In which Miss Wozniak is invested as Lady Wellington

I have settled in at the university's field camp, and am quite pleased to find that the rustic surroundings are punctuated by a delightful potbelly stove, Korean art from the researchers' travels and a clawfoot tub carried in on the backs of indentured graduate students. The quality of the tea has suffered, however, I am finding that coffee, though so dreadfully American, is perfect for stirring the humours in the morning. We set out from the base camp every daybreak for a rambling bird walk. The list of sightings thus far is included below. Morning is concluded with a scanty breakfast of pancakes, sausages, Portuguese Clementine's, Nicaraguan coffee, fresh bacon, muffins, and eggs from the Amish, but this is one of the many sacrifices one must make on expedition.
The new pair of Wellington boots I procured in London before departing is a lovely compliment to my field bustle, though the khaki Belgian lace of my bolero is far too bland for my complexion. We have set out traps that we might collect our precious beetles and bring them back to the laboratory. The chill is too much for their weak forms, still being nearly a frost in the late hours, and the little creatures are hardly tempted by the rotten chicken liver we have set out for them. Only one brave soul has dared to venture into our pitfall.
I find the company of these philosophers of the vital sciences refreshing, and in all the discussion of the natural place of Man and Beast, I have forgone my corset in the heat of the noontime, feeling like an Emily Davies or Josephine Butler!
American Cousin: Helping with Purdue Calumet's Field Biology class in lovely Big Falls, Wisconsin this week. The bird list so far: Purple finch, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow Throat, Catbird, Ovenbird, Blue Bird, Yellow-headed Sapsucker, Nashville Warbler, Caledonian Tea Sipper, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood-Peewee, Eastern Bluebird, Chipping Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow.
Hopefully more exciting sightings to come.
The beetle collecting has been far less successful. We've only caught one of the species we need.