Garden Harvest

This weekend I ate something out of my garden for the first time: a carrot. It was pretty small but very tasty! If anyone in Davis likes Roma tomatoes let me know b/c I will have tons in a week or two and Derrick and I aren't big fans. I'm not actually sure why I planted them- I guess I wasn't completely convinced that they would grow and produce a harvest.

The Invisable Enemy

About a week ago I started getting these red itchy bites under my sports bra and other warm undesirable areas. This also coincided with the time I started clearing the back part of my garden. So I went out there looking for the culprit but the only thing I could find was lots of spiders and ants. I figured I would probably notice if I had spiders crawling all over me so it must be ants. But then I noticed that new bites would show up even without going into my garden. hm...
Derrick suggested that maybe it was chiggers and I do believe he is right. According to my internet research, they are basically invisible- explaining why I never saw anything crawling on me, inhabit overgrown grass, weeds, etc but the larvaa hop on animal hosts (ie, me), dissolve some of my cells with enzyme and have a feast until they are big enough to survive on plants. yay!
So in conclusion, I have a new least-favorite-garden-inhabitant: chiggers!!

Homesickness and update

This is another picture of Alcatraz- its so pretty to have been a maximum security prison!
Anyway, my parents have been planning their visit to come see us! I think they are very stressed about it - just trying to figure out when to what. I am very excited! Its been since Christmas since I've seen them. I have been getting especially homesick lately. Summer is the time when everyone gets together at my parents and we sit on the back porch, grill fish, drink wine .. and I miss it! Oh, and the beach. Point Reyes somewhat filled that void but its still not the same as Wrightsville.
So enough reminiscing, I have a lot of work to do this summer. I have some bactch reactor experiments to run, but before I do that I have to do a couple preliminary experiments. Should definitely take the whole summer if not longer. I am learning so much- my brain feels like it is on overload, but I am enjoying it a lot. Yesterday I sat in on a (2-hour) meeting about the Chevron proposal. It was slightly disorganized but I got to see a part of how the whole applying for $$ works; somewhat overwhelming.
Garden News: I have sooo many green tomatoes and lots of little peppers. AND baby corn! I'm so excited! In few weeks I think I will be overwhelmed with vegetables! I am planning to make a bunch of spaghetti sauce. And freeze the peppers. And make lots and lots of popcorn! :)