Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Guess I better get to packing!

On Thursday I start traveling to the Falkland Islands to meet up with the RRS James Clark Ross! I'll be away about a month and start traveling Thursday evening.  My first stop out of Atlanta is Santiago, Chile, where I'll hopefully arrive Friday morning.  I have a day in Santiago and then I catch a flight Saturday morning to the Falkland Islands.

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to explore the Falklands this trip, but here's a post from the last time.  The ship departs from Mare Harbour Sunday, October 23rd.  Last time we left from Stanley, so I'm looking forward to a new departure spot.    
Stanley, Falkland Islands

I'll be teaming up with the British Antarctic Survey for another benthic sampling trip.  This time we're headed to South Georgia in the sub-Antarctic chain of islands.  Stay tuned for posts about our trip! Lots of science, cool animals, and fun excursions to come...

Thursday, October 13, 2011

While we're on the pumpkin/ squash theme...


Currently, a friend of mine has these as the centerpiece on her dining room table. 

Who knew "pumpkins" grew on branches?!   Well, whatever they are, they are definitely awesome.  And displayed in a mason jar... what's not to love? 

These "pumpkins on branches" are just shouting "fall" and make me smile. Hope you enjoy them too!  

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I-Dreemy of these!


Saw these (Steve Madden, I-Dreemy, in the blush multi) over the summer while shopping in Oxford, MS and I still can't get them out of my mind. :)  

I think they would be just awesome with a pair of dark skinny jeans and black fluttery top!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Back to blogging...

Even though things are pretty busy these days, I've been feeling the urge to start this blog back up.  I hope to use it as an outlet to share things I like: recipes, science, pictures, ideas, and travelogues. It will probably mostly be about food :) Hope you enjoy!


So, today I'll start with a recipe that we made recently.  Lately, cooking has been a way for me to unwind at the end of the day.  I used to pretty much to stick to recipes, but lately I've been pushed to experiment and "create" or adapt dishes from what I know.

In the fall time, I just adore pumpkins and squashes.  I can't help buying all different shapes and colors of pumpkins, squashes, and gourds.  To me, there is nothing cuter than a heaping basket of squashes and gourds piled together.  Utilizing that pile for dinner is also fantastic!

I give you: Spicy Turkey Sausage in Tomato Sauce and Spaghetti Squash!  This is a pretty quick and easy, delicious meal and it is low carb!




Spicy Turkey Sausage in Tomato Sauce and Spaghetti Squash
(Serves 4 good eaters)
2 spaghetti squash
1 lb spicy Italian turkey sausage (casings removed)
1 sweet onion
2-3 chopped garlic cloves
1 can tomatoes
2 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
honey
fresh basil leaves
salt & pepper 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper generously, place cut size down in 9x13 glass dish.  Bake for about an 1 hour, until nutty, slightly browned and tender.

In the mean time start the sauce. I always used to use a jar of sauce, but I recently discovered just how easy and delicious it is to make homemade sauce. So, for the meat sauce: remove casings from spicy Italain turkey sausage. Brown and break apart in big/ deep frying pan. Add chopped onion and 2-3 large finely chopped garlic cloves.  Once meat, onions and garlic are nicely browned, add can of tomatoes (don't drain), 2 cans of tomato sauce (one will do in a pinch, you'll just have less sauce) and tomato paste.  Next, I usually add a shake of garlic powder, onion powder, and S & P.  I like a slightly sweet, spicy sauce with the nutty squash, so I also add about a tablespoon of honey.  Add 4-6 whole basil leaves and simmer sauce on low until squash is cooked.

Remove squash from oven, let cool slightly, scrape squash with fork into bowl. Salt lightly, spoon meat sauce over, top with Parmesan cheese, serve and ENJOY!   

Monday, February 1, 2010

Stateside again...

Just a follow up to let everyone know that I'm back home in Alabama, slowly adjusting back to the "real world", well underway with the spring semester.  Had an absolutely fantastic trip and some amazing adventures.  For some photo highlights:

@ Rothera:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2409841&id=7004947&l=8683c41769

on the JCR:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2409578&id=7004947&l=27fa93ca84

in the Falkland Islands:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2407589&id=7004947&l=a1d3de7151

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

Camping/ Mountaineering/ and Ice climbing

After we had our last field training session, we were cleared to head out for activities! We hopped into the snowcat and headed up the ramp to climb Badger’s Buttress. Here with helmets and crampons on our boots, we roped up five in a line to each other and started up the mountain. The climb was icy, snowy and a bit challenging at times, but the view from the top was totally worth it. It was absolutely magnificent to perch at the top of the peak and look out. After the climb back down, we headed to set up camp.

Finally after digging a 12ft by 12ft square hole in the ground for the pyramid tent and getting it all set up, we were ready to melt some snow to cook our dinner. “Manfood” as it is referred to here, is probably quite terrible in reality, but rehydrated “pasta carbonara” from a silver pouch tastes pretty decent after a full day! Sleep was easy to find after we curled up into our sleeping bags. The next morning we awoke to find it had snowed about 8 inches. Great! More snow to dig our tents out of. Setting up and taking down camp in the Antarctic is NOT an easy task. After spending a few hours taking down the tents, we hoped back into the snowcat, back towards Rothera for a Christmas Eve ice climb down the crevasse.

Climbing down the crevasse was such an experience. We repelled down a two foot wide hole in the snow about 30 feet into the first “ice cavern”. Inside the crevasse was just like being inside a cave made of ice. Although it is supposedly stunning on a sunny day, my view on this cloudy day was still spectacular. One downfall, pictures do not turn out on a cloudy day. We’ll just have to go back on a sunny day. We then climbed further down the crevasse through a few more tight squeezes (which I must say I honestly wasn’t thrilled about, but it was totally worth it in the end). The icicles were just beautiful. Mimicking huge stalagtites and stalagmites, they almost glow blue-ish green. It was such a perfect way to spend Christmas Eve morning.

Some photos:
Photo 1: Badgres's Buttress
Photo 2: getting ready to climb
Photo 3: making our way up
Photo 4: at the top
Photo 5: view from the top
Photo 6: tents
Photo 7: cozy inside the tent