Just a Quick Update...

Short, but sweet this week.

My best friend, Ami (I'm sure you all remember her name from our trip to Europe), came out to visit me this weekend all the way from Custer, South Dakota! We haven't seen each other in 5 months! Far too long!

She got into town just in time to go to my FUTBOL game. I play with other Anthropology TAs on a club/inter-mural team called "The Four Fields." We lost miserably, but it was great fun running around and doing something physical for a change. I'm thankful I spent the $9 extra on some shin-guards...it was a pretty physical-contact-intense game!

Friday, once I got home from school/teaching we hung out for a good part of the day, got lunch, then I took Ami to Ikea because she has never been. I ate too many of their cookies while I was there...tummy-ache.

Saturday morning we got up at the crack of dawn and went to the Farmer's Market. It was a great weekend for it! All the fall veggies and such are coming in and were pretty cheap compared to the summer produce. I have a lot of cooking planned for this week. (I may cauliflower gratin tonight, delish!)

That night, we made a trip to a place called Nye's, a Polish polka bar! It was great fun! I actually recognized the place from my trip in 2007 with my mom, we walked past it and I remembered seeing a sign that said "Voted Best Bar by Maxim Magazine." It could very well be! The polka band members are pretty old, I think the youngest guy was in his 60s. The oldest member, Ruth, was well over 90 and rocked an accordion like none I've ever seen! :)

Ami left Sunday morning. Sad now. She's coming back out for my birthday in November, yay!!!

Other than that, I have a really busy week ahead of me with a rough draft due and tons of reading, so I'm done writing for now. Hope all is well with everyone!

The Falls in the Fall

Classes and teaching have been occupying most of my life lately, but I did manage to enjoy a weekend away from homework (for the most part).

Saturday was a busy day. The Anthropology Department held its annual Paleo-Picnic. Events included flint-knapping (stone tool making), archery, and butchering a pig using the stone tools we made that day. I didn't take part in the butchering surprisingly. I lectured about and dissected sheep brains all week, so I wasn't really in the mood to cut anything else up...

The weather was beautiful -- sun shining, about 60 degrees, a gentle breeze -- perfect fall day! I took advantage of the seasonal loveliness and went with a friend to Minnehaha Falls in the afternoon.

The falls are located about 15 minutes from where I live and are nestled within a large, lush park.

The first few photos are of the falls from the top. The water is pretty low this time of year, but the waterfall is still lovely.

I love how bright the colors are on the trees!

This is a sculpture which overlooks the falls. It has some sort of hair, maybe horse hair which makes it a little less cold compared to most sculpture and a little more natural/organic. I like it.

This is a pretty little bridge near the base of the falls. It took a while to get a photo without people in it, but it was worth it.

The last two photos I like because you can see the vibrancy of the Fall here. I love how brilliant everything is.

It was great walking around here too because leaves covered the ground and smelled great! They also made a very definitive crunch, which I always enjoy...


















As you can see, it is a lovely Fall in Minneapolis. All I need now is some apple cider and I'll be a happy camper!