the everglades have scary bugs...

 I woke up too early yesterday, before the sun. My sister's drive to work takes an hour passed road signs that have the words alligator, panther, and snake in them.

 We drove along canals filled with alligators until we came to the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation...smack dab in the middle of the Everglades. This is where my sister works as a Collection Manager. We kept driving through the reservation, passing homes and schools until we came to the Tribal Historic Preservation Office just a few steps from the thick, tropical, overgrown vegetation. 

 Every girl needs a necklace made from two different animal skulls and a good pair of snake boots.

 My sister put me to work right away, she didn't care that it was my vacation :) I helped her organize her department's library and looked through books about Florida Indians and bones.  She has created an amazing space...shelves full of artifacts that have been found on the reservation, each one telling a secret story.

 We finished up our morning work and decided to have lunch under the chickee. It was hot and humid and we could hear large insects buzzing around the roof. We were even graced with the presence of a spider that would fair well in a horror movie.

{In front of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum}

 We explored a little around the mile long boardwalk that surrounds the area, but cut it short because of the thousands of dragonflies diving around our heads. Summer time brings out all the insects...my sister was longing for winter already.

We finished up our days work in the freezing cold vault just as the dark rain clouds were starting to hover over the glades. We could hear thunder rumbling in the distance as a strong breeze was welcomed, bending the palm trees and cooling off the muggy air, even if just for a few minutes. I loved spending the day with my sister...seeing what she gets to do everyday. She has an amazingly unique job of preserving the Seminole Tribe's history.