Seven ambassadors attended the Audubon at Home 2024 kick-off meeting at the Imagine Well Being center just north of Bluemont. Host Cathy Norman gave us a warm welcome while Nan McCarry, who until recently worked for the nonprofit, explained the strong environmental roots of the organization.

Each attending ambassador came with something he or she wished to share with the group, and the topics discussed included a recently published book on ferns by our very own Dave Edmundson. Other topics included:  the discovery of a magnolia bog in a degraded urban location; the way we are shaped by early exposure to nature; niche habitats that require specialized plants; reforesting through the practice of super-clumping; the natural occurrence in nature of hybridization; and, using foraged ingredients in fermenting vinegar.

We were especially pleased to welcome Brian Magurn to our get together. Brian is currently working his way through our training videos and will begin volunteering with us this season. He is part of this year’s Virginia Master Naturalist class and has a particular interest in native plants.

Our get together, which was held inside because of the cold temperatures and high winds,  included nice snacks brought by attendees and herbal teas provided by our hosts. It was an opportunity to pause and strengthen our connections with one another before property visits begin in earnest. It was also a seasonal reminder of the fact that our group is made up of great people.

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