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Hope everyone out there had a good Memorial Day weekend. Mine was fun-- a good friend visited from Philly, and I saw the new Indiana Jones movie!

Tasty Summer Salad

This one's a keeper. It's a simple, cheap, and tasty summer salad. We had it tonight with mac & cheese, but it could be a great companion to a backyard bbq, potluck, or quick dish to make at home:

Tasty Summer Salad

• one can of black beans, drained


• one can of corn, drained


• one tomato (Roma in this case), chopped


• half of one red onion, finely chopped


• one healthy bunch of cilantro, chopped


• olive oil


• a splash of red wine vinegar


• a dash of sugar


• salt


• pepper

It's easy to make. Just chop the ingredients and mix everything together in a bowl.

Enjoy and be happy!

Redwood Regional Park Hike

Explored more of the roads and hiking trails in the RRP near our house. Saw a banana slug, took a short video of a serene brook, and found a great, low-traffic, trail that took me to the top of a cool, shaded ridge.



At the top of the ridge was a bench, complete with placard that read: "Always enjoy the view. In memoriam: Victor Egert (1911 - 2005) and Ruth Egert (1911 - 2005)" The view from the bench is spectacular, of course, and overlooks a wooded valley and a couple of quiet, winding two lane highways.

Running in the backyard Redwoods

It's a good feeling to have the Redwood Regional Park so close to home. A neighbor and some relatives suggested that I check out the running/hiking/biking trails near us, and my regular after-work run was spent in the serene landscape near the Skyline Gate area. It's a good way to ramp up any exercise routine for the summer.