Looking at Things

There was a thought -- it may have been misplaced -- having to do with looking through the lens differently.  This is how it worked out --

Tunnel Park on Saturday morning.  It looks like another light at the end of the tunnel photo, because it is.  It wasn't that scene that caught my eye, even though it is why I walked over there.

It was this van that did -- the whole idea of Professional Beer Consultants amuses me.  And it's Trademarked!

Sunday was our inaugural trip of the season to Captain Sundae's.  My favorite models have been photographed in this location many times. But what really caught our attention was this --

The owners are planning to put in an 18 hole miniature golf course adjacent to the ice cream shop.  We spent a fair amount of time trying to make sense of the illustration, walking around the building a few times, trying to put it all into perspective.  We aren't sure how we feel about the change.  We also don't think it will fit.  And there won't be enough parking.  We gave this a lot of thought.

March doesn't get very warm here next to a really big lake full of cold, cold water.  A west wind today didn't help a bit.  The management at the PSPS seems to be optimistic that warmth will return eventually, and is displaying chairs very much like the ones we've seen so many times at South Beach on Gasparilla.  It was nearly too cold to ride my bike today, but the sky was blue and I have the gear, as they say.  Wearing a little more of it on my ride would have been prudent, as I'll be curled up in a blanket on the couch this evening, trying to rewarm my core.  

Looking for something green.

St. Paddy's Day is not a big deal here in Dutch country, USA.  Even so, it was harder than I expected to find any sign of it today (other than the crowds at bars and local craft breweries.)  I was looking for some additional exercise for today, too -- there has been an old person's string of nights with poor sleep lately, and exercise usually helps that.  It was a fairly typical March 17th, weather wise.  Mid 40's, very windy, patchy blue skies.  The sun is now high enough in the sky to have some warmth of its own, even though the air was cool.  Most of the snow has been gone for a week around here, and there are a few signs that "spring has sprung."

I believe the next line is "the grass has riz."  That is, of course, a bicycle tire for scale next to some tiny white flowers that we'll be calling weeds shortly.

Here is where the bicycle was parked while I took these pictures.  My first ride of the year to the Port Sheldon Party Store.  I may be sufficiently tired.

Pi(e) Day

"Timey wimey" is a little "wibbly wobbly" here in blog land.  However, Pi(e) day comes but once a year -- 3.14 is it.  Last year was the big one, and I was on my bike, in Florida, on 3.14.15 at 9:26:53.  My beloved niece had my favorite kind of pi(e) delivered to my door.  It's really, really hard to top that.  Still, this day should not pass unremarked, even though fog rolled in all day long, and it was a raw spring day all around.  So in honor of my niece, who started this by bringing me some birthday pie in a condo on Lake Superior on TRAM three, and with great respect for all the contributions made by family members to the blogs to commemorate this day over the years, I give you pi(e).

It's apple, not strawberry rhubarb.  Or even key lime, which has been a standard during the years we were in Florida in the winter.  But what's not to like about apples and cinnamon in a pastry crust with a little ice cream on the side?  (JB had french silk, but I have no photo to prove it.)  

Pfui

LH once again suggested, on our morning walk, that we take an afternoon bike ride.  She was operating off of yesterday's forecast for today, and to be candid, I knew that.  I really should have told her that the temperature forecast had been revised downward substantially.  Mid 50's, with a light wind and sun?  Nice riding weather for March 11.  Mid 40's?  Not so much.  It was my 3rd ride of the week, after having ridden Tuesday and Wednesday.  Wednesday's ride was nearly identical to Tuesday's, except in the opposite direction, and colder.  I got chilled, and didn't blog about it.  Today's ride was even colder.

It was a social ride, our only goal was to ride further than the last time.  We've seen alpaca farms around here before, but this was in a new location, on Riley between 152nd and 160th.  I liked this series of photos.  This week has included medical issues, voting, shopping, several walks, a visit from the college girl, two books in a new murder mystery series I'm reading, a hair appointment and three bike rides.  And a comment from my beloved niece that indicated that she didn't quite believe that the title of this post constituted an actual word in Words With Friends.

The First Ten are Not Easy

My first bike ride last year covered 10 miles -- and occurred on January 2.   It was 77 degrees that day where I was, a mere 10 degrees warmer than during today's ride.  There has not been a stretch of 2 months where I didn't ride at all, for years.  I couldn't find any similar stretch recorded in my log -- which goes back to 2002.  It seems a safe bet that I won't spend much time comparing this year's mileage to past years.

LH rode with me today -- we started out wearing light jackets but stopped early to remove a layer.  It is March, so it was windy, of course.  I've seen a lot of Lake Mac in the spring over the years, it was good to see it again.