We live in a yellow townhouse village smack-dab in the middle of the city. It is a conflicting combination of shared lawns and fences, common gardens and private people. Fences really do make good neighbors when you are living so close, but so does sharing a water spigot. You know who the hose belongs to and even water their garden while you have it out. That is what good neighbors do for each other. In our village, we also compost together and ask each other if you need anything at the grocery store. Its a weird place, but it fits us perfectly.

We were in chicago for the weekend - I on business and Brandon got to come along for the downtown location. He spent the whole weekend wandering around and I spent mine sitting in seminars, getting inspired. This is my favorite image and place from the whole weekend and it inspires me too. This fountain at Millenium Park is the best work of contemporary public art/architecture I have experienced and we returned again and again. There is lush grass and a magical bean, but the fountain is the crowning achievement...kids go nuts for this fountain! They are excited and scared and up late and mesmerized by the water and the lights and the images. They run back and forth, screaming with excitement and their parents just look on in amazement. This is what architecture should be.

Different view. I usually walk across one side of the bridge both ways. Today I found myself on the other side walking to work. Its good to switch things up a while. I'm not usually one to go into a coffee shop and order the same thing day after day (unless I'm at the Java Moose) but even random me finds herself being pretty ridged with behavior once in a while. So, I'm challenging myself to walk a different route, order a new coffee, and not be so caught up in my schedule.

Bike race in Stillwater - the guy standing next to us said there would be blood when these guys came around the curve. We didn't see any, but we only watched one lap, so maybe that happened later.

6.14.08

Retro on the River weekend. Laura's bachelorette party was a get-away weekend at this house that was decked out in glass-block, vinyl, chrome and anything retro; 1967 playboy, Barbie convertible, New Kid's on the Block bed sheets, and Betty Crocker home-decor tips from the 1950's. It was riot and we had so much fun.

This little green patch is actually in the middle of downtown Minneapolis. There is lawn bowling and movies and it is pretty neat. There is also guniess and fish and chips and London phone booths. I like Brits.

6.12.08

Yesterday I participated in a Habitat for Humanity Women's Build day. It was exausting. And muddy. When I was little, I used to categorize mud; similar to how biologist order plants and animals, but I was only 3 or 4 and didn't know that there were 5 kingdoms or what a species was. It was pretty advanced though - I know mud. So yesterday I was flashing back to this time in my life when it was so simple. This kind of mud made good mud-pies, that kind made better mud-balls. Of course the best mud was "dinosaur mud" which was only available at my day care in their driveway. They were essentially puddles that got a skim coating on top and that was the champagn of mud - silky texture, didn't dry up too fast, perfect. Yesterday the mud was sticky and my shoe almost came off...I don't remember what I called that kind.

This is my latest creation. Baby quilt for a friend's new baby. I didn't get it done before he was born, but I'll at least have the binding on within a week! There are frogs and lots of colors - gender neutral until Monday, and I love it! Its been raining for a week and a half on and off, and my garden is semi-under control, so i can get back to the other projects sitting around. My garden pests are not under control, but that another entry.

Head shot. I am immediately regretting the decision I made to dye my hair today. Grey hair runs strong in my family and I have the gene. It is a slower process that I would wish for - going all white at this point would be nice, because then I wouldn't be facing a life-long decision to dye or not to dye...today I chose the box dye. Its very red, which I guess is a fun summer color, but I am shocked that it actually took. Oh well, its just hair - right?

Ah - modern day convieniences...I've been having troubles with my camera. Namely, I couldn't find the battery charger and then the memory card went missing. But I think I have everythign necessary to start taking pictures again. This week we have been waiting for rain. Everyday grey and everyday the weather say that it will rain. So far everyday, nothing. Tonight is supposed to be the big release, so I didn't water my garden today, but everyother day I took a chance and splashed the hose around. I probably looked crazy becuase it was supposed to rain...

This is my husband. He frequently goes on 50 mile bike rides all over the city. Today I went with for just a short run around the river. We went up one side, crossed the freeway bridge and then down the other.