Kids, Lakes, Loons and Pines

Friday Faves

A scene from our close by swim spot, which we have been visiting daily as we are navigating a heatwave.

Happy Friday Friends!

This summer, I am going to try to get back in the habit of posting a "Friday Fave: series, where I will be highlighting books, podcasts, products, experiences and/or ideas,) that I would recommend to others.   

Here we go:

This week I am...

Listening to...

I just finished the audiobook version of The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi, which I mentioned last week in my post.  The next book I am going to start is something a litttle different.  I will be jumping from Rajasthan, India to the wilds of Alaska in the most recent book I downloaded from audible: Braving It: A Father, a Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild by James Campbell.

Reading...

 

 

 

 

I recently checked out and started reading A Spark of Light written by bestselling author Jody Picoult.  It is described as a "provocative novel about ordinary lives that intersect during a heart-stopping crisis."  So far it is proving to be an interesting read.

Recommending...

My REI Flexlight Chair (the same one pictured in the header image of this post).  I have been using this lightweight, portable camp chair that I got last summer almost daily at our nearby swimming spot.  It is super easy to break down and set up and packs down very small.  

That's it for now - Happy Weekending!

*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!

In my garden::June

We've been doing a lot of playing outside on nearby lakes and trails, at the same time my Northwoods garden has been doing its thing in our backyard.

Today I am sharing a couple of snapshots (weeds and all) of what my garden looks like at the end of June.

This year I planted: chives, oregano, parsley, rosemary, dill, pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, lettuce, and some beans.  We have a couple of rows of raspberries, and a grapevine.

Over the last several years I have really streamlined our garden space, planting only what we will use and what seems most cost/labor effective to plant and this is what has been working for us.

How is your garden growing?

 

Friday Faves

A scene from our outdoor lunch picnic in the woods yesterday, which was complemented with a hike and swim.

Happy Friday Friends!

This summer, I am going to try to get back in the habit of posting a "Friday Fave: series, where I will be highlighting books, podcasts, products, experiences and/or ideas,) that I would recommend to others.   

Here we go:

This week I am...

Listening to...

The audible audiobook version of The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi.   

This book is a good summer read.  It is making me want to get a henna kit and play around with some designs as we have done in summer's past...

Reading...

Issue 39::TIDES – Taproot Magazine.  I have contributed to several issues of Taproot Magazine in the past and I am also a subscriber.  I enjoy reading every issue.

Recommending...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening to The Henna Artist is taking a trip to India in my imagination.  I have never been there, but I have experienced Rajasthan in the pages of Patterns of India: A Journey Through Colors, Textiles, and the Vibrancy of Rajasthan written and photographed by fellow Taproot contributor Christine Chitnis.   

That's it for now - Happy Weekending!

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!

 

A scene from our outdoor lunch picnic in the woods yesterday, which was complemented with a hike and swim.

Happy Friday Friends!

This summer, I am going to try to get back in the habit of posting a "Friday Fave: series, where I will be highlighting books, podcasts, products, experiences and/or ideas,) that I would recommend to others.   

Here we go:

This week I am...

Listening to...

The audible audiobook version of The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi.   

This book is a good summer read.  It is making me want to get a henna kit and play around with some designs as we have done in summer's past...

Reading...

Issue 39::TIDES – Taproot Magazine.  I have contributed to several issues of Taproot Magazine in the past and I am also a subscriber.  I enjoy reading every issue.

Recommending...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening to The Henna Artist is taking a trip to India in my imagination.  I have never been there, but I have experienced Rajasthan in the pages of Patterns of India: A Journey Through Colors, Textiles, and the Vibrancy of Rajasthan written and photographed by fellow Taproot contributor Christine Chitnis.   

That's it for now - Happy Weekending!

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!

June Blues

Yesterday we found some June blues close to home.   It was a treat to taste a warm, ripe blueberry as we are welcoming the transition to summer in the north woods.    Spottings of green berries have been spotty, but we have a patch nearby that will provide for us if they get enough rain.   It is always a treat to be pleasantly surprised by the first ripened berries of the year, especially as I have been making some calculated guesses based on my attention to the weather and my past records.

Here are links to my posts (and dates) of our first blueberries of the last several years:

2019 - This post notes that we did not have any blueberries in June last year.  This was my first blueberry post of 2019.

2018

2017

2016

2015

 

Weekending...

It was such a beautiful weekend in our neck of the woods!  We were grateful to spend some time with cousins and nana and papa at the lake.

This moment is something special that I am holding onto for my mom and dad and for these kids the first Father's Day after my brother's passing earlier this spring.  It is not the same, but we're all doing our best to take care of each other.   

I am expecially grateful for this experience, that we had this past weekend together, full of love.

-------

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 Faves

I am finding green berries, which is a good sign for opportunity for a blueberry harvest in a couple of weeks!

Happy Friday Friends!

This summer, I am going to try to get back in the habit of posting a "Friday Fave: series, where I will be highlighting books, podcasts, products, experiences and/or ideas,) that I would recommend to others.   

Here we go!

This week I am...

Listening to...

Raising Good Humans on Apple Podcast most recently: Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith: How we talk about race, raising anti-racist kids, and the science of hope. 

Reading...

Beach Read by Emily Henry.   (So far so good!)

Recommending...

Earth Kind Stay Away^®Mosquitoes bug repellent.  I was sent a sample of this product and gave it a try.  My honest review is that it seems to work!  It is an unscented product that is easy on my skin - a welcome solution for relief from mosquitos, ticks, gnats and flies.  I will be purchasing this product when I run out of the samples I received. 

That's it for now - Happy Weekending!

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!

Around Here...

Around Here...

We are setting into a rhythm of our days with close to home adventures: a hike or a trail run, fishing and swimming, these late spring days have been good to us!

-------

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 Faves

Happy Friday Friends!

This summer, I am going to try to get back in the habit of posting a "Friday Fave: series, where I will be highlighting books, podcasts, products, experiences and/or ideas,) that I would recommend to others.   

Here we go!

This week I am...

Listening to...

The Unlocking Us with Brené Brown podcast Brené with Austin Channing Brown on I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness.   I also purchased, downloaded, and started listening to Austin Channing Brown's book I'm Still Here in the audiobook format from audible.

Reading...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett.   I have recently upgraded my laptop to an ipad pro with a keyboard.  I am enjoying multi-function abilities and am checking out books from my library in an ebook format.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also finished the books The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms and How to Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi since I posted last.

Recommending...

My new Hydroflask 12 oz. Travel Mug.  I got one as a end-of-the-year gift from one of my students and I have been using it every day.  It keeps my coffee warm much longer than a typical mug.  I got a pink one and I love the color, style and functionality.  If you live in my neck of the woods, you can get one at Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters.  You can also check out their online store HERE.

That's it for now - Happy Weekending!

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!

Life at the Lake

This is how we are rolling this summer...

-------

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?

thirteen

We have another teenager in the house - Happy Birthday son!  We love you!