October we hardly knew ye

Where oh where did you go, tenth month of the year? You are gone, and so is my old roommate. My new one is here, and, thankfully, a little more compatible with me. She's so west coast Seattle, in a good way.

Any who, here is a recap of the trip that I took to Indiana...

Fall colors (for you mom!) at the Purdue Research Farm, where I 'helped' Sam gather samples for work. I also helped conduct some groundbreaking wheat genetics work (ie. I put lots and lots of samples in numerical order and then weighed them).

Sam and I at an outing to a downtown bar. I miss cheap drinks and good friends.
More spotting of "the LEAF," this time on Anna (and Sam's) street. They live close enough to downtown you can walk. Although I'm not sure how they do it once it's below freezing.
Anna and me at the corn maze! It was the scariest and funniest thing I've done in a long time.
Helping to make spaetzla: German egg noodles. See? I'm GERMAN! Also, we were watching the Florida - Arkansas game on Anna's laptop, trying not to throw things (like wooden spoons) at it.

I'm so thankful that I got to spend time with friends, and I didn't have to pay for my plane ticket. I think all work conferences should follow my friends around so I can visit for cheap.

pumpkins and a pup

Yesterday, Alex and I ventured out to (Western?) Northern Virginia to enjoy the lovely fall weather. It was a high of 70, with clear skies and a light breeze. I brought Ruby along because she's been lonely since Scooter left and doesn't really know what to do with herself. We visited Sky Meadows State park and Hollin Farms pumpkin patch in Delaplane, VA.

Having no pumpkin patches of the real kind in Florida, Alex and I had never been to one and didn't really know what to expect. It was big, with no discernible rows (I guess it would be hard to keep the vines in line...). But I was mostly surprised by all the thorny weeds in the patch. Pigsweed was a huge problem, as well as other stickers that I couldn't identify. Then the vines themselves were very prickly. I should have brought my work gloves!


Ruby found a pumpkin she liked. They also had free-range pigs fenced off to one side of the patch. Ruby didn't know what to think of them and started barking and growling at them before getting closer. In her defense, they were really big.
Alex and her pumpkin. Her's weighed 14 lbs. Mine weighed 16 lbs. I had no idea they were so heavy!
Before we hit the farm, we went on a hike in the park. We went up a trail with lookout in the name... we should have realized that meant hiking up a steep incline. Alex and I were huffing and puffing, while people kept passing us on the way down, completely unaffected. Little children, dads pushing strollers, old ladies smoking cigarettes. I think we chose the wrong direction to start the loop... But we got to the top and had lunch. It was a beautiful view!

dig chivalry a hole, I think it's dead

I've often heard that chivalry is dead, but I've never really thought there was much truth to it. I've always had guys hold open doors, pay (or at least offer) for movies, food, etc, even when it's not a date, and generally be nice. Maybe I just know very sincere guys, or perhaps the Southern stereotype prevails.
But I've noticed since moving North a definite lack in this area. Guys I've met here don't come to the door when they pick you up. It's happened to me a couple of times and happened to my roommate tonight. The guy calls or texts and says they are outside. Really? you can't walk 20 steps to my door and knock? And holding the door open... well that is truly rare. It's disheartening that my generation can't get these simple actions right. I'm all for independence, but I think these actions are more about respect than anything else. I guess I have a new standard to measure my dates and friends by.

one this day exactly a year ago...

I was driving to Jax to meet my sweet girl (who I thought was a boy).

I can't believe it's been a year to the day since I got Ruby. So much has changed. She's gained 60 lbs (although she needs to lose those five pounds the plague us all). She goes potty outside (all by herself!), can walk on a leash (we are still working on it), and (tries) to catch balls. She really loves soccer balls and birds. Although we have our bad days (my DVD collection is permanently marked, we don't know if it was Ruby or Scooter), and the house is constantly in need of sweeping/mopping (I adore the little tumble weeds of Ruby hair that sit in the corners and blow across the hallway) she is my baby. I love my Rubykins Rubelets!

first crop...mocking me.

Some of my salad greens with some smothered steak and potatoes. I haven't bought salad in about a month and hopefully can keep it up.

I also picked my first zucchini... except it wasn't a zucchini. I've been growing cucumbers. I checked my tag. They were supposed to be zucchini. I should have been paying attention, but it wouldn't really matter because by the time I would have noticed it wasn't the right color, or shape it would have been too late to replant. And I don't know what the foliage looks like for either, since I have never grown them.

It wouldn't be a problem, except I don't like cucumbers. And I can't cook with cucumbers. This one turned out exceptional. If I liked cucumbers. I guess I have something to share with my neighbors and coworkers without having to save any for myself. But my tomatoes are coming along nicely and I should be able to pick my first cherry variety tomorrow.

Quotes from the kids this weekend:
Will: "I think I have fleas. Like a dog or cows."
Kaity: "you are skinny. My daddy is hairy."

Things I miss about FL

There were obvious things I would miss about Florida when I left. My family, my friends. But never having lived outside of the state before, I didn't realize how much I would miss the little, seemingly insignificant things...

• Cuban Sandwiches (made with REAL Cuban bread, baked with a palmetto leaf)
• small critters (lizards, frogs, bugs...) although VA has a lot of small birds, it seems to lack...
• large, crazy lookin' animals (come on. Gators, roseate spoonbills, manatees, sandhill cranes. CRAZY lookin' animals.)
• strong storms that blow through and leave that delicious smell hanging in the so-thick-you-can't-breathe air
• Sitting outside on the back porch of Tim and Terry's... Or Cafe Gardens...or any of our other regular restaurants in the 'ville.
• Satchel's (could be covered by point above. but so good and missed so much, it deserves it's own bullet.)
• Publix
• Beaches within a 1.5 hour drive
• sandy soil
• Gators in the water
• Gators on your plate
• Dillard's shoe department
• The crazy wackos that make FL their home (seriously, I always suspected we tipped the scales with the crazy, but now I know I was right. I think it's the combination of being Southern, the heat, and the swamps. All of which I love.)
• Old orange groves
• eating watermelon, while floating in the lake
• Old Florida souvenir stands
• Spanish moss smothering oaks (THAT'S what is wrong with these trees... they are naked)
• Boiled peanuts (I want some. right now.)
• Floating on the river/springs (preferably with boiled peanuts)
• The culture that has sprung up that is uniquely Florida. It's Southern, but done from the swamps.

Ok I'm going to stop now. I'm getting homesick. I just wanted to take some time to write some of these down so I can properly appreciate them when I go to Florida for a visit next week.