Chasing Teddy

Theodore Roosevelt. Nature. USA.

Trash Clean Ups.

Native Gardening for Wildlife.

It started as a road trip in the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt - exploring natural beauty from sea to shining sea, and it has turned into a passion for our Earth. Theodore Roosevelt lived life with great vigor and zeal. I hope to journey in that same spirit - climbing every mountain, jumping in every puddle, and engaging with every moment. Join me as I learn, volunteer, and grow as a champion for nature.

MLK Day Cleanup!

Original Plan: It's so cold. Let me fill one bag in a dirty spot and get back inside!

Amended Plan: It's not so bad in the sun, i can fill two bags.

Ultimate Result: Broken picker. 😕 One bag it is! I'll repair the picker and get back at it another day.

Thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr. for a legacy of service and community. Striving to prioritize those ideals every day! 🙏🙏

#MLKDayOfService #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #TrashCleanup #ProtectOurWaterways

Off today in celebration of my TWENTIETH work anniversary!

I don't talk about work often - I'm more of a "work to live" person, but I will take this occasion to be thankful for 20 years of steady paychecks and a roof over my head and food in my belly. I'm grateful every day for the ability to be comfortable and safe.

And mostly, for 20 years of forging friendships - from Scranton, PA to New York to the northeastern region, and now to a national team. I've met so many wonderful people along the way. (And since I've been working remotely since 2009, those comraderies have gotten me through the sometimes lonely days!)

Happy 20 Years to Me! And happy 5 pounds of trash removed from my neighborhood. 🥰💚

#TrashCleanup #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #ProtectOurWaterways

Our first BIG cleanup of 2025! 🥳🌎

28 pounds of trash and recyclables removed from Reddman Road. It always feels good to clear out this area that's so close to home, and always such a mess. 😢

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #TrashDate
#KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectWildlife #KeepNatureWild

I couldn't let this day of mourning for Jimmy Carter go by without giving a little back to my community. I was able to do a quick lunchtime cleanup. And fill my bucket with 3 pounds of trash and recyclables before my fingers froze!

Here's hoping the spirit of Jimmy Carter comes out in all of us this year. 🙏🥰

#BeLikeJimmy #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectWildlife #EastCharlotte

Trash and backyard birding - these two hobbies have lasted longer than most that have come before them!

Three pounds of trashed captured from Idlewild Road.

#TrashCleanup #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectWildlife

I'm forever grateful for a fresh start to meet a yearly goal.

2 pounds in the bin toward my 704 pound goal for 2025. Starting off strong. 😉

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #TrashCleanup #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #ProtectOurWaterways #2025Goals #ProtectWildlife

Our obligatory pre-crying and post-crying photos. 😍🥰😭💚🩷

And the making-of our shirts - thank you, Katie, for making them happen!

"We're just two friends -
two good friends -
two best friends -
Sharing one wonderful day!"

@wickedmovie #WickedMovie

On Black Friday, don't fall for corporate hijinx - clean up instead!

That autumn sun 😍

Four pounds of trash and recyclables picked up from our Idlewild neighborhood.

#TrashCleanup #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #ProtectOurWaterways #EastCharlotte

15 pounds of trash from Reddman Road. Our lovely neighbor walks this way every day, so we keep digging away at it to try to improve her walk.

This trash did not smell great, if you couldn't tell from Brian's face. 🤢😵

#TrashCleanup #TrashDate #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #ProtectOurWaterways #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepPlasticOutOfOurWater

5 pounds of trash picked up from the neighborhood today - getting harder to find the litter amongst the leaves. 😆🍂🍁

#KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #TrashCleanup #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #ProtectOurWaterways

Sunday adventure at Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary - a good little haul from the creek area. We also met a new friend who was doing his own cleaning, including hauling a chair out of the marshy area on his bike - thank you, Kit - always great to meet another eco-warrior!! @not_puce

When I'm broken and don't know how to move forward -

I can do this.

This, I can do.

Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum

Cheers to our Carolinaversary!! One year in Charlotte. It's easy to clock the year when the seasons come and go.

Grateful for the autumn transition, and for always year of enjoying the food, sports greenways, and fun in our new home! 🥰

9 pounds of trash today removed from our Idlewild neighborhood.

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper #ProtectOurWaterways #TrashCleanup #EastCharlotte #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride

Lunchtime Trash Cleanup!

I was begging for cool weather, but whoa whoa whoa - too cool.

To accommodate, the sun reveals itself from behind a cloud.

No. Too hot. I'm sweating now.

Autumn in NC.
(five pounds of trash/recyclables)

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #TrashCleanup
#ProtectOurWaterways
#EastCharlotte #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper

Cleaned up the neighborhood while pondering the devastation a couple hours west of us. Hopefully, an opportunity to lend a hand over there is in my future.

Have buckets, will travel.

#KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #EastCharlotte #QueenCity #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #TrashCleanup #ProtectOurWaterways

A day late for Global Cleanup Day, but Campbell Creek Greenway doesn't mind!!

41 pounds of trash and recyclables removed from the greenway with my sister @jendellazanna and @brysoulchild

@darbywilcox told me to tag her if I wear her bandana anywhere cool - what is cooler than a trash cleanup, y'all??

#charlottegreenways #TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #ProtectOurWaterways #KeepNatureWild #wildkeepers #CLT #QueenCity #CampbellCreekGreenway

Cleaning up Reddman Road one hotspot at a time. 25 pounds of trash, 25 or so minutes of doing good together.

#TrashDate #DoGoodTogether #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #EastCharlotte #ProtectOurWaterways #TrashCleanup #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper

My road is clean, my sister is in town, September has arrived! Good stuff. 🥰💚

3 pounds picked up from Idlewild.

#TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper #ProtectOurWaterways #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodPride #NeighborhoodCleanup #QueenCity #EastCharlotte

Trash Date!

We cleaned up a small section of Reddman Road in #EastCharlotte and came up with 21 pounds of trash.

Always more work to be done...

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepNatureWild #wildkeepers #NeighborhoodCleanup #TrashCleanup #QueenCity #ProtectOurWaterways #NeighborhoodPride

Did a quick round-the-block to remind myself that this makes me happy. This summer seems to have triggered somewhat of an existential crisis in me. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Let's keep going! 💚 And hope that it cools off soon.

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #TrashCleanup #NeighborhoodCleanup #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodPride #QueenCity #KeepNatureWild #ProtectOurWaterways #VoteForNature

Things not affected by the Crowdstrike thing: These Arms, baby! 💪💪

And the best thing happened. I was trucking along, when around the corner came TINA! We raised our litter pickers and buckets in the air as a cheers. What a joyful moment. I'm looking forward to seeing Tina again. It's so good to know we're not alone in our endeavors. 💚🫶😭😭🫶💚

#TrashCleanup #Charlotte #QueenCity #LoveYourNeighborhood #LoveYourNeighbor #LoveTheEarth #NeighborhoodCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #LitterCleanup

Got my four pounds for the fourth.
Wheel well included.

#TrashCleanup #NeighborhoodCleanup #Idlewild #CharlotteEast #QueenCity #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepNatureWild #Wildkeepers #ProtectOurWaterways

Tuesday Night Trash Date!

We went on a lovely walk in the neighborhood and picked up 9 pounds of trash and recyclables. 💚💚

#TrashCleanup #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #EastCharlotte

What a beautiful Juneteenth morning in Charlotte, NC!

I picked up 8 pounds of trash and recyclables from the neighborhood before work. I've started working my way through a residential section that Brian and I noticed is full of trash. I can't do the on-ramp during rush hour traffic. 🙅‍♀️

Wishing everyone a lovely day of reflection and forward movement. 🖤

#TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #PracticeRadicalEmpathy #LoveYourNeighborhood #LoveYourNeighbor #KeepNatureWild #ProtectOurWaterways

Happy World Sea Turtle Day!

We had the pleasure to spend it at South Carolina Aquarium @southcarolinaaquarium which is the home of a stellar sea turtle hospital and rehabilitation center.

And we were so enthusiastic during the "turtle talk" that they invited us to the behind the scenes tour! 💙💚💙💚

Be still my heart. We were able to go to the very top of the "big ocean tank" where the divers enter. Caretta Caretta the only resident sea turtle came up to say hello. They have rehabilitated and released 414 sea turtles back into the Ocean since their inception. Caretta stays because she was snatched from the shore as a hatchling and the people that took her to Canada could know longer care for her.

Along the way we heard stories about the animals, saw how their food was prepared, and learned how the water is treated.

This visit reinforced my already deep love for my favorite animal, the sea turtle. An excellent weekend in Charleston with @brysoulchild

#SouthCarolinaAquarium #WorldSeaTurtleDay #ProtectSeaTurtles

Sunday Volunteer Gardening at the native garden at Quest at Latta Nature Preserve - with @meadowscody and @brysoulchild - the gardens have become joyous with color and life!

Bonus trip to the Carolina Raptor Center - definitely a great day! 💚🌱🦋🌸🏵

#CarolinaRaptorCenter #QuestAtLattaNaturePreserve #Volunteer #NativeGarden #mecklenburgparksandrec

Continued the Idelwild/Independence on-ramp cleanup today on my day off. I would say the project is about halfway done! 🎉

5 pounds of trash today, but a word of difference, aesthetically.

The only sad part is that I didn't make it home in time for this haul to go out with today's trash pickup. The recyclables made it, though! ☺️

#TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectBirds #KeepNatureWild #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful ##wildkeeper

Today, I started working on the ramp to Independence in my neighborhood. There is a sidewalk, but the traffic stress is only manageable for so long, so it's going to take me a while. I'm also limited by how much I can carry back home.

The good news is that by the end of this I will be stronger, and Idlewild will be cleaner. 😁💪💚

#TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #KeepMecklenburgBeautiful #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper #NeighborhoodCleanup #NeighborhoodPride #LoveYourNeighborhood #LoveTheEarth #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectBirds #QueenCity

All day I thought it was going to rain, and it hasn't yet.

When I saw the sun shining, I thought I better get out there and clean another section of the neighborhood on this holiday.

The way is clear for me to start on the on-ramp to Independence. If you're a Charlotte person, you know this will be quite the project. 🥵💪

3 pounds today cleaned up from Idlewild.

#KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #TrashCleanup #CLT #QueenCity #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectBirds #KeepNatureWild #wildkeeper #NeighborhoodCleanup #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodPride

I always love exploring new sections of my residential neighborhood, but the heat has kicked in good here in NC.

The calculations of heat×hydration×weight=distance have begun. ☀️🥵

5 pounds of lots of things from the sidewalks and bushes.

#TrashCleanup #KeepCharlotteBeautifulCLT #LoveTheEarth #NeighborhoodCleanup #LoveYourNeighborhood #NeighborhoodPride #ProtectOurWaterways #ProtectBirds #kee #wildkeeper

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