Author Event: Bad Naturalist by Paula Whyman (moderated by Julie Borneman)

Join Birch Tree Bookstore and Foliage Plant Shop for a environmentally conscious conversation with Paula Whyman and her new book Bad Naturalist. The discussion will be moderated by our very good friend Julie Borneman; author of Northern Virginia Native Plants for Homeowners and owner of Watermark Woods Native Plants in Hamilton VA.

About the Book

With humor, humility, and awe, one woman attempts to restore 200 acres of farmland long gone-to-seed in the Blue Ridge Mountains, facing her own limitations while getting to know a breathtaking corner of the natural world. When Paula Whyman first climbs a peak in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of a home in the country, she has no idea how quickly her tidy backyard ecology project will become a massive endeavor. Just as quickly, she discovers how little she knows about hands-on conservation work. In Bad Naturalist, readers meander with her through orchards and meadows, forests and frog ponds, as she is beset by an influx of invasive species, rattlesnake encounters, conflicting advice from experts, and delayed plans--but none of it dampens her irrepressible passion for protecting this place. With delightful, lyrically deft storytelling, she shares her attempts to coax this beautiful piece of land back into shape. It turns out that amid the seeming chaos of nature, the mountaintop is teeming with life and hope.

About the Author

Paula Whyman's first book of nonfiction is Bad Naturalist. Her earlier book, You May See a Stranger, is an award-winning linked short story collection. Her writing has also appeared in The Washington Post and The American Scholar, and in journals including McSweeney's Quarterly, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, and The Hudson Review. She was awarded residencies by MacDowell, Yaddo, VCCA, The Studios of Key West, and Oak Spring Garden Foundation. Her work on this book was supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council. She spends her time on a mountain in Virginia with her husband and a mercurial standard poodle. Visit Paula online at paulawhyman.com

About the Moderator

Julie Borneman is a 17-year Loudoun resident originally from Northern Illinois, where she grew up along the Mississippi River. Julie is a VNLA Certified Horticulturist Chesapeake Bay Landscaping certified. She also currently serves on the Rural Economic Development Council for Loudoun County. Before becoming passionate about wildlife, Julie worked professionally as a computer analyst and training coordinator. She lives in Hamilton with her husband, Chris, and two teenagers where they work hard running Watermark Woods Native Plant Nursery, the only pesticide-free nursery in Loudoun County.