I Can Handle This

You guys, this is just a quick post to tell you how BUSY and STRESSED I am today.  I missed class because I fell asleep without turning on my alarm, but that’s not a big deal because we weren’t really doing much in there today.  The reason I’m stressed is this:

Due Thursday, 6/2 in class.  6-8 pages, double-spaced, Times Roman 12 pt, in MLA style.  Proper citation of sources in required.

For this essay you will need to research a current environmental issue of interest to you.  This environmental problem could be America or India, though I strongly suggest that you choose an issue which you already have some familiarity in order to reduce the necessity for lengthy research.

The essay must describe the problem and the different sides to the issue, suggest cultural and historical influences on the problem (using the historical background and concepts from the course reading where relevant) that complicate its solution, and, finally, apply any relevant concepts learned in this class (such as approprite scale, continuity between nature and culture, making room for gardens in the natural world, the ethics of care, the himility and responsibility of the hunter, a religious framework, or a land ethic) to suggest a set of actions to address the particular environmental issue.  These actions should not be purely a program of public policy and legislative agendas, but should suggest how human attitudes concerning the issue might be changed and behavios adjusted in appropriate and necessary ways, in accordance with the particular principles you think are appropriate to apply.

Complicated stuff.  And remember yesterday when I said I got good news in this class?  We had an assignment to work in the garden on campus and then write a “journal entry” for it.  I kept trying and trying to work in the garden, but I was constantly told that the weather was not appropriate.  I didn’t get a chance to work in the garden before the assignment was due, so I talked to the teacher and was told that I could just write about my experience with working in gardens before (I think I’ll write about my window-garden).

So, add those together (the journal has to be a minimum of 750 words), and that equals stress.  Both are due tomorrow (but I’m trying to get the journal done tonight).  But!  That’s not all!  We also have room checks today, which means there’s an extra stress-er (because I still haven’t unpacked from Wyoming and clothes are everywhere) that I have to prepare for.

This is going to be a long day.  Better get started.

 

A gratuitous picture of the plants for you:

SPROUT

I’ll be eating my own home (dorm?) grown tomatoes this year!

Battle of the Plants

(I’m sorry I haven’t been very good at this post a day thing this month!)

You know how much I love my plants (even naming them), so you can imagine that I felt a little bad and a littler superior when Kyle’s pepper plants weren’t growing.  They weren’t even starting.  I helped him to take care of them so they sprouted, and lo and behold, they did.

But, I’m not so sure that I’m happy about this.  I’m actually a little jealous.

My Chammy at about 1.5 months old.

His pepper at about 1 week (the right one) and 1 day (the left one).

This is not fair.

New Home

I don’t have anything for you…yet.  I go to the dentist today (for the first time in oh, about 12 years), and I’m kind of turning into a nervous train wreck.

But, I did replant my rose last night (the pot was leaking), and I decided that my baby chamomile needed a new home as well (from now on, if you read “Chammy”, you’ll know that I’m talking about my chamomile.  I decided that if it knew how much I loved it, it would grow better.  I’m in the market for a name for the rose as well).

I think they like the new places…

And that makes me a very happy girl.

A Weekend Well Spent

As promised, here’s the picture heavy post.

On Friday, we went to Kyle’s house.  From there, we went out grocery shopping (for taco salad…yum!), and book shopping (a Borders here is closing and having huge sales).  I got a book: (for $4.80!)

The next morning, we all got up bright and early (7 a.m.) to go to Kyle’s grandparents’ house.  While there, I worked on my hat:

and met puppies:

We all had cake, ate a lot, and came back home.  I checked on my plants:

And planted more:

(spearmint in the pink, chamomile in the flowered)

This morning, after I got done with classes, I picked up the mail.  I got these:

(Atomic, Tahiti Sunrise, Palm Tree, Nuclear Energy. Lip balm in Bubblegum was a free gift.)

And these: (from John)

(“Bucking Bull with Rope”)

(“Duke and the Cats”)

(“Aunt Casse”)

It was really quiet walking back from class because I was the only one walking on the road.  The trees, which were covered in the rain from last night, froze, leaving tiny drops of ice on the branches.

When they fell, they made a tinkling sound as they hit the pavement.

Spring! (And Care Package!)

The snow is almost all melted off and I can see grass again!  Although it’s a little soggy, and not green at all, just the sight makes me extremely happy.  I’ve been keeping my window open at night, and I’ve been sleeping fantastically.

But even the nice, warm weather can’t make me feel better after forgetting about a mythology test.  I missed class the other day because I didn’t feel up to going, and now I regret it.  I finished in 30 minutes, and headed to the mailroom, hoping in my head, “I hope I get a care package to make me feel better….”.  Well, I did.

This was enough to make me feel better :) I’ll do swatches of the makeup soon.  Thank you, Stacia! <3

 

Edited to add:

You guys, I totally forgot to do my love list!  I explained this last Friday…It’s a list of the things I loved this week:

1. Getting a care package filled to the brim with things I LOVE.  Thank you so much Stacia!  I feel like I can’t thank you enough!  You always cheer me up :)
2. Spring is finally here!  The weather is warm enough that I actually wore flip flops for about an hour (but ending up with mud under my feet, and cold toes).
3. Watching my plants flourish!  I actually tossed out my polka dot plant (it was dying so fast.  I didn’t have the heart to watch it.  I also felt really bad that I didn’t give it an extra week to possibly come back.  I almost cried.  Sad, right?) today to make room for the soon to be sprouted Spearmint and Chamomile plants.  I can’t wait.
4. I’m only supposed to do three (I don’t know why, that’s just the rules!), but I’m also loving my new haircut.  It’s nothing special, just 3/4 inch off, and some bangs added, but I feel like a brand new woman!  With spring in the air, and a new look, I’m ready for a new season! :)

What did you enjoy this week?  Have a great weekend!

Seeds

I started with a TP roll (which I’ve been collecting covertly), and cut it like this tutorial says.  Then, I taped the bottom.

I filled them (two, because I’m growing two different plants) with soil, using a spoon.

I labeled them.

This is what I’m growing (both are good for tea!).

Spearmint.

Chamomille.

Happy belated Valentine’s Day!

(Tuesday Questions tomorrow…!)

Class

Class has been going well for me; I’m enjoying all four of them, and I’m happy to say that I got into the one I was trying hard to be in (which is Physical Anthropology).

I had a funny thing happen to me yesterday.  I woke up early, did my questions, and then headed off to check the mail to see if my books had come in.  When I got there (it was about 11:15 at this point), there was nothing in my box, so I left, intending to go to Ted’s to check my schedule, and then come back to the mail room because deliveries are usually made at noon.

When I got to Ted’s, I headed back to the board where everything is posted, and looked for my name.  Under “Tuesday, January 4th” it said: “Server Assistant: 11:30-2:00”.  I was supposed to be at work right then (it was about 11:25).  I went looking for the manager, and told him that I didn’t know I had work, and I was going to run back to my dorm and put on my work clothes, then come back.

I made it back at about 11:40, and after I finished seating the guests that were waiting, doing an open menu count, and collecting menus, I went back to get a drink of water because I was dying of thirst.  The first thing I did was spill it all down my front.

After all that, the rest of the day was pretty slow.  When I got off work, Kyle and I checked my mail (my books had come in), and then ate.  At 4, I left for the class I was wait-listed on (Physical Anthropology) and waited nervously for the teacher to tell me that I was in.  That class was let out early, and I headed to dinner, with just enough time left to grab my bag and walk to my next class (at 6:30 p.m.).

At the end of the day, I was beyond exhausted.  Kyle and I did some latin homework, and then I went to bed.

Only to find that my sleep schedule for all of break (get to bed at about 12 and wake up at 8ish) prevented me from going to sleep right away.  So I dug under my bed in my book box.  The box holds all of the books I’ve acquired since I’ve moved here (and two I brought from home), and I’ve read none of them.  (I also just ordered some books from Barnes and Noble, but I’ve read two of the four I ordered.  I just wanted to own them.)

I grabbed “Fair is the Rose“, a story set in Scotland, and settled in to read it.  I was immediately immersed in the story, and ended up not going to bed until about 1.

Tonight, I’m going to try a lot harder to get to bed early.

I have another goal for this year: I want to finish reading all of the books I bought that are in the book box.  Another goal for January and February: Start (and finish) “The Clan of the Cave Bear” series before I get the new one shipped to me.

Well, I’m off to do class reading for Mythology, and then go to class.  The rest of the day is going to be spent taking money to the bank, making a few payments, going to the candy store (Kyle told me that it was time to go there), maybe going to the library, and hopefully reading and going to bed early.

A pretty picture of the book I’m reading, and my plants (one of which, the rose in the bowl, is not doing so good).

(P.S. I just noticed the flowers in the picture…along with the book of the same name. “Fair is the Rose” sitting by roses.)

Pretty Potted Plants

A few days ago, I was super excited when Kyle took me to a craft store to look for glass containers to hold my terrariums that I had been building in my mind.  I got 2 glass jars that are super cute, and some pebbles to put in.

Today, we went back out to get the rest of the stuff that I needed; plants, gravel and charcoal.

Turns out I got the wrong kind of plants.  I went in with a list of plants that are perfect for terrariums and we couldn’t find them anywhere.  So I ended up getting mini roses and a little pink spotted plant that was identified simply as “Tropical Foliage” (now I know that it’s called a “Polka Dot Plant“.  I figured that if it was tropical, it would love the humidity of a terrarium.  Both plants are too big to fit into my little glass jars, and both plants grow to be about 2 feet tall.  My glass jars are only about 6 inches tall and just begin to fit the roots of both plants.

But, even though my terrariums aren’t officially “terrariums”, I’m still happy with them.  The roses smell divine, and the little polka dot plant is adorable.  The point of making them was to have something living in my room that I could take care of because pets aren’t allowed, and I do have something to take care of.

The polka dot plant only likes to be watered with warm water, and both plants need to be watered with rainwater or tap water that has been left to sit for 24 hours.

I wonder if plants are allowed in the dorms?