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General update
Jul. 4th, 2019 05:31 pmI am home from 1) spending Midsummer with friends who have a farm, also my crush was there visiting at the same time (take the pining as read), and 2) camping out and doing forest surveys for a week.
I lost a bag of stuff on the train trip which it seems I can't get back. It meant I spent ten days without a working phone, since my charger was in there. But I had another one at home so that's not so bad. The most irritating thing I lost was my loupe, which I really need. : (( It's my tool for examining species in the field. I doubt anyone stole it, because they wouldn't realize it's worth about 300$. I borrowed another one, but an expensive loupe with excellent optics and a LED light is ten times better than a cheap one with so-so optics and no light. I'll order a new one and probably get some of the money back on insurance, but it means I'll probably have to spend the summer with a bad loupe. : ((( (Today's product endorsement: if you need an excellent loupe, buy a Lichen Candelaris.)
The forest survey week was excellent. We were four people who turned out to be a great team, and we had good luck with the weather: almost no rain and lots of wind (= less mosquitoes and midges). Also we did lots of skinny-dipping. We met only one other human being during that time, even if we stayed at beautiful lakeside places with windbreak shelters that were probably built by fishing clubs. We did meet a bear though! I've never seen one before. It was a young bear, though not a cub, that ambled along by the roadside when we were driving. It was a very bear-dense area, but humans being injured by bears is not common in Sweden, though it does happen.
The forest surveys themselves went well. I love feeling relatively skilled at something and teaching other people, while knowing that there is still so much to learn, and doing my best to learn it. We also have a case against the company that I am turning over to another person who is experienced at the certification complaints process. Collaboration FTW.
( Here's a general camping photo and one of a rare lichen. )
Next up: I am home for a week and a half (except for going to a tree climbing camp this weekend). I am now preparing for a nine-day mountain hike with all that entails: planning food, thinking about equipment, acquiring a rented satellite warning unit since I will be alone and also off-trail for half the trip. Looking forward to it!
I lost a bag of stuff on the train trip which it seems I can't get back. It meant I spent ten days without a working phone, since my charger was in there. But I had another one at home so that's not so bad. The most irritating thing I lost was my loupe, which I really need. : (( It's my tool for examining species in the field. I doubt anyone stole it, because they wouldn't realize it's worth about 300$. I borrowed another one, but an expensive loupe with excellent optics and a LED light is ten times better than a cheap one with so-so optics and no light. I'll order a new one and probably get some of the money back on insurance, but it means I'll probably have to spend the summer with a bad loupe. : ((( (Today's product endorsement: if you need an excellent loupe, buy a Lichen Candelaris.)
The forest survey week was excellent. We were four people who turned out to be a great team, and we had good luck with the weather: almost no rain and lots of wind (= less mosquitoes and midges). Also we did lots of skinny-dipping. We met only one other human being during that time, even if we stayed at beautiful lakeside places with windbreak shelters that were probably built by fishing clubs. We did meet a bear though! I've never seen one before. It was a young bear, though not a cub, that ambled along by the roadside when we were driving. It was a very bear-dense area, but humans being injured by bears is not common in Sweden, though it does happen.
The forest surveys themselves went well. I love feeling relatively skilled at something and teaching other people, while knowing that there is still so much to learn, and doing my best to learn it. We also have a case against the company that I am turning over to another person who is experienced at the certification complaints process. Collaboration FTW.
( Here's a general camping photo and one of a rare lichen. )
Next up: I am home for a week and a half (except for going to a tree climbing camp this weekend). I am now preparing for a nine-day mountain hike with all that entails: planning food, thinking about equipment, acquiring a rented satellite warning unit since I will be alone and also off-trail for half the trip. Looking forward to it!
