I get by with a little help from my friends

I will be leaving for Namibia in about 3 weeks. YIKES! When we go to the Cheetah Conservation Fund they are willing to take some donations that will go for several different uses. If you are interested in donating children's books, school supplies, rechargeable AA batteries, blank DVD's, office supplies, etc. I would be more than happy to pick up those items or arrange a location for drop off. I can only take what will fit in a duffle bag with me (up to approx 70lbs.) so what I can take is slightly limited but any donations would be appreciated! You will be helping in saving cheetahs, educating Namibian youth, and ensuring that everyone in the world can learn and be able to see what amazing animals cheetahs are! General Items to be donated to CCF . I am definitely getting excited about visiting CCF and Namibia in general. So I decided I'd post a few pictures from when Trevor (my husband) and I visited The Wilds and saw their new cheetah center! :)

Me being blinded by the sun

Trevor being blinded by the sun.

A very fitting sign, I know I wouldn't want to make the animals sick by getting eaten!

Arthropod-Mania

I am currently taking an entomology course at Miami University. Once I get my insect collection arranged a bit better be ready to see some pictures of my insects that I have collected. Today we visited the Cincinnati Zoo to tour the insect house. Did you know that the zoo has one of the largest collections of living insects in the country? It's quite fascinating to see the insects at the zoo. They discovered that the gigantic stick insects actually can go through parthenogenesis (females can give birth to live young without fertilization from a male). Here's a brief video on stick insects. Enjoy!

Books to read by the pool but get some learning in too!

If you love to read in the summertime and are planning on spending lots of time at the pool or at home here's a list of "environmentally" friendly books that I have read that I have found to be very interesting and worthwhile! Some are classics, others are not!

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - great read if you are looking for something to remind you why organic gardening or knowing where your food and water comes from and what you put on it is important. I also find it inspiring that a movement can be made by one person writing a world-changing book!

Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Tree Hill- if you have ever dreamed of living in a tree or doing something rash to protect the environment (or any cause for that matter), this is the book for you. It's a fantastic lesson in civil disobedience.

The Elephant's Secret Sense by Caitilin O'Connell - I am currently reading this book about her time studying elephants in Namibia, not only is it fascinating to learn about conservation at work. It's a great lesson on how scientists in the field really work. (Not to mention it's cool to read about the elephants and how they interact with each other!)

The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson- If you can't spend time at the ocean, you might as well read about it. Though I only read excerpts of this book while in college, I found her descriptive prose quite captivating!

Soul of a Lion by Barbra Bennett- As I am soon traveling to Namibia I have tried to find anything and everything to read about the country and I came across the tale of Marieta van der Merwe and her attempts to rehabilitate and protect wildlife in Namibia and Southern Africa.


In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall - Gives a striking perspective of how similar we really are to our relatives (the chimpanzee). This book helps renew my interest in animal behavior and evolutionary biology. It also serves as a reminder and inspiration that it takes people that are passionate about life to help to protect and save the lives of organisms on the planet.


I hope that these books inspire the naturalist inside you! Just remember the best way you can experience nature is to get outside and explore! :) You never know what you might find!