project 52: week 29

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

What's New?
I went to the opening party for the new sci-fi exhibit at EMP and while I was there...
:: heard George Takei's opening remarks
:: watched George Takei walk by, not 5 feet from me! (ok, nerd alert)
:: posed in front of the Back to the Future Delorean time machine
:: explored the Infinite Worlds exhibit

Currently Reading

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (impulse Powell's purchase - great story so far!)

On the Needles
Still plugging along on my geology shawl, although I haven't picked it up hardly at all this week. Instead, I worked on patching Joe's shop pants.

Looking Forward To

1. Spring Break (just two weeks away!)

project 52: week 13

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

Winter gifts for my niece and nephews.

Afternoon sunlight in my science classroom (we're learning how to make microscope slides).

What's New?
This past week has been rough. I've been burning the candle at both ends - spending too much time at work (both with meetings and general prepping), along with an increasing sense of frustration at the terrible events happening around the country. Amid all the negative, unproductive, victim-blaming, and generally unhelpful dialogue on the internet I came across this article that deals with the science of how our brains perceive race. The scientist in me finds it fascinating, of course, but more importantly the article sheds light on what to do about unintentional racism in our brains. I'm willing to admit that I have unintentional racism (I think we all do, to be quite honest), as long as there exists strategies to combat it. Otherwise it's just too depressing and overwhelming.

With all that's been going on, I'm especially looking forward to spending time with dear friends today at the Urban Craft Uprising. We're meeting for brunch and then spending some time browsing for gifts. I love seeing what creative people come up with, and using my few precious dollars to support crafty individuals instead of mega-corporations. It'll be a great time, I'm sure.

Currently Reading
Still working my way through Anne Rice's The Witching Hour. The only time I have for reading is right before bed, so it's taking me much longer than usual.

On the Needles
Working on hat #3 out of 4. My goal is to get them packaged and shipped (with the pj pants) by next weekend. Last year I waited much too long to send gifts and I ran into predictably long lines and higher prices at the post office.

Looking Forward To

1. my friends' yearly Swedish Christmas party

project 52: week 6

What is Project 52? It's a little like Project 365, but instead of the goal of posting a photo each day, I'll post a photo or two each week along with a short update. Really I just need a little push to post something every week. Since I like to keep this space positive, posting every week forces me to look back and find something shiny to talk about (ten points if you get that reference). Some weeks that's a piece of cake. Other weeks it's more of a challenge, and those weeks give this task true meaning.

On the shore of Lake Crescent near Port Angeles.

The stretch of the Elwha just across the road from our campsite.

This used to be a lake.

That tree was cut down over 100 years ago before the dam was built.

At the mouth of the Elwha looking out towards the western tip of Washington State.

What's New?
I made it back from my week-long excursion into the Olympic Peninsula with my 8th grade students in one piece! It rained, but not too much. There were some bumps in the plan, but not too many. My students had the opportunity to study the Elwha river up close, including areas that were previously under water due to the dams. They visited an area that used to be a lake, and followed the river to the mouth at the Strait of Juan de Fuca. They also experienced tent camping, pit toilets, and (for some) using the "facilitrees." The whole trip was definitely a life-learning event.

Currently Reading

• The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk

• Rare Encounters with Ordinary Birds by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
• The Witching Hour by Anne Rice

On the Needles
I've put my Wood Hollow vest on hold, at least until I have the energy to take out a few rows. I missed a cable and didn't realize for awhile. Sometimes when I make a mistake I let it go, but often it bugs me enough that I have to go back and fix it. This is definitely the latter.

So instead, I picked up my Hue Shift Afghan that I started back in November of last year. It consists of four panels that later get seamed together and then a boarder is knit around the whole thing. I have one panel complete, and I'm 80% done with the second panel. It's a good TV knit, but not a good bus knit (too big of a project).

Looking Forward To

1. getting back into my routine

the DIG Field School

I cross the Cascades and the Columbia.

Made a stop at Dry Falls.

And the Grand Coulee Dam.

Eventually I entered Tatooine (or Eastern Montana, close enough).

We camped next to Hell Creek and woke up before sunrise every day.

By 7am we had eaten breakfast, packed our bags with tons of water, and headed out to the field in SUV caravans.

Sometimes we couldn't get the SUVs very close to our site. This picture, and the following picture, are taking from roughly the same spot, just facing opposite directions, to show you how far we hiked from where the ferry SUVs were parked (many of the SUVs did not have enough clearance to go all the way out - the roads were very challenging).

This is what the hadrosaur site looked like when we arrived. While we were there we helped jacket three large bones so that they could be removed from the site.

A close-up of some of the hadrosaur bones.

I touched dinosaur bones!

This is what the site looked like after a few bones had been jacketed in plaster.

We visited a site called Nirvana where we saw, and touched, the K-Pg boundary (that's the layer that documents the asteroid impact, and the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs).

I saw many interesting rock formations.

I learned how to surface collect for micro fossils (croc scute, gar scales, bone fragments, turtle shells, etc) 

Someone in my group found a rib bone, which was jacketed in plaster for removal.

We brought back bags of in situ sediment, which were put into screen boxes and set up in the creek.

After soaking all night the screen boxes were brought out to dry in the sun.

And of course there were dino toys at dino camp.

On the way home I saw the wildfires.

All in all, I drove 941 miles each way. It was a long drive, but completely worth it.

One of the coolest things for me about this trip is that every piece of data we collected (sketches of sites, micro fossils, in situ sediments, measurements to determine how far above or below the K-Pg boundary, etc), every piece of data was useful for the DIG team. I helped collect real data that will be used by Greg Wilson and his team back at the UW and the Burke Museum in their research. How cool is that? As a middle school science teacher I don't get that opportunity very often. Most summer teacher programs focus on content and lessons, which are extremely useful, but this program focused first on doing real field work and secondly on lessons. I found it exhilarating. 

I also want to say that it was a pleasure to work with each and every one of the DIG team members. The team members ranged from PhDs, PhD candidates, graduate students, recent grads and undergrads. And everyone had something to bring to the table. And everyone was treated with respect and affection by Greg and co-director Lauren. That's the kind of team everyone strives to be a part of, and it was a treat to spend 4 days with them.

science & sunshine

What's New?
This past week has been one of those weeks. A doozy. A week that thankfully went by quickly, but also wore me out. The highlight of my week was taking a group of girls to the Expanding Your Horizons conference at the local community college. It's so refreshing to see so many young girls excited about science and math. On top of that, it turned out to be a beautiful day, full of rare Seattle sunshine.

Speaking of weather...we've had such cold and inconsistent weather that I am nervous about planting my seedlings outside. They are growing quite well in their little newspaper pots, but some are getting a little leggy. I hope to take some photos of them this weekend, as I decide whether or not they are ready for the raised beds.

Currently Reading

• I finished The American Way of Eating early this week. I was so impressed with the amount that I learned from that book, and I'm certain I will not think of food the same way again. I highly recommend this book.
• I've picked up Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent after setting it down for awhile, and I'm enjoying learning more than I ever have about Darwin's voyage, his strengths and weaknesses, and his transformation from a staunch creationist to the architect of the major foundation of modern biology.

On the Needles

Did I mention that this week has been a doozy? I don't think I've picked up my sweater once. I'm just where I left off at the end of last week: halfway through with the first sleeve. I'm on the homestretch, though, and should finish soon.

Looking Forward To:

1. using my new EMP/Sci-Fi Museum membership

How's March treating you?

beautiful sunny Seattle day

There wasn't a cloud in the sky.


It's been so chilly that many of the trees were still pretty bare.


A closer look at the trunk showed plenty of green.


Things were very green, and warm, in the PSC butterfly house.


We checked out the new Star Wars exhibit, of course. I'll leave you with a few images. And yes, I am sporting a Star Wars t-shirt. Cause I'm that kind of nerd. =)

mute and restless

I'm one of those people who can't stand to take a day off work. Don't get me wrong, as a public school teacher I am quite fond of school holidays. But when I'm supposed to be at work, I have a hard time thinking of anything other than what I should be doing.

Even with my germ-filled job, I seldom get sick. That's quite a feat, given that I spend my days with 150+ 8th graders. Who, by the way, have been sick quite a bit this year.

But this year has been different so far. Two weekends ago I fell ill and took a Monday off to rest. I felt good enough to drag myself to work, and with the help of some over-the-counter meds I managed to finish the week. This past weekend I had fun figuring out a three-day lesson to teach my students about the size and scale of the solar system. Monday's lesson went well, but by Tuesday I was struggling to talk. Each class period my voice became weaker and weaker. By the time I got home I couldn't do anything but whisper. And my throat hurt. A lot.

So I took Wednesday off hoping to return to work today to finish the third day of that three-day scaling lesson. I let my voice rest, drank tons of herbal tea and just generally rested. But still no voice. So I stayed home today.

I'm now able to get a very pathetic version of my voice to eek out now and then. I'm not sure if I'll be able to talk much tomorrow, but I'm determined to go to work. If I have to, I'll grab the loudest kid in each class period and appoint them my helper. S/he can repeat to the class each direction I manage to squeak or whisper.

However it turns out, it's sure to be an exciting Friday.

It's Science!

I'm taking a summer class for science teachers at the local university. One of my assignments involves setting up an experiment and then doing a display board (kind of like a science fair project). The idea is that at the end of the class I walk away with a display board that I can use as an example for my students.

We did ten experiments throughout the course of the 4-week class, which we were supposed to choose from for our board. I really liked the baggie garden experiment, but I didn't want to use the class data. I wanted to do the experiment again, this time changing a different variable.



I'm interested in the idea of using untreated gray-water to water plants, as a way of conserving energy (since all of our waste-water is currently treated so that it meets potable water standards). So I poked around my house and decided to try three different cleaners that I currently use in the bathroom: Seventh Generation multi-surface concentrated cleaner, Method Le Scrub gently abrasive cleaner, and Target's Up&Up all-purpose cleaner with bleach.





I don't have lab-glassware at home to measure and mix the water and cleaner, so I improvised. See Mom, those shot-glasses come in handy!

I set up my baggie gardens with lentil seeds (from my kitchen) and tried to keep all variables the same, except for the added cleaner. Then I attached them to the wall using push-pins, and I'll check on them daily.



We'll see in a couple of days how my garden grows. Which cleaner do you think will allow the most seeds to germinate?