Well, it’s already the 22nd of September, and we are wrapping things up here in Boise, Idaho.  The pressed specimens need to be affixed to their respective pieces of paper, and the labels need to be typed, printed, and glued in place nicely.  In addition to this exhilarating office task, we have been entering, analyzing, and organizing the data required for a GIS layer that will have points for every Habitat Assessment Framework (HAF) transect for our field office that has been entered into our Access database since the beginning of time.  This has proven to be a bit tedious, but rewarding once we looked at the (almost) complete Excel file ready to be converted to a practical, all-encompassing GIS layer.  Well that sure was boring; let’s look at some pictures of some stuff  that relates to the bad title that only fans of The Decemberists will (maybe) understand.  Here are some hazards that we have faced with poise and bravery throughout our rather varied internship:

Watch out for those arm spikes!!! (not to mention the invasive medusahead!)

Always make sure to take a drink of water before you start looking similar to this guy.

Always make your best effort to avoid getting run-over….this poor guy didn’t fare quite so well in the rather dangerous parking lot at our office.

That’s a fairly large rattlesnake.

That’s a scary dog.

That’s a smaller rattlesnake hiding under an Arrowleaf balsamroot only making him(or her)self known by rattling.

Now don’t sell this guy short…just think how hazardous it would be to step on this guy with no shoes on. OUCH.

…and those, my friends, are The Hazards of Work as presented by The Septemberists.

Thanks for reading and until next(the final) time.

Dan King

Four Rivers Field Office – BLM – Boise, ID