Perfect Days

In Minnesota, we don't spend too much time praising the weather. It's either too hot or too cold. Too dark or too buggy; just always, too something. I think we all feel our grumbling keeps us grounded. Heaven forbid we become one of those sad saps who smile at everything!

But sometimes even the most cynical of cynics have to admit that what's going on outside their window is pretty nice.

This "weekend," the Tipsy Crafters arrived for a Northwoods crafting retreat and were greeted by blue skies and temps in the mid-70s. Very little crafting has been done. And why would you devote any time to crafting when there's a big ol' lake to splash around in, air mattresses to convert into floating rafts, islands to swim out to, and ducklings to exclaim over.Crafting can wait until the evening hours, when the sun starts to slowly dip into the far horizon and the warm glow of sunburn is creeping into all of our faces.  

Like we like to say around these parts, "You couldn't have ordered better weather than this."

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The Two-Gallon Challenge (Wordless Wednesday)

Never knowing what my schedule might do next, I thought it best to devote my free day yesterday to the pursuit of berries: 32.5 cups worth of blueberries to be exact. Sweet success!

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Like Fishing, Like Life

I’ve heard it said that there are two great metaphors for life: a river and a garden. Last night I decided there might be a third great metaphor for life: fishing.

You know, you make sure you have everything ready, you hope everything works, and then you head off, knowing that anytime, your motor may fail, forcing you to paddle back to shore. Once you’re out on the water, you throw in your line, bob around a bit, and wait for something to come to you. Maybe not a metaphor for the most proactive of lives, but a slice of life, nonetheless.

We weren’t the most patient fishermen last night. We caught a lot more snags than we caught fish (okay, so there wasn’t even a nibble), which was fine by me. After a busy and sticky hot day at work, I was happy just to be floating about in a boat, enjoying the light breeze and the cooler evening temperatures.

After the relaxing time in the middle of the lake, we came back home, where I made popcorn over the stove and managed to get a potholder on fire. Nothing like starting off days off with a bang. The popcorn was really good though, and the flaming potholder was immediately flung into a basin of dishwater.

Today’s my first day off in eight days (I realize that since I work increasingly as a freelancer, days off are a highly arbitrary concept) and while that fact doesn’t exactly signal “the end of the world,” I’m looking forward to not spending the next two days at work, per se. There are blueberries to pick, a commentary or two to write, some fishing, and a baby loon in the bay to watch grow up.

It’s heating up to be another scorcher outside. Better add swimming to the agenda.

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