Photo Quiz Phriday Answer, Genius Steepers & NEW Photo Quiz...

Photo Quiz Phriday Answer

So many great guesses re: WHAT the heck I was doing here:

I was NOT weighing a stool-for-tiny-people (it's actually a pitfall trap lid/shade).

I was weighing a lizard, which was in a little plastic bag,

which SPINS AROUND in the breeze when held by a Pesola spring scale

'cause lizards weigh ALMOST NOTHING.

SO, I was holding the lid to block the wind so I could weigh that pup accurately.

POWER NERDERY!! =)

This was all part of the reptile & amphibian inventory,
as designed & implemented by the fabulous Dr. Robert Fisher & all his peeps, at USGS.
Such a great group, the USGS Western Ecological Research Center's San Diego Field Station.
The TINY Cabrillo NM was super lucky to be able to team up w/them.

Behind me is 1 arm of a 3-armed Fisher trapping array.


Genius Steepers

I know this may sound lame, but ALL THE GUESSES WIN!!
They were SO fun & funny &/or accurate.

STEEPERS IN THEIR OWN GENIUS
(w/hyperlinks to their blogs, if they have one)

John Beetham for:
"It looks like you're weighing a stool."

(bb: I 100% look like I'm weighing a stool + bonus points for unintentional wildlife doo-doo pun)

Imperfect and Tense for:
"Are you wondering who has stolen the majority of your vehicle,
as you've been left holding just the steering wheel and column shift?"

(bb: Great imagination & more likely than you might imagine
+ bonus points for British English vocab lesson)

Cindy for:
"You are weighing a land mine (craftily disguised as stool by Navy wonks) to see if it is still active
before you start stomping through the coastal scrub looking for orange-throated whiptail.

(bb: She clearly is READING MY SOUL as this is SO close to what my life was like back then--
working in a Navy bunker & crawling through the CSS* looking for Cnemis**)

sclancy for:

"Calibrating your portable sundial"

(bb: SUPER imaginative + I-wish-I'd-thought-of-that-then)

Diana Studer for:

"hmm, can't be weighing 'cos you're holding it with your other hand.

Reading something off a gauge? Temperature?"

(bb: She's SO close, I AM weighing it, AND the scale is a gauge.)

Thanks everyone!! You cannot know how much your answers amuse & impress me. =)

NEW PHRIDAY PHOTO QUIZ

This one is SUPER HARD, if you're going for accurate,

but could be fun if you're going for creative.

This pup was sticking out of an old stump by the garden.

It's about 2 cm tall.

I had to ask around 'cause I had NO idea.

But, now I know, and I'm psyched about it.

The reward for inspired/accurate guesses is

MARINATING in the MAGNIFICENCE of your own MIND.

xoxoxobb

*CSS = coastal sage scrub

**Cnemis = verbal shorthand for Cnemidophorus hyperythrus, a.k.a. orange-throated whiptail lizard, NOW called Aspidoscelis hyperythra, so says the EVER FABULOUS & useful CaliforniaHerps.com.

What WAS I doing? PHOTO QUIZ PHRIDAY phieldwork phun...

 Just got this photo from a USGS friend & figured I'd share it

'cause it initially confused ME, staring at the me of years ago,

wondering what the h I was doing.

Then I remembered & laughed.

So, WHAT do YOU think I am doing?

Based on presence of chamise, I think it's one of the Navy sites,

near Cabrillo National Monument, in San Diego,

my employer at the time (hence kickin' NPS ballcap).

Based on the buckwheat, it's fall.

Per usual, any and all (family friendly) guesses (in comments) are greatly appreciated,

whether fueled by decades of wildlife experience,

or just a bowl of sugary cereal & NO clue.

And please forgive me for showing a photo where I am SO COOL in blue coveralls. =)

Don't hate me 'cause I'm stylish.

The reward for the most accurate guess & most creative guess is:

Steeping in the Glory of Your Own Genius

I will post the answer next week, and winning guesses.

=)

xoxo biobabbler

wow. whattaday. wordless, but whatever!

 
First, I whine for a millisecond about getting out of the house at dark time (earrrrrly) to get my haircut.

Then, I actually GET outside, and see this:

was much more impressive in person and about 45 seconds earlier...

I should have known.

I had the MOST amazing day.

Bear had asked what I was doing after getting my hair cut. I said something dull like, "uh, cooking those tomatoes into sauce?" and he suggested (WHAT is he THINKING?!?) instead I consider going to the park (Yosemite valley, specifically) 'cause fall is happening and it's really pretty, and it's supposed to rain this weekend.

Now, why would I do that?

Uh, because it's one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and (since we have an employee sticker) it's free?!?

Yeah.

So, yeah.

I went.

Pictures soon.

(okay, here's one)

 (do click on this--SO much better big)

In short: a spec-TAC-ular day, then looking for Bear at his office, ran into an NPS friend, chatted, got him to send me a few COOL pics that I may post, and saw another friend (USGS) which was delightful as ever, chatted with him a bit, then found Bear outside, who'd just run with a co-worker whom I've not seen in ages who needed a ride to his car, so I got the low down on how he became a SMOKE JUMPER since the last time I saw him!!!

Wow. Then went to eat at a place in town, and there were another 7 people I knew there. I SWEAR I saw every person whom I know in this county today. So, totally flying on the intensive nature hit, and then a huge social high from all those wonderful people.

Even learned about some new fungus sampling technique some folks recently used as part of a fungus bio blitz thingy that sounds a-MA-zing and you can BET I'll be sharing it once I learn.

Yow.


Oh, and got zero words written today (you know, for NaNoWriMo) but really don't care. SO happy.

Crikey.

Good night! (if I can EVER get to sleep)

bb

P.S. Predicting total exhaustion tomorrow. Typically follows insanely high energy day. =) Dood, I'll still take it!