These Photos are part of me

1. These Photos are part of me I took these photos over the past couple of years. I think they reflect, not only my interests, but also some of my character traits. I hope you enjoy the photos. Please feel free to comment on either the photos or the musings. Pat Ann

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3. The lynx spider on the daisy was a surprise as I was shooting flowers in the garden. The spider stayed for a long time in one spot and I took enough pictures that finally this one showed the spider quite well The little spider has so much patience, and I like to think of myself having the patience to wait and watch. These are not passive traits. I am also like the flower, developing and growing. I am more than half way through my Master’s degree. I have a teaching certificate for Science 5-9, but not yet working as a formal educator. I am a Master Gardener, and am the webmaster for our county’s Master Gardener website. Check us out at mastergsrc.org.

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5. This photo captures the serenity of the slow-moving water in the reflection of the plants. I am striving to reflect a serenity in my life, while filling my days with activity. I started my Master’s degree last year, 16 years after I finished my Bachelor degree. I am taking courses each semester, while working full-time. Last year, I accomplished a long-term goal of paying off my mortgage on my land. Finally, I am out of debt! I am also trying to develop my 2 acres, with a 1 acre wildlife sanctuary in my backyard, a flowering forest in my front yard, and a cottage with an English-style garden sandwiched between. I plan to build a small greenhouse, after the cottage is finished.

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7. This photo has clarity (see the pieces of mulch), and the composition can tell its own story of a hidden garden spot for the birds. I have a lot of clarity in my job. It is important to me to teach environmental stewardship, especially to children. The children will be in charge of our world sooner than we think, and they will need to have a stewardship attitude to make good decisions for all of us. • I work for UF in a program called Florida Yards & Neighborhoods. I teach environmentally-friendly landscaping, as an informal educator. I teach about right plants in the right place, environmental issues and attracting wildlife to our yards, like songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies. • I hold workshops for adults, work with schools to landscape their grounds, and I get to work in the classrooms with various teachers and students. • Currently, I work with 4 5th grade teachers (2 elementary schools), a botany teacher (11th grade) at a high school, and Dept. of Juvenile Justice camp science and math teachers (8th-12th grade). These teachers allow me to make presentations to their students each month.

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9. I was just learning to develop a sense of composition when I took this photo. Its wonderful green/gold tone and the pleasing lines of the composition are symbolic of my developing career. I am in the process of finding another job. The current one is grant funded. The grant ends this year. I really want to continue working in environmental education. I have looked for positions as far away as University of Wisconsin and Cornell University. I am interviewing for a position in Mobile this week. If I can land a good job this summer, I will try to keep on track to finish my Master’s degree by next spring. If not, I may have to take an extra year to finish.

11. My favorite photo combines incredible color, a spectacular view and a sense of the vastness of the sky and sea. I only live 30 minutes from the National Seashore, and the wildness of the natural area is an inspiration to me, when my burdens get heavy, and the way seems dark. A walk on the beach, tiny shells and bits of sand in my pocket, the seabirds crying, and the shush of the tide, they call to me even now. Come, take a moment, and live the poetry.