It would be fair to categorize my experience in the field of science as, limited. In high school, my only interest in the microscope was what (hopefully hunky) male was going to end up being my lab partner. I never cared to watch microbes frolic in pond water, study the fascinating vein structure of a leaf or heaven forbid, dissect a frog.
If I want to drive myself really crazy, I think about how computers work. Complete and absolute torture can be accomplished by discussing anything that has to do with space: the planets, gravity, black holes, other galaxies, meteors and the list goes on indefinitely. It just fries my brain. So, I go through life avoiding anything even remotely related to the study of science.
To my angst and surprise, Partner turned out to be a closet botanist. He discovered and named two new species found on the ranch. Formerly known as Xanthium strumarium, the cocklebur is now correctly referred to as Damnus cockleburus. This relative of the sunflower grows in profusion right along side of the mesquite and the rattlesnakes. The innocuous looking plant is toxic to grazing animals such as cattle. Fortunately, we have none...cattle that is. Partner's second discovery, previously erroneously identified as Cenchrus echinatus, the common Southern Sandspur is now correctly referred to as Damnus grassburum. Forget the stock market; invest in Roundup. Partner is on the hunt for the whole Damnus family.
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