To boot, my experiments are starting in late fall, and I can't get out to do my observation work while it's still 100 degrees in the desert (maybe at night with infrared goggles!).
So here I am inside, organizing plot data from the spring (percent cover of species in plots along with fountain grass). It's been satisfying to see the data progress from a messy datasheet to a clean copy to an organized excel spreadsheet. Just spent the day lumping plants into "functional groups" (e.g. adding up all the exotic/native perennial/annual forb/grasses/shrubs % covers and all possible combinations thereof). We'll see how the data looks. Either way I'll be glad to be dealing with nice clean data when I write my dissertation even if I don't get to analyze it now.
Also paralleling winter in the east is the urge to nest, knitting. I just learned and here is my first strip (well my first knitting since I was very young). I can see my progress already!
So here's to the coming of fall and winter. So I can get outside, do my experiments and give my knitted objects to their new owners! It can't come soon enough!
L
