Saturday was the last really warm day we are expecting for a while here, so Amanda and I walked to Duke Gardens in the afternoon. They have a collection of exotic ducks from around the world, but this is just a regular mallard.

Duke University has been renovating their steam plant, used for heating campus buildings, to use natural gas rather than coal.

One more from the rally yesterday. Bonus points if you can find the Secret Service guards.

I went to Barack Obama’s rally this morning in downtown Raleigh. It took two hours to get into the cordoned-off area, and I could only just see him, but it was still worthwhile. I can’t wait for Tuesday!

We had intermittent rain all day today, and finally around 6:00 the sun came out while the rest of the sky remained dark. I took this photo just a couple blocks from my house.

Amanda and I went camping last weekend with our friends Amanda and Steve at Goose Creek State Park, on the Pamlico Sound in Eastern NC. Aside from the mosquitoes, we had a great time.

I found this plant at the end of a short tunnel in a quarry. A vent in the roof provided enough light for it to grow.

My friends Hope and Jesse are building a winter house out of wattle & daub (branches covered with clay) and had a work-day this weekend for their friends to help dig and apply the clay. It was hard work in the sun, but the house is coming along well.

Mark and Hanna took us to Hanging Rock State Park, north of Greensboro, on Labor Day. It was a beautiful day and Hanna made a wonderful lunch for us all. I hope to go back soon.