I step out of the grocery store carrying a bag of nectarines and sense something in the air. I stop and sniff. The August day is warm and sunny, but a slight coolness floats on air currents and though the sun shines, the yellowness of the light has shifted slightly, paled a bit. If I look closely, I will see... READ MORE >
Plink! I toss a small rock and watch Goldie, the Lab’s sleek gold head with its white muzzle lazily paddle out to the bubbles, circle a few times and return to the dock, waiting for the next rock to be thrown. It’s just an excuse for her to be in the water. She is a water dog. This scenario would... READ MORE >
Behind us, the town of Grand Marais sprawls beneath the green outline of the Sawtooth Mountains. My daughter, granddaughter and I are sitting on the beach, skipping rocks in the cold still waters of Lake Superior. But 6-year-old Natalie becomes restless. She’d done this yesterday. I consider taking her out to the lighthouse, but she’d also done that. An inspiration... READ MORE >
In large letters, the sign still advertises “Chinese Food— Szechwan Star,” but the building is deserted. No lights shine from within and the parking lot is overgrown with weeds. “I can’t believe it’s closed.” I am shocked. So is my husband. He turns off the ignition and we sit in the empty parking lot. Deflated and depressed. We had planned... READ MORE >
It’s an ordinary hotel parking lot with one exception— brightly colored street rods with deep rumbling engines mingle with regular vehicles. I settle back in my folding chair to enjoy the warm Minneapolis evening after a day at the 2011 Back to the Fifties car show. The hotel patios are filled with people so my husband and I have plopped... READ MORE >
In September 1969, Dick and I began our year on Tucker Lake. Our cabin had neither road access nor amenities. This reprint is one of many stories about our lives during that special year. I looked up at the cloudless blue summer sky. A light breeze filled the air with pine resin scent. Lake waters lapped gently at shore. Lounging... READ MORE >
As I walk from my driveway to the South Shore Drive, with my two dogs on leash, I am delighted to see a profusion of dark green lupine plants growing at my roadside. The seeds I have been scattering for the past several years have finally taken root, and, if all goes well, a nice colony of lupines will bloom... READ MORE >
The ladder is sturdy with a solid platform, so I’m not going to take a nosedive on to the deck flooring. I step up and reach for the empty suet mesh bag. It will not be replaced. May has arrived and I’m going to quit hanging suet balls for the birds. I’ve already quit throwing out sunflower seeds. A new... READ MORE >
In September 1969, Dick and I began our year in the wilderness on the edge of the BWCAW in the Superior National Forest. Our small cabin had neither road access nor amenities. This is a reprint of one of many stories about our lives during that special year. I awoke one April morning and decided it was a good day... READ MORE >
Her yellow fur is still soft and shiny. Her brown eyes are as beautiful as ever, but Goldie, my Labrador retriever is aging. She is no longer able to chase and roughhouse with the pug as she once did. Nor can she can swim vigorously, and sometimes she gets confused. Goldie has lived with my husband and me for seven... READ MORE >
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