Outdoor Diva Dr. Leah M. Vucetich, wildlife ecologist
Summer Solstice 2007, we were interrupted in the middle of a cold beer and Prairie Home Companion in the Yurt to fetch a female wolf that had washed up on an outer island of Isle Royale National Park. Three days of flies and maggots later, Leah butchered the wolf so we could keep writing. That morning she baked us a carrot-cake. "Oh my god," I said (mouth agape and pupils dilated), "You are a dream woman aren't you -- carrot-cake in the morning, butcher a wolf in the afternoon?" She just smirked and said that it was hard cutting off the wolf's face. The gulls had removed one eye before we got there, Leah said she wished they had gotten both. Certainly the four days of maggots got to her. She told a story of sitting next to a freshly dead moose in the woods on a still day and hearing a whisper-like noise, suddenly realizing it was the noise of thousands of maggots moving through the grass near the carcass.
On the trail with full pack, this 50-year-old woman can grind 18-year-old interns into dust. She lives and works for 5 months of the year in a designated wilderness area, spends weeks at a time on and off trail living out of her pack, picking up the bones of a wolf-killed moose, radio-collaring wolves, measuring balsam fir, watching and diagramming moose at mud-licks buzzing with mosquitoes and black flies. Yet, at the same time you might hear her refer to moose and mosquitoes as "someone," or she might spend days trying to live trap and release "grey babies" (tiny mice just out of the nest that happened to be in our shed after we evicted their mother). She might also bake you a carrot cake -- or cut your face off.
Nominated by Dr. John Vucetich and Dr. Michael Nelson.
Comments (5)
This is Leahs older (and also quite a diva myself) sister.
There is no one who deserves this nomination more than my little sis. She does it all. And carrot cake isnt the only thing she does well: she cooks, bakes, disects, analyzes,reports, sews, gardens.......well, you get it, everything.
She is the best
I pass the tiara
Love
Barb
Posted by Barb Cayo | November 2, 2007 5:42 PM
Posted on November 2, 2007 17:42
Leah is definitely a DIVA and an active outdoor one at that. If she was one of those pretentious "indoor" DIVAS she would have already removed the ugly wallpaper from her new home. :) (Tho I am sure she does not have the time since she is busy keeping up her woodland DIVA status!) BTW - she is probably the sexiest woman in the woods.
Kisses to Leah the one and only "true" DIVA that deserves to be crowned with the tiara her sister has so lovingly passed on!
Posted by David Gedemer | November 2, 2007 5:56 PM
Posted on November 2, 2007 17:56
All of us at Valley Income Properties think Leah is the DIVA of all Divas. Congrats on being nominated and we support you all the way! Go Auntie Leah!
Richard and Jeff
Posted by Valley Income Properties Staff | November 2, 2007 6:01 PM
Posted on November 2, 2007 18:01
Leah has had a love for animals and the outdoors since she was knee high. She nursed a baby robin from egg to adulthood feeding it raisins and worms. She was the zookeeper of the neighborhood rescuing dogs, cats, mice, gerbils, hampsters, birds, and many others that I am sure I blocked out! The most exciting rescue of all was that of Salomon. Let me try to explain. Salomon was a boa constrictor. I really should not have to say more but I will. Salomon was a family adventure. She wore him like a divas boa around her neck. So, what I am trying to really say is that her diva status started at an early age.
Leah was always at the top of her game. In school....socially...and in the family. We love her and all of the adventures she brings to our lives.
In addition to field work, she teaches in the classroom, scuba dives, snow shoes, cross county skis, excercises and finds time to take care of her family. She is an all around Diva in my eyes!
Love Mom.
Posted by Loretta Cayo | November 2, 2007 6:26 PM
Posted on November 2, 2007 18:26
You go girl! I mean, DIVA!
Posted by The Benicek's | November 4, 2007 3:43 PM
Posted on November 4, 2007 15:43