Irises, Irises, More Irises, and a Rose

The Irises are blooming and have been for awhile; it seems very strange and quite early to have so many pretty Irises; I wonder what Mother Nature is thinking about all these Irises!

I'm sure I have shown you some of these before but I find them very pretty and I hope you enjoy them as well!

The next two are over by the red barn; they didn't bloom last year because they were new to the soil but this year they are blooming rather proudly.

I have so say I really like them both;
what are the odds that I can have a few of these when I leave?


The purple one is very dark but I think I had too much light for the color.
I guess I should try it again. :)






My friend has many different types of purple Irises.
The blue beard on the purple is quite startling.

I'm sure I have shown you this one before but it is still one of my favorites. I really like the contrasting shades and the yellow beard.





I don't recall this lovely Iris blooming last year.
I want one of these as well.
I think my friend will need to provide me with an Iris "shopping" list!

Finally, a single rose.  My friend cut some stems from a rose bush and planted it in the ground.  The bush is growing quite well and has several roses this year!

Spring Flowers!

I promised my friend that I would post flower pictures last week but it rained and rained and rained and rained; I'm not complaining I love the rain and we really need it but it did slow down my flower power and much needed dirt therapy but for your enjoyment: I give you daffodiles

Iris? I hope, I hope because it doesn't look like a crocus to me so what else could it be?

Tiny purple and white Grape Hyacinth and a daffodile. I thought the Grape Hyacinths  were gone but they popped back up. Maybe they needed more rain?!! Yes, I haven't weeded around this side of the tank.

"Giant" Hyacinth, I'm not sure what kind but I'm sure my friend will fill us in; fortunately this picture includes the Grape Hyacinths so you can see that they are very tiny in comparison.

Yes, there are TWO count them TWO "Giant Hyacinths!" My friend said she paid for one but there are two growing now so either the bulb split or they decided to multiply.

Now for the non-flower.  There is this thin grass growing around the Iris, daffodils, and tulips planted around the tree by the back door.  What is this stuff? I noticed some bulb thing in the middle when I was weeding yesterday so now I think it may be planted but....... I don't recall being told there was anything other than the three things mentioned above. HELP!

Qualifying Exams

So here I sit at 10:11 pm waiting for my next qualifying exam (comprehensive exam which I must pass in order to become a PhD candidate which means I can defend my thesis and maybe graduate?!) which I was promised to have today.............. I'm tired, cranky, and I had to go get take-out food because I didn't bring lunch and dinner with me. I don't have internet at home which means I will likely be here until some god awful hour in the morning researching answers.

One of my advisers told me that the qualifying exams ("period of PhD hell") are similar to a fraternity hazing........mmmm? Well, I'm sure you all know that fraternity is male orientated and hazing is a ritual of initiation which may be mental and/or physical.



While I realize that the PhD qualifying exams are not as severe as Greek Society Hazings I do question the validity of the process. As a friend of mine in another disciple said, "I passed those classes and I already proved that I gained that knowledge. So what is the point of making me do it all over again?" I think she has a valid point. Take veterinary science for example: vet students spend three years in class, a year in clinical rotation, graduate, and then they have to pass a board exam to be able to practice as a DVM. This makes sense to me. I realize it's not a perfect solution but it is a way to standardize the practice for all PhD students. This may not seem like a good idea to you but I have talked to students from Entomology departments in other schools and frankly the steps to get a PhD are not equivalent across the board. I would say that the school I attend has by far the strictest requirements for passing qualifying exams and becoming a PhD candidate. I wish this meant that I would be more qualified for a job but I suspect that just isn't so.

In case you were wondering what I mean by differences in requirements take a look at a few different schools and their requirements for PhD qualifying exams:

Cornell: scroll down to thesis and examinations

Kansas State University: a minimum of 5 written exams (need to take a test for four of the following areas: morphology and anatomy, systematics, physiology, behavior, genetics, ecology, integrated pest management, biological control, toxicology, host resistance, evolution; an additional exam from an area outside of entomology such as statistics) and then the oral exam

University of California - UC Davis: copied from their student handbook
"The Entomology Examination must be completed by Ph.D. students prior to taking the Qualifying Exam, and is to be completed no later than the end of the first year in the program. (This exam is not required for M.Sc. students.) The Entomology Exam mandates that students develop a general knowledge of entomology and an ability to think critically/conceptually, and it will identify any major weaknesses or deficiencies in their understanding of entomology. General Entomology is a required subject area on all Qualifying Exams: passing the Entomology Exam fulfills that requirement. It is the responsibility of the student to plan, with the advice of his/her Guidance Committee, for the Entomology Exam."

"The Entomology Exam will be oral, last for 1½ hours. and will be offered once each year at the end of the spring quarter. All students of the same annual “cohort” will be tested from the same set of recommended readings. This means that the exam will be given during the same time period to all students.
The Entomology Exam Committee, appointed by the chair of the department, will provide a formal “Reading List, Guide and Sample Questions” during the first (Fall) quarter. Questions will be in four major areas of Entomology, as defined by the departmental peer groups: (1) Systematics and Evolution; (2) Physiology and Molecular Biology; (3) Ecology and Behavior; and (4) Agricultural and Medical Entomology. Preparation for the Entomology Exam also includes registering for 1 unit of ENT 298 (Topics in Entomology) in Winter and Spring quarters, designed to formalize the operation of a study group that will review exam materials. Students will meet once a week during the two quarters, with periodic involvement of the Entomology Exam committee. Other faculty members also may be called upon to provide input on selected topics."

University of Minnesota: scroll down to written preliminary exams

After looking at those different schools I'm sure you can see what I mean- there is no consistency with how the exams are done and what is expected. I just think that it would be better if the expectations were the same across the board.

Thanks Gods for Serenity and regular tai-chi because otherwise I might lose my mind!





Yes, I think I need to learn how to do Taichi Fan! :)

Qualifying Exams

This week I'm finishing up this semester; one final, one presentation, and one "let's talk about your semester project" to end this semester of "fun."well parts of the semester have been fun but others not so much.

I'm also meeting with all of my committee members to talk about what I need to study and the test format of my qualifying exams. For those of you who don't know what that means, comprehensive exams over everything I know! I must pass these exams in order to defend my thesis and then get a Ph.D! There are five exams: insect toxicology, insect ecology, insect behavior, integrated pest management, and sanitation and food quality. After I pass written exams for the five topics then I get to take an oral exam! This fun process starts the last week of January; I will get less than a month to study for all of these tests. Am I worried? NO Should I be worried? Maybe but I have been working with these topics for four years; I should know everything. If I panic it will be all down hill so.........

My new mantra is "I will not go insane, I WILL NOT go insane!" So let's listen to one of my favorite songs!



I guess that makes my point for me?!

Still Here?

I apologize for my complete lack of ability to manage a blog, eight credit hours of PhD coursework, plus research! However, I will be back just hang with me.  I have several blogs I want to do and I haven't given up on blogging but I have had to re-prioritize what was important to me in order to keep afloat with the PhD program.  I have one more year left and I'm NOT giving in now!

This is how I felt when I found out that I won't have to take classes next semester and I get to move my PhD qualifying exams forward!



Of course, I can't dance as well as that young man but I did go home and DANCE and sing; I can't tell you how happy I am that I won't be taking classes and qualifying exams at the same time!!!

Here's the song he was dancing to; the lyrics are "messed up" but the beat is kick ass and I love to dance to this song. I'm sure we can have a philosophical debate about the lyrics but I chose to just listen and dance, dance, dance.



I will be back "soon;" there are only three weeks left in this semester plus Thanksgiving week so I'm finishing up my last few projects and getting ready for the qualifying exams in February. I plan on blogging a few times before the exams start but I need to finish this semester! Have faith!