Author Archives: paleololigo

Scientist (Paleontology, Geochemistry, Geology); Writer (Speculative and Science Fiction, plus technical and non-technical Science); Mom to great boy on the Autism spectrum; possessor of too many hobbies.

What’s Brew? February 5, 2015

I’m a little worried. This brewing thing might be getting out of control. It might be consuming me.

It started harmless enough. Just a little brew every other weekend or so. But now… Now I’m brewing on the weekends and during the week! It’s a sure sign.

I’m addicted.

Whatever.Continue reading “What’s Brew? February 5, 2015”

I Spy – My Cluttered Desk

I spy on my cluttered desk…

Do you see what I see?
Do you see what I see? Click to enlarge.

…a pony, a vertebra, two prescriptions that should go home.
…bats and a dragonfly, and a coiled cord for a phone.
…toys for children: a toothed and gilled whale (eek?), and an etch-a-sketch.
…and a slinky for those times that you just need a stretch.

Add in the comments other fun things you see!

Yam-Tastic Oil Change Porter

Over the winter holiday, I discovered that yams have a particular sweetness that I really felt must be included into a beer somehow. I started looking for yam ale recipes, but none gripped me. Then I stumbled upon a porter recipe for pumpkin, and simply decided to substitute yams for pumpkin and adjusted the batch for my experience and what grains were available to me.

My recipe:

5 gallon partial-mash
Continue reading “Yam-Tastic Oil Change Porter”

Wednesday’s Whimsy

I stayed home sick today. I’m still sick. I hope that I’m un-sick tomorrow. This sick business stinks.

In the meantime, I laid around a lot, and fiddled on Twitter (and Facebook, too). This tweet caught my eye:

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThat one in the lower right. I have that one. Continue reading “Wednesday’s Whimsy”

#365papers: January 26, 2015

There’s this Twitter thing going around with some academic-types I know.

#365papers

The goal is to read a new technical paper daily for the next year, in an effort to stay on top of the science. I love this idea and immediately challenged myself to read a new paper daily.

Almost as immediately, I got behind. Nevertheless, I have been mindful of some interesting papers that have recently been published. I’ll include a couple here, from time to time. Apologies for any that are paywalled.
Today’s Round Up:

Getting protein from bone

Mesozoic mammals from China

Nannofossils establish timing for volcanoesContinue reading “#365papers: January 26, 2015”

What’s Brew? January 17, 2015

I’m pretty pleased with myself that I managed to type 2015 and not 2014. I imagine it will be October before I get it right consistently.

But I digress..

I discovered yesterday that in with the current frigid winter temperatures, the only room in the house that’s sufficiently warm for fermentation in my bedroom. So I am currently sharing my sleeping quarters with three carboys of fermenting loveliness.

What’s brewing?Continue reading “What’s Brew? January 17, 2015”