A mixed bag...

Alright, well I guess it’s my turn. This ,by the way, was an awesome idea – gold star for Kim!

I was thinking I didn’t have much to report, given that 2010 was over, and I vowed to never pack so much into a short amount of time again. As it turns out, there’s still a few things to talk about, so here we go…

1. I started a PhD

I guess this is a big change. Back to the books…5 months was SOOOO not enough time to have off, but luckily I’m settling into this new reality and getting excited to spend the summer cuddling my favorite endangered tree.

Isn’t it lovely?

Needless to say, I’m spending far too much time staring at these electronic devices…

but it helps that we live here:

that was terrible of me. it just makes me happy to look at every time. Also this is how i'll convince you all to come visit! Do it!

It also helps that I hold on to the hope that I will once again been hiking in the mountains hugging (literally – that’s how you take a DBH measurement) whitebark pine. I really wasn’t sure about this decision in January, but I love working on something I care about and having the ability to (hopefully) answer the questions that interest me (as long as these questions also interest funders). Hey - it's just a few obstacles. If I don't get more research funding I will be spending more time writing math equations (please refer to the photo above of multiple computer screens and mug of coffee) and less time hugging trees. C'est la vie.

2. Craft room.

In settling into our home, I discovered that craft corner couldn't be contained in a corner anymore, and moved it into the spare bedroom. That's right ladies, you're looking at CRAFT ROOM! (please don't use that term around you-know-who...he likes to pretend it's still the "spare bedroom". Fool).

Look how cute it is!

Shelving unit courtesy of Unik printshop (Sophie moved :( ).

3. We got some new wheels

This was definitely un-planned. About 2 weeks after getting back from Asia, we got into a wee accident, totalling our beloved moz (that was our Honda's name). I use the term wee, because it was probably the slowest accident in history, but truck vs. itty bitty car solidified that we need something a bit more substantial.

This is me loading up our Christmas tree onto our CR-V. This was from the same woodlot where the owner caught us stealing a tree last year. This year, we were caught red-handed again. Not just by the woodlot owner, but by his entire immediate and extended family driving by us in a convoy of trucks hauling a huge Christmas tree, while we argued about the correct technique for wrapping rope around our tree whose needles were falling off at an alarming rate. Pathetic? Yes. But in true country-form, the woodlot owner stopped and just wanted to make sure we had a "balsam", not a spruce. (I use quotes because "balsam" is really the name for Abies lasiocarpa - or subalpine fir...it's not a balsam at all!! hahahahahahahahaha. funny.)

I think we're going to try getting a tree from crown land next year.

4. Project house.

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a house, then comes caulking. No - I wish it was at least in the category of what you are thinking, but the caulking I refer to here is related to filling in the gap between the tub and the plastic insert around it to stop it from peeling off the wall and leaking through the floor. Home ownership makes me happy on a daily basis, but reminds me that no matter how many papers i have to read, how many balls of yarn need to be knit, or how many games of hockey must be played, if we don't take the time to fix things, nobody will. damnit!

i don't have a picture of the tub that needs fixing, but here's a pic of one of the few places that feels 'finished'

on the left, above the bookcase, you'll notice a herbarium press of gingko leaves - that was an xmas gift from my lovely man - also known as the best gift I've ever received. EVER! It's a press of one my all-time favorite trees - everyone has a list of fav trees right!!?!? and he collected, pressed and mounted on acid-free paper, with all the appropriate documentation for a proper herbarium mount and then had it professionally framed. He rocks my universe.

on the right is a beautiful quilting wall hanging a good friend of mine from back in Ontario made for us for our wedding. On the floor is a wicked afghan rug from my brother and his lovely wife who are expecting a baby in April - woohoo!!! (future blog posts will be riddled with baby stuff, just so you know)

5. I'm almost done with wedding stuff!

Speaking of the wedding, the end is in sight. I know I shouldn't be posting this, because it will ruin the surprise, but what the hell - i want to show the random assortment of colours I made for our thank you cards. These take forever to write, and has been a weight on my shoulders for a while. I made them with the lovely Sophie of Unik printshop back in the fall, using a full-screen. I started by trying to use the Gocco, but it was actually easier using proper screen-printing. I love them. I think they're great. I can't wait until I never have to look at them again.

Mun-kah

hhehehe (from China)

That's all for now my friends...

Alana