A Fun Fall Weekend!

It's official! My friends Tammy and Neil are finally married! What a beautiful wedding it was. The only thing that could have made it more perfect was a bit of sunshine, but these two don't need sunshine to brighten their day. They are definitely meant for each other, partners in crime for sure! I have been talking to Tammy about this wedding from the night they became engaged, so to finally have the moment arrive was great. The reception was a blast! I danced my tooshie off until nearly midnight (didn't have to feel bad about any calories I consumed earlier that evening). All of Tammy and Neil's friends were there; a great time was had by all. I'm sad it's over. Another thing that I'm sad is over are Sarah's parades. We went to Bayfield the day after the wedding for the final parade of their rein. We definitley saved the best for last, it was the most fun parade of all (in my opinion). The weather was cool, but not cold; it emcompassed the local festival (Apple Fest) in which the people were some of the nicest people I have met. It was a pleasure to partake in their event. I loved it so much, I already have plans to go next year and support the 2010 Luck court!

Tammy's Bachelorette Party

Yep...that's my friend Tammy in the blue jogging suit - 80's style! Probably my best friend around! Tammy is hilarious, and her hubby to be (Neil), well...what can I say? They are a perfect match! Next Saturday, Oct 3rd, they will be united in comedic wedlock. The dynamic duo for certain! I could not be happier for the two of them. Saturday night we threw Tammy a bachelorette party. Beth, Tammy's daughter (pictured with me), came up with the whole 80's theme, which was chock full of fun games including one with silly string that ended up on the Bon Ton ceiling fan. Oh I do hope the can-sprayers helped Ami and Dudley clean up the next day! I have never laughed so hard in my life! The best was when Sarah and Jean had their 'dance-off' and when Sarah was made to sign 'Like A Virgin' country-style after she accidentally said the forbidden bride word. I didn't know the lyrics included "hugged for the very first time...after I lost my dog and my tractor" (you soooo had to be there)! I cried all my make-up off with laughter! One word that describes the entire night: AWESOME! I'm scared to see what happens at the wedding!

Crex Meadows

We visited Crex Meadows & the Phantom Flowage near Grantsburg this weekend. It's one of our favorite places to go! There are miles upon miles of wild rice paddies and abundant wildlife including of swans, ducks, geese, wolves, and even moose! The water is terribly low this year so I was lucky to get these shots of the swans with their signets (one not pictured). Crex is open to hunting in certain areas, and was one of the first places I went hunting with Todd. We didn't shoot anything that day, but it was fun to just 'hang out' in such a wonderful place! It's so beautiful and peaceful there. When we were married, a friend of Todd's gave us a certificate that said a certain sum had been donated to Crex on our behalf. It was my favorite wedding gift of all! Crex is a place that I hope is protected for generations to come!

The Rooster Weather Vane Has Landed!

After 30 years in my parents garage (and then 5 years in mine), the rooster weather vane I inherited has finally found a home. Purchased from Lavoie's Decorating Studio in downtown Minneapolis after Lavoie's went out of business in 1977, the weather vane was intended for the cupola my dad had planned to build for the garage of my parents Cape Cod Colonial home, but he never got around to it. Now, 35 years later, the rooster is finally home atop the beautiful cupola that Todd built for our garage (made specifically for the rooster of course). Mom is thrilled! I wish my dad was here to see it, but more than anything I wish that dad was here to meet Todd (something he never got a chance to do). Funny though, I've always had this strange sense that dad had somthing to do with our paths crossing!

Walking Stick

Todd found a 'walking stick' insect on the garage door yesterday. He said, "honey, come here and see what I found, I've never seen anything like it" and I said, "it's got to be either a walking stick or a praying mantis". He looked at me all perplexed and said, "how in the world did you guess"? Ummm...women's intuition? I just know him really, really well I guess. So, of course I grabbed my camera. I'm mean seriously...how cool is that? A bug that looks like a stick? I love the country.

Mean People Suck!

Mean People Suck! It’s one of my favorite bumper stickers. It’s true though; mean people can ruin a perfectly good moment. The way I see it, there are three classifications of mean people:

Strangers without a face: The rude telemarkerter on the phone who gets mad at you when you refuse to hear their pitch. Solution - tell them to hang on a minute and set the phone down and go watch TV. Or, better yet, if you have a two year old in the house hand them the phone.

Strangers with a face: the person at the retail store who snatches a size 2 skirt while you are looking at a size 10 skirt and snickers at you (despite the fact that you are 8 inches taller). Solution - put on the hottest outfit there, complete with ALL the accessories, admire yourself in the mirror outside the dressing room where they can see you, and proceed to the checkout counter like your buying a candy bar.

Non strangers: The people you live and work around you...acquaintances...sometimes friends! They are the ones who think they know your business and talk about it when you aren't looking. They are the ones who glare at you on the street when you are walking by with your friend, whisper behind your back in church, think they know your story when really they haven’t got a clue. They’ve never bothered to get to know you; instead they’d rather wallow in mis-information, editing and spinning the facts into stories they prefer. Solution – let them believe what they want to believe, for it is they who are missing out on all the goodness you have to offer. Smile and know that they are the ones who have no authority and no admiration from others. Alternate solution - let the air out of their tires.

In the end, mean people only have themselves to deal with. And whatever your physical size, you are a bigger person than any bully - you have the authority! Truth strengthens you more than others perceived lies or negativity. Own authority, otherwise you give mean people the power to write your life for you. And any anger towards them will eventually make you one of them. Who wants to be like that? Come on, let’s face it...mean people really do suck!

Learning about Wine...

This week was the start of my wine class at Saint Paul College. The winery enrolled me in a 9 credit course that is really 5 classes in one! Class is held from 5-10 pm, once a week through Mid-December. We sample wines, learn about their origin, regions/soil, varietals, flavor and color dynamics, strategies for pairing with food, and wine marketing. I LOVE this class; never though I'd earn credit for drinking wine all night long! Once complete, I will have earned a wine certificate similar to a sommelier, and will most certainly be a huge asset for Trade River Winery. If you are interested in learning about wine tasting yourself, Trade River Winery is offering a one night class covering the basics. See details below:

Enjoy a lovely evening where you will sample wines and discuss the characteristics of different grape varietals, learn the proper way to see, smell and taste wine, understand glassware styles and serving and storing temperatures - we'll take the mystery out of wine as we discuss the basics of food and wine pairing.

Instructor: Nicki Peterson, Certified Wine Professional
Class size is limited - sign up today!

Price: $20
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: Trade River Winery
Street: 21115 Deer Lane
City/Town: Grantsburg, WI
Phone: 7153274193
Email: info@traderiverwinery.com