Honeymoon

For the past month we have been on our honeymoon traveling through South East Asia. Four countries, 13 hotels, 12 flights, and six islands later we are home. We are going to post pictures in three groups, a post for each main island we went to. But here are some things we learned from our trip.

1. Java has more motor bikes that you have ever seen in your life (and the drivers are crazy!).
2. You are never far from a Starbucks or a KFC.
3. You have to bargain for everything.
4. Rice paddies are beautiful.
5. Everything is always an adventure, you never know what to expect.
6. Bali is famous for a reason, it is beautiful and fascinating.
7. Stick bugs are really cool.
8. South East Asia is really really really far away.
9. You can watch proboscis monkeys forever.
10. Planet Earth was right, Borneo is really cool.

Friendly racing

After 5 years out of the sport of rowing, Joe and I decided to make a comeback yesterday. We've been maintaining a rigorous training schedule of at least once-every-two-weeks practices since the fall, so we decided to enter the Michigan Club Invitational regatta in Ann Arbor. It's 1000 meters of intensity, with clubs coming from as far away as Madison, Wisconsin. Despite our lack of fitness, seriously rusty technique, and my mistaking 300 meters to go for the finish line, we won the open double event! And more importantly, we had an awesome time rowing together and are satisfied enough to wait at least another 5 years until we race again.

Before the race: nerves of steel

We've still got it!

Look at that catch timing!

Delirious - it didn't use to be this hard

Summer Goodness

This just might be my favorite time of year. The farmers market is getting to it's peak and there isn't anything much better than wandering around the market on a Saturday morning. Last weekend Arthur and I got up and jumped on our bikes and headed to the Pastry Peddler and got a fresh warm pastry. Then we made it to the market where we got our iced coffee and wandered through all the stalls before we started making our purchases.

We have also joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) and pick up our box of goodness on Wednesday. We drive out to the farm on Wednesday after work and our box is waiting there for us. There are some extra goodies out on a table that you can choose from, flowers, herbs, green tomatoes, etc.

Here are some pictures of the best of the summer.
Our first CSA pick up














Beets and goat cheese from our CSA share


















Farmers market bounty


















Organic heirloom tomatoes and our own basil














First batch of blueberries

Local Salad

Yes, this was fresh lettuce.

Also, look how much our tomato plants have grown in just 2 weeks. They're 5 feet tall now!

2 weeks ago, they were just up to Courtney's waist!

Beet seeds went in the ground yesterday.

Triathalon!

Today I completed my first sprint triathlon! Two of my friends in my office, Kelly and Kendall, signed up for the Iron Goddess and I decided to join them. I wasn't sure what I was getting into but I spent the past few months training for it. I borrowed a friends road bike (thanks Anna!) and learned how to road bike. I have come a long way since the first ride, not being able to change my gears, not being able to make it 20 minutes, and being afraid of falling. I bought a new bathing suit and started doing laps. The first time in the pool I didn't have a swim cap, no goggles, and thought I was going to crash into everyone (sorry everyone at YMCA!). Thanks to Arthur doing my training runs and rides with me I made it to the race today and completed it! It was a fun morning and was impressed by all the other ladies out there making a go of it.

Check out some of the pictures from the day!

Triathalon!

Hoop House Build 2

Two weekends ago Arthur and I did another hoop house build. It was a great day if not long and full of mosquitoes, but we built the whole hoop in one day! Lisa did such a great job of documenting the day I will let her blog speak for itself. If you want to hear more about the build and check out pictures check out Lisa's blog.

We are spending a lot of time on farms these days... maybe there is a farm in our future... or maybe we will stick to eating good food :)

Red Lining

Last weekend was my favorite weekend out of the year. It involves Starlight, family, friends, a canoe race, and lots of good food, including ice cream. This year was the 40th anniversary of Red Lining participating in the General Clinton Canoe Regatta. 40 years ago my dad brought his college crew team up for some crazy relay canoe race. 40 years later some of those guys are still coming back and now they bring their wives and kids. We now have three generations enjoying the weekend.

The weekend starts out with putting in the docks. This year we were blessed with really warm weather and the lake was so warm we decided to give some of the team a break and put in the docks before everyone got there. By Saturday the crew starts to arrive and by 6:00 our house is full for the annual pre-race dinner, where my mom creates an amazing feast. For the 40th year we decided to go all out and enter 4 teams (40 people) so we had 60 people enjoy the evening. Bebeth and I decided to surprise my parents with a few things that night including video taken one of the first few years of the race. It was great to watch everyone watching the crazy running start and looking at the pictures from over the years.

Sunday morning we all pile into the cars and caravan to the race start. It was a successful day. All teams finished, no one came in last, it was beautiful weather, and everyone had fun. The day is never complete without The Penguin! It is an ice cream place on the side of the road that has 50 flavors where they throw either chocolate or vanilla in the machine and then throw any other ingredients you want and pull the lever and out comes your flavor.... and the flavor of the person ahead of you. Thanks Will for ruining my chocolate coconut crunch with root beer!

The weekend is never complete without some task. This year, cleaning out the dam. So 10 of us headed down to the dam to pull out all the sticks that the beavers had carefully placed. 10 minutes into it someone finds a baby snapping turtle. It was very cute, but we went back to work blindly sticking our hands into the water and pile of sticks with out bare feet in the mud. 10 minutes later someone finds a very large snapping turtle, about the size of a soccer ball. By the end two more large snapping turtles were found. When the fourth was pulled out of the water we decided bare toes and fingers would make great food for the turtles so we decided to stop. The weekend is very complete without an adventure!

Thanks to everyone for making the 40th a perfect weekend! Here are some photos from the weekend.

Memorial Day 2010