Stopped. Watched.

Two clerks at Sam’s speculate on whether the Heidelberg still offers a drinking boot. Consensus is to take their own boots, just in case.

Thompson closed south of William – large crane in the road lifting materials to the roof of Zaragon West building. [photo]

Neighbors sticking their heads out the door trying to figure out what that loud sound was.

Crates of tissue-wrapped holiday ornaments and semi-empty shelves at Downtown Home & Garden, as this season’s wares are being packed up.

Dandelion blooming on Dec. 26. [photo]

Mounted on a light pole out of reach for regular-height people is what I would describe as a whirly-gig, which is really getting a workout in the gusting winds today (Christmas Day). It has blinky lights that are apparently powered by the whirling action – they go out when it stops spinning. The label describing it was not totally readable to me given the angle, the fading daylight and my old man eyes, but I think I could make out “experimental public art” and “Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority.” Also a warning about a GPS tracking device (in case someone was thinking of stealing it). [photo]

Christmas Eve candlelight service at First United Methodist Church begins with announcement of “Christmas Miracle” – four $120 tickets to the Sugar Bowl had arrived unsolicited in the mail. (An Ann Arbor school is participating in the event, which is a game of American football to be played in New Orleans.) Some University of Alabama fans in Georgia mistakenly believed their team, the Crimson Tide, would be participating in the game and purchased the tickets early. Also good Methodists, the Alabama fans sent the tickets northward. There will be a drawing.

Deer, traffic both obey new crosswalk ordinance: cars stop, deer cross.

Anonymous rolled up note in front door with “Share the Road” button and “One Less Car” magnet: “GUERRILLA SANTA WISHES YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS” [photo]

One of the last-minute holiday shoppers at Busch’s picked up a Buddha’s Hand citron  in wonder.  Her husband shook his head. “It’s not Christian”, he said. She replaced it in the display.

Clear the ice, the Zamboni is coming.

Comerica Bank at Washtenaw & Huron blocked off by two cop cars. Reported bank robbery this morning.  [photo]

Grain scattered all along the railroad tracks crossing First Street, perhaps from a leaking railcar. [photo]

This morning I was dismayed at the sounds of another 150 year old 38″+ diameter Elm on Miller (100 feet from my home) being mulched. We estimate, at the minimum, this sentinel tree would yield 1,000 to 1,500 board feet of good hardwood lumber. What happened to the momentum we started two years ago to put a policy in place that would provide a mechanism to utilize such trees much better than mulch or landfill? [photo] [photo]

Poster outside city administrator’s office announcing reception on Dec. 20 in council chambers for nine officers in the Ann Arbor police department who are retiring at the end of the year.

Extremely putrid smell. Everyone walking around with hands over noses.

Mid-block, Christmas decorations include a pig prominently displayed in the center of the display.  The pig is full-figure, illuminated both interiorly and with outlining lights, and floats in mid-air, presumably with the help of its wings and its (glowing) halo.

There has got to be a message about this “pigs fly” thing.  I don’t know what it is.

North side of Beakes in the 300 block – interesting backside of house construction visible from the street. [photo]

Hawk hanging out at the First Baptist Church this morning. [photo]

Sunday night, and the blue lights of the Dreiseitl sculpture are illuminated.

Four carolers in front of Cherry Republic trying to be heard above the noisy street traffic.

Nice little crowd browsing and lunching at Babo, new food store with tempting NYC-like deli-food smell.

Norfolk Southern freight train heading eastbound.

Two hardy souls took their kayaks through the new Argo Dam bypass – three times! [photo][photo]

The start of the University of Michigan board of regents meeting is interrupted by protesters from the campus and community who stand and recite an organized chant, criticizing regents for, among other things, turning once-affordable public education into an “expensive commodity.” Several minutes later as they leave – chanting “Instruction, not construction!” – UM president Mary Sue Coleman picks up her introductory remarks without acknowledging the protesters, and the meeting continues.

A worker with Republic Parking is replacing stickers on parking meters along Thompson, increasing the time limit from 2 to 4 hours. [photo]

A (live) wild turkey by the side of the road. [short movie in .mov file]

At Sava’s, the long line for a book signing by John U. Bacon for his book “Three and Out” includes Ann Arbor Observer editor John Hilton and writer Randy Milgrom. [photo] John’s next local book signing is on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 2-4 p.m. at Nicola’s Books.

Construction of the new Lake Trust Credit Union is well underway. It’s even looking more or less like the plans approved by city council in January.

Two houses in Braun Court (off of Fourth, north of Catherine, across from the farmers market) full of work by local artists and crafters at the Tiny Expo. Toasty warm inside, lots of variety, runs til 7 p.m. [photo] [photo]