city of lakes/state of hockey

Lake Nokomis. Our lake in the City of Lakes. Sawyer & Zola take swimming lessons at the beach. It’s our usual running track, part of the bike route, a favorite place to grab ice cream. The lakes figure large in our recreation during all seasons; it’s part of who we are.

And so the kayaks, canoes & paddleboats wait their turns while the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships take center stage. There are dogs and babies and still plenty of bikes. Kids on the swingset and on ice skates. No matter how cold (or hot) it gets, how hard it snows (or rains), there will be thousands of people at, in, on & around the lake any day of the year. It’s part of what I love about us.

17/365: us pond hockey championships, lake nokomis

09.04.13 where the birds are

Our favorite destination on any boat ride is the eagles’ nest. The gigantic structure sits perched in a tall tree on an island overlooking the expanse of Big Sturgeon Lake. I like the stand of scraggly, grizzled old trees almost as much as an eagle sighting. On a skinny spit of land that sees its share of harsh winters, the trees are an assemblage of characters, like the town elders, each with a story to tell and the scars to prove it.

247/365: eagle island, late august

05.08.13 sweet peeps

My grandparents raised chickens on their southern Minnesota farm. As a little girl, I loved all the animals on the farm, but the baby chicks especially. When they arrived, I was given a cardboard box and allowed to take a chick or two into the house to care for during my visit.

Yesterday, Zola brought two fluffy, peeping baby chicks home from preschool to care for overnight. The sight, sound, and smell of those chicks brought back so many sweet memories of my childhood. I’m happy that, now, Zola gets a turn to experience the wonder of brand new life.

128/365: Zola & Brad handling chicks with care