Veg surveys, invisible fireworks, and potluck food
So Tuesday-Thursday this week and next I'm volunteering back with my old job, NPS RM Veg. And 'tis the season to run transects in KW, so I'm enjoying the nostalgia. Wasser's having me do tagged shrubs, which means I work by myself while the new kids do cover, biomass, and shrub density transects. It's kind of fun, using GPS and a compass to orienteer around the kīpuka. Wish the weather was better lately, though... it's been kinda soggy. :\
Today was the All Park meeting and annual photo, which I infiltrated like a baby cuckoo. I'm in the picture and everything, haha. There was free coffee and malasadas at the meeting, too... score!
Yesterday evening I went to the 4th of July party at Mahilani, so that was fun, seeing all the old familiar faces and eating tasty food and drinking beer and wine and champagne and dancing and talking story. Had a fun moment when someone said the words "Higgs boson" and all of us science nerds in the vicinity went "HIGGS BOSON!" and raised our drinks, and everyone else just looked confused. And then me and Dad tried to explain it to them.
The weather was nice until just as it was turning dark, of course, at which point it socked in completely, hiding the view of town and Hilo Bay and the county fireworks show. We could here the distant explosions, but we couldn't see a damn thing. Tragic!
But it was fun, there was delicious cake and I talked Star Trek with Chris and Juliana is trying to fix me up with her brother, so... ahaha that should be interesting? ^_^;
Today was the All Park meeting and annual photo, which I infiltrated like a baby cuckoo. I'm in the picture and everything, haha. There was free coffee and malasadas at the meeting, too... score!
Yesterday evening I went to the 4th of July party at Mahilani, so that was fun, seeing all the old familiar faces and eating tasty food and drinking beer and wine and champagne and dancing and talking story. Had a fun moment when someone said the words "Higgs boson" and all of us science nerds in the vicinity went "HIGGS BOSON!" and raised our drinks, and everyone else just looked confused. And then me and Dad tried to explain it to them.
The weather was nice until just as it was turning dark, of course, at which point it socked in completely, hiding the view of town and Hilo Bay and the county fireworks show. We could here the distant explosions, but we couldn't see a damn thing. Tragic!
But it was fun, there was delicious cake and I talked Star Trek with Chris and Juliana is trying to fix me up with her brother, so... ahaha that should be interesting? ^_^;