Going green

A few weeks ago, I got this weird little itch to get a bike. Well, the itch didn't go away, and I did in fact procure a bike. It's a mountain/street bike hybrid Schwinn I got for about $180 at Target. I'm happy to report that I LOVE it. I've ridden it to school, to work downtown, and I'm about to take it over to the mall (which is a much shorter bike ride than it is a car drive, due to weird road layout and traffic lights). At school the student parking lot is a 10-minute walk from the law school. Downtown, I have to park at least 3 blocks away from the building where I work. And I've discovered that a lot of stores around here, like my school and work, have bike racks right next to the entrance. I had never noticed them before.

I'm not ready to pitch the car just yet--the bike isn't always a feasible mode of transportation. Church is still a little far away, and I like to dress up a little more for church. Also, this town (like many) is not well-designed for biking, once you get more than a block away from Notre Dame. The road I live on is narrow, and has no shoulders and no sidewalks and quite a lot of traffic, so I don't like to ride on it at night. And then there are school days when I need to carry more books than fit in my bag, or a French horn for rehearsal--a little awkward to balance on the handlebars.

But overall, great investment. I get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, less frustration with parking, less gas expense, and am developing some impressive muscle tone in my legs. Oh, and I love the smug feeling I get when I jet past a long line of cars at a stoplight. I plan to keep it up until it snows.
And since I'm outside with my camera, here's my herb garden. The tall stuff is sweet basil (GREAT on chicken), and there's some mint, sage, and catnip. The basil got a little nipped by frost night before last, but no serious damage. I'll probably have to bring it in soon.
And this is my kitty, who is a bit miffed that he is not allowed outside and thinks I should bring him a catnip leaf as consolation.