Biking, Gardening, and Shopping

I've finally went on my first bike ride(s) last week with the hubs. The weather has been nice enough to do this for some time, but I was doing the walking program before. I didn't have time to both bike and walk, especially when I was still working. Now that I'm free for the summer, I can and will do both when I feel like it. I've also decided to get some helpful accessories for my bike. I've installed a new LED head and tail light and a cheap bike computer. The lights work fine, but I can't get the computer to work yet, so I will be tweaking it some more. I bought a water bottle and cage, but I failed to measure if it would fit around my bike which it doesn't. I'm working on ways to tweak that too. I did get a basket for the front of my bike which I have yet to install. Maybe my water bottle can go there!

We stopped at my father-in-law's house. That is where I am eating this awesome home-grown raspberry.

Here is a sweet cherry.

I've also planted a small vegetable garden in the back yard. It was really tough work and I thought I was going to die of exertion and/or heat. I don't have a tiller or anyone that lives near me with one I can borrow. I had to dig up all of the grass by hand- just me, my shovel, and clay earth! Once that was done, it was easy sailing. I bought grown plants this year instead of growing them from seed like last year (and if you don't know- they all died in a late frost). I have four tomato plants, four green pepper plants, four green bean plants (would've done more if they had them at the store), two acorn squash plants, and three zucchini plants. I started putting up chicken wire around the garden since I'm paranoid that some animal might eat the plants, but I'm going to take it down. Here is what it looks like now...

A robin joined me practically the whole day day trying to get some worms.

This isn't my garden, but I did this on the same day. It is the side of my house and I spruced it up with some hanging plants and decorations.

I've also done some shopping with my friend Christine. We hit up the JCPenny "best price" sale that they have the first and third Friday of every month. They do have some great sales, and I found a bunch of things for this summer. I really try not to buy ahead for sizes that are far away from where I am now, because I have been having horrible luck guessing what season it will be when I get there. I try to buy things either a size down or slightly tight, so I have some motivation for now.

Since we were at the mall, we went to a few other stores such as Bath and Body works, the local hippie store, and Christopher & Banks. From the front Christopher & Banks looks old ladyish, but I did find a few cute things  in there such as these capris and this sweater.

We also went out to eat at T.J. Maloney's. I've never been there before, but Christine said the food was good. I got an Irish Cobb Salad which was huge and tasted awesome. We also split the Irish soda bread as "dessert."