artie chokes 3 for a dollar

argh! i am currently experiencing massive frustration with the internet access here. it comes in and out, so just when it seems like something is working, suddenly it stops. ahhh! i'm going nuts and it is interfering with my blog-writing capabilities. blech. i'm sorry to all of my loyal readers.

today i had planned to publish photos of the house where i'm living, along with an absolutely HILARIOUS video of the baby goats (2 years old, jackson's age!) that i captured on saturday. they're comical creatures.

but since neither of those plans will come to fruition today, i will have to move on to another exciting topic. that is: artichokes.

ivan and i went out into the fields armed with our backpacks (see photo) today to pick artichokes. yes, there is a special backpack for artichoke picking! who knew? trust me, i didn't know, either. though, to be fair, the backpack can also be used for corn. but today? artichokes. it is a massive "backpack" which straps to your back just like a schoolbag does and has a massive container attached to it. when you cut an artichoke off the plant, you throw it in the bag. simple.

there were four rows of chokes to pick, and ivan and i both did two each. let me tell you, this project took us probably 3 hours in total. all in all, i would guess we picked about 500 artichokes. INSANE!

the sad part is that most of them were "no good" according to the farm owner. he likes to deliver them in a certain shape, size and condition (which i respect and totally understand), and many of them - although still totally edible - didn't make the cut. so off in the wheelbarrow they went to feed the pigs. needless to say, the pigs were delighted. disgusting little creatures.

tomorrow, the new intern arrives. emily. she sounds nice and it seems we have stuff in common, so i'm excited about that. but i'm nervous. of course, you never know how it'll actually go until you meet the person, and judging from some of the stories i have heard about last year's interns (more on this another time), who knows what is going to happen. but we'll see; i hope it'll work out.

so tonight is my last night alone in the house. that's both good and bad; good because i won't be so freaked out being alone, but bad because the solitude is kind of nice. i can always retreat into my room though, so i must remember to take care of myself and do that if i feel that i must.

in the meantime, i've been watching the office which i downloaded before i left (just the first season, but its hilarious), and some episodes of ramsay's kitchen nightmares (british version). and i'm reading the alchemist. i like the alchemist; but its hard to read. its touching a lot of raw nerves in me. i plan to blog on this soon; stay tuned...