Bike riding

So, lately I've been riding my bike... a lot. I ride to school pretty much everyday and I love it. I have the route down to about thirty minutes, and it takes me between 15-20 minutes to drive. There has been seldom bad weather this summer. So I've been enjoying the scenery as I ride around.

Part of the reason I am enjoying biking so much is because of all of the time I get to spend outside. I get to look at the St. Paul skyline as I go over the 35E Mississippi Bridge: the cathedral sticking out amongst sky scrappers, and barges shuttling up and down the river. I also get to see a lot of wildlife: deer, eagles, cardinals, falcons, racoons, and dogs off leashes. I also get to see a lot canadian geese, mallard ducks, and some great egrets.

I've been watching the egrets for a while now, and they have hung out around the same sandbar for almost all summer undisturbed except for the few homeless guys that build fires on the shoreline (don't worry, I'm observing all this from atop a bridge). Anyways, about a month ago I noticed some mallards started hanging out on the sandbar as well, but the two species would stand on opposite sides and avoid interacting. After about two weeks of this segregated living, some canadian geese also arrived on their way down south, and wanted to enjoy the sandbar. For a couple of days the three species were all together, but eventually the sandbar became overrun with the common goose, and I have not seen the crane or the mallards since.

The geese are loud, but I love watching them land in the water. They fly in a V-formation as we all know, but when the land, they land in the water at the same time, and then swim behind each other.

Part of spring, summer, and fall, is taking the advantage of getting outside. I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to ride my bike a little more, so that I can enjoy the world around me... even in the middle of St. Paul.

Helmet On?

A while ago, a friend gave us a bike seat that we have used quite a bit this summer to go on some fun outings. Lauren loves riding bikes and especially loves her helmet. When she wants to go for a ride, she gets her helmet out of the closet, brings it to me, and says "Helmet on?"

Fort Snelling State Park.

Minnehaha Falls

Problem

Lauren swallowed a plum pit yesterday.

Guess who gets to go digging for buried treasure?

Cousin Fun

Lauren and Annie holding "Zeet", Emily and Jude

Haiku for You

Here are a few haiku I composed on our drive home from Utah last week.

A barren wasteland

Miles and miles of nothingness

I hate Wyoming

A speeding ticket

Just four over the limit

I hate Nebraska

(Note: I didn't actually have to use that last one, but I composed it just in case)

We are home sweet home

Eighty-nine point five inside

Hooray for AC

Four days in a car

One year old mostly pleasant

I love my Lauren

Nice double chin :)

Then and Now

This picture was taken a year ago:
This picture was taken yesterday:

Sad face. I know where Lauren is, but where's my baby?

Virtual Book Club

Hello readers. You are officially invited to join me in a virtual book club for the month of July (and possibly following months, depending on the response). All you have to do is read the book and make a comment or two on your thoughts. For July, I have chosen Jane Austen's Emma, which I have somehow never read.

Image courtesy of amazon.com. Could you tell?

I know the basic story (from Wishbone), but I think the Gwyneth Paltrow movie version turned me off from reading the book. I'd like to make my own judgment, though, so I plan to read it.

To start the discussion, here's a simple question: How does Emma compare to Jane Austen's other novels? Is it better, worse, more boring, more entertaining, etc. Does it deserve more attention than it gets?


If you've already read Emma, you can just leave your comment now, or read it again and bring back fond memories. If you've watched the movie you could compare the book to the movie. Or, if you have no intention of reading it, just tell me what you are reading now!


And if you have no intention of reading whatsoever, here's a picture of Lauren sleeping for you to enjoy.