FINALLY! AFTER MUCH dread, the majority of the Uni High population has survived the end-of-year 5K run, also known as the Twin Cities Twosome, held Saturday morning at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana.

So, what now? Never set foot outside again?

You'd miss a lot. You don't have to exercise hard, but a walk around your neighborhood is better than just being a couch potato. And with the gorgeous scenery and fabulous weather, you could even walk a 5K without knowing it!

Believe it or not, I took a walk around my neighborhood on Saturday evening. Maybe a mile or two. For fresh air, a change of scenery, and to show you that the neighborhood isn't so bad after all.

Author's note: There was minimal image editing done manually except for cropping and resizing. All photos were taken with a Kodak EasyShare M753 (7.0 MP).

Photos: Jie's walk around the block(s)

My tulip bids me farewell as the Japanese maple waves at me. Gargoyle photos by Jie Han (click to create your own slideshow)

The Japanese maple flourishes after a harsh winter and various bunny bites.

A look at the sun shows me that I have enough time for a walk before it gets too dark.

A tree puts out its new leaves to greet spring.

Recovering from the winter, a small tree starts getting some green.

The invasion of the dandelions!

Beautiful dark pink blossoms adorn this tree.

A playground near my house is a popular place for kids to play, with cars lining up both sides of the streets on good days.

Abandoned toys are scattered along the sidewalk, possibly due to dinner or the growing darkness.

A basketball hoop is an excellent tool for exercise, if one cares to.

"Wild" grasses grow back pretty quickly.

There's still time! The lamps aren't on yet!

This tree is well on its way to becoming fully leafed.

Hey, it's still spring!

Who needs exotic and imported plants when you've got these around?

It's the moon's sky now.

The sun sets behind the tree.

Bye! See you tomorrow!