It's an annual tradition for Nate and I to visit the Minnesota State Fair each year. We've not missed it in the entire 11 years we've been together, which I think is pretty impressive actually. Even last year, when money was tight, we still made a trip over there.
People ask me, well, what's so special about it, or what do you do there? We really don't go for anything horribly specific, yes we like to eat the food, but that's not even the number one draw. We like walking around, people watching, catching shows if we can, seeing the animals, the exhibits, and well, just being with other Minnesotans at the biggest party of the summer!
So, this past Saturday, we made our annual trek. We always shoot for getting to the Fairgrounds by around 8:30/9:00 in the morning. Yes, that early. It used to be we could get there that early and there would not be that many people wandering around yet, and we liked to enjoy the emptiness of the grounds. It's not quite that way anymore, though it's still not as crowded at that time as it is by about noon.
We spent a nice full day, taking in plenty of sites, trying new food - beignets and peach glazed pig cheeks specifically, riding rides like the Old Mill and the Skyride. We walked through several of the buildings. We enjoyed each others company. And yes, we did a ton of people watching!
It is expensive, that is for certain. But it's just become a tradition for us that we just can't miss. We had great weather and a great time!
In other weekend news, Nate kegged up three batches of beer! Now we just have to get something to keep the kegs cold with and we'll be drinking three new kinds of beer very shortly! It's quite exciting.
Speaking of beer and the Fair - Nate's chocolate stout sadly did not place this year. I'm still very proud of him for entering the contest and I know he'll try again next year as well, we can only improve!
8/31/09
8/28/09
Another post of random thoughts
Just a few random thoughts on a rainy Friday morning.
Tomorrow Nate and I head to the State Fair. We don't know if we'll actually get to see his beer on display or not. We do know an awards ceremony is being held tomorrow afternoon near the Education building and we plan to go and observe, even though he is not expecting to take home any awards this year, we still thought it would be fun. I will report back if we actually do find his beer on display anywhere, but I'm not holding my breath. The beer contest is a little odd.
To the City of Columbia Heights - so kind of you to invite us to your picnic for our neighborhood. Oh wait, you DIDN'T invite us. We had to find out from another neighbor and it was a little last minute. We would've loved to have had the chance to meet some of our neighbors, but finding out five minutes before said picnic (that was potluck too) was not going to work for us, therefore we didn't go. So here's a little note, next time, make sure you deliver the flier to EVERY house on the block. Ok? Thank you.
On a good neighborhood note - Silverwood Park, formerly the Salvation Army Camp on Silver Lake, is now open by us and it is LOVELY. The trails are great, the visitor center is fabulous, complete with snack bar. There are several classes coming up this Fall I'm even considering signing up for - ceramics and a coffee brewing seminar. That's awesome. We've needed something like this for a long time and I'm excited it's more or less within walking distance of our house.
That's about all I have today. It's Friday and I'm excited for my weekend. So there you go!
Tomorrow Nate and I head to the State Fair. We don't know if we'll actually get to see his beer on display or not. We do know an awards ceremony is being held tomorrow afternoon near the Education building and we plan to go and observe, even though he is not expecting to take home any awards this year, we still thought it would be fun. I will report back if we actually do find his beer on display anywhere, but I'm not holding my breath. The beer contest is a little odd.
To the City of Columbia Heights - so kind of you to invite us to your picnic for our neighborhood. Oh wait, you DIDN'T invite us. We had to find out from another neighbor and it was a little last minute. We would've loved to have had the chance to meet some of our neighbors, but finding out five minutes before said picnic (that was potluck too) was not going to work for us, therefore we didn't go. So here's a little note, next time, make sure you deliver the flier to EVERY house on the block. Ok? Thank you.
On a good neighborhood note - Silverwood Park, formerly the Salvation Army Camp on Silver Lake, is now open by us and it is LOVELY. The trails are great, the visitor center is fabulous, complete with snack bar. There are several classes coming up this Fall I'm even considering signing up for - ceramics and a coffee brewing seminar. That's awesome. We've needed something like this for a long time and I'm excited it's more or less within walking distance of our house.
That's about all I have today. It's Friday and I'm excited for my weekend. So there you go!
8/25/09
Sometimes you need some kind of change
So because we made a ton of other changes to our house this summer, I decided I needed a change too! So, I got a new hairstyle. I like to constantly evolve my looks, but this time I just really wanted to go for something super simple. And I was very pleased with the results! Here is a before and after.
8/24/09
Unwound
This past weekend Nate and I had a chance to go up north and unwind a bit at a cabin in Pequot Lakes, just north of Brainerd. It was a lovely weekend, the weather was fantastic. We spent several hours on a boat on Saturday just enjoying the weather. Bonfires, games, and shopping also took place and of course, eating good food! Even though it was just a three day trip, it was nice to get away from it all. I've come back refreshed and well, unwound I suppose!
Sitting by the fire
On the boat
Enjoying a drink on the boat
Pretty fire
Beautiful sunset on the lake
Sitting by the fire
On the boat 
Enjoying a drink on the boat
Pretty fire
Beautiful sunset on the lake
8/20/09
Giddy
I'm postively giddy right now.
It's my last day at work for the week, I have a fun three day weekend ahead of me and life is just awesome right now.
You know that feeling like being a kid on Christmas Eve, so excited you just might burst before Christmas morning finally arrives? Yep, that's where I'm at. I just haven't had a vacation in so, so long. So I think I have every right to be just a wee bit giddy right now!
I look ahead to what's coming up in the next few weeks as well and it just gets me even giddier. The State Fair is almost here. That is one of the highlights of the summer for me and yes I am a nerd! But Nate and I just really enjoy the State Fair each year, we have a blast going there. I think maybe I love it so much because it's kind of the bridge between summer and my very favorite season of Fall!
Yes I love Fall! Apple pies and bonfires, cool nights and crispy leaves. I am so ready for all of that! I know I've said that on this blog before and may be sounding like a broken record, but I just love the next stretch of the year that is almost upon us.
So while I have a fun weekend that is less than 24 hours away from beginning - I have wonderful things to look forward to beyond that as well!
Can you blame me for being giddy?
It's my last day at work for the week, I have a fun three day weekend ahead of me and life is just awesome right now.
You know that feeling like being a kid on Christmas Eve, so excited you just might burst before Christmas morning finally arrives? Yep, that's where I'm at. I just haven't had a vacation in so, so long. So I think I have every right to be just a wee bit giddy right now!
I look ahead to what's coming up in the next few weeks as well and it just gets me even giddier. The State Fair is almost here. That is one of the highlights of the summer for me and yes I am a nerd! But Nate and I just really enjoy the State Fair each year, we have a blast going there. I think maybe I love it so much because it's kind of the bridge between summer and my very favorite season of Fall!
Yes I love Fall! Apple pies and bonfires, cool nights and crispy leaves. I am so ready for all of that! I know I've said that on this blog before and may be sounding like a broken record, but I just love the next stretch of the year that is almost upon us.
So while I have a fun weekend that is less than 24 hours away from beginning - I have wonderful things to look forward to beyond that as well!
Can you blame me for being giddy?
8/17/09
Just rambling
It is a short work week.
My upcoming three day weekend promises to be very fun.
This past weekend was also rather fun.
But while these are all good things - they are distracting me because they are all I can think about! It makes for a rather long day at work, I'll tell you that much!
Other than that not that much is new in Beth and Nate world! Now that we have that bedroom finished we are taking a well deserved break on house projects. Now Nate can focus on his newest beer adventures of moving to kegging. He also dropped off his Chocolate Stout version 2 to be judged in the State Fair beer contest. I'm proud of him, I hope it does well!
So there you go. I just hope this week, be it a short one, moves very fast! I know right now it seems like it won't, but come next Monday at this time I'm sure I will be complaining that it flew by too fast. That is just how things go some times.
My upcoming three day weekend promises to be very fun.
This past weekend was also rather fun.
But while these are all good things - they are distracting me because they are all I can think about! It makes for a rather long day at work, I'll tell you that much!
Other than that not that much is new in Beth and Nate world! Now that we have that bedroom finished we are taking a well deserved break on house projects. Now Nate can focus on his newest beer adventures of moving to kegging. He also dropped off his Chocolate Stout version 2 to be judged in the State Fair beer contest. I'm proud of him, I hope it does well!
So there you go. I just hope this week, be it a short one, moves very fast! I know right now it seems like it won't, but come next Monday at this time I'm sure I will be complaining that it flew by too fast. That is just how things go some times.
8/13/09
The piano in the parlour
Years ago I visited New Orleans on a school trip. This would be the school trip in which Nate and I became a couple in fact, so sadly, that's the memory that sticks out most for me about visiting New Orleans, but thankfully, I have some pictures of some of the sites we saw. You know the actual cultural things!
Anyway, one of the pictures I took that I always loved was of a display we saw in an old fashioned house called "The Piano in the Parlour". It was a simple upright piano, probably used to play that awesome jazz music of the early 1900's. At any rate, I always liked the picture and I though, wouldn't it be cool if I had a piano in a parlour someday?
Well, we don't have a parlour. But we do now have a piano! I've been told that the living room in our house was sort of purposely built to have a piano in one spot, as the owner before Nate's great aunt was a music teacher at I believe St. Anthony schools. As mentioned previously, we chatted with my in-laws who had a piano they really wanted to get rid of, and worked out a deal to take it.
It really does look like it's meant for the space that we put it in. I've said before, I don't play and neither does Nate. I figure though, I know enough that I can plunk notes when I need to learn a new song to sing and maybe I'll even start teaching myself. And maybe we'll have a child someday who really wants to learn or takes to it really well or something!
At any rate, I just think it looks really cool. My own piano in the parlour(or living room).
Anyway, one of the pictures I took that I always loved was of a display we saw in an old fashioned house called "The Piano in the Parlour". It was a simple upright piano, probably used to play that awesome jazz music of the early 1900's. At any rate, I always liked the picture and I though, wouldn't it be cool if I had a piano in a parlour someday?
Well, we don't have a parlour. But we do now have a piano! I've been told that the living room in our house was sort of purposely built to have a piano in one spot, as the owner before Nate's great aunt was a music teacher at I believe St. Anthony schools. As mentioned previously, we chatted with my in-laws who had a piano they really wanted to get rid of, and worked out a deal to take it.
It really does look like it's meant for the space that we put it in. I've said before, I don't play and neither does Nate. I figure though, I know enough that I can plunk notes when I need to learn a new song to sing and maybe I'll even start teaching myself. And maybe we'll have a child someday who really wants to learn or takes to it really well or something!
At any rate, I just think it looks really cool. My own piano in the parlour(or living room).
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