Nature's Cathedral

"When I stand alone with the earth and sky

a feeling of something in me

 going off in every direction

into the unknown of infinity

means more to me

 than anything

any organized religion gives me"

Georgia O'Keefe 1952

Happy Mother's Day!

The love from a mother is the most important and powerful love in the world.
How lucky and thankful I am to have this love in my life!
Now, what if this power and love combined could rule our earth...what a beautiful place it would be!
Love you always Mom💗

AQUAVIT!

Aquavit translates to "water of life"

One simple pleasure I allow myself every winter, during the long dark evenings, is a small glass of aquavit, to sip slowly...

the herbs and spices are amazingly comforting.  My favorite is one I make myself.  

It is an easy Scandinavian recipe from a favorite cookbook:

from Andreas Viestad

The master recipe:

It is considered "mock" because commercial vodka is used.  I vary the additions of herbs

and spice according to what I'm in the mood for.  For Christmas a fresh batch is always enjoyed!

Yes, the water of life!

Vinegar and Baking Soda

I use vinegar and baking soda for a myriad of things,

and really don 't know what I would do without these 2 simple products.

They have been my weapon for years (30+) to clean and combat the stink of everyday life!

Cheap, earth friendly, and very effective.

Some hacks that really all of you should be using:

teeth whitening=once a week brush with baking soda=amazing results!

Every visit to my dentist they ask if I've just whitened my teeth...

haha, our little secret:)

dishwasher rinse agent...who needs the expensive chemical stuff?  Pour vinegar into the rinse agent cup, voila, sparkling dishes!  With no harm to your wallet or earth.

Smelly front loading washing machine?  No problem!  Add vinegar...following your machine's cleaning recommendation...and yes, it really works!

When I use these two simple natural ingredients, I think about our water supply and how zero harm is done.
Of course, the opposite is true when using commercial toilet bowl cleaners, rinse agents etc...you know where I'm going here.

Just switch, just do it, I have the most amazing confidence you will be happy you did.

Earth will thank you :)

Colors Of Winter

It has been a true, old-fashioned Minnesota winter.

For weeks now our world has been snow and ice dumped...dumped...

dumped...

 The colors of our landscape have become neutral,

white, gray, sienna. 

 Tones that have seeped into all that I see,

everything I draw and paint:

"Milkweed"  18x25 drawing on paper  CWLarson

"Birch Bark"  18x25 drawing on paper  CWLarson

Of course I know that Spring is inevitable,

hidden beneath all that ice and snow...

 and when it appears to my happy eyes,
all will be

green, green, green...

Now,
where did I put that tube of sap green paint?

EXPLORING BALESTRAND NORWAY

Although I loved every place we ventured into
 during our Scandinavian vacation, 
My favorite place was Balestrand. 

Abundant natural beauty...
 Excellent local food: plums, apples, cider, sausage, fish, and shrimp.

Gorgeous accommodations, a home that we rented right on the fjord...

We hiked the mossy, ferny hillside, foraged for wild berries,

swam the cold water, explored the fjord by ferry boat,

then fell asleep to the sound of waves...

 Our spectacular views:

Amazing in every direction

  Ethereal place, such beauty

 Need I say, I never want to leave?

Can there exist such a place on earth?

And were we really there?

OSLO LOVE

           As seen from a sidewalk in Oslo...
         

Preserving the Bounty

Autumn in Minnesota is Apple time!

Such a sweet time of the year when trees are producing delicious fruit, and there's amazing abundance throughout the garden.  We have wild crab apple trees in the back of our property along the lake.  They are scrubby trees that we neglect, until fruit is red and heavy on the branches...calling us...

Now what to do with the harvest?

French apple tart?...ahhh...put the coffee on

 Next French apple jelly.  France,  my go to country for ALL fruit recipes.  I made two batches.  Enough for everyone!  The recipe comes from one of my favorite blogs, from Paris dweller, David Lebovitz.

Here's the recipe if you're interested:
https://www.davidlebovitz.com/apple-jelly-jam-recipe/

I've been busy preserving as much as I can...Hot Dilly Beans, Sweet and Sour Pickles, Ginger Carrots, Slow Roasted Tomatoes...We will eat well this winter.

Beautiful Bounty!!

Joshua Tree National Park

Our visit to Joshua Tree National Park was done on a whim, on a day of 96 degree plus temps, during a stay in Palm Desert, California.  Bryan and I found ourselves with an air-conditioned car and an open afternoon.  We have always heard of this national park and decided now- time to explore!

After an uneventful drive in from the south entrance, we encountered a field of flowering cacti. Very unexpected life, color and texture, surrounded by barren rock.

         Other-worldly formed rock...
         driving north through the park, the temps
         dropped 15 degrees
         

                       The Joshua Tree really isn't a tree...it's a form of Yucca.
                                                                Who knew?

A forest of Joshua trees, as far as the eye can see!

             The park was unlike anything we've experienced before...
             a beauty all it's own.

Red ball

      A sure sign of Spring is a new, fresh, fully inflated, bright, glossy, big ball.  Bringing delight to any young child.  A simple joy, my kids loved a new one every year.  When my youngest was 3, he painted this picture on his bedroom wall, (yes, on his wall:) of playing with his new ball in the backyard.  Notice his happy face!!!  Pure happiness!!