Kids, Lakes, Loons and Pines

Fishing with Mom

The boys and I puppy sitting at my parents island home.   This morning I ventured out with the boys and went up the lake fishing.   I was using my dad's fishing boat so there was some newness to the experience in regards to a different boat and trolling motor.   Fishing with three boys is a challenge in itself, but we did it!  And we caught a bunch of fish!!!!

I am grateful that I grew up with parents who got me out on the lakes and taught me the skills  to learn the sport of fishing.  It is a fun challenge to share these experiences with my own kids - and certainly rewarding when we reel some in!

 

In my garden.....

It is late July in our Northwoods garden.   

I have to be honest with you - this beautiful garden space and all that accompanies it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.

Today I have been in a little bit of a funk - and I am trying to shift my perspective with my go--to gratitude practice.    

After spending a good part of my morning canning, what yielded just two jars of pickled beets, I went out to the garden again to take some snapshots - to remind myself that this big garden is a good thing.

I have come to realize that this garden could act as a metaphor for my family life:

Both are full of weeds, and take a significant amount of energy to maintain and to sustain-

-and-

Both are rich, beautiful, healthy, abundant and fruitful.

Sometimes in this busy life of mine I just have to slow down and remind myself what I need to focus on. 

I choose joy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Fave:: Eureka! Camping Gear

Happy Friday Friends!

Here's my "Friday Fave,"a series highlighting fun and interesting things (products, experiences and/or ideas) that I would recommend to others.

Because we are peak of the summer season, I thought it would be relevant to share recommendations for tried and true summer camping gear and accessories that make experiences outdoors a little more comfortable.

This week I am highlighting Eureka! Camping Gear products.

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On our most recent camping trip I tested out the Eureka! Ignite Plus 2 Burner Camp Stove and the Eureka! Camp Café.Our previous camp stove had been a wedding gift, so an upgrade, especially to one of this quality, was a welcome addition to our camp.   Here are the features:

• 2-turn simmer control gives precise flame adjustment and enhances the cooking performance
• 10,000 BTU burners go from a light simmer to full output
• Push button ignition allows a fast and easy start
• Stainless-steel drip tray offers rust-free performance and easy clean up
• Adjustable, nonslip rubber feet ensure that your stove is always level and stays in place
• Rugged, thick-gauge steel construction delivers many years of use
• Dependable latches keep the lid secure during transport

I was impressed by the solid construction, the dependability of the push button ignition and the control of the flame.  It is a GREAT stove to use when cooking for a large family.

Another Eureka! product I am absolutely loving is the Eureka! Camp Café.

Up until our recent camping trip I had been using a percolator-style coffee maker.   If you put a strong value in a good pot of coffee at your campsite, I would highly recommend upgrading to the Eureka! Camp Café.    Its price, ($99), may be a little intimidating, but the product can serve more than just a coffee pot.   The set up comes with a boiling pot kettle (that can be used to cook other foods), a straining lid, a coffee carafe and filter holder (it is a pour-over brewer).   It's something I know will get years of use.  I have even used the set up at home.   

Here are some of the features:

• It nests together for easy transport and storage, the Eureka! Camp Cafe brews quality coffee for the whole crew quickly and cleans up in a snap.
• 2. 5-liter (80-ounce) boiling kettle with patented FluxRing technology is able to boil water twice as fast as a standard kettle.
• Make quality coffee for the whole crew with the pour-over filter holder and 12-cup (60-ounce) coffee carafe.
• The filter holder and carafe nest inside the boiling kettle for easy transport and storage.
• The boiling pot and carafe are made of hard-anodized aluminum, while the lid and filter holder feature food-grade, BPA-free polypropylene construction. Measures 8 by 8 by 8 inches packed and weighs 2. 5 pounds.
• Easily drain foods like pasta and rice with the convenient and integrated lid strainer.

I don't know about you, but a good cup of coffee makes me a happier camper.

Happy Camping!

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I am part of Amazon’s affiliate program in order to offset some of the costs that are associated with running a blog. If  you make a purchase after clicking on one of the affiliate links of my tried and true, honest recommendations, I get a very small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support in this area!

::summer blues

We are in the peak of the summer blueberry harvest in my neck of the woods!  I have been out picking, snacking on and freezing berries.  

This year our berry harvest is just a little later than it has been in years past and it is coinciding perfectly with the Ely Blueberry Festival Weekend.  There are a lot of fun things happening around town this weekend, including this Instagram giveaway from my blog sponsors Gypsy Bandanas & Grey Duck Bags.   Click on the image below to be directed to the giveaway.

If you are in town for the festival and stop by their booths - make sure to tell Tara and Beth you heard about the giveaway here!

Happy Blueberry Season!

Summer Adventuring: Voyager's National Park

I am just settling back at home after a weeklong island camping trip I took with the kids in Voyager's National Park.  

Enjoy these snapshots from our trip and be delighted by the beauty and bounty of this beautiful area of Northern Minnesota: 

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Read more of my writing featuring Voyager's National Park HERE.

 

Around Here...

 

Around Here...

I got my first handful of blues!  They are about a week behind and need rain.   We will see what this season brings.   It will be hard to compare to last year.   (I still have a few gallons of berries in the freezer!)

Around Here...
James is making great progress on the exterior of our sauna building.  It is such a wonderful addition to our homestead.  

Around Here....

Our kids are growing into new adventures.  Our daughter took her first independent camping overnight with some friends the other day.  The boys (and the mama and dad) took to some new nearby mountain bike trails.

Around Here....

The garden is growing!  I was pleased to see progress and growth with my herbs, beans, tomatoes, grapes, pumpkins, cucumbers and raspberries.  

Around Here...

We have an eight year old....today!  Oh how time flies.

 .......

This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.

I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.

What are you grateful for today?

Friday Fave - Every Kid in a Park

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope you all had a fun and safe 4th of July!

Here's my "Friday Fave,"a series highlighting fun and interesting things (products, experiences and/or ideas) that I would recommend to others.

Here's what I am digging this week:

I wanted to share this resource for those of you who may not be aware of it, especially in the peak of summer travel season.

The Every Kid in a Park Program

The Every Kid in a Park Program is an interagency effort among the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to inspire fourth graders and their families could discover the wildlife, resources, and history in our United States National Park for free.

Every Kid in a Park invites children of all backgrounds to discover their public lands and all they offer, including opportunities to be active and spend time with friends and family. As living classrooms, these outdoor places and his- toric sites also provide hands-on, real-world opportunities to develop critical skills and learn about the natural world.

The Every Kid in a Park pass admits the fourth grader and any accompanying passengers in a private, non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas, or the pass owner and up to three accompanying adults at sites that charge per per- son. The pass grants access to all federal lands and waters.

We have taken advantage of this program on our family vacation to Michigan and most recently on our vacation to the Pacific Northwest.

If you are traveling with a fourth-grade age child, be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity!

Highlights High Five - July 2019

I am excited to share that I have another activity published in Highlights High Five Magazine:

It is an honor to be contribute to this popular magazine.  I am happy to be a part of their mission:

Celebrating the joys of childhood and helping children become their best selves—creative, curious, caring & confident!

If you happen to get your hands on an issue, be sure to check out the activity!  

Thanks for reading!