CAMP...

American Association of University Women (AAUW) is sponsoring young girls in science based camps for two weeks during the summer. It is a great program and has got me interested in avenues I hadn't previously considered.

We just call it "Camp" - a great experience teaching six teenage girls science, natural history, environmental education, and so much more about the world... personal ecology, too. It has been an interesting discovery... didn't know that I could hike 4 miles - in various uphill terrain in 100+ degree weather and live to tell about it - big smile. Surprised myself with my intentions of taking care of "me first" (as the girls call it), as I have always put others first... a week of working and playing in nature as an adult educator challenging me to be focused, playful, and conscious in all sorts of ways. Challenging me to be the person I know that I am.

The most surprising of the experiences is when I taught botany. Passionate about Plants... go figure, me and plants. One girl responded after the inter-active lecture of botany, "I took this last year in school and didn't get anything out of it. I totally get it now!" Several times over, many of them said that I should be a teacher... yet, I know I could not conform to the school systems.

Even more surprising... my father (who I was not raised with) was a biology teacher. I have felt that this is the cosmic joke of all great things... thanks Universe! My mother commented in a great conversation, referring to my father and me, "...may be it's in your DNA..." - I like that one.

Currently listening to the rumbling of thunder and the soft rain... refreshing after quite a week of heat. Off to prepare for the next adventure of one last week with the girls... pulling weeds! It's work-trade week... now the real fun begins.