We went to the Walker Saturday for First Free Saturdays with Tiff (who happens to be married to a MN athlete of the month). Kola Nut and Kiwi made kites as part of the activities provided by the center for Up, Up and Away in combination with the Lighter than Air exhibit, and I haven’t heard the end of “when can we fly the kites” since. When it stops raining. The rain also caused the aerial performers to be canceled, which had been the original motivation for the outing, but it... more

My irises continue to bloom. The garden continues to grow. It’s been a busy weekend. A picnic wedding reception, two backyard barbecues, a karaoke wedding dance at a polka bar, one 30th birthday party and one 1st birthday party later, it’s all over. I did make the birthday cake successfully. I found a wonderful recipe that fit the bill, and I’ll have it up later this week. It didn’t turn out exactly how I wanted due to a flop in the grass (topping, not the actual cake)... more

It’s been a long weekend here, extending into tomorrow. We’re going to brave the possible nature congestion and take the family to a state park, maybe hike a little, stop at a drive-in and play some mini golf. So, if you’re headed to that same state park, I’ll be there with a pack full of sandwiches and a large infant in a Kelty on my back. Say hi. It has been nice here the last week, and it makes me want to eat lighter, fresh foods with the windows open. Liking the... more

It’s going to be a long week waiting for the holiday weekend that’s coming. Like waiting for water to boil, watching it will make it seem longer, and I don’t know that I can help myself from counting the seconds. This weekend went by altogether too quickly, and I’m anxious to get a new one underway, even before today is over. Yep. I’m doomed. I’ve been spending a lot of time in my gardens (and showcasing random flowers here), and Ole’s been working on... more

I’m looking to get back into a routine with meals this week. Last week was anything but routine; therefore, the “menu” was revised slightly drastically. It resulted in an impromptu trip to a restaurant where someone other than me did the dishes. That alone was worth it that day, and we made it through the meal without a single grimace or hint of a whine from the kids. We also haven’t been to the grocery store, leaving the supermarket aisles free of the chaos that ensues... more

It’s May! Where did April go? I remember when I was planning for our snowboarding trip the first weekend of April, and now here we are in May, already preparing for summer. This has been a busy weekend full of gardening, baby births (welcome, Baby Wales!), bridal showers and benefit concerts. I have barely had a moment to think, but I did get my herbs planted, and Ole got our new garden area finished. Now it’s time to fill and plant. Tuesday is Cinco de Mayo, and we’ll be... more

Weather affected my gardening plans, and my herb garden is now sitting in pieces in the garage. It is sad and raining outside for the second weekend in a row. The long and short of it is that it’s not going to happen until sometime this week, but it’s going to happen. I bought a new cookbook yesterday, Fine Cooking Fresh: 350 Recipes that Celebrate the Seasons. I was inspired by the book club over at Simple Mom, where they’re reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.... more