Category Archives: Nature

Napping Bee

Posted on 05.30.2012 | 5 Comments

Tonight, as I was preparing to water the plants, I spied this situation.

Napping Bee.

I know.  I know.  It has basically turned into some sort of hack-version of the Animal Planet ’round these parts lately.

I have nothing to say about that situation.  I just call it like I see it.

I did not know that bees were given to napping.  Maybe they aren’t and this one was offering its body up to predators as a sacrifice for the hive.

Or maybe…it was a sick bee.  I’m not sure which would be worse, to tell you the truth.

More importantly, the more observant amongst you might be thinking, But Kat, you don’t have a hydrangea.

And prior to Saturday night, you would have been correct.

But Jenna used entire hydrangea plants for decor at her wedding, so when the clock struck midnight 10:30, she forced one on me.

Obviously I happily accepted it without complaint.  I’m 99% sure that Hydrangeas are my favorite flower.  The only reason I say 99% and not 100% is because invariably I always forget certain varieties of flowers (Example: Peonies) until they are placed directly in front of me.

Puzzling over what to do with it the morning-after, I brought it outside along with a soup spoon.  I then proceeded to gouge out the spot where the plant formerly known as Purple Basil was, and tucked the hydrangea into its new home.

I love it 11/10.  It is a wonderful contrast to The World’s Laziest Plant That Refused To Grow And Then Died Outright.

Thank goodness that shame has lifted from our tiny planked-paradise.

Bee Story Time: While my bee was apparently a pacifist, do you have any horror stories re: Getting Stung?

Gardeners: What’s growing for you right now?  Have you had any major failures?

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Posted in Nature

We Get It.

Posted on 05.24.2012 | 5 Comments

Kittens, y’all really delivered with the baby animal-talk today and I have to say, I am impressed.  When I whipped that post out, I wasn’t even sure that we were a baby animal-loving bunch.

Verdict: We are.  Even if we try to avoid admitting it.  Most of the time.

Emily managed to call my attention to convenience-astrology last night, so I took a moment to do a brief bit of research so that we could all be in-the-know.

The deal: Mercury moved into Gemini today with Venus and the Sun, the Moon is in Cancer and Mars is in Virgo.

Take that information and do with it what you will.  We should probably be making a chart of this stuff.

And yes, I checked the moon phase.  It’s not even close to full.  At all.

What am I making of it?

Today, as I was about to pull into our driveway after work, I noticed this.

Whomping Willow down.

Since neither Marcus nor I saw it this morning on our way out (it would be kind of a big thing to overlook), I’m assuming that some part of today’s storm took it out.

Leaving us with…a lot of space to spy on the neighbors.  Or something.

Given the choice, I would prefer to have my tree back, thank you very much.

What I’m really trying to say is that Universe?  I get it.  This is me (and I suspect a lot of us this week) hearing you.  We are not in charge.

Minnesotans: Did you lose any trees?

Horoscopes: Yes or no?

P.S. Don’t forget The Giveaway is still going on!

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Posted in Nature

Relief

Posted on 05.23.2012 | 12 Comments

Thank you, all, for bearing with me through yesterday’s extremely vague sulk-fest.  There’s nothing that drives me crazier than people who have blogs and show no interest in sharing the details of their lives.

Like, Thanks for all of your allusions, but none of us want to read about the life you refuse to tell us about.  I bet this must be really therapeutic for you because none of us get it and none of us care.

Am I right?  Or am I right?

Post-run, despite the ominous sky, I headed out onto the porch to watch these guys do their thing.

Fact: When I’m on my own, I call them geeselings.  Yes, I realize it’s not a real word.  But it just seems more fitting.

For whatever reason, apparently watching the little ones fills me with a sort of glee.

Especially when they tend to roll like tiny, uncoordinated raptors.  I DIE.

If you managed to stick with me through that metaphor, then you’re obviously in it for the long haul.

And then they start wandering into the road and my heart is in my throat.  Attached much?

And yes, this is not even quite half the flock.  But they were a little bit rambunctious today.

An hour later (and when the wind really started picking up) I headed in.

After snapping at least 30 pictures of them, I’m guessing that my dignity welcomed the respite.

Baby animals: Which ones are the most adorable?  Yes, I’m serious.  Bonus points for links to photos and YouTube videos.

p.s. Don’t forget my giveaway!

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Posted in love life, Nature

The 4th.

Posted on 05.20.2012 | 28 Comments

Most important order of business: After today’s census, we determined that there are not 19, but 20 goslings.

I can’t even handle it.

I don’t even know where they’re finding them anymore.

Now, onto even more important orders of business.

I bet you didn’t even think that was possible.

Today?  It is.

Because The Blog is officially 4 years old!

I always forget the exact date, until mid-May rolls around and I think Hmmm…I should probably get on that before it’s too late.

So really it was luck that not only did I think about The Blog’s Birthday while I was on the treadmill, but that I took the time to look it up once I got off.

I know, I know.  We can all Give Thanks ensemble.

At the end of the day, this year in The Blog could very much be characterized through relationships.

The support you’ve shown me.

The stories you’ve shared with me.

The wonderful friends I have made.

For all of this I am truly blessed.

So, hang on tight because the best is yet to come!

And because no celebration is complete without presents, I’d like to give away one copy of The Homesick Texan.

Because we all know that it has been pretty much life-giving and sustaining since it came into our kitchen.

I have no doubt that it will take yours by storm, too.

To enter:

  1. Comment.  If you have a Favorite Post Of All-Time, feel free to mention that.
  2. Tweet the following: @kljwm Happy 4th Birthday, Tenaciously Yours,! I want to win a copy of The @homesicktexan! http://wp.me/pGQNu-3pe

Each method is worth one entry, the giveaway will close next Sunday at midnight.  No, I don’t have any clue as to what date that is.  We’ll figure that bit out when we get there.

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Posted in giveaway!, It Only Happens Once a Year, Nature

19 Goslings

Posted on 05.19.2012 | 6 Comments

Today was a weird and wonderful potpourri of bridal showering, napping and beer-ing.

My life = So hard.  I know.

Which brings us to the real issue at-hand.

When I saw these geese last week, they had 11 babies.

It was a little bit earlier than normal, but you know, a welcome sight.

image

Today they had 19.  Goslings.

We are talking a tiny hoard of downy feathers here, kittens.

How does that even happen?

How many baby critters have you ever seen in one pack?

Do you have resident flocks?

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Posted in It Only Happens Once a Year, love life, Nature

Sunset

Posted on 11.10.2011 | 8 Comments

I know, I know.  Our schedule is all off.  On Wednesday morning I posted early, and when you’re usually an evening-blogger, that leaves a giant gap in time.

I promise, you didn’t miss much.

Yesterday, Marcus returned from a business trip to San Diego (hence the Basement Film Fest), so tonight we had a mini-date night.

But while he was on The Coast, he sent me this beautiful picture of the sunset from Coronado Island.

I wanted to share it ASAP, but that would have undermined the whole concept of not telling the Internet when I’m home alone.

As if the terrible movies weren’t a dead-giveaway.  What man willingly watches The First Wives Club?

I digress.

Anyway, while he and his co-workers frolicked on the shores of the Pacific Ocean at sunset, Marcus just kept on snapping away.

What a cooperative sky, right?

It’s snaps like these that have me convinced that my husband is harboring a secret photographer within.

Do you prefer to take pictures of things or of people?

When you take pictures, do you usually use the camera on your phone or an actual camera?

p.s. Don’t forget – it’s Pie Week!  Hustle on over to Mads’ blog to see the gorgeous, double-crust Snozzberry Pie she actioned!

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Posted in Nature

A little bit of this…

Posted on 08.14.2011 | 11 Comments

Did you source anything from the Rue La La sale on Friday?

I found a couple of frocks that were practically leaping into my closet.

I wasn’t sure if I should buy two or not, but then the little voice in my head said…buy two.  In the words of Lilly herself, “Too much is never enough.”

I’ve already got more than just a few ideas for where I’d like to debut them, but I think I’ll be keeping that to myself until we get a little bit closer to that time.

For  perfect end to a relaxing weekend, today Ann and I FINALLY got together after eight months of saying, “We should really do this.”

Right?  Right.

We rendezvoused at the Highland Cafe which is this super-cute family owned place in St. Paul.  No, we didn’t take any pictures (Do you know me?  Or do you know me?).  But in-case you were wondering, I had some sort of extravagant veggie omelet complete with broccoli AND cauliflower.  It was just to die for.

Did I mention that it was just getting together with an old friend?  Because there was that, too.  Naturally, we had a lot (read: two hours worth of material) to workshop.  I’m always amazed at how conversation just flows when you’re meeting blog-friends in real life.  I mean, yes, there are always little bits here and there that need some filling-in.  But it really is just like picking up where you left off.

While I was lunching, Marcus was working on staining the bed frame.  Apparently he spotted a family of ducks crossing the street and was so moved to action a photo-safari.

I’m not sure if I’m more surprised about the fact that there are ducklings running around our neighborhood, or the fact that Marcus decided they were photo-worthy.  Or the fact that I’ve been trying to capture a good snap of ducklings all season and have been failing miserably.

Anyway, here they are.

I’m no animal expert, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I think there’s been a second hatching this year.

Not that I’m complaining ;)   The lack of baby animals ’round these parts this year was actually starting to make the neighborhood seem a little…quiet.

Do you use any sample sale shopping sites?  If so, which ones?

Is it normal to see baby animals around at this point in the summer?

I mean, I get that they might not be fully grown yet, but I was operating under the assumption that we wouldn’t be seeing any that were quite as tiny as the group pictured above.  I mean, they’re still covered in fluff for crying-out-loud.

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Posted in Clotheshorse, Nature, Style

A Bit Moody

Posted on 05.23.2011 | 15 Comments

The weather in MN over the weekend was more than a little bit moody.

Which is to say that once it started storming on Saturday, it never really stopped.

On Sunday afternoon, about an hour after the storm had passed, we actually went to a BBQ about six or seven blocks from where the tornado-storm ripped through Fridley.  We ended up having to pick one friend up because his power was out (thus the car was NOT coming out of the garage), there were downed trees up and down his street, and his neighborhood for the most part was blocked off.

Most people would take that as a sign that they were not meant to be with the group that day, but we just didn’t see it that way.  Blessedly his house as well as the house we BBQ-ed at were damage-free, so we Kept Calm and Carried On.

While we were driving home, the sky was still doing its own moody thing, and so was I.  Snaps were in-order.

Dig it.

Next thing you know we’ll all be wearing black skinny jeans and black nail polish with spiked bracelets.  All of that moodiness has to go…somewhere.

And in case you were wondering, yes, that IS a freshly-dyed mane you’re staring at in the last snap.

On Wednesday, I decided to pull out of the tailspin that was my hair color situation and made an appointment to go into an Aveda salon near my house.  It wasn’t so much for the convenience of it all, but because of the necessity.

The only person who had space to do a cut and color for me on a Saturday afternoon was Molly, so I crossed my arms and rocked a trust fall.  I figured that the absolute worst case scenario involved me getting weaves put in…or something.

Anyway, two hours later, I looked like a brand-new, highly-functioning human being…Sans-weaves.

File that one under “victory” for sure.

For reference, my ‘fit for Billy’s graduation ceremony and party, two weeks ago.

No, that’s NOT sunlight reflecting off of my hair.  That would be the three inches of blonde roots I was rockin’.  If you ever want to know what my natural color is, THERE’S YOUR ANSWER.

Hair color aside, if you haven’t entered my giveaway yet, hop on over and check it out!

What’s the longest you’ve ever put-off getting your hair cut and colored?

Do you see the same stylist every time you get your hair done?

How often do you take moody pictures?

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Posted in Insanity, Nature, Style

Exploding with Flowers

Posted on 05.17.2011 | 13 Comments

People, I think I might have a problem.

I’ve been meaning to take a snap or six of the flowering tree outside of our house for the past few days now.  But procrastination, cloudy weather and outright laziness derail even the best laid plans.

So, imagine how astonished I was this morning when I was so moved by the natural light, I leapt out of my car in the driveway as I was leaving for work, to take a couple of shots.

I know.  I KNOW.

It’s not like I even have a game, but if I did?  It would be all over the place.

Game or no game, the tree in our grass patch “front yard” has literally exploded with flowers.

When I lived in the sorority senior year, there was a flowering crab right outside my window that I loved more than anything.  It killed me to think about leaving it.

When we saw this house and I saw this tree in front of our living room window?

I decided that it was probably love.

Our somewhat-reclusive neighbor informed me a couple of weeks ago that the tree was already two weeks late in flowering (I have no recollection of when it blossomed last year), so this has just been such a treat to enjoy.

As a little bonus, all manner of squirrels and little birds romp about in it, so it’s kind of fun to have such a close-up view of their tiny adventures.

Just think of it as  Meerkat Manor for the 45th Parallel, sans-any sort of consistent cast.

Okay, so there is That Robin that insists on flying into our window like it’s A Calling.  And That Red-Winged Blackbird who is constantly At War with every other varmint out there.  His way?  Is NOT peace.

No, I’m not kidding.  I’m actually that obsessed.

Do you have any flowering trees?

Do you have any varmints or critters that make a regular appearance in your yard?

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Posted in Faves, It Only Happens Once a Year, Nature, New Beginnings