In for the long haul

School started up. Though I only have had two classes so far, I know this quarter is going to be insanely busy. At least I know it will be over in two months, and I'll have accomplished a huge amount of my degree, just with this quarter. In theory I'll have 16 credits, my practicum, and part of my thesis done by June. We'll have to see how that goes.

Spring break wrapped up lovely. I went to a cabin outside of Gold Bar with Gabby, Charlie, and some of their friends. It was beautiful. Gabby and I had the whole first day to ourselves in the hot tub, where we chatted and drank a fair amount of alcohol. We had a good time, to say the least. Sunday I went home to Mville and saw my folks and my doggies. Pretty chill vacation. I think I actually enjoyed staying in Seattle, riding my horse, hiking, and relaxing with friends more than I would have if I had traveled. Of course, if Leo hadn't visited me last week I would have wanted to see him. Now I need to start planning a trip to Arizona for May.

On the road headed to the cabin.

View from the deck of our cabin.

Hot tub where Gabby and I spent most of the trip.

The front of the cabin.

Sleepy old bear.

Monday I just had one class, Toxic Chemicals and Human Health, which is a basic toxicology course. Not too bad. After I shuttled to Seattle BioMed to work on my research, and I helped perform laboratory safety inspections. In Sunset magazine they featured South Lake Union as a daytrip place, I'll have to look up what they suggested and try some new things, as I'll be spending a lot of time in that area for my internship.

I tried to finish up some of the more time consuming things I won't have time to work on once school is in full swing (as I anticipate it being starting Wed). I planted purple (All Blue variety) potatoes and rose fingerling potatoes. I made more veggie kraut in several different spices (my last batch turned out completely delicious!), and I started a new Kombucha in the bigger container. I made three large bottles of the currrent brew, mixed with sparking water. The taste is pretty lovely. It's like sparkling lemon tea. I didn't end up adding any lemon to the drink, as the acid from the fermentation tasted a lot like lemon juice anyway.

Seed potatoes the day I cut them to let them callus up.

Dinner- wheat pasta with tomatoes, onion, and swiss chard leaves. Spiced with basil and oregano.


New kombucha- mix of blood orange red tea and green tea.


One of the new krauts- beets, carrots, cabbage, onion, garlic, turnip. I spiced one bottle with dill and mustard seed, one with red pepper flakes, and one with the mustard/peppercorn blend of the first batch.

My first kombuchas. They are pretty yummy (as you can see, I've sampled one already).

Other than that, I'm just trying to start my readings for my Environmental Law class (the first session is tomorrow). I'll have to read roughly one 300 page book a week for this class. Luckily, I read fast, and the books are interesting, but it's the situation where I wish I could read on the bus without getting motion sickness. For the rest of the week, I'm just going to concentrate on working on getting hours on my internship and homework done, as well as seeing my horse. I'd hoped to ride tonight, but my back hurts from the classroom chairs. I'll have to switch them out again with office chairs. That is something to look forward to when I graduate next year- never having to sit in plastic school chairs again. They should make the people who order them sit on them for a couple hours, see how they like it.

On the school and graduation front, apparently you can TA now, but put the money towards a quarter's credit next year. I wish someone had told me that when all the applications were out, as I thought it would just be unnecessary extra work, as I'm funded through June. My advisor must know, as she gave a TA position to the other grad student in my lab. Either she thought I knew and just didn't care about funding, or she didn't want to tell me so I wouldn't get jealous that she wants the other girl to have funding more than me. I wouldn't care about that. I just wish I had known as there were classes I could have TA'ed for open, that are now closed. Oh well, just have to hope I can find TA positions this fall. The thought of doubling my debt for one year of school is in no way pleasing or relaxing.

This weekend I'm going to a lecture on how to use herbs from everything from cooking to medicine. Should be fun, and it's free at Molbaks. I had hoped to go hiking too, but it looks like constant rain, so I think I'd rather ride my horse. My friend Sarah (one of the Seattle Sarah's, not the Oregon or New Mexico ones. I have a lot of Sarah's in my life) is having a birthday potluck on Saturday, so that should be fun too. I figure this is my last not too crazy week so I should enjoy myself!

I'm such a hippie

Well, I picked up my Kombucha mother yesterday, and my friends had me taste their sauerkraut and kimchi while I was there, inspiring me to make my own veggie kraut today. I now have a black and green tea mixed kombucha brewing on my refrigerator, and a mixed cabbage-carrot-onion-garlic kraut fermenting in my cupboard. I'm so excited to try all of these things. Hopefully I won't give myself food poisoning in the process- I boiled everything before I used it. I get to try the kombucha next week, and the sauerkraut a week or two after that!

Green and black tea kombucha. Yum!

Veggie kraut made with cabbage, carrots, onion, garlic, peppercorns, a hot chile, and mustard seeds. Oh, and salt, of course.

After I finished my kitchen endeavors I planted beets and carrots ( a little late, but what can you do?), and worked on transplanting my tomato starts. I now have 27 tomato transplants. It looks like I'll need to do the hot peppers in a week or so. I still have work to do on my deck garden, but it is starting to look nice. Now for the rest of the day I need to run out to the barn, do more research, and chat with a friend who lives in New Mexico on skype. I can't stress how much I love spring break. My first textbook came this week, reminding me that school starts again soon enough. But I still have three more days of break, and I plan on enjoying them to the fullest.

My numerous tomatoes, plus hot pepper starts in the seedling tray.

My deck garden so far!

First sprout in my multi-herb mix. I think it's basil. Any thoughts?