A Keeper's Day

I figured you would want to hear about being an Animal Keeper here at the mountain.  It's none too exciting and differs from day to day and shift to shift.  But here was today as a good example:

It was opening shift so keep that in mind...

This is Sitka, our female Eagle.

6:20 am - Snooze alarm
6:25 am - Snooze again (where is that sun?)
6:30 am - Get up, drink coffee out of the fridge, and eat a brownie
6:45 am - Read Ephesians 4
7:10 am - Get in Uniform
7:15 am - Drive up the mountain (I live right at the bottom)
7:30 am - Arrive, unlock the office, medicate and feed the cats, grab a radio and pepper spray
7:40 am - Weigh out sardines, smelt, and mice for otters and owls.
8:00 am - Clean otter dens, feed otters, (while other half of team does the same to cougars)
8:45 am - Measure out Bear food and feed bears (while other half feeds and cleans skunk pen)
10:00 am- SNACK TIME!  Yogurt for me with the granola that Tara and I got for free!  Down to 7 boxes friend!
10:10 am - Wash dishes and prep today's enrichments
10:50 am - Out in the habitat (rain or shine) to talk with guests and give scheduled enrichments
12:00 pm - LUNCH!
1:00 pm - One last enrichment before handing it off to the closing crew.
1:30 pm - Feed otters again
2:00 pm -Various (weed-whacking, cleaning pools, making enrichments-todays involved peanut butter, paper mache and meat filled lemonade in balloons.
3:30 pm - Outta there!!!!!
4:00pm - Sit on the internet (coffee shop or library) and blog about it.

If I closed, I would work enrichments in the afternoon. And do a closing protocol with deer, eagles, and cougars.  My hours would be 10:30am to 6:30pm.  I close about half of the time and open the other half.

And Kodie being lazy as usual.  I think he needs an Enrichment.

FOR THOSE WHO are like, "What is an enrichment?"  An enrichment is anything that breaks up the daily routine of a critter to keep it from getting bored in captivity.  It could be a food snack, a puzzle, a game/toy, or a scent.  Anything to get them up and active.  We give each exhibit two enrichments a day and we try not to repeat an enrichment for another month so that they don't get used to it and defeat the point.

Sound like a fun day?  Do I get to play with animals?  meh...a little.  But mostly it is feeding and cleaning.  Like taking care of furry babies.  haha.

On a side note:  If you are interested in the t-shirt I designed as a fundraiser, you can find it here at  http://carolineritchey.theworldrace.org/

Mission Video

This is my mission support video that I made.  I don't claim to be good at making videos but I try.

Busy, Snowy, Windy Days...

I have been busy working double shifts lately so as to learn both opening and closing protocol for the Animal Habitats.  So, I am sorry that I haven't gotten you any photos yet of the animals.  I have literally been working the whole time that the park is open, so there hasn't been time.  On my first actual shift day (Wednesday) I will go in a little before my closing shift and get some photos for you.  Until then you have to be content with a photo of me in my snow pants (amazing!  I didn't even lose feeling this time!)

Needless to say it has been a cold one!  Wind gusts up to 86mph on the mountain.  Highest gust today was recorded at 94mph.  There was one gust that actually blew me along a sheet of ice as if I was a sail boat. I just kinda slid forward toward the bear habitat. 

Moving is still under way because of the weather.  It's been hard to get it all straight...but it will work out.  I have tomorrow off finally so I can get my car looked at after the rough ride here, and also go to the eye doctor.  After that I will finish moving and be fully in my apartment.  Photos of that to come too!

In case you missed the facebook update about my critters here it is: 

"The cougars scared me at first....because Aspen the male growls when he eats. But they are sweet kittens in the mornings.

The bears still scare me though..haha. They are ALWAYS hungry and try to get their mouths a little too close for comfort when I open their feeding pens.

And the otters are adorable! :-) "

Madness Pure Madness!

Madness is the only word that can describe driving in the mountains.  My little car, loaded down with all my possessions, could barely make it up hills.  Then on the downhill parts I would squeal and hit the brakes around all the corners.  The curves were as close to u-turns as possible and the whole experience reminded me of my first time mountain-biking… (without hitting a tree or having the brakes fail of course!)  There was one little thing though:

I was going up a particularly tough hill, talking Perry (my car) through it.  “Come on Perry!  You can do it!  I think you can, I think you can, I think you can!”  Then as we crested the hill Perry talked back…totally didn’t see that coming!  I heard this alarm going off and words scrolled across my dash, “Oil Pressure Low.   Turn Off Engine Immediately.”

What?  I am on a mountain!  I pulled over as soon as I could and of course there was no cell signal in the area.  I assumed low pressure means I should add oil.  But the spare quart of oil was at the bottom of my trunk under all my stuff.  I had to unpack some of it and climb over the rest to try to get my fingers on the oil, but I managed. 

After filling up and getting back on the road, I found the nearest gas station (at the top of another big hill).  This place was OLD!  You had to rotate a lever and then start pumping.  As you fueled the numbers spun on wheels to tell you how much you were filling.  Mountains use A LOT more gas than the beach did.

The winding roads did lead me to my new studio apartment which is on a dirt road, rather far from everything else (other than work…its right near the park).  And I will unpack and start my job this week.  I will post photos as soon as I get things sorted.

For info about my unpacking in the SNOW, go to http://carolineritchey.theworldrace.org/.

Head for the Hills!!!!

I couldn't resist a goofy title like that.  It is accurate though.  This time next week I will have moved to the mountains of western North Carolina.  It is all happening rather fast.

I was contacted by a nature conservancy offering me a position as a seasonal animal keeper.  I would be taking care of the river otters, american black bear, bald eagle, white-tailed deer, and bobcat.  In addition to typical habitat maintenance, feedings, and medications, I will be doing a few educational presentations with our ed animals (which include a squirrel, skunk, and snake...I know Dad would be happy about the snake.)

They need me there on Wednesday (March 26th) to start.  I have such a short time to wrap up my life here, but though it is coming quickly, the future is good!  This position finishes right before my mission starts, so I feel like God's hand is placing the puzzle pieces together.  And what's more, this future is better than anything I could have imagined or chosen for myself.  I am truly truly happy.

The next time I blog, I will be blogging from the hills!

Blog Connections

With the World Race now a reality, I am making a Blog connection:  http://carolineritchey.theworldrace.org/

Now you can follow my Missions Blog.  I will keep you updated on all sorts of amazing things that will happen all over the world as I travel 11 countries in 11 months.

NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG.  I will still be using this blog as well.  I will just share different stories on each.  This is my personal blog.  I hash out ideas on here, I post about life, and share random stories.

For instance, I will tell you now how my most awesome big brother spoiled me with a weekend trip to celebrate my birthday.  He drove all the way down here, and took me to Savannah and Charleston.  They are beautiful historic cities with a lot of culture and good food.  Even better, there was sunshine and nature!!! May the photos speak for themselves!

You'd Think

You'd think that with a week of torrential wind and rain, I would be able to rest indoors.

You'd think wrong.

I spent a little bit of the only non-rainy day collecting Plankton Samples from the river.  But a little but is enough!  Just because it wasn't rainy doesn't mean it wasn't miserable.  My thermometer said -1.5 degrees (granted that was Celsius but still) and we must account for the wind.

Then I have been so busy out of work as well.  I had an interview for a summer position out in western Carolina.  And to cover all my bases I have been looking for an apartment out that way in case they say, "Hey come in the end of March".  I also have become an expert on hold-music.  I am a hold-music connoisseur actually.  I have been calling the loan companies about my deferments which leaves you on hold quite often.  I am deferring not only to pay my taxes. but....

duh duh duh....

I was offered the 11 month mission position.  After a lot of prayer and guidance from friends and family, I accepted.  You'd think that I would have started telling people right away....but you'd think wrong.  It's been a good week since I made it official.

As excited as I am, it still doesn't quite feel real.  I can't fathom what life will be like, I can't fathom the heat and red dirt of Africa, I can't fathom teaching and healing people, I can't fathom living on the floor out of a backpack with my team.  I just can't fathom it.

I have a feeling that others can't as well.  Many people say that I need a REAL job.  And it is true.  I need money.  I need to be an adult.  But I also need to heed the call of God.  I just KNOW in my soul that this is right.

I will let you all know as soon as I get my World Race blog set up.  Thank you for understanding, that this is something I have to do.  And let's rejoice together because I am expecting great things.