I’ll just get right to it: I’m going to have a baby.
That’s right. In about two months’ time, a mini-Mari will make her way into this world.
I didn’t want to say anything for a while; I wanted to keep this blog focused on the inspiration for my cookie designs and my occasional thoughts (really silly [...]

Music by Kevin MacLeod. Photos by Aasulv Wolf Austad. Fun started by Mari who blew a big bubble…
Photographed at Maihaugen museum, Lillehammer, Norway.

I have yet to encounter a culture so obsessed with breakfast. Okay, it’s arguably the most important meal of the day, but Norwegians take it to a new level. Unless you have gotten up early, set out an array of breads, spreads, jams, meats, eggs, juices, fruits, yogurts, and other foods at your breakfast table, [...]

It was a very last-minute decision. To get on a plane and take the long journey to the land of Vikings. Actually, we contemplated coming here in June, but for a multitude of reasons, decided to stay in California. By the time we decided to go, the price of the trip nearly doubled. Sheesh. But [...]

Hello, again. If I don’t look familar to you, I’ll remind you: the name’s Patch. The last time I was here, Mari stuffed me into some multicolor jacket that made me look more like Liberace’s son than the class act cat that I truly am. Well, that was tame compared to what she did to [...]