I am a southerner by birth and upbringing, but I haven't lived in the south for years. To compensate, I tend to spend the summers haunting the farmer's market and cooking lots of southern food. I like to garden, but I haven't quite figured out Sonoran desert gardening and have killed many, many plants here in Tucson. However, my collection of succulents seem very happy.

I really enjoy all the research I get to do and be involved with. But, when I'm not at the university, I prefer to be making things, cooking, watching the few TV shows I've become addicted to, or reading. I also like to play with fiber: nalbinding, weaving, embroidery, and I'm finally learning to use a drop spindle with some degree of skill. I can make some seriously warm mittens and hats, which are completely useless in Arizona! I also spend time studying the Finnish language (my 14 year nemesis), and slowly learning very old Finnish runo songs.