garden

We put in our garden over Memorial Day weekend. We put in the usuals, including a variety of tomatoes and eggplant. Our strawberries from last year seem to be doing well. We also added broccoli for the first time this year. I have never grown it before so I didnt know what to
expect. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the plant we put into the ground is actually starting to look like the broccoli Im used to eating! Do you see the little floret in the middle???? Ok, you have to look real close, but still!! I sure hope it gets larger!

Will report back in about 25 or so more days when it *should* reach maturity. Ok, I also know we need to weed the garden...

Bike power!!

The one thing that really surprised me but also caused me to reflect upon my own practices was how committed the Dutch were to riding bikes and other forms of alternative transportation! I knew that the Dutch rode their bikes more, and that cars were not as dominant a part of their society, but I was really astounded by how many bike riders I saw of all ages. And the things they could do on their bikes!

First, there were definitely more bike riders than people in cars. Walking down the street I think you have to be more worried about being hit by a bike than a car. In fact, they have special lights at intersections just for the bikes. You can see in this one picture, the bikes lined up at the light.

Second, I saw old people (80s and up!) riding bikes, young people (lets say ages as low as 3) riding 2 wheelers with agility. I saw women of all ages riding bikes with 3 and 4 kids in tow (2 in front and 2 in the back) whilst also carrying groceries and other odds and ends. I saw a woman, I'd say about 65 years old, who was wearing a dark suit with a skirt, high pencil thin heels, cruising down the street. I saw a priest in full dress. I couldnt whip my camera out fast enough to catch these images, but they are certainly indelibly imprinted in my mind.

Now, really, when I think I cant ride my bike to school because I have too much to carry, I will think twice, and try hopping on the bike. I will also say that I think its going to take some practice. We saw lots of adults carrying adults on the back of the bike (like Im trying to do with my colleage, Nancy, in this picture), but lets just say its really hard to keep your balance when you havent done this before!

If the Dutch aren't riding their bikes they are taking the train, the tram or the bus. The public transportation system in both amsterdam and utrecht was enviable. And, packed! People used it! Here in the US people are complaining about $4/gallon price for gas. Some folks even want to lift drilling restrictions to get more oil into the system, despite good evidence that it is harmful to the larger ecosystems we share with other species. I think, as a society, we have a lot to learn from the Dutch!!

netherlands, part 2

I do not have too many picture since sunday since I have been at a meeting in utrecht, so I thought I would wrap up my post about amsterdam. I was able to visit Anne Frank's hiding place from 1942-1944. It was actually bigger than I anticipated, but still with two families hiding and trying to live in total darkness and silence the space I bet felt very small. 

I think I walked every inch of this beautiful city. Its geographic size is smaller than i thought, so a full day of walking can cover lots of territory. I went down to the van gough museum with Miyoun (although we did not go inside). Next to the van gough museum is also the state museum (rijkmuseum) and a large quad, with a fountain and this very cool looking I amsterdam sign!

We walked by lots of cheese (kaas) shops, brown cafes (for bier!), and koffie shops. I thought the coffee here was quite good, and oh the bier was very good too!

I was also impressed with how many houses and buildings were fit

 into every nook and cranky, so houses of all shapes and sizes. I liked this house because it was on a triangle corner, and in its own special way reminded me of the flatiron building.

OK one more post when I have time with pics from Utrecht... honestly, dont get your hopes up because Ive been inside all days...

scott, this one is for you

When I was walking to the Anne Frank House Museum this weekend
(before heading down to my meeting - yes I am working this week!), I
took this picture. Scott, can you figure out why? The church in the
background is the Westerkerk Church whose bells Anne Frank like to
listen to while hiding away behind her father's office.

DSC06031.JPG

the netherlands, part 1

Here are a few quick pictures from my walk around Amsterdam today.
Miyoun is here, too (and its her birthday, so happy birthday
miyoun!). And we decided we must have walked 6 or 7 miles. We visited the De Gooyer molen windmill in the old jewish quarter, and walked
along many of the city's canals. We also walked through the flower
district and by the University of Amsterdam (where we are staying
tonight). We also walked by the Palias, which is a huge neclassical ediface that served as an orphanage in the 19th century (so I sound
like lonely planet)? Its down the meeting in utrecht tomorrow, but I
hear there is a castle down there so i might try to sneak a peek of that!

the city came by and chopped up the trees that had fallen... and the
girls thought that was a blast! Now we are having some fun in NYC, so
stay tuned for pics! In the mean time here is a member of the local
obama for president east lansing club!

birthdays and tornadoes

Frankie turned three this weekend, but you know it seemed like she
was already three!! She really wanted a "slide cake" for her
birthday, with chocolate and pink frosting. When we asked her what a
slide cake was she said it was a cake shaped like a slide. Well, all
I can say is that we tried our hardest. It's been so hot and humid,
I couldnt get the icing to keep from sliding off, but trying to catch it with your fingers is half the fun i guess! We've also had a lot of severe thunderstorms these past few days. Yesterday we were sitting on the porch cooling off as the clouds rolled in and the next thing we knew the tornado sirens had sounded. We we went down to the basement and turned on the computer which showed that the tornado was heading to east lansing then haslett. While I dont think the tornado is what actually came overhead, we did have 75 mph winds and when we emerged from the basement not even 10 minutes later we found we lost our tree in the front yard.