Day 1149: Pesticides

Here we go again with the whole environmental science class correlating with something I've learned at Disney World. This time, my studies bring me to Epcot, specifically The Land, where I've heard for years and years about how they're working to find natural ways to control pests instead of the pesticides, which was the topic in my class not long ago. So basically, while we watched a movie about the book Silent Spring, I sat there thinking about Ladybugs.

Disney is actually doing a lot of really great stuff in regards to environmental science though, and the Land is just filled with new growing techniques that are more fruitful, natural, and better on the environment, all of which is needed in today's society. It's been a while since I've headed on the Behind the Seeds tour in The Land, although these pictures are rather recent since my mom took the tour this past January. Who knows, maybe after taking Environmental Science this semester I'll have to go on the tour myself in May!

Here are some behind the scenes pictures from The Land though!

The Land is definitely one of the most underrated areas of Walt Disney World if you ask me, and honestly it was kind of sad to see how the entire pavilion looked this past January while Soarin' is closed. It seems that heading there isn't worth while these days unless there's a thrill attraction involved, even if we really could learn something by going there. 

Have a magical day, and be sure to check out the Land the next time you're at Epcot! 

Day 931: Buffalo

On my drive over to college this morning to catch up on my work, I passed the buffalo farm that sits right ouside my hometown and realized that I've never done a blog post on it despite the fact that every single time I drive past I get some serious Epcot Living with the Land feels.

For those of you who might be a little confused as to why a regular old buffalo farm filled with...you guessed it...buffalo, reminds me of Disney, here's the quick explanation:

The Living with the Land attraction that sits in The Land at Epcot goes through several different ecosystems, one of which is a prairie that features a little family of buffalo (what even is the plural...buffalos?) just hanging around while a wildfire rages on in the background. Now apparently pictures of this scene are hard to find, but I eventually tracked one down from over on AllEars!

So, as you can imagine, whenever I see the buffalo I have a little flashback to one of my favorite Epcot attractions, and let me tell you, I think it's the baby buffalo that triggers it more than the adults. No idea why. Although once, about five years ago when I went out to Colorado and South Dakota with my high school band, I did get to see live wild buffalo, and that was an awesome experience despite the fact that I could go see buffalo any day of the week. There was just something about the fact that it was the land in real life that made it extra special.

Other things that remind me of Living with the Land? Thunderstorms, Prairie Dogs, Farms, Dogs, Greenhouses and, oddly enough...blueberries?

Is there anything in your life that reminds you of Living with the Land?

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on July 24 due to time restraints).

Day 601: Fireworks Galore

If you've been reading long enough to remember back to last year, I blogged about our school and the beginning of the year fireworks. It's still a thing, and I hope it continues to be so for a very long time. Initially, I was going to blog about something else, but then we went down and saw the fireworks and this just sort of had to be written about, even if it is going to technically be the second blog post about them, but hey, I blog about Spaceship Earth and Once all the time, so this counts, right?

This year's fireworks display, we think, was even better than last years, and honestly we're incredibly lucky to have such a great college, even if they may be blowing up some of our tuition money. Either way, there wasn't music synchronized or anything, but the fireworks went on continuously for quite some time, and they were definitely timed out, something that most of the Fourth of July fireworks we saw were not. We actually said the fireworks here were better than the ones we saw on the Fourth, and it's true.

But that's not all that reminded me of Disney and the spectacular fireworks displays that take place there every day. Unlike last year, I made sure my phone was charged so I could take pictures and video throughout the show, and I posted a couple of pictures.

I actually had someone comment on the first one and how she thought it was Illuminations at first, and she's right. It does look remarkably similar to this picture I took back in June:

The fireworks are out on the water, we sit at the water's edge, they go off from two barges in time with one another and the entire thing just has a great vibe to it. I actually said that our fireworks show here got the "Lizzie stamp of approval," which is a really difficult thing to get when it comes to fireworks. I have high standards. 

We also snuck into the new science building here on campus and went through some unlocked doors before ending up in the greenhouse, which reminded a few other Instagramers of "Living with the Land." They started with the lyrics to "Listen to the Land" and it just made my day. 

And that's the update on the fireworks. I am happy that I stayed for them, since I could have come back to my dorm and worked more, since there's just this never-ending list of work for me to get done. I feel like the only break I can afford is lunch and writing the blog (today's post...not the others). That and my checking social media. But it'll all be worth it, that's for sure!

Have a magical day!

Day 566: Thunderstorms

There aren't many things in life that I absolutely HATE, but thunderstorms? Yeah, that's one of them.

I can't really pinpoint WHY I hate thunderstorms, and in all reality there's no logical reason as to why I should hate them or be afraid of them or whatever. It's just...I do. I absolutely HATE thunderstorms. I mean, the only thing I really can come up with is my love of the Wizard of Oz as a kid and the stupid tornadoes at the beginning that apparently instilled some outrageous terror into me that still lingers today, since if there's one thing I hate on this earth even more than thunderstorms and planes and buses and everything else put together, it's tornadoes.

But as I sit here trying to get work done on Operation Last Week of Summer (because in all reality, it's August 18th as I'm writing this. Not July 20), my window is cracked and the soft pitter patter of rain along with the stupid booming sound of thunder is ever present. And I'm here all alone. I hate thunderstorms...but I hate them even more when I'm alone during them. Especially when the weather box goes off to tell me there's a severe thunderstorm warning for south of here. At least it's not for here. I can calm myself down a little bit.

I texted Megan about my fears just now, about how the thunder is coming in and GOD I JUST SAW LIGHTNING and how I really hate storms, but being the super awesome person she is, she had a response for me, and I very much approve.

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but some time ago on Instagram one of my fellow Disney Geeks mentioned something and I'll never be able to look at thunderstorms the same way, or at least won't be able to now that Megan mentioned it again. They mentioned that whenever there's a thunderstorm they just pretend that they're riding on Living with the Land at Epcot...and it occurred to me that this is pretty much the most BRILLIANT IDEA OF ALL TIME.

So now I'm just going to pretend I'm on a boat going through the rainforest or past some buffalo as a fire rages on because of a lightning strike or...maybe not that second one. But the first one for sure. Sitting in the Land at Epcot sounds a lot nicer than sitting here in my bedroom all alone trying not to freak out while I also attempt to get work done. Yes, that sounds great.

If you need me I'll be learning about our delicate ecosystem. Thanks.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 18).