Blinding Me with Science (A Hiking Post)

So as some of you know, Rob got a job this summer as a research assistant for the Mountain Pond Project (you can view their blog here...it hasn't been updated this summer yet but plenty of stuff from last year).  Essentially his advisor's research centers around testing and monitoring high-altitude ponds in Maine.  Rob works with three other college students, Amie, Sara, and Sarah, monitoring pond temperature, depth, dissolved oxygen, and other science-y things. They also create depth maps for some of the ponds that haven't yet been mapped.  I'm probably leaving something out about what they do, but it's all over my head anyway so just go read the blog.

This is the reason that he goes on all those camping trips grumble grumble.  I'd be lying if I said it didn't bum me out a little when he leaves because he's even though he's working, he's also camping and having fun with people who aren't me, and that kind of sucks for me since I'm sitting alone in my house working by meself not really having that much fun at all with anyone.  Cypress's idea of fun, i.e. rolling in dead animals, doesn't really count.

On Wednesday Rob invited me to go on one of their hikes (he's begged me to go on the camping trips as well, but my job depends on cell reception and internet access) and I agreed.  His advisor has been wanting me to take some pictures of the work they're doing for use in the blog and other promotional materials, and I was happy to oblige.

We got up early, met with the girls and set off for Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, Maine.  We walked together for awhile but then separated (Sara, Amie and I went to one pond, Rob and Sarah went to another) and met up later.  The hike really wasn't too strenuous and it was fun getting to see what my husband does on these trips.

I thought you all might enjoy some of the pictures from the day, so here they are. My one regret is that I didn't get any pictures of Robbie and I together, but maybe next time.

  (from left, Sarah, Sara, Amie, and Robbie)

What fun have you had this week?

Wednesday Hump Day

Today was just your typical work day. Working from home gives me the ability to take breaks by walking outside and spending time with my husband and beast.

I walked Cypress at around 2 p.m. today and it was B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L out! 65 degrees, sunny with a light breeze. I more or less sang out my happiness to Cypress for the entire trip (she was quite receptive, though disagreed with my optimistic assessment of the weather due to her double coat meant for -30 degree temperatures).

I nearly squealed when I noticed GREEN:

Might be kind of hard to see here, but IT'S THERE. I PROMISE.

I even walked around without a sweater for a lot of the trek, allowing my half-sleeve and the rest of my pasty white arms frolic freely in the sun and breeze after 5 months of huddling inside.

Later in the day I visited Adam, my tattoo artist, so he could take some pictures of my half-sleeve for his portfolio. I'll have to share them once they're up on his Facebook page. I've never had a tattoo entered into a portfolio so this felt like quite an honor. It makes me wonder if someone will tell him one day, "I want that exact tattoo, right now." Would definitely be weird to be walking around Western Maine and find someone with my awesome tattoo, though not all of my pieces are custom so I suppose that is to be expected regardless.

Remember how I took a picture of a "moment" the other day? This is a different sort of moment I captured during dinner-cooking time:

I promise I didn't pose this. A boy with his dog. :)

One final word: some of you may remember that I'm considering a matryoshka tattoo. I'm currently debating replacing the matryoshka face with a SKULL just to spice it up and make it a little more unique.

It is perhaps lamentable that this has become a bit of a tattoo blog, but it is what it is I suppose.

Inspiration:

This is not my picture, but I can't for the life of me find the original. So it's not mine, and I'm sorry.

Oh hey, also, here's a picture of Robbie and I from Easter:

I look like I'm clinging to Rob to keep him from leaping up and leaving.  Also my hair looks weird.  But still, nice to have a picture of the two of us together :)