tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83582246234483343522012-02-11T10:18:16.415-06:00Random thoughts on life (past, present, future), my passions for travel, photography, good food, good wine, and my search for a new niche.CherylKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04021319020150945676noreply@blogger.comBlogger506125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358224623448334352.post-11648258189351745362012-02-10T10:02:00.000-06:002012-02-10T10:02:13.921-06:002012-02-10T10:02:13.921-06:00

A trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba is not complete without a visit to Assiniboine Park.  It's a wonderful attraction and it's open 365 days a year!  There's the zoo, a sculpture garden, an exotic horticultural collection from around the world in the conservatory.  And there's a Nature and Adventure Playground! Pavillion Gallery Museum One of the most interesting attractions is the Pavillion Gallery

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We returned from Kansas on Monday and, with two weeks until we leave for Washington, I was confident that I could accomplish much.  As they say, "The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray" (Burns).  I've been fighting a head cold since Wednesday which has put a damper on my plans to catch up on everything from sewing projects to trying new recipes, to writing and reading. You might

CherylKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04021319020150945676noreply@blogger.com22http://www.lakemarymusings.com/2012/02/esplanade-riel-pedestrian-bridge-photo.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358224623448334352.post-48021943154206539182012-01-27T10:44:00.005-06:002012-02-03T12:12:41.045-06:002012-02-03T12:12:41.045-06:00

We're still in Kansas and we are having an excellent visit!  The children are in school during the week so MJ and Jack and I have completed several little projects around the house; we've made cookie dough for the freezer; we've explored a variety of thrift shops and we've taken a field trip or two. This is "Pioneer Mother", a statue in Penn Valley Park.  After spending the better part of two

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I'm in the middle of a blogging intermission.  Does that even make sense? We've been in Kansas for about a week, now, and I'm thinking that I should post SOMEthing, for goodness sake!  We have plans to do some "touristy" stuff but the weather has been cold and windy. Quite frankly, I'd rather stay indoors!   The forecast looks promising next week so that will be the time to go out and about.

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My brother-in-law buys a puzzle for my sister every Christmas.  I've always enjoyed working on their current puzzle whenever we're visiting the Pacific Northwest. I thought it would be a great little extra gift for Jack so I purchased one, this year, thinking that we could work on it together during the long cold winter.  I could just imagine us, heads together, bent over the table mulling

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This is one of my favorite quotes and I've shared it as a Christmas post in the past. But it will work well as my wishlist for the New Year. If I substitute "my" for "your" it makes an excellent personal pledge for 2012. So...in 2012 I pledge to give... "To your enemy, forgiveness.To an opponent, tolerance.To a friend, your heart.To a customer, service.To all, charity.To every child, a good

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This is a Christmas wish.  But it's also a wish to all of my friends and loved ones who celebrate other spiritual holidays this time of year whether it's Hanukkah, Kwanza, Las Posadas, Ishura, or any one of a  number of religious days celebrated in December, each year. This is a joyous and loving season whatever your beliefs.  I think Happy Holidays is a lovely greeting.  If someone wishes me

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We've had the tree decorated for about a week, now, and as we were hanging the ornaments I remarked to Jack how much fun it is to remember where we got each one. We don't have a fancy tree.  The ornaments have been collected over the years as we've traveled here and there.  The children all had personal ornaments, too, but they have those, now. So I'll share a few that have special meaning to

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This was in our morning newspaper and it took me aback because when our children were little we said that there was a big television at the North Pole and Santa Claus could tune into any house in the world to see if the children were being good or not. Only recently have I realized that was probably a terrible thing to tell them!  Luckily, they're all grown up and fairly well adjusted!  :-) I

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I've spent the past couple of weeks trying to purge files.  Mostly photographs.  It's been a nightmare but I'm making progress, I think.  Fingers crossed. I ran across this photograph of a sign at a truck stop somewhere in Iowa, I think.   I don't remember where or when.  It's hard to believe that anyone takes them up on this challenge but I'll be they do get takers. A Trucker's Breakfast?

CherylKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04021319020150945676noreply@blogger.com19http://www.lakemarymusings.com/2011/11/can-you-eat-like-trucker.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358224623448334352.post-42431331451810575322011-11-24T11:27:00.000-06:002011-11-24T11:27:50.981-06:002011-11-24T11:27:50.981-06:00

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received...Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling...Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse." Henry Van Dyke I am so grateful and thankful for all of the blessings in my life.  Thank you for your love and friendship...the best blessing of all.

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Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting a most amazing children's book shop called Wild Rumpus.  I was in Minneapolis for the day and had plans to meet Jen for an early dinner in the Linden Hills neighborhood.  Wild Rumpus is just down the street from Tilia which is where we agreed to meet.  Jennie told me about Wild Rumpus and said that if I had time I really ought to check it out. I

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This is a special Photo Finish Friday post.  It's Veterans' Day here in the United States and I've always been touched by this banner that hangs from the ceiling of the FargoDome.  It honors the Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action so I think it's an appropriate photo to post on this day. A meaningful banner at the FargoDome There's an interesting article about the history of

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Canadian Geese This isn't a very good picture from a technical standpoint.  The lighting was off and my focus was a bit wonky but I like how it turned out, anyway.  It's kind of reminiscent of a sepia-toned photo or an old watercolor painting that is dreadfully faded - ha! Thanks to Leah at The Goat's Pail Lunch for creating Photo Finish Friday!  Next week I'm going to post more photos from

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I'm in a rush, today...seems like my whole life is a rush, these days.  But hey...it's what keeps us young, I think!  But I didn't want to miss Photo Finish Friday, again... Anyway, this is a strange but cool little vehicle that Diane, Barb, Cathy and I saw one day in Winnipeg.  We were at The Forks (that'll be another post) waiting for what we refer to as The-Concert-That-Never-Was. So I

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St. Boniface Cathedral A few weeks ago I took a road trip with three friends.  A girls' weekend, so to speak.  We went to Winnipeg, Manitoba which is about six hours north and west of Lake Mary. We had a great time! Today, I'm posting photos of St. Boniface Cathedral which has a most interesting history.  From 1818 to 1971 there were five cathedrals built.  Twice it was destroyed by fire.  The

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Yesterday our friends, Mike & Barb, called to see if we wanted to go for a boat ride.  The weather was perfect...no wind so Lake Mary was calm. We were out on the lake for almost three hours, I think, just cruising slowly and looking at the beauty of the lake and chatting about this and that.  It was so peaceful. Even the clouds are reflected in this shot! Since our storms this summer, we've

CherylKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04021319020150945676noreply@blogger.com9http://www.lakemarymusings.com/2011/09/lake-mary-reflections.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358224623448334352.post-6194748738918599442011-09-01T20:35:00.000-05:002011-09-01T20:35:40.672-05:002011-09-01T20:35:40.672-05:00

I caught this shot day before yesterday.  The skies were overcast and everything was gray.  But it made for a pretty picture, I think. Jack noticed this crane from the porch window.  It's a perfect vantage point for viewing the activity on Lake Mary.  That guy was just perched on the back of the dock bench watching for tasty morsels just below the surface of the water. The next morning he was

CherylKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04021319020150945676noreply@blogger.com13http://www.lakemarymusings.com/2011/09/our-porcha-room-with-view.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8358224623448334352.post-33656394653051610832011-08-30T07:36:00.000-05:002011-08-30T07:36:52.083-05:002011-08-30T07:36:52.083-05:00

It has been a crazy month.  I won't even go into detail because you'd be bored to death but trust me...we were REALLY busy! And Mother Nature was irritated about something because she swept through our little community with a vengence!  We've had so much rain.  Most of the lakescape along the shoreline is either dying or it's dead.  We're not going to do much until next spring but then a lot of

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It has been a busy week.  Last Sunday night Jack and I came home from an art fair in Morris, Minnesota and a storm system followed us the entire forty miles.  There was a scary looking angry black cloud to the west. No sooner had we unloaded our vehicle when severe weather struck.  Jack spotted the wall of disaster as it was surging across the lake and we headed for cover.  One minute it was as

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A nighttime bonfire at Lake Mary The lake is so high, this year, that we've had to move the fire pit from the beach.  The beach is half the depth that it usually is but we're not complaining.  There's still lots of beach and nice soft sand. We decided to put the fire pit up in a curved grassy area near the lakescaping. Jack had the pit pretty much dug by the time the twins and their parents

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I guess this will be my annual 4th of July photo.  I have yet to find another photo op that I like as well as this one. It's not the best picture I've ever shot but it's a favorite because it reflects hope.  Hope that one of these days flying a Peace Flag and Old Glory in unison will be a symbol of the way we actually live. It's another beautiful day at Lake Mary...I hope you are all having a

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Summer is a double-edged sword for me.  Particularly here in Minnesota where our summers are short but sweet.  The past few weeks have been busy with our smoothie business...summer art fairs and festivals and catering graduation parties, etc. And now that we have a couple of relatively free weeks, the weather has been so nice that I haven't wanted to be indoors.  You totally understand, of

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Last night we were sitting on the porch visiting with our good friends, Karen and Terry.  Karen spotted this pretty pelican on the lake between our neighbors dock and theirs. I grabbed the camera and headed out to our deck to see if I could capture a shot or two.  I zoomed in as much as I could without totally blurring the image. This guy (or gal) was just enjoying a leisurely swim.  He'd swim

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...or maybe it's an "elf" tale.  Whatever it is, I was so intrigued last Sunday when I learned of this amazing little elf door...or fairy door... It seems as though there is an elf...or a fairy...living in a hollow tree not very far from Jennie's house.  It's on the shores of Lake Harriet, a beautiful lake in the middle of Minneapolis.  Do click on the link in the last sentence to see some

CherylKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04021319020150945676noreply@blogger.com15Alexandria, MN 56308, USA45.884258 -95.3739779999999745.845738000000004 -95.42520349999997 45.922778 -95.32275249999996http://www.lakemarymusings.com/2011/06/fairy-tale.html