so, blogging is proving difficult again the second time around. my apologies. i cannot believe how exhausted i am at the end of the day. a 3month hiatus from working is taking its toll! but it feels SO GOOD at the end of a long service day. we have been having some really great group projects and some really good weather! on thursday i had a "site visit" -- at the beach! and it was 60 degrees & sunny. rough life.
we have been clearing a lot of invasives.....phragmites and japanese knotweed....clearing some trails........planting beach grass......and it is the start of WET Fest season (water festivals for grade school kids). at my IPs, i am busy researching the water quality of brewster ponds.....not as exciting as i had hoped, but i am looking forward to putting everything together to make a website. with the chatham conservation foundation (CCF), i meet craig at his house, hang out with his family for a bit and then we get to work....going out to different land parcels and document abutter violations. the past week we took a trip to hyannis to go to HOME DEPOT! exciting. i felt like i fit right in wearing my carharts & work boots. we purchased chains and 4x4s to block off access to some private land that locals are using for their own pleasure. we got it done! it was a good day.
i have been also trying to get some hours with IFAW. i spent my veterans holiday day there helping with paperwork stuff and then i got to help with a common dolphin necropsy the sunday after thanksgiving! it was great to get my hands dirty again down in woods hole. i helped with sampling the animal, but hopefully will get some cutting time one of these days!
americorps kids also got to hang out at the beach in brewster on tuesday night looking for washed up & stunned ridley turtles. they are the rarest sea turtle in the world and get cold stunned when the temp begins to drop. we didnt find any, but i did see a dead one during the day at my IP in brewster. it was cool, but not as cool as a dead seal, i am afraid.
i stayed here for thanksgiving and had a huge meal with 14 other americorps alum/current members at my friend amanda's house. SO much food. i spent the rest of my time hanging out in hyannis. watched a lot of movies, played some cribbage, sampled some cape cod beer, took a small hike and attempted some shopping on friday in the pouring rain. it was a nice, relaxing 5 day break!
so now i am looking forward to heading back to wisco for christmas and new years. the weather isnt too bad here yet, so i am dreading snow and cold.
i am headed up to portland, maine tonight for a concert with 2 guys from the house. i am excited to leave the cape & explore portland some more. & of course, to continue to bond with everyone in the house. i am finally becoming part of the group and people have been saying that it feels like i have been here the whole time, so thats great!!!
enjoy your weekend!
(& these pictures....)
sunset at low tide at ryder beach
wellfleet alum at thanksgiving
dead ridley turtle at a brewster beach
(only 4,000 left in the world!)
w. dennis beach in w. dennis on a gorgeous 60 degree day in december!
most of the house clearing trash at the ptown community garden site!
