The Long Way Home.
Redwings at Sunset.
From my home to work there is no quick way - no route that takes me simply from point A to point B. As the crow flies it could be an easy 15 minute drive, but anyone who has driven in Lake’s country knows our crow wasn’t good with directions. Roads wind and curve as they please, adding a leisurely pace to an already leisurely place. At times I would complain - mainly because I was late and there is no making up time on our gravel roads. As time has past - the roads I had been cursing have slowly become the roads I love. These gravel roads have given me the chance to take in things that I would otherwise miss. Bluebirds singing from a wooden fence post, the sunset flight of this season’s first redwing blackbird, and two wood ducks nimbly landing upon an oak tree’s highest branch are just a few things I would never see from the blacktop at 60. This week has also brought five bald eagles cleaning up the remains of an unfortunate goose, several captivating sunrises and sunsets, the tippy tail of a quick mink, and more deer than I can come close to remembering. More often than not I have been turning off the morning’s talk radio and turning down the dirt road. This Mario Andretti is turning a new leaf, so next time your cursing a Sunday driver I apologize in advance because its most likely me.
It is no secret I love listening to podcasts (especially Armchair Expert) but I also love listening to story-telling style podcasts. Wondery does an incredible job with all their podcasts. When I don’t know what to listen to I simply browse through what’s new on by Wondery because I know it’ll be good. Payton and I just finished Against The Odds and were captivated as usual. Check out the snippet below and look for other podcasts by Wondery. A of my favorites are Dr. Death, The Shrink Next Door, and Man in the Window.
This week was a week of balance and delegating. I take a lot of pride in my work ethic and doing things for myself, but I am starting to that these things are great to get you started. Combining them with balance and delegating can take you much farther. When working from home, the lines between work and personal time are very thin. With so many things on my to do list it would be easy to power through on hard work, say no to other commitments, and be “productive.” I keep reminding myself the reason I want to be self employed is so I can say “yes” to more opportunities, not no. This week I am proud for putting down the soil blocker and helping my family make maple syrup. My saying yes didn’t end there, we decided to make the trip to Necces Italiano Restaurante in Park Rapids. I am a sucker for authentic Italian, and Necces went above and beyond. I highly recommend, making a reservation there, driving the backroads, and making a beautiful summer evening out of the trip. A few other things I said yes to was Saturday morning yoga in Vergas put on by Otter Coffee, signing up for Dion’s Dangerzone Bootcamp, and using Financial Fundamentals to help keep my books. I barely had time to water my plants this weekend, but asking for help with my books and investing in myself has me fired up for this beautiful week to come.
