Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day was pretty great this year in the Bryson house. Though today I feel like I have a bit of a valentine hangover after all the sweets and champagne.

Luke and I kinda have a Valentine's tradition in which we use restaurant gift cards we received during the holidays to get a carry-out dinner.  We bust out our wedding china, (which we NEVER use. Someday, right?) light a few candles and turn on relaxing music.  I did a little decorating to make the occasion feel even more special.  We usually enjoy our dinners with the TV on (I know, awful!) so it's nice to sit down to dinner without distraction and really focus on each other.  It's something we should strive to do more often. 

This year I skipped on buying Luke the mushy, gushy, glitter-covered card I usually present him with on Valentine's Day.  Truth be told, I think the whole concept of receiving a card is pretty lost on him. I know he appreciates them but if he didn't get one, he couldn't care less.  I wanted to give him something a little more man-friendly and rustic.  After some thought I came up with the idea of carving our initials into wood. I went to Michaels and bought a natural wood plaque.  After attempting to carve into the wood and realizing how difficult it was I opted to use a woodburner pen instead.  So I have one of those now. If you ever need something burned or want a really intricate skin brand, let me know. Anyway, this is what I ended up with. 

It isn't exactly what I imagined because I had a miscalculation while applying the stain (too much). Then I freaked and tried to thin it out by applying water, which led to the plaque cracking.  Ugh. I was pretty upset at first.  However, upon thinking about it I decided that what the plaque became through error was more representative of love than what I had pictured in my mind.  It isn't perfect. It has smudges and cracks and it's a little rough around the edges.  But it's still there, it's still held together and I think it's beautiful. And the best part is that Luke loves it. 

To round out his Valentine's Day gift I made Luke his very favorite dessert... red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting in cupcake form.  

                                         

Luke did pretty amazing job for Valentine's Day.  He gave me blue hydrangeas like the ones I carried at our wedding, chocolate covered strawberries and a beautiful figurine.  I'm blessed to have such a thoughtful husband.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day and felt lots of love.

2013

Here I am, standing in the doorway of yet another new year. 2013.  Wowza. I will do my best to steer clear of tired thoughts and expressions about new years but bear with me if I falter.

(source)

 First, we all survived another hectic holiday season (hurray) and we also survived the "end of the world" (double hurray) so congrats to us on that. Feel free to pat yourself on the back :) Now to the point of this post. I have never been one to make New Year's Resolutions.  I always laugh at the packed gym parking lots and the spike in the runner population after a new year begins.  I laugh even harder at the mostly empty gym parking lots and vacant sidewalks/trails a few months later.  But hey, good for those people for giving it a whirl.  Maybe NEXT year.  Still, like most I can't help but feel that sense of refreshment and newness that comes every January.  The wonderment of thinking about what this year might bring.  Instead of specific resolutions I'm hoping to just have more purpose this year.  I know, sounds kind of broad and vague but this feeling that I have is really hard to define.  I've always been the "go with the flow" type.  I don't typically ruffle feathers and I always hesitate to get outside my comfort zone.  I tend to be more of a quiet observer who takes it all in.  But I feel like I'm done with that.  I want to take steps to change.  I want to shake up my routine and push my own boundaries.  I want to be more intentional in life.  I want to get involved.  I want to be open to new things.

So where to begin? Well so far I signed up for a class at church and I'm loving it.  I need to sign up for more when this class concludes.

I also feel like I need to get outside my own head and stop worrying so much.  Stop worrying about what might happen, what others might think and just go for it.  I can't let "maybes" hold me back anymore. I'll probably slip up some where and someone will think I'm strange. Who cares?  Normal is boring.

I need to express myself more.  Through art, dress, words, blog, whatever.  I've been meaning to get back into painting and drawing.  I just need to DO IT.  It's as simple as sitting down with a piece of paper. I also have a closet with clothes I've never worn because they are a little edgy or daring.  I just put the finishing touches on this feather capelet.  I think its beautiful and unique.  I hope I'll have the guts to wear it out.

 I want to start meditating.  I need to find a quiet place in my home where I can be by myself away from all distractions.  Where I can sit in silence and open my mind and heart to what I may not be hearing in the chaos of life. A time and place where I can also reflect and pray.

Meet new people.  I have a bit of a start through the class at church but I want to meet all kinds of people.  Maybe some that share my interests in music, crafts, the outdoors, running etc. There are all kinds of sites online that allow people to connect with one another.  I need to start taking advantage.

Volunteer.  I want to find a way to give back using my time and talents.  I'm the proud momma of 3 wonderful rescue dogs and I should pay forward the love and happiness they have brought me by volunteering at an animal shelter.  I would also like to get involved in the outreach program at our church that works with under-resourced areas of St. Louis. 

Do more home projects.  I love a little DIY.  I need to tackle some of those items on our "to do list."  Like putting up a tile back splash in the kitchen, refinishing our counter tops or renovating the bathroom.  Or maybe I can finally do something with this retro china cabinet I bought almost a year ago.  Oh the possibilities!

Explore the area we live in. Can you believe we've lived in the St. Louis area for 5 years and I've never been to the Botanical Garden or Grant's Farm?  I know.  I should be slapped right in the face.

Go to more concerts, plays, festivals and other events.  In St. Louis there is some kind of event going on every weekend.  I should partake in more of them. 

Travel more.  Even if it's just a day or weekend trip.  We explored Alton, IL a bit last weekend and had a blast.  We're also heading to Hawaii this summer and hopefully Colorado as well.  I would love to see more of the country by taking road trips and camping.  Just have to talk the hubby into it!

I think that list kind of gives a general idea of the direction I'm heading in the new year.  Now is the start.  If I keep myself open, anything can happen. Here's to the possibilities of 2013. 
                   

For the Love of Dog

Did you know that it's National Dog Week?  Yeah, I didn't know til this morning.  Sorry Bosco, Ellsie & Oscar.  Guess we should have been showering you all with endless amounts of love and attention.  Oh, wait.  We pretty much do that on a daily basis (we need a kid, like now.)  

It's no secret that Luke and I love dogs.  We are dog people.  We've both been around dogs our entire lives and feel that no home is truly complete without a canine companion (or 3.)  A dog is there for you no matter what.  Always overly excited to greet you when you get home.  Happy to accompany you on a walk, hike or run.  An audience for your amazing singing voice.  An ear to listen and belly to rub when you are having a hard day.  A comedian to get you to crack a smile. An eager taste tester in the kitchen. Great defender of the homestead.  A snuggle buddy on a cold day.   Content to just "be." They don't judge you when you look a mess or when you put on a few pounds.  They seem to sense and understand things on a level humans never will.  A dog is unconditional love. 

So, to celebrate National Dog Week I've decided to share some of my favorite pictures of our dogs from over the years.  Enjoy.  

Earth Day at the Park

Curious

Defender

This has to be a record

Snuggles

Best Buds

Liger Doodle

Birdie & The Beast

Super Dog

I'm on a Boat!

So Sad

Cardinal Canine

I really could have gone overboard with this but I stopped myself. We probably have a few hundred photos of the dogs but I don't want to seem like a crazy crazier person.  I hope you have a fine four legged friend to spend some time with and celebrate this special week.  If not, consider going to your local animal shelter and adopting one.  There are so many waiting for good homes.  All 3 of ours are rescues and we couldn't ask for better companions.  Happy National Dog Week! 

Autumn State of Mind

The pumpkin spice latte is back at Starbucks.  Halloween candy is starting to appear on store shelves.  You can feel just a slight change in the air.  Yes, Autumn is approaching and after the hellish Summer we had I am more eager to welcome it than ever. 

 The crunch of leaves under foot.  The warmth of a fire pit on a crisp night.  The gorgeous gold, yellow, orange, brown and red tones of trees and grasses.  The comfort from a bowl of your favorite warm soup as it hits your belly.  Scarves, boots, jackets.  Football. Snuggling. There is just nothing like Autumn.  It is by far my favorite time of year. 

There are two things that I think I love most about Autumn though:  Pumpkins and apples.  This past weekend we made the trip to Centennial Farms in Augusta, MO to pick apples and officially kick off Fall in our little world. 

I love our trips here.  It's just the cutest little place and I adore the rustic barn and "down home" feel.  We always have a wonderful time walking the rows of the orchard looking for the best apples and checking out the offerings in the store. 

It's actually a dream of mine to have an orchard some day.  Complete with a big pumpkin patch and a hive of bees.  Maybe some day, but for now I'll just enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor.  :)

 I can't wait to make a pie or crisp with our hand picked harvest.  Maybe some apple sauce or apple butter, too?  Now my mind is churning...better go check out some recipes! 



Centennial Farms
http://centennialfarms.biz/

Dried Out

So it's summer here in the good Ole Show Me State.  Living here all my life I've grown accustomed to the hot, humid summer days although I don't really like them.  I'm more an autumn, winter, spring type of girl.  I like lots of precipitation and cooler temps.  Like I said though, I'm used to the hot, humid  Missouri summers.

This summer though......it has been unbearable.  The sun feels like a an angry god hell-bent on torture. So far we've had 15 days of temps above 100 and we are in a serious drought with no end in sight. It's been well over a month since we've had even a sprinkle of rain at our house. We gave up on our lawn weeks ago. Walking across it feels and sounds like you are stepping on thousands of tiny bones, very unpleasant.  Cracks in the ground are big enough for me to stick my hand in.  Leaves are getting scorched right off trees and falling to the ground.  It is absolutely miserable.

When it's hot like this it's hard to build up motivation to do anything outside unless you are going to submerge yourself in a cool body of water and drink an ice cold beverage (preferably an adult beverage.)  I honestly feel as though my bones (and my brain) are drying out. I can feel that it is affecting my moods too, which I really don't like.  I'm an over-heated crab.  Yep, I'm whining. Wah.  Keeping up on running has been a struggle. I still have the motivation to get out there but I just can't run as far or as hard as I want to.  The heat zaps my energy so fast.  I've started doing some of my runs once the sun goes down but I am still a bit of a scaredy cat about running alone at night so I don't go far from the house.


The last several weeks I have been daydreaming about rain.  I seriously fantasize about getting in the car and driving til I hit a steady rain and just stand in it for a long time and let it soak into my skin.  I am craving the smell of rain and the freshness of cool air on my skin.  I've actually had talks (although not too serious) with Luke about just packing up and heading North or to anywhere there is lots of green and cooler temps.  Maybe to the Michigan UP or Oregon or Washington and just hiding out there until more desirable weather returns at home.  Ah, it's a nice thought isn't it?

Credit

Credit

 I'm just going to take a minute and imagine myself in these pictures...... (I'm in a cool, wet place. I'm in a cool, wet place)- not really working for me. Well I hope my next post finds me in better weather and with that better moods.  Til next time, stay cool.

How Does Your Garden Grow

I love gardening.  I enjoy nurturing little plants and helping them to grow.  I like talking to other gardeners, swapping tips and complaining about the weather or little garden pests.  I love the satisfaction that comes from picking a plump, juicy tomato from a plant that I started from just a little seed a few months ago.  Over the last few years my "garden" has been comprised of a series of containers filled with tomato plants, peppers, lettuces and herbs.  This year, I decided it was time to step it up a notch.  I wanted to build a raised garden bed so we could have a larger crop and have more variety.

I did some research online to figure out how to go about building a raised garden bed.  After getting an idea of what I wanted I went to Lowes for supplies.  I decided on a 8'x4' garden.  I want to start out small and see how this first year goes. There's always room for expansion!   At Lowes I bought four 2x8x12 and had them cut them so I had four 8 foot pieces and four 4 foot pieces.  I also bought pre-made 30" wooden stakes.

Then assembly began. 

Materials laid out

 Forgive me for not taking a lot of photos during assembly.  We were on a mission and it went pretty quickly. Actually, Luke was on a mission and once he has a task that guy just GOES!  We laid the boards out on a flat surface, overlapped the edges and used wood screws to put them together.  Once we had the two layers screwed together we attached the wooden stakes in the corners with screws. 

Raised bed box laying upside down

This photo lets you see the garden box after it was assembled.  Pretty simple.  We then dug about a 3 inch deep trench that the box would sit in so it had good contact with the earth to help prevent shifting and soil loss through the bottom.   

Before we drove the stakes in

 After the trench was dug we set the box in with the stakes down and used a mallet to pound them into the ground.

View of the stakes attached to the garden box 

Once the garden box was in we back filled any gaps with soil.  I used a shovel to remove the top inch or so of turf from the inside of the box so there was no grass (or clover)  remaining on the inside then tilled and leveled the soil.  We had some landscaping rock we had been wanting to get out of a flower bed so I transferred it over the to garden and covered the base with about 2 inches of rock to help with drainage.   On top of the rock went landscaping fabric and then I filled the box with topsoil we had delivered from a local supplier.  I also mixed in a few bags of organic compost from Lowes.

And.......the end result:

 We had to add chicken wire around the outside to keep those hungry little rabbits (and dogs!) out.  It's worked like a charm so far.

 

I've planted beef steak and rainbow heirloom tomatoes, green bell and purple bell peppers, a spring lettuce mix, brussel sprouts, zucchini and cucumber.  All plants seem to be thriving and we've already enjoyed lots of fresh lettuce.  There aren't many things more gratifying than providing your own food.

 And since we are making more attempts at being green, Luke made a rain barrel from a trash can we had sitting in our garage not being used.  I absolutely love it.  Maybe even more than the garden itself.  My crunchy side rejoices each time I water all our plants without spending a penny.  It feels great to conserve resources and money!   If you are a gardener and you don't have a rain barrel, you're doing it wrong. 

 This is our container herb garden.  We have parsley, dill, sage, rosemary, lavender, basil, mint, lemon balm, cilantro, oregano and Buddha.  I don't believe in the teachings of Buddha, but I do enjoy his head :)  The next item on my gardening agenda is to start composting but I'll get to that another day. 

I am soooo looking forward to that first tomato from our garden.  There's just nothing like homegrown. 

Recalling "Pure Michigan"

It was about this time last year that Luke and I packed our bags, loaded the Trailblazer with our things and the pups and headed north.

A few weeks earlier I had come across an article about the most overlooked parks in the United States.  I fell in love with the photos of "Pictured Rocks National Park" in  Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Beautifully formed rocky shorelines, surreal turquoise blue waters, lush, towering green forests...it looked like a dream.  I just had to go there.  We did a little research, found a great deal on a cabin for a week and booked our vacation. 

Miner's Castle

We purposely found a rental that would allow pets so we could take "the pack" on vacation with us. All 3 dogs love hiking and exploring so we thought this would be a great opportunity for the whole family  We had never taken them on a long trip like this so we were excited/anxious to see how it would go.  It was a 12 hour drive from our house to Christmas, Michigan where the cabin was located.  The dogs did great in the car and slept most of the way. The drive through the flat farm lands of Illinois was a bit monotonous but driving through Wisconsin and Michigan was beautiful.   We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at the cabin.  It was cozy and quaint, tucked into the woods on the edge of a small creek and large lake. 

 

 Our home for the week

 We spent our week in Michigan hiking, exploring, walking the beaches of Lake Superior, seeing the sights and enjoying the local fare.  We took a guided sea kayak tour along Pictured Rocks.  It was one of the most unnerving and yet enjoyable experiences of my life.  Sea kayaks are nothing like the kayaks and canoes we are familiar with here in Missouri.  They are much more narrow and more prone to tipping.  We were constantly reminded by Saul, our guide, that the water was around 40 degrees and we did NOT want to fall in because it would almost certainly lead to hypothermia.  Awesome.  According to Saul, we both did great and made it through the 15 mile trip without catastrophe.  

Bridal Veil Falls along the shoreline we kayaked

 The weather while we were there was absolutely amazing.  Temps would reach into the 70's during the day and fall into the low 50's and upper 40's during the night.  My ideal kind of temps.  We were able to explore comfortably during the day and snuggle up next to the fireplace at night.  At dusk each day we would watch as dense fog moved over the shore from the lake casting an eery feel to the small coastal towns.   

Fog rolling in

We drove all along the coast line from as far west as Marquette to Sault Ste. Marie in the furthest east point.   We dined on fresh caught fish at local restaurants, shopped at little "mom and pop" stores and had coffee in little cafes.  We stopped whenever we saw something that peaked our interest. We walked the moss and fern covered forest floors and the pebble covered shores. We held baby bears at a black bear rescue ranch.  We saw more waterfalls than I can recall. The dogs had the time of their lives gallivanting in the woods, running the beaches and swimming.  

Our favorite place was we visited was Marquette.  There we had dined at The Vierling Restaurant and Brewery that overlooked the harbor.  I had a meal of Whitefish chowder and Blueberry Wheat beer complete with floating blueberries that I will never forget.  Perhaps it was the fact that Marquette is a college town or maybe it was all its quirky little stores or the small brewery but it definitely reminded me of Columbia and made me feel nostalgic. 

Marquette, MI    (Photo Credit)

 During our visit we totally and completely fell in love with the "U.P." and the "yoopers" that call it home.  You will be hard pressed to find an area with people more welcoming than those in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Every where we went we were warmly received and put at ease.  I was in awe of the yooper's strong Northern dialect and their down to Earth good heartedness.  It kind of felt like home. 

Our vacation to the Michigan U.P. was the only trip we've ever taken that we didn't want to come home.  I think it was a combination of the scenery of forests and shores, the amazing weather, the people and the food.   I could have stayed there forever...or atleast until the first 20 inches of snow in the fall :) If you get the chance, I highly recommend a trip to the U.P. I can't wait til our adventures take us back to the "Yoop."   Until then, it will hold a special place in my heart and I will consider myself a yooper at heart.  


Cabin Rental
 http://www.hiawathashideaway.com/index.php?page=Home

Kayak Rental
http://www.paddlingmichigan.com/