Letters of Introduction
Friday, July 18, 2014
End of Day Exhale
Tonight the railroad crossing at the south end of Wadena was red-light-flashing and ding-ding-dinging, but nothing was happening and no train was in sight. At the north end, on my way home after picking Emil up, two or three bright orange engines were parked on the track to the left of the highway. And the lights, and the dinging, and all the drivers wondering what the heck, why.
The photo above was taken one evening last week as I headed north out of town after work.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Detour through Wadena
Because of flooding and highway damage near Elfros on Highway 16, Yellowhead traffic has been detoured through Wadena for the last couple weeks.
Which means the service stations are just a-hoppin', as are the grocery store, the bakery, and most likely a good number of other businesses in town.
I picked Emil up from Camp Easter Seal down at Manitou Beach late this morning. He had a fine time -- among the things he mentioned on the drive home, he said he rode on a pontoon boat, petted the horse, went to a dance -- oh it's a long story of busyness and fun. "And now I can look forward to going to Poppa's on Saturday."
Onward and upward.
Monday, July 14, 2014
The Heart Sinks
May those who loved young Nathan O'Brien and his grandparents draw strength and comfort from somewhere.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Quick 'n' Dirty
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Company
We've got company. This is Gunnar, the apple of Scott's eye, with his fiancée Melissa and their beast Payton.
They've come from Calgary for a wedding today, where Gunnar is one of the groomsmen.
There is smoke from fires in the north country, and the day so far is cool and windy. It's an outdoor wedding at Rosebud Hall, just a mile straight east of Golden Grain Farm. I hope the bear seen just north of the hall a few days ago doesn't make an appearance. Maybe the wind and smoke will keep the mosquitoes down. They are horrible this year.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Saturated but oh so Green
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| After the rains, I was advised to watch Ducky Doodle closely, as the rushing water could sweep him off his feet. |
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Lacking a Lumberjack
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| Victim of windstorm |
There is a downed tree right along our driveway and I think it's been there since last fall, and someone (not mentioning any names, but resembling a lumberjack) just pushes the snow / mows the grass around it. Maybe there isn't much hope for the tree above, then, either.
I should hang a shiny dangly thing on it!
Monday, July 7, 2014
High Water
There is a lot of water around, I mean more than usual; the creeks are running high and, not far away, some lakes are looking like oceans.
For the first year since we moved to Golden Grain Farm, our basement has remained dry all spring. Hooray for filled-in lagoons, newly installed weeping tile, and power that hasn't gone off, which means the sump pumps, which seem to run every five minutes, keep on working. It was costly but oh so worth it.
The mosquitoes are another story. Remember that Hitchcock movie The Birds? It's like that, only with bloodthirsty stinging insects. Outside in the evening, you hear the hum. Sometimes you have to outrun them.
And because this song is hilarious and true (if your husband has cattle, you know it), and Corb Lund the Alberta songwriter is a smart witty funny man, I give you this:
Sunday, July 6, 2014
July 1st - how's the weather?
Friday, July 4, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Eyeball Fatigue
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| Our windows have been wet in these relentless days of rain. |
Working for a newspaper, my errors and oversights are often brought to my attention.
I try not to be embarrassed or ashamed, and take note of where to pay closer attention or take more time, but it still chagrins. It irritates. Irks. Dumbfounds, even.
There is some kind of blindness, where I look right at something and don't see it, or see something different.
Eyeball fatigue.
K.
The rain has stopped and there is some blue sky. A breather.
"The secret to getting your home in order is moving your arms and legs." (flylady.com)
Ha!
Monday, June 30, 2014
Paper Challenged
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| In a search for a piece of paperwork, I ended up with piles of printed material everywhere. It needs to be dealt with. Sigh. |
From an old journal, in 2005, when Everett was 12:
On
the drive to school this morning Everett said he didn't have any dreams last
night.
"I only have dreams when I sleep in your bed, Mom. Your bed must be
enchanted or something."
✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮
Mom gives Everett his first and only lesson in embroidery:
✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮
From My
journal:
Everett
came running and bouncing onto the bed with the biggest, most beautiful smile
on his face.
"Why so happy?" I asked.
"I'm not!" he
insisted.
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| I am seriously paper-challenged. And I don't want to deal with it. Time to pay a call to Flylady.com. |
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Haley Jo
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| Haley Jo is happy to make your acquaintance. |
Then you and I have something in common.
Haley Jo is my one-year-old cousin once-removed. (Heather's girl.)
I sometimes babysat Heather when she was around this age. She was the smiliest baby I have ever known. And her own two babies have the same smiliestness.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Thoughts upon Thoughts
| Perking along in the morning |
| Bedraggled after a rainy day |
“Love, like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots keeping itself alive.” ― Paulo Coelho, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept
Dear K,
For me the roots are like when I remind myself of the early days of being together, the obvious admiration he had for me, also my own blood tradition of families who stayed married for 50 years or more. The roots might include our own determination and a higher power which breathes life into everything.
Another thing I learned is that I blame him before considering my own behavior which is all too common in every breakup. If I do what I can to cooperate, it helps.
Just some thoughts.
J
Dear Julie,
For me, the roots are the day-to-day living, or what you once phrased "fundamental caring."
You might be mad, or hurt, or disgusted, or disappointed, or disheartened, or whatever, but you don't stop loving on a very basic level (the roots). So the rest of it, above or on the surface, is like the emotions - changeable like the weather, as you once also said.
I always assume I have a causative part in what happens, though I sure as hell don't always see what it is, and have started to wonder whether it's true or not, or just one of those beliefs we accept in a blanket way not based on our own observation.
Just some more thoughts,
K.
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