“I think spring is one of my favorite times of the year, as the world changes over from one thing to the next, and snow is gradually replaced by tentative green grass (and then more snow, from the inevitable late-season snowstorm).”
“…with careful tank monitoring, reduced feeding, and the prompt removal of any lost fishy souls; I was able to reach some sort of balance in the tank. And for about a week and a half things were pretty good. And then I tore a hole in one of the filter bags.”
“Experiences like those are attached to every piece of data in that massive sheet. This kind of data collection is time intensive and you get cold and you don’t always get to see the fruits of your labor. And yet… many people over many years have dedicated hundreds of hours to build this dataset.”
“As I go about the business of readying our boats and docks for the summer season and taking care of the million little details that need attention during the switch to warm weather operations, those two words, “persistence” and “hope” stick with me.”
“I haven’t had a fish tank since I was five and even then I distinctly remember not being allowed to even feed the fish due to an abundance of enthusiasm when it came to fish food.”
“…despite the chaos and uncertainty, some things must go on as normal, which is how last week, I found myself, as I have once a month since starting my term, ankle-deep in a river, filling 250 mL bottles and recording data.”
“It can be hard to imagine a time when normalcy will return, but we can only take heart in the fact that it will. Spring greenery will return, the sodden ground will dry, and the threat at hand will pass.”
“And while there is still a piece of my heart that soars highest when I walk through the quiet woods alone, I’ve become aware of a new part that is fullest when I can share a salamander find or glorious sunset with others”
