"Big Bend National Park is located in Southwest Texas, a considerable distance from cities and transportation hubs. The park's varied habitats support an amazing variety of wildlife, including 11 species of amphibians, 56 species of reptiles, 40 species of fish, 75 species of mammals, more than 450 species of birds, and about 3,600 species of insects.” ~ NPS
Day 78 ~ SE-78-25
“Who told you adulthood couldn’t feel like childhood? Long days of forgetting what day it is. Wanting to be wherever your wings or the wind dropped you. Filled with secrets and chances and whimsy.” ~ Darnell Lamont Walker. These are the two paintings I demonstrated for my brilliant Sandarosa Studio Students.
Day 77 ~ SE-77-25
Although small in relation to some of our other national
parks, Grand Teton National Park encompasses about 484 square miles of
striking vistas and historic
settings. The earliest archeological findings reveal that indigenous
tribes inhabited the area 11,000 years ago. The rich history of the
area, now known as Jackson Hole, Wyoming, includes many native tribes,
trappers, explorers, homesteaders, and an entirely female town council
in the town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, by 1920. This unique area inspires
the imagination and uplifts the spirit of
outdoor enthusiasts and
history buffs alike.
Grand Teton National Park is located within the Jackson Hole valley in northwestern Wyoming. Ten miles south of Yellowstone, it is much smaller, about one-seventh the size of Yellowstone Park. A diverse variety of mountain terrain and captivating wildlife can be observed and enjoyed here, on foot or in a car. There is a 42-mile scenic loop of its breathtaking scenery which can be completed in about two hours.
“The Bass Harbor Head Light Station is located in Tremont, Maine, marking the entrance to Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay on the southwest corner of Mount Desert Island. Among about 80 lighthouses across Maine, it is one of three lights managed by Acadia National Park, including two others on Baker Island and Bear Island. It appeared on the America the Beautiful quarter in 2012, the NPS centennial postage stamp in 2016, and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.”~ NPS Acadia National Park protects more than 47,000 acres and is known for its large moose populations and suitable habitats."
"Acadia National Park may appear small on a map, but the park encompasses nearly 50,000 acres along the Atlantic Coastline of Maine, including Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, and other outer islands. 60 miles of coastline, 33 miles of scenic motor roads, 45 miles of carriage roads, and more than 150 miles of hiking trails provide numerous ways to explore the park."
Day 73 ~ SE-73-25
The Pinelands National Reserve is truly a special place. It's classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve. Established in 1978 by Congress as the country's first National Reserve, it includes portions of seven southern New Jersey counties, and encompasses over one million acres of farms, forests and wetlands. It is protected and managed by state and federal legislation and the private sector. The reserve contains Wharton State Forest, Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, Bass River State Forest, Penn State Forest,
and Double Trouble State Park. 
Day 72 ~ SE-72-25
The Pinelands National Reserve is the largest forested area on the Eastern Seaboard between Maine and the Florida Everglades. The New Jersey Pine Barrens is the “ecological” term that describes the unique, beautiful and fascinating ecosystem and natural treasure that covers most of southern New Jersey.
“Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed. We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than go to its edge and look in.” ~ Wallace Stegner
Most recent news pertaining to 'Alligator Alcatraz'.
"The Everglades National Park spans across 1.5 million acres that stretch over the southern part of Florida.Visiting the Everglades allows you to explore a vast diversity of flora and fauna in different ecosystems: freshwater sloughs, marl prairies, tropical hammocks, pinelands, cypress, mangrove, coastal lowlands, marine, and estuarine." The Fight to stop Alligator Alcatraz.
"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and to change the world." ~ Harriet Tubman
“Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano
while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes.
Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems.“ 
Day 67 ~ SE-67-25
