Seasonal migration

And so begins the peak of seasonal migration for National Park Rangers, as they make their way across the country from their wintering grounds to their summer stomping grounds.  I have lost track of the number of times the wheels on my car have rolled along I-80 (I-90 as well).  Oh the adventures to be had!  This year finds me migrating to Yosemite National Park, adding a new state to the map of where I’ve lived in the US.

As fun as it may seem, I hope to never completely fill this map in

One not so exciting part of working across the country is the moving factor.  How to fit my life into boxes/bags, and then fit those into my car?  Not an easy task…

I initially had the bikes in the car (I’m paranoid about getting rear ended!), but alas, I ran out of room fast.  And so the car was unpacked, bikes taken out, car re-packed, and still I almost ran out of room. Ugh.  And this was just to move from school to home!  But, it is what it is.  Several days of high-stress and being overtired will hopefully be worth the summer I have before me.

My final destination and workplace:

Bucket List for before I turn 30…

A while back I stumbled upon a blog written by Tara Wagner, The Organic Sister, and found a post entitled “31 Things Before I’m 32”.   Well, I’ll soon be leaving my 20’s and thought I should get crackin’ on a few items of my own.

29 things to do, start or consider before I’m 30

1.  Finish my Masters degree

2.  Participate in the Northshore Inline Marathon

3.   Knit another Viking hat… write down the pattern (sell?)

4.   Knit the Packer hat (2nd times a charm)

5.   Read at least 12 books (1 per month)

6.   Do something (finish, or make it smaller) with the crocheted blanket

7.   Knit a pair of socks

8.   Keep up and maintain Nature Journal

9.   Learn “Weeping Willow” on the piano

10. Learn “18^th Variation…” by Rachmoninoff on the piano

11. Attend a Rocky Horror Picture Show

12. Solo canoe in the BWCA

13. Hike Section 13 to Wolf Ridge ELC on the SHT (Superior Hiking Trail)

14. Overnight biking trip (get a bob trailer!)

15. Make myself a Lake Superior rock necklace (get drill bit!)

16. Ski a Worldloppet race

17. Make scones

18. Make a lasagna

19.  Start an Etsy store

20. ?

21. ? ….

First off, I already know that several of these will not happen before my 30^th birthday (but permission is given to at least “start or consider”).  Secondly, I haven’t written out a full list of 29.  Oh well, my life, my rules.  Thirdly, number 15 is complete!!

When I find a necklace that I love, it becomes a part of me.  My last necklace was a Square Tree pendent, designed by Lissa Flemming of Silverwaves. That necklace never left my neck: not for sleeping, showering, hockey, etc... it was a part of me.  Unfortunately, on one day that I did take it off, another person decided it was best kept for them, and so I parted ways with the necklace.

Now almost a year later, I finally acquired the materials necessary to create a Lake Superior rock necklace: The “perfect” basalt stone, Dremel drill (thank you Birkie Dan!), a proper sized collet, and several diamond drill bits.

This girl has no need for diamond rings,
a diamond drill bit does just fine!

No need for a fancy vice, just a steady
hand and a bowl of water to keep the
 drill bit cool (note the rock on the left is wet from just being finished!)

Voila!  Yes, I could have easily purchased a similar necklace, but that is not the point. Such as with most things I create, I prefer to spend the time and money, investing a part of myself into what I make, allowing for ownership and a sense of pride.

First blog post ever, I'm off to the races!  On this warm Sunday, I found success.  No, I did not finish my Chapter 2 Literature Review, nor have I eaten lunch yet, but I did create a new block print and a pair of earrings!

The block print:

     I haven't designed/carved/made prints in over a year.  It was again cathartic to carve away at the linoleum block, and watch the pile of shavings grow.  Last summer I worked as a Park Ranger for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, and my summer love was for the Great Blue Heron.  It was a blue sky day, the water was high, and I was out paddling a stretch south of Osceola Landing. I was with a fellow co-worker, a long time river resident, and we were exploring the now flooded back channels. As we approached what we knew was a heron rookery, the cacophony surrounding us increased. We slipped our kayaks between the tree trunks (what would be an island two weeks later ) and entered a scene out of the Jurassic time period.  Birds with huge wing spans flying over head; tree tops littered with massive nests; and young scruffy herons begging for food.  This was my moment for the time spent on the river that summer.  And so brought inspiration for a new block print.  Sketches of herons in water, nests in trees, all found their way onto notebooks, name placards, and this past weekend, onto a block of linoleum.    

     To begin a block print, I draw out my idea on paper (how I draw it will be how the final print will look like).  I draw over my lines with a piece of charcoal, and then smash down the lino block, transferring the design to the linoleum. Now time to carve! I must thank the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center for getting me hooked on this form of art.

The earrings:

     Back in the summer of 2011, I lived/worked on Kodiak Island for the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. There I would take to the beach in dreams of finding my very own glass Japanese fishing float (in the end I bought one), but instead was satisfied sifting through sand to find shells and of course, beach glass.  I was told that in one cove near town, people would purposefully toss into the ocean, dark blue wine bottles. Dark blue sea glass wasn't a common color found (hence my earrings are made with brown sea glass, compliments of some beer guzzler).

     Wire wrapping is a lot more difficult than it looks.  Each piece of glass, stone is uniquely shaped.  I perhaps should have spent more time looking for symmetrical pieces, but it is as it is.  Alas, it is fun to be creative thinking of a way to best wrap each piece.  Different shapes, different wrapping style.  Also, I struggled with not making too much of a wire mess on the back side of each piece.  These earrings turned out fine, but I look forward to learning more about wire wrapping as I sift through my plastic bag of Alaskan memories.