Stopped. Watched.

Message on Blank Slate Creamery door indicates reopening on July 15. [photo]

Visually-impaired pedestrian with guide dog walking into one of a series of sandbag-anchored construction signs blocking sidewalk on east side of street.

Met Laura of Argus Farm Stop, who was in the middle of coloring in the sandwich board sign outside the shop. [photo] Preparation continues for the opening in August. Inventory will include meat, eggs, and locally roasted coffee. Corn “hair” on the roof has not yet tasseled out.

Rolling Sculpture car show includes Hello Ice Cream’s truck [photo 1] and what I think I recall from last year is the hand-crafted roadster built by Bob Elton [photo 2 ].

Protest against violence in Gaza begins on the University of Michigan Diag and heads towards intersection of N. University and State Street. Chant: “Boycott Israel, Stop Bombing Gaza.” [photo 1] [photo 2]

Set up is underway for the Rolling Sculpture Car Show. [photo] [photo] Several downtown streets are closed off, so traffic is a bit of a mess.

Ann Arbor Railroad ties piled high and smelling of tar. [photo]

Street sign missing. [photo]

Blank Slate is closed because they have run out of ice cream (wiped clean) and are “furiously working to make more.” Store will reopen in a few days.  They thank their customers for their support.

Second floor of city hall building. Sign next to drop-off slot for absentee ballots includes instruction for those who are dropping off Ward 3 ballots to check with clerk’s staff. Here’s why: [link] [photo]

The sudden downpour has not stopped the slackliners. [photo]

Grand opening ceremony at Ann Arbor Transportation Authority’s downtown Blake Transit Center. [.gif animation of bus breaking ribbon]

The fix is in. Sidewalk being built on the west side of Newport, creating a safe walkway for kids from the Riverwood and Newport Creek subdivisions to Wines Elementary and Forsythe Middle School. [photo]

Bryan Kelly is at The Ravens Club, collecting signatures to get on the ballot as an independent candidate for Ann Arbor mayor. [photo]

Approximately 60-70 people lined up for service at noon at Blank Slate Creamery’s opening day beginning 11:30 a.m. Only 3 cars in the parking lot speaks well for local interest.  I didn’t wait.

A heat lamp is turned on at Cafe Felix for its sidewalk diners – on July 4th. [photo]

Cyclist with sign affixed to rear bike rack carrier: “Obama, U.S. Deserves Your Respect.” On my return trip, I spotted same cyclist with a different sign, “Obama, Still Lying.” Asked him about the switch: The “U.S.A. Deserves Your Respect” message was affixed just below Obama, covering up the message about lying. He’d swapped to something a less harsh and more patriotic for the July 4 holiday. But he’d been unaware he’d lost the holiday message along the way. [photo]

Steam engine going in reverse on the railroad tracks by Argo Pond, heading toward downtown Ann Arbor. [photo]

The Ann Arbor Civic Band‘s Wednesday concert had a patriotic theme on a nearly perfect summer’s evening at the West Park band shell. [photo] [photo]

8:10 p.m. I press the button for the HAWK signal and when the Voice tells me to walk, I do. As I finish crossing the street (with 10 seconds or so to spare) I hear the cars behind me start moving. Not for the first time. And I wonder: Is the HAWK sign like a stop SIGN, where a car waiting for the person to cross and then going is the right thing to do? Or is it like a stop LIGHT, where it’s not?

Boulevard Plaza parking lot under construction, more landscaping, resurfacing. Congested for now.

Sixty-five years in the making, a proper drainage approach. Let’s hope it eliminates the crazy network of trenches created on Alexandria every time it rains. [photo] [photo]

Large underground tank being excavated from the site of the new Argus Farm Stop, which will be opening in August. [photo]

A well-stocked Little Free Library by the sidewalk. [photo] [photo]

More romantic messages. The Rock is painted white, with lavender lettering on one side that says: “Lauren, you reflect me….” [photo] On the other side: “I love that about U.” [photo]

About a dozen people standing at the corner, watching as Grace Shackman gestures toward Liberty Lofts. Looks like a tour in progress.

Low flying plane with a banner reading “I trust you Joe (heart) snowflake” – now you know there must be a back story to this.

Argus Farm Stop is growing corn on its roof – a nice contrast with the yellow and brown building, opening in August.

The “horse” I fell off a couple weeks ago. [photo] Rode it to Maple Road and back. Yes, I was nervous.

Not all Newport hazards are man-made: nearly kissed a deer who stepped out from behind a bush 10 feet in front, and then retreated, all before I could react. Still, good to see signs of repairs soon to come to some of the decayed road surface.

Lots of geometry. [power lines and cranes against sky][photo]