And the Rain rain rain came down down down

July 22,

And the Rain rain rain came down down down

It rained last night fairy heavy – over ¼ inch. But I slept right through it!  I’m getting into a  regular scheduled here up about 6:00, breakfast 7:30, Break 9:30- 11:00 ish, Lunch 12:30.  I’ve learned that since I’m on my feet and  leaning over the counters most of the day I have to lie flat for at during part of my afternoon break (usually 1:30-4:00, dinner 6:30, cleaned up and out of the 9:00 ish. Asleep by 11:00.

If sure this schedule will change when there are 8 more people in camp day after tomorrow we hope).

Today was about SPACE TRASH. When we went to the moon we left everything that the astronauts didn’t need to get home. That included a bunch of trash.  Well Anna-Lisa and Rob are studying the effect our presence and the stuff we leave behind in the Arctic has on the environment. Each year they visit the various research site around the crater and camp and take soil samples to determine what the impact of humans living and working for up to 2 months a year have on the things living in the soil. This is on a microbial and DNA level not much visible. So today they came and swept the mess tent so that they would have a sample of the types of “things” this team is adding to the mix. 

Kira is fascinated by square rocks this is for her

I went for another walk alone this time behind the camp in a little valley.  I was depressed and at how much human trash I found. OK I walked for 45 minutes and covered the area of 3 football field and could hold all the trash in one hand but still!!! We have to be more careful.  Most of what I found was deteriorating pieces of plastic. Probably from many seasons ago.

The rocks and patterns in the dirt where amazing. I’m wondering if the swirly patterns are from last night rain or from last winter’s snow.  

dirt in swirly patterns

Rocks behind camp

This afternoon Ana-Lisa and Rob visited an areas of the crater where 25 million years ago there were lake beds.  Water still collects there but it’s gone by this time of the year. Compared to the rest of the crater it is teaming With life . Birds and evidence of small animals as well as a variety of flowers. Arctic foxes, Hares and they even saw huff prints from musk oxen. This is the place where the fossil and cone remains have been found in abundance.

Rob from the Kennedy space center went into the crater to what is called Drill hill. It’s the sight of on going robotic drilling experiments done by NASA.  Using hand tools he dug down 23 inches into the perma-frost. When he hit ice and dug up a chunk he said it was like a miner finding a huge diamond. He was Very moved by the experience. I forgave them for being late for lunch.

W heather Report; july 22 2011 I now feel like I’m in the Artic. The temparturae is just above freezing and wind is blowing hard. As evening becomes night the chance of rain and or snow increase. I’M FINALLY COLD! 

Floss Friend in the wash roon