Home Invaders

I had quite the weekend.  I had decided to go home with my boyfriend and see his family and newly redone house.  Friday and Saturday morning were pretty average but it was all soon to change.

After lunch, Aaron and I went over to his house.  He wanted to set up the laundry machines and I wanted to clean up after him.  Of course I decided to test drive the sofa and was sitting on there when I heard Aaron come up the stairs and cause a ruckus.  Strange.  I go into the kitchen where he is filling up buckets of water to pour over an unexpected guest.  Turns out the clog in the drain was really not one but two garter snakes.  Eek!

To keep them from running from the rubbing alcohol poured down over them and up through the floor drain, I put two bricks over the grate so they couldn't push it up and stick around.  After the laundry was going, we were standing back looking over the basement.  Near the roller skate next to the drain grate was a piece of black rubber...made of bones, guts, and nasty skin.  That was a snake and I made sure to scream and hide behind my Abraham Lincoln-sized man.  He proceeded to pull a shovel out of nowhere and repeatedly stab the beast.  I thought it was long gone, he didn't and went back to stab it a few more times.  Then I went into the living room upstairs so I did not have to look at it as it was drug to the pasture.

I guess we all have fears, even six foot six young men.

Peace

Julia

Part 1 of 2: Sustainable Agriculture

I recently decided to add a minor in Sustainable Agriculture to my degree.  I have gotten good and bad replies to this and I hope that I may be able to teach these naysayers that it does not necessarily mean that I am a tree hugger or a hippie. 

I know we each have our own definitions of sustainable agriculture, so I want to hear what you think.  Please comment below!  Once I receive at least 5 comments, I will reveal to you my own definition.

Spreading the Word

Hello everyone!  Several years ago, I gave my first speech at a county 4-H council meeting.  Last Thursday I gave my first college speech, more nervous than ever.  I have survived 4-H public speaking, countless high school speech meets, numerous winery tours, and even a few emcee events.

Now Thursday was nerve-wrecking to me but it all ironed out as soon as I walked into the dining hall.  Spicy chicken and tater tots were on the menu.  Two and a half years ago I had this very meal just before delivering my 1st place technology-assisted speech at the Missouri State 4-H Public Speaking Contest.  That was the moment I knew I would do well.

I admit that my introduction was a little shaky, but I have never given a speech that is perfect.

Enjoy!

Julia

Love is flowers in a mason jar and a treasured belt buckle

I don't know if you knew this or not (if you know me, of course you did), but I truly love my boyfriend, Aaron.  I don't like to send it out to the world but sometimes you just have to say it.  We have been together a year as of the 26th of January.  As I sat at my $500 Facebook machine Tuesday night, I realized I truly love him.  Why?  Because he gave me a bundle of flowers in a Kerr jar with a fuzzy blanket and pillow combo.  Because he had to go look at used furniture shops before we could go to Longhorn Sunday night.  Because he did not find it necessary to spend loads of money on me on Valentine's Day and let me study for calculus as he studied for soils.

However, I decided to be sweet and replace the buckle he broke a month or two ago.  This buckle read "The American Farmer feeds the World".  Aaron wore it when he won Farm Bureau Ambassador and I knew that I must replace it.  Unfortunately he knew what it was when he saw the size of the package and I was not there when he opened it due to the calc test but I think it made him happy.

This is the lifestyle I grew up in and hope to continue on in for the rest of my life.  I do not want to be given diamonds and rubies but rather love and compassion.  And mason jars.

Oh and as an added note, Aaron took that picture and pointed out that the clouds make a heart in the sky.

Love,

Julia

An FFA Speech 11 months too late

I am a very lucky person when it comes to my Communications 1200 class.  I forgot to read the chapters the day that we had a quiz at the beginning of class before a lecture over those very chapters.  Oops.  I also was selected to speak on the first day of speeches.  Go Julia!
Now this could be seen as an issue of not so much time to write a beautiful speech.  Rather, I am seeing it as a way to tell myself to get into gear and start writing this thing.

Okay self, so what do I talk about?  How to be blonde?  I'm good at that.  Nah let's try that one thingy they teach us about before we teach workshops on State Council.

The Experiential Learning Model.

Now to write.  See, being in college I find it difficult to write speeches with the lack of a huge mirror and expo markers to organize this beast for me.  Rather I am sitting in bed trying to apply my once amazing extemporaneous speaking prep strategy to a prepared speech.  Well that of course and Prezi.  In case you didn't know, Prezi is a great tool that allows you to create presentations that put the whole picture together.  Rather than flipping through slides, you zoom in and move around on a huge virtual posterboard.  I love it.

Now, as I began research tonight, I noticed one common factor between all of the various articles on Mizzou's online library pertaining to the ELM, The Agricultural Education Magazine has published several wonderful articles about how it pertains to the FFA motto, Doing to Learn.  Why didn't I think of this sooner for my FFA Speech?  Too late I guess.

Now, back to the grindstone,
Julia