Seed Savers and a Greg Brown concert
July 3, 2012 § 3 Comments
I’ll be hearing Iowa folk legend Greg Brown, visiting a college friend, and admiring an amazing assortment of vegetables and fruits (and some gorgeous Ancient White Park cattle) in less than two weeks. Yay! (P.S. You could come, too.)
Beatrix
June 29, 2012 § 2 Comments
It occurs to me that Beatrix Potter is a hero of mine.
We were watching the film Ms. Potter with my grandparents a few months ago, which surely embellishes as movies are apt to do. Still, in my (many years of) college studies I learned that in addition to creating her lovely children’s stories, Ms. Potter took on the cause of the small farmer. This determined, independent woman fought for the British countryside and published the most remarkable, beloved tales. Nature and community mattered to her. I can’t help but love her for it. And aim to do as much.
Two organizations and one good day
June 20, 2012 § Leave a comment
At the beginning of May, I got to visit a couple of great nonprofit organizations in Minnesota.
My sister works for a nonprofit called Community Thread, which is a volunteer center based in Stillwater, MN. Each spring they put on a big Spring into Service event, which pairs volunteers with local nonprofits to participate in work projects, followed by an after-party at the Community Thread office. Since Elena knows I’m all about agriculture issues – and how these overlap with social issues – she sent me up to Marine on St. Croix to work with the Minnesota Food Association.
There, I got to jump in with the staff, participating farmers, and a group of volunteers to weed, plant, transplant, and learn. The MFA provides farmers “with the skills and knowledge to operate their own viable organic and sustainable vegetable farms, while providing fresh, organic produce to local consumers by the farmers-in-training and promoting a more sustainable food system.” They work specifically with immigrant and minority populations, offering plots of land for rent, training programs, benefits, and a CSA that farmers can participate in as they grow their businesses.
I feel like I could go on a gigantic rant about how great this all is, but really, the best way for you to learn is to go to their website, go to the events and work days they put on, and maybe even become a member of their CSA, which operates as Big River Farms. I’ll just add this: that providing people with support and a strong start in a growing field, within the context of community, producing something that is not only more and more in demand but is also essential to our well-being, is a cleverly mult-faceted approach to dealing with many of our nation’s challenges that I can’t help but find inspiring.
We worked on a cloudy, slightly chilly day, but most everyone was cheerful and hard at work. How can you not to want to jump in when you’re surrounded by the health and life of young, strong, promising little plants?
Thanks to Community Thread for connecting me with this opportunity. And thanks to the farmers and staff at Minnesota Food Association for the work that you do. It was a privilege to meet all of you, and I look forward to participating more in the future!
Happy Father’s Day
June 17, 2012 § Leave a comment
A 3-year-old me, my baby sister, and our dad. 27 years ago. How can it be? Time is wonderful, terrible, and swift.
Now we are two healthy grown-up girls. Women with parents who dedicated their lives to loving and caring for their children, and teaching those children to think, to give and forgive, to work and explore and play. This is worth a thousand thanks, and more.
So here’s a shout-out to all you fathers. Especially fathers of daughters. Especially mine.
Aaah.
May 31, 2012 § Leave a comment
A clean look. What do you think? Better?
I do feel refreshed and relieved, as I do when I buckle down and really clean my house.
Speaking of cleaning, I have piles of boxes in a room upstairs, all the things from my whole life that have been dragged along with me or hanging out in Mom and Dad’s basement. Now that they are downsizing I have all these boxes handed over for me to sort through. I am not eager about this overhaul. It becomes necessary to decide which memories must be attached to the tangible. And which ones will stay in my mind.
This is a week for organization and planning and at the end I suspect I will feel even better. But thank goodness for someone who takes care to remind me that even in the midst of the mess, it’s important to get up and take a walk!
Bad weather and breakfast
May 15, 2012 § 4 Comments
“A friend is someone who stays with you in the bad weather of life, guards you when you are off your guard, restrains your impetuosity, delights in your wholeness, forgives your failures, does not forsake you when others let you down, and shares whatever he is having for breakfast — moon pie, cold pizza, or fish and chips.” – Brennan Manning, Reflections for Ragamuffins
Strawberry plants
May 15, 2012 § 1 Comment
Strawberry season doesn’t begin in Wisconsin until about mid-June; this photo with already-formed berries is from plants that have been forced in greenhouses at the Minnesota Food Association. As a reward for volunteering there two weekends ago (or a matter of being in the right place at the right time), I got to eat a ripe one. Yes. I did.
Our own plants out in the front of the house have their first white blossoms on them. I like walking out to see them, the petals all cheerful and promising fruit. Strawberry plants are just cute. They can’t help it. They mean high spring and summer’s beginning.
Mama duck
April 29, 2012 § 2 Comments
The ducks around the resort at Lake of the Ozarks had gotten remarkably comfortable around humans. We saw this little lady fly down into the bushes and settle onto her nest. Look how cozy she is in there. (Thanks to Elena for the shot.)
Little brother’s wedding
April 27, 2012 § 1 Comment
He still seems too young to me, but he always will, I think. He’s the little brother and it can’t be that he’s a grown-up. Even though he’s got a grown-up job, a grown-up apartment, and now, a wife. He makes his own decisions. He makes his own life. My job is to let him, and support him, and love him. (And sometimes play the big sister, even so.)
My sister and her husband and I hopped in their Taurus for a 9-hour drive down to Missouri, where we were met with heat and sunshine. We ate pasta with asparagus and white sauce out on the deck overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks.
Oh, water and boats.
The next day we had some time to explore Lake of the Ozarks State Park. (When you are the sister of the groom, as opposed to the sister of the bride, your wedding responsibilities are somewhat less extensive, so you can do these things!)
The day was misty and a little chilly, but it felt good to get out and hike together.
We saw dogwood trees and columbine. We scrambled up rocky bluffs.
Ah, green.
Some of us dawdled. Others were pressed for time: last-minute shopping for gift wrap and jewelry needed to happen before dinner!
I tend to resist rehearsal dinners, being a little on the shy side. They sometimes seem like an obligation to spend more time with people when the whole wedding day is going to be a crowd for hours and hours. And yet I’ve nearly always enjoyed the rehearsal dinners I’ve gone to. Know why? (1) They usually feel more relaxed than the wedding day proper. (2) You get to know people. Particularly, the family and friends of the person that is marrying the person you are really there for. In the best circumstances, this is a happy and encouraging thing! I don’t know my brother’s wife’s family at all, so it was great to spend dinner chatting with her aunt and uncle, talking about horses with their daughter, and listening to the grandmother’s stories.
Ah, and then the wedding day. This involved some reception set-up and some pictures. And moseying around while other people took more pictures.
We even had an early afternoon siesta on the beach.
Then, le mariage.
Laughter and tears, as always.
At the reception we told stories about growing up with these crazy kids that had now just married each other. And you know those baby-to-wedding photo montage videos? I know everyone does them, but they still get me. Especially, of course, this one. Flashes of memories of my brother over all this time that I’ve known him. Realizing that our lives, because we’re siblings, will always be intertwined. We shared childhood. And seeing Kim grow up gave us a glimpse into her experience of the world. She and Chris made the cupcakes (my favorite was the chocolate with cream filling) and after we all scarfed dessert, the newlyweds headed off for the Virgin Islands.
Where they still are, probably standing knee-deep in turquoise water. Lucky ducks.
And we, their friends and family, are back here, waiting to support and love them in this new journey. Congratulations, you two!
Kinds of Honey 