NatureScene

Buckeye Tree growing in my backyard. 

I just finished up a teacher re-certification course as part of my continuing education toward keeping my license current. I now have enough credit hours to renew my license for another five years. Some of you know I love subbing. It’s a great fit for my family’s schedule at the present time. I just love working with the kids and I don’t bring anything home. Certified teachers are paid well in South Carolina, so I feel good about helping with the finances. This particular course was called Natural History In and Out of the Classroom with Rudy Mancke, who is a naturalist and professor at University of South Carolina. He was the host of NatureScene, an ETV program that ran for a number of years. The class was a survey of the geology of SC by regions, as well as common plants and animals found here. I enjoy studying nature a lot, so I was thrilled to learn about the natural treasures found here and how to incorporate them into the classroom. 

Iris from my mother-in-law's yard

This class brought me a little closer to my dream job. You might be like me and you’re still trying to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. I would love to teach about nature. I’ve always been fascinated with God’s creations and I love being outside. Identifying birds by sound and sight is a hobby that is relaxing as well as stimulating. I’m not an expert in environmental studies and I don’t want to work full time, so that rules out the chance to pin Ranger Tricia on my vest. But there are other ways to showcase the wonder of creation to people. 

I love that God knows the desires of our hearts. I believe that the more we pursue our passions, the closer we draw to Him. For now, I’ll continue to record my feathered friends at my backyard bird feeders and identify the trees along our neighborhood trail. Sharing my findings with my family, friends and students is joy and a life-long passion. I’ve learned that my identity is not attached to my current professional name badge, and I’ve found freedom in the knowledge that I am a child of God. In just the blink of an eye, my boys will have lives of their own. I’m looking forward to that chapter in my life, but for now, I’m finding beauty in being a wife, a mom, a substitute teacher and a nature nerd. 

Baby bird that escaped Shadow's wrath