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....