's around and it was such a wonderful feeling to have that support. I'm used to being on my own a lot, so it's been a challenge for me to share my struggles with him, but he's been patient and understanding (while also pushing when needed). I don't know what's prompted me to write this, and I realize this is silly and girly, but I wanted to share it; it's such a new, different feeling for me, and I just feel so fortunate to have this time with him. I'm always interested in the reasons why God brings certain people into someone's life, and I am feeling really blessed to have him in mine. He's my best friend, and goes out of his way to show me how he feels. From large gestures like supporting me through tough times, to small gestures that happen every day, he is definitely amazing. Last night, for example, it got very cold. I only have two regular blankets with me, and my cabin doesn't have the best insulation. Fearing that I would be cold, he came over - across camp in the cold! - in the middle of the night with an extra blanket from his cabin, just to make sure I would be warm enough. (I was already asleep and didn't notice the cold until he came in, but when I woke up early this morning I was very thankful!) Anyway, I guess I just wanted to gush, so that's it. This guy rocks :-)

...

Sometimes there's no words to express certain feelings. On Monday evening, a friend and family member passed away suddenly. Becca was 27. I met her just over ten years ago at my sister's wedding - she is the little sister of my brother-in-law. While we are distantly related, I always felt like family around Becca. She was one of those people who was filled with joy and shared it with everyone she encountered. She always had a smile on her face, and filled the room with sunshine whenever she entered. I spent some time with Becca whenever I would visit my sister; infrequently, but enough time to really develop a deep respect and admiration for her positive, bright character. The last time I saw her was in May, at her wedding. I have never seen a more beautiful bride. Now, only nine months later, she is gone. There was an accident in her home and the doctors were unable to revive her. Even though I didn't see Becca very often, I feel this loss very deeply. I know that she is with the Lord, but her family is struggling. Any prayers would be greatly appreciated; my brother-in-law (who is like my own brother) and Becca's husband are having an especially difficult time.

My friend Brigette gave me a card last night because I was pretty upset. Inside was a package of letter stickers, and this story:

A little girl used to pray every night before bed. Her mother would listen
to her prayers before tucking her in. One night, the mother overheard her
daughter singing the alphabet instead of praying. She went into her daughter's
room and asked her why she was singing the ABC's. The little girl replied, "I
don't know what to say, so I thought if I just said all the letters, God would
put them into words for me."

This is how I feel right now; I don't have the right words to pray or to comfort or to express sympathy; but I hope that God knows my heart and is putting my unformed letters into the words He needs.

Another one bites the dust...

I am really bad at coming up with titles for these posts. But regardless, a few interesting things have happened since last week. Last night was particularly eventful. We had one new person on staff here at NC, and this whole week during training she was excited and enthusiastic about the program. Slightly overwhelmed, I believe, as it is a lot of information to take in, but we all worked hard to make sure she felt included and to help her understand the program. This weekend she left to go camping with her boyfriend, and hadn't returned Sunday night by the time I went to bed. I woke up at 12:30 in the morning with DJ coming into my cabin and waking me and my roommate up to tell us that the new girl left. She came back at midnight with her boyfriend, packed all of her things into her car, and took off. Someone in the house happened to be awake at the time, and all she said was that she didn't feel like it was a good fit, and she hadn't yet told our boss. So that prompted the middle of the night phone call to our boss to let him know that our only new staff member quit (I lost the toss-up, so I had the privilege of making the dreaded call), and then several hours of us sitting around trying to figure out what just happened and see if we could think of someone to come and replace her. Unfortunately, we're already in a week of training. Fortunately, the rest of us are familiar with the training program so now we have a much lighter training schedule - bad for the wallet, but good for sleeping & studying time. I have the next two days off unexpectedly, which will hopefully allow me to study up on new information for the program so I can expand on it. Also, D and I are trying to build little lanterns to use for our Underground Railroad simulation, so this will give us plenty of time to finish that project and thus create a slightly more realistic conditions for that. Slightly. Anyway, an interesting 24 hours, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens!

A few changes

Tomorrow is the first "official" day of work, where all the returning staff will be back and the one new staff member on our staff of ten will be arriving. I am looking forward to a new season, but am challenging myself to not focus on the aspects of the job that I didn't like as much, or the silly little things about my co-workers that occassionally annoy me (living and working with the same people for over a year can lead to a few minor pet peeves that can easily spiral out of control with the wrong attitude!), and to work as hard as I can to do my best. I know that last one sounds silly, but there is a lot of additional information and a lot of opportunities to go "above and beyond" that can be taken advantage of. However, I sometimes fall into the "I'm too tired" or "Someone else can do it" frame of mind. I even find myself counting down the days, hours, or even minutes until a particular group of students departs (whether I just am having a hard time with the kids in my group, I'm exhausted, or I'm excited about time off, it happens). Of course, this attitude means that the students I'm working with are shorted something from the program, regardless of whether or not they realize it. And while I like to think (as we all do) that I am good at my job, I've come to realize that doesn't always mean that I'm doing my best at it. And while I might be good, what's stopping me from being great? So I'm trying to go into this season with a strong attitude, a good work ethic, and a lot of enthusiasm.

Something I am finding extremely helpful in this regard is a book I'm reading. It's a devotional book for women that I've had for years and have read at least twice before. While it sounds corny, it's called "The Power of a Positive Woman." And while the writing itself isn't about to win any pulitzer prizes, the points the book makes are right on and extremely encouraging. For some reason, while other devotion books have left me feeling somewhat fru-fru (how do you even spell that word?) with tips and suggestions that make me feel categorized into a very small box and creating an idea of a woman that I don't feel I was created to be, this one always seems to hit home. First, it plays to my weakness - inspirational quotes and Bible verses. I love them. And there's one on every other page! I'm sold right there:-) Content-wise, though, the book is filled with helpful thoughts about life, God, and joy. One distinction that has stuck with me since I first read the book is the distinction between joy and happiness. The author writes that while we might be seeking happiness, happiness is temporary and circumstancial. Our jobs, our relationships, our health, our family and friends - all play into whether or not we are happy. Joy, however, is something much deeper. Joy comes from God, and is permanent. No matter how bad the situations in our lives our, we can still be filled with joy from God. So bad days will happen, bad things will happen, and you might not always be happy - but you can always be filled with joy (which, incidentally, will lead to more happiness). Oh, also another cool thing I learned from the book - the word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek "en theos" meaning "God within." So in its original form, when we say we are enthusiastic, it means that we are filled with God. I like to think about how people act when they are enthusiastic about something, and then think about how that's how one should act when in a relationship with God. How beautiful is that?

Anyway, the point of all of this is that I am working hard to be more positive about things. I want God's love to shine through me - and my negative attitude definitely does not help with that perception! Even after just a few days of focusing on and praying about this, I feel a change. I feel better about life, not so overwhelmed about things, and am definitely enjoying things significantly more! It's pretty awesome, actually.

Sweet Home Alabama

I have now been back at Nature's Classroom for almost a week, have moved into my new cabin, and have even started working a few days early (a huge blessing to a dwindling bank account!). The first few days were spent moving in and getting settled - as well as catching up with Brigette, who has been here the entire winter solo. I moved into a new cabin this season, away from the comforts of the staff house. The past two seasons, I have lived in a house with four other women. We all had our own rooms - albeit somewhat small, but liveable - and the central area has the computer, tv/dvd player, laundry, and kitchen area. The house also has central heating and air, and is in a great location on campus. However, in my fit of needed a place to "nest" and to feel like is my own, I took the option of living in a much more rustic cabin called Deerhaven. I am going to be sharing it with my friend Leigh, who moves in on Sunday. Deerhaven is two floors, with two main rooms and two bathrooms on the first floor, and one more room upstairs. I took the upstairs room, and am absolutely loving it. Granted, I had to remove the oddly-painted neon yellow cots that were up there (although I kept one as a sort of low table, covering it with some green fabric that I'm also using for makeshift curtains) and move a "real" bed up the stairs, but with the help of Brigette and D, I was able to make it feel a lot more "homey." The only thing I have left to do is put some posters up, and then it's all done. I love it immensely - I have quite a lot more room and "open" space, I have nice big windows (although the largest point directly east, so it's impossible to sleep through the sunrise which is fine since I like to wake up to the light), and it's a nice private space all to myself. There are even some added perks... such as the squirrels living in the ceiling above me that scamper about through the night. Okay, so the cabin is definitely more rustic - and chilly - but so far I am really glad I made the move. Although, to be completely honest, walking on the wood floor of my room echoes throughout the cabin, and my boxspring has a loud squeak to it, so it took me quite a few days of walking across the floor and sitting down on my bed to not think that the stomping and squeaking was someone walking on my porch and opening my door. There were countless times where I'd stop whatever I was doing and just send out a tentative "...hello??" Fortunately, there are several knotholes in the wood floor, so I can just peak down and spy on anyone entering the front room. (Brigette and I are trying to set up some sort of messenger system - bank drive-through style - using those holes, but so far it's just easier to shout up and down the stairs).

I am getting put to work today, so I have to cut this short, but more later. Now that the staff house has high-speed internet, the possibilities are unlimited... :-)

Notes from Atlanta

This is the last stop of the winter road trip. I've been at my sister's house since Wednesday, and tomorrow am heading back to Nature's Classroom for a third season. Since there is no television here, I am "watching" the Superbowl via internet updates every 30 seconds, which honestly makes the game more interesting. Since I have no idea who has the ball when or what's going on, it's a surprise every time I click on the link and a new score shows up. Although I do wish I had seen the 100-yard touchdown, but alas, I will have to learn to survive (or watch it online later... along with all the funniest commercials.)

This visit has been nice and restful, although I'm starting to get sick and have been drinking green tea with honey to ward off said evilness. Erin and I have been doing a lot of talking - A LOT of talking - and it has been really helpful and comforting. I know there are a lot of cliches about sisters being the best friends and blah blah blah, but in a way it's true. Even though we are 4 1/2 years apart, and have different lives and different interests and don't talk all the time, no one else shares the experiences that we have together. So it's always nice to have a long visit and be able to catch up, reminisce, and make fun of each other (a key component to any sibling relationship).

It's also fun hanging out with my nephews. Nathan is finally not afraid of me, although he has been calling me "DJ" for the majority of the visit (also calling DJ by the same moniker - I suppose in a two year old's mind we are the same). All of the boys have grown a lot; Isaac seems like a little man now at 8 years old, Ezra seems to be getting more responsible in his sixth year, and Joel's creativity never ceases to astound me. All of the boys are very imaginative, which is an adventure to witness and be a part of.

On Friday I went to Erin's ultrasound - she is due for baby #5 in two months! - and got to see the baby's chubby unborn cheeks and squishy little nose (okay, am I gushing now?) I tried to be sneaky and guess the gender of the baby, but when I had it all figured out, the technician said that she was now going to check that... meaning she hadn't been anywhere close to those parts at all! Great, I have now discovered another career that I should never do. I would send people home thinking they are having a boy when I was really looking at the elbow, or a girl because of a shadow on an ankle.

Along with ultra-sounding (is that a word? If not, I'm now coining it... and can you coin a word? Or does it have to be a phrase? And am I even spelling "coin" right in this context?), I got to monitor naptime for Joel & Nathan while Erin & the rest of the fam went to a homeschooling conference. Joel woke up very early and we played many subsequent games of Candyland. When Nathan awoke, he didn't want to come out of his room until his "mama" came and got him. Since she wasn't home, he stayed there for quite a while, until eventually venturing out and promptly calling me "DJ." Oh yes, and can't forget - I got the opportunity to assist a preschooler in the bathroom. By "got the opportunity" I clearly mean "did a quick math equation in my head to determine the cruelty level of leaving a 4 year old in the bathroom divided by the number of minutes until his parents got home." Unfortunately, I've never been very good at math, so into the bathroom I went, prepared for battle. And okay, it was awkward, but not nearly as bad as I expected. Phew, another hurdle crossed. At least I didn't change a diaper and put it on backwards... this time.

Saturday night was double-date night, which included Cold Stone Creamery and Barnes & Noble. Tragic news: Cold Stone's Peanut Butter Cup Perfection signature dish is now being served sans peanut butter courtesy of salmonella! So apparently, while peanut butter cups are still A-OK, plain peanut butter is not (although I thought the contamination was in peanut butter products - like candy - and not in peanut butter jars itself...) Anyway, because of this incredibly sad news, I deviated from the norm and indulged in cake batter ice cream with peanut butter cups crushed up into it. Tempting fate? Yes. Delicious? Definitely.

And I know this is lame (and yes, I'm aware it's incorrect to start a sentence - let alone a paragraph - with "and" but I just did anyway), but I was really excited to go to B&N and just wander around for a while. I got to use the gift card that D's mom got me for Christmas, and splurged on a book sillily (yes, I'm making up words again - sound it out, it's like silly, but with another "ly" at the end) called "The Eco-Chick's Guide to Being Fabulously Green." There's apparently a whole website by the Eco Chick, promoting the idea that women should be strong players in the green movement. Oh, and of course, how to look good doing so. But while the first part of the book is dedicated to various subjects as "eco-friendly jewelry" and finding clothes made from sustainable materials and/or already used, the rest of it is actually incredibly interesting. For example, there's a whole section on the chemicals we use in the kitchen. Earth aspects aside, the author talks about how strange it is that we store our chemicals in the same place we prepare (and sometimes eat) our food. So she gives some great ideas for chemical-free cleaning. I really enjoyed her suggestions for getting rid of various bugs without deadly sprays (cockroaches, spiders, ants, etc.) For example, just spraying a cockroach with soapy water can kill it - no need for specialized sprays. My favorite is the one about ants. To get rid of ants in your kitchen, you can do the very easy thing of just breaking up their line - ants always follow the leader, so if you place something on the counter in their direct path, they will become confused and not know where to go, ideally making them turn around and follow the path back to their home. Also, ants can't stand cinnamon, so if you sprinkle some of that on your counters the smell should keep them at bay (no promises for other critters drawn to food, though). Oh, and of course, if you actually keep your kitchen clean, you shouldn't have too much of a problem with ants to begin with (go figure). The thing I really enjoy about the book is that there is a wide variety of suggestions for "going green" - but unlike most books on the topic, a lot of them are actually do-able and don't require a monsterous budget. It also doesn't inspire guilt because I don't have an organic mattress (although the book does recommend this when it's time for another upgrade) or because I now drive a less fuel-efficient vehicle (it does, however, give plenty of great suggestions for maintaining said efficiency, while also keeping your car in good shape). Anyway, I haven't read it all yet, and the title may be a bit off-putting, but I am really enjoying all of the helpful, real-life suggestions (and also am enjoying daydreaming about a day when I can paint my walls with milk paint, which is non-toxic, smells like cake batter, and is so organic you can eat it!)

Oh, and I also splurged on a small pamphlet about natural plant remedies, but while I'm excited about it, I fear I've gone on too long about books. Except for this - I just started an Amazon Wishlist, so books and stuff that I daydream about are currently posted there. (Note: that last sentence was mainly for my parents, as a friendly reminder about my quarter-century birthday coming up next month - hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge).

So tomorrow I'm off to Nature's Classroom, and am so excited about moving into my new cabin that I'm having dreams about it. Also, I'm secretly praying for 60 degree weather for Mentone. And world peace.