Stopped. Watched.

Workers are pulling out flowers – tulip bulbs? – from a Main Street planter. [photo]

Kick-off for Jack Eaton’s bid for the Ward 4 council seat. Great turnout plus many local dignitaries there in support: Mike Anglin, Jane Lumm, Sumi Kailasapathy, Vivienne Armentrout, Kathy Griswold, Alan Haber. Probably others. Sorry if I missed you. Thanks to Ms. Hathaway for the venue.

Watering station for cats + dogs – and possibly other critters. [photo]

Lovely women gussied up – and carrying snakes – at the Leslie Science & Nature Center Mayfly fundraiser. [photo]

Sculpture Plaza. Balkan dance music infused with a bit of jazz by the band East. Quintet includes Matt Endahl on accordion, plus bass, trombone, drums.

Street violinist abruptly interrupts amazing solo performance. Hugs exchanged with a couple she knows. Explanation to those of us listening: They just got engaged.

A covered bike service stand with air, tools, and more. Just happened across this. A surprise at city hall. The eight “tools” are multi-purpose, simple, and secured with heavy-duty cables. [photo 1] [photo 2]

The fountain is running [photo one] and the sides are finally sealed as well as [photo two]. You can just hear it over the traffic at this time of day.

Activity around the old gas station. Three people working, one applying red paint with a large brush.

Embassy Hotel signs and windows covered in plastic as building gets painted. [photo]

Shamrock Fence of South Lyon walls off 413 E. Huron. [photo]

Update [from earlier item]: The pile of rocks is now bigger, and is being repainted maize and blue! [photo 1] [photo 2]

Swarm of bees hovering above middle of street, roughly between 826 and 831. Swarm appears to be ignoring lilacs and flowering trees. Looking to start new hive, perhaps?

Looks like a new roof is being put on the building where the former Dream On Futon was located. It’s been vacant since Dream On closed in 2009. [photo]

University of Michigan Solar Car being wheeled by classroom windows for Burns Park assembly. [photo] [Mae Sander also sent along a link to a Flickr photo set]

Heavy equipment sighted. [Demolition in anticipation of Packard Square appears imminent.] [photo]

Myra Klarman, wearing her signature red-and-white striped Cat in the Hat hat, taking photographs of mothers and their children at the farmers market on Mother’s Day weekend. [photo]

Ann Arbor Fire Department and Police Department  Open House:  crowds, kids, balloons, popcorn, demos of equipment  – Jaws-of-Life, Hazmat, SWAT team, etc.

Asparagus is in! [photo]

University of Michigan campus. Abandoned bikes being tagged for removal. [photo]

Three people are reading in the quiet outdoor courtyard at the downtown library. My first visit, and it’s lovely. Even has public art – the “Torso” sculpture by Paul Mauren. [photo]

Pond water level quite low, and apparently continuing to drop with no inflow. Is the parks staff letting it dry up? Hope the coming rain will help, but it did not seem to help after the last storm.

First Street parking lot wall reveals new colorful, carefully-designed graffiti of cartoon character(s) saying “I’m high.”

At a Ward 5 town hall at Downtown Home & Garden, Mark Hodesh shows a photo of the location about two decades ago, when two large billboards were located at that corner. The main topic of the town hall – held by Ward 5 councilmembers Chuck Warpehoski and Mike Anglin – was proposed revisions to the city’s sign ordinance. [photo]

Ann Arbor Open at Mack choir leads off AAPS board meeting at Ann Arbor District Library with “My Paddle’s Keen and Bright.” [photo]

City attorney taking down license of car that almost hit him in zebra crossing on Main Street.

Ceiling in the southwest corner of the Justice Center lobby has been prepped for Ed Carpenter’s hanging sculpture, which will be installed over Memorial Day weekend. [photo]

Bradford pears are in bloom. Spring officially here. [photo]

Estimated 300-ish people gathered to hear Los Gatos for Water Hill Music Fest. [photo]

Appleseed Collective plays Water Hill Music Fest to a packed street. [photo] [photo]