summer

I have had many posts formulated in my mind. Photos that I've intended to show. Maybe I'll get to some of those, maybe not.

I was going to sit for most of the summer. Seriously. My one goal was to do nothing. I was going to sit on the patio and read, as much as the kids, cooking, cleaning and laundry would allow.

That hasn't happened much. Maybe its not in my wiring. Sometimes its just hard to allow myself to do it. Do you get that?

What has happened? Here is the rundown. Mostly listed for my own posterity. So if the reading is like chewing on a stale cracker, you were warned. :)


-Canoeing. We floated down the Namekagon River over Memorial weekend. My 17 year old nephew joined us. We camped at first come, first served, campsites along the way. The topography varies from forested jack pine, crammed on steep, sandy hillsides, to swamp like sections that make you think your in a Florida bayou. The river has a swift current, making paddling easy. The bottom has long sections of clear sand. We enjoyed swimming and watching for the endangered Red Horse Sucker fish and trout. The kids enjoyed paddling, fishing and eating s'mores. We saw many Kingfisher, Eagles and Heron. A Whip-or-Will serenaded us two of the moonlit nights. He enjoyed keeping us awake.



-Math with Stuart. My silent torture. This is the first year we're still doing a bit of schooling. His curriculum was longer than I anticipated. So here we are, July, doing Math. Chinese water torture.

-Science. Yes, another bit of schooling. A few last lessons tossed in each week. I didn't do it while taking care of mom. Chinese water torture.

-Bathroom remodel. After five years, its going to be done this weekend. Thank you to the living God...and my brother. Thanks, to my bro, I have new lights that remind me of a spa. Its my favorite room right now.

-Exercise. But that's normal. Run 15-20 miles per week. Weight lift, 2 days. The silver lining is that since its summer, its not 5:00 am anymore. Give a shout out for 6.

-Garage clean out. I didn't spring-clean the house this year, but the garages got a overhaul. I rented a 15 yard dumpster. I like garbage cans and dumpsters. They create clarity and happiness in my mind. Both garages have been re-organized and purged. Anyone seen Greta?

-Landscaping. This is a three year project. I'm okay with that. It takes me time to make decisions on certain things; mostly things that will be permanent. Its a bit random, but it makes sense to me. The front yard has been worked on. For those interested, a couple of years ago the original landscaping was torn out. Two large, 14x14 beds were created. They've evolved. First, a experiment was attempted in native planting. It didn't look nice and I couldn't compete with the weeds. This year, it was all torn out. Again. Now we have some grasses and plants that look better. However it will be half-finished until we can deal with our crumbling stoop and sidewalk. The overall look will suffer at least until fall. I really like the rock. That's working. A lovely gray-blue Dresser Trap. Local rock. How eco is that? Sheeish.

Finally, there was a tree in the landscape. I didn't like it almost as soon as it was planted. This was right after we spent a half day tearing out the dying Plum to make room for the new tree. I sat on my feelings for two weeks, hoping I'd start to like it. I broke the news to Andy gently that it had to go. Thankfully, he knows me pretty well, and is really patient. We tore it out and returned it to the store last weekend.

-Biking. We have a 5 bike hitch rack committing us to no more kids. :) I hadn't realized they made them until this spring. As a result, we've been exploring some of the lovely trails near our home.

Fathers Day we went to the Cannon Valley Trail. A semi-shaded, flat, paved trail that connects the towns of Cannon Falls and Red Wing. We did 20 miles of rolling country side, scattered with farms, the Cannon River, and picnic tables. A stop halfway for a picnic lunch and ice cream in Welch was perfect. Highly recommended.

A week or so ago, I took the girls to the Red Cedar Trail down by Menomonie. First off, Menomonie is a charming, college town. I'd never been there. I'm anxious to go back and check out the raw foods restaurant. The bike trail is mostly shade and follows the Red Cedar River its entire length. Picnic tables, restrooms and water fountains along the way make nice rest stops. We didn't seem many other cyclists, and I felt like we had the whole thing to ourselves. It is a hard pack, wide, mostly flat trail. Easy for families. We enjoyed marsh areas filled with purple iris, prairies with cotton woods and butterflies, and thick forest, that were full of fern and pine. We stopped at the small, you'll-miss-it-if-you-blink-town of Downsville. Lunch was at a mom and pop storefront that was at least 100 years old. Homemade veggie hoagies were tasty. The girls especially enjoyed the birthday cake ice cream complete with chunks of birthday cake mixed in. We did 16 miles, but the trail continues 26 further to Cornell.

-Next week we vacation for a few days to the North Shore. We're bringing our bikes. Intending to introduces the kids to some of the great paved, and mountain bike trails in the area.

Maybe by then I will sit. Maybe.