The Buzz

 Many people today, are concerned about the environment and wishing that they could do something to help stop climate change, species extinction and more.  We are all conserving electricity, cutting down on our driving and driving more conservatively.  But many people want to do MORE to protect the world for future generations!

Placer Nature Center has a great suggestion.  Community members that want to DO something about the environmental challenges ahead can make a big difference in the quality of our environment by teaching thousands of children each year -  how to make choices that help heal our environmental wounds.  In addition, they will teach children science concepts and make them more scientifically literate - contributing to better academic performance for the children.

Placer Nature Center invites concerned citizens to become Placer Nature Center docents.  A delightful 6-week training culminates in a festive graduation after which simple community members become official Placer Nature Center docents and take their place as an environmental leader.  Connecting children and adults with nature makes both people and then environment healthier. 

Through Docent Training, participants learn hoe to teach the natural history and cultural science programs offered to school children who visit our site on school field trips. Docent training takes place every Monday and Wednesday. Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather! For more information, call Linda Desai at 530-878-6053

Fall 2008 Docent Training Schedule:

September 8, 9AM-11AM Orientation & Tour of Placer Nature Center

September 10, 9AM-12PM  Curriculum:  Senses of Wonder - Preschool, Kindergarten

September 15, 9AM-12PM Curriculum:  Habitat/Life Cycles - 1^st, 2^nd Grade

September 17, 9AM-12PM Curriculum:  Maidu - 3^rd  Grade

September 22, 9AM-12PM Curriculum:  Food Chains/Ecology - 4^th, 5^th  Grade

September 24, 9AM-1PM Curriculum: Watershed - Paddlers/Stream Swimmers 12PM-1PM:  Graduation/Potluck

Placer Nature Center, a private 501(c) (3) nonprofit, is open to the public and maintains miles of trails on their 60-acre campus.  Programs offered for preschoolers to adults, scouts and other groups, astronomy classes, environmental lectures and seasonal workshops.  For information please visit http://www.placernaturecenter.org/ or call 530-878-6053. To date Placer Nature Center has served nearly 180,000 students and 200 teachers.

Placer Nature Center is located at the end of Dry Creek Road at 3700 Christian Valley Road, Auburn,

So enjoyed the experience today:  Hosted Zoo-Keeper/musician Gary Bowman at KAHI where we cranked up the mirth meter by playing Bowman's new CD with animal sounds/theme.  Bowman also shared his interesting background and talked about meeting Jane Goodall.  On the golf program I chatted with Shawn Kelly, pro/instruction at The Ridge, about the short game and Kelly gave his opinions on golf etiquette.  After the programs, we all headed over to Courthouse Coffee and joined The Ridge Sales Manager Diana Farr, golfers Liz Pope and Spencer Strand and were also joined by KAHI programmers Barry Stigers and Stewart Schurr.  No dues/rules/structure--just good community connections at our Round Table group.   Picked up my newly fitted clubs at The Ridge and headed home and look forward to a joyous time on the links tomorrow with good friend Donna Arz.  And now you know why I NEVER LEAVE HOME to travel.

OK, I admit to ingesting meat products; I confess to my choice to fall into eating animals in the abstract; but I do see myself shifting more and more away from such and toward fish (OK, I know these were once living creatures).  I do, however, have a great love and appreciation for those creatures of the wild including a pair of undomesticated felines and a miniature parrot and it pains me when I see brightly featured in the Sacramento Bee, photos of women holding the wild creatures of the sky, ducks that have been shot down from the sky (do not consume duck) while flying free.  And I must speak out for that which is disallowed from flying free to be photographed dead by the hunter with the high-powered gun.  Of course, I am free not to hunt and not to gaze upon these photos; but I am also a nature, animal/pet lover; so I choose to celebrate nature and love  and care for my pets and I feel by putting this small tribute out there that others, too, may choose to contribute their positive love of the wild and the free, and domesticated, too.  Will I discontinue my ingestion of meat products?  Time will tell a I confront my own demons.  Peace

One of the reasons we decided to move to Auburn was because of it's proximity to the the great outdoors. Auburn just happened to be our gateway to Gold Country, rivers, lakes, the Sierras, and a long list of other adventures. As an avid skier, I had visions of weekly trips to the slopes with the family and in the off season - backpacking, camping, boating, and you know...adventures.

Another reason we moved here was because of its relative closeness to the Bay Area. At the time, I was commuting to Palo Alto and because it's only about 1.5 hrs away (and the weather is always perfect) driving was never a problem.

However, since we've been here, our adventures have taken some different turns. At the time, our first daughter was about four, my wife Kelli was expecting our second and since we've been here, we've doubled that! So now we have four...girls that is, plus Kelli makes FIVE. Yes, I am the lone wolf in the forest of estrogen, without a compass (or GPS).

"God, if you're listening, it's not very funny...that's not what I meant when I was praying to be surrounded by beautiful women" ...but I digress.

Now more to the point. What I've realized is that moving to Auburn has brought me to nature's doorstep. I might not (at this time) be doing and experiencing all of the adventures I had envisioned, but everyday is an adventure and nature is as close as my front doorstep.

Case in point #1 - When we first moved here we planted a modest garden with tomatoes, cukes, squash, watermelon, all pretty standard stuff. Then I left the gate open and by the next morning the deer had wiped out most of our garden. All I could do was laugh at myself. Nature is at my doorstep.

Case in point #2 - On a cool early summer's eve enjoying a glass of wine on the deck and all you can hear are the crickets chirping, the faint and distant humm of traffic on 49, an occasional car driving past the house and what the heck is that screaching sound (nearly spilling the wine). Quick grab the flash light something's going on around the corner of the house...relax, it's only a mother racoon and her cubs fleeing up the tree from the grey fox. Nature is at my doorstep.

Case in point #3 - Having your friends visit from the Bay Area because your house is a refuge from the rat race of Bay Area life. There's nothing better than sitting on the deck sharing stories, reminiscing about old times and watching a doe and her fawn saunter past without fear of us. Nature is at my doorstep.

Just so you don't think I'm kidding, here is a picture of a couple of grey fox kits that have made their home in our front yard or rather I should say, we have made our home in their front yard. Nature is at our doorstep!


Here is a link to some of my other photos (not all of which are from Auburn) on Flickr

Do you have a Nature Story to tell?

UPDATE: Just added this new picture: