Continuing Education

I love learning and figuring stuff out. Part of my job that is cool, is that each site is different, and whether it's wetlands or surveying, I am researching, investigating, learning, exploring,  calculating and drawing conclusions for each job.

As part of keeping my licenses up to date and current, I am required to have a certain amount of hours or credits for each license biennially.  My Wetland Scientist License is up for renewal at the end of September and for some reason, I haven't been very good at enrolling in wetland classes lately. It goes in cycles; for a while I studied just survey related stuff, then I just studied  stuff that related to wetlands (that counted for both licenses, thank goodness) Now I need CEU's for my designers licensed as well. (new rules)

So Staring earlier this week, I've been doing some intensive class taking, which will extend into October actually.

My class schedule is :

Co-occurrence and Habitat mapping at UNH 7/28/09 - Completed & pretty cool. all new stuff to me;  Ferns at Wildcat, Boxford, MA 7/30/09 - Completed. Great class; Fern ID Workshop, Fox State Forest, Hillsborough, NH, 8/7/09; Beaver Ecology and Control Workshop, Hillsborough, NH, 8/14/09; Late Season Sedges and Rushes, Mt. Wachusett Community College, Gardener MA, 8/28/09; Intermediate Wetland Delineation, Framingham, MA, 9/29/09; Wetland Classification, UNH, 10/21/09; Introduction to Field Indicators of Hydric Soils in the U.S., Version 6.0, UNH; 10/30/09

I always enjoy my classes, and I feel if I learn just one thing I didn't know, then the class was a success. In today's ferns class, I learned a whole lot, so I went a way very happy, although very wet by the end (Huge rain in New England again today.) I'm excited to go home and see if I can ID some of the difficult ones in the yard.

Sometimes I feel that the more I learn, the more that I learn that I don't know nearly as much as I should, or want to. I guess the learning process never ends. It is going to make for a busy few months, though...especially with vacation thrown in to visit Acadia State Park for a week in mid August.

The Fire pit...

I had an idea a few of years ago (I know, surprise - Russ had an idea!?!) that I wanted to have a fire pit in the yard; something to sit around on summer nights and relax under the stars. The first fire pit was one of those pre-fabbed steel bowls with legs....very mobile and it was great. (no picture for this first pit)

We had lawn chairs around at night and everybody loved it. It did make me a little nervous with the idea of the dam thing tipping over and setting something or somebody on fire, and there always was the occasional oops of touching the hot metal grate/cover, and the circles of dead grass where it had been set up. It also wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing aspect of the yard.

I thought...why not have a real stone pit, like a campfire pit when we were kids at camp or up at Black Lake as adults. I decided on a good spot in the yard and dug a hole and lined it with stones.

We had that the first year and it was great. Some nights, as the dew settled or in the fall when it was colder, the wet grass wasn't high on the list of comforts, so I thought, wouldn't it be cool to have flag stones around the fire pit. They have a fire pit at Gracie's old school, where we had a festival every year...good food, singing, and people sitting around on dry stones.

I decided to do just that, build a flagstone patio around the pit. Last fall, I managed to get one huge flat stone and put it in front of Tracy's spot. Not quite the patio I envisioned  :)

 

 

For the past few weekends, I have been dragging big flat stones from out of the woods up back, and setting them around the fire. It's been hard work and I have to go farther and farther into the woods each time for the good flat ones.

I have all my stone now, and only 3-4 more to set, and maybe a couple to reset, now that it's all together and my surveyor’s eyes finds fault with things not level or evenly spaced. Still...Its good!

 

 

I think this might also deter my little fire starters from carrying fire far afield, and keep the sparks on the hearth. 

I would love to build an outdoor bee hive oven next; something close to the fire pit, where I could cook pizzas and tostadas outside with a wood fire.

 

Maybe next summer....I still have to build a roof for my shed. We also need some more Adirondack chairs and that swing set to disappear :)

     

  I'm looking forward to sharing food, fun conversation and whatever else with family, friends old and new, around the fire pit.

¡Buenos días!

¿Qué quieres decir? ¿Que me deseas un buen día, o que es un buen día, me guste o no, o que te sientes bien en este día, o que es un día para sentirse bien?........Ahora quieres decir que quieres librarte de mí y que no serán buenos hasta que me vaya.

 

Qué Bummer!

So I  went again today to my favorite Mexican eating establishment. The last few times I've been there some of the wait staff throw in little Spanish words and I've heard them speaking Spanish to each other. Cool, I thought, next time I go, I'll make myself get up the nuts to talk in Spanish.

I went today. The waiter came over " Hola, amigo, how you doing, Just one today?"

"Yes please," I chicken heartedly replied.

A few minute s later, after I had had a chance to review the ever-excellent menu, he came back and asked what could he get for me.

"Quisiera el numero once, por favor."

"Ok, be right back," and moments later he was, "is ground beef OK?"

"pollo, por favor"

"OK"

I was a little disappointed, I think I spoke correctly, and even after a couple more little similar exchanges, where I was determined to pass my time at the restaurant speaking only Spanish, the waiter only spoke English back to me and seemed a little uncomfortable, and only came back after my meal was served to give me my check.

Man! I just can't get anybody to speak Spanish with me.

It was a dark and stormy night...

What am I saying. No it wasn't.  It was beautiful!

Summer had finally arrived in all its steamy, humid, warmth and sunshine. The week had been grueling, deadlines to meet, meetings to attend, late nights and planning for an even more grueling Monday night the next week. Friday dawned sunny, hot and beautiful. All the little boxes in my notebook were checked off...except for the site walk around the 5 properties whose corners I had recovered and flagged earlier in the month. What a perfect day to spend outside...a great way to end the week.

I met my client at the first house and we walked around chatting about work, life, where we were from etc. We knew each other as long acquaintances, but shared common stories, knew common people and generally passed an enjoyable morning. We visited all 5 properties, one after another. The last property was newer than the others, recently built in the 80's. I had actually surveyed along the back line earlier in the year for another client and had found some interesting discrepancies. We looked at the front corners first. One easily found, the other missing, but presumed to be under where a neighbor had planted flowers and built a fence. The back corners were out under the trees in a brushy area, kind of wet in low spots and full of Raspberry bushes, Nettles & Celandine. We walked out to the corner and I knew I shouldn't have worn shorts for this site walk. We both had shorts on, and the raspberry bushes and Nettles were not kind. As we walked back, I began to get pricked more and more..."What a drag, I'm going to have scratched up legs."  All of a sudden it seemed like the raspberry bushes seemed to have a life of their own, had become animated....or maybe it was the nettles.  The thorns seemed to be moving about and pricking me all over. I reached to pull leaves and brambles away and I realized to late that the thorns were yellow, angrily buzzing and swarming over my legs and shirt....Yellowjackets!

Adrenaline shot through me like the jolt from an electric fence and I yelped and ran, swatting at the air as I went. My client, who was walking behind me, came to the panicked realization of what we were into at the same moment, and we both high-tailed it back out to the road as fast as our legs and dignity would carry us. We still had bee's crawling on us when we arrived at the truck and had to repeatedly swat them away.

I used to be allergic to bees back in High school and as we stood talking about what had just happened, the panic attack started to hit..."what am I going to do, am I breathing OK, is anything swelling." We said our goodbyes and I shot over to CVS to pick some Benadryl and Afterbite. I made it back to the office and took all my medications and preparations, and apparently, I'm not allergic (as much) any more, but my legs are pretty red and swollen in spots and sting pretty bad. And now I have that hot, sticky, over-sensitized, racy, coming down from acid feeling (memories from back in the day je je)

Friday sure started off with a bang. Bees are a normal summer work hazard, as are Poison Ivy, Heat stroke and infernal mosquitos, but honestly, I still feel that being outside on a morning like this and getting stung is better then being holed up in a dark office, ruining my back, straining the eyes and suffering the pain in my forearms while screwing around on a computer. In fact, as I eat my lunch and write this little story, I'm planning on heading back out to meet another potential client and advise him on what he might need in regards to boundary surveying.

Then its home for an afternoon in the back yard and maybe the Drive-in. Of course, that's assuming an allergy doesn't kick in late and I die within the next couple hours, but I've got my fingers crossed.

Another Birthday...Happy Birthday Tracy!!!

Today is Tracy's Birthday. I won't say how old she is, although either of us care how old either are...it's all the same after 21 anyway (he he). Besides, she stays looking the same age every year anyway, she never gets older (although the hairstyles change from season to season ha ha)We've traveled a long way together so far, and look forward to an even longer path together ahead.

 

Happy Birthday to you , Good-one, Bad-One, You are, No-you are, Psweetie, Pooza, Bastard, Bagetz, y más.

Happy Birthday, Jeremiah!

Today is Jeremiah's 12th birthday.  Happy birthday, Buddy!!!!

Can't believe he is 12, I know it's cliche, but time really does zoop by.

He's so excited. I can't wait to play with his new stuff...he he.

4th of July Weekend

I took a day off on Thursday and made a long weekend out of our Independence Day holiday. What a great weekend!  It was pretty packed actually! It was hard to come back to work on Monday. (Updated with pics 7-7-09)

Thursday

Actually, not so packed on this day. It was rainy (of course) so I didn't really do the stuff that I wanted (mow the lawn, work in the garden, etc) but I still had a nice day off. Grace, Jem & I read a few chapters of her book, Warriors: into the Wild, which is actually pretty interesting. I actually stay awake (which says a lot for me and reading). I did run to Keene and buy some bamboo for staking the tomatoes and made kind of a wattle staked wall for them. I like the looks of it.

Friday

Fort Ticonderoga!  What a nice day! the kids loved it. We took my friend, Robin's suggestion and took the Ferry over Lake Champlain. I think that was as big a hit as the Fort.  

The history of this Fort, owned and struggled over by France, England & the US in the 17th and 18th century and it's later resuscitation into a historic park is very cool.  

There is also a BEAUTIFUL garden on site, from the days when the fort was in ruins and a private residence/hotel offered a stay to visit the "old French fort ruins." Tracy took so many beautiful pictures.

   

On the way home, we stopped in Ludlow, VT and had super-delicious Chicken & bean Burritos at Tacos Tacos and then even more super delicious ice cream at Scoops. We rolled home, fat & happy.

Saturday

4th of July ~ and finally a sunny day (and dry) We went to Ken & Judy's for the afternoon. Ashley made up a tasty desert for us with peanut brittle and banana and god knows what....so gooood!  She is going to be working (and running a part of) a place called Joe-Joes, I think it is called....very high end in Boston ...more to follow - maybe a future "good eats."

Jessica and Jessie and Natalie (Beans) came over for the afternoon. My niece Natalie is just so cute! The Jessies are such good, loving parent's already, too! I think poor Natalie gets overwhelmed with so many BIG faces and people all up in her stuff, trying to hold her, making all kinds of baby noises at her and what-not. It's really hard not to, though....She's such a Cutie!

At 6:30, we went to a ball game  in Manchester, The Manchester Fisher Cats against the Portland Sea Dogs. The Fisher Cats are the NH home team but it was also cool because the Sea Dogs are the Red Sox's farm team.  After the ball game, there were 4th of July fireworks. The venue in Manchester is Awesome, and they really include the fans, there is a lot going on during a game. Easy to get to, good parking, a big new motel overlooking the field and a couple restaurants. We'll go again!

Sunday

Day of the Garden! I spent the entire beautiful sunny day working in the garden and mowing the lawn. Mulched the whole garden with a thick layer of grass clippings from mowing the once lawn, converted to hayfield by a month of rain and no mowing. By the end, I was very sore, very tired, deep red sunburned and completely happy! The yard looks so nice nice and the garden is boomin'!

For dinner, we had Tinga de Puerco sandwiches that I got from Spanishpod. I think we eat about 50% of our dinners now from Spanishpod recipes. We ate out on the patio, which also looked nice because the kids had pulled out all the weeds and swept the bricks.

The kids had been playing something that included pirate/native American costumes with their Kentucky Rifles from Ft. Ti and had covered themselves with soot from the fire pit. (for camouflage) They decided to camp out. Tracy & I retires to the TV room for Bear-claw Ice cream cones and watched "Quantum of Solace"  Very tense movie. I feel like there must be something we should have known...like we were watching a low plot - high action sequel to something. Obviously we don't watch a lot of Bond movies, I guess.

I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer in such a fashion!