I am an avid gardener, beekeeper and nature lover. I also love "living" in the kitchen -- cooking and baking for my family. Whether inside or outside I am contented when around my home and property. I have a forest and pond on my property and many animals live and wander through the yard -- I like to photograph their goings-on. I find pleasure in writing and have been published in "Northern Gardener" magazine.
Well, it’s not in full swing yet, but coming fast. I am hopeful for a great season. And! for the snow to melt. Bee keeping in Minnesota does have its challenges. I checked my bees in late February and yes, they were alive. It was a quick check because the weather was still a little … More Beekeeping Season, 2020
Can you guess who by the color of the eggs? The bluebirds — A sure sign of spring. I never tire of seeing that streak of blue flash through the sky. It is an immediate response of joy, of hope that spring is not far off. Usually I see the male first, scoping out the … More They’re back…
I love Canadian Geese. They are beautiful creatures, and if they leave their poop behind, so what. These geese mate for life. Their loyalty to one another is beautiful. During hunting season, or anytime really, if one is shot down (awful) the other will circle back and stay next to its felled companion, putting the … More Canadian Geese
They could never be a spy, announcing themselves long before they come into sight. Landing securely on a tree trunk, they then scope out their surroundings. Finding a food source they move quickly, ready to latch onto, as best they can, the hearty, fat-filled suet. Such a balancing act they perform as their feet take … More The mighty pileated
What a kerfuffle! I am working innocently in my kitchen, minding my own business, when I happen to look out the windows toward the pond. The geese and ducks were all in a flurry and I couldn’t understand why. And then I saw it! An incredible sight of a bald eagle circling the pond…repeatedly. I’ve … More Danger in the sky
I know there are numerous ways to make chili — it is a very personal dish, and you can add almost anything that you like to make it your own. On a cold fall or winter’s evening, chili can be wonderfully comforting. My recipe was given to me by my younger sister. It is called … More Turkey Chili
taking flight. They come back in March looking for nesting sights, all the while decimating my feeders and ground feed. I don’t mind, as their groups perch in the trees their songs fill the air and remind me of the spring to come. #red-wingedblackbirds #nature #natureinnMN #birdsinMN #zerotohero
I must admit, I love to cook and bake. As a child, my sisters and I would make the usual things — chocolate chip cookies, brownies, pancakes, and crepes with our grandmother. Not from mixes, but from scratch. I am still that way, a total from-scratch kitcheneer. I’ve always tried to put a meal on … More Delicious Pecan Sandies
Lately, we have had beautiful weather — sunny days with temperatures hitting high 30’s and into the 40’s. A breeze, cool to the exposed face and hands, reminds me that it is still…technically…winter, but mother nature has been kind to us. This weather also disconcerts me. March in Minnesota should be cold and snowy and … More Look what I found
a morning scene like this anytime. A soft snowfall fell silently last night. No drama –howling winds, swirling tornados of snowflakes — just a gentle, pleasing descent of snow that one might want to take a walk in. It wasn’t much — a couple of inches — but enough to put a fresh coat on … More I’ll wake up to…
A Gardener's Diary 