Day of Archaeology 2011

Today is the first Day of Archaeology. If you're interested in the variety of jobs that archaeologists have, or are just curious about what it is archaeologists do, check it out. Over 400 describe what they do in a day:

http://www.dayofarchaeology.com/

Swimming

Swimming in the caldera.
Taughannock Falls State Park, New York, July 10, 2011

I did not join them, but I wish I had.

Faeries! No... for real!

Fairy house, found tucked up in the roots of a tree off the path.
Taughannock Falls State Park, New York. July 10, 2011.

The paper there, by the door, reads:

Fairy's sleeping at night
Fairy's sleeping in the day light

If you see a tiny fairy
lying fast asleep
Shut your eyes
and run away
Do not stay to peek
Do not tell
or you'll break the fairy spell.

Anniversary

If my math is correct, today is the 163'd anniversary of the First Women's Rights Convention. Approximately 300 people attended the convention, which spanned July 19 and 20, 1848 and was held in (and around) the Wesleyan Chapel, Seneca Falls, NY.

The Chapel is now part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park. The reconstruction of the Wesleyan Chapel, which has been an ongoing project for the past 3+ years, is complete, and today was its rededication. I wasn't there for today's events, but was recently while they were getting ready (that's a guy washing the Chapel windows):

Wesleyan Chapel, Women's Rights National Historical Park
Seneca Falls, New York. July 7, 2011

Finally, in honor of the day, The Distillers and their tune, "Seneca Falls":

Portrait of the Author as a Young Girl

Bloggers are posting their portraits all over the place... Far be it from me not to chase a meme, so here I am, some 30 years ago or so:

Wot, this blog is pseudonymous!

Addicted

I've been looking for a particular bit of information for a while now. One of those "legend has it"s that I've been looking for proof of; one of those ones that you don't actively chase down, but keep an eye peeled for.

And last night? While watching Master Chef on demand (shhh, I have a secret cooking competition show vice) and screwing around on the Internets... I found it. Three lines in an obscure topical newspaper from the turn of the last century. One of those ones that makes you wonder how anyone found it to digitize in the first place, and still, what a crap shoot finding *anything* in the endless forest of digital databases is (I just happened to randomly be rooting around in what turned out to be the right place).

What a freaking rush! I felt like I'd won the lottery. I am totally addicted to this research thing...

New Digs!

I finally set eyes on my new digs, and I'm very pleased (timing and distance = signing lease with apartment unseen). The big move to Hippy Town for Grad School is next month, but a friend and I ran some boxes down and picked up my keys this past weekend. I am totally excited, and totally overwhelmed by how much there is to do still!

Camping out my my new place. South of the Mason Dixon Line, July 2, 2011.