I was first introduced to these cute microorganisms in the Smoky Mountains in NC by my friend, Susan Sachs, who happens to be a ranger and educator in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We were studying lichen as a habitat. We collected some lichen off of trees and rocks and brought it inside to soak in water. We mixed the lichen and water around and then strained the lichen out. We took a drop of that water and placed it on a slide that we put under microscopes. Little

Ever wonder what it takes to make a mural - a large one - on the outside of a building? If so, allow me to share a little bit about the process. First, the surface has to be sanded and cleaned by a pressure washer. The foundation of a mural is as important as the foundation of anything else that is built or created. If the foundation isn't good, it won't last very long. Then, the cracks have to filled and the primer goes on. The base color is painted over the primer and then

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is pick apples. I eat an apple almost everyday all year long, but fresh apples, picked right off the tree are the best of all. I also like to make apple pies, especially gluten & sugar free ones, so I can partake in them too! The past 2 years I had the fun of harvesting many of the apples in the County Orchard. I would set up a tarp and then climb a tree and shake the apples onto the tarp below. We used some of the apples to