Angels

As 2011 draws to a close, my thoughts turn to angels.

Snow angels, to be specific.

I am grateful today for the opportunity to squeeze in one last angel for the year.

Plopping down onto the cold, smooth ice of the lake, laying on a small cushion of snow, my arms and legs gliding back and forth in perfect snow angel formation, I reconnect with the magic of childlike wonder that exists in me -- in all of us. The place I try to remember to live my life from each and every moment of each and every day.

Not an easy task. But not so hard either. Not really.

We just have to remember.

So, I leave you tonight with a wish for the New Year...that we remember this precious place in ourselves. That we remember our own divinity and that of those around us. That we remember that this life isn't about all of the physical trappings...but about love. And joy. And wonder.

And snow angels.

Happy 2012 to one and all! See you in the New Year. :)

Almost Out From Under

Welcome to our busiest holiday yet at the bakery. Let me just say this...

...we could tell.

My silence these past two days was out of self-preservation more than anything and the past 18 hours about resurfacing.

I'm almost there.

Until a proper post can be posted, I leave you with the wise words of one fat, jolly man of wonder...

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!//

Reason #264

I've been wondering why the squirrels and birds haven't been around much lately. We've gone through next to no seed in the past couple weeks and now I know why...

 Oh my!

This beauty of a Barred Owl is apparently feasting at my feeders (sorry little dudes!) which is why the critters have been making themselves scarce lately.

In fact, we haven't seen a mouse in many days. Which could be on account of:

1) the peppermint/spearmint mouse-repellent sachets I put throughout the basement (mmm...minty fresh!),

2) the fact that we found a hole where they put the new furnace in two years ago and patched it up,

3) the new kitty...

...nope, probably not Bella, or

4) Mr. Owl.

My vote is for the owl...check out that stare.

He trained that focus on me while I sat on the floor at the patio door taking pictures...

...and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

Yikes!

According to my favorite regional bird book, the Barred Owl hunts during the day and eats mammals and small birds.

Check, and check.

They are also non-migratory which means he might hang out awhile. Which is actually fine by me. We had a pair of Great Horned Owls (I know, right??!?) when we moved in two years ago and the coolest thing in the world was meditating in the dark of the night and hearing the hoo-hoo-hoo-hooooo. I haven't heard the Barred yet, but I'm turning my ear to the sky.

I love the activity at the feeders and am sad for anyone getting caught unawares, but there's something about consciously being in the middle of the circle of life -- being present and witnessing nature in her own true form. Noticing things change and then learning the reason why.

Reason #264 that I adore where we live. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

The best part?

I was actually home to see it. What a gift!

In the spirit of self-care and in an effort to get myself organized -- and feel more sane before the runaway train of the next two weeks leaves the station -- I played hooky today.

Positively dreamy!

I meditated, did yoga, wrapped presents,

listened to my favorite Christmas music, worked on a special gift for my sweetie (shhh...don't tell!), opened an Eddie Bauer package for myself,

(hey, nice sweater!) and never got out of my jammies (yep, chili peppers on my pants...I'm stylin'!). I got more done on a personal level in the past nine hours than I have in the past week.

Yahoo!

The sad part?

I probably won't even need to use a second of vacation time to get paid for the day. I mean, that's good and everything but...ah well, 'tis the season.

All of my progress was made without any help from these two rum-bums...

...which just made me wish I had made time for a nap.

I did, however, make time for lunch...a rarity these days. I figured there was no excuse since I was at home.

Quesadilla made with leftover roasted chicken, pinto beans, spinach, cilantro and cheese. Served with my favorite medium MinneSalsa -- locally made, microbrewed salsa. Fantastic!

Hey, who left THIS unwrapped on the counter??!?

It was mocking me...so I ate it.

No, not all of it. But enough to make today's installment of...

The 12 Brews of Christmas!

...taste like peppermint bark. Whoopsie!

Since I was alone all day (you know, minus the snoozing critters), I chose...

 ...Odell Brewing Company's Isolation Ale!

I really liked this one! No, not because of the peppermint finish : ) ...but because of the lighter hops. Burnt butterscotch, a little fruitiness -- is that blackberry? -- and just plain old tasty. Might have to pick up a sixer of this one to have on hand.

You know...just in case.

Mellow evening makes a perfect ending to a perfect day.

What holiday hubbub are you engaging in this evening? No matter what it is, just...remember...to...

BREATHE!//

The Eagle Has Landed

...um, I mean the kitty.

Her first perch on the couch by the railing -- safely on the other side of Dog.

Her first glimpse of her woods. Must be birds at the feeder...she looks pretty poised!

 Safely under the coffee table.

Nearly asleep on the couch with me while I type...very short lived!

Isn't she cute??

Yep. We picked up the still-as-of-yet-unnamed kitty from the vet earlier this afternoon and all is well at the homestead. The tech at the vet said she was being pretty feisty this morning and asked if we wanted to borrow their carrier to bring her home. Nah, we can do feisty. I told them she's probably finally wide awake and pissed off about the whole thing.

I know I would be! :)

The drive home went by without incident. Feisty...pshaw! Perhaps she just decided it was time to go home.

But she didn't know which home...or who would be there to greet her.

There was the expected hissing incident (the kitty, not Trooper) when the little rascals got together on the same level which may go on for a while, but I suspect by tonight we'll all be sacked out in the living room co-existing in the same space.

We planned it as such so that now T's out running errands and took Trooper with him so the little miss and I have the house to ourselves so she can get acclimated in peace. She hasn't quite landed yet, but she is a youngster with a whole lot of space to explore after all.

Speaking of exploring...oop, there I go with the spray bottle...she hopped up on the kitchen table. We're going to nip this one in the bud. (Famous last words.)

She looks pretty miserable now...

...don't she? Quite the flippy tail!

Then the big question is, how are the rest of us doing?

Believe it or not, I had a very sad morning. I was scared and sad and felt like a little kid. Terrified. There were even tears.

What if I've made a huge mistake? What if our little band of three, we little merry mischief makers, can't handle the new addition?

Strange to mourn the loss of something that seems so random. Really? I'm sad because it's not going to be just the three of us anymore?

Imagine what a sobbing mess I'd have been if we had actually had children??

I suppose it's normal. A new addition to the family is a big change -- whether it is feline, canine or human. Especially being the mushy-hearted life-lover such that I am.

It occurs to me now how hard it was when my brother and sis-in-law were pregnant with kiddo #2 and she was about to be born -- I was so painfully in love with kiddo #1 I couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like with two. I was baffled...how could there possibly be any more love in my heart for another child? Not to mention the transition to kiddo #3...but I suppose by then I knew -- and trusted -- that there was more than enough love to go around.

And yet somehow I forgot it now.

Ah, sacked out at last!

Perhaps that's why the twenty year delay in ever getting another kitty, as I mentioned. Perhaps that was the fear and the sadness this morning...not as much the loss of what was, but the cracking open of my heart to make room for the possibility of what will be. Because that's exactly how it feels. Cracked wide open for all the world to see (helps that I'm writing about it on a blog, then, right??!? Of course everyone can see it!).

She's already crawled her way into my heart...

It brings tears to my eyes now, how lucky I've been, how lucky I am now to open up and do all of this again. But there's no doubt -- this living is an astonishingly messy and wondrously joyful thing.

Can't have one without the other.

And now that she's asleep and I'm hanging out typing up a storm, it occurs to me that I've gotten a head start on the other two folks in this equation, who are still out erranding. But somehow I think they'll have a little easier go of it than I seem to.

Because...they're not me. Well...you know.

*****

They're home now and it's pretty non-eventful, which feels pretty good. Troop likes to follow around to any place the kitty has been and sniff it out.

Here kitty, kitty!

A little too close for comfort...

Sleeping within a couple feet of each other...not too shabby after only the first couple of hours.

Which leaves time for today's installment of...

The 12 Brews of Christmas!

The second brew of Christmas that my true love gave to me...

Bell's Expedition Stout! Not entirely a winter ale, but only available during winter. Hmm...sounds like a winter ale to me!

T says, where's the knife and fork??!?

I know it's a stout but holy moly is this thick and rich and delicious! Look at the color on it...

It even cascades like Guinness -- one of my favorites! A meal unto itself. Deep chocolate and coffee, with a bitter finish. A bitter finish isn't my favorite but when the body is stout enough (pun intended) it seems a bit more balanced and can handle it. It's thickera!

No fire tonight, but candles all the same.

We're drinking out of my favorite Six-Toed Cat pint glass from Key West, Florida in honor of the bitty kitty...not because she's polydactyl, but because she's...um...well...a cat.

Hemingway's cat, Snowball, had six toes and was a gift from a ship's captain in 1935. The glass comes from the cafe down the block from The Hemingway Home named for the plethora of polydactyls on the island, descended from Snowball. Just so's you knows.

You know. In case you're interested.

Trooper? Not so much...

Anybody want a cat?//

What's For Dinner Tonight?
In honor of our new arrival (thanks, Katelyn!), we thought we'd have our own Thanksgiving meal...

a stuffed Chicken Breast from Von Hanson's, salad...

and some Cranberry Wild Rice bread from the bakery. Soooooo good!

Little Miss Annabella (maybe?) was a good girl and sat on the chairs under the table, didn't bother us a bit. Whew!

Think she'll keep us??!? :)

Snuggle up, one and all. And have a beautiful night!

I'm Frambozen!

Brrr! It actually felt like December today, which is saying something since it's been relatively unseasonable these past three or four weeks. 28*F, which wasn't too cold, but somehow it was really obvious it was below freezing. Funny how one becomes that sensitive to such things. A good reminder to wear my jacket (or at least a long sleeve shirt) when running from the bakery to my car.

Holy short-sleeved-shirt on December 1st in Minnesota Batman! Wowza!

I am so very excited it is finally the great month of December, because it means we must be ready for our first installment of...

The 12 Brews of Christmas!

Our friends at The Ale Jail have such an amazing selection of winter ales and Christmas brews...

...and they specialize in the "build your own" 6-pack concept that T and I picked out twelve of the most intriguing and fun looking winter ales and are bringing them from our house to yours!

Ain't blogging grand?

And I'm doing it in the beginning of the month so you can run right out and get your own to try them for yourself if you are so inclined. What better way to start the season?

Who knew December could be so much fun??!?

Well, the first brew of Christmas, that my true love gave to me...

...is Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale from New Belgium Brewing Co. in Colorado. LOVE THEM! And this beer is so full of delicious Raspberry flavors...

...just look at the ruby red goodness! So pretty! T's not one for fruit beers which is why I chose this one for tonight -- he's off doing a wine tasting, leaving me alone to start this adventure on my own (shucks, I have to drink the whole thing myself!). This beer is fruity in the way a good herbal tea is fruity -- lots of raspberry essence without anything overpowering. And I love brown ale. Perfect combo for me.

It was another long, busy day at work but tremendously productive which always fills me with hope that I have prepped so well for the holiday I can stop putting out fires and start riding that wave! Coasting through the next three weeks, able to slow down, connect, be present and participate rather than react.

Think it can happen?

It will take a miracle!

(Gotta love The Princess Bride...anyway, I digress.)

Actually, the magic of the season is already settling in. I left work in a frenzy -- should I go to Target to pick up the few things we forgot for the cat last night (well, for me actually -- must have a pooper scooper for the litter box!!!), should I go get my oil changed, should I get some shopping done. Nope. None of it. Long day called for going right home -- one of my revelations from actually getting some sleep last night...self-care is number one!

Anyway, as I turned towards home at the top of the block, it just so happened that T was turning the corner at the bottom and we reached the driveway at...exactly...the...same...moment. There's no way it could have been more precisely timed if we had planned it.

Get out!

The look of surprise on both our faces was priceless. As were the immediate hugs and kisses when we got out. Love it!

Love him!

LOVE LIFE!

So instead of feeling tired and in need of a rest as I was when I left work, I was energized and ready to start prepping the house for she-who-has-not-been-named who arrives tomorrow afternoon.

We are in so much trouble!

As I vacuumed the basement (her special hidey hole) and organized where things will go...you know, litter box, food bowls, kitty bed, random paper bags, boxes, baskets that kitties love to goof around with (it is the basement after all)...I was transported more than twenty five years ago when I found my cat as a 6 week old kitten out in our driveway. Little Kitty (I know, original...right?) and her counterpart, Big Kitty (don't say it...) got into everything. It's what cats do.

It's been a really long time.

So I know it's impossible to kitty-proof the house. And yet, I can't help but try. I know we're in for a...a...an adventure tomorrow when our new Little Miss comes home for good.

Until then...

...we have received an incredible amount of catalogs in the mail the past couple of days and I should really catch up with my favorites because I don't imagine I'll have many tranquil evenings in the near future.

I'm actually almost done shopping so it won't do much good to peruse, but what can I say...I'm a sucker for a good catalog. Beautiful photography, fun items. Rarely do I purchase, but it's so much fun to look!

Here's to a peaceful night...who knows what wildness tomorrow might bring??//

What's For Dinner Tonight?
With T gone, I went for the standby -- flatbread pizza. Tonight's was homemade pesto sauce pulled from the freezer and defrosted in the micro with lots of veggies since there are plenty still left from our pasta adventure a couple nights ago.

Zucchini, mushrooms,

red pepper,

fresh mozzarella,

and asparagus...I blanched it by boiling about an inch of water in a pan, dropped the asparagus in, turned off the heat and covered it. It sat in the water while I prepped everything else and when I was ready for it, it was ready for me!

So is she!

I keep telling her her kitty is coming home tomorrow and she keeps looking at me like this...what 'chu talking 'bout mama??!?

People keep asking if I'm worried about how they'll get along and I'm really not. Trooper is such an incredibly sweet-hearted dog, and in their brief visit, the new kitty is as well. My intention for them is that they'll become fast friends.

As long as kitty doesn't get to sleep in the bed.

Um...well...we'll have to work on that.

While my pizza baked, I snacked on the rest of the asparagus -- perfectly crisp and crunchy! With a little pesto for dipping. YUM!

Ah, beautiful! Hey, where you going little asparagus?? Looks like he's trying to make a break for it!

Beautiful and delicious, too.

Snug in my reindeer jammies and the catalogs are calling! Ready or not, here I come!

Snuggle up everyone and have a great night!

The Lake Effect

The morning was a bit warmer than yesterday, though still cool with the increasing wind. The Big Lake had a little more attitude that she had since we arrived...looking more like ocean than lake, lulling us with the sound of crashing waves.  My favorite!

For what it's worth, I tried to take a video but it ended up too big to download to the blog, so imagine if you will, the waves splashing into the shore and make the sound wwwshhhh, wwwshhh, wwwshhh while looking at this picture if you want the full effect.  I always knew blogging was a collaborative practice :)

We ate breakfast this morning at Lutsen Lodge, down the hill from where we were staying this weekend, as we did on the morning we got married.  Quite the weekend of reminiscing!  Terry had the buffet and I went for my eggs benedict, per usual.  It was delicious!

The english muffins were toasted perfectly...and I adore the crispy little shreds on the top of the hash browns!

Here was the view from the table...beautiful stoic oak with the rolling waves of the Big Lake right behind it.  Sheer bliss...I'm telling you!

While we were eating, at the next table there was a couple chatting with one of the employees about the magic of Lake Superior.  Once I realized what they were talking about, I couldn't help but listen in.  The couple were telling the young man who worked there about how they each had fallen in love with the lake.  "Love at first sight," the man had said.

I smiled, thinking, who wouldn't?  Because of course, Terry and I are each connected to the lake in our own unique yet similar ways.

The young man called it, "The Lake Effect"...what the lake, this particular Great Lake, does to people. I wholeheartedly agree -- and of course LOVE hearing other people talking about it!  Wonder, wonder, wonder!

In my experience, the lake enchants people.  Soothes them.  Invites them in to set down their worries and concerns and fears...just set them down and let the water wash them away.  Being in the presence of such gentleness and power fills us with awe and reminds us that we are simultaneously witnessing both exactly who we are at our core and something greater than ourselves. Spending any time in its company is just good for the soul.

It's the exploration of that very mystery that keeps us coming back for more.

And it's true.  Before hearing the other people talking, I was sitting in silence at our breakfast table, waiting for my food to arrive, watching the waves roll in, pull out, roll in again and I told Terry that my heart just felt calm, pure, happy.  The joy and the wonder all jumbled up together in a way that settled me into the complete and utter knowing that all was right with the world.

That's the magic of the Big Lake, if only we quiet enough to hear her song to us.  No need to fret or to busy ourselves or to try.  Just be.

It's enough.//

What's For Dinner Tonight?
We are pretty exhausted after our foray into the North Woods, so after coming home and fetching the dog, we decided something low key was best. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup fit the bill just perfectly...and warmed our bellies as well!

Sleep well, all!