More about me or how I became interested in Natural History (1)

As a preteen and early teen I was actively involved in profound understanding of insects identification and life history. But later my interests extended to ornithology, facilitated by a well-known oologist - a person specializing in study of bird's eggs - Wilson C. Hanna. He noticed my avid interest in Natural History and invited me to go with him on bird collecting trips. Since Mr. Hanna wrote many reports for ornithological journals, he wanted to include the names of the plants associated with the birds, even the materials used in nest building. This oriented my thinking towards developing a greater awareness of the plant world, as well as the multitude of interactions between all groups of organisms.
For several years I was employed as a technician at the former University of California Citrus Experiment Station in Riverside. With the establishment of the new University of California Riverside campus, a herbarium was needed for the department of biological sciences. As a locally known hobbyist in botany, I was chosen to establish the herbarium by my friend and professor of botany Frank C. Vasek. This overnight leap into professional botany was one of the most exciting events of my life. I continued in this position until my retirement in 1979. Another person who has contributed to my devotion to Natural History was much revered desert scientist Edmond C. Jaeger.