the world needs more magnolia trees

My favorite thing about college campuses are the FLOWERING TREES!

Unfortunately they are already starting to drop their petals, and it's not even May! Freaky weather.

I had a great birthday on Monday, and am now stuck in paper purgatory.

aaaaaaaa

I am looking forward to being DONE and sunny relaxing fun weekends coming up so soon!

But for the next week I will be stressed and frantic and will probably drop off the face of the earth.

That's just the way it goes.

right now

It is pouring rain.

I am faced with a ridiculous amount of work to get done this week.

My birthday is tomorrow but I really miss my family and friends and feel a bit alone.

I'm trying to keep looking on the bright side.

So here is a little list of things that make me happy right now.

-a weekend with Ben! even though these weekends are always too short.

-eating fudgey chocolate cake with sprinkles right out of the pan

-getting a food processor from the best boyfriend in the universe (!!!!!) I am so excited about this. I feel like my life has changed forever with so many new food opportunities opened before me...seriously. Even though I know I am probably the only person ever who would love to get a food processor for their birthday. ;)

-hanging out with ridiculous friends who wear brown velour jumpsuits, plaid pj pants with olympic hockey jerseys, American flag headbands, and have talented hockey-playing sisters who bring their silver medal when they visit so their brother's friends can play with it.

-finally seeing the end (though still too far away) of this blasted long-distance thing. I am sick of saying good-bye all the time. 

-downloading crazy mash-ups 

-knowing that I will be DONE with my first year of grad school in 10 crazy stressed-out sleep deprived days.

For better or for worse.

earth day

Happy Earth Day !

I celebrated by going for a mid-morning run in the sun

(that was kind of an energy zapper...)

Working on fire scar data (from trees) for a climate project

and also on my nature reserve paper

I am exhausted.

If you are in the mood for some earth-ish chill folky music,

you should check out Patchouli

Julie and Bruce are amazing people. 

Back in my college environmentalist days we would get them to play an outdoor concert at the end of Earth Week.

As we tie-dyed shirts with dye that we convinced the art department to give us for free.

Oh, the days.

p.s. I put wayyyy too much chili powder in the chili. That I still have like 5 servings left. oops. But it is still edible. I know this because I have eaten it four times this week, and have survived.