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White Space/Dead Space

When I was a sophomore in high school I acted as the editor of the sophomore section of the high school year book.  I learned a lot about layouts, copy, photos, etc., but the thing I remember most was the dreaded white space ~ those terrible blanks on the page when the photos and text aren’t laid out properly.

When I got my own apartment, and later when I moved into a house, I learned about dead space.  Much like white space, dead space is a blank area in a room, devoid of any furniture or other decor.  Dead space is also a term that can be used when trying to fill a box, suitcase, or cupboard.  It’s the holes of emptiness that make for very inefficient storage.

I was thinking about white space and dead space as I was trying to fall asleep last night.  I was so tired, yet I couldn’t quite reach the blissful state of slumber.  I kept thinking of all the things I could do instead of just laying there trying to sleep, but I was too tired to get up and do anything.  Those are the nights I call my white space or dead space nights.  Holes and blanks in the continuum of time that I can’t seem to fill with productivity or sleep. 

It drives me crazy as it seems like such a waste.  How inefficient!  

When laying out a yearbook or decorating a house filling in the white/dead spaces just takes some trial and error. Trying to fill in white/dead spaces in time is quite another thing. Time keeps moving. If you leave a hole in it that hole will be there forever, never coming back to give you a second chance to fill it.

How are you filling in your white space?

Wordless Wednesday

The Things We Do For Friends

The year was 1970.  I was in 4th grade.  What little nine-year-old girl doesn’t need a BFF?  I was shy, so I couldn’t presume to think the likes of Barbie V. and Mary Claire N., the populars, would call me one of their own.  I was scared of Julie K. and Joni B. ~ they were kind of tough and floozie-like.  I zeroed in on Patty V. and Terry W.  One day I walked up to them on the playground and asked if I could spend some time with them.

Patty V.:  Do you like the carpenters?

Me with a very confused face: Well, yeah?

Patty V.:  OK, you can be our friend.

I grew up in a house that listened to WCCO (The Good Neighbor To The North and all talk) and 1010 Polka Radio.  I knew nothing of popular music.   It was weeks before I figured out the carpenters had nothing to do with men who build things.  When I deduced The Carpenters were a “singing group” I decided to ask for one of their records for Christmas.  Then I was a real fan.  I had to be if I wanted to hang around with Patty and Terry.

For a couple of years I was the biggest Carpenters fan there was, because I thought it made me cool.  Give me a break, it was the ’70s and I was a total nerd.

Fast forward to the year 2012.  Husby and I got a new car, now known as the Space Pod.  With our new car came three free trial months of Serius radio.  I was tooling along listening to the ’70s channel when to my great surprise I heard The Carpenters.  The problem is, through the many decades since I was in 4th grade I decided I didn’t like The Carpenters anymore.  What’s worse, I don’t think I ever did!

Oh sure, I floated back to the playground of St. Mary’s of the Lake school and remembered making new friends by confirming my acceptance of carpenters, but not The Carpenters.  It made me laugh a little.  Except this dang song has been in my head for three days now.  I decided to share it with you, because if you listen, you can be my friend.

Actually I thought if I put this story and song out to cyberspace it would also get out of my head.  Check back with me in a couple of days to see if it worked.  Please don’t hate me for doing this and possibly dooming you to days of sha-la-la-la-la in your brain.

Wordless Wednesday

Not All Who Wander Are Lost

You know how it is when you get so busy you don’t make time for fun?  Or you make time for fun and something comes up to thwart your attempts?  All summer long Husby and I wanted to taste some pizza from A Wandering Fire, and last Friday we finally did it.

The mighty Wandering Fire

Todd and Maaren Schweim started an adventure with a traveling wood fire oven and haven’t looked back.  They make regular appearances at the Chateau St. Croix Winery throughout the summer and autumn months and are available to cater your event with some of the most delicious pizza I’ve ever had.

The pizzas have real ingredients that are fresh.  The dough, sauces and sausage are house made.  The herbs and shiitake mushrooms are grown by Todd and Maaren.  They had two basil plants on site, using the leaves straight from the plant to the pizza.  How cool is that?

Check out those healthy basil plants.  Maaren and Shannon are busy setting up some pizzas.

Shannon assembles a pizza like an artist.

Todd cooking a pizza in the wood fire oven.

Why do they call themselves A Wandering Fire?  Because the wood fire oven is portable!  It can travel to whatever location they’re called to easily.

OK, that’s all fine and cool, but you’re asking how good is the pizza?  Well, let me tell you.  The pizzas are personal-size, so Husby and I ordered two different flavors.  The first was the St. Croix pizza ~ a traditional pizza with red sauce, Italian fennel sausage, shiitake mushrooms, fresh basil, and a mozzarella/provolone blend.  I love the cheese blend, and the sausage was extraordinarily flavorful.  Excellent!

The St. Croix Pizza

The second pizza we ordered was a bit of a surprise.  It’s called Sand Creek and is made with maple-roasted sweet potatoes, pancetta, a blend of bleu and Asiago cheeses and a maple syrup drizzle.  I’ll tell you right now I was a little nervous about this one.  Sweet potatoes have made me gag since I was a child.  Guess what?  I loved it!

The Sand Creek Pizza

We had such a nice time enjoying these delicious pizzas with a glass of Chateau St. Croix wine.  It isn’t often (read: never) I go out to eat and know the chefs so I felt like kind of a hot shot mingling with them while they assembled our pizzas and even joined us at our table for a while.  It’s fun being friends with such nice and talented people!

Shannon, Maaren and Todd ~ our hosts from A Wandering Fire

A Wandering Fire will be appearing at the Chateau St. Croix a couple of more weekends, so take a little drive to St. Croix Falls, WI and check them out.  Remember, they’re also available for catering.  Check out their website for more information.  You can also Like them on Facebook to keep up with the latest happenings.

I’m so glad Husby and I know some interesting people ~ who else would have ever served me a sweet potato pizza?!  Good job you guys!