Snow falling on green leaves here in Minnesota seems symbolic of the times we are in. I wonder what is the hurry for this snow and cold to come so early. What is the hurry for the next Supreme Court…
willowoak520
Upper Midwest Musings
The earth is gifting us with great beauty this month. As my husband and I travelled through western Pennsylvania and then Michigan, from south to north, we were struck with the clarity and brilliance of maples and birches donning their…
Abundance
I never imagined we would harvest nearly thirty butternut squash from volunteer plants growing out of the compost we dumped on our garden. What joy to have abundance enough to share! Listening to zoom presentations and conversations with Irish poet…
What Remains
For three glorious days this past week, my husband and I were on the Eastern Shore--Chincoteague Island--with my sister and her husband. We felt far from the flames on the west coast and grateful for the clean spaciousness of the…
News to Ponder
This morning the Carolina Wren showed up on the ivy covering the base of the willow oak, searching for bugs. It's song announced the morning sunshine. Over the past week, other stories, other voices gave mixed outlooks. At our neighbor's…
Wonder and Work
This morning I pause to stare out my window at the base of the willow oak where scarlet impatiens glow bright beside the white-flowering hostas. In the background, dozens of sunflowers tower over tall corn, pole beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash,…
Chanterelle Sunday
Yesterday morning was as soggy as it could get with over an inch of rain dropped through the night. But the temperature was a lovely cool 60 degrees. Having watched our Sunday worship service on youtube the night before, we…
Life and Loss
I love sitting at my window and staring at the ivy-covered trunk and leaf-covered curvaceous branches of the willow oak. Beyond the tree, I notice how tall the corn has grown in the back corner of the garden, promising a…
Remove the Curtains
This morning I decided to take down the curtains that, for many years, had partially covered our windows facing the back yard. I wonder why I didn't do it before . The house finches feeding their young with sunflower seed,…
Up Against
Several incidents this week reminded me that this is not a normal time. My husband was asked to replace a breaker for a dryer that was not working properly in a friend's home. However, when he called the Square D…
