The time has come! (the walrus said). We started packing up camp today. So much stuff!! Tomorrow the tents come tumbling down. A few people have already left camp. Understandable since when they were hired GMI told them that the field season ends July 15th. I can’t believe I’ll be home in a week (or so). I’m not exactly sure when we’ll be heading out, but most likely Tuesday or Wednesday this week. Chris, Ann, Taro, Kenny, and I are going to spend a few days in Silver City, NM going over data, making sure we have everything before we all go our separate ways. I can’t wait to shower every day. I may take two a day just because I can. :)
The past few weeks have been good. Busy, but good. I’ve been spending almost every day in the field doing observations on the owls. The owlets are getting so big! And so active!! It rains everyday now, at least a little, but usually a lot. Camp gets flooded regularly, but luckily no tent or sleeping bag casualties yet. We actually had lightning hit in camp a few days ago. It hit the top of one of the storage trailers. No one got hurt, although Chuck was awfully close to it. Sparks jumped out of wall sockets and one computer got fried. Lucky for everyone in our work trailer, we have a backup battery system (that allows us to work long after the generator is off) and several surge protectors so all of our stuff was safe. It was quite a jolt to the system though. The whole camp lit up and then BOOM!!!! I happened to be videotaping camp at the time, getting some “camp life” footage to show people back home, but the video does not do justice to the storm. Oh!! I almost forgot the most exciting news of all. Because of the rain, the forest has been reopened and all the fire restrictions have been lifted…which means campfire!! Every night and all day long since last weekend we’ve been having a campfire. It’s so nice to sit around after dinner and relax by the fire. Of course now me and my clothes not only smell of camp they smell like ponderosa pitch. But it’s a fair trade. Packing up my personal stuff should be interesting. Somehow I always end up with more stuff to come home with. And I know Chris has more stuff too.
All in all, it’s been a good season. Lots more work. Lots more responsibility. Definitely a good crew out here, I hope they come back next year. It will be nice to be home again.
Love and sunshine,
Stefanie ;)
