Scrabble

By popular demand, here is our scrabble board from yesterday. This was the first game I won, after a long streak where Sarah has won every game.

Day at Goddard Space Center

Due to a spell of intense heat, Sarah and I decided to stay indooors the weekend. We headed to the Goddard Space Centre, where they build satellites like Hubble. They had a cool globe displaying all the data they have collected over the years, which Sarah was studying to learn more about our plant.

Meanwhile, I was pretending to be an astronaut.

Braving the heat, we also headed out to a concert at Wolf Trap to hear Dar Williams and Eddie from Ohio play. It was a great evening, and the Wolf Trap theatre is really fun at night.

Eventually the heat broke in a crazy storm. Unfortunately,I was outside at the time, and Sarah wouldn't let me in.

All in all, a good weekend. Had Pizza for tea.

After the Earthquake: The Survivors

Following the Quake, and glad to have survived, I went online and checked the damage. Apparently, a 3.6 earthquake isn't that big at all, according to the USGS. I filled in the post-quake report (along with 21,000 other people), and there are some nice graphs and pictures of the intensity people felt the quake at and distance etc. I love graphs.

Anyway, this weekend we headed out to Great Falls again for a quick walk before it got too hot. We walked along the canal this time, and took a detour into the woods to see the Potomac.

Sarah had a prop up a tree, perhaps damaged in the quake, to let us pass:

Also, this was some rather odd quake related damage:

On a more serious note, the Potomac here has washed away much of the soil in some regions, and its particularly crazy of regions where the rivers course changed and washed away forested areas. Here is an amazing example of a tree that has survived:

Back at home, and one of tomato plants is putting all of its effort into producing a crop of tomato's before it dies from heat exhaustion.

Our single chilli is also ripening:

So; crops to come. Whilst waiting for this organic harvest, had baked beans and frankfurters on cheese and toast for tea.

EarthQuake

Woke up this morning to the house shaking at 5 this morning. Thought is was someone running down stairs, but then it was stronger and carried on for 20 seconds.... Turned out Was a 3.6 magnitude earth quake near Gaithersburg.

Everyone ok, no injuries or damage, but it is all that is on the news !

Fruit of the Vine

Harvested our first tomato plant today! It was looking ready...


I was in awe...



It was yummy. Am impressed we managed to keep the plant alive this long! Score for us...

Visit to Smithsonian

Sarah's Dad came and visited us this weekend, and we took a trip to the Smithsonian Air and Space museum hangar out near Dulles. The museum has filled hangar with planes, from World War two fighters to the Blackbird:

They fitted in a huge number of planes into the hangar. Am not sure how they got them all in, but I wouldn't want to have to move any of them around:

However, more cool than all of the planes in the world was the space shuttle Enterprise. The Enterprise was the first shuttle built, but never flew in space (as it was an early test model). It looks huge, with incredibly small wings for its size. I can see why people have said the shuttle flies like an (aerodynamic) brick.

Here is me by the space shuttle. Did I mention it was cool?:

We also saw a Gemini capsule, and I was shocked at the tiny area in which the early Astronauts were crammed in. It must have been an amazing ride.

Back home, and after a really good weekend, we tended our plants. One of our tomatoes is slowly ripening!

4th July in Minnesota

Celebrated my first Fourth of July (Independence Day/Colony Secession Day) in Minnesota with Jim and Kristine. This being one of the more manly holidays, Jim and I started the weekend doing manly things, like spraying weeds with chemicals. Here is us in our protective outfits:

We also compared their tomato's to our own. They are alittle bigger:

In preparation for my first baseball game, I practised both catching and batting. This is me mid swing (I think I my be a natural, although am not sure at what):

Sarah also joined in:

Following the exertion, we continued with the manly theme, and eat more meat than I have ever seen in one place before:

We also looked around the neighbourhood, which was lovely, and explored some of the wilds of Minnesota.

All in all, a lovely first Colony Secession Day for me.

4th July Baseball

Am at a baseball game in Minesota for my first 4th July! More later...

Location:5th St N,Minneapolis,United States