First Day of Autumn

How did we get here so fast? It has been a while since wrote a garden update:

The garden did well despite the season of rain we had! I got summer squash, swiss chard, green beans, eggplant, peppers, artichokes and some pumpkins.

I didn't spray and we got plectosporium and black rot... boo and lots of bugs. So next year I will have to suck it up and spray at least a few times.

It has been precious to see Ladybug and Liam. They have learned that they can harvest their own tomatoes if they just sneak in and grab them. It was the funniest thing I have seen in a while! Fine with me, there were plenty!

I love fall, at leas the start of autumn because it is time to harvest and enjoy the long warm days and golden sunshine!

I love harvesting my winter squash and sweet potatoes for my research. Any chance to be at the farms is spent cherishing the warmth, the sweet honey crisp apples and the blue sky.

My mom always said she didn't like fall because it remind her that the plants are dying and its the end of the season. Though this may be true, I look at how amazing it is God created this system as a way for each season to build.

There is a season for everything! Yes, I get depressed when the leaves turn brown and drop in November but them there is the excitement of the first snow fall to look forward to! Oh how I missed than when I was in FL..... didn't feel like Christmas even with the decorated palm trees!

Happy first day of autumn!

Another semester begins: What do I do all day you ask?

Its not your fault if you don't understand what a grad students life is like...... truthfully it changes daily and thats kind of what makes it fun.

Do not be mistaken: REAL WORK GET DONE!

So many of my family friends don't really get what I do all day, is it school work? Work work? Part time or Full time? Do I get summers off? Do I pay for school? How can we afford it?

Well here it is in a nutshell to dispell all myths and rumors (at least I will try):
1. Research Project- Ever evolving research that sometimes takes up ones entire life at times and at other times ebbs and flows. My research is based on growing vegetables in the field thus, it is dependant on the season. I also do lab work in the off season. So there is work to do year round! Most projects are like this with 1 or 2 parts of the year being the busiest!
2. Classes- Typically classes for a phd are taken in the first 2 years, not as many are taken each semester b/c there has to be time to do research and TA. I took all of my classes and then took my oral/written exams to prove competency. Now I just sit in on classes if I feel like it
3. TA- This is how I get paid, I am paid 9 mos. of the year to TA- basically help the faculty member, attend class, instruct lab periods, grade papers, give exams etc. supposed to be 20 hrs. but way more than that in reality
4. Schedule- It varies here and there but most of the time I work 9 hr days, come home and then do work after dinner almost every day and on the weekends
5. $$- I don't make a lot but that is the price I pay for being in school. I do get paid in the summer and work f/t then not on a TA but get a fellowship or paid by my advisor to do my work- its usually about the same pay as what I get in the school year.
6. Weekends- Spent doing work on the research, reading and checking email- bad its hard to unplug!
7. Finishing- Million dollar question! I hope this spring but it all depends on how the research goes and how fast I can synthesize my work into one document!

This is typically how it goes for me as a grad student. It changed when I was teaching full time. :)

8. Life after this- Get my Phd. and teach/research for the rest of my life :)

Saying goodbye

My great uncle Fred passed away this week, I just saw that side of my family a few weeks ago at my grandparent's 60th Anniversary party (yea 60 years imagine that!). My memories of Fred are from Christmas eve parties when I was kid and his gentle manner. He was always smiling and had a ready to laugh. He and my aunt were a good balance and they had 4 kids that though they were older than me, we always got along.

When I heard of his passing, I ran right out to get a condolensces card for my aunt. I wasn't sure I was going to make the service. Just picking out the card brought me back to sad feelings I had about losing my Nonna. That loss still feels so fresh in my heart. I actually teared up in the card aisle.

I did go up to the service for Fred a few days later, the church was beautiful and much of my family was gathered. I was struck by the finality of seeing the casket at the alter and the flag folded up next it to acknowledge service to our country.

As I am sitting there dwelling on the loss of Fred and the loss the family is feeling I found myself reflecting on my Nonna. The hymns were different and yet the sentiment was the same. It really struck me when the minister actually acknowledged that times like this can cause us to mourn again for the losses we have felt previous to the one we are acknowledging now.

So true for me.

After the service we gathered for a reception and I caught up with family. The mood was pretty light, there were kids running around and that always lightens things. Even Fred's son said Fred would have wanted us to 'get on with it' and enjoy the day.

Even at his grave, it was hard not to enjoy the surroundings, the ocean nearby and 100 year old trees dotting the massive cemetery. The minister also acknowledged that though we think of cemetaries as a place that represents death, it in many ways is full of life. It was not hard to see all of the trees, the flowers, the grass and folks walking threw on their lunch hour.

Still, it was somber for us as we laid Fred to rest. The military was there and taps was played. There wasn't a dry eye. For Fred, for our country as we are at war and my thoughts about my own grandpa. He served too and I shudder thinking about the day we will have to say goodbye to him.

It is never easy to let a loved one go. God reminded me though that even though in our hearts we grieve for those we feel we lose in this life to death, if they knew Him we will be reunited one day. We can't understand God's timing and why He decides to call one of His own home. We can only feel comforted that God has a plan for Fred, for me and for you, if we are faithful it will be revealed to us. Realizing this helped me not miss Nonna as much and deal with the loss of uncle Fred.

Aftwards it was so nice to get to spend time with family I don't see that often. I also got some quality time with my mom. It isn't often we get time together without other family or Josh and sometimes its nice. We ended up going shopping after (of course). Felt good, but bittersweet. It made me miss the times we got to spend shopping and hanging out in years past. She really is the best shopper! Sorry to anyone else but I would pick her as my shopping buddy hands down!

However, I don't shop with her often because I always spend too much!

Rest in Peace Fred, you will be missed but not forgotten.

Alittle perspective and a laugh go a long way

So sometimes even when you really want something if it isn't in God's plan for me just yet it won't happen. I get that. I think in my mind I get it even if my heart doesn't.

Phillipians 4:6 says "Do not be axious about anything, but everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God"

I was reminded of that today when they read this verse on Air1 radio FM a station a work friend turned me onto in the fall. It was as if God heard my silent prayers and this is the verse I was meant to hear today. It was amazing to hear those words and know that God cares for me, every little thing I do from brushing my teeth to figuring out what carotenoids are in my squash samples. He wants to hear all about my struggles and He is concerned with all my thoughts and wishes. It is comforting.

I feel a sense of relief just knowing that and peace that whatever happens next will be His will not mine. I think in this society we tend to be very driven go-getters i.e. control freaks. Thats me when it comes to most things. Of course God wants us to be motivated and seek out opportunities but He wants us to consult him rather than choosing our own will which may not be the best path. So, in my prayers lately I have been asking for guidance and peace even if I don't understand why some things have happened the way they have.

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On a side note I have been soaking in the summer sun while doing pollinations for my advisor and working in the field on my own squash research. It has been really nice to get outside and do what I love despite getting there at 6:30am! I came across this cartoon and it made me laugh because I call myself the busy bee when I do my pollinations!

Patience

Remember when you were a kid and December 1st hit and you started the Advent calendar and couldn't WAIT for Christmas? The days just inched by until finally it was Christmas Eve and suddenly you know you will wake up and its Christmas?

Gah, thats how I feel right now. I need patience and God is teaching me this, a lesson I need to re-learn.

Today I was talking to my sister and I wasn't sure she would understand how I feel and actually found she really did. I think I need to lean on my sisters a bit more. Thanks sis!

Adventures in Camping

This was my first time camping with Josh and I have to admit I was nervous. Not because I didn't think that we would have fun but because Josh was packing. He took the day off to pack the car while I worked a 12h day just to find out that I would need to come in early the next morning to finish up leaving him to do most of the packing.

I bought all the groceries on Monday night in a huge thunder and lightning storm and rushed all the cold groceries in and left the packaged stuff in the car. Of course it wasn't until we were 1/2h away from the campground we realized that neither of us had packed the cold cuts.

We get to the campground and lo and behold there is the bag of cold cuts... ooops! Not to mention we were late getting to the campground but it was such a beautiful day it didn't matter!

Josh's dad met us at the site and helped us set up. It was so fun getting set up and ready to camp!

We had a wonderful week and it was so restful and relaxing! I felt like Josh and I were on our honeymoon again it was so fun and we laughted our head off the whole time!

Things I have learned about camping:

1. Bring lots of ice and make sure that all the cold food is in the cooler!

2. Tarps are your friend even if it doesn't seem like its going to rain

3. There is no such thing as not enough books or marshmallows!

4. Josh loves any reason to use a blow torch to start a fire LOL!

5. Paddle boats look fun but they are a work out... we could have walked faster!

6. I am not as scared of sleeping in a tent as I thought I would be it was cozy

7. We definetly need to bring the dogs next time

8. I need to bring something to pee in when I wake in the middle of the night because the bathroom was a haul!

9. Despite my protests, bringing a fan (we had water and electricity at the site) was the best thing we brought, kept our tent cool

10. 6 days is not long enough, wish we had a month!

I can't believe how much I love camping and how much fun we had as a couple! Definetly one of the highlights of the summer!

Things I have noticed since I got married

In the last few months I have been getting up later and later while Josh has been getting up earlier and earlier. I thought maybe I was falling into the academic late to work rut.

Well today I had to be at work as early as possible for an experiment so I was up at 5am and out the door at 6:30, didn't feel hard at all. The difference? Josh is on vacation this week and he was snooring away.

Weird? Well I used to be a morning person but not necessarily a friendly one, ask my former roomies :) Now I think it is helpful not to bicker whenever possible so Josh getting up early is good and I wish we could get up together but I just don't think we can and not argue! LOL. We both rush around in the morning and have the dogs and lunches and all that. It is just easier to get up a bit... or lately alot later than him. I keep saying I will use that time to work out but haven't really done that yet!

The problem I have had with coming in early is that no matter how early I come in I can never leave 'early' or like after 8-9hrs. Sometimes I convince myself if I go in early I can come home early. And I FAIL miserably everytime! Today is such a day. I go in early and it is 5:15 and I have to be here for another 1hr. for an experiment.

What happens more often is that I am ready to get going when my latecoming colleagues show up and want to talk etc. So I try to alternate and that is exhausting. I just need a schedule! Plus I pack the same lunch most days and the early days I am starving and the late to come in days I don't eat as much. Like today I could eat shoe leather if I had any!

Oh well, one more day of this and I am going camping. Should be an adventure:read:unpleasant!
Josh is really pumped and I am happy to unplug literally but I am not sure if camping will be relaxing for me. The bugs, bathrooms, no showers, cooking a meal on a fire.... hmmmmm. We shall see! I am sure there will be stories from this!!

Happy Vacation to me!