We had lots of different things go on today that are worth mentioning. First let's talk about the weather. Today was the chilliest and most windy day we have had since arriving. You could tell from the cabin this morning when the wind started making little noises, that it would be with us all day. The sun tried to stay out but it was not match for the clouds being pushed through from various directions.
The wind blew all the time we were working in the field.
I spent most of the day working on building bases and trying to stay warm. Moving around is good on days like this, but when you are standing and sitting in one place, as I was putting the bases together, the wind finds every little opening that it can to pull the heat from your body and cool you down. I started out with the regular clothes, but after a couple of hours I found myself reaching for glove liners and my thin cap to put on under my usual stuff. Then a bit later I pulled my wind shell pants and jacket out of my backpack and put that on over everything else. That made five thin layers on my top and three on the bottoms. In the space of five hours I was fine, but beginning to get a chill.
Dr. Natali worked on Site B today in the wind and it looks like she has won the fight!
Dr. Natali was dealing with the same issues while she was continuing to diagnose and repair Site B. One problem after another raised it ugly head. The connector to the data logger, then the valve to some of the chambers, then the release valve to the compressor, then the compressor! Then finally, with a big smile on her face, Dr. Natali declared Site B to up and running!!! She had won! We will have a better idea of her success tomorrow when we go back and see that the system has been running all night and has logged data. What really did it was the fact the she moved the lucky snowshoe hares' foot from Site A to Site B. Keep your fingers crossed!
Another great thing was receiving some mail today! We had to refill the water bottles for the cabin so when Dr. Natali went to do that, she also drove to town and checked the post office. To my great surprise I had a small envelope from Talbert. Inside was a very nice letter and a new flag from Terry Johnston and the students at Newland School! The flag was designed by fifth grader Katrina Ueno, and has a beautiful drawing of the school's name and mascot, the dolphins! I will find a good place to display Newland along with the other Fountain Valley schools. As the weather warms the flags will all be given their own special place to fly above the science experiments.
And just arriving today through the mail is the flag from Newland School. Go Dolphins!!
If we have a few really cold days does that mean that the climate is cooling? Does a few days of change reflect the climate or the weather? What is the difference between the two? I would love to hear what you think. Even all of you non-students out there should have something to share.
And one last question (or two) today. In the photo below, what is that fly doing on the willow plant? Is this some kind of relationship?
What is this fly doing on the willow plant? Are these two organizms helping each other?