Healthy and happy...
My very first run after a long while…
Finally physically healthy enough to go for
a run! I’ve never felt this healthy and been able to breathe so fully in my life. I’m grateful to so many people, but especially to the one person who made this possible.
Looking forward to many more runs...
August 20, 2025
Grafham Water
As a water-loving person (sea, lake, river - anything really (-:), I recently visited Grafham Water, a large reservoir located in Cambridgeshire, England. It’s surrounded by picturesque countryside and lies near the villages of Grafham and Perry. An adventurous full-circle hike (about 16–17 km) is possible around the lake, taking you through those villages, open fields, forested areas, several lake viewpoints, and even past some farms. An amazing place; it was worth every minute of that hike.
August 17, 2025
Oughtonhead Common Nature Reserve
Quick walk at Oughtonhead Common Nature Reserve. Nature is great when you need to process thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
August 22, 2025
PAM - UH Graduation Ceremony
As an academic, I had the privilege of attending the University of Hertfordshire's graduation ceremony for Physics, Astronomy, and Mathematics, where I was a presenter at the magical St Alban's Cathedral. It was such a sweet feeling to see the graduates, from BScs to PhDs. I never had the chance to attend any of my own higher education ceremonies, so it was truly lovely to share in their happiness.
Life is full of both challenges and rewards, and I wish them the very best of luck as they begin their new journeys.
September 4, 2025
00:11, September 2025 -- with Jeff Russo’s Song of Procession.
Fractured Links
My little hideaway: Gorhambury Drive
You can smell autumn!
October, 2025
One side of you is melancholy,
the other is haste.
As the curtains are shaken by the warm air,
the sun finds its way to your stare.
Each moment unfolds,
and all is achieved, in its own quiet pace.
Time for reflections...
Let the new pair of shoes step in; a small photo of a big achievement, turning challenges into strength through running and weight lifting, for both body and mind.
Happy Tolkien Reading Day, which quietly happens to be my bday. A beautiful handmade beer stein from my lovely spouse, for an ale lover and a once (and always) LOTR fan, first raised at our season’s opening garden BBQ. Cheers!!
Excited to share that our project GEM-DEEP, for which I am the PI, has been granted observing time with ASKAP. We’ll observe one of the most promising regions in the southern hemisphere for 100 hours across three frequencies, exploring galaxies, supermassive black holes, and magnetic fields. Big data challenges ahead — but gladly accepted.
Looking forward to the journey.
My first homemade baklava
Well, I didn’t know I could bake
baklava from scratch!
After a friend (thank you, Merve!) reminded me how amazing homemade baklava tastes by sharing hers with us, I decided to try making it myself using my mom’s recipe.
No shortcuts here - I prepared the dough from scratch, rolled out the delicate layers, and made the syrup (şerbet) myself. It’s a demanding process: you have to be precise with the quantities, the thinness of each layer, and the consistency of the syrup.
I have to admit, it turned out so delicious that we finished it in just a few days. As the eldest daughter, I suppose all those years of watching my mom make these pastries paid off, I must have picked up a thing or two along the way.
Until the next one… Afiyet olsun! April 1, 2026
Moving Again
Finally, I'm cleared to run and lift again after a couple of months off. While you're busy making plans, your body sometimes makes plans of its own, you never really know... Anyway, all that pent-up energy is making me feel like
I could run at the speed of sound and lift my own body weight.
The timing couldn't be better, as this is one of those periods when you need your mental strength the most. Recent developments in UK astronomy, coupled with a few challenging reviews, have certainly tested that strength; and perhaps served as a reminder that not every challenge is solved at a desk.
On a side note, these babies have been patiently waiting
for me for two months. June 15, 2026
