We’re worn out from the summer adventures.
After the music camps, we had lots of heartwarming moments visiting family (not least, all the nieces and nephews LOVE Mary…). And it’s fun to see our guys with their cousins, deep into some creative project—or just goofing around.
Got a great family hike in above Idaho Springs (and then of course landed at Beau Jo’s and The Frothy Cup). I had some fun playing with Locus Map for iOS; it’s still early—and, from what I can tell, active—development, but already, for no-nonsense topo mapping … I’m a fan.
Kids are a BIG fan of the blacksmith at the Littleton museum.
A little farther out … the Great Sand Dunes are still otherworldly… and there are (rescue) alligators in the hot springs?
Moonlight Pizza is now required any time we’re near Salida.
Back on the east coast, we finally got to the Cloisters with the boys! They were into it—all across the age range. Guess I shouldn’t have been surprised … for example, one of our high schoolers practically dragged us to the DC Pen Show … crowds and fountain pens and notebooks and ink … all amazing. I learned SO MUCH.
We’re now back to work and back to school and comparing notes with friends on the coffee beans we picked up along the way… Shortwave goes on the list (with Fretboard) of amazing places in Columbia, MO, and Lost is so so good close to home in CO.
I’m pondering (ranting to the boys) about the idea that humans with stories (that’s all of us) have a responsibility to tell them. Responsibly.
Then … I feel lucky to be out and about for work, even though that means a little more driving. One moment I didn’t photograph (b/c … driving): coming home across the Bay Bridge, the late-day sun punched rays through the clouds and around the ships in the distance. Then I was up to the Baltimore Museum of Industry (I’ve decided that I understand some but not all of Baltimore’s charm …)
Inspired partly by the pen show, I’m trying to clarify my hybrid paper/digital notes system. The idea is that paper is my key daily work surface, with the computer mainly for collecting and collating reference info.
I’ve signed up for the Foto app … we’re all weary of more social media apps, but there’s some beautiful photography there, and the simple feed really does feel refreshing.
Reading: spent more time than I’m strictly proud of sneaking off to read Murderbot … but it’s a super fun series. (You gotta hear Elvis Mitchell talking to the Weitz brothers about the TV production, if you haven’t already.) … Atmosphere was amazing, as I guess everyone else already knew … finished it in tears. And I got a big stack of Sound on Sound magazines from Dad, so that’s pretty cool.
Soundtrack: our oldest kid DJ’d most of our driving with lots of old-school R&B (so we must be doing something right? or he’s just figuring it out in spite of us… ) … here’s a little Billy Preston … Mary and I have been studying the Debussy quartet, as well as Mozart 589. Beautiful stuff.
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