Throughout the seasons, the Wenatchee and Columbia River watersheds inspires so many of us with beauty and wonder.  I’m pleased to share three perspectives of Wenatchee Naturalist class members, Jean Richtsmeier, Martha Bean, and Katja Rowell.

Jean Richtsmeier shared a field journal entry she composed on Oct. 24, 2018, during her weekly field site visit to Kirby Billingsley Hydro-Park along the Columbia River in East Wenatchee.  She summarized her theme as our collective fabulous investigation or our natural inheritance.  In her essay, she shares quotes by Apollo 8 Astronaut James Lovell that serve as personal inspiration. Enjoy reading her field journal entry, Microcosm by Jean Richtsmeier.  

At our end-of-class party, Martha Bean, played guitar and sang her original song, Mountain Morning, with lyrics celebrating the Wenatchee watershed’s Alpine Lake Wilderness.

Martha contextualized her performance by saying, When I was a teen growing up in Wenatchee, the physical environment was the source of my inspiration and faith; my solace and motivation; my wonder and confidence. This song was written in 1973 after our Wenatchee High School Alpine Club walked up Mount Saint Helens. One starts these volcano climbs in the wee hours, often with a marvelous sunrise as part of the experience. In the mid-seventies I was active in the Alpine Lakes Protection Society. I testified on behalf of the proposed wilderness area at hearings in Wenatchee, Seattle and Washington D.C. Singing this song from the stand was sometimes part of my testimony. 

After performing, Martha explained her hopes for 2019:  My hope, in both taking this class and moving to my childhood home of Wenatchee, has been to experience again a deep connection to the physical environment of my formative years.  And, to resurrect the unabashed clarity I had when I was young that, indeed, we can change the world.  With commitment, creativity, and community.  And with open eyes, hearts, and minds.  Enjoy reading Martha’s lyrics here.

Class member, Katja Rowell, wrote her essay in third person, summarizing her growth as an observer. During field visits and family hikes, Katja practiced her observation skills on local plants and animals while trialing identification phone apps. While exploring the use of prose and emotive language with field observations, she noted richer and more vivid memories of time in the field. Katja describes her class project:  Standing tall in front of the wooden railing, I am a conductor calling forth the bright rasp of insects with a wave of my right hand, quieting the wail of sirens with my left. Six to eight crows wing overhead from south to north, their calls fading in and out. The sun warms my back – an appreciative audience.”  During field visits and family hikes, Katja practiced her observation skills on local plants and animals while trialing identification phone apps. While exploring the use of prose and emotive language with field observations, she noted richer and more vivid memories of time in the field. “Standing tall in front of the wooden railing, I am a conductor calling forth the bright rasp of insects with a wave of my right hand, quieting the wail of sirens with my left. Six to eight crows wing overhead from south to north, their calls fading in and out. The sun warms my back – an appreciative audience.”