I stopped, gasping for breath, gaping up at the sky in complete, utter wonder. No one would ever believe me. So no one but my diary learned about that moment for many years. I was ten or eleven. My family and a few others were walking back to the ranch after visiting the large gardenContinue reading "Everyday Idylls"
Manure, Roses, and Research
I almost gagged as the scent hit me. As bad as if there were dead animals buried in the foot or so of manure, the smell permeated not just the air around me and my siblings, but anything within a few feet of the barn. We looked at each other, and, I would say tookContinue reading "Manure, Roses, and Research"
Fancy Dresses and Fairy tales
It was almost midnight. But that did not stop us. Once we had our hearts set on something, it was inevitable we would see it through if at all possible. The benefit to wintering in the Twin Cities with my grandparents (due to untraversable roads in the north) was that there were actually restaurants withinContinue reading "Fancy Dresses and Fairy tales"
Determination and Articles
My legs trembled as I made my way up the sidewalk to the door of the strange house. I hesitated, swallowing hard, glancing around me, grasped my clipboard a little tighter, and knocked, praying fervently no one would answer. Then again, if I didn’t want anyone to answer, why was I there? I was thereContinue reading "Determination and Articles"
Auroras and Angst
A soft tapping on the window startled us awake. My sisters and I sat up, scared for only a moment until we realized who it was. We peeked out to make sure. Yup. We quickly threw on some warm clothes, grabbed blankets, and tiptoed out of our room and out of the house, possibly stoppingContinue reading "Auroras and Angst"
Moose and POV
It was pitch black as we bumped our way slowly down the dirt road. My parents peered carefully out the windows for any unexpected wildlife as we weaved deeper and deeper into the woods towards our little cabin. But when the brakes screeched, it was not for the deer, rabbits, or even bears that weContinue reading "Moose and POV"
Peach Licorice and Dreams
It was a dream come true. Hasn’t every child longed for the day his or her mother would say, “Eat as much candy as you like”? Our day had finally come. We were on a long drive—okay, as a child, basically anything longer than 10 minutes feels like a long drive—and, always the perfect children,Continue reading "Peach Licorice and Dreams"
Hope and Storytelling
When I exited the house that night, I slipped into my car, and unfolded the check I had been handed for a night of babysitting. And then I leaned my head against the steering wheel, and I wept. Making it in college is rarely easy. I had moved across the country, to a state whereContinue reading "Hope and Storytelling"
Sawdust and Souls
What do you smell when you pass a construction site? Specifically, one where they are right in the middle of building a new house? You can see straight to the insides of the house. You can see the beams that form a structure for that room that will one day be filled with memories. AndContinue reading "Sawdust and Souls"
Goats and Progress
There was another family who had also built a cabin in the middle of the woods. I remember precisely one thing about them. They had goats. You know that feeling when you bite into a piece of soft, creamy goat cheese? You let the pungent flavors soak in on your tongue, closing your eyes asContinue reading "Goats and Progress"
Forest Idylls 