Welcome to Awe Nice, where we highlight moments of wonder while working outdoors. We're on the radio and we're also on podcast platforms. And you can check us out at awenice.com. That's a-w-e-n-i-c-e

This week, I visited with Carol Von Michaelis mc haylis from Arvada. Carol grew up around Golden and it was there as a high school student that she volunteered for the local ambulance. That work evolved into EMT work she served for some time on wildland fires for the forest service. Over time, she got her nursing degree, then her physician's assistant degree, and, for good measure, a PhD in community health promotion. She rides horses, is an avid trail runner, and has founded The Community Farm, a small non-profit farm in Arvada.

We have two Awe, Nice! segments from Carol. This first one involves her introduction to farming on Colorado's eastern plains.

Do you, like me, kind of consider the eastern plains as vast but vacant spaces? Think again.

The wildlife diversity on the eastern plains was remarkable, Carol told me. She's never seen so many birds of prey, hawks, owls, falcons. Also badgers. She said wildlife around Denver gets so observed, by so many people, it can feel like a zoo. Not so, out on the plains.

Carol didn't quite recall the number of bread loaves she helped harvest while working the combine, but it was a lot. Maybe millions?

Thank a farmer, y'all.

Awe, Nice! welcomes interviewees. If you have a moment you experienced while working outside and would like to share it, contact us at awenice.com. We thank Kershaw knives and Redmond salt for their generous sponsorship.

Music is by my friend, Forrest Van Tuyl. You can find a link to Forrest as well as an Awe Nice donate button here.

Keep your eyes, ears, and mind open. Until next time.