Archives
We rurally-raised elders remember when people went ‘visiting.’ It went kind of like this at our place: Dad might say “Let’s go over to Knute’s and get some coffee.” Or Mom wondered if she could get that recipe for molasses cake from Helen. Or Robert or I wanted to go play somewhere besides our own fields and woods and hay loft and back bedrooms. So I get way too country-girl-sentimental when I… Read More
Sunday, May 31, 2015. It’s been two years since I’ve been out to the old place; today Robert, Marsha and me are dropping by. I’ll return later this week for some quality time. Wonder what I’ll see today? How much further fallen? Still standing walls? Is the end of the old brown couch still visible? The cellar wasn’t that deep so the abandoned furniture can just come to rest there with me… Read More
United States history and geography are all about journeys. From the first Asians across Beringia, the land bridge between Asia and North America, to those pious Pilgrims, to yesterday’s Mexican or El Salvadoran child, we came and are still coming down a long hard road. Every regional history has these tales to tell, but our U.S. immigrant history is so present, so relatively contemporary, making the journeys easier to imagine and to research…. Read More
Rain has re-entered my life. First the unusual cloudy days, many including at least a few raindrops, before I left New Mexico for Minnesota a week ago. Since then more days than not with fairly steady rainfall. I imagined under these conditions I would be paying serious attention to writing both in my blogs and in massive note taking for everything I want to say about ‘time and place’ prior to and… Read More
I have a small family. One brother, about eight living first cousins, two children, four grandchildren. The older generations all Euro-American, working/lower middle class, moderately hard-working, usually law-abiding, decently-educated and slightly-boring people. We actually perk up considerably at the grandchildren level—more interesting occupations, educations, ethnicities, cultures, interests, residences. Here’s a small album of some of Cousin Audrey’s family, daughter, granddaughter, great-grandchildren. This really belongs on my other blog but they’re all so photogenic… Read More
Morning walk in the almost-rain.
We’ve just returned from a 400 mile round trip between Grand Rapids and Roseau—or the Minnesota of lakes and woods to the Minnesota of Lake of the Woods. I managed to check into the one motel room in Roseau last night with faulty internet service so my commitment to a daily travel blog was stymied. Now to catch up. It’s time to let go of my tree obsession and write about something… Read More
Green didn’t overwhelm me with its Greenness on Saturday’s tour of family graves. I wondered if imagination increases its intensity just as distance makes the heart grow fonder. Because I remember June Green as being of a depth and breadth that overwhelmed all else in the natural world. Like wearing glasses with green lenses; all light bulbs being colored green; the sun shining green; the world as a bowl of greens; Crayola… Read More
Our Sunday morning walk on Itasca County Forest History Center trails. I realize that there are a whole lot of Green Minnesota photos over my blogging history. How can that not be good?
Memorial Day Weekend. Robert, Marsha and I visited the graves of mothers, fathers, grandparents, cousins, family friends and neighbors. A perfect Minnesota day. Pre-mosquito, light-green spring leaves, high 70s, gentle breeze, small towns, families camping, Buddy the dog in the backseat…eating vinegar and sea salt potato chips and driving the country roads. We meet various members of Marsha’s extended family at the small country cemeteries. Bright bouquets of silky make-believe flowers and flocks of… Read More