"'Round the bend, the sun is in the sky it's starting to look like it's gonna be, yeah, it's gonna be a bright beautiful day."

I am going to be interpreting at Pawtuckaway State Park.

http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/pawtuckaway-state-park.aspx

http://newhampshirestateparks.reserveamerica.com/campgroundMap.do

It's decided.

Megan and Rachel are at Franconia Notch. They couldn't be more pleased being best of friends and getting to live in the White Mountains.

Peter is at White Lake, my second choice. This is going to be great for him, especially since he gets to join the Monadnock interpreter at the end of the season.

Speaking of Monadnock, Sylvia got the Monadnock/Greenfield location.

Jessice is staying at Bear Brook.

And I, I am going to be spending 1-2 days planning things at Bear Brook and then I will commute to Pawtuckaway and spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday there. Camping.

Yeah, be jealous. I get to camp by a lake in beautiful New Hampshire every weekend starting at the end of June and going to Labor Day.

Of course it would have been amazing to live at Franconia Notch, in the White Mountains in the middle of a National forest for free. I cannot deny that it wasn't breathtaking there. But my main turn-off, believe it or not, was that there was one lake in that park and they don't have canoeing or kayaking. Plus, since this location is one of the most popular in the state, it would be insanely busy much of the time. FYI, Franconia Notch was my third choice.

White Lake would also have been spectacular. You get a whole small house to yourself (a lot of it is used for storage, it doesn't have AC or heat and the shower is cold water, but still.) and you live right next to a moderate sized glacial lake with crystal clear waters and a sandy bottom. You get a bike to ride around the camp ground. You are right at the feet of the White Mountains. What more would a person want? Well nothing, but this interpreter will only be there until Labor Day and then they go to Monadnock. I will explain in a bit why this is what turned me off from White Lake even though it was my second/almost my first choice.

Let me just get it out of the way that Bear Brook was not an option for any of us. Jessica automatically gets it because she doesn't have a car. Good thing because I can only imagine that it would be on the bottom of everyones list including mine. Who wants to stay here the whole time? Well, I'll get to that a little more later.

Monadnock/Greengfield-This was on the bottom of my list. I didn't want to go here. Greenfield was nice enough. It didn't speak to me all that much, though. It wasn't until we got to Monadnock mountain that I knew I couldn't be at this location. This mountains is the most climbed mountain in the United States and the third most climbed mountain in the world. Amazing, huh? Wouldn't it be cool to work there for half the interpreter-ship? Of course it would, if you were in good shape. My particular physique is not built to climb mountains. As part of our tour, we hiked a mountain trail. I thought I would be fine but they chose one of the steepest trails. I made it 1/6th of the way and knew that if I tried to go further I would push myself too hard. This is why I hate hiking with large groups of people. Everyone goes at their own pace. I was behind everyone else and I was holding them up. If I had been hiking alone or with 1 other person I would have gone whatever pace was best for me and not felt bad. But I couldn't have 7 other people waiting on me all the time. Plus, being a proud person, I would have tried as hard as I could to keep pace and would have injured myself. I've never climbed a mountain before and at 3,000 feet high I probably would have gotten elevation sickness. What I'm trying to say is that given another chance with 1 other person who is patient, I could make it to the top. I didn't make it on Monday and though I was disappointed with myself I knew that I made the right decision in not pushing myself. That doesn't mean I wasn't a little ashamed. The point is, there would be no guarantee that I would be in the shape I need to be in order to hike this mountain 1-2 times a day several days a week every week in September and October. I have made a goal to make it to the top of that Mountain before I leave here, it's just not my destiny to be an interpreter there.

So now we get to Pawtuckaway. Two weeks ago we had a service day and then had pizza dinner at Pawtuckaway. The second I got there, I felt a thrill. Just past the shelter was a beautiful, wooded boulder landscape. Almost like a labyrinth of rocks within the forest. (Hopefully those of you who are coming to visit will get a chance to see it). I walked excitedly around the rocks, letting my hands trace their gigantic shapes. A little ways along the path I could see blue. Water. A lake. A huge lake! And bordering it, these huge granite boulders. I abandoned caution and climbed my way up. And there I was on the face of this boulder looking out at the water. It was so beautiful and I thought "I can see myself here. I don't even really need to see the other places. I like it here."

Of course I saw the other places and realized how wonderful they were as well. For a time I fell in love with White Lake, it was so lovely. I also considered Franconia Notch as a first choice but that was really only because I felt like trying to take advantage of living in the Mountains. As I said before, Monadnock didn't ever really appeal to me. After more time and deliberation I realized that Pawtuckaway was where I was meant, nay, DESTINED to be.

When the other asked me what finally made me decide my choice, I told them it was just a feeling. The more I thought about this place, the more I knew that Pawtuckaway was the state park I was supposed to work at.

And so even though there is the smallest amount of regret because I won't be in or near the White Mountains, I am happy and really looking forward to my summer.

One other potential benefit is that according to last year, the Sunday program took place at 2om which might meant that I can go to the morning sacrament meeting somewhere near Pawtuckaway. I'm not getting my hopes up on that, though.

What else is there to look forward to? Well, in 4 days I get to see Juli, Elise, Beckie, Kirst, Mom, Dad, Max, and SADIE!! I am so excited. I am going to spend the weekend cleaning and getting ready. Also we have only 1 more field trip to do with the 4th graders! I love doing these field trips, but I think I am kidded out for the time being.

Okay, so that is the news. No pictures, all words.

See many of you soon!

"Take this sinking boat and point it home, we've still got time. Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice, you've made it known."

Why do I keep forgetting that when I sit in the comfy leather chair for too long it gets hot?

Oh well.

I love lost.

Many more pictures on the way.

Moss is so cool.

Guess who made a spider on a rainy day?

Long-horned beetle. Pretty cool, huh?

Heh. This dragon fly did a hand stand for the camera.

Here is my long-horned beetle friend again. Look at those antennae!

Okay. So for a little more an explanation. Wednesday was rainy and the kids who were going to come on a field trip to Bear Brook had to cancel. We felt so bad that we worked on making pet rocks for each class. This is one of them. A toad. Look at the fly on his tongue! And the paper feet! So cute. And put in a box with real leaves and pine needles.

Here is the outside of the toads box.

These are my favorite. The two salamanders. The spotted salamander and the red-spotted newt. In their own little hand made vernal pool. So cute!

Random picture of a frog some kids caught on Thursday.

There are those salamanders again. I would be so psyched if I were a kid!

These are the "rainy day" haikus that we wrote for the kids and put in each pet rock habitat.

Another haiku chilling next to the toad.

Megan wrote cute little instructions for each class on how to take care of their pet rocks.

This is the moose habitat. I helped with this one the most but the outside was done by Rachel.

There's the moose I made. Actually it's a free floating moose head. A little creepy, but you try finding a rock that looks like a full moose body! He's living by a pond I painted for him with rocks and branches from the outdoors. That is how we spent to majority of our morning that rainy day. It was so much fun! If only we could do that every day.

Going back in time, on Monday we went to White Lake and Franconia Notch which are two places that we have the choice of working at this summer. We went on a walk near Franconia Notch to see the Flume. A waterfall flowing through the steep granite walls in that park. This is a Jack in the Pulpit plant. I have been waiting all spring to see one of these. You should see how excited I got when I saw it!

Here is a view of part of the White Mountains from the parking lot of Franconia Notch.

A view from White Lake State Park

The lake at White Lake is a glacial kettle lake. Formed by the movement of rocks caused by glacial movements. The hole left behind is filled. There is no outlet or inlet. The bottom is clean and sandy and the water is clear. Halfway across the lake the water is no deeper than your waist.

Here is another view of the lake. The park is at the feet of the White Mountains. A wonderful location.

More of The Flume. Beautiful cascades!

We had to walk up a lot of stairs. I admit that I thought of Lord of the Rings.

We could feel the spray of the water.

These are the trees that ledges jutting out of sheer rock.

Trillium! This pretty flower has just started popping up. Love this plant.

Farther up, the water is mostly a stream tumbling its way to the flume.
Rachel sits in the thinker pose trying pose in the perfect senior picture pose.
We didn't see any bears.
More pretty waterfall!

All the Interpreters! Going up, we have Sylvia, Peter, Me, Rachel, Megan, Jessica. Some of us are going along with what I suggested and are saying "FLUME!" Others didn't like the idea so SOME of us (namely me) look silly while others look just fine.

Count how many rocks standing on other rocks you see. I know the picture is small. People get down there and leave these rocks behind. It was cool to see.

Covered bridges. I hear that there is a covered bridge festival in New Hampshire in the fall. When I told this to Rachel she laughed. I guess it is a little silly to think that covered bridges are lovely. I'm like Strong Sad.

Heart Stump.

Megan is King of the World!

So, I am hot sitting on this chair.

We have been leading field trips for kids that last two weeks. Little 4th graders running around. We take them on an activity hike and then ponding at a vernal pool. It's been so much fun and a taste of what we are going to be doing for a lot of the summer.

Some classes are great, others are less than thrilled at being in the sun and bugs. It's a challenge, but I love it! This is one of my favorite parts of doing what I do.

We are going to see one more park on Monday and then put in our preferences. Hopefully by the end of the week we will know where we are going to be placed. I don't even care about seeing the last park. I just want to know!

Then we have 4 more field trips and then it's another weekend, and then I get to see the FAMILY! Mom, Dad, Elise, Juli, Beckie, Kirsti, and Max and Sadie.

That's all I got.

"2x3 is 6 and 3x6 is 18 and the 18th letter of the alphabet if "R"."

So, as promised here is the blog that is going to blow you away.

Well, not really.

It's just the blog that is going to take you on a visual journey of Earth day, a brief two picture journey of my birthday, a a good long road trip of planting day.

Get ready.

This is the lovely hat that everyone has to wear for their birthday. Everyone also has to add something new to it on their birthday. I have yet to be struck with inspiration.

This is the amazing Birthday Banner that Megan, Rachel, Will, and Sarah made for me. Note all the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars details! Oh, and Rachel decided to be funny and add "team Jacob" there. I am indeed team Jacob if I were to consider myself on ant team involving Stephanie Meyer's vampire novels.

Someone kicked me in the ribs.

Just kidding. Actually a tree fell on me and I got a flail rib fracture.

Still kidding. I had to pretend that a tree fell on me and that I got a flail rib fracture. They had me don the bruise makeup to make it more realistic. The joys of Wilderness First Responder training.

Here I happened to be near an explosion of fireworks which threw me down a hill and under a bench. I fractured my femur which severed my femoral artery which bled out. I also had various minor lacerations and superficial burns. I eventually died of shock because my care givers started putting traction on the wrong leg. It was a hard day.

Once I died I got this lovely B written on me designating me a black patient. Black means dead.

Luckily I was resurrected so that I could revive a woman who had been struck by lightning. We also had to carry out another woman who had a bleeding fracture wound properly tractioned. I was during this litter carrying journey out of the back country that I suffered my second "falling waist deep into the mud" experience in as many SCA internships. See Tuesday August 5th 2008 post.

There I was walking next to the litter in the marsh. There wasn't enough room on the boardwalk. I wasn't afraid to get a little dirty. As I walked in the muck next to the boardwalk we came upon some standing water. I was a little hesitant. Who knew how deep it was? I tried to get the attention of the other litter carriers but being below them (literally. walking in the marsh meant I was walking below them) they didn't hear me very well. "It can't be more than ankle deep" I thought. So on I went. And with a mighty splash and a surprised gasp, I was waist deep in the mud with my left leg sinking deeper and deeper.
At first everyone was concerned but as soon as I managed to hoist myself onto the boardwalk and it was sure that I had avoided the clutches of the very "sucky" mud laughter began to ring out from every corner of the woods. I laughed along of course because more than anything I was relieved. This time, unlike last time, I managed to remember to put my cell phone into a safe place. It was not ruined and I was just glad to be done with the day.

Now we have several Earth Day pictures. It was a fun and successful day and TONS of fun. It was also beautiful.

This is a picture of kids playing with homemade bubbles and bubble makers.

Henna! This was a huge hit.

Abby plays the pine cone toss with the cutest little girl.

Martha face paints! This was also very popular.

Puppet show! There's me as a squirrel, Jeremy's wife as Desmond the dog, and Max and Peter as aliens.

The parking space. Nature right in the middle of the city!

Paper making! Those kids are so creative.

Little boys learning to mix it up.

These boys were singing a song by The Jackson 5. How cute? Very.

Mixing it up with the Apostles. These guys were great by the way.

This dog looks like it might be choking to death. Or sneezing.

Here are our wonderful rapping MC's the Apostles. They were actually quite entertaining.

Sidewalk chalk!

The backs of the puppeteers and the crowd that came to see our first show. It was a pretty good crowd.

Here starts the section concerning planting day. This is the before of the garden. Not too bad but not the nicest place in the world.

Step 1: mark where we want to start digging for EXPANSION!

Step 2: give 40 kids something to do.

Step 3: Dig up all that sod. What a nice line of child labor workers...I mean...

Step 4: Conquer roots and look triumphant!

Step 5: stop listing steps. These are some of the girls who helped decorate rocks.

Along with the garden, the kids mulched various locations at the front of the school.

This girl worked all day for us and had a blast! She wins the most motivated prize.

This is Dominique. She killed the plant she is cradling by stepping. She deserves to look forlorn.

Showing off the first stage of the sign in the cafeteria.

Showing excitement!

There she is again. I wish all the kids were as hard working as she was. We would have finished in half the time.

Painting the bench.

Working on the sign.

The soil shovelers. They had fun finding centipedes.

Here is one of those centipedes. It's on my hand. It was freakin' awesome.

More mulching at the front. Teyvon worked really hard that day which was surprising because he's one of those kids who needs constant supervision. I mean constant. He has a teacher aid follow him around the whole day.

And here it is completed! Me and my team had a City Year take this triumphant picture.

One view.

The bench.

This sign was from last year but the rocks are this year.

The completed sign and the sign crew members.

Having fun rock painting.

View 2 of the completed garden.

So there it is.

Would you say I have a plethora of pictures?

I have to tell you, with picture posts I find that I am nowhere near as eloquent as I have to potential to be. Maybe that has something to do with that 1000 word rule put on images. All the words they have to say are taken so I can't think of any others.

Things are going well. Interp season is starting and we are getting into the swing of things.

No I don't know what park I am going to be in. I wont know for a couple more weeks. Stop asking me.

If you want a good way to contact me during the day and most evenings ask Jeanne Lambson. She has a number that you can call. It's the number to Bear Brook and it is likely that someone will answer so ask for "Lambson" and they will find me. Most people call me Lambson now.

Other than that, Happy Mothers Day, Happy Birthday to Steven and Juli if I don't get a post done before those days. My mid year break is in 17 days and counting.