TGIF on a dreary week

Today has been a mixed bag, an ending of a semi-miserable week. It's been 40-ish all day, gray, damp, and very windy all day. Today was a research symposium for biology students, and TPP was pleased to see how many students had done research on botanical subjects. Some colleagues still have difficulty believing that a significant segment of our majors like plants. And best of all, the students knew what they were talking about and they all seemed to really like their research.  How great is that?  Other than the semi-depressing chores of dealing with the odds and ends that have accumulated over the past few weeks, todays news was rather depressing, even worse than the latest SCOTUS stupidity.  A neighbor has rather suddenly died, and while a senior, senior citizen, it seemed his death was unexpected and not preceded by any illness.  Wendel was a terrific person, a community activist and leader, and our historic district designation and peace treaty with commercial neighbors were largely his doing, his negotiating skills, & his tenacity. Then a hour later, TPP found out one of his longtime professional colleagues, James Wandersee, had died following a long illness. Jim is most famous for formulating the concept of "plant blindness", a real malady that TPP has struggled against for years.  So this is some blogging therapy aided in this instance by a negroni (gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth 1:1:1 on the rocks), a cheerfully red and pleasantly dry cocktail. Here's to the recently departed: your accomplishments will be long remembered.