Learning everyday!

I had my first observation this week and my supervisor, Julie, is so awesome! I really enjoyed hearing her thoughts and ideas about how I could tweak my program to get the most out of my time with visitors. So with her ideas and feedback I continue to learn about what it really means to be a ranger in a national park.  Everyone here is supportive and willing to share their experiences, tips and help out in general.  It is really  like a big family for the most part.

 I wish each visitor could stay in the park for days but that simply is not possible for most people given their busy vacation schedules.  Many people don't realize how much there is to see and do in the park.  This park is a hidden treasure! You could spend one day on just looking at the formations, another at the plants and another at wildlife.  I went out into the prairie this week and took photos of the different grasses, just grasses!
(Those will be up soon).

Funny story: I went to give a talk on the fossil trail and as I arrived a gentleman was on his hands and knees with a stick in his hand on the far side of the trail. HUMMMMM, this doesn't look good.  Sure enough they had found a rattlesnake and he was trying to get it out of the little crevice the snake had tucked himself into.  So he was nicely asked to step up on the boardwalk and then I was able to keep others on the boardwalk in that area while I was there.  Cool snake, interesting guy:) Lots of talking to visitors that "rove" since everyone wanted to see the snake-makes for good contact numbers to report at the end of the day.

My awesome story this week:
It rained two evenings ago and the clouds were big and dark.  Not a big drenching but enough.  I looked out the window and honestly, the sunsets get prettier and prettier.  The sky was orange and so bright as just on the horizon the sun could peak through as it went down for the evening.  Unbelievable oranges, then purples.  As I turned around to look the other way the most spectacular double rainbow was in the sky over the other end of the park I can view from my quarters.  I wish I could report that my camera caught the whole thing but it didn't.  If it ever happens again I will make it a point to use both cameras.  I was breathtaking to say the very least.  The air was sweet, the temperature cool and all is right in the world:)

We have a program with some students today so I am helping with that project and although my plate is full I am soaking in every moment.  I love learning all these new things and having so many people around that seem to really enjoy their work even with the demands it places upon them. My hat's off to all!
Blog you later!