Day Six. I don't know why I'm extra exhausted today because we actually didn't work as hard as we had been working earlier this week, but it's 8:30P.M. and I am about to pass out! We finished the last segment of the fence in about an hour and a half for a total of half a mile of fence removed. We were going to pull out the actual fence posts, but they're pretty far stuck into the ground and Roger couldn't find the fence post remover. I actually pulled a couple out with my bare hands. I am the Hulk!!
It was cloudy this morning. After we gave up on pulling fence posts, Roger drove us back to the bunkhouse and ran off a couple project ideas for us around the bunkhouse. We had an early lunch and a quick nap (which is pretty typical for lunchtime, nowadays), and got to work. Beth, Jenna, and Steph measured all the rooms of the bunkhouse for Roger so that they can re-carpet/tile it. Michelle, Becky and I started re-graveling the paths that are landscaped between the bunkhouse, the lab, and the casita (a small one-room house). We basically just shoveled a bunch of rocks from a pile of gravel into an old wheelbarrow, dumped them on the path, and spread them out.
Afterward, we all went over to the Swinging H House and continued painting the wall around the garden. Roger actually took the time to give us a tour of the buildings we haven't seen yet: the casita, lab, and the inside of the Swinging H House. The lab is just for the researchers that come to the Ranch. There was a freezer with a ton of dead specimen inside: mice, quail, rattlesnake, etc. There was also a frozen dinner in the freezer... No comment.
So, mostly all we did today were easy jobs, so it wasn't too labor-intensive. We went on a hike when we ran out of paint because we finished pretty early and still had some daylight left. We hiked to the top of a hill and had a wonderful view. We are completely surrounded by mountains and hills. When we got back, Beck and I made dinner: Mac and cheese, grilled veggies, and broccoli. We do not go hungry in this house! Then, we finished decorating the backs of our T-shirts. They all turned out really cute. It was nice to bring out our creative sides. Mine is kind of off-center, but I'll get over it! I drew a barbed wire fence on the front, and a cactus and agave tree on the back. I don't really know what else to write tonight because I'm so tired.
I'm actually sad that tomorrow is our last work day here and I really don't want to leave. I love it here! I love the bunkhouse, and I especially love the work I get to do here because it's a cause that's important to me. As we reflect, we talk about how much we like Roger's appreciation of us and just how fun it is to listen to him talk. We can all tell that he really cares about what's going on at Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch and the cause it represents with the National Audubon Society. Roger actually found the fence pulled, so I think we're going back and pulling the rest of te fence posts from the ground to complete our half-mile mission! Apparently, Lawrence got its first snow on the ground, and I am so glad I am not there to drive in it and bear the cold.
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