My Adventures in the Awesome World

Hi! It’s Fishscale Girl!

How are you all? I’m good, learning lots every day and doing so much, too!

One thing I want to talk about today is volunteering. Have you ever been a volunteer? To volunteer means to help with a project, or a person, or do a job — for free. There are hundreds of ways in which to volunteer, and they can be really fun! There are many different types of volunteer work too, long-term, as in a few weeks, months, or sometimes even years! And also shorter like a day or two, or a few hours.

Fishscale Girl and the Food Pantry Basket, Scott County Library, Iowa

(This is a photograph taken last November at the Scott County Library. Volunteers donate food and work at the food pantry.)

For older kids and adults, there is international volunteering, where you spend time in another country and help work on something. As a teen, you can stay with a host family and be a part of a volunteer job that they may be working on. But there are many other ways to volunteer that do not involve having to travel overseas.

You could help out in a soup kitchen to feed the poor. Or play with kids in a day-care — that’s really fun. There are projects in which kids get to help build houses now, and you can participate in aiding disaster areas. These are countries, states or cities that have had natural or man-made destruction occur, and the people there may need food, clothing and shelter. There are many organizations that collect things to send to these people, or package food to be brought to them.

So you see, there are many, many fun and helpful ways to volunteer that can change people’s lives! So ask your parents or friends if they know of places or ways to volunteer. It’s amazing how much of a difference you can make.

Hi! This is Fishscale Girl. Let me tell you, the snow is awesome! I love it! What do you think. Do you like the snow?

Fishscale Girl enjoys an Iowa snowfall

I know that right now it seems pretty cold and it is winter, but you know, spring is on the way, and with it, a lot of things are going to start happening, some amazing things have already begun. Each spring, new things are born, and old ones grow young again. Every year, thousands of little miracles happen all around us. The sad part is that many people do not really notice these amazing things happening, and they miss one of the most important occurrences in the world. Every spring, the earth, which has been sleeping for several months, wakes up.

It’s so incredible, and you can notice and witness it, too, if you go outside and observe. No matter where you live you can see these things happening. The ground warms up, and tiny changes begin. You see birds coming back, the days get a little longer, and you don’t need as many layers when you go outside!

The world has so many different places and climates, but there is always something happening in whatever part you are in. So, take a look, step outside into your garden, backyard, a park, the woods, wherever. Quietly, observe the amazing things happening all around you.

Note from Ann: Louie Schwartzberg is someone who takes time and looks. He talks about The hidden beauty of pollination and shows scenes from his amazing video.