The Fourth of July always marks my favorite time of year in the garden. My lilies are in full bloom and the hydrangeas have come out to play. Plus, all of my new additions are taking off, like this little guy. I will say, however, that the seeds I planted are looking more like weeds. I’m going to give them three more days to impress me before I call it quits, yank ‘em and send them to the compost pile. Or maybe I’ll find somewhere to replant them. Maybe. If I’m feeling... more

Another week into summer. I had the feeling today that I’m going to wake up one morning and it will suddenly be over, my flowers done blooming for the season, the apples harvested, the leaves falling off the trees. I’ve decided I need to be a bit more organized in my daily affairs and responsibilities in order to appreciate the fleeting days of summer. It is, after all, almost July. When did that happen? I started my attempt at organization this afternoon. My family had taken my... more

On Father’s Day: Ole, thank you for being the father to my children. I look forward to another year of parenting with you and can’t imagine doing it without you. Thank you for your patience and your rationalization, your love and your tenderness, for the stability and support you bring to our family. And thanks for putting up with me. Really. I bought Ole Lobel’s Meat Bible for Father’s Day. He spent two hours on the couch browsing through its pages this afternoon. ... more

You know it’s your birthday when: A. A new immersion blender shows up at your house B. Your mom shows up with a sewing machine and a car full of FREE plants to plant all around your house and diagram plans from a landscaper as to where to place them C. A growler of beer from a microbrewery in Chicago appears with your sister at 8:00 at night D. You receive email after email informing you that “X wrote on your wall” E. All of the above I’m down one kid this week. Kiwi is... more

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