Tag : not art at all

111 posts

201609/27

T Tuesday: Ryder Cup edition

Welcome to T stands for Tuesday! This week is an odd for for me… My kids have barely started school and now they are off for a week due to the Ryder Cup which is being held smack in the middle of our school district. When I first heard about this about 2 years ago I was like….

Now that I know more about it I realize that having this event really is going to disrupt things and having school in the midst of an estimated 250,000 additional people isn’t really going to work. Leaving town, like so many families we know, just wasn’t going to work for our family this week due to both work and sports. Instead we are going to treat this time like a stay-cation. as much as possible between obligations.

Mini-me snapped this photo after a volleyball game. We didn’t go to the shops but heard from those who went that it was pretty amazing what has been built on the golf course grounds. It’s like a small city they said. The celebrity cup starts today I believe and the real competition begins on Thursday.

Yesterday Mini-me and BFF went to Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. It’s over 100 years old. Of course there have been many changes and more humane treatment for the animals. I was telling the girls about what it was like 40 years ago when I was a child…just the changes that have about since then are amazing.

The flamingos were nearly orange instead of pink which was odd to me but beautiful anyway.

Speaking of orange…isn’t he gorgeous! I can’t even begin to count how many crumby shots I took before getting this one.

The giraffes always make me smile. Can you see the one in the background stretching his tongue out to grab a leaf?

The primate building is always so much fun. These two sat hugging each other the entire time we were in there. They’d adjust a bit but just sat there snuggled. Made me say AWWW more than once.

This guy made me think of a teenager on a day off…living a life of leisure.

But this one was my favorite with his awesome mustache.

Since the zoo is clear on the other side of the Twin Cities from our house, I’m not familiar with any restaurants or even fast food in that area. The girls and I decided to eat at the zoo cafe…super expensive for what we got and totally not worth it. It was super busy…captive audience I’m sure.

We were going to go into the conservatory next to see the gorgeous flowers…

but then we realized that both girls had food and drink with them which is a big no-no. We walked around the exterior while they tried to finish.

This building has changed very little if at all since I was a kid. I remember going there after church some times and marveling at the warmth inside the building and beautiful flowers in the middle of winter.

I love being able to share places I explored as a child with my kids. This little day trip made me want to do more of them.

On our way home Mini-me snapped a couple of photos of the new Vikings stadium in the heart of Minneapolis.

It was fun to see from the freeway but now I definitely want to see it up close and personal.

Today I’m not sure that we’ll get out for any “day trip”. Lots on the plate for today…an appt, volleyball match and work will keep everyone busy until past dinner time today.

So I’m starting the day with a good breakfast.

What are you doing today?

Blog

daytrip, not art at all, staycation, T Tuesday

10 Comments

halleday

201609/20

T Tuesday: apple days edition

Happy Tuesday everyone! This past weekend is one I both love and hate each year. It’s the weekend we help pick apples at our neighbors house. They have 5 trees that are HUGE!! As in you need an extension ladder huge.

(This is just a 6 foot ladder…)

Some of their family comes over as well as several of us neighbors. We spend the morning picking then bring our bags of apples home and usually the afternoon or next day processing.

This year we didn’t make time for processing over the weekend. Everyone was going here and there it seemed. Sleepover, Manhattan choir fundraiser, fabricating and 3D printing in the garage and of course, leaving time to watch our Vikings play the Packers (the big border battle) in the inaugural game in the new stadium…SKOL Vikings! Our Vikings won-BTW!!!

On to Monday…this was my morning view complete with coffee as fuel for the day ahead….

Normally I process in the garage for more room but since I was doing it solo I brought the garage can inside.

After hours of peeling I had every extra large container I own full of sliced apples.

As well as a stock pot full cooking down to sauce. And the dehydrator with 6 trays loaded.

I ended up with 7 quarts that I canned…

The rest went into gallon freezer bags to be made into sauce at a later date.

As you can see by this photo it was now after 3pm and I was exhausted,

I also managed to get two loads of laundry washed during that time.

So my grand total for the day was: 7 quarts apple sauce canned, 2 quarts in fridge, 4 gallon bags of prepped apples in freezer, and a quart bag of dehydrated slices.

So like I said when I started…apple days…I have a love/hate relationship with them.

Today I’m going to have coffee with some friends then likely come home and can a few pints of diced tomatoes…or else pull up the garden and do the tomatoes tomorrow before the next round of rain.

What are you doing today?

Around home | Blog | Kitchen

apples, canning, kitchen, not art at all, T Tuesday

15 Comments

halleday

201605/07

Hazy day

After record breaking heat yesterday, I awoke about 1:00 am to the strong smell of smoke. We’d left our bedroom window open since the weather reports said a cool front was going to be blowing through. The wind blew in the smoke from both the Canadian wildfires and some in Northern MN.

I jumped out of bed worried that something close by was one fire. As I looked out the window, all I saw was thick smoke in the low light from the street lights. I wish I could have taken a photo but I know the light was too low.

This morning, before the sun crested over the neighboring houses, all we could see was a thick haze of smoke.

As the sun appeared over the houses we saw the orange glow of the sun filtering through the smoke.

There is this special weather statement for much of Minnesota today.

Yard work was on the list for today but we’ll postpone for health sake. Mini-me and I are going shopping today though and picking up birthday/Mother’s Day sushi for a late lunch. Can’t wait!!

Lets keep all the families and firefighters in our thoughts as the fires still rage.

Messy kids stuff

Ok, in the grand scheme of things…this wasn’t that messy at all. Little J spotted this recipe for homemade flubber on Pinterest.I was careful to use glass bowls and disposable plastic spoons to begin with.

After pouring off the excess water…it was time to dig in with my hands…at least I remembered to take off my wedding ring. ;)

Little J thought it looked like I was having way too much fun with her flubber so she traded off the camera to me.

We made the flubber a pale lavender color that doesn’t show terribly well in the photos.Finally it was time to play. The flubber is more viscus than silly putty and a little wetter feeling. It’s a solid that behaves as a liquid. Some cool science going on there.

Of course, I had to show the kids that when stuck in a jar with any air gap, pushing on it makes the most satisfying “toot” noise. You know…passing gas…breaking wind. I’ve always used the word “toot” instead of the version of that word that starts with and f and ends with a t. I hate that word….not sure why but it just irks me…even more so when I hear young kids saying it. There, now you’ve just learned another quirk of Halle…you’re welcome.

Blog

day in the life, kid crafts, not art at all, Pinterest

3 Comments

halleday

201307/09

Tell it all Tuesday

I’m not starting something new with this, as much fun as it could be, but I did want to share something from last Tuesday.

While Big J and I were at the orthodontist, Mr. G took Little J for a sight seeing flight. Little did he know that the pilot would hand over control to our 10 year old. That’s my baby girl in the pilot seat, flying a plane!! Yikes! She couldn’t even see over the dash. What an awesome experience for her. I’m just glad that I wasn’t given anytime to think or worry about their adventure. I was busy with the boy, otherwise I’d have been a nervous wreck!