northern life
I didn’t realize the depth of my unmet need for outdoor adventure until I hastily concocted a winter tent camping trip over lunch one day with a co-worker. While I love exploring with my family, I read Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail thru-hiking memoirs all winter, and I am consumed by a longing to hike to […]
When Beatrice was little, people said to us all of the time, “She’ll sleep well tonight!” And we always laughed, but inside we thought, “Nope, she’s going to sleep the same as she does every night, because she’s always this active.” Since then I love to ask other parents what comment they hear most […]
Like we often do, because great minds think alike, Jen and I decided independently to get standing desks this year. If you’ve read any of the research, they are calling sitting the new smoking, and saying that even if you exercise regularly you cannot overcome the adverse affects of sitting at your work all day. I’ve […]
Forget filling your car with hand warmers and signal flares, true winter survival is about keeping your spirits up and your eyes on the prize (i.e. spring). Here’s a foolproof recipe to help you survive winter a.k.a. enjoy our fourth season. First, get comfortable. Head to your favorite pharmacy/co-op/Amazon and fill your cart with Vitamin D, a […]
Nothing really need be said about this. If you go away for 10 days and it’s a 100 degrees the whole time and you make no provision for the care of your vertical garden, this is what happens. Turns out that rain or pests aren’t really the problem. Seems I’m the biggest garden threat of […]
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You are forgiven if you think the title refers to my four-year-old son’s first library card, which he indeed got Tuesday at the Merriam Park Branch Library in Saint Paul, and of which he is extremely proud (see self-satisfied smile, above). He signed his card himself (so cute it hurts a little) and showed it […]
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I’ve had a Mini Cooper since 2004. And I’ve absolutely loved it. I can park anywhere (so handy for city life), it gets good gas mileage, it’s a great commuting car cause you can cut people off easily (I mean zip in and out), it’s fun to drive, and it’s even really good on snow […]
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Hello! Wondering where we’ve been? Breanne and I were both on vacation in this beautiful north last week and have some stories and photos to share with you. Here’s the first installment: my trip to Bayfield, Wisconsin with my boys and grandparents. I really need to spend more time on Lake Superior. It is just […]
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I stumbled on a fun new blog this week called “Pintester,” wherein the author tries out Pinterest pins and shares the results, good bad, and ugly. It’s very funny. I wasn’t really setting out to be a Pintester with my urban vegetable garden projects, but I have indeed produced a Pinterest fail with my gutter […]
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A couple of weeks ago I joined a couple of friends for a short trip to Tettegouche State Park. When I was 19 I spent a summer at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center taking some classes for college credit, and spent a lot of time at Tettegouche. It’s a place that has a lot of […]
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To find my perfect farmer’s market, I had to head to the suburbs. We live fairly close to such Minneapolis gems as the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market (a giant affair in the shadow of a highway), the Mill City Farmer’s Market (a smaller, cozier market with a focus on organic and sustainable agriculture in the heart […]
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This is my second summer at home with my kids (after 10 years as a working mom) and I feel like I’m getting in my summer mom groove a bit better this year. A kid’s summer should be about freedom and unstructured time and play, but too much of a good thing is just . […]
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