After a couple of stressful weeks, it’s time to look forward to August. Grand Marais has the Fisherman’s Picnic the first full weekend of the month. If you’ve ever tossed a fish or rolled on a log, this is the place for you! When I was a kid living in the West End, it was finally a chance to see... READ MORE >
Summer is here, so it’s time to work on a bucket list. As a kid, nothing was more important than summer break. The entire school year seemed to revolve around how many days were left of school before the next holiday. My high school English teacher, Mr. O, kept a running total of the number of days until Summer on... READ MORE >
Hopefully, summer will soon be here, and the thought of sunshine, gardens, and flowers is on my mind. I received some sunflower seeds from a dear friend, so I have them started in the window. I swear they grow at least an inch a day. By the end of summer, these will be 20 feet tall or more. I’ve decided... READ MORE >
If you know me, you also know that I am a dog person. We now have six. Four are rescues, and two were bought, but like all “children,” we love every one of them. Our oldest is ten—a rescue from a Dakota reservation. Tessa is an English Setter cross and a runner. She puts on at least two miles before... READ MORE >
Hopefully, summer will soon be here, and the thought of sunshine, gardens, and flowers is on my mind. I received some sunflower seeds from a dear friend, so I have them started in the window. I swear they grow at least an inch a day. By the end of summer, these will be 20 feet tall or more. I’ve decided... READ MORE >
I have said that there is no upside to an extended Minnesota winter. I am about to have a fit when it continues to snow, sleet, and produce icy rain into April. But I know that attitude is everything, and I must adjust mine—a “tune-up,” so to speak. My one savior is books. Now, as in my childhood, I seek... READ MORE >
I recently spent two full days cleaning my office. This room has been a” catch-all” for six months since my parents moved in with us. My husband said the piles were getting scary. As I write my column, I have a clean desk and room and feel highly organized. But maybe it’s too clean, as I have no inspiration for... READ MORE >
I’ve tried to like winter in Minnesota, but as an adult, I don’t. I prefer warmth. I like the weather where my hair doesn’t freeze on my face. Now if it snows, I don’t get excited about a snow day, I groan that the roads will be icy, and I might go in the ditch. I’m afraid to walk my... READ MORE >
I grew up meat and potatoes. Every night my mom would cook some kind of meat, peel potatoes for the pressure cooker and open a can of vegetables. That was with a pitcher of Kool-Aid, and we were ready for dinner. Of course, we had homemade soups, stews, and spaghetti, but that was as crazy as we got. I remember... READ MORE >
If you have read this column any time, you know I love dogs. We now have four beauties. Not to be rude, but I prefer female dogs and not the tiny breeds. (Several might remember that I tried to Hire a Hitman to kill a Chihuahua in one of my early columns.) Unlike my children Zoe, Jack, and Ben, whom... READ MORE >
