Clik here to view.
Long Walks on Dog Beach
The first time we held the dog over water, she paddled her little puppy paws in the air. These days, she will fetch a tennis ball until those little paws can barely hold her up. Even then she wants to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“So Long, See You Tomorrow” by William Maxwell
By far the most beautiful book with a murder on the first page: I’m a sucker for books set in the Midwest. Rural Midwest in the 20s gets even more points. Add a murder and the sweetest little boy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
First Day on the Job
Today arrived and the girlfriend photographed me to prove it: Other than being unable to let go of the poodle, the anxiety was for naught. Shocking, right? I arrived on time. My alarm didn’t fail. My...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The News in Minnesota
We here in the Midwest must convince folks on the coasts that we aren’t silly, rural bumpkins. Life is real here. We have problems. We have joy. Cows don’t wander the streets. Our kids don’t walk to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Where in Green Giant Fails Me
Our new “we want to buy a house” budget has made us more mindful of our shopping habits. What will we really eat? And when? Have we devoted too much freezer space to ice cream? Each item is considered...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sleepy Sunday
Spring starts this week and Minnesota is teasing us with a bright blue sky. Blue sky and sun and a bitter cold you typicaly associate with mid-January. We know better than to try and fight it. I’m...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Iowa/Iowa State Weekend
In college we looked forward to the Iowa/Iowa State game like Christmas. Even for people like me who didn’t follow sports, who couldn’t care less about most games, this weekend was huge. The calendar...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Stranger’s Approval
Part of my job is customer service oriented. I help kids figure out how to navigate the vast machine that is higher education. I like this part of the job, I get to see the best and worst of people....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Squirrels Hate Me
Today I came home to a neat little, squirrel sized hole where I had just planted an array of tulip bulbs. The first bulbs I’ve ever planted. Onion skin husks sat six inches beneath the surface. Mocking...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Bride and the Stripper
Last weekend, my best friend got married. The wedding couldn’t have been more perfect. The bride looked stunning. The groom couldn’t stop smiling. We danced and ate and drank and ate some more and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cold Day In OR Midwest Love
The sweet Swedish forecaster here in Minneapolis said we wouldn’t break zero today. Even our optimistic, south-facing thermometer agreed. Worry not, dear reader, we planned ahead. The plan today was to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Seeing “Captain Phillips” at the Riverview
As much as I love Tom Hanks, he wasn’t the reason I wanted to see Captain Phillips. You may have heard a couple of Minneapolis boys sort of stole the show. Barkhad Abdi has even been nominated for a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
I’m Tired of Talking About Snow
This week we saw grass for the first time in months. Snow mold spotted our yard like bits of fur or feathers from a hawk attack. I’ve got that bird on my mind since I walked around the front of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
For the Love of Jolene
Growing up, I was one of those Midwestern kids who said I liked all kinds of music, except country of course. Anything but gross, stereotypical, tractor-lovin country. Then I grew up, apparently used...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“The End of Vandalism”– Tom Drury
This novel has the slow steady pace of country life: A few big events puncture the narrative but mostly you get more than three hundred pages of small-town life. The sheriff and his deputies. Some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Stranger’s Approval
Part of my job is customer service oriented. I help kids figure out how to navigate the vast machine that is higher education. I like this part of the job, I get to see the best and worst of people....
View Article
