lightning was desire

Strawberries from the yard!



Jessica L's bday at The Bristol.



Jessica P's bday at...





Rented out the whole place...



...just how Palumbo rolls!







Sampson took some far superior pics.



Banner's bday in Michigan.



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Since last I wrote, list-wise: The weather has been more consistently summer-like (just in time for the solstice); tried out for an ultimate club team and got super excited about the idea of playing competitively again; didn't make the ultimate club team and was super bummed (despite def not being as in shape or up on fundamentals as the other ladies); attempted to transform my bummed-outness into motivation by signing up for the Twin Cities Marathon...not as fun as chasing a Frisbee, but WHAT IS!; starting jogging again (slooowly remembering how to do this); started biking again (like riding a bike); made new friends from LA; Sara & Craig's baby, Frances (Frankie), arrived in the world!!; finally gave the garden some attention (planted assorted tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, plus cucumber, sunflowers, salvia, and veronica speedwell—rolling the dice with these mid-season plantings!); went to MI for Father's Day and Ban's 3rd bday; swam in Bair Lake; visited the crazy new Poetry Foundation building; started a Second City comedy writing class; ate raw for a week(+). "Practice" is emerging as a summer theme...i.e., Comedy writing takes a lot of practice and experimentation. As does eating salad for dinner.

dreams were thunder

I may be too obsessed with photographically documenting the seasonal shift to spring, but every year around late April/early May, I make a point to revisit (and sometimes take pics of) my favorite running route, the North Channel Trail—stretching along the Chicago River from Argyle to Peterson. There's a two- or three-week window where it seems like every tree along the path is in bloom.



Makes me appreciate Chicago.





Bloom where you're planted. Am I right?









Craig & Sara's baby shower.





The couple of the hour.



What I call a spread.



Nandini-made cocktail with lilac ice cubes.











It was snowing flowers at the Art Institute.



Back to Hoffman Estates to round out the weird X-Factor experience.



Downtown Sound.





How I like my mornings. (For Mary)



Mahoney Home.

take it all

"Shedding is a reflection of normal growth and renewal in a healthy animal. If a reptile is not healthy, it will not shed as often as it should." —Reptile Skin Shedding: Snakes, Lizards and Chelonians

Hot hot heat. The garden is a weedy jungle with nothing planted yet, save whatever's popping up from last year. I think I recognize cauliflower, green onion, and some rogue mint, but I can also identify a pizza box that blew in from a neighbor's yard. (Giordano's: local native.) In any case, the yard needs work!



True to form, Chicago spring has vacillated wildly between winter-like and summer-like, with too many blasts of cold autumnal rain, and now it's 93°F and everyone's peeling off layers of clothing like reptiles shedding their skin. I'm still not quite ready to transition to a uniform of shorts. (Time to revisit my favorite website.)



When it comes an active lifestyle, everyone should probably take their cues from Courtney, aka SPORTY SPICE...

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The past couple months in list form: sickness, recovery, Rahm in office, art reviews, birthdays, late-night freelance proofreading in the Wrigley Building, a lot more freelancing in general (a welcome thing, post-taxes), Chicago coming into bloom, a closer look at TV singing competitions (more on that soon), trying out Maude's and Arami (both great) and Owen & Engine (meh), movie nights with CC, making a lot of stuff in the Vitamix, trips to Michigan, Brian moving into a group home, both sisters recording albums, revisiting my favorite sport, sleep deprivation, watching Pulling (brilliant) and The Killing (liked it initially, but it quickly became pretty monochromatic & monotone… D. calls the lead detective Ol' Sourpuss), baby shower, book fair, Easy having surgery, Misericordia, missing people, telepathically telling long-distance friends I miss them (did you get the message?), making overly ambitious summer resolutions and then realizing (as I always do) that the season I longed for is already here, with more street fests and summer concerts and BBQs than one could imagine, much less—while preserving any modicum of free time or essential bouts with semi-boredom—attend. Note for the next couple months: Amid the running & running around, I need some porch sitting and books.



MDW Art Fair.



Easter brunch at Milk & Honey.



The legs are finito.



X-Factor auditions in Hoffman Estates. This guy made it through to the second round, natch.



Daydreaming of pizza?





The peach tree blossomed this year!





Dan's birthday brunch at Lula.





Kalamazoo.



Home in Michigan.



Pretty Mom on Mom's Day.





Spring comes to M & D's yard.