Lessons of the Lawn Mower

       Mowing the lawn should be considered as an Olympic sport and an education all rolled in one. Let me explain. Today, Luke continued on with the roof and I decided to tackle the overgrown lawn. I was reminded as I worked that a riding lawn mower and a weeping willow tree--really any low hanging tree for that matter--make for a problem solving situation for sure. Some might simply leave the sneaky grass under the low hanging tree, others might save it for the weed whip, but not I. I'm stubborn. And this is where the Olympic sport aspect comes in.
        The further under you go, the branches start wacking at you and trying to keep you from moving farther. So, you have two options: Lean as far forward as possible or lean as far back. I tried both. I did manage to achieve a nice scratch up my arm and my neatly bunned hair was a little worse for the wear afterwards, but I won. Then there is the competition where you see how close you can get to the propane tank without getting stuck...I got stuck. And then there is the matter of the tricky incline of the ditch, but like I said, I'm stubborn. I won.
      It used to be that in figure skating, they judged you by the designs you swirled into the ice. Well, that sport could easily be converted to lawn mowing. What kinds of crazy, crooked lines and designs can you create as you drive along.
       As far as the educational aspect of mowing the lawn there are many lessons learned. You are transported back in time to the days of the Dust Bowl every time you go over one of the many gopher mounds, sending swirls of dust everywhere. You also learn that those same gopher mounds like to bog you down, so you hit the gas and shoot over them faster. And then sometimes you learn that no amount of forward or reverse is going to get you unstuck and you simply must get off and push. So many lessons!
       This evening, Luke and I finished the day with both of us up on the roof getting soaked by the rain as we worked to staple down the tar paper. Luke certainly has his work cut out for him with this crazy roof line. Adventures. Happy Monday!

"Truth is a deep happiness that teaches us to be content in our everyday life and share with people the same happiness." ~Khalil Gibran 

Rooftop Adventures

     This afternoon, I hung out on the roof while My Love worked on the latest home improvement project. Soon our old patched shingles will be replaced with a beautiful blue steel. The sun was shining, the birds and crickets were singing and it was just a lovely specimen of a day.
     The last time Luke and I hung out on the roof together was before we bought our home, about a year and a half ago. The bank had given us a list of things that needed fixing with the house before they would sign off on the loan. The ladies who sold us the house were kind enough to let us come in and do the work. I don't know how often that sort of arrangement happens in the world of real estate, but it was a true blessing. And so here we are once again, on the roof. Adventures!

     I was reminded this morning that 5 years ago this weekend, My Love and I were sitting by the crick at my parents place when he pulled a ring out of his pocket and asked me to be his wife. I am so very blessed. (Engagement photo credits to The Lovely Keren Ruth)

"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

North Shore Adventures

     This past weekend was one filled with sunshine, fun, and memories in the making, which naturally equals adventure. Luke was a state delegate so we headed to Duluth for the convention. My brother and sister-in-law, Ken and Abbi were also delegates, so they brought along my niece Mara to keep me company while they delegated. We had a good time.

The drive there was every bit a part of the adventure. I love this guy. 

Now I know Cruz is no longer running, but Ken, Abbi, and Luke went with the hope of bringing about some changes. Unfortunately things didn't go as they had hoped. 

Mara and I did a bit of exploring Friday evening, keeping it close to the hotel. One thing I will say about Duluth...HILLS!

 And what did we discover but the Statue of Liberty. My brothers got to see the real thing this past fall, so I thought I should let them know that I too got to see Lady Liberty. 

 Saturday morning Mara and I saw the delegates off to the convention and then hit the North Shore in search of adventure. We found it. I don't know how many times over the course of the weekend I said the words, "It's so PRETTY!"

 Cliffs and miles of lake make a pretty stellar combination!

 We found ourselves at Gooseberry Falls. 

 Then we found a nice pebbly beach and began searching for agates and sea glass. We had a decent amount of success

 By the time we turned around and headed back towards Duluth both Mara and I were worn out. It was great. The convention was over by Saturday evening so Ken, Abbi, and Mara headed home. But Luke and I had decided to make a weekend of it, so Sunday was our day to explore. We walked, climbed rocks, created beach sculptures and hunted for more agates. 

 This guy is my favorite.

 Mining for crystals in the side of the bluff

I particularly enjoyed sitting on the beach and sifting through the pebbles in search of agates and sea glass. I might still be there if Luke hadn't said it was time to go. 

 The treasure. 

 What an adventure. Happy Monday!

"Make your heart like a lake with a calm, still surface and great depths of kindness." ~Lao Tzu

Sunday Adventures

    Today I told My Love that I wanted to go on an adventure. It just felt like the sort of thing to do. And so, we took a long drive. Luke told me that I had to navigate and so we wound our way north and west of town. Winding dirt roads lead us through the gossamer green of the newly budding popple and birch trees. It was perfect. As we wound ourselves further into the woods, Luke mentioned that an old friend lived in the area and that he had a Swedish knife making business. We decided to stop in for a visit. We got a tour of the shop and a history of the business, it was fun. And now we are home and the grill has been fired up for some  BBQ and baked potatoes, a fitting way to end an afternoon of adventure.
    I hope your day was beautiful, sweet, and simple. But even if it wasn't, always remember that The Creator of Spring's Greenery is by your side, calling you to lean into Him. Trust Him with the adventure of your life. Happy Sunday!

"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going to fast--You also loose the sense of where you are going and why." ~Eddie Cantor