7 songs that speak to me & why

1) “Love’s The Only House” (Martina McBride) - This song could be the theme song to my life.

I was standing in the grocery store line
The one they marked express
When this woman came through with about 25 things
And I said don't you know that more is less
She said this world is movin' so fast
I just get more behind with every day
And every mornin' when I make my coffee
I can't believe my life's turned out this way
All I could say was

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

He was walkin' by the other day and I said
Hey baby...how you been
Yeah I got me a little girl now and she's 4 years old
And she's got her daddy's little grin
And you only wanted what you can't have
And baby you can't have me now
I gave me heart to another
Yeah I'm a mother and he's a father and we're a family and we got each other
And I found out the hard way that

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

You drive three miles from all this prosperity
Down across the river and you see a ghetto there
And we got children walking around with guns
And they got knives and drugs and pain to spare
And here I am in my clean white shirt
With a little money in my pocket and a nice warm home
And we got teenagers walkin' around in a culture of darkness
Livin' together alone...all I can

Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain

And I can't explain it and I can't understand
But I'll come down and get my hands dirty and together we'll make a stand
Somewhere 'cross the parking lot some bands playin' out of tune
City streets are gonna burn if we don't do something soon
And senorita can't quit cryin baby's due now any day
Don Juan left got sick of trying
No one there to show him the way
She came down to the grocery store and she said I
I wanna buy a little carton of milk but I don't have any money
I said hey I'll cover you honey 'cause the pain's gotta go somewhere
Yeah the pain's gotta go someplace
So come on down to my house
Don't you know that

2 & 3) “I-90” and  “Head’s Carolina, Tails California” - Chris & Johnny’s song, “I-90,” and JoDee Messina’s “Head Carolina, Tails California” speak to my wanderlust. I-90 brings me back to the summer after I graduated from college, to the weeks a friend and I cruised down I-90. Oh, the freedom and the adventure. Whenever I hear these two songs, I want to hop in my car and head off...

I-90

I just left her standing there
Tangled thoughts and tangled hair
Baby blue eyed cries for me
Cuz she don't really wanna see me leave
When she just met me
Soon I'll be hightailin' I-90

We've been soulmates from the start
Gentle spirits, heart to heart
Moonlight lovers in the dark
Lyin' on the lawn and makin' sparks
And the makin's lovely
Soon I'll be hightailin' I-90

There'll be construction on the way
A summer job with a decent pay
Fillin' holes along the road
I've done things I ain't never told
Don't tell nobody
Soon I'll be hightailin' I-90

Chorus:
I-90's soothin' me
It's movin' me to be a better man
This highway's givin' me
The time to be, to understand

Now that all my work's been done
I'll seek the warmth of summer sun
With a twisted heart and itchy feet
I'm a headin' home to make ends meet
And ditch this quandry
Soon I'll be hightailin' I-90

What's to say this crazy clown
Who lifts one up and lets the other one down
Don't feel bad for all his tricks
It weighs on his mind like a load of bricks
He don't take it lightly
Soon I'll be hightailin' I-90

And so let the full moon rise again
Minnesota gal to be my friend
I'll be back to play this song
'Cuz a while on the road can make you stronger
Ever so slightly
Soon I'll be hightailin' I-90

Heads Carolina, Tails California

Baby, what do you say we just get lost?
Leave this one horse townlike two rebels without a cause.
I got people in Boston.
Ain't your daddy still in Des Moines?
We can pack up tomorrow.
Tonight, let's flip a coin

[Chorus] Heads, Carolina Tails, California.
Somewhere greener, somewhere warmer.
Up in the mountains, down by the ocean.
Where? It don't matter, as long as we're goin'
Somewhere together. I've got a quarter.
Heads, Carolina Tails, California.

We can load what we own in the back of a U-haul van.
Couple modern day Moses', searchin for the promised land.
We can go four hundred miles before we stop for gas.
We can drive for a day, and then we'll take a look at the map.

We're gonna get outta here if we gotta ride a Greyhound bus.
Boy, we're bound to outrun the bad luck that's tailin' us

4) “Before He Cheats” - This song, sung by Carrie Underwood, is cathartic for me. I listen to it, and then I don’t do any of the crazy things I might want to do.

Right now he's probably slow dancing with a bleached-blond tramp,
and she's probably getting frisky...
right now, he's probably buying her some fruity little drink
'cause she can't shoot whiskey...
Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool stick,
showing her how to shoot a combo...

And he don't know...

That I dug my key into the side
of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive,
carved my name into his leather seats...
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights,
slashed a hole in all 4 tires...
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

Right now, she's probably up singing some
white-trash version of Shania karaoke.
Right now, she's probably saying, "I'm drunk"
and he's a-thinking that he's gonna get lucky,
Right now, he's probably dabbing on
3 dollars worth of that bathroom Polo*...

Oh, and he don't know...

That I dug my key into the side
of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive,
carved my name into his leather seats,
I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights,
slashed a hole in all 4 tires...
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.

I might've saved a little trouble for the next girl,
'cause the next time that he cheats...
Oh, you know it won't be on me!

No... not on me

5) Blessed - Sung by Martina McBride, this song is such a good reminder. Listening to it is like hearing my 1000 Gifts, my gratitude list, in song.

I get kissed by the sun each morning
Put my feet on a hardwood floor
I get to hear my children laughing
Down the hall through the bedroom door
Sometimes I sit on my front porch swing
Just soaking up the day
I think to myself, I think to myself
This world is a beautiful place

I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day

I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed

6) What If I Stumble? - This DC Talk song states my fears pretty well. It was applicable when I first heard it as a teen, and a song that still resonates today.

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today
Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips
Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

Is this one for the people? Is this one for the Lord?
Or do I simply serenade for things I must afford?
You can jumble them together, my conflict still remains
Holiness is calling, in the midst of courting fame
Cause I see the trust in their eyes
Though the sky is falling
They need Your love in their lives
Compromise is calling

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
You never turn in the heat of it all
What if I stumble, what if I fall?

Father please forgive me for I can not compose
The fear that lives within me
Or the rate at which it grows
If struggle has a purpose on the narrow road you've carved
Why do I dread my trespasses will leave a deadly scar
Do they see the fear in my eyes? Are they so revealing?
This time I cannot disguise all the doubt I'm feeling

What if I stumble, what if I fall?
What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?
Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?
What if I stumble, and what if I fall?

What if I stumble?
Everyone's got to crawl when you know that
You're up against a wall, it's about to fall
Everyone's got to crawl when you know that

I hear You whispering my name [You say]
"My love for You will never change" [never change]

7) Fruit of the Spirit: This children’s song is one I listen to even when the kids aren’t around. It’s a good reminder about what I want to focus on.

(Ready? Okay!)
Love, joy, peace,
Patience, kindness,
Goodness, faithfulness too
Gentleness
And self-control
We've got spirit,
How 'bout you?!)

We've got the fruit
Fruit of the spirit
We've got the fruit
This is how we live
We've got the fruit
Fruit of the spirit
The gifts that only God can give

Well it's easy to get mad
When things don't go your way
It's easy to get angry
When you're having a bad day

It's easy to be mean
When people do you wrong
It's easy to complain
When you just can't get along

But there's a better way
The spirit can help you when you pray

Well it's easy to be selfish
When you need to give away
It's easy to run
When you know you need to stay

It's easy to quit
Instead of staying until the end
It's easy to argue
Instead of speaking like a friend

8) AN EXTRA: Beautiful Things (Gungor) - This is such a beautiful song.

All this pain
I wonder if I'll ever find my way?
I wonder if my life could really change at all?

All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come up from this ground at all?

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

9 & 10) Oh, and these two great ones by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers deserve mention: "Running Down A Dream" and "Learning to Fly."

The Rules of Friendship

Do you remember those Inspiration Ideals and Keepsake books? You could always find them at garage sales when I was a kid. They were full of inspirational, idealistic poems that shaped my ideas of the world.

This poem encapsulates so much of what I see friendship as:

SHARING
by Maude V. Preston

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can
share my bread with you, and I can share
my joy with you, and sometimes share a
sorrow too... as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can
sit an hour with you, and I can share a
joke with you, and sometimes share reverses,
too ... as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can
share my flowers with you, and I can share
my books with you and sometimes share your
burdens too ... as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can
share my songs with you, and I can share
my mirth with you, and sometimes come and
laugh with you ... as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can
share my hopes with you, and I can share my
fears with you, and sometimes shed some
tears with you ... as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can
share my friends with you, and I can share
my life with you, and oftimes share a
prayer with you ... as on our way we go.

It’s interesting how true this remains from when I first read it as a teenager. My take on the poem has gotten deeper.

And then there’s this classic poem on friendship:

FRIENDSHIP
by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Oh, the comfort — the inexpressible
   comfort of feeling safe with a person.
Having neither to weigh thoughts,
Nor measure words — but pouring them
All right out — just as they are —
Chaff and grain togheter,
Certain that a faithful hand will
Take and sift them,
Keep what is worth keeping,
And with the breath of kindness
Blow the rest away.

Yes, friendship is indeed about feeling safe with someone, of trusting them and knowing they know your heart, and so they won’t take something out of context. They won’t judge you harshly, but will view your words and actions through the lenses of love. This is a good friend, this person who helps you discover what it is you think of life, your experiences and the other people in it. It often takes speaking the words out loud and hearing them come back to us that gives us perspective on our lives. And a good friend makes this happen for us.


For me, a friend is someone I can also count on to help lead me the way I know I want to go. Because I trust my good friend, I know that she will tell me when I'm in the wrong or could consider things differently. I greatly value the perspective of a friend to help me see clearly when things are cloudy.

TO AN OLD FRIEND’S HOUSE
by Adam N. Reiter

It’s never too far to an old friend’s house
   And the way is smooth and fine...

The day is always bright and fair,
  When I, on a friend would call,
Who’s been a friend in time and stress
   And stood by through it all.
Though skies are drear and clouds hang low
  And the outlook drab and gray;
There’s a radiant glow at an old friend’s house
  That drives the gloom away.

I think that our society, Hollywood and popular music, spend so much time preoccupied with romantic love that we ignore friendship. In times past, folks wrote odes to their friends and friendship was elevated. But today we’re obsessed with finding a soulmate we can marry and spend the rest of our lives with. As one of my college professors pointed out to me, this puts far too much pressure on our marriages. We need friends. We need more people in our lives than just The One.

Go often to the house of thy friend, for weeds choke up the unused path.


When you live deliberately and with intention, you make sure you carve out a space in your life for your friends. It is true that few have the time in their lives to stay ultra connected. And in this space we're in -- with spouses and kids and starter houses -- it becomes tough to carve out space. But I think most of us yearn for a community of the sort folks once had in small towns, and we want to connect with friends every day. I want to build a life that includes person-to-person connections.

And here are a few other good thoughts on friendship:

When good friends walk beside us
On the trails that we must keep
Our burdens seem less heavy
And the hills are not so steep
The weary miles pass swiftly
Taken in joyous stride
And all the world seems brighter
When friends walk by our side.
- Author unknown

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will find himself along; one should keep his friendships in constant repair. - Johnson

Its the giving and doing for someone else
On that, all life’s splendor depends
And the joys of this life, when you sum them all up
Are found in the making of friends.

Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am, or am not, and keep ever burning before my wandering steps the kindly light of hope.

"I wish I could...."

- Travel the world. Oh, I want to see EVERYWHERE! I'd love to do the sort of thing that Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman did when they went from London to New York on motorcycles in The Long Way Round, and then again from Scotland to Cape Horn, South Africa in The Long Way Down. Motorcycling across the world would be amazing. The smells. The sights. The experience! I would settle for RVing across the United States in a few years with my family, though. At least until they're a bit older and I can jet off on a motorcycle. Maybe I'll try to squeeze in a motorcycle trip through Italy earlier... And if I could get paid for writing about my trip somehow, that would be the icing on the cake.

- Write a best-selling book. Or at least a good one. I keep intending to start a novel every November during National Novel Writing Month, but then every year, I am busy. Pregnant - or teaching - or going to school - or working alot - or [fill in the blank]. I used to say I needed to wait until I was older and had more life experience, and then I could write a great book. But now I feel like I should have done this already. One autumn, I was really going to do it. I even sketched out a brief outline of the book and picked character names... But then... Well, you know... I got too busy. Which really means I filled my life with other things.

- Be a really great mom and raise some fantastic kids. I really, really want to do this mothering thing right, and I have lots of ideas for the sorts of attributes I want to instill in my kids. I want to teach and nurture and care and love them. I don't want to be Supermom, and there isn't someone else I'm trying to be, but I do want to be my idea of a Good Great Mom. And then I lose my patience... And it seems like I might never be what I want to be.

- Learn how to weld.
- Mosaic sides of buildings.
- Make a stained glass Tiffany lamp.
- Grow all my own veggies.
- Transform my whole yard into an amazing garden with room for the kids to play, a cute shed, and hidden spots.
- Make a hidden room in my house!

And more...

Outdoor concert at Eidem farm

Slow down and enjoy simple pleasures of life at Eidem Homestead in Brooklyn Park. Music on the front porch. Feeding the goats. Laughing over the antics of the chickens. Climbing trees and running in the grass.

Experience these and more when you attend a Thursday evening concert at Eidem (101st and Noble in Brooklyn Park). We saw the Okee Dokee Brothers perform on Thursday night July 17. What a show! The place was packed for this popular Bluegrass children's group. We danced to "Rosita," our favorite song about the buzzing, man-eating mosquito. And of course, we dose-doed to the "Boatman's Dance."

UPCOMING OPEN HOUSES, MARKETS & CONCERTS
The open house and market runs from 4-7, and the concerts from 7-8. Free.
- July 31: Greg Herrieges Duo. Herrieges, vocalist, multi-insrtumentalist and composer, creates an eclectic mix of original and traditional "whirled music," influenced by South and East Asian styles. Accompanied by Minnesota-based percussionist Michael Bissonnette.
- Aug. 7: Dirty Shirts Brass Band. New-Orleans-style brass band paying jazz, swing, rock N roll, blues and Dixieland music.
- Aug. 14 - J-Star of the Zinghoppers (specifically child focused). Minneapolis' "pied pipers of preschool party rocking" perform original songs aimed at hip-hop, electric dance music, and pop.
- Aug. 21 - Splatter Sisters (specifically child focused). Upbeat songs that encourage audience participation. They're a hit with kids!

They also offer Movies on the Barn. Bring chairs, picnic blankets, warm clothes and friends! The movie is projected onto the barn door. Gates open at 8, and the movies start at dusk. Free entry.

UPCOMING MOVIES ON THE BARN
- Aug. 15: Calamity Jane
- Aug. 25: Field of Dreams
- Sept. 12: Savage Sam

And then there's Storytime at the Farm on Tuesdays! Readings start at 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., with barnyard play following until noon. Free.
- July 22: Cows in the Kitchen, June Crebbin
- Aug. 5: Cock-A-Moo-Moo, Juliet Dalles-Conte
- Aug. 12: A Squash & a Squeeze, Julia Donaldson
- Aug. 19: Click, Clack, Splish, Splash, Doreen Cronin

If you're busy during the day, they offer Evening Storytime on Tuesdays. Come in your jammies and enjoy a peaceful farmyard evening. Listen to the children's stories. Say goodnight to the animals. 7-8 p.m. Free.
- July 29: The Mixed Up Rooster, Pamela Edwards
- Aug. 26: The Flea's Sneeze, Lynn Downey

We plan to get a group together go back for a hayride this fall. They're also opening up the farm in January to February for Snow Days. The grounds will be open to explore. Bring your skis, try their kick sled, build a snowman or try snowshoeing.

ABOUT EIDEM HOMESTEAD
The Eidem Homestead is a 10-acre living-history farm that depicts Minnesota farm life, circa 1890-1900. The farm was first homesteaded over a century ago and was owned by the Eidem family for 82 years.

Today, the farm is like a time machine, transporting you back to the turn of the 20th Century when Brooklyn Park was one of the nation’s top potato growing areas.

"We invite you to tour our beautifully restored Victorian house, visit the barn, outbuildings and farm animals. You may smell the delicious apple cake baking in the kitchen, help pump water for the garden, turn the handle on the wringer washing machine, make apple cider in the autumn or put cloves in oranges to make fragrant pomander balls for Christmas. Or just sit on the porch and let yourself drift back in time," urge volunteers.

At Eidem Homestead, “don’t touch” becomes, “look, listen, taste, smell and touch."

There is a small fee for some historical events.

The place is run by the Brooklyn Park Historical Society and owned by the city. More at www.brooklynpark.org/eidemhomestead.

From chrysalis to butterfly

Watching a butterfly emerge from a chrysalis is an amazing thing, and one we got to experience this year thanks to our fantastic neighbors!

They had received a caterpillar and watched it become a chrysalis, but then headed off to vacation over the 4th of July. We were happy to babysit while they were gone, and we hadn't even had the chrysalis 24 hours when it was transformed.

First the green chrysalis turned black. And then we started to see while markings on it. Then - all of a sudden - I looked over after naptime and there was a butterfly hanging upside down in the jar.

What a cool experience! We're not going to forget it!!

We were amazed that the caterpillar attached its chrysalis to the plastic wrap!

After letting her wings dry for at least 12 hours, we released her in our front yard.

The butterfly took awhile to come out but then simply disappeared on us. She flew up and was gone.

Exploring monarch habitat at Lake Nokomis

With a butterfly book in hand, we set off to explore the monarch habitat carefully cultivated around Lake Nokomis. We didn't see any butterflies (it might have been a little early this year due to the late summer we're having), but it sure was cool to see all the plants the butterflies (and bees!) get nectar from.

Learning on site

The monarch habitat is on the northeast side of the lake. Be sure to check out the Monarch Festival held there each year on the Saturday after Labor Day. It's such a fun time!

Learning to ID butterfly-friendly plants - including milkweed!

Parts of the monarch habitat area are under water due to the flooding this year.

If you're by a lake, well, you'll need to go swimming in it!

Springbrook Nature Center

I am amazed at these nature centers that are hidden away just minutes from large shopping malls and freeways. Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley is steps away from Northdale Mall, but you'd never know it.

ABOUT THE PARK
http://springbrooknaturecenter.org/

Springbrook's original 124 acres were purchased by the City of Fridley in 1970 and 71, using Land and Water Conservation Funds from federal grants.  Nature Center designation for this large park by the Fridley City Council occurred after public debate and a public referendum in 1974.  In earlier years, Springbrook’s land had been used for dairy cattle pasture, as horse riding trails, and as a roofing contractor’s materials dump site. At the time it became a nature center, Springbrook was surrounded by undeveloped land and had a small 10-car dirt parking lot for the center's estimated 5,000 annual visitations.

Three acres in the southwest corner were added in 1981 when the Northern States Power Company compensated for park area placed in an easement for its new high tension power line alongside its existing line on Springbrook’s west boundary. This brought the Nature Center to its current size of 127 acres.

Since 1974, Springbrook Nature Center has received more than 3.8 million dollars in grants and donations.  These funds, along with Springbrook’s small staff and more than 250,000 volunteer hours, have helped develop an interpretive building and exhibits, 3 miles of hiking trails, ½ mile of boardwalk over wetlands, a paved handicap accessible trail, a 90 car parking lot, picnic shelter, amphitheater, bridges, wildlife overlooks, and much more.

NATURE CENTER
My two-year-old touched his first snake inside the nature center at Spring Brook. And then we all got to see a HUGE snapping turtle (which was tough for the 2-year-old to stay away from!). They checked out all the reptiles, book corner, wood table, and dress-up outfits.

Then we headed outside to hike and picnic.

TO GET THERE
100 85th Ave NW, Fridley, MN 55432

(763) 572-3588

Perfect June berries

There are very few things better on this earth than eating strawberries right in the strawberry patch. Oh, there is such a sweetness about them when you've just picked them. Delicious!

We love going up to Dew Fresh Berry Farm in Stanchfield. They are organic and natural, so you can feel good about putting the berries in your body. They have a whole bunch of varieties. We picked Wendys the day we were up at the end of June 2014.

Plus, they have raspberries, blueberries and apples. We'll be back!

When we got home, I froze most of them. I kept one box out, and that was eaten up by the next day! And some went into strawberry/rhubarb jam. Yum!

Dew Fresh Produce. 
404 375th Ave Stanchfield, MN 55080 763-689-2282

Verdant Tea - What a neighborhood gem!

Slow it down with a cup of tea at Verdant Tea off Franklin in Minneapolis. (Building was formerly home to Seward Co-op.)

Or, a jar of craft root bear brewed by a 17-year-old. (Seriously!)

Or, a glass of kombucha, perfectly flavored.

Or, drinking chocolate.

Or, micro-brewed chai.

Or... Well, there are a lot more "or"s. You might need to go to Verdant Tea frequently! Don't forget to use your mobile Chinnook Book coupon before it expires in August.

With a group, you can try a little bit of everything. Left to right: Craft root beer, drinking chocolate, hibiscus tea, and kombucha mimosa.

Want the Kombucha recipe?

Kombucha Mimosa Recipe

Tall glass – no ice
4oz Orange Juice
2-4oz Sparkling Water
8oz Classic Lychee Kombucha
orange wedge (optional)
dash of coriander bitters (optional)
In a tall glass, combine orange juice and sparkling water.  Top off with Lychee Kombucha, and garnish with an orange wedge and a few drops of coriander bitters.

This summer, you'll want to order the Root Beer Float!


Tree Fort Soda was founded just this year by Eva Duckler, who just weeks ago graduated from high school and is already starting up her own craft brewery business with the goal of bringing nuance and complexity to American classics like Root Beer and Cola. Her experimental Botanical Brews have been turning heads at the tea house all spring. This summer, you can enjoy the root beer paired with  Sweet Science Vanilla Ice Cream.

Bring an appetite, because you can order delish food from Birchwood Cafe at Verdant Tea!

IF YOU GO:
2111 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

(612) 223-8907

http://minneapolis.verdanttea.com