I love to share ways to enjoy nature and support wildlife... Also love languages, reading, meeting diverse people and learning about many cultures and ways of thinking.

Am trying to become the most positive person that I know ... and to become more resourceful constantly in helping other living things... :)

Love organic gardening, especially with children... I enjoy both pets & other animal friends (yard visitors) with my partner David. We love visiting two daughters, now in Montreal, Quebec & in the Steamboat Springs CO area (my daughter has a beautiful lake-view airbnb, by the way, "Stagecoach Retreat" near Stagecoach State Park) ... Am very glad that my daughters recommended Couchsurfing to me... :) Am often in Montreal now to be with my grand-toddler Alice... It's so much fun to learn French with her, read and do arts stuff together, and to go feed squirrels and see arts performances on the streets, etc. Happy to live frugally so I can keep my schedule open for being with family and otherwise focus on the seasons for gardening and caring for wildlife.

Am happy to help in any way I can wherever I go... :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've met wonderful people both through hosting and through staying in other folks' homes... Colorful way to travel, much "richer" than staying in a hotel, even if I could afford to do that while spending as much time near by grand daughter in Canada as possible. Also like to share my gardens with guests, show they how to organically & sustainably feed humans while also providing shelter and food for wildlife, even in "just a yard" ... I live with my partner David on the edge of Des Moines where it's a safe, quiet, green spot for guests who want to run, etc. ... and it's easy to take a guest with me to see bison and elk in a nearby refuge or park... :) I also like discussing world events with guests, hoping that through open discussions we can all find ways to live together on this planet supportively. :)

Interests

I like weaving with plastic that can't otherwise be recycled and giving new life to pieces of embroidered fabric and items of clothing that otherwise would probably be trashed by people who don't have an interest in these kinds of re-use, recycle processes... :)

• animals
• pets
• wildlife
• arts
• photography
• education
• cooking
• vegan
• yoga
• walking
• gardening
• politics
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• calligraphy
• teaching
• volunteering
• international politics
• wildlife conservation

Music, Movies, and Books

Diverse! And love singing, whistling... Had great fun while pet-sitting a cockatiel :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveled in Bangladesh for a month on a Fulbright Grant, studying how people are coping with environmental hazards & disasters... met wonderfully friendly people and students eager to try soeaking English with me... Shared photo slide shows back in Iowa with student and adult groups interested in climate change, poverty, education, women's roles...

Teach, Learn, Share

Passionate about wildlife... gardening organically, sustainably... currently have ten kinds of fruit in our yard (berries, trees, shrubs) as well as herbs, veggies, habitat plantings ... Also love sharing artifacts & stories from travel, in Bangladesh, etc.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Travel/ life stories, and listening to others' stories.
Calligraphy and other art skills.
Cooking, especially vegan / vegetarian
Mending, cleaning, organizing...
Pet care ... Am experienced with dogs, cats, birds, rodents, fish, amphibians ... :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, United States