A college music professor and former college administrator by profession, I am an avid land preservationist, hiker, kayaker, backpacker, bicyclist, and learner interested in deepening my knowledge of plants and animals I encounter in habitats ranging from the forested mountains of the U.S. Northeast to the Smokies and Appalachian region to the mountains, mesas, and canyons of the high desert Southwest. I value and appreciation the corrections I receive to my identifications as I seek to grow more acute in my observations and knowledge.