The VHC

Out of this jumble of plants in the wagon nursery....

...this little monarch larva found the butterfly weed and started to munch.

It is probable that a monarch butterfly found the plant and laid her egg on it.

That would explain better how a very tiny caterpillar could get to the exact plant it needed to eat. Butterfly weed is part of the milkweed (asclepsis) family. It's the one with the orange flowers.

Although the idea of her daringly scaling the sides of the Radio Flyer to survive is the stuff of super hero stories. 

Caterpillar Girl and Wing Woman - the Origin Story. Look for it on Netflix soon.

Quilts in the Air

 On their way par avion to a new little one.

Kites, kids, 

birds,

and butterflies.

Winging their way across a big lake and two states to be playmats, changing pads, picnic spots, tents,  naptime aids, and who knows what else for a growing child. Sky's the limit for quilt potential with a little healthy parent and kid imagination.

Merry Making with Faux Suede

Getting in the holiday spirit we got back to the sewing machine for a seasonal home accessory update. A very generous friend shared some painterly deer print faux suede from Spoonflower with us. Wish you could feel it. Isn't the design great?

And so fitting as on Christmas Eve eve morning we saw three deer walking right down the middle of Columbia Street. Speculation was that they were doing advance intel for Santa to make the Chippewa Falls run go more smoothly. Probably they were noting details such as the loss of one of our two chimneys when we got new shingles and that our Norway maple has grown another 10 feet up into sleigh airspace. Important time saving tips like that make Santa's job easier for sure.

It must have helped. Santa was very, very good to us.

Titan Sphinx

Whose heinie is sticking out of the nasturtium?

Why, it's the Titan Sphinx moth of course. 

Aelepos titan is far from home. The most southern edge of his or her range is Uruguay. Wisconsin is about as far north as titan sightings are reported and their brooding area is the Florida Keys. Seems like someone heeded hurricane evacuation orders and hightailed it to safe space. Good call!

I guess if your favorite tropical hibiscus lunch has been blown out to sea, a northern nasturtium will do. Any port in a storm, eh?

Eclipse Underfoot

We sat on the porch under the big overhanging roof so we wouldn't be tempted to stare at the sun.

We could still see the partial eclipse.

And then many mini eclipses. 

 

And some teeny tiny eclipses.  

 

And even more on the sidewalk under our big shade trees on Columbia Street. 

In the end we think we had more fun seeing hundreds of eclipses than if we had seen only one  

big, full, real one. 

And our retinas are completely unscathed. 

 

Nonna Was Here

Spotted in Tivoli, Italy.

Guerrilla grannies at work?

We would love to have seen them surrounding the tree on ladders of various heights, 

with crochet hooks flying. Probably under cover of night.

The nonno soundly snoozing in a completely upright position on the park bench below did not move a muscle as we carefully maneuvered around the tree to edit him out of these shots.

He must have been exhausted just thinking about how hard someone worked to create this lovely bit of street art.

St. Croix Crossing

Last summer the garden club went on an aquatic adventure. A three hour tour, if you will. And we even got lunch! No coconut was on the menu. 

We boarded a paddleboat on the St. Croix River for an educational cruise around and under the construction of the to-be-completed in 2017 St. Croix Crossing that will replace the Stillwater Lift Bridge.

Speakers from the DOT and DNR were on board to narrate what we were seeing. 

For starters we learned that the bridge is an extradosed design which is a hybrid design of a box girder and a stay cable bridge (just as we suspected, but it was good to have that confirmed).

This is not usually the kind of thing NDL gets excited about, but this is a truly amazing project with some very impressive stats and a cool end product. And it was a good excuse to be on a boat on the river on a beautiful day.

The biggest red crane you see here (which certainly has some kind of official name that we don't know) is one of only three this big in the U.S. and it is on loan (I suspect there is a little rental fee) for this project.

Each of these bridge sections that the crane is lifting in this photo weighs 180 tons and there are 988 of them. Total concrete in the bridge will be 563.8 million pounds.

For bit of perspective see the concrete mixer on the barge. The lineup of Porta-Johns up on the bridge deck was impressively large, but tiny compared to the bridge too.

The length of the visible stay cables totals 5.2 miles (about 400 miles of cable strand). 

Within the bridge is 1,969 miles of cable strands.

The length of the bridge is nearly one mile. The width about 100 feet.

Segments between piers is 600 feet. That is the length of two football fields.

Part of the St. Croix Crossing plan that was of interest to the garden club and other outdoor and nature enthusiasts is the planned 4.7 mile Loop Trail.

The trail will connect to existing trails in MN and WI and uses both the new St. Croix Crossing and the existing Stillwater Lift Bridge, which will be converted to a bicycle/pedestrian bridge in 2018-19.

The new bridge will have a designated bicycle/pedestrian lane.

Of particular interest to the Garden Club cruisers were the well thought out plans for sustainable plantings in the many, some very large, areas around the long lead up to the bridge on either side of the river. These spaces include paths, parking lots, roundabouts, restrooms, informational kiosks, and viewing areas. It seems the crossing will be both a bridge to a destination and a destination itself.

If you want to know more check out the MN DOT website for Loop Trail and Design and Construction details

Sheep Wreath

Sheep in the holiday spirit?

Can you guess how the farmer got his friendly beasts into this orderly formation?

Keep On Keeping On

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.” - John Lennon

Whatever happens, let's keep looking up. It takes all of us to make and keep us great. 

We are a work in progress.

Sweet Sentiments to Live By

Seen at the Poundstretcher store in Hexham, Northumberland, UK.

Not only is this great packaging, we think it is the national philosophy.

Why not? Good as anything.

And perhaps the accompanying sentiment that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down will be reaffirmed upon the release of "Mary Poppins Returns", starring Emily Blunt set to open Christmas Day 2018.

We hope Lin-Manuel Miranda, of "Hamilton" fame, as a London lamplighter opposite Blunt's Mary Poppins will have an accent more acceptable than that of Dick Van Dyke who has offended ears since 1964 with his awful cockney impression. But if there are still problems with the production not living up to standards just remember what Julie Andrews had to say....

In every job that must be done

There is an element of fun

You find the fun and snap!

The job's a game

And every task you undertake

Becomes a piece of cake

A lark! A spree! It's very clear to see that

A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

The medicine go down-wown

The medicine go down

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

In a most delightful way

A robin feathering his nest

Has very little time to rest

While gathering his bits of twine and twig

Though quite intent in his pursuit

He has a merry tune to toot

He knows a song will move the job along - for

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

The medicine go down-wown

The medicine go down

Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down

In a most delightful way

Buy yourselves some Jujubes, Milk Duds, or Junior Mints at the concessions counter, spoon them into your gob, sit back and enjoy.

Electronical Living

Last time we got together with friends to sew we were so impressed with this ever-so-modern (in the 80s) ELECTRONIC sewing machine foot pedal. That is until it kept shorting out, the usually lovely air off the lake became blue due to the operator's frustration, and we decided that even a human powered treadle machine would be an improvement over the electronic performance of this piece of perhaps not-so-modern equipment.

Wikipedia has a lot to say about electronics (the science of how to control electric energy, energy in which the electrons have a fundamental role)  but the very best fact is this:

Rasberry crazy ants have been known to consume the insides of electrical wiring, and nest inside of electronics; they prefer DC to AC currents. This behavior is not well understood by scientists.

And some further googling about electronics led us to the very interesting Urban Dictionary answer to the question, "Is electronical a word?"

Well, yes, guess so, kinda. Definition #1 is - A drunken reference to electronic equipment.

So, after that second cosmo during sewing studio cocktail hour you might hear some bragging about the amazing electronical foot pedal. Even if it doesn't work so well. 

It's Christmas Cryin' Time Again

The annual John Lewis department store advert is guaranteed to be poignant and good for a sniffle. Enjoy.





Our wish for you... peace, tranquility, and time to savor the small pleasures and joys of the season right where you live with those you love.

We Heart Butterflies

We found this little guy having a siesta after a heart-healthy, milkweed munch.

Good call little larva. There is still plenty of exhausting eating and metamorphosing ahead.

Our alley monarch watch gives us reason for optimism. Many more were spotted this year than last.

Overall forecasts for the monarch population are not so rosy, but maybe, with a little help from their friends, they will get by.

Let's do it!

Grandma, What Nice Mittens You Have On

This scene seen at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wisconsin 

reminded us of the one who freezes snowballs in January to throw with her Southern grandsons in July.

"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball." 

- Doug Larson

Once she helped us collect Zamboni shavings from behind the hockey arena for a fellow summer birthday child who didn't understand why he couldn't have a snowball fight as an activity for his June party. 

Yup, she's been in the business of making kids' dreams come true for four decades, and counting.

Here's hoping she has a chance to relax and enjoy her special day, which promises to be a beautiful Wisconsin one,

 but with the grand energy level currently at an all-time high she may just have to hold on for the ride for now and collapse later.

Ready. Aim. Enjoy!

Season Opener

Honey season that is. Discriminating palates prefer a little smackerel of the sweet bee treat on their daily toast.

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.”

“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. 

Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, 

there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, 

but he didn't know what it was called.”

The bees are so ready to get at the task of making honey they were swarming our bird feeder by the dozens on the warmest and sunniest day of this week.

Odd, we thought. But a little Googling found that in the absence of pollen hungry bees will gather dust from bird seed. 

These bees were at it so vigorously that they were knocking seed out of the feeder and causing it to audibly "ping" off the metal squirrel guard.

The cardinals, titmice, and juncos were sensibly keeping their distance.

We are very happy to see our fuzzy, buzzy little friends take their work seriously as we have serious plans for future honey eating!

Happy Spring!

This is the Porch Life

Spring finally came and the birds did their thing while we were away. We came back to a nest with three beautiful eggs in a wreath right outside the front door, and a very nervous mother robin. So we avoided the porch as much as possible even though we had waited all winter to enjoy it. 

By some miracle no naughty grackles or jays pushed eggs or babies out of the nest and these three little worm-eaters made it to fledgling state while effectively holding our porch hostage for almost a month. Then they left the nest and haven't even been back to visit or say thanks.

In the meantime...with the help of the queen of porch accouterments, Jerisew(s), we got to make a new accessory that says it all.

And we inherited heritage rocking chairs from another great West Hill porch when the longtime owners began the next great adventure.

Now all we need are some porch sitters. 

Y'all come by now y'hear?

Airtistry

Here's a breath of fresh air in the Lindbergh Terminal, F concourse restrooms.  

Spotting this mosaic by reclaimed materials artist Michael Sweere provided a nice distraction from the travel frustrations du jour.

Under a shades-of-pale-blue tile sky...

porcelain plates become billowy clouds.

The clouds cast a dark tile shadow across sunlit, lighter tile, Midwestern fields, forests, and lakes.

And in the lav? A cleverly designed aviation-appropriate drain detail.

Guess what happens when you take a photo under a motion sensor water faucet?

Yup. Clean camera. Bad words. 

And another use for the amazing Dyson Airblade.

Like a Room Without a Roof

Does the world seem like a happier place these days?

It should be.

This incredibly uplifting video has been seen more than 100 million times. That's a lot of happiness shared.

We are responsible for at least a dozen of those viewings.





It just might be the way we start every day from now on. Or at least until spring arrives and we have the sky for a roof again.

And then, if you catch us clapping in the garden don't be surprised.

"Here come bad news talking this and that,
Well, give me all you got, and don't hold back,
Well, I should probably warn you I'll be just fine,
No offense to you, don't waste your time."

Happy Holiday

Holiday magazine image from the archive of Holiday magazine covers.