My life with wildlife

It is a tradition with my family to go camping at least once every year. From grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to parents and sibling all together for a week out in nature. From spending time around the campfire and chatting together while eating cooked food. To hiking the beautiful trails and swimming in the creeks/rivers nearby. It helps bring us together as a family and to nature as well.

While out camping in nature we try to burn any leftover food and plates that can be burned so no animals get into the trash and hurt themselves. Eating lunch one day with the family we had a special guest join us. As left-over watermelon pieces were put in the fire place a little squirrel decided to join us for lunch. They came right over and broke off a piece of watermelon and sat on the edge of the fire pit eating it.

Everyone stayed quiet and didn't bother to move as we watched them eat away happily. Being a young kid this close to a wild animal was exciting and we didn't want to scare it. So, we quietly ate our food as out wild friend ate theirs. As they ate, I had to take photos to capture and remember the moment.

Another way I was with nature was at my high school which was on a farm. There were so many farm animals to look after. Not only that but we had wild visitors as well come to the farm from stray cats, beavers, chayote, hawks, owls ect. It was a lovely experience growing up to be around nature. I was a shy child growing up and was in my own little shell trying not to interact with anyone. Being around animals helped me break out of my shell and be myself making new friends and loving animals and nature even more. There were some wild kittens that decided our schools farm was home and I fell in love with these little ones. Having them come say hi always made my day and I took photo ve.

Now my favorite animal at my schools farm was Oak Leaf Doogie, she was the sweetest little goat. She was born in the fall under an Oak Leaf tree. Her mother forgot her when she gave birth to her older brother. We found her later under a pile of Oak leafs under the tree. Using a bottle we raised her till she got older. Every time you would call her name she would bleat and come running with her tail wagging as she jumped on you with her front legs. She loved the attention and the class loved her.

We would also end up seeing a lot of monarch butterflies outside when it was that time of season. Every once in a while we would bring sugar water out to them and they would land on us. Taking photos of them on our clothes and arms was my favorite because you got to see their beauty up close.

You can catch many wildlife if you pay attention. One day as I was a leader for a summer camp we went out on a hike. I saw these beautiful Turkey Vultures sun bathing. I made sure the students stayed away from them because of the wild and large animal. Yet I had to walk as close as I could to get this beautiful shot of them while not disturbing them.

Other times you can find wildlife right by your front door and that is where the baby snake came from. One day I was sleeping as it was just my little brother and I home. Parents were out and about running errands for the day. My little brother came in the room screaming "Rattle Snake" with his friend. This caught my attention and I got up and dressed to assess the issue. As I went out to see what was going on I saw the baby snake noticing that it was not a rattle snake and laughed. While my brother and his friend freaked out I went over and picked the scared thing up in my hand taking a photo of it, It was just a baby and so I took it somewhere away from people and let it loose into the wild where it belongs.

There was also a time in high school where we were learning an Art lesson in class. Out of no where students started to freak out and jump on their desks along with the teacher. When I saw what was going on I just laughed and said "aww how cute it is so small." The whole class looked at me as if I was crazy. By the end of the day the mouse showed up again and so I carefully cornered it and caught it as my teacher freaked out behind me. All the teachers were freaking out along with students and I held the scared mouse in the container. I took the photo before walking it out into an open field and letting it run free once again out of harms way.

Now not all Wildlife was out in the wild but seeing such beautiful creatures as the Jellyfish when I was small was a wonder. They looked so mythical and dreamlike almost as if they were wearing an elegant dress. I took these photos of them as they floated freely in the water before me.

I love animals of all kind and I care so much for them. I just hope to show their beauty to everyone around me.