easter craft

Fun with felting continued in March. Me and mom used styrofoam eggs so it was a really quick process too.

brrr

I like the idea of being different. When most zig, I hope to zag. When people say "well of course it is THIS," I have the urge to say "But what about THAT?" When it is time to fly south for spring break, I... drive to North Dakota. So it is not always the best philosophy. This year it was quite cold. I mean exceptionally bitter, pathologically frigid outside. However, it was heartwarming to be with friends and family for the week. A rock concert with the parents, godmother duties and a babysitting gig with my niece, lunch meetings with friends, cooking tutorials with cousins, and a rum/licorice tasting with sister and brother. The pictures were taken near the St. Johns campus in Minnesota. Titled Lean On Me, this art piece , this fairy tea party looking place that is waiting out winter is a metaphor for what I felt this week: among the snow, immersed in harsh temperatures, I still find joy, whimsy, beauty, and comfort in moments I get to share with the people I care about. But sometimes I wished they lived in Arizona.

the biggest little vacation

Every year I attend a regional conference for scholars living in the West. This year it was in Reno. I always enjoy exploring new cities and meeting up with old school friends, so the fact that I got to have both experiences at the same time was extra fun. Reno was full of extremes which I also relish. We visited Circus Circus, then went to a fancy restaurant, walked along a street full of tattoo/piercing parlors and gentlemen's clubs to go to a yoga class. Lights/glitz/serenity/conversation. What a weekend.

happy happy birthday

Hungry Hungry Caterpillar is not just a classic tale of extreme herbivorian experimentation. It is now the inspiration for the most epic birthday party ever! Little Miss Niece turned ONE and anyone who is anyone was there. There were games, coloring, candy, and of course, lots of of holey snacks.

slopes

There is a report out about how visits to ski areas are down- the lowest numbers since the early 90s. So, I knew I had to do my part. I did not mind that I never shared a chair lift or skied down empty runs. But it is hard to believe there were not more people out: the sun was shining and the powder was perfect.

eggs

One of my friends lives just out of town. In the twenty minute drive to her house, I feel my blood pressure drop. When I turn onto the gravel, I breathe more deeply. When I get out of the car and see the fields around me and unobstructed views of the foothills, I smile. I am so glad she shares her sanctuary with me. We rarely go into the house first. Instead, it is off to the barn, past the bee hives and the solar panels and the shed with the cool toys, to see the animals. Beautiful bunnies, sassy hens, and now elegant quail. The quail have just begun to lay eggs so today I took pictures of these small, perfect, shockingly white eggs. These are my favorite.

the small town

If you only drive on interstates you miss many opportunities to see the farms, trains, and towns that pepper our landscape. Of course there are cliches of tiny towns: the charm, the feel, the simple life. I think those are said by people that don't live in them. Many are rough, run down, and getting smaller. I think I started liking small towns when I was able to walk from my grandma's store to her house in just a few blocks, and hit multiple golf balls for each hole of the course because no one was behind us. Now I like taking the highways and stopping at a few that catch my eye. This is Dannebrog, the Danish Capital of Nebraska.