new plan - WATER

Riparian Ecology

- work in streams, rivers, lakes - basically freshwater focus
- OSU has a water conflict management and transformation graduate certificate
- somehow work out youth/water/teaching. what about starting up a regional SCA program?
- border ecology, not as much salmon restoration (but maybe)

resources:
water.oregonstate.edu/projects/waterconflict.htm
www.wsu.edu/swwrc/SalmonIndex.html
http://www.treesfoundation.org/affiliates/specific-20

east coast travelin'

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This is where I've been since last Friday: Boston-Providence, RI-Pomfret, CT-Middletown, CT-Boston, MA>Charlestown, NH-Concord, MA-HOME

I started out in Boston, getting there Friday night and stayed at a youth hostel - it was not great, just a bed to sleep in. The next morning I got out of there by 8am and headed to Providence, RI (I had some time to kill). Turns out the Providence Pride parade was happening, although I got there too early so I just got breakfast and sat in the park watching everyone set up their booths.

Sat: Then on to Pomfret, CT, where I hooked up with Joy & Tom, who were performing at the Vanilla Bean Cafe there that evening. We hung out all day, went to the show (which was great - I always love seeing them play!), then we went and camped at a nearby campground. It was great to see the two of them - I probably spent more quality time with the two of them in CT than I have over the last year or two in Seattle (which was ridiculous since we lived quite close to each other). Camping was great! Strange camping occurances: there were weird animal moaning noises in the woods as we sat at the campfire - Joy was convinced they were zombies and I was sure it was a bear. At one point we practically tripped over each other trying to run to the bus, afraid the zombies/bear were sure to get us. Then there was a mammoth and gorgeous moth flying around the lantern - I took lots of pictures, then left it alone, only a few minutes later it jumped in the fire and commited suicide. It was crazy to watch - the wings just sort of melted and there was no trace of it just a few minutes later.

Sun: The next morning I headed to see my cousin Katherine and her family in Middletown, CT. It was great to see them - I haven't really spent time with her since we were in high school, even though we essentially grew up together. It was fun - we went for a bike ride, got caught in a terrential downpour/thunderstorm (I miss thunderstorms!), Mike then made us lunch, then I had to go to meet my boss in Boston. Not enough time but it was still great to see them.

Sun - Wed: Onto Boston, where I met up with my boss, then drove with him to Charlestown, NH, SCA headquarters. We spent three days there, meeting with various staff to get ready for Fall teams and the coming year. All in all it was a really beneficial visit, and I feel like I know a little more about how to do my job correctly.

Wed - Thurs: We came to Concord to meet up with one of my SCA summer teams. I wish I had more time here - Concord/Lexington is hugely historic and I have hardly seen a thing. Walden Pond is only 4 miles away and I won't even have seen it. I got sick this morning and ended up staying at the hotel today, while my boss went to work in the field with the team and then went kayaking. Damn! Can't catch a break, although I'm glad I stayed to sleep.

Tomorrow is Friday and I leave to go back home. It feels like months since I was home last.

Sunshine Moments

One week in Long Island for corps member training - check.
Three days in the Tri-Cities visiting all my in-laws - check.
A stolen moment hanging out with my husband on the beach - finally, check.

greenhouse research

I'm researching greenhouses - I'm home alone this weekend so that explains my numerous posts today. Anyway I'm researching and I found a link to dome greenhouses (link on the right). Sounds good, looks pretty cool, don't know the cost yet but I found this picture and I'm sold! Notice the little sitting area in the back. Amazing. And I can't wait.

Another really cute greenhouse is from Marston & Langinger - easy to google.
Another link: http://www.igcusa.com/hobby-greenhouse-pride-of-the-pacific.html

get junk food out of schools

Another fund-raiser - write a letter (the kid writes it, if they wish) stating why it would be important to switch to healthier vending machines at school. Ask for money to support this - how much will it cost to buy one of these? See if the school will match any of it, and send the letter to every parent in the school. Maybe it'll work!

http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=877

connecting kids to charitable giving

I love having this blog - and the computer from work that makes me able to add something here almost whenever I want to. This might end up being the website that I've wanted for so long. A place to post resources, websites, all the things that I don't want to forget. It's fabulous!

But onto the subject title: I just read something in Domino magazine that gave me an idea. They suggested having your kid save up to donate money to a wildlife organization. The kid sends $25 to a wildlife foundation for Africa and receives a "plush toy" in return.

A way to make this better: bring your kid to the zoo - possibly do your own research into your local zoo. The one in Seattle does a decent job at educating their visitors with signs that include many details on the animals, their domain, and usually reasons as to why they are in danger. So your kid connects to a particular animal, decides he/she wants to help feed or house (or pay for good staff that will take care of the animal), donates x amount of dollars, and gets the satisfaction of sharing some of her/his good fortune to help others. This can be done with any type of organization, really - not just for wildlife. In fact - how about they designate $25 every year to go toward an organization of their choice? And the kid can write a letter about what the money is for, why it was raised, etc.

The hope is that from a very young age your children have a connection and compassion for all living things, and also the idea that we're all part of the earth cycle - we all depend on each other for something, whether it be clean air, subsistence, or a little extra cash.

road tripping

We're going on a cruise to mexico for our honeymoon in october. i really want to make it a road-trip to get down there, so I've come up with this:

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