A frugal wanderer. Agriculturist. Lover of life and people. Adventure seeker. A typical human being who tries to live a healthy life and is occasionally lost in time and space.
We went to Yellowstone and when we were heading back home (Nebraska), we decided to stop by the hot spring pool and spend the night in Saratoga, Wyoming to get some rest after a long drive before driving again.
We found the Sage Motel which was a 2-minute drive from the hot spring and was really cheap (paid $60 excluding the tax), clean and smells so good. Anyway, we intentionally wanted to stop there for the hot pool.
We were seeing good reviews about the Saratoga Hobo Hot Spring and it did not fail us!
The place has 3 pools namely main, small and lobster pool. During our visit early in September, the weather was cool but not freezing and for me it was a good weather to swim in a hot pool but I am guessing that winter would be a great time as well.
But, the best thing was it is free and open 24/7. Whenever you arrive or whenever you like, you can use these hot pools. The temperature of the pool varies and they put the temperature of the day in a white board so you can gauge if you can endure the heat.
The small and lobster pools were clearer than the main pool. But, the main pool was the one I endured and enjoyed the most because the other two were too hot for me.
In all the three pools, you will smell the sulfur which you may or may not be able to tolerate. For me it was not that bad and does not stick on the skin. Also, you may find small particles of moss in the water which did not make me itchy (I have a very sensitive skin btw).
Adjacent to these hot pools was a regular swimming pool which you need to pay a small amount of entrance fee. Unfortunately, this pool was closed when we were there. There was a river/stream nearby you can do sight-seeing.
The place has shower rooms to rinse. Make sure to bring your own towel and toiletries.
After swimming and you get hungry, the town has interesting cafeteria we tried. They have good pastries and beverages.
If it is on your way, plan to stop, relax and rest a bit before heading to your destination. It is worth a visit even just for a 30-minute dipping.
Before leaving the place, make sure to please do not litter and follow their rules.
Are you dreading for your up coming licensure examination for agriculturists? Do you feel like you are not prepared? You are not alone! I was in the same shoes 9 years ago! All the energy I used worrying whether I will pass or not was wasted. I passed and luckily got one of the spots in the top 10. Here are the 3 things I did that made me pass:
1.Focus on important things.
When previous takers told you to use the past reviewers from different universities, they were telling the truth. You will not have enough time to study all the things your professor in college taught you. The previous years’ reviewers really have magic. Some of the questions could be found in the actual questionnaire during the exam. And if you think you are running out of brain cells, focus on where you believe your weakest subject and use the available reviewers to refresh your mind on the information you needed.
2.Pay attention and be prepared with the examination requirements
Do you need to wear a specific color of shirt? Do you need to bring black or blue pen, or a pencil? Is the scientific calculator allowed? Make a checklist of the documents you need to be able to take the exam and a week before make another list of what you need to bring to the examination. Find the assigned room and check for the schedule (usually you have to be a bit early on the first day for the proctor to check you in and your documents) — this will reduce the panic and anxiety on the first day of the exam that you already have and will help you calm once you get to your seat.
3.Do your best and God will do the rest
During the exam just do your best. Try to relax – this will give you clarity to allow you to remember what you studied. Do not attempt to cheat. Aside from the big danger that you may get caught (that will do actual harm), you are also cheating mainly yourself. You got this. Believe in yourself. Manifest that you will pass. And after the exam just have faith that you will pass because you did your best. Prayer worked for me. I honestly did not expect that I would garner a place in the top 10 but I was praying really hard for months until the day of the results and heaven did not fail me.
Whatever the results, remember that it will just be an exam that should not define you. Yes, you may not probably get the permanent position now in your office but maybe the universe has a different plan for you. Keep believing! You can do this!
If the farmer applied 10 gallons per acre of 11-34-0 fertilizer, how much N and P are there?
The density of 11-34-0 is 11.7 lbs/gal. It has 11% N and 34% P2O5. To get the lbs of liquid 11-34-0, we must multiply 10 gallons by 11.7 lbs/gal which gives us 117lbs of 11-34-0. To get the amount of N, we multiply 117 lbs by 11% giving us 11.7 lbs of N per acre and if we want to convert it to SI units, we multiply 11.7 by 1.12 (1lb/ac = 1.12 kg/ha). Next, we want to know the amount of P, we get the amount by multiplying 117lbs to 34% since it is the grade of the fertilizer used. It will give us 39.78 lbs but in the form of P2O5. If we want to know the elemental P, we must divide to the 2.29 factor (because P2O5 (141.88g/mol) / P2 (61.94g/mol) =2.290 (Factor) which will give us 17.37 lbs per acre of elemental P. And to convert it to kg per ha we have to multiply it to 1.12 and get 19.45 kg per ha elemental P.
SOLID form:
It is like the liquid form calculation but simpler because you do not need the density of the liquid fertilizer. If we applied 100lbs of granular complete or 14-14-14 fertilizer we just multiply 100lbs by 14% giving us 14lbs of N, P, and K in this case. But remember that P and K are in compound form so to get the elemental form we divide 14lbs by 2.29 and 1.2, respectively. And again, if we want it in kg per ha, multiply by 1.12 the lb/ac.
NOTE: Be mindful of P and K as they are often in a compound form in fertilizers. If it is P2O5, you divide the value by 2.29 to get the elemental P and 1.2 to get elemental K from K2O.
It is June 21, 2023, 12 noon. I had been wanting to write this last Sunday in time for Father’s Day, but I could not as it was bringing me to tears. This year was the first time that I could not tell tatay “Happy Father’s Day” after more than 2 decades of almost constantly celebrating the day of the best tatay ever. It has been 8 months since he left, and the pain is still there. In quiet moments, grief visits me unexpectedly, especially on occasions that remind me of good times and habits that we shared – like yearly Father’s Day greetings. Whenever I greeted him during those years it never felt like an extra special day as he would not react that much and it is fine – his love language was service and not words of affirmation anyway. Usually, we would wake up early morning on that Father’s Day Sunday to go to church and then eat out to celebrate. I know from his smile that he really appreciated and was happy during those days. In 2021, I accepted the internship in the US to learn and gain experience as well as earn better for the life I imagined for him and nanay. But even if I was not at home, I would try to call or text nanay (because tatay never had a phone) to tell tatay Happy Father’s Day. It was a yearly habit for me because every day was a special day with the best tatay ever. Father’s Day became a habit – second Sunday of the week of June felt like an ordinary day regardless if we were out or at home and just say it out loud to tatay, until the year that I can no longer say that to him. The weight of losing the best tatay is slowly sinking in. The nightmare that I had always feared and that woke me up in the past brings me tears that do not wake me up anymore because it is a reality that I am facing every single day until I get used to it. I remember when I was a kid, I prayed so hard that heaven would give my tatay and nanay more years to live by trading 20 years of my life to give tatay and nanay 10 more extra years each. I wanted to give them a house, car, and easy life on Earth after college graduation which did not happen. Tatay got very sick when I was in 5th grade, he was so close to death but then I prayed so hard again that he would survive that time and promised something to God – but God was kind enough because I broke that promise and he still let tatay lived for 20 more years. And then, I promised myself to give them a convenient life before they left Earth, but I was very complacent. I thought he could still wait for that to happen – he tried and did his best. Dialysis was no joke; he was able to endure all the pain to fight for his life because we wanted him to fight – I was selfish and wanted him to wait for me for that day to come when he would not ride a tricycle anymore and not be anxious about typhoons that may destroy our house but that day will never come anymore because we had to surrender him to God – the pain he was experiencing seemed to be unbearable for his old body already. The thought that I will never see him again is still painful. I miss you tatay. You will always be the best tatay ever. Sana naibigay ko pa din yung buhay na pinapangarap ko para sayo bago mo man lang nilisan ‘tong mundo. Ang bilis ng panahon. Isang iglap wala ka na. Akala ko maiintay mo pa kong magtapos ng PhD. Ginagawa ko naman ‘to kasi natutuwa ako kapag nakikita kitang proud na proud kang binibida mo ko sa mga kaibigan mo. Sorry kung hindi ko naibigay yung maalwan na buhay sayo. Pero alam mo kahit mahirap handa akong ipangutang ka madugtungan lang yung buhay mo. Pero kita ko namang hirap na hirap ka na noon kaya kinailangan ko nang isuko ka kay Lord kahit ayaw ko pa talaga. Kahit handa akong ipaglaban ka kahit malubog pa ko sa utang wala akong pakeelam. Tay, mahirap itong PhD. Wala pa kong motivation lately kasi ikaw yung number 1 cheerleader ko sa journey na to tapos wala ka na. Ayaw ko nang ipangako na tatapusin ko to or makakapublish ako kasi ‘di ko natutupad pag pinapangako ko. Pangarap kong maipakita sayo yung dissertation ko na ginawa ko yung best ko. Gusto kong maipakita sayo yung last name mo na dala dala ko mga publication ko. Hindi ka man mayaman o feeling mo man pabigat ka sa finances natin, mahal na mahal kita at proud na proud ako sayo at gusto kong isigaw sa mundo na anak ako ng tatay ko dahil sa pangalan ko na ikaw ang nagpalathala at apelyido mo sa mga publication ko. Dadalhin ko sa puntod mo at ipapakita yung published paper ko. Hindi ito pangako, gagawin ko na lang. Miss ko nga yung ngiti at tawa mo. Yung bibilhan mo kong itik, mais at binatog kasi alam mong paborito ko yon. Yung sa umaga handa na yung baon ko. Yung gusto mong ikaw magprito ng isda ko. Yung kaya ko naman ihanda yung baon ko pero gusto mo ikaw pa din magluluto kahit masama pakiramdam mo. Sobrang naappreciate ko yon. Sana next life mo mayaman ka at hindi ka worried sa bagyo at finances. At kung papipiliin ako, ikaw pa din yung gusto kong maging tatay.
Disclaimer: this how to fly drone is based on what works well for me. I hope it will help you.
Pre-flight
Check weather conditions a day before and on the day using this url: https://www.weather.gov/. Wind speed of <15mph and clear sky or full overcast would be the best conditions to fly.
During and after the flight
Attach the iPad using the cord to the remote control and then turn it on (double push – quick first press then second long press) – should show dot lights accompanied by a ring.
Remove the drone from the box and turn it on (double push – quick first press then second long press) – should have the green lights on accompanied by a ring.
In the iPad, select DJI GO; click upper most left bar that says ‘dji Disconnected’ – it should show ‘Aircraft Status’ -> click ‘Enter Travel Mode’ to raise the drone into its flight position.
Select and mark the flight area.
Open Pix4D capture -> PROJECT LIST -> Project xxxxx -> Open -> locate your area of interest.The location of the drone should appear on the map close to where you are, if not check if the drone is turned on or restart the drone.Move the four corners of the flight polygon area and place white markers in each corner.
Save the project by pressing the save logo.
You are now ready to fly:
BEFORE the flight, turn on the camera of the drone by connecting the iPad to the camera’s wifi: rededge1634139. Once connected, open Safari mobile browser and open the MicaSense Camera App by opening the URL: 192.168.10.254. Click the gear icon where you will see the ‘Basic Configuration’ and then press the START button. There should be a red blinking light on the camera/sensor.
Take a photo of the calibration panel before the flight.
Open the Pix4D capture Project xxxxx again and press start. Press NEXT until all the green check marks appear and you can start the flight mission.
Be aware of the battery level of the drone. One battery can fly up to 15 minutes depending on the wind speed. If one battery is not enough, return the drone to home when the battery level is 35% or lower depending on the last location of the drone.
After the flight, calibrate again by taking a photo again of the calibration panel.
Return the drone to the box by going to DJI GO (‘dji Disconnected’ -> enter/exit travel mode to fit the drone into its mold in the box.
When flying, make sure to follow all the guidelines in the country you are flying your drone.
We went to an overnight camp last weekend in Lake Ogallala, NE, USA. I specifically mentioned where it was because it was my first-time camping in the US plus, this was a spontaneous trip. Unplanned. LOL. For context, I am not from the US and am more familiar with camping back home where there are a lot of sellers around the campsite so you will not need to go back and forth to the grocery store. Keep reading to know the list of things you need to bring and the lessons I learned.
The things that you will need will depend on what you and your companion/s want to do in your overnight camp. Do you want to do smores, stargaze, kayak, or paddle boarding? I went with one person and our goal was just to kayak, swim, and experience sleeping in a tent. And we learned a lot of things from that camping!
What did we have when we traveled? We brought 1L of drinking water, soda, charcuterie stuff, nuts, a swimsuit, a kayak, sunscreen, a pop-up tent, bedding, a blanket, a pot, plates, bowls, spoons, and forks. This seems to be a lot for an overnight trip, but we missed a lot and had to travel back and forth to the grocery and convenience store thrice which was 19 minutes away. Good thing we left earlier than we planned. The lake was an hour away from our house. We started driving at 9 a.m. We first stopped at a grocery store which was 19 minutes away from the campsite to get beers and before leaving, we realized that we did not have an insect repellant which is important especially when camping. Upon arrival, the kiosk in the campsite issues a parking permit but does not book your campsite so you can either reserve your area online or stop by the visitor center which is a 2-minute drive from the campsite. The good thing about heading straight to the campsite is that if that is your first time there you can see and locate first the location you would like to spend the night while booking online will let you know if there are still available areas. The downside would be you will lose time going back to the visitor center especially if it is not peak season.
Upon arrival, we got our parking permit which is good for both Ogallala and McConaughy Lake. Then we paid for our campsite at the visitor center and got our ticket that you need to clip in front of your area. We started inflating our kayaks and realized that we forgot the paddles and had to try the rentals, but they do not rent paddles alone, so we had to go to the grocery to get cheap ones. Then, we set up our tent. After that, we went kayaking for hours. We got hungry and since we brought charcuterie stuff without a cooler resulting in melted cheese and cooked the salami and prosciutto. LOL. It was not good, so bring a cooler if you are planning to bring those kinds of food and for your beers and soda so you will not drink warm beer and soda. LOL. After eating, we drove to Lake McConaughy to swim. You can bring some towels, toiletries, and bills for tokens when you plan to take a shower after swimming in the lake. They do not allow alcoholic beverages in the lake, so we had to finish the beer that we brought before going to the shore.
We headed back to our campsite because we forgot our towels and toiletries. There are shower rooms in Ogallala Lake that require tokens as well, so remember to have some bills to change to tokens in the changer in front of the shower rooms. Heading back, we realized that we finished our drinking water and we had to go to a convenience store which was a 9-minute drive just to get water so remember to bring drinking water.
Early morning the next day since we were so tired after all our adventure, we found some wood and a lighter and we made some fires to complete the camping experience. Packing up things is the same as preparing – make sure you are not leaving any valuables in your campsite and trash all garbage in the proper trash bins.
Even if you think that you are all prepared you may end up seeing yourself not bringing a thing or two. I am a spontaneous traveler and it allowed me to learn and relearn myself, but at the end of the day, a prepared spontaneous traveler is still better. Despite all the challenges and the things that we forgot, we still had fun and an overall good experience.
Since the day that I get to realize the responsibility of being an adult I have never decided what I wanted to do in life.
I have been going with the flow since then.
And that flow never stops.
I graduated high school and when our teacher was asking what I want to be, I was clueless. So clueless that I even wrote the most farfetched dream I could I ever dreamt of that time- to be a medical doctor. A profession that requires money, time and effort which I do not have the luxury to spend given our struggling financial status back then. But then I wrote it because I needed to fill out my completion form for graduation. LOL. Lucky those people who know what they want at the age of 15.
Life was so magical for me after that high school graduation. I failed the entrance exam in my dream school but I still graduated in that university. I said I am done with school and I will start earning. But I do not know what I want in life still after college. So I worked in the academia where I was able to travel my own country for free, and it was a lot of fun. And then, I had to move to another research which was very slow so I decided to do graduate school and while working I finished my master’s. School gave me direction when I was not sure of what to do in life — it is well structured that I never planned for my life.
After my contract ended in the academia back home, I was given the opportunity to work in the US and that too felt so magical. Something I had never imagined will happen in my life. Then I got an offer for a PhD which was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I grabbed even if I was so scared. And it was one of the best decisions in my life — it has never been easy — but I have grown a looot since the day I embraced something I was scared of. It was a lot of tears, blood and sweat (literally and figuratively) to heal and grow from self-inflicted wounds and dormancy I gave myself for years. Then, just as fast as lightning, I am left with few months to complete and defend my manuscript and figure out what I want in life.
Early in my college years, I wrote in my diary that I wanted to have a job that is stable and will allow me to sustain my parents’ needs and buy them a new house and car which was paradoxical to what I was aiming for — which was to have a mundane job that the paycheck could barely pay my needs. And now, more than 10 years later, I still do not have the specifics of what I want in life.
I am clueless. The only thing I know in my heart was that I want a job that I will see problems and failures as part of learning and not stressful events and each morning I will get excited to get out of my bed to go to work. A side business that will be an outlet of my other creative side that I still have yet to discover. That in both streams of income I will be able to live my life to my full potential enjoying what I am doing while earning beyond what the bills require.
I have always assume that my life was like a basketball game wherein the basketball ring do not have a ring and has only the board, and getting a three points from my once in a lifetime shot was way too impossible. There was no ring and I am not a basketball player. But life has proven me otherwise — that I am more than capable of what I could imagine I can — that everything is gonna be alright in the end.
I noticed that my most viewed entry in this blog was about the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists. I took mine in 2014 and luckily, I was able to pass with little flying colors on the test (lucky me! LOL.). So, here are some of the questions that are still in my memory bank even after almost a decade. Hoping it would help you a bit.
What is the genus of watermelon?
Answer: Citrullus (I also remember that they asked about the species of watermelon which was lunatus)
2. In what insect order does stick insect belong?
Answer: Phasmatodea (During our exam this order was not in the options, and someone raised the concern, but the proctor did not know the answer. However, it is good to raise these kinds of concerns for the proctors to relay the message to the board.)
3. On March 30, 2004, the extension of AFMA was approved by PGMA by:
Answer: R.A. 8435 (Most of the questions in the Extension part were from the UPLB reviewer we had at the time, so I was lucky because I had that reviewer).
4. What is the average gestation period in beef cattle?
Answer: 283 days (They said that each year the exam would have a large number of questions related to specific livestock – I do not remember the one during our time but indeed a lot of questions were from a specific livestock).
5. What is the measure of the degree of compaction in the soil?
Answer: bulk density (During the test I thought this would be the part that I would fail because this was my weakest subject, but surprise! It was one of my highest-scored subjects. And we did not compute complicated soil problems.)
Disclaimer: these are questions from a long time ago that I could still remember so I don’t know if they still have the same type of questions in the test. And if these questions are in the exam, then lucky you! You’ll have 5-6 extra points!
1. Bring back the child in you at Dollywoodamusement park
Whether you are a kid or a kid at heart, amusement parks offer fun rides that convert your energy to screams and giggles. Shake your brain a bit or feel the centrifugal force with crazy rollercoaster rides that Dollywood has a lot of different variety. If you are not into those stuff, they have chill rides as well – which I did not try much.
You can book your tickets online or buy it there. I advise you to come the earliest they open so you can enjoy lots of their rides. Expect long lines for some rides so strategize which ones you wanted the most to the least one. You can bring refillable water bottles, and snacks if you do not want to splurge much on food. Also, they give discounted tickets to veterans so make sure to avail that perks if you can and save up to 30% off.
2. Get some extra adrenaline with whitewater rafting
Enjoy the majestic view of the mountain and river while getting some adrenaline rush as you go through the bumps in the river. This is perfect if you are a group of at least 5-6 people, if you are alone, you will join a small group and get a chance to meet new people! The best option would be booking online so you know right away if there will be slots for you or your group. You will also get to choose the date that would best fit you.
Remember to bring sunscreen, extra dry clothes, towels, and shower stuff just in case you will swim intentionally or unintentionally in the river.
3. Stretch those legs and trek the Smokey Mountain
Are you tired of sitting and drowning in the blue light of the computer and stress in the office everyday? This one is highly recommended to be part of your vacation itinerary. Get those stiff muscle going and disconnect your mind for a while by trekking the Smokey Mountain. There are a lot of trails to choose from.
Be equipped with the right clothes and shoes, and bring some light snacks and water with you.
4. Enjoy the view of the mountain and flowers by visiting Anakeesta
If the trek and river rafting did not give you enough mountain view and you just wanted to relax, then ride the gondola or lift to the top of the mountain through Anakeesta. Book tickets online. Get a good picturesque view of the mountain while the sun is setting and the lighted town at night. It is a nice place to see different flower, climb a tree house and cross suspension bridges.
Go as early as their opening time if you want to see all the stuff in there within the day. Be alert and mindful as well just in case you see some real bears.
5. Destress with the entertaining light show at Astra Ilumina
Part of the Anakeesta’s attraction is the light show which is a different ticket that you have to book. It is a trail of different light patterns and colors that are truly entertaining to the eyes. Sadly, we were not able to go there because of a bear on the way which happens rarely so if you have a chance, go for it!
6. Unleash a new hobby by trying the mini golf
If you have not done golf before, a mini golf would be your warm up. It is not intimidating at all for a first timer. They have different kinds of mini golf. The one we tried was barn-themed mini golf which was the Ripley’s Old Mcdonald’s mini golf. It had 18 holes and you do not need to book online. I did not only enjoy the golf itself, I had fun as well on the way they curated the design and sound effects in each hole.
Towards the end, if you will be able to get the last hole on your first try, you will get a free one more round of golf. Who knows you may have that beginner’s luck!
7. Be crafty and go quilt shop hopping
In this time and age where we are entertained by technology, quilting may not sound excited. But if you are around a place with so much quilt shops, why not give shop hopping a try and see how people intricately create each different quilt pieces.
Personally, I was amazed by how much work quilting requires someone to finish a piece and yet they are very passionate creating one after another. You may also end up with a new hobby aside and let go of that social media scrolling addiction.
8. Grab the opportunity to be a wine connoisseur
Have you had a wine slushy before? Yup! They have that there. Whether you love or hate wine, wine tasting is in every corner here. They have dry, semi-sweet and a slushy kit if you want to take home one.
You can try a few for free (who does not love free stuff?) or try everything in their menu for $6 (not bad) and end up getting a bottle or two of those you liked the most.
9. Tour random shop in town but do not get trapped
This touristy area has a lot of different stores. Anime-related shop, pottery, chocolate, candy, jerky, spices, shirts, jewelries, you name it! And it is not even the entire mile of shops that I went to so my guess would be the list of stores may be from the usual one to the most peculiar store.
Let me know what is the most bizarre store that you can find in the area! Have fun but do not give in or get trapped easily on what each store is offering and try to see if you really wanted what they are showing.
10. Stay sober and whiskey tasting moderately
You probably have heard of the song Tennessee whiskey. Oh well it is the time to sing it while in here and tasting whiskey. They have whiskey and other alcohol with all sorts of flavors that you can try. From a 120 proof to a milk-based alcohol. Price range is from $20-$50 per bottle and they offer discounts if you get a minimum number of bottles so make sure to buy with friends or the group you are with and get as much as 20% discount.
Quick tip: have someone in the group that does not drink that can drive just in case!
Chopsuey is a stir-fried of vegetables dish. The vegetables in this dish are mainly cultivated from a colder region. In the Philippines, usually in Baguio city. They sell very cheap vegetables that are in this mixture of vegetables. I am not here to show you how to cook this dish because this post is for us to know the scientific name of the vegetables in chopsuey. Based on what I searched, here are the vegetables and its corresponding scientific names:
Cabbage – you can either use Brassica oleracea var. capitata or Brassica napa subsp. pekinensis
Cauliflower – Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
Broccoli – Brassica oleracea var italica
Carrot – Daucus carota
Baguio beans or snap beans – Phaseolus vulgaris
Baby corn – Zea mays
Bell pepper (red, green or yellow) – Capsicum annuum
Onion – Allium cepa
Garlic – Allium sativum
Black pepper – Piper nigrum
Above is my version of chopsuey. Instead of snap beans I used string beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). I also added celery (Apium graveolens).
larswrites 