Friday, May 8, 2015

Almost four years have gone by...

I had almost forgotten about my blog...I thought about it the other day randomly because I wondered if I could still find it and retrieve my thoughts from the girls' younger years.  Today I got an email that some random company had posted a comment on the blog and it led me back.  Thankfully I still have the email address active so I was able to just pop right back on.  Phew!

Facebook is where I spend more time now...posting things from time to time but I am glad to have this back.  Maybe I will keep up with this more...simply to journal.  Or maybe I should actually journal.   We'll see :-)

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Blogs that go away...and other thoughts

I don't read many blogs from people I don't know but there were two that I just got sucked into the stories in the lives of these people.  And now they are gone.  One last post and then: poof. 

It's like reading a book and wanting the author to write more, although they probably won't and I find myself wondering if I could write the next book.  Only it's not the same because I know (well, I'm pretty sure) that these were real stories from real life and now they have moved on to a new chapter of their lives and it doesn't include blogging, or at least not where they were blogging before.  I think maybe that is what makes blogs so interesting to "thumb through".  They are real stories of real people.  We get to anonymously (if we want to) come into their lives for a short chapter or two, maybe even just a sentence. 

It is a curious place...the blogosphere.  I don't participate as much as I want to, but then, I have always seen myself as more of a reader than a leader.  I have thoughts but then they are so quickly replaced by something else.  Like right now...I have a conference call in 15 minutes to talk about the Focus on Goats conference that will be at UW-Platteville in October.  Looking at the time has taken away what slight hold I had on a thought that I wanted to put down.  So maybe you'll get to learn a little about goats next time :-)

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Faculty College: Signature Pedagogies

What I learned at Faculty College:

There are a lot of interesting people teaching in Wisconsin.  And by interesting I don't necessarily mean it as a good thing.  Man!   Universities are liberal places.

I learned that I don't have a clue what the humanities people are talking about.

I learned that I don't have a clue what the social scientists are talking about.

I learned that there are educational psychologists.  They are interesting to talk to.

I learned that there is a lady in Wisconsin studying horse breeds in Cuba.  She is a woman studies professor.
Weird.

I learned that historians are goofy.  Well, some of them :-)  In a good way, too.

I learned that getting my cheesemaker's license fascinated people.

I learned that UW-Richland Center was once Wisconsin State University Platteville...not sure of that history but I am totally curious (EEEK...I have been married to a history buff for too long :-) )

I learned that even a group of faculty will act like a group of students: there are those that say nothing, those that raise their hands, and those that talk and never stop.

Overall it was fun and I think that we already are teaching in our signature pedagogy quite well.  I might even find room for a publication in the area of SoTL someday (if I can figure out what it means!).

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Multi-Tasking x10

I am grateful that the girls are old enough to play upstairs by themselves so I can get some work done.

- Calling the folks at Valley Ag to find out about Dairy Comp for my next PACCE project and addition to the Dairy Cattle Management class I now have to teach

- Finding local cheesemakers to visit for a grant I wrote and to network for the dairy products plant here in the future

- Finding local farms to visit for both the Dairy Cattle Management and Small Ruminant/Equine Management courses I am teaching

- Coming up with SWEET assignments for those two classes

- Figuring out what paperwork the IRS really needs

 - Trying to figure out who will watch my kids while I am in New Orleans in July (any takers?)

- Waiting (impatiently) to hear back about a project proposal I submitted so that project can get underway ASAP

- Wondering what to have for supper

- Listening to the washing machine rock uncontrollably (I should go fix that...)

- Determining what day is the best to go to Fromagination in Madison to work on my network :-)  (and try the cheeses!)

- Discovering that I put too much on my plate for the summer...August is coming too fast already!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

An Award!

Today I won an award :-)  I have to admit that it was almost a fluke thing because, while I had been planning on putting the application together for a few months, I didn't actually write anything down for the application until about the day it was due!  At the time I figured that I might be the only one applying so it was better to send my quick thoughts than nothing at all.

The award is to support some of the research I want to do into the possibilities of community engagement with my animal science students.  It is easy for engineering or construction or business students to find a community partner that needs help solving a problem, thereby giving the students real-world, hands-on experience.  It is an entirely different matter to find these partners in animal science.  That just isn't the way the industry works.

From the first day that I started my job, I heard about PACCE.  That stands for Pioneer Academic Center for Community Engagement and I wanted to be involved.  I just didn't know how.  I talked and asked and bugged for suggestions and I kept pestering the dairy farm manager.  So last year he gave me an idea: the cowbrush.  I believe I put a link on that story on Facebook, but here it is again: UWP Cowbrush.  That was a fun project and for my Dairy Products class this semester, there are students making yogurt.  The most popular is Pioneer Pumpkin Pie, but there are also Chocolate-covered Strawberry, Strawberry Cheesecake, Smores, Cow Pie, Dirt Cup, Chocolate-covered Cherry, and even one more unusual: Goat Milk Honey Crunch.  It was a fun run but now I am already thinking about the next project: getting a milk pasteurizer on the farm.

I enjoy getting the students involved in more than just the mundane lectures.  I am also looking forward to tweaking my lectures to add more pizazz but MAN does that take time!  I can't do real justice to all five/six classes each year and so I focus on one at a time. 

There is more...I want to put it down...my brain is constantly full of it.  It is exciting and fun and I am loving how God is using the short time I was in Oklahoma to work interesting things here in Wisconsin.  I often thought "Why am I even here!" but then I figured that if I had chosen the University of Alberta, that I wouldn't have had as much time for family (and so no husband, kids, Georgia, Georgia friends, etc.) so that alone is a huge blessing and God-send.  But now to see that that time in OK even benefited my future in my career, well, that is overwhelming.  In other words, it is a "God thing".

More on the exciting adventure of Tera in Dairy Science-land later...

Friday, November 19, 2010

I learned something new

It's fun, learning new things.  A few days ago I attempted to do something that I learned about at a conference in August.  I wanted to give my students MORE.  They were complaining that I didn't fully explain something that was a large part of the last exam so I wanted to explain it again, but I couldn't really take class time to do it.

So I tried Jing.

Jing is so cool.  It is free.  You download it and then it can capture up to a 5 minute video on the screen.  On the screen you can do anything.  You can open a website, you can draw pictures, whatever.  And you can narrate.  I don't even need any extra equipment, it just picks up audio from the microphone that is SOMEWHERE in or on my laptop (I don't have a clue where).  Then you can transfer the narrated video to a website, give someone the website address and BAM! The students have a mini-lecture of the stuff they didn't understand in class. 

Totally awesome. 

I don't know if it will help their grades, but I am doing my part and learning too.  I might have fun with this for personal use also.  Ooooh, the possibilities :-)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Once again, my camera is broke

This is what I get for buying a cheap camera.  But then again, if my camera was broke and I had bought an expensive camera, I would be sad and out some money.  So I come again to the decision of what to do about a camera.  I am starting to go insane not being able to take pictures of my constantly changing children.  But we are about due for a phone upgrade and some of the phones have 8gig cameras.  Pretty nice.  And we don't have a lot of money for a NICE camera (like the ones I like that Kacie and Jawan and Jodi and Melissa have).  It would be great to just HAVE one even if it is only a $75 one from Walmart.   So I don't know if I should miss out on more moments while I wait to save money to buy a nice camera and in January get a phone with a decent camera in it (not that I am getting the phone for the camera but the phone I want happens to come with the decent camera) or do I ask for an early Christmas gift so that I can capture my young ones precious moments?  Decisions, decisions.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Blog? What blog?

I like to blog and I like to read other people's blogs but I just haven't gotten to do a whole lot of either lately.  Second year into my job and my advisee numbers have gone from 19 to 45...and counting.  I just got another student today who came to my office and asked if I would be his advisor when he switched from Ag Business to Animal Science.

Then the Dean of the College came in, shut the door, and talked to me about dairy goats and the future of a research center in Platteville.  I get to be a faculty champion...whatever that is.

I am trying to convince some people to raise funds for a dairy products lab.  That might include me becoming a licensed cheesemaker!  Cool :-)

I had to put together information to convince the faculty to keep me around another year.  I was ranked above normal in all categories and have passed the first round of "should we keep her".  I am not worried :-)

I have put together a grant to get a cowbrush installed at our dairy facility.  When we get it, I'll post pictures and video so you know what I am talking about :-)

I presented a talk about year round lactation at a goat conference held on campus and the next day went to support the club I advise, Pioneer Dairy Club, with their annual cow sale.  It was fun, but hectic.

This weekend I get to go spend some time with my sisters and my mom in our new annual tradition.  Get to see Hairspray and eat some really good food and go shopping!  Woo hoo!

Ankica had a rough week two weeks ago when she had a slew of doctor's appointment, general anesthesia and an MRI to tell us that she is fine neurologically and just needs some physical therapy to get her leg muscles stretched out well.  A blessing for sure.

My girls are wonderful and sweet and I cherish every day with them.  Julia was here for a week in September and is coming in less than two weeks for an extended weekend.  Then we get her at Christmas.  She is doing so well in school!  Yay!

So, I'm busy, but rather in love with my life currently.  I am still here...still reading about your life...still wanting to tell you about mine :-)  I'll try to do better, but no promises!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Flashback Friday

Today we aren't going very far back...just the beginning of the summer.  I finally found the camera cord and was downloading pictures.  I found this one and realized I couldn't tell at first: Is this Ankica or Lillian?  What do you think?

Monday, August 16, 2010

Flashback Friday (a little late)

We were celebrating my Aunt Becky's 50th birthday, which was a blast!  We went swimming in the lake and Lillian got brave enough to start jumping into the water.  We swam across the lake like old times and it was just really nice to hang out with my aunts and uncles again while having my sisters and their families and my family there.   The reason I wanted to move back to Wisconsin...for my girls to have a chance to make the kind of memories that I treasure.

Many moons ago...my dad me, my Aunt Becky, my sister Jodi, my cousin Amy, and my Uncle Glen watching someone jumping in...not sure who :-)  One of the many summers that the whole family took a week long vacation together.  I think this was Kusel Lake in Wisconsin. 



Nowadays my immediate family (parents and sisters) is big enough to do the annual vacation so it is nice to spend time like we did this weekend with the rest of my Mom's family.  As soon as I find my camera cord, I will upload pictures and video...I hope!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Craziness

Four girls in our house = craziness.  We have my nieces visiting for a few days and, amazingly, even after spending a week with each other on vacation, the cousins are all getting along and playing happily.  I have never been so grateful for a toy room in my life!  They are sad that Julia can't be joining them but I know that the level of competition and jealousy is down because she is not here (everyone vies for Katy's attention :-) )

Now if I could just find the motivation to accomplish the things I need to do before Friday, I will be a happy camper.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Flashback Friday

My little sister, Heidi, at her 6th birthday party.

I stuck up for this kid to the point where I rode in the front of the bus with her during her entire year of kindergarten because I did not want her to get picked on like I did when I was little.  I will defend her to the death if I have to...I would for any of my sisters.   Isn't she a bug?  She still is...even though she will be 30 in less than a year!  Where does the time go? 

My paternal grandpa is in the background...birthdays were always a big deal in our family because I had the immense fortune of growing up within 20 miles of both sides of my family. 

Friday, July 23, 2010

Flashback Fridays

My grandma and my Oma (great-grandmother) Mother's Day in the early 90's.  Two very important women in my life and when I was going through scanning pictures for my mom, I just found myself reminiscing about all of the Sundays when we would go and get donuts after church and then visit with everyone at the nursing home.  I don't think Oma was really involved in all of the conversations much, especially at the end (she lived to be over 100) but I believe she knew we were all there because of her and she was comforted by that.

Just think.  Ankica and Lillian would not be here if not for my Oma....or other ancestors for that matter, but I remember this one well :-)  Strong female genes on my mom's side of the family...both great-grandmothers lived to 100+ and my other great-grandmother lived in her own house until she died.   I hope I can leave a legacy like they did for me and my sisters. 

Thank you, Oma, for your faith and your strength.  I need to find out more about her and get it written down...I want my girls to know about her and what a great woman of God she was.

Enjoy your weekend!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Flashback Fridays

My sister, Heidi, is in the background watching me get my clown make-up on.  I don't really remember how we got into the clown gig, but we dressed up for a parade one year.  I know that my grandfather loved to dress up and act the clown so I suspect it had something to do with him :-)  This was the summer of 1989.  The shorts were homemade and NOT part of the clown outfit :-)  Oh yeah...stylin'!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The start of Flashback Fridays...on Sunday

I am scanning pictures for my mom and thinking that maybe a Flashback Friday might be fun for the blog.  I still want to start my What is it Wednesdays back up but I haven't found anything good yet.  I am working on that.

November 1986...I was student of the month in middle school and much to my dismay (at the time), my cousin Amy earned the honor the same month.

Friday, July 9, 2010

In an effort to blog more...

Once upon a time, way back when we lived in Columbus, we stopped at Barnes & Noble and we looked at the journal section....we LOVE the journal section.  Here I found a journal that encouraged mom's to write down their legacy to their children.  What happened at this time? What did you feel about this?  I liked the idea but I didn't like the journal so I bought that journal for the ideas and another journal that was blank to write in.

I haven't started the process.  I want to, I just haven't started yet.

So I thought maybe I would type it out on the blog first and then write it later...something about having a hand-written journal to read appeals to me and maybe the girls will find it interesting some day.  Turns out Julia has a journal to read when she gets older...something Loran kept when he was overseas for her.  I think that is totally cool...weird for me in a way...but cool for Julia.

Maybe I'll start the process soon...or maybe I should figure out how to more effectively teach my Intro to Dairy Science class.  July is going by so fast already!  You'll be the first to know what my decision is.  I might share with you either way :-)  I know I have friends who always like to hear about cows :-)

I love to leave the light on in the kitchen

I have a memory of my grandmother leaving the light on in the kitchen.  Sometimes it was the stove light after supper and sometimes it was the light by the water dispenser in the fridge when we went to bed.  But there was always a light on in the kitchen so we could see our way around. 

Tonight, because of the humidity I suppose, two banks of lights didn't work but I wanted to finish the dishes after the girls went to bed so I turned on the rarely used light above the sink.  Mostly it is rarely used because the light switch is in an inconvenient spot, but as soon as I turned it on, I was reminded of my grandmother.  She passed away when I was a senior in high school.  I remember how I felt that day.  We knew it was coming but I was devastated.   She was the first grandparent I lost and it was just a roller coaster of emotions at that time in my life.

So I think I will leave little lights on in the kitchen more often...it reminds me of times in my life that were simpler and very special.  These memories are why I needed to come back home to Wisconsin...so my girls could have sleepovers at Grandpa and Grandma's house and have memories lodged so deep into their beings that simple things become profound and wonderful. 

Thursday, July 8, 2010

No pictures? Sorry, just my thoughts

I came to the realization today that I don't blog if I don't have pictures or videos...and yet I read people's blogs all the time that don't have pictures or videos all the time, just because I like to read what they write. So why don't I write just to write? I suppose because I don't find myself as fascinating as those people whose words I admire or I don't think I am as interesting as my kids (who are adorable enough to cause a stranger to tell me that if my husband and I make kids like these we should consider making more...I'm with him on that).

So last night it rained. We were watching Avatar because I wanted to see it. I wanted to see the graphics that people raved about and I generally don't care what political agenda there may or may not be in a movie. I liked the movie overall...I just pretended that I had never heard anything about the supposed agenda. We watched the movie upstairs on the smaller screen so that we could be with the girls who fell asleep not long after supper, both of whom admitted to me that they were tired and asked if they could please lay down on the couch (which is SO much better than falling asleep at the table :-) ) As we watched the movie, it rained hard. It rattled the big windows upstairs but I was glad because I really don't like watering my flowers or my garden...I really prefer God to do that for me.

As we were getting ready for bed, I let the dogs out and as they moved out into the darkness to do their thing, I heard the rain hitting the corn...it was a great sound. As I sit here I can see the corn out in the back and it is beautiful blowing in the breeze. A few weeks ago, Loran complained about the farm-type smells one evening and found myself a little miffed because there is a part of me that LIKES that smell because of what it means. It means farming, which I love, it is part of my family's past, which I treasure, it means that we are in Wisconsin again, which continues to make me happy on a daily basis. It reminds me of the good things in life. I can't wait until we can have our "farm" that will have mostly a few horses, but maybe a few other critters as the girls start to see the benefit of farming. It might be fun to bale our own hay or have an alternating field of corn and soybeans.