Louise Erdrich has long been one of my favorite authors, though I haven't read everything she's written. At least one, Plague of Doves, I read twice. Her latest book, The Night Watchman, is a bit different because it's an historical novel.
In 1953-54 the U.S. Senate terminated 113 Native American Tribes. Native Americans lost 1.4 million acres of land and many persons were left destitute. The termination abrogated historic treaty rights. Native Americans in the Turtle Mountain Reservation, North Dakota, were the first to fight termination and they were successful. The fight against termination was led by Erdrich's grandfather who left voluminous correspondances and other documents to which Erdrich has access. That grandfather was a night watchman at the plant on the edge of the reservation which made watch bearings from gemstones.
Because the genre is a bit different than her usual, the book is also different. The characters who show up in several of her books are absent. Perhaps the beginning is a bit slow but her gift for narrative takes over and makes a compelling and fascinating read. There is enough in the book for both the historian and the mystic. I highly recommend it.
One of my country neighbors offered me access to his large sweet corn patch. Two cobs anchored my lunch reminding me of my mother's menu which was corn on the cob and fresh tomatoes. Here's a little sweet corn growing tutorial for city folks. Racoons love sweet corn. If a row of sweet corn is planted in the middle of a hundred acre field of commercial corn the coons will find it. Just as it ripens they will eat it all. To keep the coons at bay farmers erect an electric fence, normally used to contain cattle, around the perimeter. The fence doesn't kill the coons, just gives them a good jolt. 😁
Takk for alt,
Al
The Little House on The Prairie.
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