If I gave it away now it wouldn't be a mystery would it?
I like surprises!!! :-)

The MTPS is 44 days and 12 hours away so I'll be dropping hints soon. In about two weeks I'll let the cat out of the bag.

Ok, we're 37 days and 19 hours from meeting at HHSP so I'll let part of the cat out of the bag.

Our speaker will be Alyce Dobyns-Ladd.
Alyce is a Master Gardener here in Middle TN and she is on the Administrative Staff with the Department of Physics & Astronomy at (GASP!) Vanderbilt University.
(I couldn't get Phillip Fulmer or Bruce Pearl.) :-)

I'll give up the topic to you guys in a week or so but I can tell you that it will NOT be on Astro, Biological, Condensed Matter, Atomic, Molecular, Optical, Particle, Nano or High-Energy Nuclear Physics. I realize that a few of you are going to be deeply disappointed with that but we need to keep the topics on gardening.

geeze I was reading this to get away from studying my microbiology quiz. You just ruined a perfect escape for me.

Thanks,
Mary......guess I need to go read my notes, maybe I will draw pictures of flowers instead of atoms

I was really hoping for a discussion of Condensed Matter Physics.

That's some heavy stuff right there....

Alright, I'm letting the cat out of the bag a little early since nobody is registering (13 people) or seems vaguely interested in the MTPS - maybe this will spur some activity.

Zig it's going to be close...kinda. Instead of a lecture on Superfluids, Quantum Solvents or Quantum Hydrodynamics we are going to have a presentation on Irrigation!!! Ok, so it isn't really close but they both have to do with moving liquid! :-)

Alyce is going to have a good sized visual presentation that will be interactive and include handouts.
Her lecture will be entitled:

"Irrigation during Drought Seasons: The Professional way, the Box-store way and the Recycled way."

I know that we all have had thoughts about irrigating our lawns and plant beds but sometimes the cost is prohibitive. With all the dead plants, shrubs and trees we've had to deal with in the last couple of years, this should be a fantastic lecture.

Alyce is very excited to be coming and meeting everyone. She is looking forward to having everyone involved in the lecture and bringing our own expertise to the discussion.

I'm pretty jacked over it and hope you guys are too.

Very Cool!!!!! I have been interested in this topic for a long time now. I'm contemplating having a well dug too.

Speaking of cool...I was looking back at the last eight years of temps, wind and humidity for Oct. 18th in Chapel Hill and here's what they've averaged.

Low temp of 53
High temp of 74
Winds out of the South at 6 mph gusting to 14 mph
Humidity at 69%

That's pretty dang sweet weather and it has only rained once in the eight years. Cross your fingers!!!

Anyone else interested in the topic at all?

Oh I am. I've been planning to put some kind of irrigation in one of these days.

Thanks Joseph!

I guess it's just the three of us.

I spoke with Alyce and she is confirmed. She is also very excited to be attending as well as lecturing.

Alyce is really into group participation and interaction. So I'm counting on you guys to give her that! If not she may render me inoperative with extreme prejudice!!!

Ya'll try and contain your enthusiasm.

I'm really lookig forward to meeting her and hearing her speak. Jeff----how do you keep finding us such great speakers ????
Marianne

They just fall into my lap like manna from Heaven.

Really I have to beg and plead a half dozen people first that turn me down or just blow me off completely and that takes several months. But eventually persistence wins out and some kind soul takes pity on me. Or else I just throw a guilt-trip on one of our members; Joe, Judith, Doug, Lucas, Marty....I have no pride.