I miss Madrid

Just a spattering of Madrid - a few pics I took on my second day in Spain (as soon as the jet lag wore off). I jumped on the Metro, Line 1 (blue), and got off at Puerta del Sol. I just had a little map and my camera, and started walking around. I kinda but not really felt like a tourist. I got over that when I realized that I actually LIVED there on my own - responsible for monthly bills, grocery shopping, etc.

Iglesia de San Nicolas


La Panaderia in Plaza Mayor


Teatro Real

Inside Plaza Mayor


Bear with me, but every now and again I reminisce about Spain. This means the reader gets to see loads of Madrid/Spain pictures.

Houston Museum of Natural Science....and Sam Houston

I got to see "Lucy" today - the 3.2 million year old Australopithecus afarensis fossil found in Kenya in the 1970s. She was old, and absolutely beautiful; an amazing little hominid that would have barely made it to my waistline. I was in awe of the representation of our origin. I was so excited that I got to see it for myself.

Anyway, here are some pictures I took of a statue of Sam Houston today. I wish I could have taken pictures of Lucy, but there was no photography allowed :(. The armed guard wouldn't have liked it very much.

Here's Sam from the front.


And the side.

Sometimes I like to take close-up pictures

Wisconsin, Summer 2007



Wild strawberries in Andy's parents' backyard. Andy's mom made jelly out of them!

A blooming iris

Just some ants climbing on a plant

Another flower

A butterfly at sunset

Just some quotes...

Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Mark Twain

When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.

Madeleine L'Engle (1918 - ), "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art", 1980

Digressions, objections, delight in mockery, carefree mistrust are signs of health; everything unconditional belongs in pathology.

Unknown