Weekend Roundup

Another very busy weekend, socializing wise.
Saturday morning we dropped off our house guest Fiver (see photo) at Tom and Sue Germain's (it's always such a pleasure to see them) on our way to meet Chris and Jeannie for a late breakfast at Gorman's in Stillwater. It was so good to see their smiling faces; they'd driven Chris's motorcycle there (breaking a couple of laws in doing so, as Chris only has his permit so far) and only had one helmet between them, but they were on their way to buy another one right after breakfast.

Jeannie has just resigned from her position at Gillette Children's Hospital (where Chris works also); she's very excited about her new job at Patterson Dental. We talked mostly about her new venture and also about changes happening at Gillette. I think they're both very happy.

After breakfast we did some grocery shopping for the weekend, and then came home and did housecleaning and prep cooking. Michael and Martha (and Deputy) came over for dinner; it was great to see them too.They were rather spent from their 3 hour bike trek earlier in the day. Carrie questioned Michael about part of his life that she may be using in her book. We had shrimp skewers on the grill, with two different sauces. Very yummy, that recipe is always a sure thing. M & M crashed pretty hard after dinner, so they spent the night. We're always glad to be able to put folks up, being out in the boonies as we are.

Sunday morning the four of us had a very informal breakfast and pretty soon Christine and Richard arrived for our next activity: doing a controlled burn on part of the prairie. Martha and Michael took off for home and we got to the fire. (I'll do a separate post on the burn soon.)

Bob Gunn also came to help out; he's back in town after spending weeks in Colorado overseeing the remodel of their home in Estes Park. He had lots of photos to show us and it looks like quite an extensive project. The site where the house is located is post-card beautiful.

In the afternoon, after everyone had left, we just pretty much vegged out after our full weekend. Read, played on computers, changed sheets, stuff like that.

New Find, Unlikely Place

One of the many Mac blogs I read is called MyMac.com and in addition to the Mac info to be found there, one of the writers occasionally writes about jazz guitarists. This week he posted a column about a musician I had never heard of, Johnny Smith. It's an interesting, complimentary bit of writing, and I took the author's advice and picked up some of his music, specifically the Moonlight In Vermont album from iTunes. It's a wonderful album, not only because of Johnny Smith's smooth, accomplished and swinging playing, but also because Stan Getz contributes his own special sound as well. Good stuff that will bear many hearings.

Carrie's New Office

Here's a peek at Carrie's writing setup for clement weather. Here she's working on her book, made much easier outside by the use of one of these. Note her nearby companions; they can't believe their good fortune at having someone to sit outside with them!

Weekend Roundup

It's been awhile since I've posted, I know. We had a very busy few days past weekend. Carrie's brother Matthew was in town for a job interview at TPT on Saturday; apparently it went very well. Friday evening we gathered at C&R's for Indian food, very delicious and it was good to see Matthew again. He's quite excited about the possibility of possibly starting a new job and is OK with moving back to the mid-west from Portland.

Saturday, after the interview we met him and Christine for lunch at Day by Day, and then we spent several hours driving around potential neighborhoods, looking for likely places for him to find a place to live. Battle Creek, the East Side, North Saint Paul, Hudson, WI, White Bear Lake and Little Canada. We then met a friend of his and had dinner at the Happy Gnome.

Sunday folks gathered at our house for an afternoon gaming/meet Matthew party. Michael and Norbert as well as C&R came and we played the updated version of Scruples and then split up to play various card games. Finally it was time to drive Matthew to the airport and the party broke up. Lots of good food as usual, and a fun time, despite an off and on drizzle.

These days were so busy and constant I didn't even think to take any photos! (Plus the battery in my camera is acting wonky; time for a new one [battery, that is] I guess.)

Anyway, our fingers are crossed for Matthew.

Book Club April

It occurred to me that I should report about our book club meeting last Sunday. We gathered at Molly's house on a beautiful spring evening, everybody brought some goodies to eat and we had a fascinating time discussing Lucky by Alice Sebold. Not the cheeriest of books, nor great literature, but we were all glad we'd read it, and it really provided a ton of topics to chew over.

Molly was the perfect hostess (unfortunately Eric had to work that night, but he was there in spirit as their apartment was immaculate!). Our book for next month is Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. We shall see.

First Swim of the Season

Today Gracie and Rose got to do their favorite thing in the world: swim (or at least bound) in the river. They get very, very excited (to put it mildly) when it becomes clear that that's where we're taking them. We have to drive them in the car because they can't cross the invisible fence on their own; hence the short drive to the end of the road. Rose jumps around uncontrollably in the car, to the detriment of our scratched up arms and chests. We really need to work on that part.


But once we're at Gracie's Landing (what we've christened the spot where they swim) it's all good. Gracie is the real river rat, and fetches sticks until she's pooped. Rose goes in a little bit (but she never fails to go all the way under) and then explores nearby. We then take a roundabout walk back to the car and they're calm as can be on the way home.

Spring Yet?

We've had a long, wintry couple of weeks here, that only in the past few days have begun to moderate into more Spring-like weather, allowing for activities like cutting up dead wood (me) and reading outside (Carrie).

I still haven't uncovered the gardens, although when I peek under the straw I am seeing more and more perennials beginning their thrust. Not so much in the new garden in front (dubbed the 'Escher Bed' for reasons I'll explain some day).



I planted dozens and dozens of tulips and other bulbs in here last fall, and so far nothing. I do seem to have some kind of tulip hex on me. I've planted many, many that over the past two to three years that just haven't come up. I don't know if it's the cold or critters or what. I know I made sure to plant them deep enough last fall. We shall see.

One exciting thing on the gardening front: the dahlias I ordered from Swan Island Dahlias arrived this week; about a month early, but at least they're ready here in their little peaty bag for that day in mid-May when they go in. I've never grown dahlias before, and I hope they do well. I ordered seven different types, including one for a container.

The big, looming project is what to do with the prairie: mow or fire? Large parts of it I'm leery of burning because of septic drain field, invisible fence wires and phone wires just below the ground. Actually they say a combination of burning and mowing is best anyway. I'm just not looking forward to moving all of that mowed material (you're supposed to remove everything you mow).

Inclined toward spring

This little plant has started to make its yearly early-spring arrival in the woods. It's called 'ramp' (allium tricoccum) and you can read about it here. It was first identified for us by our good friend Wade Barry. I've tried it (just the bulb and only raw) and it does indeed taste like a strong onion. I've never had much luck pulling it out by the leaves; it tends to break off. I imagine if one wanted to harvest a bunch you'd need to dig/pry it out of the ground. So far not too much has appeared, probably due to our wacky weather.

We had a teasing of spring a few days ago, but now for the last week it's been winter again, at least temperature-wise. Teens in the morning, maybe 30 for a high. But the angle of the longer lasting light is unmistakably spring's, and I'm sure as the days finally warm back to normal we'll see a lot more ramp.

Happy Birthday Delilah!

Delilah Wolf is 9 years old today!

Yesterday was her birthday party, Carrie and I attended and we had a great time. She had lots of friends over, and they played games, had a treasure hunt, and had the coldest, fastest piñata ever (it was freezing outside, so most of the party was inside).

Heather and John were the usual gracious hosts; they even had veggie dogs for Carrie and me! It was so good to see everyone.

Delilah is such a treasure. She's an amazing, funny, special and loving girl. We love her so much. She was very excited yesterday, because today she's going to get something she's wanted for a long, long time: a real, live dwarf rabbit. She showed us the cage she has all prepared in her room for it. It's very clean and organized, and she knows all about how to care for one of these animals. She can't wait! Good luck Delilah, with your new little friend.

March Is Up

To see lots of Gracie and a few other slices of March, 2007 click on the cup.

To what purpose

Spring

To what purpose, April, do you return again?
Beauty is not enough.
You can no longer quiet me with the redness
Of little leaves opening stickily.
I know what I know.
The sun is hot on my neck as I observe
The spikes of the crocus.
The smell of the earth is good.
It is apparent there is no death.
But what does that signify?
Not only under ground are the brains of men
Eaten by maggots.
Life in itself
Is nothing,
An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.
It is not enough that yearly, down this hill,
April
Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950)