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Milton and Mane
Welcome to Milton and Mane, the City of Milton, Georgia's official podcast—a dynamic space where community connection meets insightful conversation. Whether you're a resident, local business owner, neighboring government official, or a curious listener from afar, this podcast is your gateway to understanding Milton on every level.
Each episode is designed to bring you closer to the heart of our city, offering behind-the-scenes stories that humanize the people who keep Milton running. You'll gain valuable insights into local government operations, discover new opportunities, and hear from the voices that shape our community. Expect to learn about our rich history, stay updated on future developments, and explore the vibrant arts, culture, and sustainability initiatives that make Milton unique.
Join us as we celebrate our community, encourage civic engagement, and share inspiring stories that resonate beyond our city limits. Subscribe today and be part of the conversation that's building a better Milton, one episode at a time.
Stock Music provided by ikoliks, from Pond5
Milton and Mane
Wild at Heart: When One Person’s Passion Guides Tomorrow’s Adventurers.
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What happens when a deep love of the outdoors becomes a mission to connect an entire community with nature? Ranger Jen Young joins host Christy Weeks to share how Milton's Parks and Rec team is making the natural world more accessible, educational, and exciting for everyone.
From birding apps and stargazing tools to frog facts and first-fish stories, this episode is packed with inspiration and a whole lot of fun. Whether you're a seasoned hiker, an avid outdoorsy type, or a curious newbie, you'll come away ready to explore more—right in your own backyard.
To learn more about outdoor programming through the Parks and Rec department, visit our website HERE!
Want to connect with Ranger Jen Young? Email her at: jen.young@miltonga.gov
For more information about the Wildlife 101 webinar series, visit:
www.miltonga.gov/wildlife101
With the community in mind, this podcast explores the stories, people, and initiatives that make our community unique. Each episode offers insights into local government, highlights Milton's history and future developments, and showcases the vibrant arts, culture, and sustainability efforts shaping our city. Join the conversation, celebrate our community, and discover how we're building a better Milton together.
Do you have an idea for an episode or would like to request a specific topic to be covered? Email Christy Weeks, christy.weeks@miltonga.gov
Learn more about the City of Milton at www.miltonga.gov.
Welcome to Milton and Maine, the official podcast for the city of Milton. We want to bring you closer to the heart of our community through stories that inform, inspire and connect. Each episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people, projects and priorities shaping Milton, covering everything from local government and future development to arts, culture, sustainability and public safety. Whether you're a resident, a local business owner or just curious about our city, this is your front row seat to what makes Milton special. Welcome back to another episode of Milton in Maine.
Speaker 1My name is Christy Weeks and I am the communications manager for the city of Milton. Today we're welcoming back a very familiar voice. She's a familiar face around our parks. She works closely with our youth programs and she's someone who brings a lot of heart and a lot of hustle to everything she does. You know her, you love her. It's the one and only Jen Young, milton's outdoor recreation supervisor, also known as Ranger Jen. So grab your water bottle, lace up up those hiking boots, whatever you got to do, because ranger gin is back on the mic and we're ready for today. We're ready for a great conversation, and she's laughing and I can't wait because this is gonna be good.
Speaker 2That was the best intro ever grab your boots, grab your water bottle, all the more facts.
Speaker 1You just never know. You never know with you. I feel like I should also have a fishing rod. Yeah, like I should have that on board with me right now, but I don't fish.
Speaker 2Well, I promise you, I have walked down every hallway in this place and probably agitated everybody in their cubicle by casting my line and then reeling it in over top of them.
Meet Ranger Jen
Speaker 1It's like hey, I have been witness to that. You're in a cubicle. You need to have a little fun, too A little fun. So why don't you remind everybody, give us a little history on you, how you got here, what got you into all this, let us know, yeah.
Speaker 2I'll take you way back to the early eighties. Um, I was born and I came out the womb, as my mom would say, like ready to take on the world. So throughout my whole childhood I don't think they saw me in the daylight hours I built my own tree fort. My mom said I had an ax at the age of eight. I don't recommend, if any kids are listening.
Speaker 1that's kind of a parenting no, no don't judge them.
Speaker 2This is also the eighties. No, no, don't judge them. This is also the eighties, um, so I lived in the wilderness by choice. No one in my family really had a desire to be outside, so it was really just me. So all of my exploration was on my own, solo, dolo, um, I got really good at that and then as I got older and you go to college and you move on and and you figure out your career, I learned that I was. I had a like special gift of working with kids.
Speaker 1That is a special gift because not everybody has it.
Speaker 2Yeah, so I found very honestly, honestly, as I'm like looking for volunteers and hopefully I get to share a little later about the future journey but, as I'm like looking for volunteers, I'm like do they have that energy that makes kids just want to do and be and engage, Right? Um? So when I figured out I had that gift, I worked with kids for 15 years, Um, and then COVID hit and I was like I need to be in the woods, I need to be in nature.
Speaker 2Yeah, I think a lot of people felt that way, yeah yeah, and, and I think career, this career started opening up for a lot more of us because people want to go outside and they're like, hey, all these people are in the parks. We got to do something with them, right? Uh, so I got lucky to find a job working in Tucker where I could have a hybrid working with kids and also working in nature. And then this job opened in Milton two years ago and now I get to breathe fresh air every day in Milton. Would you do that for me?
Speaker 1I don't get that every day, yeah no, people say it all the time.
Speaker 2Go outside, especially you. I'll walk by and you're like go get some fresh air for me, which makes me really sad because I'm like come with me.
Speaker 1There are days, but I'll do it for you. Yeah, I need somebody to live vicariously through, so I'm going to make it you, just because you do a lot of things that are not second nature to me and so I can respect it. I remember when I mean I've got three kids and when they were little, when my oldest was three, I was like, okay, so this poor child needs somebody other than me impacting her experiences, because I didn't like messes, so the artsy mess was never an option inside my house.
Speaker 2The level of stress and anxiety that I experienced was off the chart, but did you feel the same way about the third one, or did you just kind of have to like, let it go?
Speaker 1poor third one. I'd have probably left him a bread trail from the park to the house and said follow it when you get home.
Speaker 2It's always the first one that you like.
Speaker 1Micromanage all the details pretty sure she's gonna need some sort of therapy along the way to recover from the things I did and didn't do.
Speaker 1But I put her in this really cool preschool right when they had them outside, they had second languages, they did a lot of art, they explored things outside and I was like, okay, perfect, and guess who's my nature lover Her, she loves being outside, she's the hiker, she's the hunter, she's the one that artistic-wise. Sorry, sarah, probably not your gift, that went to the youngest, but you know it was a really good option for me. So people like you in the community make a definite impact on those of us who don't know how to manage those things.
Speaker 2Yeah, and I get that quite a bit in Milton. Even if you are comfortable in nature, there's elements that I think make most people uncomfortable right.
Speaker 1Snakes make me uncomfortable. Yeah, I don't do snakes.
Speaker 2Snakes are not comfortable for me either, and for my own kid's career day I took in a giant snake skin that was donated to me by a neighbor in Crabapple here. Oh my goodness, he brought it in. He's like can you use this? I'm like I bet you I can Do. You have gloves. No, but you know what? I convinced a kid to kiss the snakeskin and I thought that was the greatest day ever. He was a hero.
Speaker 2In the fourth grade. Everyone went ew. And then they what do you feel like? He's cool. Yeah, he was like dry, scaly. I'm like. There you go, you touched the snake skin. But like things that I'm not comfortable with, I'm constantly challenged. Somebody asked me in this little fourth grade career day class, right, they said have you ever encountered a bear? I was like once and it was a black bear and I didn't feel afraid. But I've never encountered wildlife that felt dangerous to me, like where I felt threatened. But I'm sure if I did it might change my perspective about something. So snakes is about as close as it's ever gotten to making me feel a little fearful.
Speaker 1I am more afraid of a snake than I am. So quick little bear story. Because I lived in Estes Park, Colorado, up in the mountains, and we had bears. I loved seeing them from afar. It was lovely. But on occasion if you left your trash out or something like that, they would revisit. So I was out at my dad's place and it's like 1130 at night, my sister staying across the way from me in a cabin and we hear the bear in the trash.
Speaker 1So I go out with my little flashlight and I'm looking at it and it's looking at me and it's hissing and I'm bears hiss and my sisters.
Speaker 1My sister and I are on the phone because we're too far apart to conversate properly. So the bear runs off and I'm like looking for it. Who knows what possessed me to go looking for the bear. But I come off the step of the cabin, I walk around the back of the building and I got my flashlight. My sister calls and she goes where are you? And I go. I'm behind the cabin. She goes, the bear's behind the cabin and all you could see, my sister said, was my little flashlight bouncing up and down. As I came running back around to the front of the cabin, I thought, okay, we're going to leave that bear to do bear things and I'm going to mind my own business in here. That's right, that's what I want to see.
Speaker 1But, they're super cool.
Speaker 2I mean, I love them, I love watching them I think we're all curious about the things that were were not meant to be close to. You know, like I'm curious about a grizzly bear, but I I I feel too irresponsible to get close enough to really inspect that thing.
Wildlife Apps and Nature Technology
Speaker 1That seems like well you couldn't choice, you couldn't take all your stuffed fish like in your pocket and stuff with you. That would. That would be a bad draw no, no stuffed fish no stuffed fish, no live fish either no life.
Speaker 2I feel like we should check your pockets daily yeah, yeah, I um, I try not to leave breadcrumbs along the trail, but I've been known to to drop a half a granola bar to, whether at my cubicle or on the pier.
Speaker 1it happens, happens, you turn around and there's a line of little critters following you down the trail. That's no bueno. That would be fun.
Speaker 2Yeah, I think the most fun part of my day is when I get to be outside and see wildlife. Honestly, like you're saying, like that's how you lived and that's your life, and isn't it crazy Because I live close to the city, your life? And isn't it crazy because I live close to the city and the wildlife that I get is mainly birds and squirrels, like a lot of?
Speaker 1you know I use your bird app, by the way, do you? I do, I've done it. I do so backstory here for everybody listening.
Speaker 2I'm so proud of you.
Speaker 1I know right, I'm not a bird person. I mean I love them. I love seeing the blue birds and the cardinals because, for me.
Speaker 1I feel like they have a meaning and I love seeing them. They make me happy. So Jen comes in the other day and she had sent this recording of birds chirping to the communications department Some of you may have seen it on the Facebook page and we we asked if you could identify any of the birds chirping. Well, jen uses this app called Merlin and it will record the sounds and identify the bird. It then provides you with a picture of the bird and a description. It's awesome. So I'm like well, I'm gonna download Merlin. I'm on a walk the other day and I'm like you want to know what that bird is. I'll tell you what that bird is. It was awesome.
Speaker 2I'm so proud of you. Okay, I'm going to next level your outdoor adventure with iNaturalist. It's an app for animals, fungi, plants, trees you name it anything in nature. You snap a photo of it. It tells you what it is. It tells you if it's native, how rare it is. It will give you like a full description. So I probably used that. I used it in my backyard three times this morning really things are sprouting up and I'm like what is that?
Speaker 2that's not grass. What is that? I take a picture. I'm like that's a native plant or flower that I've never seen in my yard before that just popped up and because I use fertilizer to grow some grass, okay, I think it popped up some native species of flowers.
Speaker 1I would need that. If, if I gardened, yeah, and if I put the time into the yard which, for the record, I do not, because it is my children I grew them. Nobody's starved to death. Everybody's good plants a whole different ball game. I'm just saying some of us don't have that green thumb. I feel the same way If I were to do that, I feel like that would save me from like going Ooh, that looks like a weed.
Speaker 2Yes, yes. I regret 20 years of my life of getting rid of things that could have been like the most beautiful blossoming plant in the world.
Speaker 1Cry softly in the corner for what you've eliminated.
Speaker 2That's it. That's that's really it, because I'm making up for it in due time, I promise.
Speaker 1I'm saving them now.
Speaker 2Yes, I mean I'll be in parks and I'm like what is that thing? I like that and I want it in my yard or I want it in in a park and, um, that app has saved my life.
Speaker 1That's awesome. So my I was telling my husband about Merlin and he goes Ooh, you ought to tell Jen about the? Um, the app Stellaris, I think it is, and it's for the stars and and and constellations and it'll identify. If you see a star and you point it up there, it'll tell you what that star is. It's awesome.
Speaker 2It's so cool, tell him I love it. I don't use it often, but if I know it's going to be one of those like when Saturn and jupiter are huge and in line and bright, because stars are tricky, it's like is it a plane? Is it a star? That's how we feel in my neighborhood. Is it superman? I'm like that star is moving. Is it a plane or a shooting star? And I'm like that was a plane definitely definitely a plane I mean, we have some dark skies here that I've.
Speaker 2I have been reaching out to all the astronomy clubs in Georgia like come to Milton, yeah, birmingham park or Milton city park, and preserve.
Speaker 1It does get dark out here.
Speaker 2It does, and you could have some of the most beautiful night skies, yeah, so I would love it if they'd come up here.
Speaker 1That would be fun. Yeah, right, that might be something I could get on board with, because I mean, it's fascinating, right Hard to identify unless you know exactly what you're looking at.
Speaker 2Yeah, and to learn the lore behind the stars, or to understand why things are aligned the way they are at this time and the best times those clubs are meeting in their spaces. So I'm like just pick a, not best time. We'd still enjoy that presentation, we'll take it, we'll take it.
Wildlife 101 Webinar Series
Speaker 1Speaking of presentations, jen, um, kind of shifting gears here a little bit, because you got a few things going on. I obviously there's too much to dig into in in one little sitting here, but you've got some things going on that I really feel need some love, because they're new, they're brand new and they're super fun and super cool. And you know where I'm going with this, because I'm involved in it, because I think it's the coolest thing and I love doing it with you, and the only thing I do is I push buttons.
Speaker 2It's it's the most important thing. Just so you know, like hitting start on something is the it's the best part.
Speaker 1More importantly than start is record Yep.
Speaker 2That's right. That's the big button that you got to push but it's wildlife 101.
Speaker 1It's a webinar series that you started three weeks ago. We're getting ready to have our-. Three months ago. Three months ago, oh shoot, christy and her calendar a little off kilter. You were actually at the first one. Let's go back. I did, I did come to-.
Speaker 2Coyote 101. The first in-person Wild Birds 101. And it was about coyotes and-.
Speaker 1And a multitude of other little animals.
Speaker 2Yes, yes, yes, yes. The intention was coyotes, right, and I absolutely loved the concept of getting people together that want to learn about wildlife, right? And so I asked you. I was like, hey, maybe we record it or put it on the website and people can view it later and not just have it as like a one-time deal, because what a bummer when you have a life to live and you have to miss something.
Speaker 2That's just one time and from there you're like I, I'm gonna one-up that one. I got a better idea. Let's turn this into a webinar. People can do it from wherever, sure, and it's recorded and people can view it for a lifetime, right. So I was like deal, say less, I'm going to do that from my home office. Yeah, in the comfort of my home, like everybody else, cooking dinner. I'm not cooking dinner, but maybe you are. Do you know me?
Speaker 1No, this girl don't cook dinner.
Speaker 2Maybe you're having a PB and J while we do this Survival of the fittest in my house but I think you and I affectionately appreciate this because it's unique, it's providing access to anybody and everybody who has technology of any kind and it's creative. We can bring anyone on to speak.
Speaker 1It opens up the door to people who want to present, want to talk about their passion that maybe has a little bit harder time getting to an in-person opportunity. So it's a win-win. That's right. And then, just as we looked at the other day, we looked at the history of the recordings on YouTube because that's where I originally store them before they go on the website, which, by the way, all of the previous webinars can be found on our website at MiltonGAgov wildlife101, forward slash wildlife101. So they're all there.
Speaker 1And that was the orphaned and injured wildlife, which was fabulous. We just had the one on pond ecology, which I did learn some things, even though I am not a fish person. It was super interesting. Glad I was there to listen in case I ever decide to acquire a pond. But the next one which I have to say I'm terribly excited about, because who doesn't want to listen to beavers? And this podcast will air the day before the beaver presentation. I love it. So if you're listening to this, yes, we want to see you tomorrow, yep tomorrow on the on the webinar from 6 to 7 30.
Speaker 1And it is everything you wanted to know about beavers.
Speaker 2That's right. So, Ranger Jonah, he's a ranger for DeKalb County and he has his own following of people who absolutely he's a storyteller.
Speaker 2He's an incredible storyteller, first and foremost. Like outside of nature, he's just a great storyteller. And then you put him in nature with the storytelling. I could almost point at anything a leaf, a tree and there is a story behind it, thanks to Jonah. So I'm honored that he would do this and be on our webinar, because he's dynamic, so I'm excited for the questions that people have. Everyone's curious about beavers, even if they don't know it. They're elusive. Yes, they are, and you see signs of them and you don't know. You see signs of them, and so that's what I'm excited to have him talk about. And also, how do we live with them?
Speaker 2yeah that's most important to me is it's hard when you live in a developed area it is to live and coincide with beavers, your first instinct is to want to rid of them or tear down their dams, and hopefully ranger joan will give us some tips on how to live amongst beavers or how can they live amongst us, is more important that's a good point.
Speaker 1That's a good point. I mean, we're a little harder to deal with than they are. We're. We're real complicated.
Speaker 2They want to eat they want to build a little shelter and they want to. They are, we're, real complicated. They want to eat, they want to build a little shelter and they want to make babies. And we've got a lot more going on. A little bit, a little bit.
Speaker 1A little bit, but that'll be interesting. So if you're interested, jump on. It's free. It's registration can be found on our website. So get on there, get registered, we'd love to have you. And then, just to wrap that up, we've got a couple others already planned, which are also registration links found on our website, and that I think may, as frogs. I like frogs because I like listening to them at night. It's my favorite time of year when I can go out and I can hear them.
Speaker 2Just like there are bird people, there are amphibian people.
Speaker 1Wait a minute. Is there a frog identifier app?
Speaker 2Let's hope Linda May tells us about it.
Speaker 1I need a frog identifier app.
Speaker 2That would really change the game for a lot of us at night, because we're like is that a cricket? Is that a frog? Is that a bird?
Speaker 1They do make funny noises.
Speaker 2Yes, they do.
Speaker 1And sometimes it's not frog-like.
Speaker 2So that's what Linda's going to run us through. Linda May works for DNR and she has come highly recommended by many amphibian folks saying she's dynamic, she's fun, but the best part is she plays frog. Sounds for you. You get to listen and try to identify what kind of frog you think it is.
Speaker 1Is that the neighbor screaming kid or is that a frog in the pond.
Speaker 2That's right. So we're going to learn a lot.
Speaker 1I'm excited for that one and then, following that up, we have bears.
Speaker 2Which bears this all stemmed for those of you in Milton listening to this podcast, to the crab apple infamous bear. Yes, there's an annual bear sighting.
Speaker 1Correct.
Speaker 2It rolls to Milton, it heads on down to Roswell and then we lose it. And I've told that story a million times. How fun that we get an annual bear sighting for one day, even here in the suburbs, right? Oh, I love it.
Speaker 1Yeah, I haven't seen him walking through here. All I know is that we get notified very quickly. That's right we usually throw it up on social media. Quick side note, learning from the orphaned and injured wildlife webinar do not out the location of these animals when you see them. It's dangerous for them because then people group around them or they scare them or it causes some potential dangerous situation for them. So we will no longer be outing the location of the bear.
Speaker 2I think I'm going to have to get you a badge. You're now going to be a ranger, because that was some advocacy right there. I'm proud of you. That was pretty good. Love me a bear, thanks.
Fishing Classes and Outdoor Programs
Speaker 1Yes, thanks, you've coached me well. That's right. See, there is benefit to sharing a floor with Parks and Rec. You learn a lot of things that you didn't know you needed to know.
Speaker 2Yeah, they might make you kiss a fish.
Speaker 1I'm not kissing a fish. I'll do a lot of things.
Speaker 2I will not kiss a fish. At my last fishing class I always offer kids the opportunity to kiss their first fish they catch.
Speaker 1That's where we disconnect.
Speaker 2Really, just because it's fun for me. It's silly for them and these fish are small so really, it just brings you joy, it does brings me joy for you to connect with, with something you catch in nature right and right, before you send it back into its home and say thank you for your time. None of the kids have taken me up on that offer, though.
Speaker 1Just for the record can't get anybody to do it.
Speaker 2No, no, I got a kid to kiss the snakeskin, but didn't get a kid to kiss fish.
Speaker 1I like that kid.
Speaker 2Yeah, she hasn't given up.
Speaker 1So, since you're talking about fishing, tell us about this fishing class you have. Yeah, because that's coming up.
Speaker 2Yeah, once a month in the summer months or in the warm season months, I should say so, like March to October, november, I will host a fishing class. It's about an hour and a half in the class. It's really meant for beginners.
Speaker 2I want to teach you how to use the equipment that you have or the stuff that you borrow from us. I want to teach you how to fish right. So we're going to cast, we're going to catch fish, and then the fish that you pull out, you might get to take your first fish off the line. And that's really the most exciting part for me, the kids and the parents. You've never seen somebody so proud than a mom who comes screaming down the pier. You got one, you got one, and it fills me with joy when Oksana takes photos.
Speaker 1Oksana in our communication department.
Speaker 2I think she loves to come, just because that feeling doesn't get old of having people celebrate.
Speaker 2Even for somebody who you might have caught a million fish in your lifetime, and somebody next to you catches a fish, you're just excited for them. So you catch your fish, I help you take it off the hook, I teach you how to do that, and after that, my goal is that you can go out and fish on your own. That's really what it's set up to do is, if this is something you're interested in, I want to give you enough tools to be able to do it on your own. That's really what it's set up to do is, if this is something you're interested in, I want to give you enough tools to be able to do it on your own.
Speaker 1That's very cool, so you can do one and done.
Speaker 2You can come every month. They do sell out like, yeah, it's five bucks, you're merely paying for a little bit of equipment use and that's about it and get no wealth of knowledge yes full of fish knowledge.
Speaker 1oddly, I've learned a little bit Yesterday. She pulls out all these little stuffed fish and she's making me identify fish. Now, if you know me, you know that I don't do fish Snakes fish.
Speaker 1I don't eat them, I don't keep them, but I like them in the water, except for when I'm in the lake and they're nibbling on me. That sends me a little outer, outer limits because I can't see them, but I know they're really. I mean, they're not eating me, I get it, but I still learn things. So funny thing is is the first time I took my kids. They were not blessed to have a ranger gin in their life, so the first time Did they catch? Well, you have no option but to catch, because I took them to a place called trout haven oh gosh, I love those trout spots.
Speaker 1It was this, this, completely enclosed. It had been in estes park forever dawn of time, I mean even when I was a kid, going up there, they had Trout Haven and it's fully stocked big old trout and you're guaranteed to catch 8,000 fish if you're willing to pay for it.
Speaker 1You know what I mean. And it's not cheap. No, you pull them out by the weight, right, yeah, but it is super cool for the little kids because they're not afraid of fish yet-ish. But it's fun. It's like you said, it's that whole joy thing. But that's right, you know, that's that's, that's my kids get for fishing.
Speaker 2But you know, I hear from people in Milton all the time cause we don't really have a large river way Right and they're like, hey, it'd be really neat if we turned one of these ponds into a trout fishing pond, because it's really exciting for people to catch trout and it's something they want to eat. Right, not a lot, not a lot of people want to eat bass or catfish, right, some do, though.
Speaker 1yeah, so yeah, strange things down here man do.
Speaker 2Is that what you think? I think y'all eat some strange things. Well, I didn't grow up eating catfish? We didn't.
Speaker 1We didn't eat carp or catfish, you're from up north too.
Speaker 2That's right, that's right, so we eat large, yeah, river fish or but yeah, so they want these trout ponds, but it requires, like really cold water, a certain season. It's finicky, and for a public pond to ban it would be so expensive and time consuming, and so the best we can do is give you a cat, bass and bluegill. Hey man, it's free fishing out there, it is free.
Speaker 1It's a cool experience that you have access to it. That's right. That's right, that's very cool. I have gone fly fishing. Once I didn't know that I did Early 20s Put on the waders. What'd you think? Didn't know that I did early twenties put on the waders. I'm not going to lie. I stood in the middle of the river with my waders on and laughed because the waders were squeezing me, the water was running. It was um the oddest, most weird experience of my life and I mean I couldn't, I can't cast a fly rod to save my life. I don't even know if I tried, because I was laughing too hard in the middle of the river in my waders.
Speaker 1Hilarious. That was the extent of my. Yeah, that was it, but I did try.
Speaker 2If you ever watch the river runs through it, there's a whole generation of people that are obsessed with the idea of fly fishing just because of that movie.
Speaker 1Oh well, it's very calming People Fishing just because of that movie?
Speaker 2Oh well it's very calming People who do it love it.
Speaker 1Yes, it's a very calming, meditative movie, peaceful thing, and it's a very strategic game of patience.
Speaker 2Oh, that's where you lose me. Yeah, that's a game. Fishing is a game of patience, I think, just like putting your kids in martial arts, making your kids fish is a game of patience. That they need to learn it at a young age, I agree. And so if you want discipline and patience, go see Ranger Jen go fishing.
Speaker 1Do not come to Christy in the communications department. She has none.
Speaker 2Ask my children If you want art and perfection, come upstairs. There you go.
Speaker 1At least. At least, the line is divided. No it's good, but we're good for each other. So what else you got going on that you want to talk about?
Speaker 2Well, we just finished Junior Ranger Academy and I'll say that was a highlight of my season.
Speaker 1That's pretty cool.
Speaker 2I love the fishing classes, but it brings me more joy to just freely explore in nature with the kids, where we don't have an objective or a timeline, it's just this large block of time and we go out, we see what we can discover and we just learn through creativity of looking and touching and closing our eyes and seeing what we can hear. And it's so fun because, I'll be honest, some of these kids know more than I do about topics. And it blew my mind when a seven year old said I think we have some erosion here. Um, what are the erosion things you're going to do to fix it? And I was like what? Okay, you're brilliant, where'd you learn about erosion? He's like I'm in third grade, I, that's when we learn about it.
Speaker 1Really, I think I was sick that day.
Speaker 2Yeah, I was sick all those days in school and so they could point out erosion control measures that we did and I was like these are future engineers. I mean, they don't know.
Speaker 1They're processing information on a level that me as a third grader. Sorry, I was your typical third grader there you go.
Speaker 2But I'm also like, like who's your parents? Good job, proud of you, I'm gonna shake their hand, yeah, good job um so their curiosity. I mean, let's be honest, christy, I have a really fun job you do I get to go outside all the time.
Speaker 2yep, uh, I had a really fun conversation with a resident the other day who called to talk to me about cameras and next thing you know we're talking about wildflowers. And he's like well, what do you think if, when I retire, I just take that little meadow in that park and transform it to be something beautiful and natural? And I was like well, call me when you retire and we can work out a plan.
Speaker 2What a cool job that people call you and want to improve their beautiful green spaces. Which sends me down a rabbit hole of distracting everybody on the second floor, of talking about how cool my job is and I'm sorry that you're preparing.
Speaker 1We know how cool your job is. We get it.
Speaker 2I know it's very clear. No, it's such a bummer to be Tom who's the parks director and I come in with all of this fun, cool stuff and he's like, hey, I'm putting a presentation together for a really important thing tonight at council meeting and I'm like you don't want to hear about the wildflowers.
Speaker 1Talk about patience. That man has the patience of all of us. He really does Into one person.
Speaker 2He does because of all of us he really does into one person. He does because, um, we're all different in our department, which makes it fun and engaging and interesting like we have such a diverse amount of abilities and skill sets.
Speaker 2But one thing we have in common is we appreciate where we're at yep and I'm grateful for that every day. This is the first team I've ever worked on that. I think the commonality is we know that we have a really great situation, we know that we're in a great community. We know that we work for incredible people. We know that we serve a public that's invested in what we're doing and we're not sleeping on that.
Speaker 1We're taking advantage of it and I'll tell you, as a new person, and I don't know how long I have sleeping on that, no, you don't. And I'll tell you, as a new person, and I don't know how long I have to say that I don't know how long I have to be here until I'm not a new person.
Speaker 1I guess I have to wait until somebody else comes on board, but as a new person, it's been a blessing to be on the floor with y'all, because it's noticeable when you guys are out of office and I'm like God, it's so quiet up here. Wow, it's a blessing for some, I think no, I enjoy it because it's very lively and y'all made me feel welcome from the get go. So there's that. And then I became an honorary member of the parks and rec department because I eavesdrop on all your meetings and we bring up your name quite often. You had your.
Speaker 2You had your AirPods in on Wednesday when we have our staff meeting at 10 AM, and we kept saying like, well, maybe Christy would want to be involved in this. And I kept looking over. You didn't. Usually, when you hear your name, you'll pop right into our meeting.
Speaker 1I had my run playlist going on in my head Cause I was. I was deep in an art project that needed a little more than I had in me, but no, it's very cool. Project that needed a little more ump than I had in me, yeah, but no, it's very cool. And I and I appreciate all that you guys do, because you really do cover the gamut of programming in Milton and offer such a wide variety of it that you know unmatched in my opinion.
Speaker 2I think it'd be really cool if you retire and then, just like you can do a ride along with the police. You just like do a ride along with the parks department and there's our new program.
Speaker 1Right, I'm sitting here thinking of what are we going to do next. Yeah, like, how fun would that be?
Speaker 2right along with ranger jen yes, you just get in my truck and it's like, well, we got to go look at this gate. It looks like this gate needs a new two posts and we're going to put two posts in today. And hey, I just happened to have my binoculars and let's see if we find those bald eagles we've been looking for. And next thing, you know, a resident wants to talk to me about coyotes in their backyard. And how fun could that be? You retire and you're doing a ride along with the police, or parks, parks, police. Same thing, yeah, same, just different wildlife. That's right. That's right. That's right that was good.
Speaker 1Yeah, well, that's cool. So, as we're kind of wrapping up this conversation, I know you have 8,000 hilarious stories in your back pocket. I need you to share one now.
Speaker 2I can tell you a fun karma-related story that happened in a park.
Speaker 2So we have rules everywhere we go, rules exist for reasons and even though you think you're in the great wide wilderness where there's no rules there are, there are you know, this public land is owned by the people and not just by you, and so what oftentimes happens is people think they're the only ones out in the woods, right? And so they behave like they're the only ones out in the woods and they do things that they probably wouldn't do if they knew a bunch of people were around, right? So I'm out in one of our remote parks and I got a call that somebody said hey, there's somebody living out here, we think, and they have a house set up and they've been doing a campfire and I see snacks and food and all kinds of really just gnarly stuff that would say there's an unhoused person living which does happen Of course, that's a real thing People get displaced and they move to the woods happen.
Speaker 2That's a real thing. People get displaced and they move to the woods. So it took me a little bit of time to get out there. But I explore it and I am hoofing it on this closed park, right, because it's not really blazed properly and I don't have it memorized, and so I'm up and down and up and down. I'm calling this resident. I'm like can you FaceTime with me? Because I don't even know where I'm at in my own park. And so she's guiding me where to go.
Final Thoughts on Enjoying Nature
Speaker 2And I come upon it and I saw one of the most beautifully engineered wilderness shelters that I could imagine coming upon in a city park. Right, I would imagine that if I were watching Bear Grylls on the Nature Channel, I was not expecting that in a city park. You wouldn't know it from the trail either. So I'm like wow, how did she see that? And I get closer and it has a beautiful bottom. And then I look and there's a scooter in the creek, like somebody just abandoned their little two-wheeled scooter. And as I'm looking I go this is a beautiful work of art done by a nine-year-old. A nine-year-old built one of the most incredible shelters, and only if you have YouTube or a Navy SEAL. Dad, did you learn how to construct something?
Speaker 1this incredible? Or you're a nine-year-old Navy SEAL? You're a nine-year-old?
Speaker 2Navy SEAL. So if you're a nine-year-old Navy SE, so if you're a nine-year-old navy seal who built this beautifully engineered shelter in the park, I'm I left you a note, says ranger jen does not appreciate you cutting down trees in a park, but I do appreciate how beautifully designed the shelter is explore that in college, please, yeah explore that. Explore that not on public land, not on public land.
Speaker 1I can't even imagine some of the things you come across, but we do appreciate everything that you do out there, because you are in and out of the office, mostly out in the parks working with the fish. I mean making sure things are clean and programming's available. It's amazing, and we are so lucky as a city to have not only you but your entire team doing what y'all do. Wow, thank you.
Speaker 2Thank you, we're appreciative.
Speaker 1Anything else you want to add before we go.
Speaker 2No, I just want to say go outside, even if it's in your backyard. Peace out. I'm gone. That's it. Go outside, even if it's in your backyard. Peace out, I'm gone, that's it. Go outside, close your eyes, just listen, and when you open them, I want you to find something you've never seen before or noticed before and explore that, and it's a great meditative way to spend two minutes of your day.
Speaker 1Yeah, great advice. I'll try that.
Speaker 2Yeah, if you want to laugh more in your life, go in nature. I promise you there's plenty to laugh about, mainly when you're falling.
Speaker 1There are. There are some things I do not do by myself for that exact reason Literally literally. Jen, thank you so much for joining us today. I know this isn't the last time you're going to be on here, because you've a wealth of information and there's always new programming. So when you got a new message, when you got a new program, shout at me, we'll get you on and we'll get you put out there. Thank you so much for having me. You are welcome, Everybody.
Speaker 1If you have any questions about what is going on next with Parks and Rec or the Outdoor Recreation program, you can visit our website at wwwmiltongagov, go to the parks and recreation tab and there is a slew of items to choose from, especially with summer coming up. We have a lot of camps coming up outdoor, indoor, all the things. Check it out. Until next time, stay safe, stay curious. Thanks for listening to Milton in Maine. We hope this episode gave you fresh insights into what makes our city so special. Stay connected and don't miss an episode by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite platform and following us on social media for all updates and, of course, if you want to learn more about the city, visit us online at wwwmiltongagov for resources, news and upcoming events. Until next time. Thanks for being part of the conversation and we'll see you on the next Milton and Maine.