Tag Archives: nature

War Veteran

This family story is a tale I heard in bits and pieces when I was growing up. Only the people themselves know the truth of any of it. They have all passed on. In this version of the story my father John, not his real name, was born in 1917 and grew up on aContinue reading “War Veteran”

Smoke and Haze

“Smoke from the wildfires burning right now in Canada has been affecting the skies, as you can see outside. And if you’ve been outside, you can sure taste it.”              Joe Manchin III, West Virginia Democrat Smoke and haze drift south from Canadian wildfires that continue to burn out of control. Air Quality Alert SmokeContinue reading “Smoke and Haze”

Mulberries

Mulberries ripen in June in my part of Agriculture Zone Five. Mulberry’s fruit taste is affected by the moisture the tree receives. It’s the second or possibly third year of drought in Nebraska. A swath of the state where I live is stuck in what is called Exceptional Drought (deep red color) on the USContinue reading “Mulberries”

Bonding

Connecting “I think we are bound to, and by, nature. We may want to deny this connection and try to believe we control the external world, but every time there’s a snowstorm or drought, we know our fate is tied to the world around us.”          Alice Hoffman I have a strong bond to the ruralContinue reading “Bonding”

Finding Motivation

“We go through life. We shed our skins. We become ourselves.” Patti Smith Why write at all: Motivation during Covid In the past I’ve looked to nature and animals for writing motivation. Spring flowers and emerging life are Mother Nature’s invitation to go outside, hear the birds sing, smell fresh air, dip fingers in warmingContinue reading “Finding Motivation”

A Farmer’s Daughter’s look at Ag

I grew up on a family farm. There were always chores to do. I was more interested in reading than farming. I devoured every book and magazine I could find. We didn’t have books at home or at the little country school. I borrowed books from anyone willing to loan them. My rural schoolteacher borrowedContinue reading “A Farmer’s Daughter’s look at Ag”

HOLY WEEK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING

Dear Reader, this blog is a tongue-in-cheek look at Holy Week. PALM SUNDAY Jesus won’t be riding into Jerusalem on a donkey this year, triumphantly or otherwise. Palms will still have their leaves as trees won’t be chopped apart for his fans to lay branches across his path. We might see palm trees as farContinue reading “HOLY WEEK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING”

Growing Up on a Farm

My poem, Farm Sale, tells about the day my parents held a farm sale, prior to their move from farm to a house in town in 1982. The poem was published in The Sea Letter Journal  The photo is blurry because it’s from 1982, taken on a tiny point-and-shoot camera and because my hands shookContinue reading “Growing Up on a Farm”