Watering can design courtesy Smith & Hawken. Watering can price courtesy Target. I’m tough to please in the morning. I. Am. Not. An. Egg. Person. Yuck! Always hated them. I have to say that I’ve never met anyone else who feels that way. I can’t stand the smell, taste or […]
Thinking green
Ladybug that made its way home with us from Grandville Island in Vancouver The yard is looking a bit, um, weedy again. It’s kind of moody that way. And because it’s September already, that means it’s time for the weed-n-feed. This year is our first applying an organic product. We […]
Just desserts
Zinnia at dusk When I was at Camp Merrie Woode all those years ago, there was a special day set aside where campers got to eat dessert first. When you’re 10, that’s pretty darn exciting. Actually, when you’re thirty-something it’s pretty exciting too. Every once in a while, I remember […]
I beat Kip!
Countertop display at The Coffee Beanery, Woodland Mall I know…it’s bad to gloat. But I’m so absolutely clueless about the ins and outs of Fantasy Football. And yet I still kicked butt! Beating the league commissioner, no less. And, ahem, the score was 121 to 61. I got suckered into […]
Carbonated bread
Frosty and cool with a crisp finish When I was in high school and college, creating cuisine meant pulling out the green and white Kraft spaghetti box or flipping up a Velveeta grilled cheese. When I moved to Chicago and met Scott, things changed. I first had him over for […]
15 hours
Trying to figure things out We’ve made it through the first 1/2 day. Pete spent most of his life in Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary, so he’s a bit befuddled by this whole house thing. Everyday things make him nervous, like screen doors, food bowls with dog paws painted on them and […]
Dog day
Juliette in repose This is the day we affectionately call “Dog Day.” It’s the day that Pete comes to visit. If he does well, (i.e., gets along with Juliette and doesn’t eat my cats), then he stays. Tonight. Permanently. We’re pretty excited about this. Yet there’s a bit of trepidation […]
Scratch that
Seattle : August 2003 Well, I’ll be a silly hopeful photography student! My local community college allowed me to register for a course without informing me of some important restrictions. Like the fact that the head of the photography department thinks manual cameras are the only way to take a […]
Say cheese!
Maggie in the shredder (no animals were injured in the taking of this photo) Photography 104 starts tonight. Funny, but I’m a little nervous. What if I forgot everything I learned in 103 (which was almost two years ago)? Actually, I’m sure I forgot quite a bit. I’m going to […]
Fear and loathing of the garbage disposal
Our house was built in 1957. It’s not what you’d call a classic. Still, it came with some pretty cool features, including what I call a Mr. Ed door (and what the rest of the Grand Rapids calls a Dutch door. Go figure.). Another part of the package was the […]
I’ve got the music in me
Branford Marsalis Quartet : August 27 The Frederik Meijer Gardens has hosted some great musicians this summer. Luckily the husband was forward-thinking enough to nab us tickets to four of the shows. We’ve grooved to Buddy Guy, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and last week, to Branford Marsalis. And although […]
Memories
Late-summer zinnia The flowers are still blooming, but summer is winding down. My husband joshes me because every year I say, “Wow! I can’t believe it’s Labor Day weekend already.” Time goes by so quickly. One minute our ever-so-anticipated trip to the Pacific Northwest was months away. The next it […]