Did anyone stay up to watch the Perseids meteor shower last night? I drove back in from Columbus and got here about 2AM. I promptly parked myself out on the lawn and watched meteors zip by for about a half hour. If you haven't checked it out yet, you still have the chance. It peaks today and tomorrow. It's worth the drive out to the country (too bright in columbus). I think I've read that between 10PM and 1AM are the best times. If you want to go crazy, haul yourself out to the Sierra Nevadas in California. You can see this the best out there. I got to enjoy it in '96 out there at 6000+ feet. It was amazing, I'd never seen so many meteors. (Here's another blog with some suggested accessories.)
Last week was one of those "hit the ground running" kinda weeks. First up was the COSEE Teachable Moment workshop. Day one was spent in the classroom for a little bit but then we all headed out to the trail for a quick tour. On the way, we found some facinating caterpillars hanging out on a Black Walnut. I'm still not really sure what they were but my expression in that picture can be explained by their bizarre camouflage tactic. That and the fact that one spit at me. (WAIT...I found them. The Walnut caterpillar. Ours were the black ones.) Once down at the overlook, we chatted about wetlands and why they're important and some of the research that's going on here.
Once back in the classroom, we discussed what our next task was going to be and we all piled into canoes and followed Allie, the researcher, on a quest for sediment cores. She is studying how iron in the sediment is helping to break down certain pollutants that water treatment plants don't seem to touch (like some pharmaceuticals). Watching her, I wondered how many times she's fallen in the water collecting these things. We got three cores and headed back to the wet lab to learn how to process these things.
We preped the extraction tubes, transfered the cores, got the pore water syringes attached, and started testing for things like pH and iron content. It was very complicated and it took most of the day but that's what it's like in real life.
It turned out to be a good thing we did all that the first day because day two was WET. It poured till noon. We reviewed what happened the day before and started doing some lessona that revolved around Lake Erie. COSEE Great Lakes is a great resource for teachers and other educators.
That was the "big" event for me this past week. I also got my Luna Moth situated. I found it outside one morning and it was one it's way out. I helped it along and have now pinned it so that I can mount it. I'm calling it my first taxidermy. I need to find a frame for it now.
The Lotus are very much in bloom now. They are also growing in quite thick. The mouth of the creek is still closed but with the rain it's a lot higher. I'll get a picture of that tonight.
Our "children," the monarch caterpillars, are growing up. We have three in chrysalis and one is making it's chrysalis today. I'm worrying about the other two that are smaller because the milkweed plants are getting a little unedible and they need new ones but I don't want to disturb the others.
I was going to head back to Columbus Thursday but a friend kidnapped me and took me to the Meatloaf concert. All I'll say is that it was good times and involved the front row. (Woo!) I then returned to Columbus for real and did the wedding reception thing. Remember, internships do allow down time! Go have some fun!
While home, I managed to win some Cedar Point tickets so it looks like I just may be going there before I leave Huron. :D
I hope life is good where you are too!
1 comment:
Cedar Point huh!
Post a Comment