May 31, 2010 - Day 81

A few months ago a strip center a few blocks from here burned, taking a couple of stores and restaurants with it. This is a broken window in one of the storefronts. It was a beautiful old building and I'll post some other shots of it soon.

May 30, 2010 - Day 80

Crape Myrtles are among my favorite trees. They've begun blooming around town and I'm anticipating finding out what color flowers this one by our front window has.

May 29, 2010 - Day 79

We went to IKEA today for supplies to feather our new nest. We always enjoy word-less assembly instructions. I guess that's easier when your customers speak 31 different languages. (That's how many appear on the tags that describe materials.) 

May 28, 2010 - Day 78

If March rains and April showers bring forth May flowers, what do May showers do?

May 27, 2010 - Day 77

The first bloom on a lily our friend John gave us last year from some he had to dig up from his garden. Michael and I have become very fond of the pine tree in the background, which is in the front yard. Actually, we're really enjoying being in a property that has a front yard rather than a pile of rocks and some ancient railroad ties.

May 26, 2010 - Day 76

Back on track with a lighter, healthier diet: parslied potatoes, red kidney beans and a mix of mushrooms and shallots with produce from the farmer: carrots, Swiss chard and carrot tops.

May 25, 2010 - Day 75

I have to admit, in recent years I have mostly bought baby cut carrots, and I had forgotten how pretty the tops of whole ones are. I know the carrots themselves will be sweet because the farmer gave us one straight from the ground when we were out there a couple weeks ago. I did some research and you can actually eat the tops too. We're going to give that a try.

Oh, and the carrots themselves are pretty too.

May 24, 2010 - Day 74

Today I unpacked most of the kitchen. While washing something in the sink I saw this squirrel crouched on the fence near the window, looking at me like "Who are you?"

May 23, 2010 - Day 73

Now THIS ice cream truck means business! It's a rolling ice cream palace, complete with sculptural wood molding and Christmas lights. Love the matching yellow hub caps and bumper too.

May 22, 2010 - Day 72

Yes, I had to go into work this morning to complete a few things so I can be out from today through the Memorial Day holiday, but now I'm free! Our new lease states that we are not to walk around in high heels on the hardwood floors. This closeup of the floor in one of the elevator lobbies at work shows why our lease includes those instructions.

May 21, 2010 - Day 71

One of the major cross streets that intersects ours several blocks away is just off the highway and a busy restaurant area (read: not the fastest way to get out of the neighborhood at night). We tried our local "neighborhood bar" for dinner and found that they have a nice selection of microbrews, imported beers, yummy eats, and a very casual relaxed atmosphere. I had a Canadian beer called Maudite, which means "cursed" or "damned" in French. Michael's brisket sandwich had an awesome Kahlua cream sauce. Nice way to end a busy week!

May 20, 2010 - Day 70

Many of our moving boxes came from a couple that includes a research scientist, so amongst the usual copy paper boxes are ones with labels containing chemical storage codes and brand names including words like sigma, biosystems and scientific. I think the "tissue culture" one is my favorite, along with the vivid blue one for  exam gloves.

May 19, 2010 - Day 69

Clouds during the day make me sleepy, but they do make for a lovely pre-sunset sky!

May 18, 2010 - Day 68

"I know just the place for it - right in the middle of our front room window!" (No, not ours, one a couple blocks down our street.) "It's indescribably beautiful - It reminds me of the Fourth of July! Turn off all the lights - I want to see what it looks like from the street!" (If this doesn't make any sense, see here.)

May 17, 2010 - Day 67

Back to work today after a busy move weekend. This is a photo that I really like from our walk along Turtle Creek recently. The bridge is one of several roads that cross over the creek. That day was much prettier than today, which was gray and rainy.

May 16, 2010 - Day 66

Sun coming through the window in my shower this morning. The new place has more than 20 windows and great natural light all day. In the brighter seasons we won't need to turn on lights until around sunset.

May 15, 2010 - Day 65

One of the trees in the front yard of our new place - some kind of pine I'm not familiar with.

May 14, 2010 - Day 64

Began the move to our new apartment this evening. This is looking out a decorative window in the living room.

May 13, 2010 - Day 63

The Crescent Hotel is between work and home, and I always enjoy looking at the ironwork on the porches while sitting at the stoplight. It's actually a pretty tall building, but I wanted some zoom on the ironwork.

May 12, 2010 - Day 62

Thai food for dinner to celebrate Michael's completion of biology and chemistry finals. Yes, the lily on the table is more than half the size of the menu. We could have easily hidden our heads behind that bloom!

May 11, 2010 - Day 61

This jasmine frames our neighbor's doorway and has a strong, sweet fragrance. 

May 10, 2010 - Day 60

They seem to tear up the part of our street near Jen and Tom's annually, and driving around there becomes a bit like a trip to Six Flags. (Note the barricades going as far off into the background as you can see.) 

May 9, 2010 - Day 59

Today was one of my turns to drive to farmer Jerry's to pick up our shares of vegetables. He has 10 acres half an hour south of Dallas. We climbed aboard this little wagon and he gave us a tour of the fields. This is him on a bridge that crosses one of his ponds. He invited us to come out for some fishing whenever we want. He's a funny and seriously nice man. This week, red radishes, turnip greens and kale.

May 8, 2010 - Day 58

Hattie can be very cute too.

May 7, 2010 - Day 57

Just outside our gate is a whiskey barrel so old that the tree that used to reside there grew roots out the bottom and into the sidewalk, fixing it there. When we got rid of the creepy dead tree I planted some rosemary and these yellow flowers, which are much prettier this year than last year when I planted them.

May 6, 2010 - Day 56

I've been home with a head full of allergies, aches and a sore throat since early afternoon yesterday. I knew what I needed for dinner was a bowl of spicy Tomato Dreams soup from Cosmic Cafe. I had noticed before that the table across from us was an old door on top of an antique Singer sewing machine table, but had never noticed the rainbow-like treatment of the edges.

May 5, 2010 - Day 55

Looking out the living room window through the vertical blinds at the side of the house next door. I've always enjoyed the geometric pattern from this view.

May 4, 2010 - Day 54

I took a walk at lunch and found myself with only the camera on my phone, which doesn't produce images quite the quality of a camera (or Michael's camera phone). Can you make out the two window washers? I was thinking how glad I am that my job doesn't entail hanging from the side of a building in the glaring sun.

May 3, 2010 - Day 53

A friend and I went to a sandwich shop downtown for lunch and it was nice to get out and be in the warm sun. Later this afternoon the rain clouds moved in. No wonder I was sleepy all afternoon.

May 2, 2010 - Day 52

First veggies from farmer Jerry - a small bunch of radishes. When things get rolling, we should get about half a bushel of vegetables per week, probably 4 to 6 varieties. I've never had more than a bite or two of radish at a time, so this will be interesting. This smells more fresh than anything at the grocery store: like dirt, leaves and sunshine.

May 1, 2010 - Day 51

The geese are coming! The geese are coming! (Run for your lives!) We knew that geese could be territorial and they reminded us of this (quite loudly) at the creek yesterday.