Indiana Summer
 | Over the Fourth of July weekend, Elizabeth and I traveled to Granger, Indiana, to spend time with my family. It was a pleasant and relaxing weekend, as the weather in Indiana was comfortable and sunny. We didn't really have to drive anywhere, but rather spent the time enjoying the green backyard and chatting with my parents. |
It was a weekend of exercise, too. My sister and I ran in the mornings (for a little while, as she ran further than I), and Elizabeth and I swam at Notre Dame (for a little while, as she swam further than I).
 | Robins had built a nest right next to the window, and three baby birds were easily visible from inside. |
 | It is such a major change from my townhouse in Los Angeles to my parent's backyard. My parents have such lush greenery during the summer. |
 | My grandfather invited us over for dinner on Saturday. He made golabki (golumpki?, golomki?) and an excellent cherry cake. Pictured is my little sister Emily. |
 | Cherry cake closeup. |
 | Dinner on my grandfather's porch. Left to right: Elizabeth, me, my grandpa John, my sister Emily, my mom Darlene, and my dad Tom. |
 | My birthday (see here and here) approaches, and my family celebrated that I have made it as long as I have. In the background, one can see the remodeled kitchen. |
 | See above note. Pictured is a bird that my grandpa carved out of wood and painted. The weather was beautiful on Sunday, and a number of family members came over. |
 | My dad has been growing some herbs in his ample garden, and makes a delicious salsa out of fresh pickings. I fear that my blog is becoming food porn. We ate outdoors on the new deck that my dad built. |
 | Elizabeth and I enjoyed our dinner. |
 | My Aunt Kate was dogsitting for my Uncle Bill and Aunt Davina's new puppy. The dog's name is Jack Daniels, and he is a bundle of energy. |
 | Like many dogs, little Jack liked to play catch, especially with his pet goose. |
 | Inspired by my dad's herb garden, I put a small planter of rosemary, cilantro, basil, and parsley on our roof today. |
A major risk on any gardening project that I undertake (including this simple herb planter) is "attention risk", as routine maintenance may fall to a lower priority. To mitigate that risk, I installed a timer valve to regularly water the plants. Other project risks (that I can think of right now) include drainage risk (I worry that planter does not have adequate drainage), pest risk (birds, chipmunks, or less desirable creatures may seek out our herbs, too), and general plant health risks (the plants were purchased from Home Depot, but I'm not sure if they will prosper in their current setting).