Solo Backpacking

So, I took my first backpacking trip of the summer last night. It was just a short hike, but far enough to get away from the sounds of Logan, but close enought to feel safe all by myself!

I got my pack all ready and drove up Green Canyon. I parked about 6 pm and headed up the canyon. I hiked for about 45 minutes to get as far as I could before there was no place that was flat enough to stay.

I unpacked my pots and stove and got some rice cooking and then I proceeded to build a fire. I got it started in about 5 minutes. I know, I'm cool like that. I could beat Cole in a fire building contest any day. Then the hardest part of the night was figuring out how to set up the bivy. (Bivy: A bivouac sack, also known as a bivy sack, bivi bag or just bivy, is an extremely lightweight, waterproof alternative to traditional tent systems.) It has two tent poles, a screen and a strap for the mat. Other than that I just took in the fresh air, listened to the thunder in Logan, read a magazine and wrote in my journal. It was so peaceful and gave me a lot of quite time to reflect on life right now.

When the sun started to set, I gathered more sticks and wood to burn into the night (I kept the fire going from about 7 until 10). I'll admit, once it got dark I got a little scared because I was alone and I was in the mountains. I slept until 9 this morning, which is unusual while camping, put all my things away and headed home. It was a successful trip and I can't wait to go again. This time though, I'll probably bring someone along because I kept wanting some interesting conversation.

Growing My Garden

So, to be blunt, I'm living in a fraternity house for the summer. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm going to be overwhelmed with the male sex or anything. I have a room and a bathroom and my best friend lives across the hall and we basically run the place because the boys are too lazy to. So far, it has been a lot of fun.

Anyway, to the good stuff. Being unemployed has made me gain a real appriciation for raw, fresh fruits and vegetables. Seeing as fruits take a long time to grow, I decided to plant a vegetable garden! I had been growing a cucumber from seed, but that didn't seem like enough for a legit garden. So, off to Lowes I went. I bought some lettuce seeds, a 6" tomato plant, and a 3" bell pepper plant. The garden people told me that peppers wouldn't grow in time so what the heck right?

Next was the hard part. I had to get permission to dig up the backyard for my 5x5 spot. Brian was really cautious until I showed him where and what I wanted to do. I dug it up, planted and watered my little plants. I felt kind of like the little red hen, doing all the work alone. Everyone will be sad by the time harvest comes around because I'm not going to share those tasty vegetables with anyone unless they helped. I figure the hours and $10 I spent initially will pay off near the end of the summer. Right now though, I wish I had so many veggies I didn't know what to do with them.

Finals

"With all thy getting, get understanding" Proverbs 4:7

This week has felt like the longest week of my life. I started studying for finals last Thursday and haven't stopped until today, although today is the most crucial. I took my ENVS final Tuesday morning, this morning I had ecology and tomorrow will be the final two. I should be studying for the Sociology of Race Class and Gender and the Asian American literature tests, but I need a break so here I am blogging.

I have enjoyed my classes this semester, but I think from now on I'm going to take it easy and do 12 credit semesters. ENVS 4130 has probably been the most challenging class I've taken in college. It was in combination with a graduate level class and the curriculum was intense. I wrote a 15 page research paper about Clean Energy Use in National Parks according to the Energy SmartPARKS Memorandum of Understanding. I put a lot of time and energy into the paper and it was well worth it - I managed a B+ grade. Now, I have to wait for the final grade.

Asian American Literature was a class I never expected to enjoy, and although the reading load was extreme, the curriculum was facinating. We talked about the dominant discource of communities, stereotypes of Asian Americans and what it means to be American. There was a lot of discussion about it, and no matter what was said, I'm proud to be an American.

My other classes were decent, but nothing to write home about. I'm just excited for the summer to be here, when I all have to worry about is going to my job (when it's found) and being with my friends. Here's to finishing the semester with a bang!!