Last Saturday, September 10, 2016, our daughter Olivia married a kind, sweet young man named Eric. Because his name is Eric and my hubby’s name is Erik, I’ve taken to saying “Olivia’s Eric” and “My Erik” in order to distinguish between the two. We are absolutely delighted to have Olivia’s Eric join the family. Olivia and Eric’s wedding was a lovely affair that took place on a beautiful farm in central Minnesota…
I woke to a major thunderstorm this morning. It is the end of August. Growing up in central Minnesota, you become accustomed to general weather patterns. Sure, some winters are colder than others; some summers are hotter or rainier than others; and weather is not climate. However, this past 10 years, we are increasingly seeing the effects of a warmer climate on our local weather. Thunderstorms and tornadoes are primarily spring and early summer…
Every year, for as long as we have been in this house (20+ years), probably longer, the grape vines, which seem to originate at the back of the yard near the shed, take over. They snake across the clothes lines and up into the trees, dominating small bushes so that we can’t see them. In at least one (maybe two) areas of the yard, the vines are so thick over the bushes that you could…