Author Archives: snowbirdredux

ULTIMATE DRIVING CHALLENGE

  I thought I had signed up for something called “Defensive Driving Class.” Sounded a bit combative to me. Something like Martial Arts on Wheels and not at all like our Minnesota Nice, where a typical lane merging on the … Continue reading

Posted in COMMUNITY, DRIVING, education, SENIOR CITIZENS | Leave a comment

KINDRED SPIRITS

(Finally. Back from bronchial purgatory. Thanks for your wishes and concerns.) When we first moved to Minnesota, Pastor Sarah of the Shepard of the Prairie Lutheran Church of Hickson, North Dakota (the familial family spiritual home base), invited me to … Continue reading

Posted in COMMUNITY, CYBERSPACE, faith, friendship, introspection, religion, spirituality, writing | 1 Comment

THE CATALYST

Looking back at my frivolous and naïve platitudes about weather and snow over the past two years, and my personal thrill of Minnesota extremes, I stand humiliated and repentant. What a silly-billy idiot I was until now. Enchanted with the … Continue reading

Posted in minnesota life, mythology, Norwegian, SNOW, storm | Leave a comment

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Some days you just hate to pick up the morning paper for all the disastrous news of the world. We have a routine at our house. I put on my boots (this time of year), button my down jacket over … Continue reading

Posted in COMMUNITY, education, global warming, introspection, minnesota life, politics, writing | Leave a comment

CONVERSATION AMONG STRANGERS

I recently participated in a group where the discussion topic was an examination of spirituality. How to find it? Is it important? What is it like? Where is it? Does it exist? You wouldn’t have been surprised to hear words … Continue reading

Posted in COMMUNITY, faith, favorite things, friendship, introspection, spirituality | 1 Comment

THE AVENGER

When Thumper explained to Bambi about the forest folk who were “twitterpatted,” he wasn’t just expounding on the thrill of new love. He was referencing the joy and excitement of new life in the Spring. In Spring worms emerge from … Continue reading

Posted in global warming, minnesota life, mythology, Norwegian, SNOW, storm, WEATHER | 1 Comment

BOSSY PANTS II

When I was 7, 8 10, thereabouts, I was the one in the gang to write, cast, direct and star in the neighborhood productions. We had different venues. The Burgess yard was perfect for western dramas. Their dad, a frustrated … Continue reading

Posted in COMMUNITY, education, favorite things, food, Gardening, HEALTH, IMAGINATION, minnesota life | 3 Comments

FOOD FIGHT

When I was still in high school, an enormous event happened in a neighboring community. Disneyland opened. Relatives from the far northern prairies now had another grand reason to visit, other than soaking up the California sunshine, and my family … Continue reading

Posted in education, favorite things, food, Gardening, HEALTH, Master Gardeners, minnesota life | 1 Comment

“NEXT ONE PLEASE”

I am not alone in decrying the dumbing down of language through tweets and twitters. There is something disconcerting about imagining an entire generation ensconced in robot-speak, – “R U OK, LOL” – and then getting lazy in life and … Continue reading

Posted in education, introspection, STORY TELLING, techno-geeks | 1 Comment

THE SNOW QUEEN’S PALACE

Here on my hill, looking out at crystals and icicles, I can imagine I am the Snow Queen surveying my wintry domain. It’s 40 below with the wind chill tonight and I need to use snowshoes to refill the bird … Continue reading

Posted in Claustrophobia, Favorites Books, introspection, minnesota life, mythology, SNOW, WEATHER | 1 Comment