I live in Shoreview and have for ten years. Before that I lived in Edina 23 years, Minneapolis 3 years, and I was born in St. Paul and went to school and worked there until I got married. Back in the dark ages my grade school was Van Buren and I graduated from the old Harding High.
Now I'm retired and enjoying life playing golf, playing cards with friends, cooking, and eating lunch out with friends.
I'm from Minnesota. I currently live in Brook Park, which is about 3 miles outside of Hinckley. Before that, I lived in East Bethel for 4 years, and the Blaine/Coon Rapids area is where I lived from birth. I'm sure you're fascinated!
Anyway, I'm a SAHM to two boys, 5 and 6 in November and October, respectively. Most of my time is spent working in the garden, and chasing the chickens out of it! In addition to chasing active little boys, that is.
Right now, I'm harvesting walnuts, grapes, and the apples are ready. My tomatoes are just about done for the year, and the corn is gone. I've got my onions and garlic setting out to dry. My garden was brand new this year, because the previous owners didn't have a garden. So, I had to build the beds, and have dirt trucked in. Hubby wants to triple the space for next year. Of course, I'M the one who'll be doing the work, so that's easy for him to say!
Okay, I could talk about my garden and my boys all day, but that would ensure absolutly no response, so I'll stop now! LOL Nice to meet you!
Gaia
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Gaia
I pledge allegiance to the earth and the life which it supports; One planet, in our care, irreplaceable, with sustenance and respect for all
It sounds like you have the ideal life raising a family away from the big city. As you describe yourself, I could be your grandmother and great-grandma to your sons. Never having had children I love seeing the little ones of my nieces and nephews.
Many years ago we had a garden and loved growing tomatoes, kohlrabi, carrots, etc., but now we live in a townhome and the space is limited to flowers. My deck is lined with flower boxes.
We moved here as my 92-year-old mother is with us, and has been for 31 years! We are not getting any younger and this is the best solution for all, only some days I feel like I'm babysitting two kids again as my husband is 13 years older than me.
I wish you well with your activities, and it's nice to hear that some mothers still stay at home. Are you going to home school them?
I was homeschooling them both, but the oldest is now in Kindergarten. We actually made the decision to put him in public school because he has NO contact with other children where we live. The nearest house is 1/2 a mile away. And, unlike his parents, he seems to need to be around people on a regular basis. So, public school it is. I supplement his lessons after school.
I'm still learning the canning/preserving thing. I tried to make jam the other day for the first time; I made grape flavored rock! I'll just convince the boys that it's a special new candy... LOL. I'm hoping the next batch is more successful. Next, it's apples from the trees, and walnuts. My dehydrator had a meltdown, so I'll be dehydrating the apples in the oven this year. I may even attempt a pie or two for freezing. I've never had a walnut tree before, so I'm anxious to see how that comes out, too. Actually, I've never had anything but tomato plants before!
Conor, my youngest son, loves to help in the garden. His favorite thing is to pull weeds. I'm being very careful to not let him know that most people hate pulling weeds. He also loves to cook with me.
Speaking of my munchkins, it's time to go put them to bed. ttyl
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Gaia
I pledge allegiance to the earth and the life which it supports; One planet, in our care, irreplaceable, with sustenance and respect for all
I admire you for your ambition in preserving what you grow. We always ate it as fast as it was picked because it was such a small space. The walnut tree is new to me; I have never even seen one around here.
You're right in sending your son to school. It's important to know how to act around others and maybe in the future you will want to continue home teaching.
MNNorsk, make sure while you are working with the walnuts, even picking them you wear gloves...otherwise your hands will have a nice walnut stain to them. I learned this the hard way!
Chickens will eat more grapes than you ever get if you aren't very, very careful.
Ditto on tomatoes.
Walnuts are a pain in the butt.
Walnuts don't stain your hands brown. They stain your hands some undefinable color remarkably like your childs first dirty diaper.
There will be twice as many fallen apples as good apples to harvest.
When you run fallen apples over with the lawn mower, they spray applesauce everywhere.
Applesauce is very sticky.
It also makes serious problems for your mower blades.
And that, ladies, concludes the list of things I've learned so far. Imagine what today will bring!
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Gaia
I pledge allegiance to the earth and the life which it supports; One planet, in our care, irreplaceable, with sustenance and respect for all
Hello Minnesota 
Is there someone out there from Minnesota?
Someone on this site must be from Minnesota.
In addition to chasing active little boys, that is.
I learned this the hard way!
