Current Hard Work Update — October 29, 2011


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I’ve made a little progress this week and added a new line item to my list.  Here’s what’s going on:

I’ve completed the main portion of my page reconfiguration project, which made my recipe tutorials easier to find and put them into categories. If you have any suggestions for how to make BackyardLifeBlog easier to navigate, please let me know (feedback@backyardlifeblog.com).  I want to make it easy for you to find what you are looking for.

So far, I’ve been successful at posting 3 times a week and I hope I can keep it going.  Once you start a trend, you might as well keep it going!

I have a little behind the scenes work going on as far as showcasing people and products.  More on that to come…

Now, for my new line item:  I’m going to consistently contribute content for Let’s Blog Off every other Tuesday.  I wrote my first contribution this past Tuesday and if you haven’t had a chance to read it, here it is: Home is what you make of it.  Feel free to read it and leave a comment.  You can also read the work of other Let’s Blog Off contributors.

It was actually more fun than I thought it would be.  I had a really hard time writing my post, which is stretching my brain, which is a good thing.  I also was very encouraged by the comments I received.  I also enjoyed reading other people’s take on the same topic all one right after another.  There are several different viewpoints, but also some things that were common to everyone.  Really interesting.

Have a great week and do some hard work!

Join the Hard Work Network

Do you want to have more accountability to get things done?  Consider becoming a part of the Hard Work Network.  You can find graphics like the one at the top of this page at http://bluecollarliving.com/current-hard-work.

If you choose to join, shoot me an email at feedback@backyardlifeblog.com and I’ll add a link to your site on the Current Hard Work page.  Let’s form a community to encourage, persuade, and inspire each other to get the hard work done.  To send a message to the Hard Work Network community on Twitter, be sure to use hashtag #HWN.  Save a search for hashtag #HWN to see have other members’ tweets to show up in your Twitter stream.

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Home is what you make of it


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Home

What is home?

Home could be a lot of things.  Is it a place? A storage unit? A gathering spot? A cafeteria? Being with family and friends? I’ve had the privilege of living in several different places in a few different states.  This has helped me define what home isn’t.

I can tell you that while I was living in Iowa about a decade ago, home definitely was not where I was.  It wasn’t where I wanted to put my feet up.  Where I lived in Iowa, I wasn’t comfortable existing, which made it even more difficult to thrive.

In the summer of 2005, we got married and moved back to the Twin Cities.  In 2006, we bought our first home and moved into Saint Paul, just blocks from the hospital where I was born.  Is this home?  Yes, for now.  We actually really enjoy living here.  We have a small house on a tiny lot, but it’s ours.  When I’m home, I feel at peace.  I can relax.  Generally speaking, we live the life we want to live.  Still, there’s something missing.

We’ve done more traveling this year than we have in a long time.  We haven’t gone far, but we’ve gone in several different directions.  When we visit someplace new, we look around and think about whether this place could be home to us.  We are actively trying to define what home is going to look like in the next season of our lives.  There are usually characteristics of the places we visit that are appealing to us.  We’re compiling a list of these traits and hopefully they will lead us to our next rest stop.  (If you’re interested in what we’re looking for, just ask in the comments section below.)

To me, home is what you make of it.  When I visit my parents and in-laws, I feel at home.  When I’m on the lake shore in the north woods, I feel at home.  When I’m on my couch with a cat on my lap, I feel at home.

What does home mean to you? Is it about a place or is it about relationships? Is it a state of mind? Leave your comments below.


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Gallery

The Best Dang Roast Beef Sandwich You’ve Ever Had!

This gallery contains 6 photos.


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You’ve heard of beef brisket.  Ribs are good, but over-played.  Pulled pork?  Meh.  There’s a new staple to add to the classic BBQ trifecta — The barbecued beef chuck roast — also known as “the Chuckie.”  It meets all of … Continue reading

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Gallery

A Visit to the Orchard

This gallery contains 4 photos.


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We have a tradition of going to the apple orchard every fall to spend time outside amongst cheerful kids and parents, to pick out a pumpkin or two, and to get our fix of apple baked goods.   We are … Continue reading

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Gallery

Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp

This gallery contains 6 photos.


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Cast Iron Skillet Apple Crisp can be made in an oven or on a grill over medium indirect heat with the lid closed. Ingredients: Filling: About 6 medium-sized apples — peeled, cored, and diced 1/4 cup of apple cider (or … Continue reading

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