Vermont Master Naturalist: application

this is probably the most exciting thing of the summer.

if you have known me for longer than ten minutes, you know that i love to grab my junior naturalist bag full of field guides and stuff and head out to play JUNIOR naturalist, because while i have interest and some knowledge, i have no credentials or anything.

but then i heard about this thing through the senior center (and yes, i am old enough for that AND it is a hoppin' place): the VERMONT MASTER NATURALIST  program.

when i found out about it, i was only five days out from the application deadline, and i don't live in the town that the program is for, but i live close by, and have an affinity with the town, so i wrote to ask the nice lady if i might be eligible and she said you are SO eligible; here are the applications for the programs in richmond and williston. pick one.

so i started just filling out the application without even thinking, figuring i could go back and edit and make it pretty. i ended up not editing.


here are some excerpts from my application:

if you could spend a day in the field learning about one aspect of the natural landscape, what would you choose and why?

Geology! it's the aspect i have the hardest time wrapping my head around in self-guided study, and it's the bedrock (pun intended) on which everything is built. seriously, i want to be able to understand all those pretty geological maps. i'm that lady who hangs a u-ie to pull up behind university geology field trips to ask if i can tag along.

why are you interested in the Vermont Master Naturalist Richmond Program?

because back in the '70s i fell in love with jonesville. because robbins mountain was the first mountain after camel's hump and mount mansfield i learned to name. [...] because- what? i'm sorry- i'm sure there exist people who aren't into it, but i heard about this program and i was all, like, HOSE ME DOWN!! this is for me! a comprehensive local natural history program?!? sign me right up!