Rain Check

I had a great day planned. I was going to get some sweaty outside work done in the morning and then I was going to get in the water and clean the rest of the steps into the spring. I had my swimsuit with me and the underwater housing for my camera so that you all didn't miss out on the fun. I was really looking forward to my first dip in the spring this summer. When I left the house, I realized that my plans were about to change. It was very cloudy and dark outside. I still stayed busy today though. Two steps from the front door I noticed a dragonfly on a plant in my garden. It was very tolerant of me and I got some cool pictures of it. I love the way a bug's face can look human or even cartoon-like when you get close to them.
I went about my usual morning business, opening the park, and the morning paperwork. Then I took a walk around the park while I could before the rain started. I was so happy to see that the rocks in the middle of the spring were visible from the cabin porch today. The spring is able to push the dark, tannic water almost halfway out of the spring run now. The rocks are hard to see in the photo because of the tree reflection, but they are almost exactly in the middle of the water.
I had another cool bug encounter. The little pile of sticks hanging from the branch is a caterpillar. It is in this protective cocoon of sticks that it has built around itself. The caterpillar inside will pupate and become a moth if it is male or it will remain a caterpillar if it is female. The caterpillar can come out of its cocoon and will sometimes stick its head and front feet out and move to a different location, dragging its sticks behind it.
I was just finishing my walk when the sky got really dark and a light rain started. I spent the rest of the morning inside the log cabin visitor center. I put up a display of photos of the spring from the early 1900's all the way to the present. I had thrown the photos together for an event we had at the park last spring. I added dates to the photos and moved the display to the cabin. I also organized all of the craft supplies in the activity room. One room of the cabin is a children's activity room where I provide directions and supplies to make and take a craft project that relates to the park. Each month there is a new project. This month for obvious reasons, the craft is frog related. I need to go to the nearest large town (1 hour away) to pick up the supplies I need for July's project. It will have to wait until Thursday. I also straightened up the work table and replaced the plastic table cloth... its amazing how quickly those table cloths can be coated in glitter glue, googly eyes and feathers!
After lunch, the rain took another break. I was able to get started on changing the prices on our entrance signs because of the fee increase happening in all Florida State Parks tomorrow. I was given stickers to place over the old price on the signs. Halfway through the project, I realized that I didn't have all of the numbers I needed. I will have to get creative tomorrow. I went back to the office and changed the prices in the register and updated our price list cheat sheet in the office. I also spent a bit of time clarifying all of the details of the fee changes with my superiors. I hope I have everything figured out by the weekend... it should be a busy one!
I got home late because I was trying to make sure I could do as much as I could today to prevent a stressful day tomorrow. I have a lot to do tomorrow... I hope I remember to take some photos. Wish me luck for Day 1 of summer with an open spring!