A little about me...

Normally this time of year, I’m beginning a long season of traveling around the country to tell you the story of Skipping Lilies & meet you face to face.  But things are no longer normal & my business needs a new place to live & grow, so pardon a potentially awkward transition as I try to talk to you a little bit here.

I’m the sole-operator of this micro-business, built largely on collecting & preserving small bits of biomass - showcasing the oft-overlooked beauty in the micro realms of the natural world.  

I spend part of my year working for a travel company on small ships - as a naturalist & educator.  It allows me to explore remote parts of the planet, working alongside experts in various fields - sharing a love & enthusiasm of culture & wildlife. 

The ocean is my natural habitat - it’s one of the only places I feel truly safe.  Last year I turned 45 & got my Divemaster certification, one of the more physically challenging things I have done in many years.  My final practical involved 8 hours in murky 35 degree water, with snow falling throughout the day & wonderful volunteers pouring hot water into my wetsuit, to keep my fingers functioning so that I could do things like tie knots underwater & rescue “lost divers” lying motionless on the bottom of the lake - dragging them to shore while performing mock CPR.  It was one of the happiest days of my life.  I finished & applied to be part of an all-women’s expedition to the Arctic, to swim with orcas.  The women I met onboard became a family & the future has more to say about that.

So this is a little bit about the person behind the business.  I love to travel & explore new places. I love beautiful wild things both above & below water.  I love my family dearly & you will often see photos of my dad.  While my mom & I tend to shy from the camera, he is happy to be my muse.  While not retired, he often calls on days off to ask if there is anything he can do to help.  When I tell him I’m ok & he knows I am not, he shows up anyway - with coffee & pastries from my favorite local shop, and polishes jewelry for 8 hours straight.  I’m an incredibly lucky girl.