I’m going to take the word Milestone as an idea of steps.

 In high school I was able to be published in the New York State Dragonfly and Damselfly report.

 In college I made my own Moss and Bryophyte book.

 In Wyoming, my photos contributed to communicating Bark Beetle research. 

I had some images printed for the Vermont State Parks.

 I had an image published for invasive species article in a magazine. 

I photographed for someone wanting to conserve the Red Desert in Wyoming.

Note, none of these were paid, but things I wanted to do. Not everything needs to get paid, but in our increasing expensive, capitalist society, having time during the day without getting paid is a struggle, hence these environmental photo journeys paused in 2012. I’m happy to volunteer for conservation if it truly brings something to the cause. 

These were all small steps that I wanted to lead me to somewhere else, but these steps in the environment can be seeds, but some seeds do not fruit. In the environment there is no quick snap to anything and I have not found my place in photos and my passion for the environment and don’t see what it can heal, but I will continue capturing what I see beautiful within it. I’ll take these tokens of captures for what they are, not something important, but something that my inner-child would find joy in like finding a rock from the driveway that just seemed special for some reason and letting something shine at the moment. I may not have become some grandiose science photographer but life can be simpler than what we make it out to be with our personal joy. I’ve learned a lot from my cats, can ya tell?