Kara & Michael’s Blog

Cool things I saw at the National Zoo:

Red Pandas. These little guys look like rounded foxes. One of them climbed on a branch that was right near Michael and me, then it sat and ate bamboo about 10 feet away from us.
Asian sea otters. We watched two females battle for a good five minutes right [...]

Memorable Moments from our “stay-cation”

Stumbling into the National Garden to waste an hour before the VOA tour.
The VOA tour. Seriously, you should go if you haven’t been. So interesting.
Touching a “sensitive plant” and watching its leaves curl up, then feeling bad for touching it.
Chasing pigeons on the walk to our hotel from metro… every day.
Splitting [...]

Michael and I went to see Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine last night at the 9:30 club.
For those who have never visited 9:30, it’s a pretty small club in Washington, DC. I used to visit frequently, the shows are pretty reasonably priced, they’re all-ages unless otherwise specified, and they’re pretty well run. The [...]

This Saturday night Michael and I visited The Bohemian Caverns, on U-street in Washington, DC.
I’m a live music junkie. Back when I had a lot more friends in the area, I was attending local concerts probably once or twice a month. Let me assure you all – I miss it. I love dive clubs, I [...]

Michael and I left on Friday for Binghamton, NY – where we would be staying with my family and then driving the hour to Ithaca to watch my youngest sister graduate from Cornell University.
Since Michael and I drove separately, we had our own vehicle and made our own plans for sight-seeing. On the agenda: Cornell [...]

Today, Michael and I went to pick strawberries. Southern Maryland is picking now – most places in western Maryland will be opening for picking next weekend or the weekend after. Shlagel Farms is open now, and is very accessible in Waldorf, MD. You’ll drive by their calves and cows, heading down towards the [...]

Today, Michael and I woke up at the butt-crack of rain to head out to the Farmer’s Market at Harry S Truman Parkway and Riva Road. We had a few reasons to head out:
1. To see what sort of produce they had so early in the season.
2. To find some sort of preserves or something [...]

I’ve been craving a good swim in the ocean. Longing for the sun and the beach, if only because sand, sun and saltwater feel great on the hives I get due to my allergies. A lot of the local beaches on the bay don’t open until May, and the ocean is a couple hours away.
Enter [...]

Since I began my walks outside at work, and around the neighborhood, I’ve worked hard at identifying birds I can’t get a great look at.  It can be challenging, depending on the light and angle to get a good eyeful of color, markings, etc.  One can’t rely on body-shape, flight pattern and habitat alone, at [...]

I’ve mentioned before the terrapins and eels in the lobby of my work. Well, what I’ve referred to as “the courtyard” is the Tawes Garden. This is a 5-acre plot pretty much in downtown Annapolis that recreates the varied terrains of Maryland. Western Maryland has tall trees and all sorts of forest-y [...]