SCHOOL DAYS |
During the first week in September my NATRS 357 class (Range and Riparian Assessment) class went on a 4-day field trip to Weiser (pronounced "Wheezer"), Idaho.
The class was divided into seven groups of three. Here is my group standing by an old barn we saw on our trip. On our own we probably wouldn't have stopped, but our instructor tagged along with our group that day and she was kinda a nut. So from left to right we have Paul, Myself, and Dave (sometimes refered to as "Idaho" or "hot" Dave so he isn't confused with Misty's boyfriend).
As you can see the landscape was pretty much grass and sagebrush. This, while not being a bad thing, can really make a girl envy a guy's ability to pee standing upright. I'M SERIOUS!! Do you see any good cover out there. NO! Really people, Dave had no shame. He's like "Oh, I gotta take a leak" and he'd turn around, walk three steps thataway and do his thing.(In the meantime I have become completely absorbed in a blade of grass...I mean what else are you supposed to do in that situation?) As for me (especially since both my teammates were guys) I had to hike a bizillon feet away till I could find some sort of cover (or at least a dip in the ground)before I could do anything. Meanwhile praying that the guys will keep looking in the other direction. Trust me, it's in situations like these that being able to pee standing up would be much more efficient. At least that's my opinion
Well, after four days of monitoring vegetation I was pretty much exhaused. When I got home I probably slept for 12 hours or more. It felt soooo good. Field trips just aren't what they were back in grade school. No longer are field trips a day to escape class and have fun with your friends. Now, although you can still have fun with friends, they are mostly work. Plus, you can almost gaurntee yourself a hefty paper upon your return. Guess it's just one of the joys of growing up huh?
On the whole the food offered in the school dining center is pretty gross. I will give it credit for being a step above McDonalds (albeit a VERY small step) only because they offer a salas buffet. However, by the fifth week of the semester even that is looking a little limp. To stave off insanity and in a vain attempt to ressurect "Mom's" cooking sometimes my friends and I gather and make dinner for ourselves. (A bunch of 20-somethings with access to a stove...scary!). Here are some pictures from one of our "fondue nights".
The first step in any successful fondue night is to cook it. Now any good fondue requires the following ingredients: processed cheese (which disturbs me..its NOT REAL I tell ya!), half and half, and a bottle of cheap wine. Below Mandy demonstrates a good bottle of cheap wine.
This is what is required for the fondue portion of the dinner. You also need an assorment of veggies and breads to dip in the fondue. This part can get tricky, because people are messy..and so is fondue cheese
Here is some advice...son't let people with melted cheese on your bed. I can handle the bread crumbs, they shake off, but melted cheese is just not something you want to share the bed with.
Now, the final step is invite over some friends. You can do fun things with friends. Like see how many people you can fit on a queen sized mattress...hehehehehe
For this fondue party the guests included (from left to right)Marnie, Jill, Jessica, Ryan, Mandy, Jason, and Myself...plus Mandy N. who was taking the picture.
Fondue night provides cheap entertainment and good food for lots of people. And you don't always have to do fondue. We've done spaghettii, tun-noodle casserol (a personal favorite), pork chops, just about anything that tickles your fancy. The only rules are 1) bring your own drink, 2) help clean up (which usually doesn't happen), and 3) Keep Jessica away from the wine
To kick off Spring Break I went along with some friends down to the Snake River for a picnic. Weston cooked hotdogs. Cooking implies that an energy source is necessary. In this case a lovely charcol fire...ahhhh fire. As you can see weston has a tried and true method for making fire. Lots and lots and lots and even more lighter fluid.
It was the perfect evening for a picnic. Its not warm enough for insects, and not cold enough that you are going to freeze off your appendages. Besides the fire is there to keep you warm. I tried to talk Mandy Nason into going swimming but she wouldn't go. Something about this sign which was posted on the swimming dock
Instead of swimming Mandy seemed more content to gnaw on the local vegetation. Hmmmmmm.....maybe she is lacking a good sorce of fiber in her diet. Or prehaps she was just trying to get in touch with nature. Either way, I really do wodner about the girl's mental health sometimes.
