On Jan 5 I featured a nice bit of science and called it a birthday gift for Carver. Previously I had been celebrating his day on Jan 29, but apparently historians think it’s Jan 5 now.

Well, this is Jan 29, so here’s an unfamiliar quotation from the man himself. The Quote Investigator found this in many sources around 1913, and seems to credit Teddy Roosevelt for the original form. Here’s the Carver citation:

It is his own philosophy that keeps him there: his belief that there are no greener pastures than those near-by. Science-wise, he has reduced that belief to a formula: “Start where you are, with what you have, make something of it, never be satisfied.” Now, approaching 80, he is still making that formula work.

Start where you are.
Work with what you have.
Make something of it.
Never be satisfied.

It’s a more general version of Carver’s advice to scientists:

Look about you.
Take hold of the things that are here.
Talk to them.
Let them talk to you.