Tell us about yourself
Hi, I’m Margaret. I live in Lakewood and am rarely seen without my constant sidekicks, Olivia (5) and Levi (3). Besides adventuring with my people, I like to sew, create, and try to DIY things that sane people leave to the experts. One of these days, I wanna go travel the world with my man and my kids, and we’re practicing right now by adventuring in our good old ’84 vw camper van.
Share what you love about this spot
There are so many things we love about the “cactus garden,” as my kids call it. There are the animals to visit, all the different garden areas, and the pathways connecting them are almost like a fun maze, taking you from one unique area to another. It’s a peaceful and pretty place to just relax and walk. It feels like you’re out in somebody’s backyard (I guess you kind of are), but it’s a really big and awesome backyard.
Tell us about a happy moment here
Olivia loves maps and learning how to follow trails. We brought our out of town family here, and Olivia grabbed her grandma’s hand and excitedly led her through all of the paths. She took on the role of trail guide and pointed out all the ways you could go and the places where you have to be careful by the cactus.
What’s a favorite thing you pack when come here?
We usually bring Olivia’s nature journal in a special little carrying bag that holds all of her colored pencils and guide books.
How do your nature finds inspire you to create?
Olivia in particular likes to draw pictures of what she sees in her nature journal. I love that she’ll have this record of the places she’s been- made up of her adorable drawings.
What books inspire your adventures?
A current favorite is “Desert Giant: the world of the Saguaro Cactus” by Barbara Bash. It tells all about the saguaro cactus and the animals that live in and around it. I’m pretty sure this book (plus lots of trips to Arizona) inspired Olivia’s great love of saguaros.
