Adopt the Pace of Nature

Buenas noches! How are my loves on this overly humid night? I'm pretty sure I managed to get sunburned waiting for the bus the past few days but not today! I didn't know I would ever be so happy to see clouds!! Anyways, we got the typical mid-evening downpour that left my Basil torn and slightly drowned. A little love and gentle hands will get her back in top condition in no time. To be honest, I don't think I'm capable of killing plants (without fungal, bacterial, viral, or nematode power) - I tried and was highly unsuccessful. Yes, I'm a Plant Geek and PlantPath Girl. Here is a photo to prove how much so I am:

Sorry it's sideways! This is the NCSU Department of PlantPath t-shirts. You make me sick!! On the left is a fungus, a nematode and a bacteria which can all infect a plant and make it sick. Trust me, it's hilarious.

Since my project is waiting on harvesting the inoculated corn, I've been helping out my labmates with various tasks. Today, I had the honor of following around out high school intern (Risigan). Ha, I owed him BIG BIG TIME since he helped me get my Fusarium inoculum ready on short notice. I am willing to wager that Risigan was not expecting to have a graduate student assistant when he started the internship! Well, lucky him my corn is busy getting sick. Anyways, we spent the morning harvesting mycelia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycelium) and rolling them into balls. No task is demeaning in my eyes! I will gladly harvest mycelia into balls; it means I have a paying job!!

Mycelia under a microscope - It's like a web of information.

Since I've explored all the fun outdoors/state parks/green space in the general Raleigh area...I decided I need to take a weekend and frolic in the mountains. By frolic I mean rock climbing and/or camping. But in the meantime, I'm going to get a taste of different religions and cultures in the Raleigh area. As I discovered - there are many beautiful communities to be respectfully explored that are not in the big town of Elkhart Lake. Up first is the Kadampa Center (http://www.kadampa-center.org/) a Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa Tradition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelug#Lineage_holders). It focuses on love and compassion for all beings - I'll let y'all know how it goes!!

If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there , you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong. - Masaru Emoto

As always, y'all can count on me to inspire with plant and nature photos. So sit back and enjoy the beauty of Nature brought to your computer screen:

“To be poor and be without trees, is to be the most starved human being in the world. To be poor and have trees, is to be completely rich in ways that money can never buy.” -Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Sand 250x. 

We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far. -Swami Vivekananda

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher. - Dalai Lama

We have no theory of evil. We call it ignorance. -Swami Vivekananda

It all seems impossible until it is done. -Nelson Mandela

Try not to get inoculated with diseases like my precious corn fields! With love!

Visitors from Wisco

Hello beautifuls! Hopefully the sun isn't scorching y'all wherever ya are! I don't think I've ever had this many freckles before - I'm not used to this! Anyways, this past week has been an eventful one, to say the least. Before I tell y'all about my super entertaining life that you are anxious to know about, here's a poem I wrote about my Great-Grandma Koenig who I miss dearly...

On Sunday, Kiddo and Dad arrived after staying the night in Charleston, WV. After packing my fridge, freezer, and pantry with enough food to feed a small army, I gave them the tour of campus. We found a sports bar grille not too far off campus (where I managed to find veggie burgers) and had a relaxing evening. Monday we went all over the place blowing bubbles in memory of Great-Grandma. We were at the capitol at the time of her funeral back home (which I really wish I could have made it home for) and played the song Dear God by Avenged Sevenfold whilst we blew bubbles. Listen to the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzX0rhF8buo

These are some very happy grass cells!

Tuesday, I gave them the tour of the lab and fields I do research in. We explored Clayton, NC and Kiddo bought a Coca-Cola porcelain button sign at some pawn shop. We went all around downtown Raleigh and relaxed. Wednesday, Dad and I toured Cary, NC where there are a ton of cute little shops. Emily Meyers (who I'm not related to and never met before recruitment weekend, I swear) and I are already looking forward to moving to Cary for the second year of grad school. Oh and I bought soap from France; so cool.

“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”  - Vladimir Nabokov

Thursday we went rock climbing at Triangle Rock Club in Morrisville. My arms are a little sore but not as bad as they used to be when Aaron first got me addicted. Speaking of...I am belay certified at the TRC :)  Also...I bought some gear!! I'll show my stuff which I'm obviously extremely excited about. All I need is climbing shoes and I'll be set for the gyms!!

I'm so excited! I promise to not let you fall!

ATC

Chalk bag and chalk came with the package so why not!?

My harness!! It's a perfect fit and blue. You know me, making fashion statements (hah, not)

Today, Dad and Kiddo left at 5:43a which means I had to set the alarm for 5:02a. Of course, after they left, I couldn't fall back asleep so I finished reading Dancing Dogs by Jon Katz (pretty decent read). Then I got my butt up and took the bus with Emily to research. I actually had something to do today which was really nice. I more or less assisted Risigan with inoculating and harvesting mycelia. I know, you're all jealous you don't get to play with fungi all day long; it's pretty fun. As my advisor said, "The more I work with fungi, the more of a fun guy I become." Just hilarious. Anyways, I need to eat; I'm a bottomless pit. I'd like to have an eating competition with a Badger Defensive Lineman - okay, so that's a slight exaggeration. You try fueling a runner for a day and see what your grocery bill comes to. I can guarantee you won't like it! Anyways...I'm off for the day. Hopefully Dad and Kiddo miss the rush hour traffic in Chicago!! Love from Raleigh (: 

Nature-Deficit Disorder

HELP!! I think I've been diagnosed with Nature-Deficit Disorder!!! HELP ME!!

The weather is something else down here! Almost every afternoon we get a random thunderstorm that suddenly pours buckets for 10 minutes and then just as suddenly clears up and the sun is shining. I'm trying to understand it but I think I'm going to give up soon. After all, I am a plant geek not an atmospheric scientist. Close, but not quite. Oh, today was a beautiful 91 that felt like 106...where's an igloo when I need one?

TURNING UP THE HEAT!

Ha, I bet y'all want to know what the heck the big bold outburst is all about. It's true, I'm suffering from Nature-Deficit Disorder (NDD). Basically, I feel like I've been held hostage in cement cities for far too long and needed to be surrounded by Nature for awhile. Ever notice you feel better after spending time in Nature? Your thoughts clear, you can focus longer, and feel rejuvenated. I started reading a book called: The Nature Principle. That is how I got the idea I suffer from Nature-Deficit Disorder. No worries - I'm better now!

The lover of Nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, since research is slow right now, I went to William B. Umstead State Park again. I hiked 8 miles, lingered amongst the pines, dabbled in the creek, rejuvenated my soul. As I hiked, I thought of how other people may see the beauty of Nature. Here's what I came up with for a business(wo)man, botanist, and plant pathologist. See which one you relate to??

ONE:

Office People/Business People/Anyone who Stares at White Walls and a Computer Screen

 Then add:

NATURE

Equals:

Completely separated from Nature and think ridiculous things like this happen if they step outside their cubicle.

TWO:

Botanist: Oh look! A path with trees and plants and moss and more trees and flowers!

Botanist exclaims: Oh look! More trees! Aren't they even prettier than the other bazillion trees we just saw? Treegasm.

 EQUALS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

Plant geeks get tree tattoos....

Or you are the typical plant geek!

THREE:

Fuligo AKA - Dog Vomit Fungus

Mycologist: Oh oh oh!! Look at what I found! Where is my fungi guide? I want to identify it to see if I can eat it!! Woo!

Just for you Ky!!

EQUALS THIS:

Happy Basidiomycete

Before y'all go, read these quotes I found today...and think about them.
*There are none so impoverished as those who do not acknowledge the abundance of their lives. -Richard Paul Evans
*The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world. -Richard Paul Evans
*As much as we wish to believe otherwise, most of life is a reaction to circumstances. -Richard Paul Evans
*Seek not your destiny, for it is seeking you.

Alright, this plant geek is out! I'll try not to melt in this ridiculous heat! Who am I kidding - I'm loving this. My pale skin, not so much but eh, it will all work out. Love y'all!! Wow - way to go Northern and Southern on you all in one sentence. Oh dear, time to say goodbye!

Yay Corn Fields - Never Saw Those in Wisco

Hey hey y'all. I am baffled on how I am still up and it's barely 9pm. I got to give it to my fellow Plant Pathologist/roommate/Wisconsinite, Emily (she works way longer hours than I usually). Oh but not for today! I had an 11 hour work day and drove a F350 dualy around the farm. To top if off, I got an incredible sunburn! Yay for corn fields.

“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” -Ghandi

Sooooo....last week Megan and I (yes, there is another Megan in the lab that is also working on the same project as I) made the Fusarium inoculum that we sprayed on the field today. Basically we made tons of small PDA plates from one big one, then used some solution to extract the conidia, count them with a hemocytometer - use that to determine the amount of conidia and how much we need to inoculate the fields and on and on and on. Then we grabbed the Fusarium and Aspergillus inoculum and drove a huge truck to the field and went to work (forever).

To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself. -Soren Kierkegaard

Oh it was oh so fun. I'm not even being sarcastic. I really do not like doing lab work and molecular crap - even though that's part of my project too I guess. Anyways, it was hot (in Wisconsin terms) but only a comfortable 88 with an insane amount of humidity. The normal. How do I spread inoculum in corn fields? I measure out 170g of twice autoclaved, Apergillus inoculated dead corn kernels and spread them evenly between the designated rows in specific plots. I made another worker walk the rows before I did to look for snakes. **NC has six venomous snakes that can kill me*** Sometimes when I'm standing in a corn field that's 3 feet taller than me and not within shouting distance of anybody, I wonder why did I move to a place where there are SIX venomous snakes?! In Wisco, there is TWO....you do the math. As I was saying, I made another worker walk ahead of me, stomp down the grass where they like to hide, and clear out the spider webs. No worries, there was only one scare. I successfully inoculated my plots without seeing a snake but in trade I swallowed a few bugs, got leaf cuts, and inhaled plenty of pollen. All in a good days work. I think driving the truck around was my favorite - and the boys didn't think a lil girl like me knew how to drive a farm truck. Get in the back seat and I'll take y'all for a spin down a bumpy dirt road. 

Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water. The moon does not get wet, nor the water broken. The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in dewdrops on the grass, or even in one drop of water.

Now the part ya'll have been waiting for - actually, that's a lie. Y'all are interested in the plank geeky side of PlantPath Girl; there's more of that coming for y'all. Promise. In the mean time...I am finally Skyping Anna and Ky!! I got a quick Skype session in with Anna about a week ago but I'd do just about anything to shrink the Atlantic Ocean so I could see her beautiful face again. And as for Ky...I haven't Skyped her since I left Wisco! I'd also build a super high speed railway to shorten the 16 hour ride between us. Can't wait to see my loves again.

"As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world" -Buddha

Alright, plank geek is back. This girl has officially made a career plan. When did I suddenly become an adult? Beats being an indecisive undergrad!! So, for my elaborate career plan: VITICULTURE. Do you know how many diseases of grapes there are? The APS (American Phytopathological Society) has a compendium of grape diseases.
 http://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/shopapspress/Pages/40888.aspx 
Y'all know about my internships at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station Display Gardens through UW-Madison. There just so happened to be an acre or two of grapes that we did research on...and needless to say they caught my heart. That's the spark that is now a raging wildfire of viticulture passion. As of now, I'm applying for any vineyard job in the Raleigh area I can find. Next summer I will be doing the same (or continuing my job if I have one). Then in Fall of '14, I'm going to be applying for viticulture related plant patholgoy jobs across the country so I hopefully get a job offer by the time I graduate in Spring of '15. Isn't it weird to think that when I'm 22 I'll have a Master's degree? I'm too young for this...but I'm not about to slow down.

Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does - except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place.  -Unknown

This PlantPath Girl needs to get to bed! I'm becoming like my grandparents - sleeping at 7p and up by 4a. Ha! I'm not that bad yet! Anyways, in Eastern Time...it's bedtime! Write to y'all soon. Lots of love sent to the Midwest and England :)

Fusarium and Aspergillus and Ustilago: OH MY!

Hey y'all! How is the pollinating going? Done here the corn is already tasseling and is way taller than I am!! So different than what's happening back in Wisco. So I decided that I really miss Madison - the vibe, layout, mindset, and how open-minded the culture is. I know it's a bubble to the rest of Wisco but I miss that place dearly!! I'm not really missing people (yet) but more or less the city of Madison by itself...I don't know how to explain it but I hope y'all understand what I'm talking about. I'd do anything to get a 'Taste of Madison' right now. That does NOT mean that I don't like it down here - I really do!

The new me!

Yesterday was my first day of research in the Carbone lab - it is definitely going to take a few days to get in the swing of things but hey! I finally know what I am working on - yay! I am doing a lot of field research that also has a strong "Extension" component where I do farm tours, weekend programs, and get the information out to the public. Just so y'all know...that is exactly what I want to do after I graduate. I want to help the farmers with diseases, means of control, and general information. But right now I'm not doing anything in the field (mainly because it's been like a mini-hurricane everyday for the past week). Right now I'm preparing my inoculum to infect my corn crop later next week. That's every plant pathologist's dream - to make healthy plants sick!!

Today I learned how to make PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) which is one  of the easiest media to make. I put in 19.5g of PDA powder into a flask and then add 500mL of distilled water. Mix it up on a stir plate, cover the top with tin foil, autoclave it for 40 minutes (where it gets really hot & pressurized to kill any living thing), wait for it to cool, pour into sterilized petri dishes. Then when they are solidified we can plate the fungus of our choice onto in and watch it grow!! Today we plated 6 strains of Fusarium onto PDA. I cut little chunks of the strain I want from the stock plate and put it on a new PDA plate. This is called creating the inoculum, I need to have like 600/700 plates done by tomorrow so my fungi has enough time to grow so I can use it to inoculate the corn crop. Then I have to make a conidial suspension (I'll talk about that later when I have actually done the procedure so I know what I'm talking about). Anyways, I discovered I really, really, really do NOT like working in a lab all day. I honestly don't know how people do it and like it. I was dying to go out in the field (even though it was a mini-hurricane all day) and play with the plants. But hey, if I have to do some lab work to go play with the plants...I guess I can do it :)

So far I'm liking it in the South. I found two clubs to join! One is an outdoor club where everyone is like "Hey! Let's go kayaking!" "Who wants to go for a hike in the mountains this weekend?" "I'm going camping in this state park - any suggestions for good fishing lakes?" Hmm...sounds like something I'd totally hate. The other club is Competitive Rock Climbing - this is one way to keep me entertained!! I'm so excited :)

I've never seen a rainbow it a straight line before...or in the SE part of the sky

So that's all for now! I have to go figure out other paperwork. The 15 emails a day about what I all have to do is so much fun to get through. Yay. Bye!!