Down to business!

This morning started off a little crazy. Coffee morning starts at 10 in the morning, but everyone in the Genebank doesn't usually head there until around 10:10 or so. Also, a colleague usually comes back to the herbarium and tells us everyone is heading down there, so we should too. Well.... it was about 10:15 and no one got us yet, so I decided to walk down the hallway of the Genebank to see where everyone was and if anyone had left yet. Everyone's doors were closed and there was no one there! I hurried back to the herbarium to tell Millie and Andreas that everyone already left the Coffee Morning and so we should probably hurry down there! As we were approaching the front lawn of the cafeteria (where it's held) we didn't hear any music playing (and it's always blasting) or see any people... Maybe it wasn't this morning? We started turning back when 2 men asked us if we were heading to Coffee Morning, and we said yes. He explained that during the rainy season, they moved it to the back where it's sheltered so we don't get rained on. But why wasn't there any music blasting? Oh... As soon as we arrived, they started the speeches and introductions! We were slightly late... The sad thing was we didn't get our coffee then! Other then that, Coffee Morning was good! The speeches and introductions were all good and interesting. They even served cooked corn!!! Yumm!!!

When we got back to the herbarium, I started on my research and lab report again. Also, I read the procedure for staining my pollen with the aniline blue stain. I got one step done yesterday! I pollinated my flowers! Today, I had to remove the entire pistil from the flower and put it in 95% EtOH: glacial acetic acid. The pistil has to be fully submerged in the solution, so it took about 1.5-2 mL of this solution for my 2 samples. This burns if it touches skin, so it was time to wear my official lab coat again! I also got to look official wearing gloves! Woo! I'm a scientist! I had to cut the pistil right below the ovary. This way my sample was from the stigma all the way to the bottom of the ovary. Millie took some pictures of me, but they were on her phone, so I don't have any pictures of it from today... I'll post some from when I stained earlier last week because I just love the lab coats so much! Anyway, so after I put each pistil into the solution, it has to sit overnight completely submerged in it. In the morning I'll take my 2 samples out of the EtOH: glacial acetic acid and let them soften a little bit for a while, then I'll put them each in NaOH solution and have it set in that for a few hours. This solution burns the skin as well, so I'll have to wear my lab coat and gloves again! When the pistils have been soaking in the NaOH solution long enough, I'll take them out and then it's finally time to use the aniline blue stain and stain it!

My 2 samples setting in the EtOH:
glacial acetic acid solution overnight

Staining pollen last week

For lunch today, I decided to shake it up a bit. I didn't have injera today... I know... That's huge! Crazy!!!! I decided to try the international dish today. The menu said mini hamburgers with cheese, pasta with mixed vegetables, and potatoes. That sounded pretty good to me! So I gave it a shot! The hamburgers reminded me more of meatballs. I don't know... I mean it still tasted really good don't get me wrong! I enjoyed it a lot! They served the "mini hamburgers with cheese" with a sauce and it tasted really tomato-y and barbecue-y, so I thought of it more as spaghetti and meatballs with mixed vegetables and potatoes! 

Can you say yumm??? :)

After lunch, everyone but Dr. Jean walks over to the Zebu for a nice cup of coffee. Or in my case, a nice macchiato!

It's basically a mocha. I think just
coffee and milk

The afternoon I spent doing more research and finishing up working with the pistils in the solution. I have to give a lot of thanks to Temeselew so making all of our solutions for all of our stains and solutions! He takes time out of his busy schedule to help us with making our solutions! He's so great!

When Millie and I got home from work, we immediately set to work on making our patriotic no-bake cookies for tomorrow! Even though we're not in America, we thought we should still do something to celebrate the 4th of July! (I totally forgot to pack any red, white, or blue clothes, so that's bad enough...) Also, all the treats and everything we make have to be no-bake, since I only have 2 small burners and no oven! This makes cooking somewhat challenging! We made peanut butter thumbprint no-bake cookies and filled some of them with strawberry jelly and the others with blackcurrant jelly. They really remind me of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but without the bread I guess... So they have to taste good right?! They don't look the best, but it's the best we can do! :) We wanted to make patriotic cookies, so that's why we chose the strawberry and blackcurrant jellies. I know it doesn't really look like it, but we attempted to line the cookies up to make a flag... It's as good as it gets! It's the thought that counts isn't it? :)

You can kind of see the flag... At least they taste good!

Can't wait to bring them to work tomorrow for all of the workers in the Genebank! Millie and I have been looking up quite a few no-bake desserts and treats to make for the rest of the time we're here! Our plan is to make some type of treat every Monday and Friday from now on! If they turn out and taste good that is... It's just so hard to find no-bake desserts that don't involve a food processor, mixer, and just about everything else needed to cook! Also, we have VERY limited ingredients here, so that makes it a challenge as well as a scavenger hunt! It makes everything all the more exciting! :) Happy early 4th of July everyone! I hope you all enjoy the fireworks, parades, etc! Record some videos and take pictures of everything for me! :) I am truly proud to be an American! I am so proud of my country! Happy early 4th of July!!! :)