Hard work.

I'm a sucker for a hard worker. The sweat-dripping-in-your-eyes-and-I'm-not-done-until-it's-perfect-even-though-it's-95-degrees-out-here-and-I'm-exhausted kind of worker. I've found the perfect guy for this position. Does it get any better?

Horse and trailer.

Driving home from Tyler was exhausting to say the least. With only 5 hours of sleep and many cornfields to pass, it was hard to keep my eyes on the road since my driving partner was fast asleep. This lovely Thoroughbred pulled in front of our car and I was wide awake. I haven't seen a trailer like this in awhile and I love that this Brown Beauty got a chance to take in the full countryside view instead of through a barred window. Happiness is temporary moments here and there - and I love those.

Pancake balls.

This past weekend we ventured to Tyler, MN for their annual Aebleskiver Days which was essentially a week-long festival centered around Aebleskivers, in more obvious terms, pancake balls. They are delicious and really, any chance to get a large group of friends together for some intense bags, beer pong, and seizure-induced glow-stick dancing is good reason enough.

A large part of the town is centered around farming and everywhere you turned were older men in plaids, dark demin jeans and used cowboy boots. I imagine all of them are up at the crack of dawn, riding their combines, baling hay and such. For me, this is a bit early, but for most of these neighbors it's something closer to midday. What they do at 4:00 a.m. is anyone's guess. I only know that they're incredibly motivated about it and talk about the dawn as if it's a personal reward, bestowed on account of their great virtue.

May I offer you a nice bowl of hail?

This morning as I was working out @ the gym, I heard gun shots. I swear on my life that's what they were until the little old man in front of me hopped off his machine and rushed to the large window to peer outside. Those "gun shots" were hail balls dropping on the roof and they echoed like crazy. Hail is one of the most fascinating natural phenomenons to me, thus the reason I collected these and stuck them in the freezer. God's personal ice cubes.

Payback.

Dear Delinquents-
Thank you for exhibiting your strength and prowess Thursday evening when you tipped over one of our 600 pound lions. Not only are we impressed, but we are happily forced to step up the game we call security and property protection. Feel free to take another lion down and we will show you what we mean. As far as we're concerned, we plan on fighting fire with hotter fire.
Hope you can stand the heat,
The Hills

Torchlight.

When you're gradually increasing your milage for longer races, it is amazing how dead a sprinted 5K in the hot summer sun will make you. The Lifetime Fitness Torchlight was very fun, even better than last year's, and this time I was able to drink the free beer. There's nothing like two free beers to make you run a humid street race.

Best friends.

The last 24 hours of our trip in South Dakota, these two cows stood by one another, chewing grass and enjoying the acres of rolling landscape to themselves. They didn't move except for a few feet to find more grass. Something about them made me think they were best friends and inseparable. I'm hoping they're milking cows and won't have to leave one another to one day be someone's grilled meal. I'm usually a carnivorous eater, but I found myself hoping that, whichever place they end up, they would end up together. It was just one of those things that go through your mind. 'Best of luck', I thought.

Bonfire necessity.

"You're killing me Smalls! This is s'more's stuff! Alright, now pay attention. First you take the graham, you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the 'mallow. When the 'mallows flaming... you stick it on the chocolate. Then cover with the other end. Then you scarf. Kind of messy, but good." -Sandlot

Road trip.

Finally! A chance to get out of dodge and step off the grid for a few days. Michael and I road-tripped up the east border of South Dakota this weekend and I've never enjoyed camping more thoroughly. Hiking on bluffs, tenting in campsites, bonfires, dining with the locals, heck, even peeing in the woods. We didn't have a whole lot of time to spend on the road, but next time we will prepare for at least a week of roughing it. We are now professionals at putting up and taking down the tent, we spent maybe ten minutes doing either one.

I'm going to start saying "OK" to things more often; activities that seem maybe out of my comfort zone or a little bit different than I'm used to. The word is a key to a magic door and every time I say it I feel the thrill of possibility. Well, I'll say it to an extent; I won't be jumping out of an airplane and I won't be eating horse balls, but I will go camping in South Dakota with a handsome boyfriend and enjoy every minute of it.

Under the big top.

Family date night (+ Michael) brought us to see the newest Cirque du Soleil show, Kooza... being shown under the big striped top, smack dab in the middle of downtown St. Paul. This is my fourth show by Cirque and each time I walk away amazed and baffled at the way they perform some of the stunts. As we settled got our of our seats at the end of the show, I listened to the conversations around me, some of them humorous. I've realized that "shit" is the tofu of cursing, and can be molded to whichever condition the speaker desires. Hot as shit. Crazy as shit. I myself was confounded as shit, for how had I so misjudged that word?

Many "shits" were muttered under the breath of those of us who are unable to wrap ourselves into pretzels and meander across a rope hanging 40 feet in the air. A large amount of the acts are from far away countries and probably can't even speak our language, but... don't let that stop you from being abso-freaking-lutely amazed at the performance Cirque du Soleil puts on every single time they swing into town.

Delicious sky.

You know the kind of sky that looks like cotton candy? And you literally could pluck it out of the heavens if we were in one of those mythical movies where everything goes your way and there's always a happy ending? Those are my favorite skies. The all-time best sky I saw was when I was on a First Class flight to Phoenix, AZ (no I didn't purchase it, are you crazy?, I got bumped up).

"May I bring you a drink, Miss Hill?", the stewardess asked. This as the people in coach were still boarding. The looks they gave me as they passed were the looks I give when the door of a limousine opens. You always expect to see a movie star, or, at the very least, someone better dressed than you, but time and time again it's just a sloppy nobody. Thus the look, which translates to, "fcuk you, Sloppy Nobody, for making me turn my head." That little story is a tad irrelevant to this daily photo but... it gives it an extra layer of fluff.

Spotted: vehicle.

Out in the boonies of Champlin, I spotted my favorite car. Not my favorite color... but at least the make and model was right. On what was an otherwise mediocre day, God decided to shower me with another small dose of happiness. That trident is just hot right now.

David Sedaris.

He is my new favorite author, and rightly so. Because any man that can make you laugh so hard your latte comes out your nose at the early hour of 6:19 am should be considered one of your favorite men.

Savings plan.

Beyond stocks, investments, and mutual funds, I save change. Pennies, nickels, quarters, you name it, I save it and trade a bag-full in for bills. Michael and I walked through the maze that is IKEA to get decorating ideas, and this was the only item, out of the hundreds of products there, that I had my heart set on bringing home. At only $2.99, it reminds me of jars you would find at an apple orchard or a candy store, filled with banana taffy.

Introducing...

The newest gadget in my life. For those of you that have been privy to experience my old POS cell phone, fret no more. Sunday marked the start of a new day and I finally got a new one. The POS I had been using came from an uncle who had used it for years, you could imagine how outdated it was. The battery was shot, phone calls were dropped, I was lucky to get text messages sent and received successfully. At one point it had flared up so magnificently that I sat down to read the whole user's manual, just so that I could be angry at it and then toss the POS across the room. Who does crap like that? Me, that's who. And I will go to my grave filled with an inordinate amount of unproductive anger, but a smile will mark my face because I will feel so justified. So right. POS no more... bring on the LG Versa and what I hope is at least a year's supply of phone calls longer than 20 seconds before it shuts off.

Lil Firefly.

My summer drink of choice involves the item here before you.... Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka. No, I'm obviously not endorsed to write about them, I'm compelled to. Mix a few shots of this delicious liquid with lemonade and you have yourself a drink that not only invokes summertime memories, but streaking through the quad and up to the gymnasium as well. Drink on.

Happy Birthday, Lindsey!

Yet another birthday with a fabulous lady from Forest Lake on Thursday. She chose Benihana's in Maple Grove for our feasting activities and what an experience that was! It might have been the smoke-billowing onion train.... or maybe it was the high-flying shrimp tails.... either way this is an awesome restaurant with a dinner-theatre style meal involved. Lindsey, I wish you the best of birthdays and many more to come!

Run, Tim, Run.

If you watched the news Thursday evening, you may have seen some or all of my family. The baby deer stuck in the muck was apparently the most interesting thing happening around here. We had Kare11, WCCO, StarTribune, and Pioneer Press photographers, reporters and camera crew here. Everyone was set up down underneath the pergolas filming the rescue efforts. You know once 3 different police boats get stuck in the muck and an air boat has to be brought in to rescue the deer.... and then the other 3 stuck boats... that maybe a little help with the water level might be appropriate. Nevertheless it was an eventful day with interviews, photographs, etc.... but my favorite part? Watching reporter Tim Sherno from 5 Eyewitness News sprint with his cameraman and handfuls of gear through my backyard as if there was somewhere else more important they needed to be... this is Shoreview, remember? Nothing really happens here. :)

King Oliver II.

Some sort of bug attacked my dog. On his leg, and proceeded to cause him constant itchiness for the past two days. He was literally self-mutilating his leg in attempt to stop the itch (at least that's what I thought was going on). I'd heard of E Collars (Elizabethan collar), but never used one, so to PetsMart we go. The collars are named from the ruffs worn in Elizabethan times. I put the collar on Oliver and he sits, motionless, and clueless. He turns into a stone statue and will not move to save his life. It is humorous and prevents him from biting himself, so I consider it a success. The only thing to complete the scene is a goblet to drink from, filled with fresh spring water. After a sip he would be all, "Yes, I may be wearing this dreadful collar; yes, I may look ridiculous - but let's do it right, shall we?"

Missed/Unique Opportunity

Earlier this week I had a promotion in Chaska at the Dahlgreen Golf Course. Sabrina and I were driving together and it was amazing how far out we had to go to find this place. About an hour after leaving my house, we're passing cows, huge corn fields, and many tractors like this one. Why in the world would you have a golf course out here? The people in this town don't even look like golfers, from the few we saw strolling the empty streets. Perhaps the real estate is cheaper out here, or perhaps one of their key sales points is the rare chance to tee off and aim for a Heifer in the distance with an enormous udder.

I feel like on Sunday afternoons, the main street of Chaska is closed to traffic and beautifully dressed people parade about in their finery just like an old-fashioned movie.

Cotton balls.

Monday night created detailed clouds surrounding the moon. These are how I draw my clouds on a regular basis. Similar to, if not exactly like cotton balls. If I were to draw your traditional home sketch, the houses would look like something a child might draw, a row of shaky squares with triangles on top. Add a door, add two windows. Think of putting a tree in the front yard, and then decide against it because branches aren't worth the trouble. But the clouds? Don't even think about forgetting to sketch those. To me, those are the very best part.

Talent.

Call it good timing, call it talent, call it whatever you would like, but I've found one of the more challenging things to photograph is a firework. Try it with your leftover Wolf Pack Missiles. I'll give you a gold star if you succeed.

The 4th.

I like the 4th of July because I don’t have to get you a gift. Or, see you at a mandatory family function and pretend I like you. And, the best parts happen at night. I look better at night. Plus, I can wear sweats and blame it on the mosquitoes. The fireworks are kind of a yawn. A loud one. But the vodka, laughter and grilled chicken? Divine.

And, as an added bonus, it’s the one time of year we can salute our country and pretend like everything is all giggles, balloons, and pony rides around this nation. However, falling asleep at 11:45 at night, on one of the best holidays of the year, because someone yelled "cock-a-doodle-do" at 8 AM? Not patriotic. Apparently. :)

Luck, WI

Nothing beats heading to a small town for some 4th of July relaxation. We drove up to Luck, WI on Friday and entering the town was not unlike the feeling you get when you enter a deserted haunted village. Not that I experience that feeling much, but I loved the small-town feel. Population: 1210? That's 1/25th of mine and that's alright with me. The weekend was spent experiencing what life was like before the Wii, pitching a tent, swimming in the lake, soaking up the sun, grilling at night, and eating more s'mores than our body would allow.

Recognition.

Last night we were in Hudson for dinner at San Pedro Cafe, fabulous Caribbean fare, margaritas, long islands, the works. Katie points out this sign at a nearby restaurant. Random much? Maybe Mother-In-Laws dine for free this week... I wonder what we're supposed to do on October 23rd when it's National Mole Day... throw a mole party complete with vats of guacamole? Maybe the number of moles you have is the number of dollars off your tables bill... in that case, I better bring my moley-Uncle Dave.

Convenience factor.

This never happens. Ever. The newspaper does. not. land. on. our. front. doorstep. And for some reason on Wednesday morning, Mr. Newspaper Delivery Man felt a little of the fabulous summer weather affecting where he decided to land our Pioneer Press. Thank you for not throwing it in our hostas, in our middle island, on the driveway 30 yards away, next to the lion by the studio.... right here is just fine. Nice aim, and please keep it up. We appreciate it.

How to be the life of the party.

You've seen those people who seem to be comfortable in any social situation. What's their secret?

1. Dress to kill. Wear something either very fashionable or very flashy. Bold outfits are hard to forget.
2. Make a grand entrance - carry a kazoo and announce your arrival... better yet, provide your friends with kazoos and let them do it for you.
3. Be unforgettable.

My neighbor, Sam, channeling his inner Transformer, with a Heineken box around his chest and soda boxes on his calves, will be the life of the party at UW Madison in 2019.

Security tag.

This was the dress I wore to the wedding in Chicago two weekends ago. Near or around the time beautiful Jenny was walking down the aisle, my butt started to hurt something fierce. I figured the chairs were a little hard and uncomfortable, I could deal. Minutes later I could not deal. Not one bit. I reached down and felt around... maybe a rock was stuck somewhere on my wooden chair? Yeah right. More like the security tag from Cache. No I did not steal this dress, but I probably looked like I had... not knowing anyone but Michael's family, Josh, Jenny and a few others... I'm sure they all were under the impression Michael's girlfriend was a red-handed thief. I was embarrassed for 2 minutes, then stifled my laughter as best I could (which may or may not have come about due to the deliciously strong Vodka Tonic I drank mere minutes earlier). I refused to let this plastic security tag rob me of the experience I was determined to have. I have yet to bring it back to Cache and request its' removal, its kind of grown on me... new fashion statement? :)