Sooo.... this is tough stuff....

Wednesday was the worst day here in Florida by far. We pulled spartina from 7-11:30, sorted the plugs from 12-4, then did a 1 hour and 21 minute PT, then quickly showered and went on a Walmart run (which is a 20 minute drive), then got back to base camp around 9, Jo and I had to cook dinner - we busted that dinner out so fast it was ridiculous, ate at 9:30, team meeting around 10... I had other things to get done before bed and didnt get to sleep until 11:30 and had to wake up at 5:45.

Oh my dang, it sucked.

Thursday was such a hard work day because of it. No time to relax the day before and jumping into 9 hour work days is ridiculous. And the heat index was 114 yesterday! It's been tough.

Today's work day went by a lot quicker. We pulled from 7 to about 9 as a team and then started rotating people out of the sun and into the shade to start sorting. Aaannnddd I got 7 1/2 hours of sleep the night before so I was well rested.

This is the field I work in everyday:

Each plant you see there is a spartina bush. We dig 1/3-1/2 out, our sponsor comes around on his mega golf cart pimped out with mini monster truck tires and halls it to the shade, where we then separate everything into 2 inch plugs. Then it is taken to the planting site (which we will see/work in tomorrow) and is planted.

Very exciting work, I know. This is a picture right before the sun came up over those trees. If I could only explain how miserable it gets after that. The morning humidity doesn't effect me all that much, but as soon as the sun hits my face, I want to kill myself.

I complain a lot, but obviously I don't mind all that much. I haven't quit yet. I enjoy the idea of working in a field and being able to tell people I know everything about spartina digging. It's something I would have never in a million years done if I hadn't joined the AmeriCorps and for me that is what this whole experience is about. Trying new things and new lifestyles. I'm not going to rush out and get a job in farming/environmental/conservation work, but atleast I know what it's all about and can say I have done it!

Ending this post with a picture of the lovely Kari, excited no doubt, about Spartina digging: