Today, as part of my job, I am going out to walk in a field of thistles that has been set up to catch bees.  (I think!). It's part of the summer program in which I am teaching.  I'm going with a group of three HSers and a grad student, who is going to teach us about her research.  She told us to bring sunscreen, hat and water.  I really don't know what to expect. I have taught general science (For a bazillion years) to middle schoolers, part of another existence, so I'm fairly aware of the methods of scientific inquiry. But I never have walked with a researcher out in the field.  I did once go on the Clearwater, a sloop that was part of the cleaning up the Hudson, back in the very early 1970s, so that's something. But it points out to me that there is a gap that's wider than I imagined between the people who live and breathe research and the rest of us, who only hear or read about it.  Hoping for an enlightening walk.