"thanks but no thanks"...I do love Bill

oh where to start...
As of Tuesday of last week I have departed Arnold, CA and embarked on the journey to Lubbock, TX. On the way, there was too brief a night spent in the Mojave National Preserve (it kills me to stay in a place and not explore), some delightful thai lunch in Flagstaff and an Albuquerque Isotopes game, grand slam victory and all. Then things got a tad hectic as I arrived midday in Lubbock, unpacked, stocked up on groceries, and packed for a weekend of camping in the field. A mere 5 more hours in the car and I was tracking Texas horned lizards by friday afternoon. Met quite an interesting fellow on Saturday who is allowing us free passage to search for lizards on his 800 acres of land, which is inspirationally being restored out of his own pocket. Things died down and I've been getting to know the layout of Lubbock, the five floors of books at the TTU library (score!) and their massive rec center (double score!). The DNC has kept me company at night, along with my very awesome roommates and Bella the american bull dog. I don't have my own functioning computer yet but once I do, pictures will follow. Missing everyone of course, especially Taylor but I'm happy to have alot to keep me occupied and my brain stimulated. I'll post as updates come.

Been a long time since I rock n' rolled

Actually, it's just been a long time since I've blogged...and rolled. I don't really roll. Anyway, things have been busy, busy as usual. Let's get right down to it...

Had a week of mom getting six months of motherliness out of her system. I tried to adequately give her a sense of mountain living: wine, food, bears...yes, bears. We surprisingly came across a mother and two cubs while driving out of my work site. It was the first bearage I've ever encountered, even with backpacking in the Smokies at the height of bear season. Needless to say we were both excited.

My favorite part was exploring a grove of giant sequoias that Taylor and I had yet to visit. Mom couldn't get over the giant cones from the sugar pine (Ironically, the giant sequoia has comparatively tiny cones). After all the fun and foot breakage (Taylor is starting to heal nicely), mom went home and work ensued. Last weekend we cut loose by heading to Mammoth lakes for the beer and blues festival. Then Patrick and I started a forest fire...

Ok, we didn't start it at all actually. We went hiking at Sherwin Lakes and discovered the beginnings of what appeared to be a small fire started by some ignorant people. When we left, the fire crew was on their way up the trail and we thought that would be the end of it. Lo and behold, I look up online just moments ago and discover the fire became a raging inferno, burning over 250 acres. See Patrick, you really could have been a hero!

Now, after another weeks work, things are boiling down in the world of Goshawk surveys. We have very little left to do, which is superb because I have moving to deal with. On the 19th, I shall be packing up the little focus that could and heading to Lubbock, Texas to start grad school. But not before having a final weekend hurrah in San Francisco. Once I do move though, I should finally have a working cell phone so expect some calls and catching up.

update time...High Sierra was a blast. The weather was infintely better than last year (the forest fire smoke was horrendous though). Alot of good people were there and alot of new bands being discovered. I was really enjoying the blues/funk/jazz vibe coming from some New Orleans bands. Again, the afternoon sets were my favorite except for Trombone Shorty on saturday night. We danced, danced and danced some more. Whereas last year the four days seemed a tad too long, this year it was far too short.
But exciting news awaited me upon my return home. A grad school project working on Texas horned lizards that had suddenly appeared to the tune of glorious trumpets sounding has become my best prospect for this fall. I await official acceptance but it looks as if I will be Texas-bound come August. That doesn't leave much time for getting myself situated, but I'm pretty confident I can manage the quick transition. The worst part will be parting from Taylor for an unknown amount of time. But it's the kind of situation that you just have to let play out and hope for the best. I think I'm better prepared for it than the first division-by-landmass last summer.
The summer is really flying by now. Get to spend a week showing mom what mountain life is like starting this Saturday. Then it's goshawk transect cram time which will culminate with a trip to Oakland to see the White Sox! Can you think of a better way to end a season? (some of you don't answer that!)

"I'll infect you with the back of my hand!"

oh Sealab never ceases to crack me up...

so seeing as I won't be around until after the 4th, how's about a brief update:

Past couple weeks have been full of labor intensive work, a co-worker bbq , road trip to vegas, and more labor intensive work. Taylor and I even scored some free tickets to a concert last night and danced the night away. It's all been tiring but fun (except the poison oak...not fun). After another 4 days of camping and morning-til-night surveying, Taylor and I will be off to Quincy for 5 days of the High Sierra Music Festival. I'm psyched for many reasons: having a chunk of time off to let my body recouperate, music and dancing, and reuniting with friends from across the country. Other exciting news regards my plans for the rest of the year. I'm awaiting feedback from an interview for grad school in New Mexico starting this fall and also have applied to a wildlife gig in Tallahassee, FL as a fall-back option. I'd be glad to land either one, but the bright, shiny glory of higher-degreeness beckons me. The life of a wildlife tech is a fascinating one, yes, but it is a life of financial struggle. A master's degree and a permanent position with state wildlife management would be the doorway to at least a meager amount of stability. Either way at least I have spending time with this --> to look forward to.

"It's better than bad, it's good!"

(I've had the Ren and Stimpy log commercial song in my head for days)

I'm a little behind on posts seeing as the Sierra foothills do not offer wireless internet. Now with work in full swing, four days of my week are spent camping and hiking in the mountains. It's challenging work and I'm already back in tip-top shape and feeling good. Unfortunately, we haven't been finding any hawks. Most of the day is quite enjoyable with some great scenery along my cross-country surveys (no pictures though b/c my digital camera is still out of commission). Certainly not enough reptiles though, save for the one Gilbert's skink I saw the other day.
I've been checking the rocky, open spots regularly for snakes and lizards but to no avail. There's also the occasional collision will fallen braches and trees, leaving for some nasty bruises and scrapes (typical by-product of any field job). I've also declared the Manzanita my sworn enemy...a particularly scratchy bush that grows in large clusters through which I must navigate very slowly...the frustration it causes is only matched by that of a thick phelaris patch in the marshes of Lockport. Other than these disappointments, the job has been pretty swell. Another curious observation I've made while at home is that although we are at full capacity with 6 crew members, it's almost as if Taylor and I live here alone. Everyone else retreats to their respective caves/bedrooms and only emerge to forage occasionally. The socialization is lacking, making me eager to spend my weekends elsewhere. Two weekends ago was the mendocino trip. And come tomorrow morning, I will be on my way to sin city for a rendezvous with familiar faces from Chicago. It couldn't come at a better time. Tensions have been building and I'm longing for a dose of the midwest. Even the long drive through the desert should prove clarifying. There's nothing like an expanse of seemingly empty desert to bring things into perspective. Now if only I can manage to find some herp life at the red rocks preserve, I think I may reach a breakthrough.

Domain of the mole people

Time for day-off shenanigans. Today we took a trip to Mercer Caverns and 16 flights of stairs later we found ourselves in stalactite heaven. Being my first time in a cave, I camera-ed it out and took pictures of every interesting formation I could point the lens at. The folded waves (4th picture) remind me of many a Georgia O'Keefe painting.

Puff the magic spotted owling

Here's a few mostly clear owl shots taken by my crew leader Jay from our recent nest check. And what is that hiding amongst the leaves and branches? It is one of two hatchling owls which are being diligently watched over by their momma (who posed ever so nicely for us). She was so determined to get the mice we had with us to feed her babies, she practically flew right into me.

And of course, this strapping young biologist is Taylor (for those of you who haven't met him). Now that goshawk surveys are starting up, this summer will fly by. Weeks will be filled with campouts and the kek-kek-kek! call of the goshawk, weekends will be full of various adventures including a trip back to the mendocino coast, long drive to vegas to meet up with much-missed Chicago friends, get together at the high sierra music festival for 4th of July weekend, a visit from my momma!, blues and beer fest in august and another weekend in San Fran watching the white sox at AT&T park. Phew, that sure does sound like alot.