Valerie – Page 92 – Valerie's Voice

Art and Nature

On our way to Big Woods State Park (Nerstrand) Saturday night we stopped at Frederick Somers Studio and Gallery along the way. It was part of the 2016 South Central Minnesota Studio Art Tour.

The artist, Fred Somers, along with his wife, warmly welcomed us. We were mesmerized while looking at his beautiful painted landscapes with brilliant color and lighting. He also paints portraits. There was a portrait of his grandson in the studio and the way he painted the light in the blond hair was stunning. How does he do that? He definitely has a special gift from God.

We arrived at the studio a half hour before closing and we were the only ones in the studio when he started sharing his faith journey with us. It is an amazing story and was a privilege to hear it from him. It was a precious time together and when we were leaving he shook our hands, not so much as to say thanks for stopping, but, as he said, he wanted touch each fellow believer before we left. We left there in awe of this artist, his story and his paintings.

The rest of the evening…a short hike, and great bonfire under the full Harvest Moon at Nerstrand (without jackets because of the mild temperatures for mid-October)… made for a lovely evening. One we soon won’t forget.

Click here for a link to his website.

Canadian Geese

The three ponds in our neighborhood attract Canadian Geese, especially this time of year, and geese have been flying over our house many times today. I was out in the garden this morning for a couple of “fly overs”. The windows are open so even in the house I have heard them honking while flying over. It’s a wonderful sound! Loud too!

A Very Special Birthday Card

envelope-clipart-cliparti1_envelope-clip-art_05 I sent a card off in the mail this week. I went to the post office to get it stamped and the clerk warned me it would cost extra because it was so thick. I responded it’s OK, I expected that. Then I told him it is a birthday card that I send to my childhood friend and we’ve been sending it back and forth to each other since 1979. That’s 37 years! It began during the push for recycling and the card suggested we save it and send it back to the recipient on her birthday the following year. So we did. We keep adding cardstock for room to write our birthday greetings, thus its thickness.

One year it fell out of her mail box on to the street and vehicles ran over it before she was able to retrieve it. Some of the writing is smeared but most of it is intact.

It’s very special, she’s very special, and we have lots of happy memories together, growing up living across the street from each other.

Happy Birthday Diane.

A Walk in the City

A portion of the route for Twin Cities Marathon

There is a different kind of energy that comes from walking in the city.

I like to hike or walk in parks and enjoy the quietness of the woods, and I like walking in our quiet neighborhoods in my small town but, over the weekend, I went for a walk in the city.

I really enjoyed walking around Lake Harriet on Saturday. It was another fabulous fall day in Minnesota with beautiful sunshine and blue skies with great wisps of white clouds. There were so many people enjoying the great outdoors. It was festive and energizing. There were young and old folks, biking or walking or running, pushing a stroller or wheelchair, or walking a dog/s.

The most unusual, but heartwarming sight, was two runners coming in our direction. They were running side by side but one was clearly leading the other. They wore fluorescent vests. One vest identified a runner assistant, or something on that order, and the other vest identified the runner as a blind runner, with assistant.

I don’t know if they were training for the marathon that was coming up the following day but it was a touching moment to know someone was taking time to help a blind person run. My heart was so happy to see this duo. I didn’t know this kind of service existed, but am glad to know it does.

Sunday was another beautiful day for thousands of runners in the Twin Cities marathon…

Random Acts of Kindness

After a long day and late night I was driving home and, having skipped dinner, I decided to do something I don’t do very often and that is drive through a fast food restaurant and order a cheeseburger. I pulled up to the window to pay and the cashier said the folks in the car ahead of me paid for my order.

That was a fun surprise.

Autumn Afternoon

The French doors leading from the dining room table laden with food, were wide open to the outdoor patio where there were tubs of cold drinks. The weather was delightful… a perfectly wonderful autumn afternoon in Minnesota. The skies were blue with lots of sunshine, temperatures in the 70’s and no wind… spirits were high. A great day for an open house.

We were helping our son and daughter-in-love in the kitchen while they invited their neighbors and colleagues over to see their new home. I met a few of the neighbors myself and they were so happy to be invited to the party, to see this new home that replaced the old house they were familiar with, and to meet the young couple new to this old neighborhood. It was a festive atmosphere and, to me, a confirmation that getting together with neighbors and friends, and making opportunities to connect, is good.

It was simple, and simply delightful.

Quote

At one of the several weddings we attended last summer the bride was unusually animated as she continually looked out at the church full of guests, with a wide grin on her face. She was so excited and was enjoying the moment.

In the pastor’s homily he used a quote which apparently is paraphrased but accredited to Walt Whitman:

“ We were together. I forget the rest.”

It is a heartwarming sentiment and I think it applies to more than young couples in love. To me it says being present and being together is what counts.

Caramel Corn, the Cat

While looking for my Steiff dog in the bassinet I was reminded of a story about our cat, Caramel Corn. She was a wonderful little kitty cat. She loved to be around people. A friend reminds me of the time she came over for coffee and we sat at our kitchen table and I pulled up a stool so Caramel Corn could jump up and sit there with us!

Another fun memory of Caramel Corn happened when we moved into our new house in Northfield (over twenty years ago). One day I was looking for Caramel Corn and I could not find her anywhere. It was so unlike her to go outside…even when the door was wide open she usually didn’t venture out, but this day I thought she must have sneaked out when a contractor was coming in or going out…that’s the only thing I could think of since I had looked everywhere for her!

I kept working on my project while trying to figure out what to do. I went upstairs to get something and saw a slight movement in the corner….I walked over and there in the bassinet was Caramel Corn, buried among all the stuffed animals! (just like ET for those who remember the scene in the 1980’s movie.) I laughed, took her picture and was relieved to find her safe and sound.

We loved Caramel Corn. She died in 2006 at the age of twelve.

Stuffed Animals

img_4484-1

A few years ago I gave myself permission to buy a stuffed animal when I found one particularly irresistible…I enjoy it for awhile and then give it away at Christmastime. I found this black bear at the outfitters in Tofte where we rented two kayaks for the day. This cute little bear came back to the cabin with us.

In recent years the fabric for stuffed animals has changed and very soft fabrics are used to make the animals so cozy and cuddly.

We bought “teddy bears” of the soft and cuddly kind for our grandchildren; one for Zoey and one for Ezra. This black bear may go to one of them.

I have my teddy bear from when I was a little girl and the fur is worn in several places. My husband’s sister retrieved his boyhood bear from the farmhouse attic several years ago. I saved our two son’s teddy bears and have all four bears displayed on a shelf in our home.

An old baby bassinet downstairs holds some other stuffed animals from when our sons were young. Although I have discarded several I have kept the favorites…including “Racoonie” the one that came with us on several road trips and bothered the other brother endlessly.

When my cousin and I were in Zurich, Switzerland in 1972 we went in to a famous Steiff toy store and I bought a stuffed dog, with the trademark “button in it’s ear.” I still have that little guy in the bassinet downstairs along with the other critters.

Everyday Miracle

Just captured another beautiful sunrise this morning…it’s going to be another beautiful day on the north shore!

It’s so amazing…there is just a pinprick of light and then POP…the sun is almost above the horizon line before getting a snapshot…it’s a miracle everyday…so blessed to see it rise, so blessed to see it rise over (and over and over) Lake Superior…so amazed at the beauty and the miracle…Thank you Lord.