H.A. Larson's Blog, page 25

Taking New Paths

The beginning of a trail we'd never been on before.
Recently, I took the kids up to Neale Woods, my personal favorite place to hike in the metro. Now, I've been hiking in here for a decade, but, because I was a novice hiker for so long, I had yet to hike all the trails that were there. I decided, then, that it was high time we tried hiking some of the other trails.


I like this picture because my son gives scale to it, showing you just how massive a forest can be.
A few weeks prior to this, my Dad and I took a solo hike in here and we took a trail that I had never been on either. In fact, we used a trail map. While I haven't needed one in here in years, it was a necessity these two trips because, both times, we took trails I've never been on before. Also, they've done a lot of work in the forest so many of the trails have been rerouted or removed and new ones have appeared as well.


Again, but this time with my daughter, you get a real sense of the size of the forest.



These wooden steps were fun, although we know their purpose is to fight erosion and run-off.


Neale Woods has a decent amount of elevation gain, and here we were on top of a ridge.
It was so interesting to take a new path in a familiar place. My son even remarked, "Mom, this is fun!"


This scenery was gorgeous. You can just see Autumn lurking in the colors, ready to bloom.
Indeed, it was fun. It was like hiking in a brand new place.












I always take pictures of interesting fungi when I see them.



This was a big fungus we spotted.

We really enjoyed this hike. We enjoyed it for the time we spent together, we enjoyed it for the hiking, and we enjoyed the adventure that comes from exploring a new place - even if it wasn't new for us. It's definitely got me thinking about how I need to take all the trails in the places around here that I hike the most. Not only is it fun and interesting, but it helps cut the boredom that sometimes comes from hiking the same places over and over again.
As we hiked, I thought about taking new paths and how that relates to life. No matter where we are in life, we can always forge new paths. So much has changed in my own life this year, and I've taken new paths that I never thought I would. As was the case for Neale Woods, the paths I've taken have been a nice addition to the familiarity of life - changing things up and exploring something different while other things remain the same.
I hope your weekend has been great so far and that you've gotten to explore a new path or two.
-H.A.




My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review
My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.

My October newsletter will be coming out in two days, so get on the list: https://mailchi.mp/32e649d0f0f3/ha-larsons-newsletter

I've Found Contentment in my Life

Photo: Sergey Nivens / Shutterstock

I'm going to come right out and admit that I am driven by flights of fancy. While my body is always physically present where I am, my mind often wanders to faraway places. Why you may ask? The answer, my friends, are my hopes and dreams.

I've never been one to lament the loss of my hopes and dreams because, quite frankly, I never really had any until I hit 40. Sure, I had some very basic notions of getting a great-paying job, buying a fabulous house in the suburbs of some metro area, and traveling on two-week-long vacations every summer. Pretty basic, huh? To be clear, there's nothing wrong with having dreams like that, they're just not really my dreams.

It turns out that my dreams involve me being a writer based in another country somewhere while traveling, hiking mountains, and having adventures. I want to experience what the world has to offer and explore every nook and cranny - well, most of them anyway. Because of this, I've spent countless hours researching, reading, and thinking about many things related to my dreams.

What I didn't expect to come from all of this, but I welcome readily, is how I turned my own life into one of fun and adventure. I figured, why wait until I can live out my hopes and dreams to live of a life of adventure? Why wait until I live in another country to explore where I am? And that, my friends, is exactly what I have done.

Over the past five years I've explored many areas around where I live:


I have taken many day trips to explore wineries, breweries, unique businesses, museums, nature centers, restaurants, and, of course, hike the landscape.I've hiked the many places around my city alone, with family, and with friends.I've gone to many free events, festivals, and concerts in my city.I've gone on many weekend trips to other cities within a few hours drive and explored them.I've traveled to various states and indulged in everything I could: South Dakota, Oregon, Virginia, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, and even Washington D.C.I've gone to many concerts, local and in other places.I've been to various Renaissance Faires, local and in other cities.I've taken long weekends to visit with family and friends. It was nice to get out of our town for a few days and do something different.I've rented cabins and pitched up tents many weekends where I soaked in the beauty of nature and sat around flickering bonfires.I've gone to movies, pumpkin patches, scenic by-way tours, and county high points.

When I look back on all that I've done over the past five years, I'm blown away by all of the things I've experienced, accomplished, and seen. So, while I have lamented - and will again, I'm sure - my lack of international travel and adventure, I cannot overlook how much adventure I've already instilled into my life. My life is so full, so rich, so rewarding, and, yes, chock full of adventure. I'll travel away from my country again one day, but, until then, I'll keep living my life like every day counts. Because they do.




My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review
My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.

Garden Path Tour 2019

Highways 75 and 77 runs part of their length through Omaha and Sioux City. Collectively, in that area, they are known as the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway. Now, if there's anything you know about me from reading this blog over the years, it's that I love scenic byways. Off the beaten path, scenic, relatively quiet, and home to many unique places of business, points of interest, and nature stops, you just can't beat a day trip on one of them. So, when I saw that the L&CSB had the Garden Path Tour 2019 held on two separate Saturdays, I thought that sounded like a great idea. The Sioux City Journal touted it thusly: "Adventure is waiting when you tour gardens, flower shops, farmers markets, greenhouses and more on Nebraska's Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway. The byway follows Highway 75 from Sioux City to Omaha for a self-guided auto tour. August 31 and September 7."
I got ahold of my bestie, Libby, and we decided to go together with her three-year-old and my thirteen-year-old. We both packed a nice array of picnic goodies and set off to explore the places on the list that we chose.

A map of the L&CSB Garden Path Tour 2019 stops.
Our first stop was between Omaha and Fort Calhoun at the Super Bee Orchard. We grabbed a map/brochure (we knew they were available at each participating location) and perused their homemade jams, jellies, crafts, and, of course, fruit.


The museum proper is located in the old Fort Calhoun State Bank.
We then stopped in Fort Calhoun to check out the Washington County Museum. Typically, it costs money to go but every participating point of interest was free for the Garden Path Tour.



I was actually quite impressed with the museum. I've been to tiny-town museums before and, usually, there's not much going on, but this one had several rooms of quality museum displays. Here we see one about Henry Schneider, and it shows the actual gun and holster he used during his years as Washington County Sheriff.



Money issued by Waubeek Bank, a territorial bank back in frontier times.



There were a series of old photos of children that I really loved. This one, in particular, is just too cute with the little boy and his kitten.



The museum even had an interactive display where you used an old rope-making machine. The kids both took a turn, with help from the moms as it takes two people, making rope. Little man wanted to keep making rope, and, hey, who can blame him? It was fun.



After our museum stop, we were ready for lunch so we stopped at the public park in Blair, NE, to have our picnic lunch. I made a chipotle southwestern pasta salad, plant-based cold cut sandwich, and pretzel chips with my homemade carrot hummus. Man, that hummus was killer.



After lunch, we decided we needed some wine, so we drove through Tekamah, NE, and into the country to go to Silver Hills Winery - one of two wineries on the tour. I've actually been to this winery before and it's a beautiful place to sit and have wine on a nice day. They have a large garden and patio, so the kids ran through the gardens and then did art at an adjoining table while Libby and I enjoyed some adult libations. 



This guy was weaving a web next to our table, and he was interesting, so I snapped a picture of him. 
I grabbed a bottle of port on our way out as I love port and it's not easy to find. Libby grabbed a few bottles of wine as well, and then off we went to our next stop.



I had Libby stop here so I could get out and snap a picture. The rolling hills and farmland of Nebraska can make for some picturesque moments, that's for sure.



Out next stop was at the John G. Neihardt State Historical Site in Bancroft, NE. John G. Neihardt is the Poet Laureate in Perpetuity in the State of Nebraska - the only one in the state's history.



The site has a visitor center/museum that is small, but quite interesting. Outside, you are welcomed by a statue representing one of Neihardt's most famous works, "Black Elk Speaks." The statue, then, is of Black Elk and John G. Neihardt.



A copy of the book is on display.



Also in the same exhibit is a picture of Black Elk giving a prayer at Harney Peak. This was interesting for me because in July I was in South Dakota where I climbed Black Elk Peak. It used to be called Harney Peak but was


Also on the site is the one-room house where John G. Neihardt did his writing. You aren't allowed to go in, but you can peek through the windows into the simple building.



After the JGNHS, we headed towards home. We thought we'd stop at Chatterbox Tap House in Tekamah for a drink. I like a good beer now and then, so tap houses are typically a great place to get a quality beer from a local brewer. We were disappointed in the level of service and how they didn't have menus for food nor for the brews on tap. I finally squinted hard enough at the taps to figure out a beer to try.



The only redeeming factor about the place was it's quiet and cutely decorated backyard area. It was cozy and the kids played the yard games they had while Libby and I drank our beer.

All in all, I'd have to say that the Garden Path Tour was a lot of fun. There were so many places we could have stopped but we only had one day. But, since this is an annual event, we decided we should go each year so we can go to different stops on the tour. Another thing I really liked about the Garden Path Tour was that it fit nicely into my day-trip criteria: cheap/free activities, a variety of things to do, and taking paths lesser-known. It was a fun, inexpensive way to spend time with my daughter and my friend, all while learning new things.
I hope you have a great weekend, my friends. I'm heading out later today for a few hours north where I'll be attending a big tour. I'll be seeing some of my favorite metal acts. I'll probably blog about it later.
My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review
My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.

I'm Going to Bury It

I've thought about how I wanted to write this post a few times. I mean, how do finally conclude a subject that consumed your life for a good chunk of your time? Well, you bury it.

I talked a lot about my internal struggles from the entirety of 2018 through the first half - give or take a month - of 2019. See, I was going through something, but I wasn't sure what. I knew some of it, at least, was due to hormonal changes, and then, earlier this year, I figured out that the rest of it was from buried trauma. Well, while both of those are correct and were both responsible for what the main issue was, neither was exactly what was going on.

It wasn't until recently when I had some downtime at work one day that I went down a rabbit hole of internet articles. This isn't unusual as it's something I do semi-regularly, but I digress. I came across one, in particular, that jumped out at me. It was an article about severe depression, and, man oh man, did it fit me during that time period to the letter. I pored over that article and found a couple of related ones, and it was eye-opening. I discovered that while I don't have chronic depression, I did suffer from a long period of severe depression. It made complete sense. I mean, I had no desire to do any of the things I normally loved, I was stricken with fatigue and tiredness all the time, I self-medicated a lot, and avoided people. While those aren't the only symptoms, they are some of the hallmark ones that practically described me word for word.

And now that I know for sure what transpired in my life to make it so bleak and awful, I can finally put it to rest. This post, then, is the last time I'm going to talk about that period in my life except for the occasional passing reference. I'm going to bury it for a few reasons:

* It completely consumed my life for a year and a half and I'm not giving it the spotlight anymore.
* I'm ready to move forward with my life in a happy and positive way.
* I'm done talking about it. I talked about it so much in an attempt to figure out just what the hell was wrong with me, that I'm soooo over it.

When something is over, it's over, and that time of my life is over. I'm back to my normal self - doing the things I love again, not self-medicating, hanging out with people (when I'm in the mood of course), and living my life to the fullest.

While I've now come out of it, no worse for the wear and maybe a bit wiser, I know other people aren't quite as lucky. If you know in your gut something in your life is a bit off, something is wrong but you can't place a finger on it, or you just straight-up know that you're in a bad way...get some help. There are tons of resources to help, so seek help today. Here's a great place to start.



I know I didn't make my Saturday post but I had a busy weekend hosting an annual bbq and some friends. My dad also stopped by on his way home from Texas so we met up for lunch. My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review

My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.

The Master of Suspense

Ever since I was a kid, I've been a fan of horror & suspense, something I got into courtesy of both my Dad and his best friend. I can remember watching a solid hour of reruns of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on television once a week.

It was my discovery of Alfred Hitchcock's old television show that made me a fan of the man himself. Called "The Master of Suspense" he made over 50 movies during a career that inspired and influenced many filmmakers that came after him.

I recently was in the mood to revisit some of his movies that I considered my favorites, so I spent a few days watching some.




Rear Window, starring Grace Kelly and James Stewart: 1954  
My personal favorite of Hitchcock's, this story follows a jet setting photographer apartment-bound after breaking his leg. Confined to a wheelchair, he kills boredom by watching the various and interesting tenants of the apartments around him through their windows. When he begins to suspect one of his neighbors has killed his wife, that's when the suspense begins.



Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh: 1960
Probably Hitchcock's most famous movie, this movie starts with an office secretary who steals a large sum of one of her boss's client's money to try and start a life with her divorced lover. She ends up at an old motel that has lost its livelihood due to the interstate system being built. She meets the young man who helps his mother run the place, but there's more than meets the eye.



The Birds, starring Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor: 1963
The movie that made people scared of birds starts with a socialite heiress who goes to buy a bird in a pet shop and meets a handsome young man who thinks she works there. After getting information about him, she takes a boat to his isolated, island family home to prank him. She ends up staying a few days and then the birds start acting weird. It goes from weird to worse and that ending shot will stick with you for a while.

It was fun to revisit these old classic movies from one of my favorite directors. While younger kids might not find these movies as frightening today as they would have 60 years ago, they still pack a bit of a punch.
I was fortunate enough recently, thanks to an interest in classic cinema, to be able to see Rear Window in the theatre. I was also able to watch Vertigo in the theatre as well, although I didn't watch it at home during my few days of Hitchcock. I hope you get a chance to watch one of his movies soon if you haven't already.

Coffee Talk: Growth, Budgeting, and the Write Life

The weekend is here and I couldn't be happier. I've always enjoyed weekends, obviously, but I've noticed that I love them even more now. Maybe love isn't the right word. I think I appreciate my weekends in a different way now than I have in the past. Weekends have always been the much-needed break from a long work week, but I've noticed that I'm more conscious about how I spend my time on my days off. I mean, I have limited time in which I'm not working so I'm choosing to make the most of that time.
Chalk it up to growth. I've grown so much as a person over the past year and a half. Granted, it was an incredibly emotional, trying, and rough period of my life, but now that I'm past it, I realize how much I learned from it. More than that, it actually reshaped who I am as a person. This isn't a surprise when I think about it as I am moving closer to another zero birthday. I refer to this as the five-year shift, something I've talked about before.

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Another thing I've talked about in the past is how I pay my bills. I'm a big fan of the bill-folder method, where I dumped a traditional budget-style regimen in favor of an easier way to manage my household bills. This method works wonderfully when you don't have much money to begin with. Well, that changed recently. Last month, August 2019, I spent the entire month tracking where every cent of my money went. I downloaded a simple Excel budget template, adjusted the categories to match my own bills, and carefully logged every purchase. This was eye-opening, to say the least.
Now that I have a bit more in the way of disposable income, I wanted to see where I was spending it. While some of it was expected, some of it definitely was not. I was a bit disheartened, if I am being honest, by how irresponsible I can be with my money. Now, let me backtrack a little bit here and point out that I do pay all my bills every month, in full and on time, I save money every paycheck, and I contribute the max to my employer's retirement plan. However, I am still a bit shocked at where my disposable income goes. I'm definitely going to correct this as I have found where I can make changes to save even more money and pay other things off more quickly.
While it was a good experiment, I think I will only do one more month of this tracking before I give it up. I'm only doing it to see where my money goes, not make it a lifestyle. You never know, though, that might change. Never say never, right?

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The Write Life is coming back around. I finally finished the first chapter of my new book, which is huge for me after my recent struggles. I feel like I'm just about in full swing and it feels fantastic. I've also been busy writing for Slime & Grime - where I write reviews of albums, shows, and an interview here and there - as well as my recent guest appearance on an online discussion review that I detailed here.
For a few years, I was deeply mired in a couple of organizations that brought me stress instead of joy, so I gave them up. I also reclaimed my life, bringing my vested interests in heavy metal music and writing to the forefront...even merging the two. For me, that's just about the best thing ever and, for once, I can say that the things I'm involved with do bring me joy.



I hope your weekend not only brings you joy but that you realize your time off from work's fullest potential. Have a great weekend.

-H.A.

Expanding my Horizons

Recently, I charted new territory: being a guest on an online video discussion . I was on the PolitiPeeps podcast with fellow guest Dr. Mathias Nordvig, where we discussed anarchy and liberty themes in metal music. It was a lot of fun and quite informative. The discussion itself will be released in three parts on the PolitiPeeps YouTube channel, but ahead of that, they wrote up a good summary piece on the discussion (link below).

The discussion was led by Siobhán Patricia Lynch, a libertarian political strategist whose accomplishments include an Emmy award for interactive TV. She's one of three parts of the PolitiPeeps team, with Dennis Consorte - who wrote the summary piece - and Edward Hoefer rounding out the trio. 

As a guest, I was, of course, representing myself as well as Slime&Grime, the online metal magazine I write for. Not only am I a seasoned writer but a heavy metal aficionado, as well.

I was a fellow guest with Dr. Mathias Nordvig. Originally from Scandanavia, he now calls Colorado home where he's a professor at the University of Colorado - Boulder and an expert in Nordic mythology. 

The three of us are all fans of heavy metal and believers in personal liberty, so I think you'll find the discussion fun and informative as well.

So, where can you find the summary article? By clicking here.

Other useful links:


PolitiPeeps YouTube Channel This is where you'll find the online video discussion I was a part of. I'll be sure to let you know via my social media as those become available.PolitiPeeps Facebook page and their Twitter.Dr. Mathias Nordvig YouTube Channel This is a fun channel that mixes Nordic Mythology and interviews with interesting people, including metal musicians.Dr. Mathias Nordvig Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.My Facebook page, my Instagram, my Twitter, and my YouTube Channel.Slime&Grime's Facebook page, Instagram, and website.


I know my posting schedule is a bit off this week as a result of this past holiday weekend, but I'll post my regular Saturday/Tuesday schedule beginning this Saturday. Have a great rest of your week!

Day Trip Adventure: Hawkeye Point and Lake Okoboji

Recently, I talked about highpointing and joining the Highpointer's Club. I plan on hiking the highpoints of the lower 48 (at least to the best of my ability), and, to that end, I have hiked three of them: Black Elk Peak in South Dakota, Signal Hill on Mount Magazine in Arkansas, and as of a few weeks ago, Hawkeye Point in Iowa. Located near Sibley, roughly 20 minutes west of the Iowa Great Lakes, this highpoint is one of the more underwhelming highpoints in the U.S. You literally drive into the parking lot and walk over to this marker. 



Two benches at Hawkeye Point have been generously donated courtesy of the Highpointers Foundation and the Highpointers Club.



There are four of these signposts, letting one know how far the other high points in the states are, their names, and their elevation.



After our stop at Hawkeye Point, we drove over to Ocheyedan Mound, the location that was once considered the highest point in Iowa.


The top of the mount is in the middle just off to the right. While not a vigorous hike, by any means, I cracked jokes that we at least got to climb our Moundain (haha) for the day.



The old sign here tells one a bit about the mound.



My daughter stands on top of the Mound.



My dad walking towards me, and towards the top of the Mound.



A beautiful shot of where the Earth meets the Sky.



After we left the Mound, we made our way 20 minutes to the east, to the Iowa Great Lakes, and Lake Okoboji, in particular. We stopped at Burger King where I, of course, indulged in the Impossible Whopper. It's nice to have really tasty fast food options when you're plant-based like myself. BTW, these are incredibly yummy.



The lake was gorgeous on this breezy, sunny, perfect temperature day.



Stunning, really. I was a wee bit jealous of the people out on the lake in their boats. Next time.



After our quick stop at the Lake, we made our way over to the Iowa Rock'N Roll Museum. Located next to Arnold's Park, this small museum was impressive. I had no idea how much Iowa contributed to rock 'n roll back in the day.



A shot down the inside of the museum. Off to the left are two different little theatre rooms that show two different films about the history of rock in Iowa, and particularly it's growth in the Okoboji area.






A poster from the fateful tour that saw the plane-crash death of everyone in this poster. The tragic event is always referred to as The Day the Music Died.



Located in the same building as the Rock'N Roll museum is the Maritime Museum. Considering that the town was built around the lakes, it makes sense that this museum is here.



I was really impressed with the size of this museum and by just how many items they had inside. It's a free museum (for both of them) and so I'd highly recommend stopping here if you're ever in the area.



The last thing we did before leaving and heading back home was to take a walk around the lake itself. The sidewalk you see here connects the town with the lake houses here. The sidewalk eventually ends and turns into a dirt path. The dirt path is itself considered a state park. I found that interesting.

Well, we sure packed a lot into one day! This is not unusual as both my dad and myself are the same when it comes to taking day trip adventures, and when we get together, that seems to ramp up a notch. Like he says, "I'm not just going to sit around and watch tv." Same, Dad, same.
I know I was a bit late with my weekend post. Chalk it up to a three-day weekend that I was looking forward to immensely. I didn't have to travel anywhere and I didn't have any company, so I had three full days to enjoy local activities and get some things done around the house. And let's not forget about writing....I've been keeping busy with that as well. I hope your weekend was grand...mine sure was. 

Quality over Quantity

“It’s not more time you need. It’s more quality use of the time you already have.” 
― Alan Cohen

My parents got divorced when I was four and by age five I was in the full custody of my dad. My dad didn't get remarried until two weeks after I graduated high school, so we spent thirteen years living alone together. To say we were close would be an understatement. Not that we never fought, because let me tell you, we most definitely did, but we had an unbreakable bond.
Time, inevitably, changes everything, and such was the case between my dad and myself. I grew up and moved out on my own. Close at first, I gradually moved a little farther away each time, corresponding to my comfortableness at living on my own and learning how to navigate life as an adult. At this time, my dad was remarried and raising two step-daughters, both younger than me, so they became their own nuclear family. Due to distance, work, and other commitments, getting together didn't happen as frequently, and when it did, it was usually in the company of other people. While we were still close in some ways, the distance between my dad and myself became more palpable over time.
Eventually, I settled in about three hours away from my hometown, where I started a family; getting married and having children of my own. This only heightened the distance between us. We still spent a good four or five times a year visiting, but with others always around, we never spent the quality time together that we used to. Oh sure, we'd have long talks on the phone from time to time, but it's not the same.
All this changed last year, the summer of 2018 when I spent part of my vacation with my dad. My family and I drove up to my dad and stepmom's place where we spent a good five days. One day, my dad and I (both the avid hikers) wanted to do some hiking locally, but no one else wanted to go. So, my dad and I went alone. We talked like we hadn't talked in years, and it was wonderful. We kept going on hikes, day after day, that no one else wanted to go on, and Dad and I talked about everything. We discussed things we hadn't shared with each other or anyone else. We had deep, personal conversations in the kind of privacy we hadn't known since I was a child. We got to know each other all over again.
And just like that, we once again had an unbreakable bond. We decided on that trip, during those private conversations amongst the hills of Iowa, that we would go to South Dakota the following year and tackle Black Elk Peak. Fast forward a year, and that's exactly what we did. First, we did a three-hour hike of Bear Butte and then a six-hour hike of Black Elk Peak. While we did it with my children, they are faster than us so went off on their own leaving Dad and I hike together as a team while they did the same. This meant, that over the course of two days, my dad and I got nine solid hours of private, one-on-one time. This further cemented and strengthened our re-forged bond and made the hikes all the more meaningful.
We've actually spent quite a bit of time together this year, Dad and I, and we've hiked or walked a few times since South Dakota. We took a weekend trip to Hawkeye Point/Okoboji (post forthcoming), and he came down the following weekend to help me move my son back to college. He spent an extra day and we took a long city walk as well as a forest hike, both times with only each other. 
I relish the time, now, that I get to spend with Dad, hiking or walking. It's made me realize just how much important he is to me, how fortunate I am to have him, and how much I love him. Our bond is stronger than ever now, and I'm grateful.
Often, it's not the amount of time you spend with someone that counts, but rather the quality of the time that you do spend together. You only have so much time in your life bank, so use it wisely. No matter who you miss and love, carve out some quality time to spend with them. You won't regret it.

Latest Libations: Special Homebrew Edition

When you think of homebrewing, you probably imagine barrels of homemade lager (or some other kind of beer) fermenting away in someone's basement. Well, I'm here to tell you that there are other kinds of homebrews that one can make...not to mention easier. It's this last part that always gets my attention. I like making things, but I need them to be simple to make and require little in the way of prep time.



This is where my homemade schnapps comes in. As a Swede by heritage, I feel that it is my duty to make schnapps. I've been making schnapps for many years, and, in fact, one of my first posts here on my website (almost exactly seven years ago!) was about my homemade Mulberry-Mint schnapps. Over the years, I've gotten more sophisticated with my schnapps-making, and I'll typically make more than one flavor.
This summer's schnapps - pictured above - are as follows: 
1. Bloody Mary infusion. While not technically schnapps, it is infused in a similar fashion minus the sweetness.
2. Blackberry-Mint-Agave
3. Cherry-Lemon-Honey 
While I've already had one each of the latter two - and hence why I make more than one jar of each flavor - the others will be served at my annual potluck bbq.



I was watching some videos on YouTube this spring when I came across a Russian drink called Kvass. Similar to a light beer, this easy-to-make brew is made using hearty, dark rye bread. It only requires four ingredients and a couple of days from beginning to end to create, so I knew I HAD to try it. This batch was my second attempt at making Kvass, and while I haven't gotten it right just yet, mark my words....I will! 


Easy to make booze is my favorite kind to make. Why? Well...
* They require few ingredients* The ingredients they require are easily found in virtually any grocery store* The ingredients aren't expensive* They don't require much prep time* They require little to no effort on your part after the ingredients have been put together
So, if you have a hankering to make your own booze, try one of these kinds out. You can easily find recipes for them online, and you can click on my link above for a schnapps one. 
Have a great weekend.