While we live here my employment opportunities are limited. Although I have data to crunch and publish, a big garden to take care of, boxes to unpack, and lots of other house-y things to do, lately I find myself 'goin' tharn' when I raise my eyes above the computer monitor or view finder. I've failed to conjure my inner Martha Stewart for more than an afternoon at a time and even my inner Alice Waters is unusually quiet.
Then it came to me: I'm most happy when actively engaged with caring people doing something that is intellectually challenging, fun, and makes a difference in the world. For almost 20 years, working as research scientist in an academic environment fulfilled most of that for me. Now I'm an over-educated female interloper in a tight-knit, conservative, agriculture and oil & gas dominated small city...so what's a girl to do?
Yep, volunteer to help someone else. In this case, it's something else; here's what's keeping me connected, challenged, and busy these days:
The new 'work' site;
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqy0wGb1j7MexJEE3_0Ad9TyrehRDMM4h63TDrpisyzxpMPM1-gc3DS7Sh7Z04RJKxo1ZqbOeIFmnFaQuXnnuStMtCC0Jl8Ccl1ZvqcRee35y97-YB47nTaRyg2X78t-IwSzCoHtRT8Ac/s640/IMGP0342.JPG) |
part of the office, July 2011 |
Some of the residents at my new gig;
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCsKZp_iqx9-9s3XeWCv7U9EaOVQKKdhWWgn2immyviTFrS7MxUnyHQGuCMmCDTIHDYlpuNhbhlksvvdDzQuKUY10e7RBI63aOEKGvDNYkWs7sDx6ZmhJTZS2nv_Lwplin8c9uBghwmSQ/s640/BL12.1.jpg) |
Black-necked Stilts and American Avocets |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO21rcNcsrMHdfzGJpRMiAGqz5r8X_PVINWjAbQ5LF5VV6gRR0CASkqwGuaDdMD0O0nfoHG-UdZvXGTV8sLNzzp-NURkXSYU3iW9U9a-z7HPe8o7dCY5ESAfTlOtmi8ZzdcwKe0RKEdfM/s640/IMGP0296.JPG) |
Checkered Whiptail Lizard |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dj9Y9FdlXMQrLugaPAwdN03yb-5E4JZ79dukKY2S8VY3l1O8MEvltnE7PaFmQa0C0zrBeOkPX_7DLL_e7y6qtpE3h99iei05_x4q4Iq7JoCAGcejSmcKtcHGG5UKQE24Of2rZ_tz4Yw/s400/BL_Quail2.5x7.jpg) |
Why did the Scaled Quail cross the road? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMIAUuHUiiHzwSP_4Hyx7pj-MmSQrdGXwri5OxYtFLuVa7zmpYguSBu3W9stRv0ej2pfSuiS3hadicO26uaLPG595ZnU1cl7reNIuqF6XRJyC2c3O0vg-mxmBToomE_YqscErejoWjHQ/s400/BL_MeadowLark4.1.JPG) |
Western Meadowlark |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgwytALxsEFOdwkN5Xpr0JCuNx4EUzhIZ6uvQ3SQul4cJpXkRNaYtikTeFCSo74ciaLWcqCdnG_6xoOaukEVPwO6oLBnSrbz1TirXxDZlUrCWQlsiNbHiyCTzADrMKRQwumJOuEev9y5M/s640/BL_Quail+June6.jpg) |
Maybe s/he didn't like the view on the other side. |
You might have guessed already;
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgihnOPKMT-I8FKhRU2Co67d8U4vvwNwY6irSN7_RnmskVrklP7AJpyIkDmmBQ1B6SPWv2SypWMoLTfd4LTF7xCLn98ZGy6vyDVg_vp1KXdSadGrM6m2YpHIxs6Sqsaz2OCKjJuSznUlTk/s640/sign.jpg) |
the new 'boss' |
There's an
entire system of these across the US; I feel lucky to have been accepted to be a volunteer at one nearby. Already I've helped net and band birds, recorded for the bi-weekly bird count, and met some incredibly thoughtful, bright and enthusiastic folks. Talk about a learning curve... until a few days ago I didn't know a
stilt from a
plover or a
Western Kingbird from a
Brown-headed Cowbird. Five more days to the next banding; six before the next count: I better hit the books (
Peterson's Western Birds for now; maybe there's a
Sibley in my future).
That's right: caring people, an intellectual challenge, fun, and it
does make a difference. I am happier, now if only those boxes would unpack themselves...
(No, I didn't get that academic administrative position that had me in a transdisciplinary cloud. Thanks for asking, though.)
Great bird shots, so fun and colorful.
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