Author Archives: snowbirdredux

ROOTS AND WINGS

Four years ago as new residents of Minnesota, my husband mentioned during a grocery shopping trip that he thought he would “pick up some lamb chops.” “Great,” I said, or maybe even “Yum.” However, as I began browsing the dairy … Continue reading

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BEE-PREPARED

I’ve become the go-to person in our community of late whenever a friend or friend of an organization wants to sort out and understand the criteria for protecting our pollinators. I’m certain that it’s not because I have an exceptional … Continue reading

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MAY DAY

“Now is the winter of our discontent,” began Richard III in Shakespeare’s soliloquy. I might say the same. In our four years in Minnesota we have experienced the light winter, the normal winter, the winter of enormous snowdrifts, and now … Continue reading

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SPOILER ALERT

How did you feel when you first learned there wasn’t a Santa Claus? I can remember the time as clearly as anything in my childhood. A neighbor girl who was a year older than me blurted it out one day … Continue reading

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SAINTS ALIVE!

Before there was a Disneyland my mother established a touring agenda for out of state friends and relatives who visited our southern California home. We lived in Long Beach, which is south of the greater, spreading metropolis of Los Angeles. … Continue reading

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WEATHER WONDER-LAND

Here in Western Minnesota we’re experiencing an unusual dearth of snow this year. A slight covering of flakes one day and then meltdown the next. It reminds me of four years ago, our first in this northern prairie, only more … Continue reading

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WHAT’S UP WITH BUNS?

WHAT’S UP WITH BUNS? No doubt every region of the country has specific culinary preferences, many brought by immigrants who needed the taste of “back home” in their new land. Some are dependent on local availability from sea, lakes, waterways, … Continue reading

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I GIVE THANKS

When we decided that moving to the Great Northern Plains was the cure-all answer to retirement (considering affordable, far-from-California-cost-of-housing), it never occurred to me that we would be cutting ourselves off from so much time with our children and grandchildren. … Continue reading

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SERVICE WITH A SMILE

We’re still learning and often amazed by episodes of kindly behavior in this state of Minnesota. I’m talking about brings-a-tear-to-your-eye, out of the blue, acts of kindness. There is the neighbor who showed up on his snow plow and apologized … Continue reading

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RUN TO THE THICKET, BAMBI!

You know that you live in Minnesota when just one day after the opening of deer hunting season, you see the sight of a gutted doe hanging in a back yard just a few blocks from home. This, after wondering … Continue reading

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