Squeaky Green Machine: The Ramblings of a Self-Proclaimed Tree Hugger was born in 2013 as a way for me to capture my non-adventures in everyday life. That first post led to hundreds until my pen unexpectedly took me on a new writing journey. While my notebooks are still filled with ramblings from a self-proclaimed tree hugger, their content has gone in a very different direction. I hope you enjoy the archive of original SGM content as well as fresh scribblings directly from me in the future.
And just like that – we opened our eyes and were in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Well, not exactly… it actually took nearly 11 hours of traveling and included two flights through four time zones. But this morning after a great night’s sleep, that is a distant memory. We have woken up in the northernmost city in North America and are ready to start our adventure.
Tucked in fragrant pine trees on the Minnesota-Canadian border in Voyageurs National Park, the Kettle Falls Hotel is only accessible by boat – just as it was for its earliest visitors a hundred years ago.
I’ve never actually eaten a “real” Sloppy Joe. In the years before I stopped eating meat, they were never on our dinner table. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything because, honestly, their name and appearance kind of turned me off. But when a friend tells me that I absolutely have to try a recipe, I listen. And now I’m telling you, they may not look pretty but...
“For a full quarter of a century, her useful life has been spent in a labor of love…” Theodore Wirth, Former Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park System My visit to the Eloise Butler Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary had me wondering, who was Eloise Butler? It turned out that she was originally from rural Maine. Born in 1851 near Appleton, it’s theorized that her interest in...
Hidden in Minnesota’s north woods is a quiet, little state park named for Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. While Schoolcraft wasn’t a Minnesota resident, he gained fame in the state for being the first white explorer to officially locate the source of the Mississippi River after the Ojibwa showed him its origins. Based on his journals, it is believed that Schoolcraft camped in this area near...
When you’re putting the final touches on your Fourth of July barbecue this weekend, don’t forget the dessert! These festive Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries are so good, they might not make it out to the picnic table:
I would venture a guess that most Minnesotans have a photo in their collection that looks like this:
But how much do you know about the man behind the myth?
I usually don’t share recipes that require special equipment to make, but this chocolate gelato is the exception. If you do not have an ice cream maker, stop what you are doing and purchase one immediately! Trust me, you will thank me for it after one creamy bite.
When standing on the shores of this popular lake in South Minneapolis, it’s hard to believe that it was once a swamp called Mud Lake.
I love rhubarb and am lucky to have a booming crop in my backyard. Whipping up a batch of rhubarb bars seemed like the perfect treat for a Friday afternoon.
Sakatah Lake State Park is located on rolling hills 14 miles west of Faribault, Minnesota; its uneven terrain the result of glacial activity 14,000 years ago. Originally inhabited by the Wahpekute (Wapacoota) band of Dakota Sioux, they called the area “singing hills” and some of their burial mounds still exist in the park today.
Even though Christmas was the inspiration for this festive cocktail, I think it’s equally suited for summer weather. Made by infusing simple syrup with fir needles, keep your eye out for Balsam Firs the next time you’re on a hike and you’ll be sipping this tasty treat in no time!
