Notice the fear and trepidation on my face and the eager look on Jeff's - zip lining through the redwoods in Sonoma tested my lung capacity for screaming and pushed me way past my comfort zone. I am now a true tree hugger as I grabbed the trunk and held on for dear life after making my first zip segment -- my knees were atremble! The ONLY reason I tried this is because Joey, Fred and especially Avery inspired me to face my fear of heights. Not over it by any means, but I did survive!

Arrived in New Mexico, Land of Enchantment

A day of cross country travel from DC to Albuquerque. Class VIII has hit the ground running and looking forward to meeting our gracious homestay hosts tomorrow.

Class VIII Update

Thanks to a dapper and articulate UF Poly Sci Professor Richard Scher, I have a new appreciation for redistricting and its terminology. My new favorite phrase: the bug splat district!!

A great Ag Day in Tallahassee

Awesome WLIANR Class VIII day in Tallahassee capped off by catching a photo op with Florida Gov. Rick Scott! Our day began by shadowing the hard-working Ag Coalition lobbyists and learning the inside baseball rules of Florida politics. The afternoon was spent on ag advocacy, a WLIANR Alumni get-together at the Florida Forestry Association, and then wrapped up with the always wonderful Florida Farm Bureau Legislative Reception at the Leon County Civic Center.

WLIANR Alumni and Class VIII at Ag Hall of Fame

Lots of WLIANR and FLPANR alumni and several WLIANR Class VIII members attended last night's Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies. It was an awesome evening! Callie Walker and I had the chance to catch up with UF/IFAS Sr. Vice President Dr. Jack Payne who was the distinguished emcee for the event. You gotta love a guy who starts a Hall of Fame banquet with a Franz Kafka quote "So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being" and commentary about the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Brilliant!!

Some members of Class VIII were able to accept Mike Janeczek's gracious invitation to attend The Andersons Inc.'s Customer Appreciation and Dove Shoot yesterday in Lake Placid. WLIANR alums were also well represented. Joe Hodges, The Andersons' Southern Region Vice President (and one of FFAA's Board members), is a Class IVgraduate and I also saw Dave Dymond/Class VI, David Evans/Class III graduate, Class II's Bob Adair and Pam Fentress there too. If I missed someone -- my apologies!

Thanks Mike for the hospitality and warm welcome! Class VIII members Stanley Perry and Jeremy Fountain were also there but not in this photo (I did get to meet their sons -- what a pleasure!).

L to R: Fred Fanizzi, Mike Janeczek, me, Kim Erickson, and Roland Yee (who got maybe 4 hours of sleep during this week of hard freezes -- hope he's caught up on some well-deserved rest!)

Happy Holidays to all!

Thinking about Dr. Burl Long's presentation on the value of reflection. This George Eliot quote made me think of his lesson: "The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us and we only know them when they are gone."

Thanks to all of you who will be helping me see those golden moments and recognize the angels in the next two years.

Happy Thanksgiving!