Hello Hello! I am finding it hard this season to keep up with the dates and all that I am getting up to here in the Big Bend. I’m taking it as a good sign that I am in the right place for this winter! Given I am in such a remote place for the winter, it is surprising to me how many neat opportunities I have had to learn and grow.

One of the best things I have been able to get involved in here is Dark Sky programming. My past few seasons with the park service I have been wanting to learn more about constellations and the night sky, and this park has helped me get into it. Every Saturday I have been helping with constellation talks and telescope viewings with Ranger Jason, and I have learned a ton! I even got to give my own first 10-minute talk this past Saturday.

In addition to night sky programs, we have just started up with Evening Programs and I am giving two different programs based on the Ampitheater I am presenting at. One is a program on the bears in the park and the other is a program on the night sky and our solar system!

Day to day work in general is always fun and dynamic. I like the slower pace of this park, sometimes it can be boring, but it is also nice to continue to have intentional conversations with visitors and be able to simply relax at the desk. I get to hike on the clock at least twice a week, and explore new areas to advise visitors on, learn for my programs or just hike for a workout.

With a slower paced park, there are more opportunities to shadow and get involved in other divisions. One of the coolest things I got to do here was go up in our park plane. Yup, Big Bend has a private federal plane with a commissioned pilot we use to patrol the park, and I got to go up in the air with him. It was roughly a 2-hour patrol flight, and I got to fly over most of the park and see things from a new perspective up in the air.

One thing Big Bend goes big for is the holidays. Since most of us live far from our families and do not have ease of travelling home, the park brings the holidays to us. We had a wonderful community Thanksgiving dinner potluck, a holiday auction, and I was also invited to a smaller Thanksgiving the Friday after at my friend Christy’s house.

And of course, once thanksgiving ended, I gathered some decorations and set up my house with a small tree and Christmas lights to make it feel more homey.

Michael has seemed to be enjoying the holidays at LBJ as well, they are giving Saturday night open house tours of President Johnson’s boyhood home. Michael serves as the bouncer, letting people in and keeping an eye on things.

But of course, nothing beats being together, and how lucky am I that Michael was able to come out and visit me for 4 wonderful days. We hiked and explored all over the park, I took him to some great trails I was saving for us to check off together. Day one we did Lost Mine and Santa Elena Canyon.

Day 2 we hiked Emory Peak, the highest point in the park at 7,825′ and watched the sunset at the Fossil Discovery exhibit. Then Michael made me some great ribs for dinner!

Day 3 we hiked Ernst Ridge and Michael had to head home, but we had such a fun time together, and will get to be together for Christmas, which is great, just a few short weeks away!

Have a great holiday season with your family, this one will look a little different for me, but I am feeling so blessed for all the love and support I have from everyone. Until next time, Ranger On!