Things you can control: Your sleep routine. How you speak to yourself. Who you follow on social media. What you eat. Your mindset. The way you treat others. Your level of honesty. Your outlook. How soon you try again after you fail.

At risk of being corny or too inspirational, this graphic spoke to me today. How often do we get reminders of the things that actually are in our control? Personally, I always need help with that kind of wisdom. H/T Fabulous app #tinyjoys #focus #serenity #growthmindset #wisdom #mentalhealth

Sunset across the fields In Minnesota.

Beautiful late sunset across the fields in Minnesota
#Photography
#Photographers
#BlueSkyArt
#ECK
#Sunset
#Nature
#Minnesota

Active April - Day 16: Go exploring around your local area and notice new things actionforhappiness.org/active-april #ActiveApril

Fuchsia and white orchids take center stage amidst lush tropical greenery.

Black butterfly with pink spots alights on a green leaf. Butterfly is out of focus due to its quick movement.

Butterfly with intricate brown design on wings (that serves as a perfect camouflage when it’s resting) takes a snack break on some over-ripe fruit. This butterfly sports a gorgeous bright blue color on the inside of its wings visible when it flies.

Black butterfly with light turquoise daubs on the top of each wing just landed on the edge of a bowl full of nectar.

A recent trip to the Fredrik Meijer Gardens to see all the butterflies was free and part of a special sensory friendly event. Perfect low key atmosphere specially hosted for individuals like my two daughters with autism. #SensoryFriendly #CelebrateDiversity #tinyjoys #springbreak2026

#tinyjoys

Listening to the instrumental quintet at church make some beautiful music. Featuring French horn, bassoon, 2 flutes, and piano. As a former horn player, I’m loving the warm tones of that mellow brass instrument. #church #music #UU #openness

“It’s a privilege to pee!” Urinetown and Cabaret both have messages for today.

From a post:

“Told my wife to have dinner ready by 6 or I'll obliterate her entire civilization.

So anyway, she now charges me a fee to use the bathroom that used to be free, and I didn't get any dinner, but I'm pretty sure I won that exchange.”

The more I think about the 70,000 ICE incarcerated without due process the more I think we are underreacting. People are literally trapped inside for profit prisons. We need to do something.

Noah Kahan - Northern Attitude (Lyric Video) YouTube video by Noah Kahan

I have a whole new appreciation this April for “Northern Attitude” by Noah Kahan says the Michigander by way of Minnesota and Wisconsin. “Forgive this Northern attitude, I was raised out in the cold… I was raised with little light.” #ReadyForSpring youtu.be/-fUfHerrgmQ?...

I’m playing a new game, join me if you want. I’m counting how many consecutive days I can go without spending any money.

Garlic Soup - Česneková polévka - Czech Cookbook Ingredients: TimingPrep: 15 minutesCook: 30 minutesTotal Time: 45 minutesServes4 Soup1 tablespoon unsalted butter7 garlic cloves7 cups (1,6 l) water1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt3 large potatoes1 tablespoon chi...

The recipe I followed is on YouTube

czechcookbook.com/garlic-soup-...

Green bowl full of chicken broth based soup with potatoes, Swiss cheese, egg ribbons, and dark rye croutons.

So I embraced my Czech heritage tonight and made Česneková polévka, Garlic Potato Soup. I am choosing to believe that this is the potato soup my dad was nostalgic for so often. Grandma Marie Jirak’s soup, it’s a Czech staple apparently, so how could it not be right? #heritagecooking #czech #dinner

Can’t find the reel this came from, but used recipe as a guide. I felt it warm in my chest while drinking and that still feels good. Iranian Tea for Colds
for every 1 cup of milk, use 5 dates, 2 whole walnuts, and 3-5g of fresh ginger. Cardamom and cinnamon to your liking.
#HomemadeRemedy #Iranian

What if 8 pm is the new midnight and cranberry ginger ale is the new champagne? #HappyNewYear2026

What do I want for Christmas?

A mysterious manor in the Scottish countryside, a library of vintage novels, a collection of the world’s rarest wines, an owl to deliver and retrieve my post, a butler with a mysterious backstory, and my own personal pastry chef.

I'm really not that hard to shop for.

Lovely!

I didn’t know I needed this today but it’s the best thing!

Full pan of ramen noodles, beef strips, and green vegetables.

Making a single Round Steak into a meal for 5. Beef & Broccoli Ramen - but I also added onions, green onions, fennel, a Daikon radish, spinach, and a little arugula. And I used more ramen than suggested. natashaskitchen.com/beef-and-bro... #CSAshare #gardening #homecooking #cookingsky #eatyourgarden

Stay safe!!!

Ohhh thanks for sharing this! I have good memories of Devils Lake!

Screen shot from the app RoadReady

Teen driving is a whole other level of this parenting gig. Not meant for the faint of heart. How did my dad manage 5 through the driving years? Also how did he manage the patience to insist we all learn on a manual transmission? #parentingteens #driving #teendriving

A neighbor broke the ground up for me this summer with a backhoe that he’d rented for his own use one weekend. The cardboard is to keep the weeds down - functioning like landscape paper. I will likely layer mulched leaves and chipped yard debris over it. Then let it sit for the winter like that.

Cardboard covering a 3 foot deep x 60 foot wide stretch of lawn right in front of a chain link fence.

Back yard filled with fallen leaves and cardboard covered swath next to fence.

Fallen leaf covered backyard with pine tree, swing set and cardboard covered swath in front of fence.

Prepping my new planting area for next spring. Along back fence I am going to plant forsythia, coneflower, blue sage, English lavender, black eyed Susan, white lilac, hydrangea, sunflower, climbing rose, passion flower, and clematis seeds and see what happens. #gardensky #tinyjoys #gardening 🌱

Toast topped with fresh basil leaves, arugula, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, salt and Parmesan cheese.

I’m still hanging on to my summer breakfasts in October in Michigan. Yes, I had to buy the cucumber & bread, but hey everything else is pure #CSA baby! #tinyjoys #gardening #eatyourgarden #michigan 🌱

Go Tim Walz - keep up the good fight.

So no terrorism then?

That’s a load-bearing “if” there. The one i attended had a bustling area full of tents with petitions, political education, and volunteer signups for mutual aid and ICE watch. People are more likely to take real action when they’ve had a chance to speak with people who are taking action.