BBSP

Hello!

     A lot has happened since my last update.  It took us a few weeks, but we finished clearing the vegetation in the potential trail area.  The park likely won't know whether or not it will become a trail until long after we leave, but it was still a good feeling to reach the finish line. 

 

Here's most of us with our supervisor at the end of our "trail".  You can't tell through the trees, but the end of where we cleared was this bluff that overlooks a small river.

 It took blood, sweat and tears to get there.  But mostly sweat.  Lots of sweat.

     Since we finished clearing the trail area, we have started spreading gravel onto an existing trail that needs some TLC.  It is nice to not have to wear long sleeves to work anymore (we wore those in the denser area to protect us from poison ivy and poison oak).  It's also great to be out and about in the park, interacting with other volunteers. We will continue to spread gravel and hope to build a few bridges during the remainder of our time here.  Only 3 more weeks before we head back to Denver!  I'll have about 2 weeks there of out-processing, debriefs and goodbyes, and then I'll head home. =)

     The location of our project has given me some really fun opportunities on the weekends.  My aunt and uncle who live in Houston took me out to lunch recently.  It was great to see them!  

Another weekend, my team and I went downtown and saw a USA vs. Ireland rugby game.  I had never experienced rugby before, and it was pretty cool to watch!  Before the game, we got to explore Rice Village, a cute part of Houston near Rice University.  Can you see the photobomber behind us? Haha.

We had a great view of Houston's skyline over the BBVA Compass Stadium.

Then this weekend I got to travel around eastern Texas visiting relatives from my dad's side of the family whom I hadn't seen since I was a toddler.  It was so wonderful to see them and get to know them better!

     Well, that's all for now!  I'll leave you with some alligator glamour shots I got to take last week. 

Most often, I just see their eyes above the water like this before they slowly, silently sink out of sight.

So I was surprised when I saw this lil mama!  She was the first one I had seen completely out of the water.

She surprised me further by laying down and posing in the black-eyed susans.  Work it, work it girl!