pollination is key!

Plants of the Week!

2010-03-28T19:13:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung. Finally! My job took me to rural Lake County to do some botanical surveys last week. We got to camp out for a couple days which is more camping than I did last year. We are starting the first of many rounds of botanical surveys this month. I am so excited to relearn plants.
At the site there are many rare, endangered, threatened or watch list plants out there. This one is Lomatium ciliolatum var. hooveri.

This pretty one is Fritillaria affinis var. affinis. I love the Fritillaria genus. They are so pretty.

This plant is Dodecatheon hendersonii I think, but I'm not sure. It's written in my field notebook but I am too lazy to get it! These plants are not rare but still pretty.

It should be a fun spring!

Endangered Species of the Week

2010-02-20T09:44:00.001-08:00

Last Friday I was out in the field working on a tiger salamander project. It's a trapping project so when there is a 50% chance of rain we have to go out and check the traps to see if we caught anything. Salamanders need wet conditions to move from their upland area to the nearest pond to breed and use the precipitation from the rain on the ground to prevent drying out. I have never seen a tiger salamander before so I have been excited to see one.

As we were checking our traps we noticed a large amount of birds congregating in a oak tree. As we were moving closer we flushed a bald eagle! I don't think they are federally listed anymore but its still exciting to see our national mascot.
Look at at that pretty silhouette. Bald eagles are large majestic birds and it was cool to see one in the field. It was hanging out with these vultures and were all feeding on a dead cow in the field. We spooked them but as we left the area, the birds returned to their feast.
So we continued on our trap check and BEHOLD, there was a tiger salamander in our trap!
I was able to hold it and get a photo taken with her. We determined it was a female and she was gravid. My coworker who has a permit to handle the CTS gave me a tutorial on how to handle and do the required measurements we needed to do. I had experience handling endangered snakes and such so it was more of a refresher.
All in all it was a great field day. Most of the time we only capture tree frogs and small mammals so it was exciting to see something different.

Still no plants of the week. Not much flowering out there yet!

Amphibian of the week

2010-01-31T21:55:00.001-08:00

So this week I decided to mix it up a bit! Actually its a bit early for flowering plants but we are heading into amphibian breeding season so hence the new feature. This little guy is is a toad (Bufu boralis).
I think my coworker said it was a western spade foot toad but I am not sure and I forgot to write it down. My fault for not bringing out my notebook in the field.

So I started a new job working with a small consulting firm in Berkeley. I am pretty excited and so far its been fun. There is tons of fieldwork which is nice and a change from what I have been doing. Hopefully all the sites are as pretty as this one!

Don't worry, the plant of the week feature will be back soon.

I know I'm a little late to the party

2010-01-22T16:57:00.001-08:00

But I love this album. I've listened to it 3 times today!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??

2010-01-12T14:40:00.001-08:00

I have no idea. November 2008 is quite a long time to be absent. I have no excuse.
Well, I have a good feeling about my blog these days and I am ready to get back into the swing of things. You see, I got this for Christmas!
Ok so Betsy and I both got this for Christmas. I love it! This camera takes way better photos than my other one. It's been fun remembering how to take SLR photos where you have to adjust everything on your own. There is a steep learning code when your used to the point and shoot method of picture taking. Luckily I have my trusty manual at the ready. Betsy laughs at me about this.

One of the great features that I have missed with a point and shoot is adjusting for depth of field.

This was my first attempt at getting all of the rail in focus. As you can see, I am not that good at using the camera yet but I am working on it. My goal is to shoot at least one photo a day.
The camera came with a zoom lens which is nice. I love interchangeable lenses.
We bought this camera to document our lives and family but, (don't tell Betsy) I am excited to take flower photos with it. Look at that picture! Its like your a bug preparing to land on the coyote brush flower! Wow! So lifelike.
I hope this new camera will help me to start blogging with some regularity. I need to restart the Plant of the Week segment. Now, I have no excuse not to.

When nature strikes back

2008-11-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

Today was tough in the field. This morning I had to collect some data
and as I was doing so a bee flew in my hair, panicked, and then stung
me. Lame. My head hurts but luckily I am not allergic.

Then at another site I slipped in the mud. Sort of embarrassing to walk around with a big mud stain on your butt. At least it was a nice day today!

Get out and vote!

2008-11-04T06:57:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is finally here. Election day! I am so relieved this election season is almost over. I am also relieved that I figured out what I am going to vote for.

We will soon be able to relate to each other in terms other than yes or no.

Barock the vote!

Rain

2008-10-31T08:54:00.001-07:00

I love the first rain
Happy Halloween!!!

What am I going to do?

2008-10-28T22:22:00.001-07:00

I have yet to sort out all the issues in the upcoming election. The election is 7 days away and I still haven't read up on all the propositions. And there are lots of them, 22 in San Francisco, and 12.5 for the State of California. Not only that but who am I going to vote for School Board? Superior Judge? I have no idea.

Does 34 propositions seem excessive to anyone? 34. We have to decide about a wide variety of issues, gay marriage, animal rights, renewable energy, public energy, tons of bond issues, legalizing prostitution, redistricting, reinstating JROTC and my favorite, deciding whether or not to name one of S.F.'s sewage treatment plant after George W. Bush.

I almost always vote no on every proposition in every election, especially the bond issues. I feel that we don't need to tack on more and more debt every two years for projects that probably will go over budget. I know sometimes the best way to pay for infrastructure is through bonds but California is broke people. We need to pay off our debt.

Some of the issues are just confusing. Take Prop 7, the renewable energy generation initiative. Is this a good thing or just another scam by big energy? How does it differ from Prop 10 which is the renewable energy and clean alternative fuel act? I have no idea. I am not a lawyer so I cant decipher all the fine print.

All I really have to go on is the Arguments section in the voter guide where both sides voice their opinions. Is this the best way to figure out the issues by having a debate with myself as I read the arguments for and against? I do admit that sometimes I read each side in a different voice. It helps when you have to cram the week before the election like I always do!

Hey, is that the internet in your pocket?

2008-09-23T22:08:00.001-07:00

So, it is official. I just got the letter in the mail that I have finally graduated from SFSU. What a relief. I am glad the journey is over.

One of the motivations Betsy used to get me to finish my thesis was the promise of a new iPhone which totally worked. I worked so hard to finish.
But lets be honest. I needed a new phone. My old phone was this piece of crap Nokia. It sort of worked. The front screen broke about 1 year ago and it has this weird dust under the screen...
that makes it useless in the sun. Who is calling me? I have no idea. I can't see.
but not anymore! Holy smokes I love my new phone. I have owned it for about a month now. I know, I know, everyone has one now but I love it just the same.
Look how great it looks next to my old phone. I love the fact that when I am out in the field monitoring construction I can pass the time watching You tube videos or checking my e-mail, or even surfing the net. Instead of lugging the heavy Jepson manual out in the field, I can access and key out a plant, and confirm easily. Dope!
Gosh, that last sentence makes me sound like a dork but I don't care!

It's funny how fast you get used to something (Internet and GPS in your pocket) that you don't know how you ever lived without them. Remember when you didn't have a cell phone and had to plan to meet up with friends? Remember when you got your first cell phone and couldn't imagine living without one? The iPhone kicks it up a notch. Just last week my co-worker and I were stuck in traffic trying to get through the Caldecott tunnel and we used the maps feature to go up and over so we were not late for a field meeting. 2 months ago I would have been screwed.

But there are some dangers of owning an iPhone. There is an increased chance of becoming a douche bag. You may know that person who is constantly on their phone, or constantly looking up the answer to a silly debate you may be having, or showing you some "cool" feature on the phone? I don't want to be that guy. I think for the first few weeks I was too embarrassed to tell anyone about owning an iPhone. It was silly, but becoming a douche bag is one of my biggest fears.

Since I have the Internet in my pocket, one would think I would blog more. I should try to get on that!

Traffic blows!

2008-08-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sick

2008-08-22T11:39:00.001-07:00

I love the ocean!

suck it Eriogonum

2008-08-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

I turned in my thesis today. At about 4pm. I am now a Master of Science. How I hated you Eriogonum these past few weeks. How you made me work 14 hours a day so I can finish writing about you. I felt like this bug, just sitting there sucking on your nectar.
Well all of that is over. I have my life back. I can come home from work and do whatever I want. I have no idea where to begin!

Mobile garden

2008-08-08T16:07:00.001-07:00

Living here in the big city space can be limited. Many of us don't have the luxury of a yard to plant a garden or stretch out on a hammock. Sometimes you have to get creative.

I have been watching this truck come into bloom for the past few months. I even see the guy watering his truck sometimes on my way to my car in the morning. I hope he doesn't loose his yield to grazers!

How come I never blog...

2008-07-24T20:20:00.001-07:00

Because I am in jail. Thesis jail. Hopefully I get released soon.

Verbascum blattaria

2008-06-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Plant of The Week has been lacking on my blog these days. Most flowers have done their thing for the year and I haven't seen anything new in quite some time. Luckily this week I found something worthy of keying out. Verbascus blatteria or Moth mullen in the Scrophulariaceae family. I knew the more common wolly mullen but I have never seen this species.

The key was quick. This baby is a non-native in California. It has very pretty purple filaments which are hairy and distinctive. Enjoy!

Nation,

2008-06-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

I am part of the movement. I received a bracelet for my birthday!

thanks Nate and Courtney

California in flames

2008-06-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Whats with all these fires. It is hard to breathe out there. I am glad to be in the office today!

Friday off...

2008-06-20T10:22:00.001-07:00

I work an alternative work schedule. I work 8 nine hour days, 1 eight hour day, which means every other Friday off!!!! I love it. So last night I celebrated by working on my thesis on our roof deck. What a celebration it was! I am almost done with the discussion. It is hot in our neighborhood. I love it! I used to live in the foggy Presidio and welcome the change.

One good thing about the roof deck is the awesome sunset you get to witness. The other, sometimes your neighbor sets up his projector and we get to watch movies. Last night was perfect for movies on the roof and we watched a Sci-fi mini-series. I was skeptical at first but was soon hooked. I am not sure what the show was called but it dealt with objects from a motel room and it had Peter Krause.
This morning I decided to get up early and go surf!
I haven't gone surfing in quite some time and I am feeling it right now. My arms are like rubber. The waves were small and the conditions were poor but it was sooooo fun to be out in the water. I was even able to stand up. My arms ran out of gas pretty quick but I had a blast.

Friday is shaping up to be a good day!

WTF???

2008-06-18T20:15:00.001-07:00

I noticed this car yesterday when I was in Berkeley.
I thought Volvo wagon drivers were for Hillary...

My Double Life

2008-06-17T20:02:00.000-07:00

I have 2 jobs. One too many if you ask me. I have a job at Mosaic Associates that pays for my lifestyle and the other job is my education. I hate my second job. It never seems to end. I did pass my defense and I thought I was almost done but I haven't finished my stupid paper. When I do I will finally be a master of science. The trouble is my advisor and I don't see eye to eye as to how to proceed. It seems like he always has something for me to do but I am close.
(Sorry Kim. I hope you are not a reader)

Anyway... my second "job" is at the Academy of Sciences. The new Academy. What a sweet building it is!!! The building is green of course. Automatically dimming lights, tons of natural light and of course a living roof! I cannot wait until September 27th!

The Botany department was the first to move into the new building. This is entrance to our department.

Here is my cubicle!
Here is where the magic happens. It is kind of depressing and bleak. I haven't put up any photos.
The view is pretty nice though.
I cannot wait until the paper is done but sad to lose this awesome workspace. Maybe that is why I haven't finished. Wow, what a great excuse. Why haven't I thought about that before! (sorry Betsy)

SNAKE!!!!!

2008-06-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

whew!!! This one almost got me! Look how it blends into the habitat.

I need to be more careful!

I voted!

2008-06-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

As of 9:15 it looks like Prop 98 is not going to pass.
Thank goodness. We can still afford to live in the city.

First day of work!!

2008-05-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am a horrible blogger! I haven't posted in quite some time even with big changes and milestones that have happened since I posted last. My thesis presentation was successful and most importantly I have a new job. No more snakes and lizards! (this is not true, I saw 2 snakes this week). My new job is pretty much like my old one but better pay and more responsibility!

My first day of work was on April 28th! My new boss, Judy put roses and strawberries on my desk and also took me to a thai restaurant for lunch. She is so nice.

My new company, Mosaic Associates, is rather small. I am 1 of 3 people on staff. Since we are so small I am able to work on permits and proposals and other things I was not able to do at my last position. I am really excited about my new job.

I don't really have many exciting photos of my coworkers or project sites, but I did see some wildlife. Here is a photo of Microtus sp.
Here is a photo of a real rose, Rosa californica. Note the lack of gaudiness.
One of the snakes I observed this week was in pieces. Sick! It was a gopher snake.
I also found a pheasant nest. I had an instant craving for an omelet!
I also came across a jackrabbit. Look at those big ears!!!
I promise I will post more often. I also promise to have a more exciting blog. To all 6 of my readers, I apologize that my blog sucks these days!

its over....

2008-05-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

I defended today. Surreal. I am so excited it is over. I still need to finish my paper but that should be quick.
Sorry about the lack of material. I have been busy working on my talk I haven't had time to blog.
more updates soon.

THESIS DEFENSE

2008-04-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Holy smokes! I may even graduate this semester! I am so excited for the thesis process to be over! So if you are in San Francisco on May 6th. and have nothing to do, come check out my defense!

busy week at the key...

2008-04-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful week we have had. Spring is here with a vengeance. There are so many flowering plant species out and about. At every site I go to for work there are many flowers I don't know. Luckily with construction monitoring, there are hours of downtime where I can key out plants. Last week I was really busy figuring out all the weeds and tiny flowers in the area. I even keyed out some grasses which can be frustrating but it went well.
Check out this hillside.... Nothing says spring like a grassy hill covered with yellow flowers.
i believe the flowers are Brassica nigra.
I also keyed out :
Amsinkia menziesii var. indindia
Trifolium dubium
Trifolium fagiferum
Elymus elymoides
Erodium brachycarpum
Lupinus bicolor
Silene gallica
Schimus molle
Grindelia camporum var. camporum
Lolium multiflorum
Avena barbata
Melilotus indica
Elymus glaucus
Medicago polymorpha
Hordeum murinum ssp. uiridis
Amagallis arvensis
Lotus humistratus
Vincia villosa ssp. varia

My favorite plant I keyed out this week was Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta.
such a cool flower. I have never seen one of these before and it was very pretty.
like I said, there was lots of downtime. Construction monitoring is very boring and I love this distraction. Keying out plant species makes the day go by so fast!!!

First day of spring!

2008-03-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

yesterday was the first day of spring! I am excited because I will have material for my blog.
here is a quick list of plant photos I took in the past week. Lets start with our state flower...
I think this flower was a Dichelostemma or Brodiaea species. I am not sure. I forgot to grab a sample.
Spring is my favorite time of the year. The sun begins to shine, the temperature is warmer and the days are longer. Also fields of wildflowers.
everywhere you go
I love Magnoliaceae.

Ferguson, if you wanted to do a cutting of this... no pressure. I don't even know if it is possible.
Tulips! nothing says spring like tulips!
as stated above, I did not identify one of the plants. I promise this will never happen again. I have a new book in my arsenal. The book is more portable than the Jepson Manual and will help me to learn the flora in the bay area. I am excited. stay tuned.

Weed Class...

2008-03-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

Today I was lucky enough to go to an invasive plant workshop to learn about weeds and weed management. Wow! I know, I know, you are so jealous. It was so exciting. We got to listen to talks about weed management, grazing, pesticide use and other things. So fun.

The best part of the day, besides the awesome BBQ chicken lunch, was the live specimens room. Chalk full of information like this sheet below.

There were also fresh samples to look at.
fresh and pressed specimens.
My favorite part was the wall of fame. Many of the weeds found in the bay area were pressed and hung on a wall. So pretty.
I hope Betsy will let me decorate our house with pressed weeds. That would be so sweet.

RADIO LAB is back!!!

2008-03-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

My favorite podcast is back for their forth season. Radio Lab! I love this program. Apparently they have been back for a while. Oops. They only do a hand full of shows a season and their podcast is last on my list in itunes so I only discovered new podcasts today!! YES!

you should check out this podcast/show for these following reasons:

1) using science and technology to explain complex ideas like time, memory, or why we laugh in an easy to understand way.
2) hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich's witty banter
3) great use of sound to tell their stories
and
4) the show is entertaining.

Go to your podcast section of your itunes or the WNYC website and download a few now. You will not be disappointed. Seriously.

DO it now!

dummy...

2008-03-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yes! another online quiz from Cindy!

TV Reviews

it looks like I need to quit dumbing down my blog. Sorry about that readers. Get ready for more science!

Sunset = 7:12pm!!!

2008-03-09T21:57:00.000-07:00

I love the sun. I miss the sun. I also love when the sun stays out later in the day. Thank you DST! thank you.

graph contest!!!

2008-03-02T19:35:00.001-08:00

I have been making great progress on my thesis lately. I am almost done. I know I have said this before, but I mean it this time. Seriously, I have reorganized and reanalyzed my data and my argument is stronger with all this work. One-way, two-way ANOVA's.... ok so I lost you. That tends to happen.

So I thought it would be fun to have a little contest. All 6 of my readers listen up! Below is a graph that pretty much sums up all my research. Your assignment is to write me a description of what you think is going on. The best answer wins a prize! Good luck!

77.78%

2008-02-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

Not bad! Way better than last year. I rode the No Country for Old Men train to victory! I lost it with the women. I really had no idea who to choose and guessed. A C+ average.

Oscar perdictions...

2008-02-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a whole year since I last made Oscar predictions. Wow, a whole year. Here is how I think it is going down.

Actor, leading: Daniel Day Lewis
Actor, Supporting: Javier Bardem
Actress, leading: Julie Christie
Actress, supporting: Saoirse Ronan
Animated feature: Ratatouille
Best picture: No Country for Old Men
Director: Coen brothers
Original screenplay: Juno
Adapted screenplay: No Country for Old Men

to be honest, I haven't seen many of the films listed so this is a best guess. I hope I do better than last year. One trend I have noticed this year was the unhappy ending. I wonder if Hollywood is sick of putting out the same old formula pictures.

One look at my list and it would seem I am in love with No Country for Old Men. I read the book by Cormac McCarthy and the Coen brothers stayed true to his vision which is refreshing because the film is never as good as what you picture in your mind. I hope the Coen brothers win because they are due. I mean these are the guys who made Raising Arizona!

Juno is also heavily favored. I liked the movie but I had a problem with Juno. She is too clever for a 16 year old. No 16 year old is ever that cool and witty and funny all the time. The script was different and I think it will win. But who knows.

All I know is I am excited about the Beckstead's Oscar party. Games, trivia, food, prizes. I hope I can win!

trash talking

2008-02-12T21:35:00.000-08:00

When I failed my motorcycle driving test, Betsy could not believe it. She even called me an idiot and clumsy. I tried to explain the test is not like driving on the road and totally awkward. So this weekend we were scootering around the city enjoying the sun when we stopped in on the DMV. We decided to give it a go even thought they warn against it!

I went first and did better this time. I found the secret, you have to gun it. You need speed to get around the circle. It is like snowboarding. In order to not fall, you have to just point your board down the hill and go for it.

Betsy did ok but totally failed. First off she ran over the cones and went the wrong way around the circle. Her second try she again killed some cones and was wobbly around the circle.

Afterword she admitted the test was difficult. Not hard but awkward and not like anything you ever do on a regular basis when you drive the scooter. Oh well. I guess I have to make another appointment to start the process all over again!

1 year...

2008-02-06T21:58:00.000-08:00

I bought my scooter 1 year ago last month!!! Wow how time flies. I still think the scooter was the best purchase of my life. Never worrying where you are going to park and filling up your gas tank for $3 never gets old.
In order to handle the power of the Vino 125 one needs a motorcycle license. I went to the DMV before I bought the scooter and picked up a permit. The 2 conditions of the permit are you cannot have passengers and drive at night; which I broke the first day.
So this past December I realized my permit was about to expire so I made an appointment to take my driving test. A huge waste of time.

First off... what is the point of making an appointment when you end up waiting for 1.5 hours anyway?? When I checked in I heard one of the testers saying she was going on break along with her other worker. WTF???
So since I had to wait I was able to check out the course. Here is the top part of the course. The dreaded circle...
So one starts at the beginning of the cones and does a slalom. Then one has to do 2 laps around the circle while keeping your front tire between the lines. Another pass through the cones and then you are congratulations, you passed. Sounds easy right? You have to do this without putting your foot down to balance yourself.
I didn't make it. I put my foot down. The circle is so awkward to navigate on the scooter. I had no idea the road test would be so hard to do. The cone part is easy but the transition to the circle is awkward at best and that is where I lost it. When do you ever go around a circle while driving? How is this a road test? When do I get to dodge a cab that cut me off or some distracted driver that merges into your lane? That would be more realistic than going around a big circle.
So my permit expired because I couldn't make another appointment. So in silent and illegal protest I drive my scooter without one. I just don't want to go back to the DMV and start all over again. They just don't make it easy.

Anyway...
here is a couple of photos, a retrospective of sorts. We start off with our logo...
Betsy and I were so excited to buy helmets that we wore them everywhere!
one of our first adventures was to scoot down to the mission for lunch on a Saturday and then stop by Dolores Park on the way home.
Such a pretty view.
The scooter makes it easy to get around when special events occur. You can get around traffic easy especially when royalty comes to town...
like the Queen Mary II
also easy to get in and out of the game.
there have been countless adventures and I am sure many more!

Organization...

2008-02-05T09:49:00.000-08:00

About 3 weeks ago I finally got around to ordering a planner. I went with the classic Moleskine daily pocket planner. A different page for every day. The one in the photo is the 2007 model but looks the same as the 2008.

I have never thought I was a planner type and therefore very disorganized when it comes to dates. I never have a place to write it down. Kind of a catch-22!
I usually get a planner from my brother every Christmas and use it for approximately 3 weeks before I give up. I asked him last year to stop giving me one since it would be a waste of a good planner. This year I decided to make organization one of my new year's resolutions. I decided the first place to start would be with my day to day life, appointments, meetings, deadlines, etc. Don't even get me started on birthdays. So many dates to remember and now they are in one book!
The main reason for selecting this planner is the new page a day. I can use this planner as a journal to write thoughts and feelings and experiences that I have each day. Perfect because one of my other resolutions this year was journal writing! Perfect.
I have had the planner 3 weeks and I am still going strong. A planner is such a helpful tool. I do not know how I did it before! We'll see if I can keep it going.

Plant of the week... Eriogonum

2008-01-29T20:33:00.001-08:00

As some of you may know, I am still not done with my thesis. I fell into the trap of getting a full time job before I finished. Many of my friends fell into this same trap, I guess I the high cost of living is the main cause. The problem with working a full time job is when you get home the last thing you want to do is work on a thesis. But I have found the time and I am almost done with the next round of edits. I have been struggling on proving what insect visitor pollinates my flowers.
On Monday, I made progress.

A little background... My thesis deals with pollination of dioecious Eriogonum. I compared 3 species of Eriogonum, E. diclinum, gynodioecious, E. umbellatum var. modocense, and hermaphriditc E. u. var. argus.

Here is a photo of a male E.diclinum inflorescence

and here is a photo of a E. u. modocense inflorescence...

On Monday I took my flowers and select insects to the Scanning Electron Microscope we have at the academy. I was able to take amazing photos of pollen grain by themselves and on the insets. The photos are amazing. Pollen grains for E. diclunum look like blunt footballs.

Pollen grains for E. u.modocense have a similar shape but are more pointed and have less of the dimples. The SEM is amazing. These single pollen grains are on the scale of microns but we were able to take photos of their texture. Quite a handy tool.
One of the main floral visitors was this guy. Lopidia sp. Here is one on a E. diclinum inflorescence. Even though the insets were very common, my observations showed these guys were not good pollinators. Their foraging behavior on the flowers did not seem to indicate they were great at moving pollen from flower to flower.
The SEM showed this may actually be true. This photo of the head of a Lopida is sparsely hairy and no Eriogonum pollen.
What the observational data showed was a small beetle, Amerocerus sp. is the main pollinator. This small beetle collects pollen on its head and thorax. When foraging, these are the areas that come into contact with the stigmas which would mean successful pollination.

This photo is one of the beetle covered in pollen. But what kind of pollen?

The SEM took a great photo of the insect body.
but a closer shot indicated all the pollen grains were the same.

We need to take more photos of other insects but the results look good. These photos show Amerocerus is main pollinator. All these pollen grains look like they are from E diclinum flowers which is also good. Amerocerus sp is the main pollinator for E. diclinum and these photos strengthens my argument. Success

tough day at the office...

2008-01-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

The other day was tough. I had to go kayaking to look for frog egg masses. It was horrible. The sun was out, a small wind was blowing, I was in a kayak...

It was a fun time. I was glad to be out and about in the sunshine. I used to love winter and considered myself a winter person but now I am not sure. I used to live for precipitation, used to love staying inside reading a book or watching a movie. Lets not even mention the fun times snowboarding and snowball fights. But ever since living in vegas then redding then vegas I love summer and sun! Also living in the cold, cold Presidio the past 2.5 years could have something to do with it. With the rain events of the past few weeks the sun was a welcome change.

Since winter is still in effect, the only plant I could find with flowers was Scirpus californicus.

I did not find any egg masses or any animals for that matter. I did find tons of crap. There were literally tens and tens of tennis balls...
also a bazillion empty forty bottles... I hope they poured some out for their hommies...
I did find a driver for Frisbee golf. Apparently the disk is number 1
the survey took a few hours and I got a great upper body workout. Luckily the wind was minimal so rowing was not a challenge. All in all a great day at the office.

Christmas (and Colbert)

2007-12-30T14:49:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas all,
Christmas this year was white. I haven't been in snow for Christmas since living in Tahoe.
Betsy and I are spending the holidays in Pleasent View, UT with her family. This was a shot out the window on Christmas morning! Snow everywhere! Snow in Utah is so light and fluffy!
Christmas was fun. Presents, food, sledding, naps, more presents, more napping. I got tons of gifts and gave many too. It was fun to be with young kids on Christmas morning!

One of my favorite gifts I received this year was a copy of I am America (And so can you). So funny! I remember a time (before the strike) where I would watch the previous night's episode on DVR while getting ready for work. I miss Stephen's quirky views of current events. Almost as fun as Tatanka's point of view. Reading the book over the past few days reminds me that I miss the show. I hope the strike ends soon so I can enjoy new episodes.

Pick up a copy!

BEARS.....

2007-12-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

The other day at the academy I was trying to finish my thesis. I needed a break and was walking down the hall and came face to face with a giant grizzly bear! Holy smokes. I thought I was done for. For some reason, the bear seemed distracted and was staring to his left.
I moved forward slowly and was sure to not make any sudden moves. Luckily this was before lunch and I didn't have any food smells on my body so I was able to get close enough to snap a quick photo and then made a run for it.
It was scary! I think it saw me running and gave chase. I made it to the hallway and was safe. The bear must have been chained up or something because he didn't make it down the hall.

I can understand why Stephen is so afraid of these things!

Tropical Plants of the week!

2007-12-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

So I haven't updated my blog since Oct 14, 2007. Holy smokes. I have no excuse. I just haven't had the time or desire to update.
Also, winter.

It is hard to update a plant blog when the dead of winter is upon us. Not so many flowers. Luckily a few weeks ago for my honeymoon I went to the tropical lands of Hawaii. Here is a small sample of what I saw...

First up it the state flower of Hawaii, Hibiscus, a member of the Malvaceae family! This flower is everywhere. You may recognize this flower in its more common form....

another common flower we saw in Paradise was this orchid. People leave them on your pillows, deliver them to your room, etc....

another great thing about the tropics are chance meetings with your favorite fruits. They grow on the side of the road and in plantations, even in the lobby of your hotel. Here are some bananas

and here is a mini pineapple growing in the lobby.

the very rare chocolate covered strawberries grow wild here...

this is a member of the Piperaceae family. Members of this family are distinct because of the large bract and stalk of small flowers. There are hundreds of tiny flowers on that stalk.

Here is a member of Nyctaginaceae, or the Four o' Clock family, Bougainvillea.
members of this genus also have showy bracts but have tubular flowers in a set of three. They are usually white.

a member of Iridaceae...

many of the flowers you have seen here are used in the garden trade. I love the tropics!

gone fishing

2007-10-14T21:46:00.001-07:00

Last week I got to do something completely different for work. I was able to help some biologists do a fish survey. How does one do a fish survey? By using an electrofisher of course. Elecrofishing is used by fish biologists to survey streams and lakes. They make ones for boats as well as a backpack model like the one we used.
Someone is lucky enough to wear the backpack unit and hold the pole with a metal loop on the end. Current is applied to the loop and fish that come into contact are stunned.
The range of the loop is about a few feet. The stunned fish float belly up and are quickly scooped up using a net.
So we find natural pools in a stream surveyed the years before. We string nets across the pools to trap the fish in the pools and do sweeps. All fish are placed into buckets to identify and measure. Measurements include length and weight.

It was a fun time trying to capture fish. I was on bucket duty since I had never done this before. As you can imagine, mixing electricity and water is a bad combination and can be dangerous so we had protective gloves and extensive safety training.

The current is not that strong and is dialed in to stun and not kill the fish. The electricity only stuns the fish and after a few minutes they become active again. I am not sure how they decide how many volts to use but it involves measurements of dissolved oxygen and turbidity and other nerd stuff.

We measured many fish and it was fun to work with them. We kept them in a special cage until we were done and let them go back in their pools. Electrofishing is an easy, fast way to catch fish. I know that some people use this method to fish for sport but is cheating if you ask me. I think someone died using a bug zapper to fish but that may have been in a Simpson's episode.

On the way home I saw a tarantula crossing the road. I guess the males are out and looking for mates. He was crossing the road and he was sooo big!

RADIO LAB!

2007-09-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

My favorite new NPR show as of late is Radio Lab. I heard it on This American Life a few weeks ago and downloaded the podcast. I love it. They only make 5 shows a season but they are so good. The episodes are funny, smart and entertaining and have great sound effects!

The premise of the show is they take a topic and explore using science. Today I listened to 2 shows at work, Placebo and Sleep.

The Placebo episode explores the history of placebo research. One of the stories explores when a solder in war gets shot their pain levels are less than when a person in society gets shot. Listen to the episode to find out why.

The Sleep episode explores the evolution of sleep and sleep research on animals. Did you know that dolphins rests one half of their brains at a time. so cool

So download the podcasts and listen when you get a chance. I am sure you will not be disappointed!

wait, you have a blog?

2007-09-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

well then why was your last post way back in August? Why are you slacking on your blog? How come no sweet plant photos? What gives?

I am busy. Simple as that. I have been working long hours in the field, helping to plan a wedding, and over the past few weeks have been hunting for an apartment. From the look of things, so has the rest of the San Francisco. I have never visited craigslist so frequently on a daily basis in my life. Apartment hunting is a full time job in itself, with remembering open house dates, phone numbers, rents and realty names and addresses. Whole weekends were lost driving to open houses jut to find out they were dumps, and still 25 people were fighting over them. Morale was low. We got so sick of getting passed over we created a rental packet, complete with a generic application, credit reports and a cover letter with our contact info on it, all bound in a nice report folder.

If anyone out there is searching for an apartment, this is the way to go. People are impressed you went through the trouble and the rental packet makes you stand out. I don't want to jinx anything but I believe by Monday, our search will be over. More details to come.

I hope things slow down soon so I can update my blog more regularly in the future. I believe that it will.

so this weeks PLANT OF THE WEEK is the sunflower. I know, I know, i knew this one already but I did not know this flower is Helianthus annuus which is native to California. This flower is a member of the Asteraceae or sunflower family, with all members having a composite of smaller flowers. This family is the largest in California but the second largest in the world behind Orchidaceae.

I took this photo in a huge field of sunflowers. They were pretty. This flower is another great photography flower because of the contrasting colors. I need a digital SLR!!!

The office

2007-08-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks again Cindy for another great online quiz! you rock! I think the description is true, I am a bit awkward sometimes. I need to work on that!

Which Office Character Are You?
	You are part Michael. Deep down, you are caring and good-natured, but you often express yourself in insensitive ways. Though you always try your hardest to make your talents be seen, you could use a little more self-awareness to avoid being awkward.
	You are part Jim. You are personable, easy-going, and always socially aware. Your great sense of humor and impishness soften the blow of what might otherwise be a dark, cutting cynicism.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Many plants this week...

2007-08-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy! I have been working long hours in the field (10+) and have not had a chance to update my blog. We are busy and I have been shuttling around the bay area which is good since the one site I was at last week was devoid of plant life.

I did find this small mustard, Lobularia maritima, an introduced plant native to the Mediterranean. The common name is sweet alyssum and is supposed to have a sweet smell to them which is where they got their name.

Brassicaceae can be a hard family to key out if you do not have fruits. The first major key break asks if the fruits are longer than wide and goes from there. Luckily there were fruits on the plant and the rest of the key was easy. I forgot to smell the flowers to see if they are in fact sweet.
My next plant is a member of the pea family Fabaceae. Lotus corniculatus or more commonly, birdfoot trefoil is also a non-native plant in California. This plant hails from Eurasia and is found throughout California on account it is used for livestock feeding and crop rotation.
I have seen this plant all over the bay area but was also afraid to key it out. Fabaceae can also be a hard key to work on account of the sheer numbers of plant species but I was bored one day watching construction workers so I gave it a shot. Not that bad at all.
What separates this plant out from the hundreds of other Lotus species is the distinct leaf. The leaf has 5 leaflets but 2 reduced and stipular in position. This means that the 2 bottom leaflets are found at the base of the leaf and not on the petiole. Very distinctive.
One of the last flowers I have encountered and collected this week is one of my favorites. I collected this plant in a shady riparian area at one of the work sites. I love this area because it is shady and cool while the rest of the site is hot, hot, hot. In this little oasis, the native (finally) Mimulus cardinalis grows in abundance.

I first saw this flower growing in this creek bed way back in May and every time I walk thorough this area the plants are still flowering. There is plenty of water in the creek and it is nice and shady, a great place to grow! I finally collected some this week.
My last plant of the week is a fake mum. At the windowsill on the 6th floor of the academy, someone brought a few fake mums in and placed them by the window. I was bored from working on my thesis so I took a few shots.
we have a great view of the city from the 6th floor...

Plant of the week... slim pickings

2007-08-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I have been working in Pacifica. Our site does not have a wide diversity of plant life which makes my plant segment hard to do. Luckily I found this shrub.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus or blue blossom. This big shrub is a member of the Rhamnaceae family.
One way to distinguish this shrub from others out there is the prominent veins characteristic found on the underside of the leaf. As seen below, there are 3 major parallel leaf veins which are raised and distinct.
Ceanothus flowers are also distinct and can aid in identification. They usually form a panicle and are often blue. The stamens (male parts) are opposite the petals which you can see from this photos I stole from the Internet.
Here is a photo of a cluster of fruits. Not that exciting but like I said, there is not much growing out there. Luckily I can stare at the ocean!
Hopefully this project will be done soon so I can find a site with a diverse flora!

kites...

2007-07-24T18:08:00.001-07:00

I stopped at Ocean Beach on the way home from work yesterday. It was almost a nice day. Kind of cold due to the fierce winds but perfect for kite flying!
I have not flown a kite in quite some time. I thing there has been some breakthroughs in kite technology because the flier had a two handle contraption. Also, long tails on the kite. Perfect for doing tricks!
There were about 4 kites going. They were all moving around and it was fun to watch. I am glad I went home this way!
also, I think I want one!

Potter Mania...

2007-07-21T15:36:00.000-07:00

Friday night bets and I headed to the Castro to procure a copy of the new deathly hallows...
First we needed some nourishment in the form of a large cup of hot chocolate.
Sweet inspirations has all you could ever want, cake, pie, gelato, and other various treats.
We realized that it was 11:15 on Bets phone so we left Sweet inspirations for the bookstore. Bets has a nice phone!
Books Inc. was having a Harry Potter Party and I was stoked because I wanted to see dorks in costumes. In SF one really doesn't need to wait for Halloween to dress up. Why anyone can dress up as any current event...
Here was dolores umbridge walking around giving detention to all the bad people in line...
luckily we were sorted into Hufflepuff house so we did not get in trouble. I was stoked to be sorted in this house because, duh, botany.
Bets was bummed. She wanted Slytherin because, evil.

We waited in line for about 45 minutes in a hot stuffy store that was totally crowded. it sucked I had to say and at times we questioned our plan to get the book on opening night. I am sure they are everywhere now and no lines! Luckily there were other books around and we passed the time.
At 12am, pandemonium hit. people went nuts, but there was no stampede! We got our books and walked home to read chapter 1! The wait was over.

I finish the book last night. So good. anyone want to talk about it?? send me an email.

magnolia!!

2007-07-17T23:27:00.001-07:00

The other day as I was leaving the Academy after working on my thesis (yes, back on track) I came across a magnolia tree in bloom. If you have ever seen a magnolia tree you know what a treat to see the flowers are. They are large, leathery, and showy. They have numerous petals and reproductive parts. They are favored in the horticultural trade and are NOT native to CA. Magnolias are one of the oldest floral lineages. They are also well photographed!
The tree was small but there were a few flowers on them. I love how the light reflects off each petal creating different lights and darks. A perfect subject for any budding B&W photographer!
like I said these flowers are HUGE! This is my normal hand next to one for scale. Holy smokes!
I gorilla keyed this species via the Internet to Magnolia grandiflora. A total guess and I am sorry but there is no key for the ones found in California. This species is the most common so I am sticking to it! Go out and photograph one of these flowers if you get a chance!

Summer, really??

2007-07-17T10:33:00.001-07:00

This morning (and for the past few) I would step out to this bleak scene. cold, wet fog. jackets are needed, scarves optional. Yes, it is the middle of July and you are freezing to death. Got to love summer in SF.
Most of my commute was in the fog. The peninsula gets socked in also.
but I find summer when I get to the job site! instantly warmer! Sun out! Vitamin D being produced.
South and east of the bay area have quite a different climate. I do love the fog though, especially walking around the Presidio's many hiking trails at dusk. Sure it is kind of spooky but I love it.

Ani Difranco...

2007-07-15T21:20:00.000-07:00

It is true. I am a fan. I know this makes me, well, I don't know what it makes me. All I know is whoever I told I had tickets to the concert, they laughed. I am not an angry lesbian or anything, I just love her songs and playing style. She shreds the guitar. She plays with all 10 fingers. She can write. She started her own record company. What's not to like.
I tried to smuggle my camera into the Warfield yesterday and if I was successful this is the caliber of photos I would have taken. But security was too thorough and I had to check it. bummer.
The concert was rad! She played all her hits and entertained us with her witty banter. She is so funny. I had a great night. I don't even care if anyone laughs at me.

The Order...

2007-07-12T23:32:00.001-07:00

yesterday was a interesting day at work. I was in the office slowly going insane (data entry), when I got a frantic call from a co-worker. She had got out of the truck to open a gate and locked herself out with the motor running! Luckily she had her phone in her pocket and called me. I got to drive the spare key out to her so she can continue with her day. Embarrassing for sure but I did not laugh at her that much and was glad for the break in monotony. Imagine being locked out of your car for 2 hours while it is running, in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road. I don't like to brag, but I was a hero...
On my way home I took this photo of a horse.

After work I met up with a few friends to see this...
The last bit of the movie was in 3-D which is neat. Bets and Nate couldn't wait or contain their excitement!
We saw the movie on the IMAX screen. Holy smokes! it is a big screen.

The movie was good! I liked the Professor Umbridge character. She was creepy and mean and you really hate her. They cut out a bunch of stuff from the book but I guess they didn't want to make a 4.5 hour movie!
I am soooo excited about the release of the last book even though I did not pre-order. I hope I can find one...

7.2 MEGAPIXELS!!!!

2007-07-11T20:32:00.000-07:00

Wow what a difference 4 megapixels makes! First off larger (more megabites) pictures. I am going to need a larger hard drive. Second, I love this new camera, the larger view screen, the smaller size, etc. I really have to size my photos down for the blog!

So the first photo I took was of a flower (of course) to test the macro lens. I believe this is an ornamental member of the Malvaceae family. I like the close up function but did not get to play around because I was pressed for time to get to Radio Shack to get a memory card. WOW! these things get cheaper and cheaper!
When I got back I went on the girls roof and took some photos. Here is a normal magnification photo...
5x zoom photo...
10x zoom... all from the same vantage point. Got to love that. This feature will be helpful in tracking movements of snakes or birds without getting close.

here is the SUNSET setting. it kind of washes out the colors. It might work out better if I was at the beach.
I can't wait to figure out what all the buttons and modes do. Yeah!!

back in the game...

2007-07-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

I bought this beauty today. I lost my digital camera sometime around my birthday, I am not sure where or when. Lame. I loved that camera. We went to New Zealand together. We took sooo many pictures of plants. I documented my life for the past 3 years with that camera. Then I lost it. I looked everywhere for the thing, even rearranging my room to find it but to no avail. I hope he has a good home and wasn't traded for crack or anything lame like that.

I am excited about this new camera! It has 4 more mega pixels than my previous model and it is a bit less bulky even with the 10x optical zoom. There is a huge 3" screen on the back! Tons of other features that I don't know what they do yet! So excited!

My Plants of the Week feature is going to look sooo sweet now! I do not have to steal photos off the Internet!

Calochortus!!!

2007-07-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

The other day I was in the field walking in front of a tractor making sure they don't run over snakes when I saw this yellow Calochortus in the distance. I did not have my camera with me and I unfortunately I could not collect it. From memory I think the species was Calochortus clavatus var. pallidus.

The above photos are other varieties of this species. Calochortus is one of my all time favorite flowers. They have 3 petals which are often speckled, hairy or brightly colored. They grow from bulbs and do not flower for long. Since they are so pretty and hard to grow horticulturaly, many are protected. I wish I would have had a permit to collect some from this patch so I can get a positive id but this guerrilla id will have to do.

Thank you Cindy

2007-07-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

yet another online quiz I got from Cindy's blog! This time we came up with different results. I love wasting time on the internet and finding out stuff about myself.
This makes me sound like a bit of a slut...

Your Score: The Liberated Lover

72% partner focus, 52% aggressiveness, 65% adventurousness

Based on the results of this test, it is highly likely that:

You prefer your romance and love to wild and daring rather than typical or boring, you would rather pursue than be pursued and, when it comes to physical love, your satisfaction comes more from providing a wonderful time to your partner than simply seeking your own.

This places you in the Lover Style of: The Liberated Lover.

The Liberated Lover is a wonderful Lover Style, and forms the kind of free-thinking, sexually-exciting, self-confident lover that society once condemned but that a liberal-mind cherishes and exults. The Liberated Lover is a treasure to find, though it can sometimes be difficult to do so because they are often already engaged in relationships or are in high-demand if "in the market."

In terms of physical love, the Liberated Lover is possibly the most thrilling and demanding of all, with the one potential drawback being that it is possible to feel 'overmatched' at times by their prowess and selfless giving. Given trust and understanding, and the right lover, the Liberated Lover can be a delight in bed.

Best Compatibility can probably be found with: The Exotic Lover (most of all) or the Carnal Lover, or the Suave Lover.
Congratulations!
Thanks Again! -- THE LOVER STYLE PROFILE TEST

NERDS!!!!!

2007-06-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

I got this beauty from Cindy's blog. It turns out that we are both alike, but I am way nerdy!
I always knew that I was a nerd and it is good to have an online quiz to confirm my status! Check it out...

Your Score: Pure Nerd

73 % Nerd, 21% Geek, 21% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Congratulations!

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I want one...

2007-06-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

Gosh... I wish I had $600 for a new phone... This baby looks sweet!

Columbines!!!

2007-06-27T17:54:00.001-07:00

This weeks plant is Aquilegia or more commonly called columbines. This genus is a member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family which have a variety of growth forms. Most members in this family have 5 petals and many stamens with some members in this family having modified petals that form a nectar spur. There are three species found in California but many species are grown for ornamental use and can be found at your local nursery.

This past weekend I was in beautiful Park City, UT and everywhere I went these flowers were planted in gardens and flower beds. I didn't want to pick a few flowers from someones garden, so I was forced to guerrilla key (id via photos) the ones I saw. I was unsuccessful.

In this photo you can see the long spur or modified petals. At the bottom of the spur is the nectary where the pollinator inserts it tongue to lick up the delicious sugar water. As you can see they need a long tongue!
Also, if you gather all the spurs and bite them off, you can have a sweet treat. This works especially well when there have been no floral visitors to the flower. The entire flowers is edible so you can eat that too. One often finds them in edible flower packets sold at Whole foods or co-ops.
This genus are my favorite in this family. This family is very diverse in the different flower morphs and can be tricky to identify. Another member, Delphinium, also has a spur but the largest member Ranunculus looks more like a buttercup. As you can see below, Aquilegia has quite a distinct shape and once you recognise this morph, you will never be mistaken again.

birds are out...

2007-06-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I posted about how cool the environment is right now. Every day one can hear about new legislation to cut carbon emissions, websites where you can calculate your carbon emissions or websites where you can learn how to be green. For now going green is on Americas conscience and it is a welcome change. Especially for one who makes a living studying the natural world.

The other day a few friends were talking about nature in art and I don't know how it came up but they totally mentioned that birds are going out. Remember deer? I chuckled a bit. I know some hardcore birders who go on vacation to see birds and for them, birds are always in. Nature is big, even the art and fashion world. I just hope hope all this hype translates to legislation to protect, study and restore nature for the long term. I love clean water and air...

Thank you art and fashion for keeping the environment an issue in the news. Good for You! I am not sure what will replace birds, apparently mushrooms are the next big thing.

Clarkia rubicunda...

2007-06-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

I collected this beauty in the hills above Orinda. The common name for this plant is farewell to spring because the flowering time is June or July. Sometimes common names make sense!!!This species is a member of the Onagraceae family. Onagraceae as a general rule have 4 petals and 8 stamens and members of this family are easily identified.

This flower was conspicuous compared to the other vegetation found at the site. All the grasses are brown and flowers such as these are easily noticed. This photo from the web captures the habit well. Notice the red center of the flower. I wonder if the pollinators are attracted to that red center?

I love this new feature of my blog. I have identified 4 plants so far. I get practice keying out plants, keep my botanical identity, and have something to blog about. Nice!

Plant of the week

2007-06-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Wow, I started this new feature on my blog and I almost forgot to identify a plant!!
Luckily today was a boring day at work and I was able to id this large faboid shrub I found.
Spartium junceum or Spanish Broom, a non-native plant which likes disturbed places.
I have misplaced my camera so I have to steal images from the Internet. Here is a picture of the habit it grows in. A big shrub.
Here is a close up of the flower.

The big 2000!!!

2007-06-14T08:13:00.001-07:00

I just reached 2000 visitors on my blog! how exciting! 2000 people wasted minutes on my site. Thanks for reading.

My birthday...

2007-06-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

It was my birthday this past Friday. But why celebrate only once when you can have a 3 day fiesta to celebrate you? Betsy was the best and planned 3 days of celebrations. it was awesome! I had no idea I was this popular! Here is a photo montage of all the cards I received. Thank you all for your gifts and love.

Here is a card from Shawn, Robyn and Tatanka...
Form Dan Fife...
From the Grovers...
From my parents...
From the Becksteads...
From Betsy...
Form Emily Bates...
Form becca...
From Erica...
And from my roommates...
You guys rock. These cards were attached to various sorts of gift cards, books and socks. Bets spoiled me the most. Thank you Bets for all you do for me!

Justice is so sweet...

2007-06-08T15:11:00.001-07:00

YES!!!!! I cannot believe it! She has to go back to jail!!! I am so stoked! Justice was served.

I mean who calls in sick for jail? Come on!

Celebrities usually get out of most things because they can pay large fines and buy their way out of trouble. I thought this case would be similar. Good job Judge. Way to sock it to her. Maybe when she gets out of jail she will be humble and do good with all the money she has access to. Probably not.

Plant(s) of the week

2007-06-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

In an effort to maintain my botanical identity, I decided to start a new feature on this blog, Plant of the Week. I will identify a new plant species from our field sites that I don't know. This will be helpful in:
1) learning a new plant species,
2) keeping up on my botanical keying skills,
3) having something to blog about.

So for this inaugural week I have selected two plants that have caught my eye. Both are purple and pretty.

The first is: Tragopogon porrifolius or Purple Salsify. This common plant is a member of the Sunflower family which can be a chore to id, but this species wasn't so bad. An interesting fact: you can derive a latex from the root that can be used as a chewing gum.
It is very pretty!
My next victim is a member of the Liliaceae family: Triteleia laxa or Ithuriel's Spear.
This plant species is also a common monocot found throughout the bay area. They are also pretty. Liliaceae is one of my favorite plant family because many members are big and showy and colorful.
well there you have it. I have successfully identified 2 out of the 8,000 or so plants that grow in California. Only a few more to go and I can lobby to change my title back to botanist!

Professional...

2007-06-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

It is official. I am a professional now. I have business cards. I can network, generate business, and win a free sub at the sandwich shop in thier weekly drawing! I have arrived.

The only problem is they say wildlife biologist on them. I am not sure if I qualify for that title but it does have a nice ring to it.
So please contact me if you have any questions about snakes or snake related accessories.
Thank you for your time.

RATTLESNAKE!!!!!

2007-05-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I found a rattlesnake in one of my traps! Holy smokes!!! Look how fat he is. Well it could be a she... I didn't get close enough to sex it!!
This snake is the most dangerous snake in the bay area. The toxin degenerates your tissue and is painful, but I hear the hallucinations are quite good. If you are in to that. It is quite a surprise to open the lid to a trap and see this beast inside. It sure does get your heart pumping.

My job is dangerous, Let's see...
1) Poison oak...lame
2) Lyme Disease brought on by tick bite
3) Snakebite
4) Falling down a steep slope
5) Mountain Lion attack
6) Coastal Bears

I need hazard pay!!

what is it you do again???

2007-05-22T14:19:00.001-07:00

The other day someone asked me what I did for a living. After trying to explain that I look for rare and endangered snakes in the bay area and getting the customary "ew, sick" response, I decided it may be better to explain using pictures. Hence this blog post.

So. I look for rare and endangered snakes. I don't tromp around the field looking for them (well sometimes), but use the miracle of science to do our work for us. We construct trap lines to catch the snakes. We drag some heavy lumber to a research site and set them up. This involves digging by hand a small trench, hammering stakes to hold up the fence, screwing the fence to the stakes and back filling the dirt so a snake cannot go under the fence. Manual labor rocks! Theoretically, the snake cruises through the grass and comes across our trap line. They hit the wall and instead of going over, tend to go along the boards to the awaiting trap at the end of the line.
Many of these trap lines are on steep slopes like this one. These ones are a pain in the butt to check, especially when it is hot outside!!!
Luckily many are also on flat, level ground so checking them are a breeze. They can be in some pretty locations too.
Here is one example of a trap at the end of the fence. There is a lid on top to open and check what is inside. We have to check these everyday to assure we do not kill anything in our traps. Here are some of the more common animals we see every day
A wide variety of species end in our traps. we have Microtus californicus...
Sceloporus occidentalis, the western fence lizard, very common,
Elgaria multicarinata, the Southern Alligator lizard,
Some of the snakes we catch include, the Pacific gopher snake,
which sometimes eats the MICA species...
The California King Snake, one of my favorites,
they are very docile and calm and one can hold them in thier hands without fear of the snake biting and pooping on you,
see, look how cute they are...
and finally the endangered SF garter snake. This is the main snake we are searching for and one needs to be permitted to even touch them. It is a big deal when we see an SFGS in our traps and we need to get a permitted biologist to handle them.

In a nutshell, that is what I do, I hike around and look in traps. It can be fun but after a while, especially when it is hot and steep, and snakes are pooing on you, the magic fades and you don't want to work anymore. But then you realize that you are hiking around outside and getting paid so it puts things in perspective a bit.
So if you are hiking around and see our traps, please, please do not touch. As you can see we can fine you and I will personally beat your a** if you mess with them. Lots of sweat and work went into setting these up and we need to get data so please leave them alone.

any questions?

Holy smokes it really is hot...

2007-05-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

today in SF it is supposed to be 90 degrees!!! In the CITY!!! The temperature never gets that hot! I am going to the beach!

its hot

2007-04-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yes,
Summer is in the air. The past few days have been so hot! Especially when you are hiking on steep slopes in the East Bay hills checking snake traps. Boy was I thirsty.

Yesterday I went to Baker beach on the rare occasion that the sun was out in my neighborhood. It was nice to take of my shirt soak up the sun. I have a sort of "farmers tan" right now but worse. The back of my hands and my face are really dark right now compared to the rest of my body. I look really Mexican when i have a long sleeve shirt and pants on. Otherwise I am milky.
One glance around the beach confirmed that I am not alone. There were lots of pasty people out. I guess it is the price we pay to live in the fog. We were all in need of some vitamin D.

But of course the sun can only hold the fog at bay for so long and by the evening, fog had engulfed our beloved city. Our typical summer pattern. Good thing that we only have to dive a short distance north, east or south to get out of the doldrums and find sun.

The Environment is cool...

2007-04-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

As the United States celebrated Earth Day this weekend, I reflected on how the environment is the new fad. No matter where you go there is someone talking about the environment or how we can take small steps in our lives to help the environment. Academy awards, hybrid cars, floral designs on fashionable hipster clothing, the environment is the new cool.

I for one am excited. Increased awareness and education help define environmentalism not as a left-wing, hippie issue but as something that concerns us all. Everyone should want clean drinking water and pollution free soils. Gas is expensive and we should be pursuing other forms of clean energy. The biggest crisis we face in the coming years will be securing a clean source of energy that is not finite. We have the technology to make clean energy and to make it affordable to all, especially to developing countries. Sadly this is not a priority!

This planet is all we have. Let us not have the environment go the way the Atkins diet went. Keep up the fight!

goodbye Kilgore...

2007-04-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

My favorite literary superstar passed away yesterday. Kurt Vonnegut. He was 84 and smoked like a chimney but did not die of lung cancer.

I loved his writing style. he would tell you how the story was going to end at the beginning of the story, sometimes in the first few pages. The characters were always interesting.

one of my favorite books is Galapagos, the story of how we humans evolve a million years from now. It was interesting from a biologist standpoint, humans have stopped evolving. At least that is what I took from the book. We keep everyone alive as long as we can. In nature, not all babies make it to reproductive stage. Many die via predators, the environment and other causes. Humans save everyone, even the sick that would be weeded out in nature. Vonnegut explores that theme and how we "evolve" when placed back into a natural setting where we have to fend for ourselves.

My other favorite book is Cat's cradle. I like the idea of the karass and the granfalloon. I like the idea that we are connected to random strangers by our thoughts and actions. also Ice-nine is cool. I did not know that he wrote this book to receive his Master's degree. Interesting.
I will miss his writing.

Happy Easter!!!

2007-04-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

Look what the easter bunny brought me this morning! Yes.

Thank you four-legged fuzzy bringer of chocolate and other treats!

the grind...

2007-04-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well I haven't published in a while. Don't know why. Could be that I am tired when I get home. This working thing is hard! I mean every week for five days! What is that!

I like my job! it is fun. I get to look for snakes and walk around and put on sunscreen. I am never in the office and if I have to do some work, I get to do it at home. I love working in my pj's and slippers. That is the best. The only thing that would make the job perfect would be nap time!

April fool's...

2007-04-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hope you all did not get pranked yesterday.
here is a link to the best 100 April Fool's Pranks of all time. Check it out!

Yes!!!

2007-03-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for this to come out. Is Snape bad? is Dumbledore really dead? Who is going to die in this one?
July is going to take a long time to get here!

why do I feel 40 pounds lighter???

2007-03-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

I just turned my thesis into my advisor for review. The entire thesis. All 70 pages of it! Gosh it feels good to have that beast done and out of my hands. I know I am not out of the woods yet, but it sure feels nice to have the wheels in motion.

Now all I have to do is make changes to the thesis when my advisor is done, give those changes to the remaining committee members, make more changes, then get everyone to agree, then make a mother of all power point presentations, practice the power point, present and defend the power point, get all the required signatures, make the required amounts of copies and then I can relax and be done.

Dang!

harry potter a hippie???

2007-03-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Betsy forwarded this gem to me the other day. Apparently JK rollings is printing HP7 on recycled paper. How sweet is that! We environmental-hippie-granola-hemp wearing folks are taking over the world. Change, although slow, is coming! Keep up the good work, you!

poison oak...

2007-03-20T18:08:00.000-07:00

I got the oak. Poison oak. It is not fun. My left arm is all red and blistery and swollen, My right leg has a red patch. There are other areas on my body where I was hit. I went to the hospital today to get some relief since my home remedies were not working. I am glad this job comes with health insurance.

So you may be asking yourself how does a botanist get poison oak? Bushwhacking through a willow thicket is how. Boy that sucked and to top it off I get the oak. Not my best day of work. This is a nasty plant! For most of my field biology career I never worked in the stuff. Poison oak does not grow at high elevation and does not grow in the desert. I guess I thought I was immune. Turns out that I am not. I will have to implement a strict decontamination procedure every day. I will have to wash my hands thoroughly every chance I get. And no more walking through willow thickets to look for snakes. I have to assume the oak is everywhere!

Neon bible...

2007-03-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

The new arcade fire cd came out some time ago. I picked it up after we went to Zachary's Pizza. I love it. It is my favorite Arcade fire album to date. They are still dramatic but I am digging this album. Check it out.

Water temple??

2007-03-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

Today for work, we met at the Pulgas Water temple. This temple was erected to celebrate the theft of water from the Yosemite National park. The Hetch Hetchy is the major source of drinking water for the city of San Francisco and the surrounding area. In 1934 when the aqueduct was completed the temple was also finished and a celebration took place here.
The temple is surrounded by about 1 acre of grass. the lawn slopes gently upward and forms a bowl. It would be a great venue for a rock concert. except someone would have a little to much to drink and start to swim in the pool!. It was rather warm today and I admit, I wanted to take a few laps!

So whats the deal? are we supposed to make a sacrifice every time we take a drink of water from the tap? Do we make a pilgrimage every full moon?

Turns out, no. The main use is for marriage photos and other special events. I guess there is some sort of symbolic something or other to the temple also.
If you ever find yourself just south of the westbound 92 exit on 280 and have some time to kill it is well worth the stop.
The temple is littered with pagan water worship symbols and quotes. What is with SF and their pagan worship? oh wait... that is a quote from the bible... oops!
on a sadder note, I was bitten by a soft-shelled turtle yesterday. Maybe it was all the mocking of the water temple. does anyone know where I can get a boat load of ox blood. I need to make amends.

egg mass

2007-03-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe my earlier description of what I have been surveying for was not as clear. Thank goodness there are tons of photos on our network at work. Enjoy!

here is a photo of the frog. the egg mass is usually larger than the frog that laid it. Crazy!

D.S.T. rocks...

2007-03-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

Daylight saving time started this week. I am excited it has begun. I heard some complaints from some people about dst starting 3 weeks early but you will not hear complaints from me. Darkness did not come to the presido until way after 7pm at night. The days are longer and I will be able to enjoy the extra daylight to partake in a plethora of outdoor activities. Sunset surf sessions, running, walking to Clement St. for dinner are just a few of the activities that one can enjoy with the extra light. No more bunking down for the winter!
Also spring is almost here! Yes. My favorite time of the year.

mmmmm....

2007-03-11T00:26:00.000-08:00

Why do these things taste so good?

recap...

2007-03-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

My first week is over. Not bad. I went kayaking on Crystal Springs reservoir for two of those days. I think I am going to like this job. Well, I will like it until we get to work in 100 degree days then I may get a bit crabby!

All it all my day is good. I commute to the site, then look for red legged tree frog egg masses. Think a bowl full of jello with eggs mixed in. That is the best way to describe them. I would love to have a photo here but my camera died. These egg masses float a centimeter below the water and are usually attached to vegetation. When they hatch, there are many tadpoles which swim near the egg sack. It is my job to survey for these things to understand how many reproductives use the marshes on the lake to breed. A presence/absence survey. Bonus that we get to kayak to our site! Bummer that I fell into a hole in the mud and went up to my mid thigh. oops!

holding an endangered species...

2007-03-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

Well I am officially employed! My first day on the job was a bit rough. SOOOO much information. I had to learn all the common snakes and lizards and turtles and mammals and birds and fill out paperwork and learn about safety. I met most of the crew and my bosses. Everyone is nice and they all seem cool.

Today though, was my first day in the field. One must be thinking, is he ready? He did just learn the species yesterday? Well the answer to that is yes, it is too soon. I do not know anything! But that is the only way we learn. I saw tons of things salamanders, pond turtles, and tree frog egg masses.

The highlight of the day was when a co-worker found a San Francisco Garter snake in the grass. I got to hold a endangered species and even take a measurement (length). It was cool. I was able to see the characteristics which separate it out from the other garter snakes. I like her blue belly (we caught a female).

All in all not a bad day! and tonight I get to go here for a friends birthday party!

a milestone...

2007-03-04T22:45:00.000-08:00

I received my 1000 reader to my blog yesterday!!! Yes. I made the big time! I wish I could write and give you a special prize but all the info I could gather was you visited at 5:25 pm and have a windows xp machine and use Internet explorer. Also you live in the United States. Thanks for reading!
And thank you countless 10's of people who read my blog every day. I know I should be better at updating but I get busy and well, sometimes the Internet takes a backseat!

My life is over....

2007-03-04T21:54:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here at 10:02pm Sunday, looking at the end of my life. It is over, done, fin...
I start my job tomorrow at Swaim Biological. I will be entering the real world. I will no longer be considered a student. I probably will not be able to schedule a nap at 2pm.

OK, so my job isn't what you would consider real world. While other people are strapped to a desk, I will be running around the hills of the bay area looking for these guys, the San Francisco Garter Snake and

The Alameda whip snake. I am not sure what I
will be doing with them once I find them or how my day is going to be structured. All I know is that I will be getting endangered species experience and experience working with animals. Quite a change from what I have been doing for my professional career. These things are defiantly not plants!

I guess I am excited about getting back to the work force. This is a big change. I have not had a real job since August of 2004!! I have been lucky to receive Fellowships and stipends which allowed to concentrate on my graduate project and not on some job. I have been my own boss for this entire time and I schedule my time as I see fit. I am not sure if I will like working for someone else. This is the reason why I am so worried about going back to work tomorrow. Change is scary sometimes...

I am sure I will get over it. I am excited about getting a nice big paycheck. I am also excited to live in the city and not be so poor. I can afford to go to all the concerts I want! Also, the job is outside and I get to hike around the hills. I could not work in a cubicle, that would kill me...
Here's to the rest of my life!

Zodiac...

2007-03-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

I am excited about this movie opening tomorrow. As a kid, I went through a "true crime" phase in reading. I would check out library books about crime and serial killers. The story of the zodiac killer always intrigued me because he was never caught and he did his killings here in the bay area, near where I grew up. His cipher's and taunting of police were even more bold.

I often wonder what makes someone want to kill random people. I can never imagine having that desire. What happened to this guy to make him want to conduct these horrendous crime and why was did he stop. I hope they try and answer these questions in the movie. This movie is going to be good!!

oh and this was in the chronicle today.

last week of freedom!

2007-02-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

This is my last week of freedom before I start my new job.
Unemployment has been nice to me. I love taking 2pm naps. I will miss those but I am looking forward to working again and getting a big paycheck! I forgot what it was like to not be poor!

So what have I been doing to celebrate my last week of freedom? nothing, absolutely nothing. I am tidying up my thesis and working downtown identifying my insects. I really should have gone somewhere exotic or something. The trouble is that everyone I know has a job. I did not know anyone who wanted to travel. Oh well. At least I will get my thesis done before I go back to work. There seems to be a curse at SFSU where graduate students take jobs and forget to finish their thesis. I blame the high cost of living!

Well I better go take a nap!

55.56%...

2007-02-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

If I was a mlb hitter, this number would guarantee me a spot in the hall of fame, but alas it sill is an F-.
I didn't do that well. Cars didn't win. I was sure that Scorsese was going to get snubbed but The Departed was the champ last night. Congratulations also to Little Miss Sunshine, the little independent movie that could.

Ellen was a great host. She kills me. Oh and I won a prize at the Becksteads Oscar party for predicting the shortest and longest acceptance speeches. I won this! What a fun night!

my predictions for tonight

2007-02-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

I am seen lots of movies these past few weeks. That makes me totally prepared to predict tonight's winners. And here goes:

Best actor: Forest Whitaker
Best supporting actor: Djimon Hounsou
Best actress: Helen Mirren
Best supporting actress: Jennifer Hudson
Best animated film: Cars
Best picture: "The Departed"
Best director: Clint Eastwood
Original screenplay: "Little Miss Sunshine"
Adapted screenplay: "Borat"

We will see how bad I did tomorrow.

offically a tourist...

2007-02-23T09:37:00.000-08:00

I actually stopped on my way to the dubose triangle to take a photo of these famous houses. you know, the full house houses. Gosh what a show, the Olsen twins had normal body mass indexes, John Stamos was the cool rocker dad, and who can forget the witty humor of Bob Saget. Man, he was funny... what ever happened to him?

I still cannot get over how this town is filled with so many landmarks, historical and cinematic. Alfred Hitchcock filmed part of "The birds" and "Vertigo" here. Countless other films and tv have been shot here. Growing up, my brother and I used to love watching the Streets of San Francisco. Great chase scenes. Who can forget that kick ass car chase scene in Bullitt. It would be fun to drive like that for a day. Maybe I should get my taxi drivers licence...

rain, rain...

2007-02-21T20:45:00.000-08:00

yes... rain and snow...
I did enjoy this great spring time weather we have been having...
I should go skiing this weekend...

the sculpture district....

2007-02-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

right next to where I park my scooter downtown when I go to work is the most interesting alley in the city. It is the site for "sculpturesite", a gallery showcasing sculpture of all kinds. They really spruce up this plain area between two buildings!

There are all sorts of sculpture available to see and all are for sale. I guess this is where you go if you need a large sculpture for your yard...

This is my favorite piece. As you can see the gallery is rather large...
Here is a look at the alley from 3rd street. it is spread throughout the space..

here is another view from my parking spot...
They really take up lots of room. The website says they rotate all the outside exhibits so that will be exciting to see. Go check it out whenever you are near the moscone center...

I am constantly surprised by our city. every time I go downtown, I see something new or, in the case of Market Street, crazy. There is always some hidden gem to find and explore. Art is literally everywhere. they leave it in the streets...

gun control...

2007-02-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the great state of Utah. I was on vacation. It was relaxing. I even got to shred the gnar for a day. Unfortunately there is a small snow pack out there but it did snow on sun and there was 11 inches up top when we went. It was nice... Oh and I should mention that it was free.

While we were having dinner at sundance, a guy walked into a mall in Salt Lake and started shooting. He killed 5 people when he was done. A random act of violence that apparently does not happen in Salt Lake. A sad event for sure. What bothered me was this story that ran with the rest of the coverage on Tuesday. This law is a bad idea. Very bad. Sure, the guy was stopped by a police officer with a concealed weapon, but he is a police officer and is trained to shoot it. What we do not need is a bunch of yahoos pulling out their guns and start shooting in a situation like this. People are stupid, especially in crowded situations. Just look what happened when they released the new PlayStation. The last thing that was needed in that situation is a fool with a gun...

Gun control is a good idea, no matter what rhetoric you may hear. Yes, yes, we know it is a constitutional amendment and all but something has to change. I think it is a good idea to regulate ammunition as well as guns. Right now you can walk into any store and buy tons of bullets without any problem. Wouldn't it be better to regulate this? I know that guns don't kill people, people kill people or whatever spin the NRA puts on the issue but it should be harder to get bullets. Why cant we have a national database of registered users like the Dmv or something? I know, I know you are going to be inconvenienced by having to wait to get guns and bullets but seriously, things have to change. Guns kill too many people in our country compared to the rest of the developed world. Things need to change.