Microblog

Prepared for an early flight tomorrow morning to Chicago. I’ll explore on foot and shared bicycles (hence the helmet) then fly back in the evening.

The prairie grasses on our balcony are looking happy. Today I upgraded the irrigation system electronics: it delivers water via 48 micro-drippers; moisture is measured by capacitive sensors in the soil at three points; the system communicates wirelessly with a Hubitat hub.

Cycled to the Pride Festival. Here, Nick Kor (chatting with a cyclist) is standing for city council. His mom has cut our hair since he was a baby. In 2012 he worked full-time to defeat an amendment to the MN constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Shared a room with the full Minnesota Orchestra, something I no longer take for granted.

On my cycle ride: something I’ve never seen before. It was moving at about twenty miles per hour. Normally this line carries mile-long freight trains and commuter trains.

Cycled through Hillside Cemetery with a friend, taking in great views of downtown Minneapolis. The big surprise for us was a section for Civil War veterans. The markers honor veterans who joined units in states other than Minnesota.

Cycled past the carefully named Hennepin County Energy Recovery Center where over one-third of our county’s (population 1.3 million) waste is burned and turned into electricity and steam for district heating. More than 11,000 tons of metal are recovered annually.

On our Sunday morning walk: not quite Instagram-worthy.

On a random cycle ride, a pitstop for coffee came with an earworm.

Leaned over our balcony to watch a crane being disassembled. A 41-story condominium tower has topped off next door. We can’t see the tower from our home, but we have had an armchair view of construction materials and the odd porta-potty rising up past our windows.

It was good to see the Guthrie Theater coming back to life. We’ll order season tickets when they go on sale in August.

On a longish cycle ride with a friend, happy tasted good.

Posted Burger Journey.

Did a science experiment: measured soil moisture with an inexpensive (as little as $2 apiece) capacitive sensor wired to a cheap Arduino computer which communicates wirelessly with our home hub. If I deploy this system, the biggest expense will be waterproofing the circuitry.

On our July 4 walk: the neighborhood was a backdrop for a group of Hmong women in traditional dresses. The Twin Cities are home to over 65,000 Hmong people.

After “Foraging for Brioche Buns” yesterday, ground chuck took center stage today. Cycled over to our old neighborhood to an actual butcher shop, Lowry Hill Meats. Tomorrow, we grill thoroughly curated(!), hopefully not cremated, hamburgers.