With a cloud layer coming in and a breeze kicking up off and on, I still managed to wear shorts and not get cold when I toured the park.

We focused our Friday Night menu on the vacuum-packaged pot roast from TJs (really delish), with the rest of the dishes assembled by us. Accompanied by broc/cauli combo, a nice tossed salad with radishes, white taters (boiled, steamy-hot). Oh, yum.

Meal leavened by Jon Stewart and John Hodgman, tivoed (essentially, but without Tivo) from…was it yesterday?

Even after reflection, I’m not sure how to take this. I listened to the commands, and this was a tactical exercise in how to move across the terrain if your group was under fire. I found it just plain creepy. Not the training, but that it was going on in the park.

The Guru and I came up with two theories we leaned toward about this exercise: 1) ROTC group from the HS across the street; or, 2) movie training.

As I strolled beneath a huge magnolia overhanging a walkway in the park, I noticed some fresh bird-waste smears at my feet. And became worried.

I was lucky; I emerged clean.

Vinca (didn’t check the leaf margins, although flower size strikes me as V. major, but that’s now how scientists do it…). Look at that ant!

I got excited about getting—as in buying—an edited volume, published by a university press, back I think in oh-nine, so not super-recent. Then, I discovered, no discounts, still $35 for the paperback. Something like 260 pages (including I’m sure the table of contents and index, all those extras). Yeesh.

I guess this is how publishers are staying in biz as bookstores fade?

In which…

…I discover during a visit to a nearby clinic (accompanying a friend with a hurt–not broken—ankle who could not drive) that they take walk-ins in the morning and make appointments for the afternoon.

…I make an edamame dip pretty much following the recipe (NYT from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/dining/edamame-dip-with-red-onion-and-sesame-oil-recipe.html) when I should have followed my instincts and adjusted the ingredients. (As in: boil edamame about 6 minutes, drain and stop cooking with ice water; less onion, maybe lime instead of lemon, that kind of thing…).

(For starters.)

We responded to the continuing unseasonable warmth by heading over to Piedmont Park, this time via a “back” route, with only a few steps of (sorta) trespassing. Fortunately, the water was down in a wee creek and we could hop it with only a teensy splash, and continue along a path by where there used to be community gardens. We even braved Sunday crowds at the Bot Garden, and found some early blooms—like this crocus.

Checked out the new Old Fourth Ward Park for the first time. It’s got amazing hydraulics that trap waters that used to flow south under what’s now City Hall East (has the name changed? developers have it now…) across Ponce and into…John says Clear Creek. I do so wish Google Maps did a better job with creek names….

Anyway, en route, we found a blooming cherry tree. When the temps drop, whenever that is, we’re going to see damaged plants, probably with obvious effects lasting through the summer.

Beltline crossing, Clear Creek, downstream of Bot Garden, from new footbridge.

(in no particular order…)

Three bluebirds (not indigo buntings).

Five mockingbirds, up to hijinks.

One long walk.

Two kinds of tea—English (that is, black, from Ceylon, which is really Sri Lanka today), and Japanese green.

Zero great blue herons (saw one yesterday).

Ahem—nothing totaling forty. Other than four stats other than tea. Heh.

The sun lit up this bloom perfectly, and it took me a long time to notice that it has a gimpy petal. Not that it matters….

Our continuing unseasonably warm weather mean the weeds are flourishing. And the dandies are blooming!