Weekend Shenanigans

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I’m not going to lie; this weekend was rough. It was freezing cold and gloomy and gray after weeks of warm weather, so we found ourselves suddenly trapped indoors after getting used to hikes and plenty of fresh air. It’s funny how that works, how we should be fine and good after so much outdoor time, but instead we just crave more and more of it and feel all crazy when it’s no longer comfortable. After taking the older boys to the playground to skateboard and all of us nearly freezing from the biting cold wind, despite being wrapped in coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and even blankets, we gave up and resigned ourselves to the living room.

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The living room, which was quickly converted into a giant pillow catapult for stuffed animals and babies, and that quickly turned to a wrestling match. The living room, where laughter and tears are equal partners in crime. Being indoors for two days straight is no good for us, even though it is still the dead of winter and it’s just what we should be expecting for this time of year. Next time, I’m going to bundle us all up and force a hike! Getting out the door is the hardest part; whenever we’re there, we never regret it.

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Dare I say… I am so ready for spring!

P.s. – I am looking forward to seeing Shovels and Rope with three of my girlfriends at Delmar Hall tomorrow night. The last time I saw them, they were such a great act!

Gardening on My Mind

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We’ve had the warmest February I can ever remember. Everything has greened up, with crocuses and daffodils blooming, wild onions sprouting up, and buds on the trees on the verge of blooming. All of the nice weather has inspired me to get out into the garden, weeding and prepping the beds for planting (which is still quite awhile away). Before I really dive in, I’ve been doing some planning to change things up a bit for this coming growing season.  Continue reading “Gardening on My Mind”

Grapefruit Fennel Salad

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With all the sunshine and warm weather we’ve been having, I’ve been craving all the fresh, bright, light foods of spring. Every day for the past week, I’ve been craving some version of this salad, which I’ll eat on a big bed of baby lettuces for lunch or just like this as a snack right after working out or gardening. It’s so refreshing! Continue reading “Grapefruit Fennel Salad”

Gourd Sculptures

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After growing gourds this past summer, I was left with many vessels that had broken or become weak in some place as they were drying. Some were even broken into by squirrels. Instead of throwing away the pieces, I decided to make gourd sculptures: half basket, half bowl. I love the way they turned out!  Continue reading “Gourd Sculptures”

Reading…

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Water: New Short Story Fiction from Africa

This collection of short stories from project “Short Story Day” comes from last year’s competition and are tied together by the theme of water. I enjoyed some of the stories, but found others difficult to connect with. I’m sure that this is a common theme with short story books, but for this one in particular, I didn’t find myself pulled back to the book as much as I have other short story fiction.

A couple of my favorite stories were the ones that touched on the folklore of Africa: Chido Muchemwa’s Finding Mermaids, during which malicious, dangerous mermaids were thought to be stealing young women by pulling them underwater to teach them witchcraft. Another favorite was Pede Hollist’s The Tale of the Three Water Carriers. But my favorite of the whole book was Cat Hellisen’s The Worme Bridge, which was beautifully written though strange and disturbing. Throughout the whole book, I found the varying perspectives interesting, especially those of new immigrants to our country, which is such a relevant topic today.

What are you reading?

P.s. – Happy Valentine’s Day!