Four photos

The clematis came back like mad this year.


I love this sedum. It's so... juicy.


One of my favorite stretches of road on my commute.


R.I.P., mural. I'll miss you, except for the creepy baby.

Dogs, gardens, and bicycles...

Things have really ben busy the last two weeks. I now have dogs to walk (besides mine) four days a week. Walking other peoples' dogs is interesting. You walk in different neighborhoods and see new things. You get to watch dogs other than your own do... whatever it is they do. I'm becoming more forgiving of my monsters' quirks and triggers. Consequently, I've been taking them for longer walks and doing things I wouldn't ordinarily do - walking past a place where I know a dog lives, say - and allowing them to freak out, investigate, and calm down. We went to the park today, just me the dogs. I don't think I'd have tried that without Lou a month ago.


Sir Bart, King of Everything

Lou had a long clean-up session and chat with a neighbor on the adjacent block. It turns out, the lot across the street will be available to be gardened by any neighbor who's willing to put in the work and take care of it. Sweet! Community Garden I can see from my window. We're going to be out there leveling at 9:00 AM SAturday. I'm really giddily excited.


The lot

I am getting another bike to tool around on. A vintage folding bike called a Raleigh Twenty. I don't have it yet, but I'll take some pictures when I do. I'm pretty excited to be able to take some train rides out and about with Lou and her Brompton. It's way heavier than a modern folder and I'm not really certain I'll be able to pull off bringing it on a SEPTA bus, but you can bet I'll try. And it looks really classy.

I really feel like I'm cheating on my other bike. I still love it. I ride it every day unless I need to haul really bulky things. I'm planning on getting it painted and replacing out some parts soon so it can be all shiny and new-looking.


I somehow feel like this bike is jealous

Busy bee

Wow, it's been a busy week. I have had stuff to do after work every day, and work itself has been pretty insane as well. Oddly, I'm feeling calm. I've been enjoying the weather and taking photos. I've been walking dogs and visiting cats. Our dogs are now manageable together for me for over 1.5 miles. (As long as we follow one of two very specific routes and do not deviate. At all. For any reason. If any change occurs, they act like foaming rabid beasts on a rampage.)

It's been a good week, though. I feel like the amount of work has been balanced by fresh air, bike rides, walks, and goodness.

Oh yeah, pictures!


Ben, a kitty I'm watching


Sharon eating my head


Cool apartment building

This week has come with a new goal: to be capable of doing just about any repair one could imagine on a bicycle by the end of this summer. Not just installing brake pads and changing tires. Going to acquire a project bike in the near future.

Oh, other goal: finish keg setup and brew an IPA, STAT! This will occur in the next week.

Random brunch photo

Random cell-phone photo
I don't remember why Jacqie D & Jesse are high-fiving, but this photo is amusing. Needless to say, brunch was loads of fun. Perhaps more from that and some other photos from the last few days later.

Right now: Netflix streaming to my TV via the Wii! No more computer-screen TV watching! 

Motivation, among other things.

The last few weeks, I've been becoming more productive, bit by bit. I've been biking daily, walking dogs (other peoples' and my own), and generally spending more time outdoors. I've helped plan and even started a de-cluttering campaign around our house, and have actually managed to get ride of 27 books (gasp!) so far. I know this is barely a dent, but still... it's a start. I'm proud that I've been productive and busy.


Worker ant on a windowsill.

Somehow, this extra productivity has made me feel better at the end of every day. More tired, but happier somehow. And actually able to sleep. It's also cause the serial streaming of TV shows to end. I've probably watched three hours' TV this week at most. That's pretty rad. (Instead, I've been editing/posting photos and working on two blogs, as well as planning projects/excursions/other things with L. All good stuff.)

And now, two random photos:


Two pens (playing with new camera again, of course.)


Chainlink and Tuscan Mural. 32nd and Spring Garden.

Actually, that second photo isn't all that random. I pass that mural every day on my way to work. It's part of the Philly I don't know that I'd pay much attention to if I didn't bike.

I promise I'll stop...

But it's just so nice to see flowers and blossoms and green everywhere after the nasty Winter we had.


Daffodil


Green popping up in the cracks

Today, I'll try to vary my subject matter a little bit. Even I'm getting tired of my posts. I can't promise there won't be a flower or two, though.

Happy Wednesday!

Family

A few photos from Easter dinner at my parents' house.


Matt and Owen


Jolie in her new Easter hat


Annie and Owen (who is obsessed with ceiling fans)


Jolie mugging for the camera

It was an interesting afternoon. Jolie is having some serious terrible twos and had multiple random tantrums. She's quite mercurial these days; one minute, she's giggling and hugging everyone, the next she's screaming for no reason and completely miserable. Anne and Matt are awesome at dealing with the insanity. I don't think I'd be quite as calm. Maybe? I don't have any faith in my ability to parent. Sometimes I think owning dogs is too much responsibility for me.

I feel bad that I don't have good photos of my grandmoms or my parents--the kiddos kind of take center stage when they're around. This is not to say that I don't have pictures of other people, I'm just not sure they're pictures they'd want posted all over teh interwebs. Actually, I do have a sort of cute picture of my dad:


Contemplating a third serving of ham, perhaps?

Ok, I'm off for the night. Time to prepare myself for another week. Planning de-cluttering, car-sale preparation, and a new batch of beer. It's going to be a busy week.

Three snapshots, no writing.

Keely being ridiculous.


Our baby cactii, currently being trampled by football-playing jerks next door.


Tulip with pollen.

All from a walkabout with the tiny camera this morning.

Purdy

Stopped to snap this yesterday on my way in to work. Liking the new camera a lot.

New camera!

I got a tiny little portable camera today (my DSLR is suffering from a broken autofocus and tons of artifact on the sensor from being toted around in a messenger bag for years). I got to test it out while waiting for my haircut. A few random shots:


The fabric on one of the benches in the waiting area of The Beehive.


My eyeball. Heh.

Lou and I have started a blog about living car-free, trying to move closer to a sustainable lifestyle, and essentially, creating less of a footprint. Feel free to check it out.