Rosanne S. McHenry

Rosanne McHenry lives in Auburn, California with her husband, Vernon. Their home is next to the American River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Rosanne has worked as a National Park Ranger and a California State Park Ranger in many different locations over the years, including the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Mt. Rainier National Park, Auburn State Recreation Area, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, and Death Valley National Park, among others. Her time spent on camping trips with her family as a child gave her a tremendous love for the outdoors as well as a deep understanding of how important it is to protect our natural resources. Trip Tales talks about how her childhood experiences shaped her decision to become a park ranger, and her first assignments working for the U.S. National Park Service in California and Washington. “Being a park ranger gave me a unique opportunity to talk to people about our natural world, and to instill a deep sense of stewardship in each person I met. This beautiful planet, our Earth, is our shared heritage, and we all play an important role in protecting it.” You can learn more at www.TripTalesBook.com Author Interview: Q: What are the funniest, best chapters in the book? A: The Stolen Picnic table and The Magic Pond seem to be the all-time favorites. The Stolen Picnic Table is about how my father was always frustrated with arriving too late to get a picnic table at a park. So, he bought his own table and we brought this to a park. But when we packed up to leave, we saw a line of people rushing towards us, with everyone racing to claim the prized table for themselves. There was a lot of confusion and a park ranger was called to the scene. My dad threw the picnic table into the back of the truck ... and we raced away from the scene in a panic! The Magic Pond story is about the time I discovered that all of nature waits for us to be quiet and still before coming out into the open. I was mesmerized by a crystal cool, clear, rainwater pond deep in the emerald forest. I sat there, captivated by the silent beauty of this scene. As I sat transfixed, the whole world began to emerge. Fish leaped out of the water, deer materialized from between the trees, a mother duck and baby ducklings paddled right past me, an otter swam by as daylight turned to dusk ... it was magical. I wondered to myself: Is this what nature really looks like? We miss so much of life as we crash along at high speed. We so rarely see the world right in front of us. Q: Who is the audience for this book? A: Everyone and anyone who loves nature, who longs for the joy of outdoor adventure, who finds excitement and thrills in the beauty of our natural world. Any anyone who loves to laugh out loud! For more information about the author please visit www.triptalesbook.com