...it's not funny. So before I came up here everyone who had been here gave me two impressions they either 1) loved it or 2) hated it. Well while I have been here I have determined why those felt the way they did. If they are young and unattached, or PI's (Primary Investigators- the Professors with all the $$), or only up here for a week or 2 then they loved it. but if you have a family, children, an SO (that you really love) at home, and are here for longer than a couple of weeks you are DYING to go home. I was young and unattached once, hoping from place to place with all my belongings, and ten years ago this would of been a great (and fun) experience. and at times it has been. I am glad I tried it out, I have now seen Alaska, and seen a critter or two. but I have also realized I have made a wonderful home in NC, and for the long haul am happier there.
On the upside I have a couple of job prospects and an interview when I get home. So I may not be unemployed for long.
There are 7 new photos of toolik in the set on flickr. I am leaving here Fri morning and wil be home by Sat night, but don't expect any blogging till at least wed/thurs (I may have some stitching done then!)
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
You say it 's your birthday!
Yes it is. I have been here in arctic alaska for 19 days and have 18 more to go.. the novelty has worn off a bit and I am ready to go home. the landscape is beautiful but bleak and hard to explore, walking on tundra is very difficult and a mile can seem like 3. and since I get to walk it just about every day, I am done.
But I did get today off cause I whined a bit about turning 32 (the younger folks can hike the 3 mile journey today). So I finally get time to post some photos on Flickr and post to my blog. No stitching here, no time and no comfy chair to sit in to do it if I had time.
The weather here is not predictable but you can garantee that it will rain once a day, it will be clear once a day, it will be windy at least once, and calm the rest of the time. It may be 40 or 60 or 70, or all of those temps in 5 hours. you need to wear 3-5 layers at any time it could snow in you (it did on the 7th of july.) but be ready to strip off all the layers if it becomes warm, and apply deet....the mosquitos are out. Although the bugs are bad, I had imagined them alot worse, like coastal forest of maryland bad, where you are covered head to toe in a blanket of mosquitos, but they aren't that dense, and they are no bigger than at home. go figure with all those tall tales.
Hey Liz, yes the green/blue tube things are what we sleep in, they are called weatherports, and are just big tarps stretched over an aluminum frame on a plywood platform.
Just click on the photo to see all the new pics (I have only uploaded a few of the bajillions I have taken, cause they are a bit big).
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Toolik
Hello all I am here and doing well. I arrived after a 9 hour ride up from Fairbanks on thursday and went right to work the next day. I got to ride in a helicoper out to a lake 14 miles away on Fiday to do sampling, and yesterday we hiked about a mile to another lake to sample. the routine wil be about that every day. drive fly or hike to a lake or stream, take water, benthic (bottom), and algal samples, bring back to camp and process the samples (by filtering or picking out the invertebrates). I will be able to post a few pics on flickr. when ever I upload to the set ( Toolik 06) I shall let you know here. just click on the picture here to see the rest of the set.
Some stitching on the fights up
here is what I got done on the flight up, I am still not sure how much will get done up here we work 6-11 all day, I might have some time while filtering water...but that is my letter writing time too...meanwhile enjoy some of the pictures, see post above.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
As I wait in.....Orlando, but that's in the wrong direction!
So after being overbooked on the flight to cinncinati, I was bumped to a later flight, which was then overbooked, so I was offered another flight to Orlando, which will then connect to my final leg out of Salt Lake. (I did get a travel voucher for a future flight).
As I sit here for an hour or two I found a few websites that features the trip I'll be taking tomorrow up to the field station on the Dalton Highway, Pictures here, and here. I love linky things, don't you? I will try to take some of my own pictures tomorrow. I am hoping that the bus will stop at the Artic circle sign.
Ok I am off now to stitch for a bit while I watch out for Micky Mouse.
As I sit here for an hour or two I found a few websites that features the trip I'll be taking tomorrow up to the field station on the Dalton Highway, Pictures here, and here. I love linky things, don't you? I will try to take some of my own pictures tomorrow. I am hoping that the bus will stop at the Artic circle sign.
Ok I am off now to stitch for a bit while I watch out for Micky Mouse.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Sunday before the Big Chill
Ok now I know why people just stop blogging, You have stuff to post but the day just flies by and then you have more stuff to post, but then your thinking how can I get this all in one post, and then another day goes by. etc. etc. Well when you mom comments that you haven't posted in a while, you know its bad.
OK so Below this post you will find a few more photos of Alaska, and Drum roll please, a cross stitch pic or two (ok two) to tell you the truth I haven't been stitching much, and I am not sure I will be doing a whole lot of stitching up in Toolik. I wil be taking a few pieces...simple stuff. Sealology, which is pictured here. Signs of Summer and maybe Signs of Winter. and a couple of Tie One On kits.
I think I have everything packed for the middle of nowhere Alaska for 6 weeks (and when I say middle of nowhere I mean the nearest drug store is a 300 mile gravel road away). So I've have to think of stuff that you wouldn't normally on any other week long trip. Have you ever tried to quantify the amount of shampoo you use in 6 weeks...II haven't either.
I Leave Wed at noon and won't be online again till Friday. I hope to blog then at the very least.
OK so Below this post you will find a few more photos of Alaska, and Drum roll please, a cross stitch pic or two (ok two) to tell you the truth I haven't been stitching much, and I am not sure I will be doing a whole lot of stitching up in Toolik. I wil be taking a few pieces...simple stuff. Sealology, which is pictured here. Signs of Summer and maybe Signs of Winter. and a couple of Tie One On kits.
I think I have everything packed for the middle of nowhere Alaska for 6 weeks (and when I say middle of nowhere I mean the nearest drug store is a 300 mile gravel road away). So I've have to think of stuff that you wouldn't normally on any other week long trip. Have you ever tried to quantify the amount of shampoo you use in 6 weeks...II haven't either.
I Leave Wed at noon and won't be online again till Friday. I hope to blog then at the very least.
Bent Creek Signs of Autumn
I finished this one a week or so ago. I used DMC conversions for most of the pattern (except the wording). THere was alot of similar browns, and some of the recommended conversions didn't work. I just started Signs of Summer.
Robert and I in front of the glacier
Robert is one of the other ex-graduate students at the conference and he and I took a day excursion to see some of Alaska.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
My first moose
Hello all, I know I have the worse blog ever. I like totally don't blame you if you all put me at the bottom of your favorites list. But I please don't leave me all together, I will be a more regular blogger in the fall...well cause I'll either have a job and be sitting in front of a computer alot, or I'll have no job and tons of time. either way you should stick around this summer, If nothing else then for the pictures. Firstup today Is my first moose.
I am in Anchorage for the NABS conference, and yesterday I gave my presention (went well thank you) and befor my talk I went for a walk around the creek/lake by the university (of alaska at achorage) and by the side of the path was this big female (cow?) munching away about 15 ft (5m) from me. awesome. I know they are like deer around here, but it is cool nontheless.
Stitching you say, well not since I got off the plane, But I bought a new digital camera and am looking forward to the macro setting to demo for you...I did work a bit on Seaology and will post a pic (eventually!)
Well I am off to go hiking, my goal is to see a glacier today, they are an endangered phenomenon.
PS. Suz, the pic of Toolik is in the winter, it will be summer when I am there, snow is pssible but flowers are more likely.
I am in Anchorage for the NABS conference, and yesterday I gave my presention (went well thank you) and befor my talk I went for a walk around the creek/lake by the university (of alaska at achorage) and by the side of the path was this big female (cow?) munching away about 15 ft (5m) from me. awesome. I know they are like deer around here, but it is cool nontheless.
Stitching you say, well not since I got off the plane, But I bought a new digital camera and am looking forward to the macro setting to demo for you...I did work a bit on Seaology and will post a pic (eventually!)
Well I am off to go hiking, my goal is to see a glacier today, they are an endangered phenomenon.
PS. Suz, the pic of Toolik is in the winter, it will be summer when I am there, snow is pssible but flowers are more likely.
Friday, May 26, 2006
More modeling?
I have here 2 more Erica Michael freebies that I stitched up as models for Brenda using the Dye is Cast threads. I don't think the castle came out very well, but the daffodils came out wonderfully
I finished these up last week but havan't had time to post them. okok I have had the time (since I am not doing anything but looking for a job) but haven't been on the internet too much. I have been catching up on my stitching, and reading (I read two novels this past week!) and I have been doing some pieceing of the Rhythm and Blues quilt, I was able to get blocks 3, 4 and 5 done.
With the cross stitching I put a few more stitches in tothe View of a spring garden,and Seaology. I will try to post some pictures this coming week before I head off to Anchorage.
Remember last year when i went to New Orleans? well this year the same conference is in Anchorage...and Ill be heading up on the 3rd for a week. Then I'll be heading back up on the 21st to work for my advisor in the boonies of Alaska (Toolik Field Station). I'll be up there till the end of July. I don't think I'll be able to do a whole lot of stitching but that doesn't mean I am not going to try
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Melanies Exchange -recieved
Hi everyone. I got my exchange today... from Melanie. Maybe I should explain. See this was a two way exchange. First Person 1 bought fabric, a speciality fiber and a charm or beads, then sent them to person 2, then person 2 had to use the materials to make the finished product (no theme limits) then send it to person 3. this was called Melanies exchange cause it was her idea. It was Chiara that picked out the fiber (Gast purple iris, and the pretty blue mill hill beads) And Melanie stitched the heart and made the most well made bag I have ever seen. (and I know she did it a bit last minute which mkes it even more impressive). It is lined and everything, I would love to have that kind of talent. She also sent me some hand dyed thread done by her and a package of Reflections Silkweaver fabric, and finally some chocolate! A win win situation all around.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
A graduation, a gift, and guests
Hello all, I am here, my sister and her boyfriend just left a few minutes ago
. SO lettsee what happened in the past week. Well everyone (sister, her BF, MIL,FIL, mom, and stepdad) arrived on thursday. We had arelaxed evening and then on Friday we ran around a bit doing some shopping and finished up the stretching and framing of my damsel fly . I skipped the big graduation and just went to the departmental grad at 3pm. I was only one of 2 masters students who showed up (there were 6 of us graduatng) but thats ok...I got to were a silly cap and gown and who wants to pass that up!. I gave my advisor the finished damselfly afterwards...see photo. I think she really liked it.
We all went out to dinner that evening and on Saturday we had the backyard party/BBQ. A pretty good turn out, with the usual results - people show who you didn't expect and people who didn't come who you did expect-. Party only went till about 11...we started early and are not so young anymore.
My parents left monday to spend a few days in Wilmington, NC and my sister and her man suck arount till today, Yesterday we hiked around Pilot Mtn., but mostly I been downloading music to put on my new IPOD!. Yep I got one for graduation, now I won't be hiking across the undra this summer with only my thoughts to keep me company.
So anyway the house is a wreck and there is about 20 loads of laundry to do, and all the good photos have to be sent to me from the parents with the good cameras (hence only 2 photos for you today.
Officially I would like to offer up this pattern for sale and the others like it for $6 each.. just leave me your email if you are interested
Wee beasties 1, wee beasies 5, and wee beasties 6.
All of these are in excellent condition (well the one I did is a bit wrinkled but unmarked)
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Crafty is as crafty does
I went to a Creative Memories event yesterday, Memoranza, and "scrapbooked" 16 pages in 6 hours. (see example to your right) I say scrapbook in quotes, cause I do nothing like what you see in the magazines and in craft stores nowadays, with all the ribbons and tags and buttons, ugh how about pictures people. Any way I was able to do finish our trip to Charleston that we took in March (that is the most recent event I have pics of), and almost all of 1997 (I had all those pics cropped and ready). I am very excited since this is the first of my photos that I have been able to get done. I did do an album for Ian for christmas of our first 3 pets ...but it was one of those small albums. I figure if I will simultaneously work on some old stuff and the most recent stuff...then eventually I may catch up.
I diligently came home and worked on the Damselfly, No pic though, since the iridescent krenick doesn't show in pics, I think it is pointless till the backstitching gets started. I was able to get most of the third wing done before running out of thread...I have to head out and find 032 BF today, but since it is one of the more popular, I should be able to get it at AC Moore. If not Hobby Lobby will be open tomorrow (I hate sundays, no one is open!). I did buy a sectional gold frame to frame her once she is done. I was going to find a open frame but 8X10 was too small by a smidge, and I don't think she needs a mat (besides I suck at cutting them)...so the frame is a 9X10, and I am debating glass, my instinct is no cause of all the iridesence. Opinions?
Finally I have 3 days to clean the house and yard before my family descends upon this place (6 people all told) for graduation on friday. Wish me luck, I am feeling very unmotivated today.
Friday, May 05, 2006
View from river street inn
Hello there everyone. Sorry for the delay in posting, my computer was being uncooperative. Here is the view from one of the three floor to celing windows in the River Street Inn in Downtown Savannah.
We left Sunday night, stopped overnight in Columbia, and arrived in Savannah in Mon. Ian booked the night in the Inn which is located in one of the old cotton warehouses on the riverfront. It was really great to be in a hotel room that was furnished with real furniture. We have only done that once before..at the Biltmore Hotel in Ashville. Dinner was at a Morrocan resturant, neither of us had ever had morrocan food before, and it was excellent. We headed down to Tybee Island on Tuesday (and the Howard Johnson...back to the real world!)
and enjoyed the beach before heading back wed.
I was able to start and finish the border of the damselfly on the trip , and finished the lower right wing last night. Just 2 wings left to fill in and back stitching (a ton of that!) in the next week.
I also found a big mistake...if you look at my past photos there is some brown where there isn't now. I found 2 symbols that were swapped on the pattern, a brown and a green, I only saw it cause of the photo on the pattern (which looked different from my finished product), I thought it looked strange but trusted the pattern. But think it looks good now.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Devils Darning Needle indeed.
So I was really worried about this thing, it was seeming to take forever, and I had hoped that moving on to the wings would be faster. But of course they are done in all krenick threads so I was swearing every third stitch (thats even with using Thread Heaven). I as of yesterday I was thinking I may not finish this on time. I only have two weeks to go. But last night I had a brilliant (and totally anti rules) idea. I would outline the wings...I know it is usually a bad Idea since there is the potential (read garanteed) to stitch over the outline. So I tried it with the upper right wing and the filling in went much faster, and since the iridesent white thread is very subtle visually (hence the previous bout of swearing), the outline was not obsured at all. I was able to finish one wing tonight and have hope hat with 4-5 more nights (20-25 hours more)I might finish this b***h. I hope my advisor likes it.
Speaking of school, I handed in my final, 2 copies of my thesis, to the grad school (along with $60 "binding and shelving fee"). I have to take three more copies over to another binder for my own copies (cheaper).
But technically as of 1 pm tomorrow my Graduate school career is over...after my last office hour to hand out final grades
In other news I called my wedding photographer, only to find out that he has moved to Charleston and is no longer in Savannah. Figures...but I am planning on finally buying my wedding album within the next month or two, I don't care if he is on Mars.
Our anniversary(3 yrs) was yesterday but we didn't do anything special...we are planning to celebrate it next week in Savannah
Speaking of school, I handed in my final, 2 copies of my thesis, to the grad school (along with $60 "binding and shelving fee"). I have to take three more copies over to another binder for my own copies (cheaper).
But technically as of 1 pm tomorrow my Graduate school career is over...after my last office hour to hand out final grades
In other news I called my wedding photographer, only to find out that he has moved to Charleston and is no longer in Savannah. Figures...but I am planning on finally buying my wedding album within the next month or two, I don't care if he is on Mars.
Our anniversary(3 yrs) was yesterday but we didn't do anything special...we are planning to celebrate it next week in Savannah
Monday, April 24, 2006
Stitchin away
this weekend was a bit rainy so I finished up an exchange piece due in 3 weeks, so no picture there. But I did make some progress on the damselfly... I have several of these charts, but after this one I am not sure I will be doing anymore. It has got a ton of confetti stitching and 3/4 stitches and just well...irritates me. We shall see if there is a verdict by the time I am done. I will be working on nothing but this chart till graduation (since it is a gift for my advisor). Oh and as you can tell I did not go to Savannah this week, Ian and I bumped it to next week. THis means I have to finish up revisions and turn in my final thesis copies to the graduate school by friday, so off I go.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
SBQx2
Last week: For those of you that stitch while riding in the car or on the train, how do you cope with the bumps and the motion? Do you have any tips for others?
Actually this is one of the main reasons why i don't stitch in the car. I hate the bumps, I do much better reading. I save the stitching for the hotel room.
THis week: Do you do obligation or deadline-based stitching? Why or why not? If you do, do you tend to get in over your head and why? I only started doing this with the a exchange ornament exchange board, bloggers exchange board, and the US exchange board. I limit myself to 2 at a time (and right now I am just working on one). I have found that it's been really fun, and I have learned alot about finishing. I still have not gotten up the guts to do a round robin. I know alot of bloggers (that i read) participate in these often, maybe someday I'll sign up for one.
Actually this is one of the main reasons why i don't stitch in the car. I hate the bumps, I do much better reading. I save the stitching for the hotel room.
THis week: Do you do obligation or deadline-based stitching? Why or why not? If you do, do you tend to get in over your head and why? I only started doing this with the a exchange ornament exchange board, bloggers exchange board, and the US exchange board. I limit myself to 2 at a time (and right now I am just working on one). I have found that it's been really fun, and I have learned alot about finishing. I still have not gotten up the guts to do a round robin. I know alot of bloggers (that i read) participate in these often, maybe someday I'll sign up for one.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Back to stitching
I has been pretty nice not having to worry about my thesis this weekend. I was able to go out to a the NC herb society herb sale (they have it every year at the local greek orthodox church), and bought a few plants. I cleaned up the backyard on friday and contracted to have a fence put in. yesterday I cleaned the house, and did all the laundry. There is still a big list of stuff to get done before everyone comes down before graduation but it actually looks like it might all get done.
Meanwhile I was asked by Brenda the owner of the Dye is Cast, at the last tarheel get together if I would stitch up a few of the Erica Micheals freebies using The Dye is Cast fibers.
I chose to do the first four letters of Erica Micheals alphabet. and Brenda picked out fabric and fibers for the conversions. I loved how A came out. B I think could of been better on darker fabric. I would love to do the whole alphabet some day, these stitch up very quickly.
However I have to get back to work on the damselfly for my advisor in order to have it done by graduation. So C amd D will have to wait.
Ill be blogging more often now..so check back soon.
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