100 Happy Days in a Row

Today I hit picture number 100 in my #100happydays project.  

It was a day filled with Sunday things ... the farmers market, spring flowers, a homemade felafel sandwich and bikes.   

Saturday Things (Part 2)

Well the Saturdays just keep on rolling and today was another great one!  Today was a bit earlier than usual, but I did get to see the sun rise over the Chesapeake Bay.  The deal was sweetened by a quick stop at Wawa. 

After biking by the Botanical Gardens/seeing signs for the Orchid Orchestra while on tour, 

I finally found the time to go and look around.  

I spent the final hour of my morning finishing a samurai sudoku in the garden 

before heading into work.  

Touristy Day in DC

There is no better way to start off the day than to hop on your bicycle and head out to the nearest trail.  Things started off great until Dan ran over the biggest screw I have seen (well at least stuck in a bicycle tire).  Before you knew it, he was patched and ready to go.  While it was a bit windy, we did end up at the water which always makes for a good vista. 

After a quick shower we headed into DC for a day of tourism.  

No better way to kick things off than with lunch at Busboys and Poets!!

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the Spy Museum and even had our fingerprints taken.  While all the background checks I have had over the past year have come back clean, this one came back with a prostitution charge. 

The rest of the night was spent hanging out with the DC crew and making the longest trek in history to get home.  Thankfully the BF had a power nap on the metro and got us back home in one piece (and not in the Chesapeake Bay).

Mesmerizing

I dare you not to get sucked into this video. 

Here Comes Peter Cotton Tail

Well Happy Easter folks!!  Hopefully the Easter Bunny was good to you all.  Mama Mazurak and the Easter Bunny were in cahoots this year as a lovely surprise basket showed up on my doorstep. 

I may or may not have eaten all the Peeps in one sitting, but that was okay with me because I would be heading out for a bike ride with the BF and then into DC for two bike tours.  The weather was a little chilly for our trip down the W&OD trail, but no complaints here!

MANS Blood Drive

Today kicks off the two week long Maryland Association of Nursing Students blood drive where students across the state are being asked to roll up their sleeves and to donate a pint of blood.  Yours truly was one of 30 people who showed up at the Hopkins School of Nursing drive.  Not only did we hit our goal, but surpassed it which was great for a first time event. 

Unfortunately with the miserable winter we had, blood drives across the country were closed and blood banks are running low.  Want to find out how you can donate?  A quick google search will let you find one close to you. 

Doing Battle with the Tourists

Peak blossom season has finally hit the Tidal Basin which means the pollen count is high and the number of tourists is even higher.  While last weekend was crazy, I did not have to take 18 bikers on a tour of the monuments/memorials.  Everyone was surprised with how many people were milling around, but ask any local where they are during NCBF and they say FAR FAR away from the National Mall. 

Fortunately the weather made up for the total chaos!  

I always say New Mexico has the best clouds, but today's were pretty high up on the list. 

Copies of this sign are placed at strategic locations around the Tidal Basin and every time it makes me smile.  Who has even seen a beaver in DC? 

DC Shenanigans

The great weekends keep coming as they are filled with great weather and even better company.  Before the shenanigans began I took a stroll around the new SE Waterfront and was blown away at how many new buildings/restaurants are in the area.

There were also some funky fish along the way

 

Today Ryan and I headed over to Nationals Stadium for the DC Beer Festival.  There were over 60 craft breweries in attendance and 120 different beers to taste.  I was quite impressed with myself because as soon as we walked through the door I recognized many of the breweries thanks to the beer 5k and recent brewery tours. 

The signature glasses were back, but this time the weather was much better!  Sunny and 80*.

After we got our fill of sun and beer, I hung out until it was time to meet up with the rest of the DC contingency and head to dinner at Mission.  The picture was totally stolen from Sharon. 

National Public Health Week

The first full week of April means one thing ... it is National Public Health Week!  Over the last twenty years, the American Public Health Association has created "a national campaign to educate the public, policymakers and practitioners about issues related to each year's theme."

Check out this week's daily themes:

• Monday, April 7: Be healthy from the start. From maternal health and school nutrition to emergency preparedness, public health starts at home. Let us show you around.

• Tuesday, April 8: Don't panic. Disaster preparedness starts with community-wide commitment and action. We're here to help you weather the unexpected.

• Wednesday, April 9: Get out ahead. Prevention is now a nationwide priority. Let us show you where you fit in.

• Thursday, April 10: Eat well. The system that keeps our nation's food safe and healthy is complex. We can guide you through the choices.

• Friday, April 11: Be the healthiest nation in one generation. Best practices for community health come from around the globe. We have a world of public health to show you. 

On Sundays We Ride Bikes

On our way to East Falls Church to meet up with some Bike and Build newbies and alumni, Dan and I swung by DC to say hello to Abe and good-bye to his family.  As the weather has been beautiful the last few days, the cherry blossoms are finally coming out and the Tidal Basin is starting to turn pink.

Just a few miles outside the District, six other bikers were ready to head out to the W&OD trail.  While the trail is 45 miles long, we did a quick 13 mile out and back.  The trail used to be an old railway which means the grade is pretty steady and you can ramp up your speed.

Only a few more weeks before Dan and the SUS route head out on their trip.  

Consider donating to the affordable housing cause and head over to his fundraising page.

Saturday Things!!

This Saturday is the first time in a long time where the sun is out and I have nothing on the calender.  First thing first ... head to the farmers market to grab some groceries and coffee.  As I was walking home, I came across new metal cut outs attached to the stop signs.

The first stop of the day was the Smithsonian Castle and everything is coming up roses blooming magnolia trees; I wonder how many of those people mistook these for the cherry trees.  A fun fact about these magnolia trees.  One of the high ranking members of Napoleon's army retired and immersed himself in horticulture.  The trees here, also known as the saucer magnolia, are a cross breed and perhaps his biggest contribution to the field.

The blossoms are starting to come out and that means the same about the tourists.  After a few phone calls I finally found Dan, the boyfriend, and his family and we wandered around the Cherry Blossom Firework Festival for the rest of the afternoon.  While the sun has been out and shining for the last few days, very few of the blossoms are in bloom.  Pictures like this are promising and give us all hope that spring is just around the corner. 

As people started to line up for the fireworks, we got some great pictures of the sun setting over the waterfront.  Here we have the fire boat in all its glory putting on a show!  No filter here people. 

And another one!!

Once the sun had set the DC Dragon Boats and some fish boats came out to entertain the crowd until the fireworks.  The pictures are a little blurry, but that is what happens when you use your phone.  Also check out the light up cherry blossom tree (looks like an umbrella) on the boat. 

The fireworks were AMAZING and I am glad I got to play tourist. 

Urban Gardening: Season 2

So a few weekends ago I pulled out the power tools and the wood from a failed cabinet making session to make some planters.  I was pretty impressed if I do say so myself.

As the weather starts to get warmer, I get more and more excited about the upcoming planting season.  Last year's garden was a trial by fire event because I did not get my plot until late April and it was much larger than my raised bed in DC.  This year most of the vegetables will be grown in the plot, but herbs, lettuce and a few salsa things will be grown at the house.

The forecast is predicting some mild weather over the next few days (and hopefully weeks) so I decided to get a jump start on the cool weather crops.  I had no popsicle sticks so a few plastic knives stood in for the job.  Now four weeks until everything will be coming up lettuce.

Thinking of starting your own garden?  This handy dandy website is a great way to start things off!