Beautiful Santa Monica Mountains

Last week we began work on a long-range interpretive plan for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.... which meant, of course, that we had to journey to this incredibly scenic expanse of mountains and historic ranches, where you can stand on a hillside and see NO signs of civiization... less than an hour from Los Angeles!  Amazing!  Nearly 17 million people live in greater LA, and here we are out in the wilderness, only 45 minutes from LAX, talking about recent spottings of mountain lions. We also visited Paramount Ranch, where westerns (and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) have been filmed... but that's a story for another day.

Good Times in Houston

Just got back from attending the American Association of Museums in Houston -- great fun, great contacts, very educational.  I was especially impressed with the AAM's push to encourage all of us to advocate for the arts... because the arts are not just amenities, a sideline, something "extra" in American life -- they are essential!  I cannot imagine a world without cultural history sites, fine art museums, or Mozart -- can you??

Grand Canyon

 What could be better than this?  Seven days on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, desert flowers in bloom, eagles flying overhead. 

Is it any wonder we love our work? 

Our project:  a Long-Range Interpretive Plan. 

Our challenge:  about a million acres, and a timespan ranging from dinosaur fossils to uranium ore.