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).

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

Rainy night. Stepped outside to close the grill (left open by family after hot dogs foe dinner). This box turtle was against the house with an insect in its mouth.

We toured the White House today. Short but sweet. Beautiful weather.

Checking on the flowerbed and I noticed this tiny (about 7 cm long) box turtle.

And here’s the male Eastern box turtle up close.

Walking the hillside below our house, my brain registered another turtle before I consciously saw it. Can you spot it?

On the hillside below our house, Carolina climbing-milkweed (Matelea carolinensis) on a fallen log.

Raindrops and Turtles
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Another walk in the woods to find box turtles and listen to the birds and cicadas. Transcript