A sad spring led into a bittersweet road trip, and now we are in the very middle of a summer that is... what’s the right term? Complicated? Blue and green? Nah, it's just bittersweet too, days sprinkled with fresh produce and then my mother-in-law's less than lucid phone calls, lovely lunches with friends and then computer problems, that’s how it goes. Best to concentrate on the good, and so here are ten things that make my world go 'round lately.

1. We’ve noticed lately that we know some of the very best people. You know who you are. Thanks.

2. Monday / Thursday, my diptych project with Jenny. It keeps me photographing, it makes me smile, and she's one of those people included in #1.

3. Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials, who I’d wanted to see for years and finally did last night. Good in recordings, but even more fun onstage. This video isn’t the most technically perfect example, but it’ll give you a sense of their flavor live:

4. This photo of my sweet husband, taken last month at dusk in the Sierras. I keep coming back to it.

And also this photo of us in Vegas.

5. It's tomato season, and I’m living on tomato sandwiches as much as possible. Decent bread, a little pesto, a little mayo, and an entire sliced tomato. That’s all you need.

6. Speaking of which: pesto! Made fresh from farmer’s market basil. Here's this week's pesto-to-be, all of which cost $4 at the St. Paul Farmer’s Market:

and here's what happened to last week’s batch:

7. We watched End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones the other night, and I Wanna Be Sedated has been stuck in my head ever since. Odd for a girl who loves the road so much, but I mind this not one whit.

8. Tomorrow is the TubaMania contest at Bavarian Blast. Enough said.

9. Zinnias. On a cloudy Saturday. When I am missing my grandma, who grew them every summer.

10. The dissertation proceeds once again, and I’m actually having fun with it. Shan’t say it too loud for fear of jinxing it, though.