I've been hiding behind my words for too long, dear readers, and it's time I had a face! The Summit Daily needs help finding my image. Submit your drawings or pictures of Eartha Steward and win some very groovy green gear from the High Country Conservation Center. What do you think I look like?

Some have told me that I must be a wise, older woman with organic yarn and knitting needles in my lap. Others think I'm a rugged, tree-hugging, tie-dye wearing mountain woman. Still others think I must look like a Disney maiden, with bluebirds on my shoulder and flowers in my hair.

The truth is, I'm a complex woman. You probably know a fair bit about me already. You know that I'm an earth warrior, an avid recycler, a believer in a better world. You know that I despise PVC and that I love second-hand fashions.

You can probably guess I lean towards the bluegrass genre, eat a mostly vegetarian diet, am an avid skier, and spend lots of time in nature. But there are many things you don't know about me that have shaped my perspective.

A Colorado girl at heart, I've spent lots of time in Oklahoma and traveled all over Latin America and even Africa. My dream is to spend my days on a farm with chickens and goats, but I'm happy riding crowded subways around big cities (especially the T in Boston).

I'm definitely the odd ball in my family. My dad helps build power plants and even big dams. My grandpa was a Native American. My sister wears high heels and lipstick every day and my mom wonders where I got this “earthy” style. All of my family goes to church. Religiously.

Its true that I drive a truck (at least sometimes) — not a Prius. I have big dogs, really big dogs. And while I preach about their virtues, I don't yet have solar panels on my house.

I've spent more than a few days blasting skeet from the skies with a shotgun, have truly enjoyed snowmobiling in the backcountry, and I have lots of Republican friends and family.

I'll admit that I'm a Steelers fan and a part of the Red Socks nation. Yes, I watch sports and have been know to yell at the TV, and, in the case of the Red Socks, cry. But I don't like cheap beer, especially when served in non-recyclable plastic cups.

You see, just like many westerners, my perspective and subsequently my beliefs are hard to label so cleanly. Some are easy. I'm a treehugger, a greenie, an environmentalist. But that doesn't mean that I don't believe in responsible logging, hunting, or off-road vehicle use. To some my views on protecting our environment for future generations may seem radical, but to me, there is nothing more simple and basic than protecting the ecosystem that sustains us.

So, with a little more background to work with, help the Summit Daily find the right image to accompany my column (please, no horns or pitch forks). Submit your drawings or images to editor@summitdaily.com. The winning submission will sit next to my column each month and the winner will receive great green goodies, including a Recycling hoodie, an organic cotton High Country Conservation Center t-shirt, a stainless steel water bottle and more. The Daily will also throw in some gift certificates good at the Dam Brewery. So ... get drawin'!

Ask Eartha Steward is written by Carly Wier and Jen Santry at the High Country Conservation Center. To submit questions or column suggestions, contact them at eartha@highcountryconservation.org