Not only does she live... she blooms!
A neighbor started this tree from seed and was kind enough to give to me when I began planning and planting my garden. I of course nearly killed it. Actually everyone but me thought it was dead. I insisted my sister Jen plant it while she was visiting. After rounds and rounds of arguing back and forth she finally relented to my demands and just stuck in the ground. She probably kicked it when I wasn't looking.
On this most super of all Tuesdays, I hit the poles. As promised I took along my camera and documented my experience for the Polling Place Photo Project.
Happy WHAT day? Isn't it Fat Tuesday? No, it's Fastnacht Day. It's almost like Fat Tuesday only without the drunken, shirt lifting debauchery. Rather than Happy Let's-party-today-because-tomorrow-is-Lent Day, it's more Happy use-up-all-the-leftover-lard-before-we-have-to-fast-for-Lent Day! Even though lard isn't so prevalent these days the Pennsylvania Dutch still keep the fastnacht tradition strong, because why wouldn't you choose one day a year to gorge yourself on donuts?
Generally we are not the first to align ourselves with the Pennsylvania Dutch, but I think in this case we can make an exception. Who doesn't love fresh donuts? To celebrate the momentous holiday, I popped out to Chow's Donuts to pick up our breakfast. As I drove down the hill I imagined there not being any donuts left to buy. What if I'm too late? The donuts might have been sold by 8 and here it is, 8:15 am and I AM NOT GOING TO GET ONE! (That is what really happens in Pennsylvania, you can't get a fastnacht anywhere if you didn't preorder last week!)
However, I've come to realize that we maybe the only people in our Southern California town to celebrate Fastnacht Day. Luckily, there was plenty to choose from at Chow's. 
I made my selections and happily headed back up the hill to our home. It was well worth the drive.
Heading out to vote in the primary election should be the top priority for Americans, but taking photos of your polling place should be the second priority for designers. In a campaign called Design for Democracy the AIGA - the professional association for design - is working to “demonstrate the value of design by doing valuable things.” Working with different government agencies to redesign the voting experience, the AIGA hopes to improve the interactions between US citizens and their government. Designers across the country can contribute to the cause by documenting their voting experience and submitting photos to The New York Times Polling Place Photo Project.
"The Polling Place Photo Project is a nationwide experiment in citizen journalism that encourages voters to capture, post and share photographs of this year’s primaries, caucuses and general election. By documenting local voting experiences, participants can contribute to an archive of photographs that captures the richness and complexity of voting in America."
I can post today with something I've wanted to post since I wrote this. I walked nine miles this week! Wow! Granted seven of them included lunch at this Mexican restaurant with a large Prickly Pear Margarita half way through. But still, I managed to leave my desk and get my two fur-generators out for a stroll (and no I am not talking about my feet!)
I consider the week to start on Sunday and I can honestly say I will be able to post a mileage next week too. The dogs and I took a long stroll around town today.
I have had a lot going on recently, everything from work to sudden life altering family hospitalization and was finding myself unusually edgy toward my husband. Getting exercise is a proven cure for stress, but when I'm stressed I don't feel like exercising! I feel like napping. So because I work from home I often find it easier to lounge on the couch rather than going out IN PUBLIC. My newest brilliant idea is to get up from my computer at 5 pm every work day. Hopefully most days I will walk right past the couch to the cupboard that holds the dog leashes.
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Week 2 (that's sad)
Walking, 9 miles
Running, 0 miles
