ROOTS

As I hiked some public land looking for some early moral mushrooms on Earth Day.  I had a lot of time to reflect on my roots and my environmental ethic. In 1970 when the first earth day was celebrated I was only 8 years old but my love and appreciation nature had already started.

I spent a lot of time on the river, in the timber and at our family cabin that my father and grandfather had built. Hunting, fishing and exploring.

So when it came time to go to school and decide what I wanted to do I eventually choose Biology, Natural history interpretation and education.  By the late 80's as a new middle school teacher I introduced my students to an earth day clean up along the Maquoketa river just south of town.

It wasn't long after that, that Susie and I met up with our new found friends and got involved with The Mississippi River Revival.

Give a hoot don't pollute!

Reading a Sand County Almanac and The Good life opened my eyes to the back to the land ethic and the relationships that exist in nature.  Like the value of an old snag in an old growth timber. 

The roots grow deep and broad 

and if you look closely you never know what you'll find