14th July 2009

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Summer Tradion

Many people have nice summer traditions like family barbiques, camping, hiking a certain mountian, a beach adventure, etc. This year will be my 4th year with my favorite summer tradition, spending a week in the woods of Maine learning about science!

The Humboldt Field Reasearch Institute at Eagel Hill (lovingly called Eagel Hill by those who are in the know) is a little spot on the coast of downeast Maine where you can ignore all the problems in the world for a week and focus on learning whatever it is that you think is exciting. They offer various natural history seminars where you take advantage of the flora and fauna in the area and use lab equipment on site.

My example of a typical day on site: Wake up early as the sun strams in the huge windows in your simple cabin, walk down to the main dining area and make some hot tea and sit outsite (or on the couches by the fireplace if it’s chilly), knit or read or look through your notes, hot breakfast, lecture or working in the lab, tea break, back to the lab/class, lunch, maybe go hike on one of the trails looking at/for respective organisims of interest, tea break, studying said collected organisms in the lab, social time at 6.30, dinner at 7, back to the lab to spend time working on the day’s material. This of course varies from course to course and person to person. You can put as much time in as you want, so though it sounds like a nice relaxing time (and in some ways is) it can also be 8-10 hours of brain work! Sooo Great!

Am I crazy… wicked crazy! Is it some of the most fun I have in a given year… without a doubt! Do I know know more than I ever used to about slime molds, mosses and hepatics… you betcha! Am I going to know a whole ton about hypogaeous (under ground) fungi when I get back the 2nd week in August… absolutely!

So while some of you may feel like watermellon, corn on the cob, and grilling is the perfect summer tradition, I think the perfect summer tradition is running around in the woods of Maine for a week learning!

Tags botanymycologyscienceeagle hill