Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2010
After choir practice and singing in the choir at the noon Mass, I stopped by for the talk sponsored by the Race and Reconciliation Dialogue Group: "News from Haiti," by Richard Gosser, Executive Director of Partners in Progress. An informative talk, with "before" and "after" slides of schools, orphanages, and convents---before the quake and after the quake.
I received a message from Maureen with an invitation to go for a field trip and walk about while we shop. We went to Monroeville Mall, and then went to Whole Foods for a snack. We ran into her niece, Lauren, who will be taking her certification exam tomorrow afternoon. She gave me helpful hints about my achy-upon-intense walking left hip.
I returned home to prep for tomorrow's class and quiz administration.
I'll go to bed early tonight.
Labels: BAD, biology, exercise, Faith, friends, geology, international culture, school, sleep, walking, work
Toronto III and IV, August 2009
Yesterday Allan and I took Colleen to the Ontario Science Center after lunch that included sinigang and pad thai and chicken curry. We had fun on the way to KidsPark: seeing the green forest, looking and touching the minerals and rocks, riding the escalators, and coloring outside (and receiving free milk). It was a feat
to turn away from KidsPark...
to the artist's billiard ball contraption. We visited D level, then the mezzanine/Eagle's eye view and the Human Body on E level.
In the end, we returned to KidsPark and the artist's kinetic sculpture,
and visited the Space section before leaving about four hours after arriving.
Colleen had a grand time, and wants to return.
We had Greek food at Allan's home for dinner.
~ ~ ~
Today, the Lolos and Lolas drove Colleen and I to downtown Toronto, where we
drove through Chinatown,
parked, and walked through the mall with Sears.
We then attended the anticipated Mass for Sunday at St. Michael's Cathedral. We sat right by the candles for St. Jude.
We visited two Chinese bakeries for snacks before continuing on to dinner.
Dinner was with Allan, Sonia, Samantha, and Matthew; Christie and Petrie and Colleen, and the two Lolos, two Lolas, and me. We truly enjoyed the Korean barbeque-it-yourself at our tables. Colleen entertained us with songs and fingerplays; she in turn was entertained by Sam's I-pod.
Labels: adventure, Canada, cold, dine, dining, family, games, garden, geology, health, ice cream, international culture, Mass, museum, niece and nephew, photos, science, walking
Enchanting Autumn
This morning I read at morning Mass, the Memorial for Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude. Fr. Tom celebrated the Mass, with John serving and Don supplying the music ministry. I received calls from the campus Emergency Notification Service (E.N.S.) about a threat to my work building complex, so delayed going there for a while.
Later, mid-morning, as I was dropping off graded papers at my work building, and after sitting in on a colleague's soil class in the geology building at midday; I noticed the diversity of trees once again. On the north side of the academic quad: Scarlet, orange-rust, and green; each tree bedecked in its own color. In front of the SRCC the trees were green with golden yellow and red tips, as paintbrushes. Most every tree still had all its full layers of glory. The sparse but thick flakes falling and blowing from the sky added an additional layer on my own bright red coat, which further enchanted me.
As there was no work in-service meeting this week, I took a well-deserved nap.
We are enjoying an enchanting Autumn, albeit late.
Labels: biology, color, geology, Mass, Pittsburgh, read, science, seasons, sleep, soils, St. Paul Cathedral, weather, work
Soil Science Colleagues
I had a chance today to visit with Rosemary and her graduate student, Tanya. We spoke about our connections to the West Coast soils crowd and the network. Soon thereafter I sat in on Dan B's soil science course. I was pleased to see that in talking about water movement in soils, he addressed water-mineral interactions.
Labels: geology, science, soils, water
Southern California Wildfires, 2007
There are a number of wildfires in the greater Southern California area, indicated on the map. I must contact my SoCal contacts to make certain all is well down their way. There is even a SoCal Wildfire 2007 blog.
~~~
I just returned from a meeting with Wellesley and other Seven Sisters alumnae, with the event led by Folly Patterson of the Wellesley Center for Work and Service (aka, the Career Center). The workshop was on "After Passages," about life transitions. We had a lively exchange over hors d'oeuvres and handouts. One interesting discussion ensued about computer communication and its difference from human contact. Great planning by Kelly U. and nice turnout! I handed off to Natalie M. a couple of CDs of RIS shows with Tim as guest speaker. I also shared with Natalie M. and Kelly U. the article from Jet Magazine which Marva had shared with me.
Back at Mom and Dad's home, Beatrice plays, despite a slight fever.
Back to grading!
~~~
Thursday, 25 October 2007; 9 AM
One of my friends and a University of California colleague emailed me yesterday about the fires in SoCal:
No fires in Riverside, just a lot of smoke.
Labels: alarm, Beatrice, blogs, geology, global warming, light, love, RIS, science, soils, thankfulness, water, weather, Wellesley, work
Soil Science I
I have one of my graduate degrees in soil science, and I currently teach in a biology department. Most US soils departments grew out of agronomy departments, and I noticed how diverse the types of questions asked by soil chemists, physicists, biologists, geomorphologists, pedologists, etc. were whenever I attended a national meeting.
While I was a grad student, mi asessor, Bob, once asked me if I had any ideas as to why more women were entering a field such as soil science. I replied that much of soil science is allied with the life sciences, which more women tend to gravitate towarda and to be graduated from graduate school; and it is an interdisciplinary field, which may tend to attract more women. I don't know how true my second statement was as a generalization, but it was true for me when I was in grad school....
Now, my students are studying microorganisms in the biology classroom and we ask some questions about soil as thought questions for our students. I have differences about some of the basic assumptions about soils (generally) that are stated in the questions, which I have relayed to my current asessor more than once. Such a new curriculum, there are SO MANY new insights and questions. I hope my concerns don't end up on the back burner...Soils deserve a decent place in our curriculum, especially when discussing microorganisms and also N-cycling.
Labels: biology, geology, science, soils, teaching
A Charmed Trip
I just returned from a Labor Day trip to Luray Caverns, Harpers Ferry, WV, and to Gettysburg and vicinity.
Babs and I drove down to LOO'ray Caverns (as the locals pronounce it) on Saturday. I received two "cave kisses" there, (Grace, the "question person" asked, Is it good luck when something drops on you here? The reply was the explanation of cave kisses.) Babs was perturbed that the organ was programmed to play "The Battle Hymn of the Reformation." (At least I received my second cave kiss in that spacious cavern.)
On our way out of the lobby/foyer, a voice called out my name--it was my cousin Arthur!!! He was on the way into the caverns at about 1pm as we were departing. He was there with friends, and after some hugs and a photo opportunity; Babs and I headed to the carillon tower for the 2:00PM concert (We had missed the farmers market in town). We heard "In the Good Ol' Summertime" played from the tower. We stopped for swirled frozen custard (I told Babs the joke from Kelly), and continued to Harpers Ferry, WV.
After a missed turn (due to poor signage) and a visit to bucolic fields, we turned back toward 81 N, and thus toward Harpers Ferry, WV, where we took a tour bus to the main town, took a walk around the area, visited the church overlooking the rivers and cliffs, and spoke with the locals in costume there. One of them had a relative in Mary Lou P's son's parish. We made our way to the craft and book shops, and then caught the bus back to the visitors center.
We had dinner at a Chinese buffet in Gettysburg and enjoyed getting our bearings.
Sunday, we attended Mass at St. Francis Xavier in Gettysburg, went to a couple of craft and international stores, and a handful of antique stores before heading back to the hotel for a swim before dinner at the crab house (across from a corn field). It was so delicious and we were so taken by the food that not only did we pick up a few dozen cooked crabs to go, but we also bought some togs.
After dinner we visited St. Joseph's Basilica, where St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is entombed. We then went to visit the replica of the grotto at Lourdes and for a photo opportunity at the rock where St. Elizabeth instructed young people. We returned to the hotel for a last dip in the pool.
This morning we visited Gettysburg, and climbed the Eisenhower tower, visited the battlefields, and spoke with reinacting Confederate troops and a general encamped in town.
The drive home was pleasant.
Mom, Dad, and I enjoyed the crabbies with a late lunch and for dinner tonight.
Labels: American history, art, Church, excited, family, friends, geology, ice cream, international culture, Ireland
