bring may flowers

The spring season is so short at TMI. I came down the mountain on my week off and realized that we were already well into May, I was now 26, the school year was almost over for my teacher friends, and it was getting close to leaving time. I've only just gotten into the groove on the mountain - with the work routine and getting to know other staff members - so I'm a little sad that I don't have more time (although future plans are very exciting, too).

Most of the time that I'm cris-crossing the Spruce Knob area, I'm not on a road or trail, and with Matt's example, I've been trying to learn the land better. What a beautiful, unspoiled area to spend my spring! The following snapshots are of places that I have visited often on training, courses, and my (limited) free time.


view from Earth Shelter


British soldiers (lichen) on roof of main yurt


evening sky over observatory on Back Ridge


TMI field instructors on Spruce Knob observation tower


It may be spring down in the valleys, but this was Spruce Knob at the start of May. In Florida and Mississippi, it's already full-blown summer -- hard for me to imagine now!


ramps galore


Students planting trees near the beaver ponds. My boys planted 500+ whereas another group planted only 20!


salamander egg sacks


spring beauties


coming out of the "wormhole" in the Sinks of Gandy cave