About Me – Now I Wonder

You know that age in children when they question everything and every other word is “why”? I never grew out of that phase.

I spent my childhood engrossed in the plants and animals that surrounded me. My favorite place to visit was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s fish hatchery, my favorite television show was Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, and my favorite books were Funk & Wagnall’s Wildlife Encyclopedia. I once walked straight into a lamppost on a busy street, thanks to pondering a pigeon. And I spent my twelfth birthday grounded, thanks to an untimely hiss by the garter snake I hid in my sock drawer (still sorry about that, Mom!).

Five seconds earlier, this small yellowbelly slider turtle (*Trachemys scripta*) was sharing his log with a four-and-a-half foot tall Great Blue Heron (*Ardea herodias*).

Now that I’m all grown up, my enthusiasm for the wonders of the natural world around me is stronger than ever.

I am a proud member of the following organizations:

Entomological Society of America (https://entsoc.org).
Dragonfly Society of the Americas (https://www.dragonflysocietyamericas.org/).
North American Butterfly Association (https://www.naba.org/).

I live in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, and spend my free time asking questions about the plants and animals I see everyday, researching the answers, and sharing them here on Now I Wonder.

My goal with Now I Wonder is to share with you the same thrill of discovery – of not only spotting a dragonfly, butterfly, or grasshopper, but learning what it is, what it does, and why it matters.

I research every post myself using peer-reviewed scientific works and academic resources.

I write every post myself from start to finish.

I never use artificial intelligence or outsourced writers on Now I Wonder.

I create all images and videos that include the Now I Wonder logo personally (images without the Now I Wonder logo were created by the fabulous and generous contributors to Canva).

Any errors are mine and mine alone, but so is the enthusiasm.

An enjoyable walk in the North Carolina mountains on a cool, drizzly morning.

If you want to engage in a new or deeper way with the living things that share our world – or even just enjoy a “Wow, I never knew that!” moment – you’ll find helpful and detailed answers to your questions right here on Now I Wonder.

Welcome!