More pictures and recent events

So I hope everyone enjoyed the above, the snake was a rattler, the plant was a jack-in-the-pulpit I believe, and the random brown 'burb is brown burby and was extensively talked about in an earlier post. I should clarify though that it is not me taking these pictures, but rather other employees of the area, I like to think I would take pictures if I had a camera, so suffice to say that these are the pictures I would take if I could.

The previous week was fun. Had to fill out four separate timesheets as I was being paid through four different grants for various work. That was entertaining, I can see why accountants are needed now. This past week we started clearing pines, oaks, and brush in some of the old fields to help them remain fields rather than early successional forest. This involved a lot of sawing, clearing trees, and a class on the theory of chainsaw use. While this was interesting and I did use the chainsaw briefly I don't forsee myself using it very much if at all in the future. Frankly because its a little scary and for a few other reasons. Anyway saturday I went over to someone's house for part III of helping him put up a fence for his horses, sheep, and very aggressive (at least with the horses) geese. I used a drill there that was probably designed and manufactured when dual dorsal fins on chevies were in vogue and with the amount of stainless steel it had on it, it weighed about as much as one of those cars did. So saturday night my right forearm was really sore and tired. I couldn't even hold up a book and read it with both hands.

Sunday I spent most of the day reading, making cornbread (something I love doing because its easy, good, and almost good for you) , packing, and walking around the woods with a fellow named Joel. Now Joel is really into the outdoors and plants and such things so it was cool to hike with him. We tried out some wild wintergreen mint, hiked through a golden swampy tamarack and cedar bog, picked some labrador tea (it's a plant), and smoked cigars on the bank of cedar creek and talked about life. While talking about life a walking stick crawled up on his thigh which of course is really cool. He mentioned that since dragonflys landing on you are a sign of fertility he wondered what the walking stick was. I told him that the walking stick on his thigh was a sign of fertility. We then rode our sweet bikes back and talked about how you would fight a bear with a sword, though he stipulated that he wouldn't fight it unless he was protecting someone: Joel's quite noble. We then got back and discovered that a badminton net had been erected in our abscence so we played. I should emphasize that again we were playing badminton five minutes after having a conversation about fighting bear's with swords. We then made labrador tea while watching the early and middle innings of the White Sox game. The tea tasted quite unique and good, though this afternoon joel used the word "carpet" in trying to describe its taste to someone; I have no idea what he meant by that.

To those astute ones who wondered in the last paragraph what I was packing for, well I'll explain. My father is currently inbound to pick me up, I'll work a food show with him around the twin cities tomorrow and then fly off to houston for my grandfather's 75th b-day. Then I will return to the milwaukee-chicago metro area for a couple days and then I'm bound for pheonix for my cousin's wedding. Depending what day I get back ( I can't recall at the moment) I may hang around chicago for a few days before coming back up here to continue to help with restoring old fields, putting in fire roads, and helping with the savannah restoration. If anyone really cares my chart of movement goes as follows MN->WI->TX->WI->IL->AZ->IL->MN.

Finally Bryan I just got through reading Snow Crash, I enjoyed the beginning and middle, was a little confused by the whole lingual/physical/computer virus thing and Sumeria but overall enjoyed it. Also Eric, are you really done with UPA sanctioned ultimate because in my random perusings of various utlimate-themed blogs I find your evidence of your recent visits? I refer to postings on Jim P's and some-tall-skinny-kid's blogs. Or as you briefly mentioned in your own web journal, is this just a general interest in ultimate theory or the happenings and goings-on of the sport? Anyway that's all I got except that I really smell like pine right now and everyone should go to dinner club. Lyrica I hope your enjoying Chi-town.