June came in hot this year – nine days over ninety and counting! It’s been one of those weeks when it’s hard to be outside unless you’re in a lake or pool. Since I don’t have either in my backyard,…
Welcome to BUG SEASON! The flowers are bursting open in the garden and the bugs are BACK in a big way! Just this week I’ve seen my first butterfly, box elder bug, bumblebee…even a mosquito (it IS Minnesota, after all).…
A few springs ago, I was inspecting the garden in the backyard when I heard the faintest little chorus of “cheep! cheep!”‘s coming from…somewhere….! As I wandered around the yard, the sound grew louder until I finally found the source…
It’s been a cold and rainy spring here in Minnesota, and although the chilly days have slowed my progress outside, Mother Nature works away unphased. Bees have started emerging from the little leaf piles in the back gardens, birds have…
Spring…can you hear it coming? Deep underneath the melting snow things are beginning to happen. Every “cheep” of the sparrows and “hey, sweetie!” of the chickadees has me daydreaming of lush green secret gardens. Since we have to wait a…
So many parts of the US are socked in with snow and without power today. If I could send an army of snowplows out from Minnesota, I would do it in a heartbeat, but it’s just a bit beyond my…
Ahoy loveys! It may be dipping into negative degrees outside, but indoors we’re celebrating picture-perfect regatta weather. Yes, this Valentine’s Day we have blue skies, a fair wind, and following seas for the 1st Annual Cupid’s Cup. Super-sleuth sailors may…
Deep in the heart of winter, I typically find myself turning to rainbows for cheery, bright art inspiration. A few years ago I shared a Frank Stella deconstructed rainbow project, and it’s been a site favorite ever since. This year…
My first December in Minnesota has me embracing my Scandinavian roots in a major way. Norwegian traditions like lefse-making, putting up straw ornaments, and watching for the nisse have always been a part of our family’s holiday celebration, but this…
