Quilting, National Parks, and the Stories That Connect Them with Brooke Bauman
Megan FowlerOriginally recorded as an episode of The Quilt Scouts Podcast
There’s something about national parks that just sticks with you.
Maybe it’s the way the light hits the mountains at sunset. Maybe it’s the quiet hum of a trail under your feet. Maybe it’s the quilt wrapped around your shoulders at a campsite, holding a little bit of home while you’re out exploring something new.
This episode was originally recorded as part of The Quilt Scouts Podcast, before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound. You’ll hear the old name in the recording and transcript, but this conversation still belongs right here. Quiltbound has always been about creative exploration, using quilts in real life, and noticing the stories stitched into the places we go.
In this conversation, I sat down with Brooke Bauman, a communications specialist with the National Park Service and a fellow quilter, to talk about the stories behind our parks, the science that protects them, and the surprising ways quilting and nature overlap.
And yes, we absolutely talked about Junior Ranger badges.
Because obviously.
Listen to the Episode
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Episode Overview
In this episode, Brooke shares how her work with the National Park Service helps translate complex science into stories everyday visitors can understand.
We also talk about her family’s deep connection to Rocky Mountain National Park, learning to quilt from her grandmother, why park stories matter, and how quilting and nature both teach patience.
This conversation feels like a trail walk, a family story, and a quilting chat all rolled into one cozy episode.
Very on brand. Extremely Quiltbound.
Meet Brooke Bauman
Brooke works with the National Park Service’s Water Resources Division, supporting more than 430 park sites across the country.
And not just the big iconic parks we all tend to picture first, like Yellowstone or Rocky Mountain.
The National Park Service includes national seashores, recreation areas, monuments, historic sites, and so many other places that hold pieces of American history and natural wonder.
Brooke’s work focuses on science communication, which means she helps scientists translate research about lakes, rivers, groundwater, marine ecosystems, and other water resources into plain language that visitors and the public can understand.
Basically, she helps people connect to what they’re seeing.
And that connection is what makes a place unforgettable.
A Quilter’s Story, Passed Down Through Generations
Before Brooke ever worked with the National Park Service, she was a quilter.
She learned from her grandmother, an incredible maker who spent years turning fabric into something meaningful for her family.
That connection runs deep.
Brooke’s family has visited Rocky Mountain National Park for generations. Her grandfather visited as a child. Her grandparents honeymooned there. Family reunions happened there. Brooke grew up visiting the park, hiking with family, eating ice cream in Estes Park, and working toward Junior Ranger badges.
Which, honestly, is the dream childhood side quest.
Her grandmother also made quilts inspired by Rocky Mountain National Park, and Brooke now has some of those quilts hanging in her home and office as daily reminders of why this work matters.
A quilt. A park. A family story.
Come on.
That’s the good stuff.
Parks Are More Than Places
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was the idea that parks are not just landscapes.
They’re layered with stories.
Brooke talked about how powerful it can be to hear a park ranger explain what you’re looking at: how a canyon formed, why a landscape looks the way it does, what happened there hundreds or thousands of years ago, and how science helps us understand and protect that place.
She shared an example from Black Canyon of the Gunnison, where listening to a ranger explain the geology of the canyon completely deepened the experience.
Same view.
Totally different understanding.
That feels a lot like quilting to me. A quilt can be beautiful on its own, but once you know the story behind it, who made it, why they made it, what fabric they used, what season of life it came from, it becomes something else entirely.
Story changes what we see.
The Small Details Are the Magic
It’s easy to visit parks with bucket-list energy.
Get to the overlook.
Take the photo.
Buy the souvenir.
Check it off.
And listen, I love a good visitor center souvenir. I am not above a sticker, a mug, or an oddly specific magnet. Let the record show.
But Brooke encourages slowing down and noticing the small details too.
The way light changes across rocks and water.
The smell of rain on dry earth.
The texture of tree bark.
The sound of water moving differently throughout the day.
A quiet conversation with a ranger.
Those little moments are often where the magic lives.
And for quilters? Nature is basically handing us a live color palette study. Texture, contrast, repetition, movement, composition. It’s all right there, just casually being beautiful like it has no idea we’re about to turn it into fabric math.
What Quilting and Nature Teach Us About Patience
We also talked about the overlap between quilting and being outdoors.
Because quilting requires patience.
Nature requires patience.
Brooke shared how quilting has taught her patience through tangled thread, seam ripping, and learning the basics on her grandmother’s sewing machine. Very relatable. The seam ripper humbles us all.
She connected that to the way nature works too.
Sometimes weather changes your plans.
Sometimes wildlife does not show up on cue.
Sometimes the trail, the light, or the day does not do what you hoped it would do.
Both quilting and nature remind us that we don’t control everything.
We show up anyway.
We stay open.
We try again.
And maybe we pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, because Brooke confirmed it is an elite park snack.
Leave No Trace and Caring for the Places We Love
One of the biggest takeaways Brooke shared was this:
We’re not just visitors.
We’re stewards.
She talked about the importance of Leave No Trace principles, including planning ahead, staying on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly, leaving what you find, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of others.
Or, in the simplest possible version:
Leave it as good as you found it, or better.
That’s something I’ve talked about with my own kiddo too. He’s five, so naturally every idea becomes a full Q&A panel, but I love that. These are the kinds of lessons worth repeating.
We care for these places because we want them to be here for future generations.
For our kids.
For their kids.
For the next person standing at the overlook, wrapped in awe and maybe a quilt.
How to Slow Down in a Park
If you only have one afternoon in a park, Brooke’s advice is beautifully simple:
Be present.
Sit still for a few minutes.
Notice how the light changes.
Pay attention to textures, colors, and patterns.
Let curiosity lead.
That’s it.
You don’t have to conquer a trail or build a whole itinerary around peak productivity. You can just be there.
For quilters, that kind of observation can become creative fuel. Maybe you notice a color combination you never would have pulled on your own. Maybe a rock formation gives you an idea for quilting texture. Maybe the rhythm of a trail becomes the start of a pattern idea.
Or maybe you just sit quietly and let your nervous system remember that the world is bigger than your inbox.
Also valid.
Quilting Outside the Sewing Room
One of the fun threads in this episode was talking about quilts in the wild.
Brooke had not yet taken a quilt out for hiking photos at the time we recorded, but by the end of the conversation, I feel like we may have planted the seed.
Taking a quilt outside for photos or a picnic or a stargazing night is one of those things that can feel a little silly until you do it.
Then suddenly the quilt feels different.
More alive.
More connected to the place you brought it.
That’s why Quiltbound has badges like Hiking for Quilt Photos, Picnic on a Quilt, Stargaze on a Quilt, and Quilt Photography. They remind us that quilts don’t have to live only in the sewing room.
They can come with us.
They can hold memories.
They can be part of the adventure.
Ways to Get Involved with National Parks
If this conversation makes you want to connect more deeply with national parks, Brooke shared several great places to start.
Find a Park Near You
Visit the National Park Service website and use the tools there to search by location or topic.
You might find parks, monuments, historic sites, seashores, or recreation areas closer to you than you realized.
Try the Junior Ranger Program
Many parks offer Junior Ranger opportunities through visitor centers. Kids can complete activity booklets, scavenger hunts, and park-specific learning activities, then earn a Junior Ranger badge.
There are also virtual Junior Ranger opportunities online, which is such a fun option if you can’t visit a park in person.
And for the record, adults can absolutely be emotionally invested in their child’s Junior Ranger journey.
Ask me how I know.
Look Into Volunteer Opportunities
The National Park Service also offers volunteer opportunities where you can work alongside park staff and help protect park resources.
This could be a beautiful way to connect with a place you love in a more hands-on way.
Explore Artist-in-Residence Programs
This one made my quilter brain light up.
The National Park Service offers Artist-in-Residence opportunities that allow artists to spend time in parks and create work inspired by those places.
And yes, quilters count as artists.
Imagine creating a quilt inspired by a park while actually spending time there.
That’s not a side quest. That’s a full-blown creative pilgrimage.
Why This Conversation Matters
This episode felt like such a beautiful reminder that quilting connects us to people, parks connect us to place, and storytelling connects everything together.
Whether it’s a quilt passed down from your grandmother or a trail your family has walked for generations, these things matter because they hold our stories.
And when we slow down enough to notice, we start to see how connected it all is.
The fabric.
The landscape.
The memory.
The people who came before us.
The people we’re making things for now.
That’s the heart of it.
Want to Explore More?
Start here:
National Park Service:https://www.nps.gov
Use the site to find a park near you, search by topic, learn about Junior Ranger programs, explore volunteer opportunities, and look into Artist-in-Residence programs.
And if this conversation sparked something for you, maybe your next quilt starts with a hike.
Or a park visit.
Or a color palette pulled from the way the mountains looked at sunset.
Earn Outdoor-Inspired Quiltbound Badges
Inside the Quiltbound Badge Club, members can explore badges that connect quilting to real-life adventures, including quilt photography, hiking with quilts, picnicking on quilts, and stargazing.
Some badges teach techniques.
Some badges invite you outside.
All of them are designed to help quilting feel more creative, connected, and alive.
You can learn more about the Quiltbound Badge Club here:
https://quiltbound.com
Resources Mentioned
National Park Service:https://www.nps.gov
Find a Park:
Available through the National Park Service website.
Junior Ranger Program:
Available through individual park visitor centers and online through the National Park Service website.
National Park Service Volunteer Opportunities:
Available through the National Park Service website.
National Park Service Artist-in-Residence Program:
Available through the National Park Service website.
Quiltbound Badge Club:https://quiltbound.com
Related Quiltbound badges:
Hiking for Quilt Photos, Quilt Photography, Picnic on a Quilt, Stargaze on a Quilt
Note: This episode was originally recorded before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound, so some older names, links, and references appear in the audio and transcript.
About The Quiltbound Podcast
The Quiltbound Podcast is a cozy, campfire-style quilting podcast for quilters who want more creativity, confidence, and connection in their quilting lives.
Episodes explore quilting skills, creative ruts, tools, design, community, outdoor adventures, and the small moments that help us grow one stitch at a time.
You’ll find solo episodes, quilter interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of permission to let your next creative idea start on a trail, in a visitor center, or somewhere under a very dramatic sunset.
Episode Transcript
Below is the full transcript from this episode of The Quilt Scouts Podcast for accessibility and reference.
Note: This episode was recorded before Quilt Scouts became Quiltbound, so the transcript uses the original Quilt Scouts language to match the audio.
Read the Full Episode Transcript
Brooke Bauman (00:00)
And in that way, think that quilting has been
a great teacher of patience for me. And you know, I see parallels as you mentioned to nature. I think that when you visit parks, nature is such a great teacher of patience. You know, for example, sometimes the weather may bring in a storm and it may steer you away from your plans of taking a hike or you know, maybe you visit a park and you...
have this goal of really wanting to see an iconic animal that the park is known for. And during your visit, you may or may not see that animal. So that type of experience is a really great reminder to recognize what is in and out of our control and just being patient for future opportunities if something doesn't work out on a certain day.
Megan (00:50)
Welcome to the Quilt Scouts podcast. I'm Megan, your quilt scout leader and fellow adventurous quilter. This is a cozy campfire chat for quilters who crave creativity, community, and a gentle nudge to try something new. Each week we'll talk about quilting, and the small adventures that help us grow more confident one stitch at a time. I'm so glad you're here. Let's get into it.
Megan (01:17)
Today, I'm sitting down with Brooke Bowman, a communications specialist with the National Park Service who works in the Water Resources Division, supporting more than 430 park sites across the country. Yes, over 430. Not just the big iconic parks, but national seashores, monuments, recreation areas, and so much more. Brooke's work focuses on helping scientists translate complex research about lakes, rivers, groundwater, and marine ecosystems
into stories that everyday visitors can actually understand. In other words, she's helping make the science behind our parks accessible and meaningful.
here's the part that makes this conversation extra special for us. Brooke is also a quilter. She learned from her grandmother, an incredible quilter who passed down both skills and stories. And that intergenerational connection weaves beautifully into her love for places like Rocky Mountain National Park, where her family has gathered for generations. From junior park ranger memories to quilts inspired by Alaska wildlife.
Brooke's story is a reminder that parks aren't just landscapes. They're layered with family history, creativity, patience, and perspective. If you've ever wrapped up in a quilt at a campsite, hunted for the perfect visitor center souvenir, or felt inspired by the way light hits the mountains at sunset, this conversation is going to feel like home.
Megan (02:39)
Brooke, welcome to the Quilt Scouts podcast. How are you doing?
Brooke Bauman (02:42)
I'm doing well. Thanks for having me.
Megan (02:45)
Yeah, thank you. I'm really excited for this episode. I know we were just chatting a little bit before we started recording, but this is going to be such a fun crossover episode for our listeners and our Quilt Scouts members, know, a mix between quilting and outdoor exploration. And you work for the National Park Service, but you are also a quilter. So tell me a little bit about your story,
Brooke Bauman (03:08)
Yeah, absolutely. So I will begin with a little bit about my quilting background. So my grandma is an amazing quilter. She has dedicated a lot of her life to the craft of learning how to, you know, translate beautiful fabrics and pull them into a beautiful quilt to share with, especially her family members.
And so, know, that as a personal thing has been really valuable to me to learn that that art form from her have that intergenerational connection. And professionally, I have been working for the National Park Service for the past two years. my career in public engagement has really focused on science communication. I'm a
communication specialist with the Water Resources Division of the National Park Service. And in this role, I'm able to help hydrologists and marine ecologists communicate about what types of technical assistance that they can offer to parks. And you know, this place of science communications, it's really a form of public engagement.
because we really want to make sure that all aspects of our work in the NPS are accessible to the public and that includes science. really this is about helping scientists translate technical topics into plain language. In other words, in plain language, essentially I'm helping people understand how parks use science to protect and preserve resources.
Megan (04:46)
Okay, I love that. So making the science that happens, I guess, behind the scenes at the national parks more digestible, more understandable for the public consumption. that okay? Cool. very interesting. I actually didn't realize that's what you did at the national park system.
Brooke Bauman (04:55)
Exactly, yes.
Yes, that's correct, yeah.
Megan (05:01)
Specifically
Brooke Bauman (05:03)
resources. So you can think of, you know, lakes or groundwater or rivers, all the different bodies of water that make up the waters of the Park Service.
Megan (05:15)
Okay,
is there a specific national park that you work for, work within, or do you cover all of the national parks?
Brooke Bauman (05:23)
Right, so this office that I sit in is supporting all of the parks within the National Park Service, and that's over 430 parks within the system. So it really covers quite a wide range of locations across the country.
Megan (05:41)
430. That's more than I would have realized. So it's not just the national parks, because it would also be, it encompasses what, national forests and what other, not state parks, right? I guess that would be something different. What types of parks are we talking about?
Brooke Bauman (05:55)
Yeah, great question. So when a lot of people are thinking about, know, what national parks have I heard of, they may have heard of some of the most popular parks that have that national park label associated with them. But when I say that there's over 430, those can encompass a lot of different parks within the National Park Service so that can
Megan (06:07)
of yeah.
Brooke Bauman (06:19)
a national seashore, a national recreation area, a national monument, the list goes on and on. And so that kind of broadens the expanse of what the National Park Service really is and also broadens the expanse of the American stories that these parks share.
Megan (06:26)
⁓ yes, okay.
⁓ I love that. Yes, that's a much broader picture than I was in. I think most of us probably initially picture when we're talking about national parks, but yes, I mean, it covers so much more than just, you know, Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain, iconic ones that we think of. So, interesting. Okay, well, so before we dive in any further, I have to say I am a huge national park fan and my family is a huge fan of the national parks I feel like that some of our favorite memories is getting to hike and explore and
Brooke Bauman (06:55)
Totally.
Megan (07:07)
the perfect souvenir from the know the visitor center and so much of that has really shaped what we do in quilt scouts too. The from just the aesthetic or like the merchandise that we design, the patterns, and just having that adventurous spirit. Like one the badges is the hike for quilt photos badge so getting outdoors, exploring the outdoors, appreciating what we have here.
Brooke Bauman (07:10)
you
Megan (07:29)
finding the perfect spot for like that quilt photo, the quilts in the wild photo is like, so I feel like iconic for so many of our members. it's just so, I feel like part of our DNA over here at Quilt Scouts. So this conversation is really coming full circle for me. And the fact that you're a quilter on top of it is just so perfect.
Brooke Bauman (07:35)
I love it.
beautiful.
Megan (07:48)
Was there a specific park experience that made you realize that this something that you wanted to dive deeper into or really focus on with your work?
Brooke Bauman (08:00)
Yeah, I really appreciate that question and that's so beautiful to hear about your connection as well to the National Park Service and nature in general because I think that really speaks to the mission of what the Park Service wants to do for American people. So for me personally, Rocky Mountain National Park has been a really special place for me and my family.
So my grandpa, when he was a boy, he used to travel from Michigan to visit as a child. And then when my grandpa and grandma were married, they went to the park for their honeymoon. And then they continued to travel there with their kids. so, you know, as that, family grew during my childhood, the tradition continued and we would visit Rocky Mountain National Park.
for reunions with our family every few years. And I remember hiking together, eating ice cream in Estes, and working towards our Junior Ranger badges. That was another really special part of our experience. Yes, I remember, yeah.
Megan (09:04)
You were a Junior Ranger? I love that! I missed out
on that experience. I wish I would have got to do that as a kid. That's so cool.
Brooke Bauman (09:12)
It was very special and I think that was a really beautiful connection point with ⁓ developing a relationship with my grandma. As I mentioned at the beginning, my grandma is an amazing quilter who has dedicated much of her life to the art. She's taught me everything I know about quilting. And she has been inspired by the park, by Rocky, to create...
some quilts to kind of capture that magic. And I'm lucky enough to have one of them hanging up in my office and one of them hanging up in my house. And I think seeing those quilts daily inspires me to go to work and help protect parks like Rocky to be able to protect and preserve those resources for generations to come.
Megan (09:59)
What a sweet and special story. Do you guys still visit Rocky Mountain?
Brooke Bauman (10:04)
Yes, the last time, so I actually live in Fort Collins, Colorado. right in my, ⁓ that's so funny, right down the road. I love it. Yeah, and so I grew up in North Carolina, and so having this park in my backyard, per se, has been really special to be able to continue to get to see it.
Megan (10:09)
I'm in Castle Rock.
Brooke Bauman (10:28)
A new experience for me has really been seeing the park in different seasons and getting to treasure what each season brings in the park and what the different types of activities that can bring has been really special. And my grandma has most recently been able to come visit, I believe that would have been about two years ago in the summertime. So that's been really special continue.
Megan (10:53)
Yeah.
Brooke Bauman (10:56)
that tradition as we can.
Megan (10:58)
Yeah.
That's when you're talking about Rocky Mount and I was like, oh yeah, that's just in my backyard. I know where that is. I didn't realize you were in Colorado. How funny. I haven't been, I haven't been to Rocky Mountain in a while though. I had a, I got to revisit it. But yes, like you said, seeing it through all four seasons, it's like a different experience every time you go, you know, the summer experience versus the winter experience. mean, the different animals that you get to see, it's just, it's beautiful. Yeah. All year round, all year round. It's beautiful.
Brooke Bauman (11:04)
Yeah.
Absolutely.
Absolutely. Yes.
Megan (11:24)
Okay, so how does storytelling help connect more deeply to national parks in their history? In your opinion.
Brooke Bauman (11:31)
Great question.
So I would say that, you know, as humans, storytelling is such a, it's a human thing. That's how we have evolved to learn information. And I think that, you know, thinking about the storytelling that draws people to the National Park Service, something that's so special is hearing park rangers interpret park stories. I think that they know.
the park content and the park story so well, and they're such engaging and effective storytellers. And I think it's just so powerful to listen to those stories about a park and help us really understand the context of why a place is the way it is today. And so, you know, I was just thinking about an example from some of my personal visits to national parks and
Recently, I visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison and was able to hear a ranger talk about the geology of the canyon. And, you know, I found it quite fascinating to be able to look over the landscape and listen to a ranger talk about the geologic events that led to the formation of the canyon. And I think that added such a depth to my park experience, my park visit. It really helped me begin to wrap my...
mind around how something so vast had formed.
Megan (12:58)
That's one of my favorite parts of visiting too is getting to learn the history, like you said, how it came to be in the first place and then maybe some of the more recent history as far as like the American history goes with it and the stories that go along with it. It always does. It makes it such a rich experience. And I'm a science nerd. I'm a science nerd too. So I mean I love, I love that part of it.
Brooke Bauman (13:14)
Absolutely, I totally agree.
Yeah, right, just being able to pick
up some interesting, fun facts to share with your people.
Megan (13:26)
Yeah,
exactly. And I of course I drag my husband, my husband likes it too, but my poor kiddo, he's only five and I'm sure he's just like bored to death. But I'm like, someday, someday you'll appreciate this and you will love it.
Brooke Bauman (13:32)
Aww.
Absolutely, I agree. think
that's a great way to approach it. know, national parks are for everyone regardless of age.
Megan (13:47)
100%, yes.
So I think a lot of us, visit parks with a like bucket list energy, right?
Brooke Bauman (13:49)
Perfect.
Megan (13:53)
I've learned that the magic is often in the tiny details like what we were just talking about like getting to have a conversation with the ranger or learn a little bit of history or science behind it. So what are some small details or overlooked moments in parks that you wish more visitors noticed?
Brooke Bauman (14:08)
Yeah, I love this question. think this is a really great framework to be thinking about. You know, I think that one thing I'd really like to share with listeners is that I believe that all of us, including as visitors, we can play a major role in protecting and preserving our landscapes and park resources, which is part of the core mission of the NPS. So we play an active role.
as visitors. And I would encourage folks to learn about the principles of Leave No Trace, to educate yourself on how to leave nature as unchanged as possible by your presence. So I just wanted to share a few of the principles of Leave No Trace. These are planning ahead and preparing for your trips, traveling and camping on durable surfaces.
disposing of waste properly, leaving what you find, minimizing campfire impacts, respecting wildlife, being considerate of others. These are opportunities to be good stewards of the parks that we visit. really the core goal of all of this is to improve recreation opportunities for not only...
us right now, but also future generations and making sure that we're being considerate of the resources that we are enjoying.
Megan (15:36)
Yeah, it's funny you reference the leave no trace. I was just talking to my son about this the other day. I don't remember why we started talking about it, but I had made the reference of like, well, we don't want to leave any trace behind. And he's five, like I said, so of course he's, well, what do you mean? Well, what does that mean? Well, why can't we do that? And all the questions, right? And we were trying to explain exactly that. It's like, we want to leave it how we found it or leave it better than how we found it would be ideal, right? ⁓
Brooke Bauman (15:51)
⁓
Absolutely. Yeah.
Megan (16:03)
And yeah, and taking care of it for future generations. And again, I just think of my son, like I want these places to be around for him and I want him to be able to enjoy them 50 years from now. know, such a good reminder. If someone only has one afternoon in a park...
Brooke Bauman (16:09)
Yeah.
Exactly, that's it. Yes, absolutely.
Megan (16:20)
How would you encourage them to just slow down and really appreciate what they're looking at and seeing in front of them?
Brooke Bauman (16:27)
love that.
Great question.
I would say that spending time outdoors is such a great way to inspire curiosity. And I think
Just being present and having that opportunity to observe a place and be still there is really powerful and very mindful. And it's powerful to just sit and observe how light hits trees and rocks and water and how that can change throughout the day or even as we mentioned previously, over a longer time span throughout the seasons.
And I think, you know, also too, kind of pulling in that mindset for artists, like your audience with quilters, you know, I think you can use these artistic observations to guide how you portray landscapes in your art form, whether that's quilting or painting. And, you know, I also believe that
Megan (17:09)
Mm-hmm.
Brooke Bauman (17:27)
This time outdoors is very grounding. It's very calming for the nervous system and can really help you slow down essentially practice mindfulness through observation.
Megan (17:39)
Yeah,
I can see that. Yeah. I know for me, feel like such a huge part of that is disconnecting from technology too. And very conveniently, a lot of times national parks have, you know, poor cell service, which I think is to our benefit, right? Just kind of disconnect, put the phone down. I think there's so many times we got caught up in trying to get the right photo and things like that and just putting that away and taking in, like you said, the sights and the smells and the sounds and just being mindful. I think that was a really beautiful way you put
Brooke Bauman (17:52)
Hahaha
Absolutely,
Megan (18:08)
So I love that you quilt. You are a quilter, like you talked about. Your grandmother actually taught you everything that you know about quilting. And I think there's such a deep overlap there, like you said, between experiencing and appreciating the outdoors and nature and our art form, which is quilting. As someone who quilts, do you see parallels between handcraft, patience, and just the way that we experience parks and landscapes?
Brooke Bauman (18:32)
Yeah, great question. I really love this one. so when I think about patience, I think that there are a lot of lessons that I personally have taken from quilting. So I have my grandma's old sewing machine that she bought in 2003. And I have had so many instances of it catching and making a big, big mess of the thread and
You know, I'm very well acquainted with my seam ripper to tear apart what I just sewed. And sometimes it feels quite frustrating that, know, exactly, exactly. It's just part of the process. You know, it's like, it feels counterproductive, but you just got to kind of go back through and take it out.
Megan (19:02)
Yes.
It's a rite As a ⁓ quilter.
Brooke Bauman (19:23)
And in that way, think that quilting has been
a great teacher of patience for me. And you know, I see parallels as you mentioned to nature. I think that when you visit parks, nature is such a great teacher of patience. You know, for example, sometimes the weather may bring in a storm and it may steer you away from your plans of taking a hike or you know, maybe you visit a park and you...
have this goal of really wanting to see an iconic animal that the park is known for. And during your visit, you may or may not see that animal. So that type of experience is a really great reminder to recognize what is in and out of our control and just being patient for future opportunities if something doesn't work out on a certain day.
Megan (20:13)
Do you think quilting changes the way that you see landscapes such as like the color, composition, repetition, texture?
Brooke Bauman (20:22)
Good question. I love that. I think that that's something that, you know, in my personal practice of quilting, I'm really looking forward to diving into more. You my quilting is quite, is quite, you know, I'm a beginner. To be honest, I'm still learning some of the, you know, simple practices of, you know, piecing things together, binding quilts.
⁓ I'm really trying to get into the habit of just doing it as often as I can and getting down some of those basics. But in my quilting practice, I have dreams of expanding my horizons and being a bit more creative with how to represent certain textures or...
different styles of quilting. ⁓ I'm trying to get into applique, so trying to expand my boundaries there. I honestly will look to some more experienced quilters to answer that one.
Megan (21:24)
Yeah, okay. I'm right there with you. I feel like I'm also relatively a beginner. I mean, I've only been quilting for five or six years, so and there's so much I still have to learn and I feel like I'm constantly learning. ⁓ I actually have not tried applique yet, so that one is on the bucket list. Right now, presently, I'm trying to teach myself Y seams, so that's my current quilting adventure.
Brooke Bauman (21:37)
Totally.
nice, yes.
Ooh, very cool.
I have not attempted that yet.
Megan (21:52)
This is a first for me. is a first for me.
Have you ever been inspired by a specific park to create a quilt?
Brooke Bauman (21:58)
great question. So in high school, actually, my grandma had visited a park in Alaska and had really actually been able to acquire some fabric with some iconic Alaska animals on it. And so I actually was able to work with my grandma to piece together a very basic but, you know, beautiful
meaningful quilt still that featured some of those iconic animals from Alaska. I remember, you know, tracing around Bald Eagle and some grizzly bears. It was a really special project to work on with her.
Megan (22:33)
Yeah.
that is sweet. love that. You said your grandma visited the park in Alaska. Which park?
Brooke Bauman (22:40)
Yes, yes, I have not
been to Alaska. Off of the top of my head, cannot remember at the moment.
Megan (22:45)
Okay, okay,
yeah, I haven't been to Alaska either. Again, it's on the list, it's on the bucket list. ⁓ So do you pack hand sewing on trips or does quilting live at home with you?
Brooke Bauman (22:50)
Absolutely.
Yeah, good question. I have not up to this point, you know, tried taking it out into the field. I think that's a wonderful thing to try. I just haven't gotten there yet. Just been quilting in my room at home.
Megan (23:13)
Yeah, no, can, it's a, it's a whole other, ball of wax when you try to take sewing and quilting outdoors. But I feel like I aspire to do that more too. I don't do it very much, but every once in it's nice to get a little hand sewing as you sit, you know, sit at your campsite or whatever. yeah, me too, right? I love the idea of it, but like the practicality of it, takes a little bit more.
Brooke Bauman (23:17)
Totally.
Yeah, I love that idea.
Totally.
Megan (23:34)
Okay, our Quilt Scout members and our listeners hike with quilts and photograph them in natural light.
Do you ever hike for quilt photos or take them out to get like a Quilts in the Wild pictures?
Brooke Bauman (23:45)
honestly, I'm inspired personally by this conversation. I think I'm always looking for new sources of inspiration and ideas for quilting. And I think that sounds like a lovely idea to take it out into nature, especially if you're using natural settings to inspire the quilting. I personally have not done that, but I...
I love the idea of it.
Megan (24:14)
Yeah, that's gonna be, have to be your next adventure next time you go for a hike or go to a park, take a quilt. I feel like half the battle is finding like the right quilt, right? The perfect quilt, small enough where you can pack it up and hike with it. Things like, like you have to take those things into consideration, right? You should totally try it. It's a ton of fun. And you get such pretty pictures, such pretty pictures.
Brooke Bauman (24:27)
Yeah, totally.
that's wonderful.
Megan (24:36)
So for listeners who may not visit national parks often, what's one simple way that they can start noticing and caring for the places around them?
Brooke Bauman (24:45)
I would say that just getting into the practice of visiting local parks as often as you can, even whether that's managed by a city, a state or a federal government, know, visiting a local park is really an excellent opportunity to immerse yourself in nature and also, you know, the American stories at the park.
has to offer, you know, you can begin practicing mindfulness as we talked about by observing the landscape changes throughout the seasons. And, you know, really I encourage folks to notice what you become curious about and, you know, maybe that will inspire more research, engagement, or hopefully a quilting project.
Megan (25:30)
Is there one small habit that people can adopt that can make a big difference?
Brooke Bauman (25:34)
Great question. I would say, know, honestly, I encourage folks to visit nps.gov if they're interested in learning more about national parks and some of these, you know, we mentioned in this, there's over 430 parks to learn about. So I would just encourage you honestly to go to the website and
See if there's any parks near you or even you can also search for parks by topic. So if there's a particular topic that you're interested in delving into, I would encourage you to explore the site and see if there's more information there, especially attuned to your personal interests.
Megan (26:23)
So I will make sure to include that in the show notes, the link to because there is the find your park feature, right? You can find parks near you, or you said you can filter it by topics. Okay, that's good to know.
Brooke Bauman (26:30)
Absolutely.
Yeah,
absolutely. I think that's a really great opportunity and, you know, even in preparing for this, I search for, you know, National Park Service and quilting since that has not, you know, necessarily been the focus of my work in water resources. But, you know, there are absolutely park stories centered around quilting experiences.
Megan (26:53)
Mm-hmm.
Brooke Bauman (27:00)
And so I encourage folks to delve into that and look for those opportunities and stories.
Megan (27:07)
How can creative people, quilters, artists, makers of all sorts, participate in conservation?
Brooke Bauman (27:13)
Great question.
I would say, I think this kind of comes back to what we've talked about, but I love the idea of, you know, being present in these landscapes and taking the opportunity to learn about these park stories, learn about the park resources, you know, and that may open up more curiosity about, you know, delving in further.
to these stories and really becoming inquisitive to learn more, to see what you personally can do to protect and preserve these resources.
Megan (27:52)
as we kind of wrap up the interview, I want to do, like a rapid fire question. Are you up for that? And you just go with your gut. Don't overthink it. so sunrise or sunset in a park.
Brooke Bauman (27:56)
⁓ sure, yes.
say sunset.
Megan (28:04)
Mountains, desert, forest, or coastline.
Brooke Bauman (28:08)
Good question. I'd say mountains.
Megan (28:11)
Okay, mine too. This one's an oddball one, but Favorite Park Smell.
Brooke Bauman (28:17)
Ooh, good
question.
I love the smell of kind of fresh rain. I think it's petrichor. there's a word to describe it. Yeah, it's such a lovely smell.
Megan (28:26)
is that what it's called? I didn't know that.
I agree, yes that's a good one. A park snack that you always bring.
Brooke Bauman (28:36)
Often it's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It's a classic.
Megan (28:40)
That's the perfect hiking snack.
Yes, it's classic. It's packable, you know? And then last one, hand quilting or machine quilting?
Brooke Bauman (28:49)
for now machine quilting.
Megan (28:51)
Okay,
okay, very good. Thank you. So Brooke, if listeners are feeling inspired and want to learn more, whether that's following along with the National Park Service, planning a visit, or just staying connected to the stories, where's the best place for them to go? Is there a website or like an Instagram handle that you recommend?
Brooke Bauman (29:09)
So I would recommend going to nps.gov for more information about the 430 plus parks in the National Parks System. As we've mentioned, there's opportunity to search for parks by state or by topic to learn more about what you're interested in or look locally to what is near to you.
And also on that site you can find the social media outlets for the National Park Service. There's the national account or if you're interested in a specific park story you can go to individual park websites and find their social media information or park information there.
Megan (29:53)
Okay, and I will make sure to link that in the show notes so we can make it easy for people to find. And then as far as ways to get involved, we had kind of talked about this a little bit, but there's the Find Your Park campaign, which you can go and search for national parks. There's the National Park Foundation, right, which supports parks through donations and programs. then we also talked a little bit about the Junior Rangers program, which you said you were a Junior Ranger, but that program is still happening, right, for kiddos that want to be Junior Rangers.
Brooke Bauman (30:16)
you
Absolutely.
Megan (30:21)
Can
you talk a bit about the Junior Rangers program? Because I would like to know more and I'm sure our listeners would too.
Brooke Bauman (30:25)
So when you go to visit a park, I would look for opportunities in the Park Visitor Center for Junior Ranger opportunities. So often, you know, you'll go to a park visitor center and you can have a conversation with a park ranger to get yourself and your kiddo acquainted with the
the parks programming for becoming a Junior Ranger that might involve some sort of scavenger hunt or workbook as you're going through your park visit and may even at the end come with a little Junior Ranger badge. So we encourage folks to seek out those opportunities in parks and then there are also opportunities.
on nps.gov for Junior Rangers to participate virtually as well. if you can't make it to a park in person, worry, there's opportunities online as well.
Megan (31:24)
I didn't know that, like a virtual experience for, like I said, if you can't get there physically. that's really good to know.
Brooke Bauman (31:27)
Yes. Exactly.
Megan (31:30)
I'm gonna have to dig into that a little bit more. I love that. Because I got to miss out on that opportunity as a kid, but now I'm just gonna get to live vicariously through my kiddo. He's gonna have to be a junior ranger so that I can experience it.
Brooke Bauman (31:33)
hehe
That's awesome.
one other way that folks can engage with national parks is for volunteer opportunities. And same thing, go ahead and search nps.gov and go to the volunteer section of the the website. And there should be plenty of opportunities. Especially you can look for topics or
parks that are of interest to you to really get engaged and work hand in hand with park staff to help protect and preserve the park resources. And another opportunity that may be of interest to some of our quilters in your audience, there is a artist in residence program that the National Park Service offers to provide
short but really meaningful opportunities for artists to live at parks and dedicate time to create art for the park. So you can go ahead and go to nps.gov and search for the Artists in Residence program and learn more about how you could potentially get involved at a park that's of interest to you.
Megan (32:57)
I love that. That sounds really fun. Like talk about an adventure. And I'm guessing that's open to all artists. So painters, photographers, and quilters would be included in that, right? ⁓ I have to, see you're giving me inspiration too. We're inspiring each other this episode because I'm going to go, I'm going to be digging around on NPS Gov today looking for fun things. So thank you.
Brooke Bauman (33:07)
Absolutely, yes.
Okay.
I
love it. absolutely.
Megan (33:19)
Brooke, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and talking to us about what you do at National Park Service and your experience as a quilter. ⁓ This was such a fun conversation and I just really appreciate you taking the time to do it. Thank you.
Brooke Bauman (33:32)
Thank
you, Megan. I appreciate you as well and have a great day.
Megan (33:37)
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