changes

I've been through a lot of changes lately, all for the better I think. I was talking to someone about change yesterday and remembered something Mom always used to tell me: "Change is the only thing you can rely on." In effect, it's the one constant in life -- ironically, since the word itself suggests anything but consistency. But at long last, whether things are going well not, you can count on them to change.

My new digs

The most tangible change that has occurred is my move to a new housing unit, next door to my old one. This came suddenly and unexpectedly, but I am super happy with my new accommodations. I went from my tiny little compact 2nd floor room in the 1970s Forest Service bunkhouse to a huge bedroom on the first floor of this historic 1940s house. It sits in the middle of a giant lawn on a hill with apple trees and salmonberry bushes and forest all around it.

This one also owned by the Forest Service (leased out to the NPS), but it looks and feels much more like a home. There are only 2 other girls living there, both my coworkers, so it's nice and quite with lots of privacy and space.

My work is starting to follow a more regular schedule too, which is nice. I've been able to focus more on revising my programs, plugging away at my collateral duties, and taking advantage of additional opportunities.

One of these opportunities is a Certified Interpretive Guide course I am taking this month, administered by the National Association for Interpretation. It's a pretty big deal. The course itself has been a lot of review of things I've already had training on, but it'll be nice to have the official certification to put on my resume. 

When I'm not taking training courses or leading tours or talking to visitors, I've had a lot of opportunities to get out on the trails the last few weeks. One of my goals this summer during my trail roves was to find the illusive Ghost Slug, which I'd heard about from some other rangers. People always talked about them, saying they could be found on this or that part of the trail, but hard as I looked, I could never find one. Well, last week my luck changed!

The illusive ghost slug! With it's one lung...

On my way back from an hour out on the totem loop, I spied a ghostly white slug munching away at some detritus on the forest floor! Naturally, I was ecstatic and immediately down on my hands and knees trying to get pictures of it. You've got to admit: that thing is AWESOME.

From what I understand, it's just a white morph of our normal banana slug, but the fact that it's a called a "ghost slug" makes it way cooler. They creep me out to no end, too -- like all banana slugs, these dudes have one lung, a gaping hole on the right side of their bodies. They also collect food on the slime on their butts, and then twist around to eat it off their tails when they get hungry. Seriously, WHAT? I don't even....

So there's some nature for you, for the day. Maybe that's enough for the entire week.

And last but not least, a ranger glamour shot for you (mostly you, Mom and Dad!), taken yesterday out on the intertidal zone. Props to our fantastic park photography intern!

Photo by Katy Kildee