Adopt a Tree

This post is a No Brainer for my fellow residents in the City of Minneapolis. Especially in this season of Spring planting. This would apply to those who fear gardening is too demanding and would rather watch from a slight distance. It is similar to adopting or fostering an animal on a much easier commitment level!

If you are a craft beer lover, it is going to be an even easier task. There is a program called Brewing a Better Forest. What it does is connect residents to a park or boulevard planted tree. Their Mission: Create a better urban forest by blending a passion for trees with a passion for excellent craft beer. Here is all you have to do. Simply go to their website and pull up an urban map that shows every single tree planted on public property by the Mpls Park Board. You can Zoom into your location and click on a tree up for adoption. You have to agree to water it weekly when we hit dry periods over the course of the season. There is no patrol or police. It is simply the honor system. Once you hit enter - you will be sent 2 vouchers for a free brew or beverage at random craft beer pubs around town. Easy Peasy!

Brewing a Better Forest

I stumbled onto it totally by accident. When my rotting Maple died out 4 years back, the city replaced it with a London Plane Tree that I absolutely love. But it is zoned for slightly warmer and needs a bit of TLC for its formative years. I was told about it by the handsome man with the Mpls Trees and Forestry Dept. So I checked it out and adopted the tree right in front of my home. I named it Basil after my grandfather since you are able to name your personal tree. It will have a number and it will note the variety. Why wouldn't you? I got my free drink at Sociable Cider and 612Brew. There are hundreds of green dots on the city map. Make one of them YOURS. No better time than today. 

Looks Too Good To Eat

Flower blooms are almost like snowflakes, in that each one is so unique there is almost no duplicating. They are creations of nature often imitated but never copied. My mom has constantly been a fan of silk flowers for decades as she creates wreaths and arrangements. They have certainly come closer, but most still retain that Dollar Store quality that can be spotted as a fake from feet away.

In a different genre, there are edible flowers used in fine dining and even home baking. Violas, Nasturtiums, Squash Blossoms and Roses are common ways to add splash to a plate. Last year I even tried a stab at Lilac donuts. They were a novelty and I'm not sure I would make them a regular fixture, but for once a year, they made for a conversation piece.

 Joey's Lilac Donuts

These creations literally take the cake. There are several local bakeries, even the grocery chains that do credible work at mirroring natures blooms. But pastry chef Atelier Soo defies expectations and makes you really wonder if.... To start with, she has more brush strokes with a frosting bag than Bob Ross could imagine. And the colors that she mixes are nothing out of a Watkin's food coloring dropper. These are master works of art. An abundance of them that is awesome. I cannot imagine biting into one of them. Yes, the sugar content, but it would also be like defacing a piece of fine art.

Take a look at her Instagram page to a catch of glimpse of her mastery. She apparently does teach classes. If you happen to be passing through Seoul, South Korea! As I said, Too Good To Eat!

Atelier Soo - cakes

 

 

 

Animals in their Natural Habitat

There are Spring stirrings all around with our practical heat wave here in Minnesota. I am sure it is short lived for now.  But the last week has been glorious with both sunshine and warm temps. It has been invigorating to get out and take it all in.

 

This is true for the animals in nature also. Some are coming out of hibernation. Some are spawning offspring, and the rest are just coming out to explore as we are.

 

This photo feature is from an artist from Finland, Ossi Saarinen. Like my dear friends in town, Regina Williams and Ann Michels, they use their fine skills with a lens and combine them with amazing patience to capture just the right moment. His images have not only detail, but character as well. They resemble cuddly pets rather than feral animals in the wild. I sometimes talk about my childhood and my two pet foxes. There did not seem to be a lot of distinction between a puppy and a pup red fox at that age for me. It is a wonder; that bond between all living things.  Keep your eyes open in stillness and see if you can share some of the living, breathing space with them for an instant in this change of seasons.

 Ossi Saarinen website