March 15th, 2013

“Porch Sitting” Spring fever isn’t just for school kids rejecting the wearing of a jacket for one more day.  It’s universal.   Well, at least for those of us who live where the earth goes to sleep under a damp gray blanket for several months.  Then comes that one spring morning when the sunrise is golden, the chickadees are practicing their summer song and the air has the...
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February 15, 2013

Oaklawn is a haven for birds of all kinds. I mention them quite often because they take turns making their presence known as the season might dictate. A flash of movement caught my eye the other day. With a fresh blanket of new snow, the ring-necked pheasant was easy to spy, but not necessarily easy to follow. I ran from window to window, watching Mr. Pheasant sprint from one protective tree or...
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November 12, 2012

“I’ve got to get out more.” I heard that from several business folks last night at the Greater Menomonie Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Expo. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day that we don’t leave our “post”. Curiosity is a trait we too often set aside, until our chores are done. However, stepping out to meet new people, learn...
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July 2, 2012

These middle-of-the-night thunderstorms have cut into my beauty sleep! Recent winds had snapped the top off a tall Poplar tree. It had tall trunks that reached 60 feet into the air as it towered above the roofline. A few days later, a second storm had broken the other trunk. Sadly, I decided it need to be removed. All day I watched experts meticulously work from-the-top-down deciding which...
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June 9, 2012

The bride and groom planned a casual post-wedding ceremony dinner to enjoy Oaklawn’s grand screened porch and visit with their friends and family. Oaklawn Inn, Menomonie, is perfect for weddings, family reunions and get togethers. Plenty of room for everyone. Guests are always pleasantly surprised that in less than 90 minutes you can be from the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport to Oaklawn’s...
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May 19, 2012

Whoever created a coffee pot with automatic timer should be nominated for sainthood. Freshly brewed and waiting for me early every morning. Today, I sensed something was watching me and I was right! Two antenna were positioned to take in all that might be happening in my kitchen. This large moth (probably with a body 2.5-3 inches long) sat as if ready to share in a conversation. He stayed for...
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April 30, 2012

An early spring has splashed bright spring colors across the hillside south of Oaklawn. My desk is positioned for a panoramic southern view. I get my daily dose of sunlight and the opportunity for glimpses of Mother Nature at her best and sometimes her worst. I have a frequent guest that is documenting the change of colors each time she visits...
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