winter ?

my mom sent me an e-mail today saying that it was -25 with the windchill in sheboygan. i was playing tennis outside today near the harbor with alex in sweatpants & long sleeves & was perfectly fine. i am a little apprehensive about going back to wisconsin at the end of the week!
i have had the opportunity to do some pretty cool things in the last couple weeks. the first was working with the herring river warden in wellfleet. we basically just put on some hip boots and cleared muck and leaves out of the river all day....and it was AMAZING. i had e-mailed the warden prior to our service day with him, not knowing we would be working with him at any point, expressing interest in joining "friends of the herring river", which is a group devoted to cleaning up the river to re-establish the herring river population. i saw a presentation about it and thought it would be a great group to join, as i was looking for some other hands on experience to get while i am living out here. after he made the connection of who i was, jeff (the warden) made me his "right hand man" for the day -- so that was pretty cool, because he gave me a little tour of the river and lots of background info on it. it's probably getting cold soon, so i probably won't be doing much with the group now, but hopefully in spring.
i am also becoming more involved with my IP at the stranding network, which i am very happy about. i recently went on a "treasure hunt" for a dead seal on the beach in wellfleet and was successful (prior volunteers couldn't find it) and photographed for the stranding network. this past saturday i did level a data training with them and learned how to take skin and teeth samples from dead seals and cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises), as well as take necessary measurements. so now i have a toolbox in my car and can respond to any dead animals that i want to! i also got a call tonight after service and have been asked to help with a necropsy on a stripped dolphin tomorrow! so of course, i am super excited to work with more dead animals, especially because stripped dolphins are not that common in cape cod.
the corps has been doing a lot of WET fests at local schools, teaching children about water on cape cod and how to protect it. it can be a little daunting and repetitive, but the kids really seem to enjoy it. we also helped out at a christmas party for children's cove, a safe-haven for sexually abused children, helping make crafts for gifts.
and of course, we are still having fun! for sam's birthday we tried CONTRA DANCING in woods hole. it's a lot like square dancing. we were a little hesitant at first, but it was a great time! because of the abnormally warm weather, we ventured out to the national sea shore one sunday and did some hiking on the salt pond trail. this past weekend we celebrated korinda's birthday by going out in hyannis -- where we were surprised to find a LOT of young people, and a pretty good cover band.
i leave for boston on friday night and fly out on saturday....i am excited to be back in wisco a bit to see friends and family....and will be on a hiatus from blogging.
see you in the new year !!!

much love,
ABBEY


lisa & i at children's cove xmas party....
















meg & i at the top of doane rock in the national sea shore.....















our group clearing out the herring river....

necropsy

i failed to write about my first NECROPSY! (or animal autopsy). i got to assist with a female gray seal necropsy today with the stranding network and it was AWESOME. i really only got to write down information about the different organ systems as the others were cutting them out of the body cavity, but i got to touch a lot of the organs. before we were started they were really excited about some unusal scars on the seals stomach because they couldn't figure out what they were from. but we were in for a TREAT (??) when we cut her open. she had an enlarged lymph node that was rather odd, but as we moved down her body we found a huge tumor mass in the abdominal cavity that was attached to what we thought was the liver.....but it was actually an enlarged spleen that was about 10 times the size it should have been! i was informed that that was probably going to be the most exciting necropsy i was going to experience, as the others had never seen anything like that seal before. either way.....i enjoyed every second of it and i can't wait to do it again and hopefully be able to cut up some stuff! (& i don't care how morbid that sounds!)

all suited up & ready to go!.....

misty & CT starting to cut open the seal.....

thanks.

i have realized that i suck at blogging. i often get caught up in the heat of the moment in the house and by the end of the night i am too exhausted to type up what i have been doing. however, i do appreciate everyone who reads this and then nag me to update!
my turkey break was wonderful. thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday....lots of delicious food to eat....spending time with friends & family.....good conversation....not all the hype & stress of christmas.....& time to reflect on what i am thankful for (i take that part very seriously).
so with that being said, here it goes.....
i am most thankful for my family, especially my parents. we do not agree on everything, somedays ANYTHING, but they have never failed to show support and love in all that i do, especially during my time here in AmeriCorps. which brings me to the 2nd thing i am thankful for....being HERE. each day is different and some days are better than others, but i don't wish to be anywhere else. even though i have only been here about 3 months...wisconsin feels like a dream some days. my fellow corps members have become an amazing support system and i totally feel at home with them, as they accept me for who i am....crazy food phobias and all! life here has also given me time to reflect on the past and what has lead me to this point. if i could have one wish granted, i wish that my grandma woods could see what i was doing. i was not very aware of her lifestyle growing up, but i now realize that she was ahead of her time when it came to sustainablility, and the idea of "buy fresh, buy local". she was an amazing woman, and i regret that i could not learn more from her. i am not a religious person, but in some ways i feel that she helped me get to this place and i have a picture of us next to my bed so that she can enjoy this journey along with me. i am also thankful for my amazing friends who have always respected -- & encouraged! -- my "free-spirited" lifestyle and are almost as excited as me about being here. it was so great to have emily to come out here for thanksgiving and share the holiday with me. i must admit that it was weird to have my two worlds "collide", but i was so excited to show her my life here.
so, i guess that's all i have to say right now. like usual, i am tired after a long day and am at a loss for words. but, if you are reading this....know that i am thankful for YOU!

enjoy your evening....
love,
A

old man's fingers as hair @ great island.....

em & i at the thanksgiving table before we ate....

all of our leftovers....

loppering @ taylor-bray farm.....