Loaded up a friend’s truck with the remaining lumber (milled in 2019) and we drove it an hour north to Wild Edge Woodcraft in Rougemont, where Avery will load it into the kiln for a final 2 weeks of drying. Then, I’ll be a step closer to my Long Table project.

Big rains = turtle sightings. This male Eastern Box Turtle was in the gravel road as I drove the recycling bins to the street. He has been through trauma. Amazing that he survived.

Turtle at eye level

Fantastic night at UNC’s Kenan Stadium for the Manchester City vs Celtic FC match. Celtic victorious 4-3.

Celtic up over ManCity 1-0 after 14 minutes! A beautiful evening in Chapel Hillll, North Carolina.

Family is getting excited about the Manchester City vs. Celtic match tonight in Chapel Hill, even with the rumbling thunder in the area. I’m thankful the FC Series and top teams come to us each summer (last year was Chelsea-Wrexham).

Took Oliver to meet his cousin at the Manchester City pop-up store in Chapel Hill. He was jazzed to have his dad buy an expensive shirt that he then got signed by Oscar Bobb. We’re all excited about the ManCity vs. Celtic match on Tuesday. (Last year’s Chelsea-Wrexham match was fun; I went solo.)

Friday at 5 is what I call “Solsbury o’clock” - I play Peter Gabriel’s Solsbury Hill each week in this hour. I play it loud. I dance around. I feel happy. Today is the birthday of my good friend, a college pal and best man at my wedding and the one who inspired my love of this song.

So much fun! Walking in the Breckenridge parade was a blast.

Many ways to serve.

In line to walk the Breckenridge July Fourth parade with my cousins and aunts and uncles - our Zuiker Family Reunion here in Colorado has been a blast and we wanted too celebrate family and freedom with the community.

Walked home hand in hand wirh my amazing wife Erin after the Wines of the Levant tasting at Rocks and Acid here in Chapel Hill. Some very tasty wines from Cypress, Lebanon, and Israel. Fun date night.

Last week, the Duke School of Medicine posted my profile of Charles Muiruri, a health care researcher and globetrotting soccer player. I’m inspired by Charles and how he finds a pick-up game wherever he lands. My new Adidas boots just arrived today.

Visited my local bookstore (Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill) to pick up my pre-order copy of Moonbound by Robin Sloan. I browsed the tables of new releases and also took away Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon. 📚

It is Juneteenth and Duke University has the day off. I’m rereading my Alabama post from April, about the Equal Justice Initiative and its Legacy Sites. The least I can do is to encourage everyone I know to visit those breathtaking Montgomery monuments.

Was enjoying this slower day. Decided to expand a flower bed beside the house. Pulling vines and noticed a flurry of tiny wings. Kept pulling, then felt the sting of angry bees on my arms and collar. Ouch. Inside now with a consolation Klondike bar.

I’m looking forward to settling into the chair on the porch tonight to read this Atlantic article about Vanuatu and climate reparations: What America Owes the Planet.

Lovely night camping beside a creek in West Virginia. I’ve arrived safely in Solon, Ohio although a near-disaster on the highway in Charleston scared me. Not sure how my car was able to stop within inches of the car in front of me.

Bummed to see I will miss the appearance of Robin Sloan near Chapel Hill on Saturday. His Moonbound book tour takes him to MacIntyre’s Books. Alas, I will be in Cleveland (running Towpath Twilight race Friday evening).

Malia and I picked 30 pounds of sour cherries this morning. We are home now, it’s nearly time for the Champions League final, then I will get to the pitting and canning (I use and dole out jars of pie filling for holiday pies).

A bowl of Montmorency tart cherries.

In line at Levering Orchard in southwest Virginia for the annual sour cherry picking adventure.

Sign with instructions to get buckets