Dayton, OH!

       An easy trip, except for the thunderstorm, that brought us from Cleveland to Dayton via Columbus. In Columbus we were hosted for a delightful lunch and great conversation with Shirly and Nelson. As if that were not enough, Nelson gifted us with ice cream scoops...curly maple...and bowls ("take your pick") from his woodshop! Lisa chose a boxelder wood bowl, and I. a bowl in the shape of a boat!  Reverse hostess gifts. 😃

    It was a short drive to Dayton where we are in an Air B&B, 'The Blue Heron', where we've stayed before. It's a cabin, in park like setting near the Stillwater River. It's only 10 minutes from Gerry's house, Lisa's Godmother, whom we are visiting. The bird feeders outside our window hosts multi-species, a delight to the eyes.

Takk for alt,

Al

COVID or Cleveland?

      Plans  for a boat trip were scuttled by Monday. The boat, and much else, doesn't run/open on Monday. Is that a result of COVID or a feature of life in Cleveland?  We visited the West Side Market, a huge emporium of fruits, vegetables, meats and other foods. It was built as a market for immigrant groups opening in 1912. See picture below...

      We drove along the lakefront and learned that Lake Erie produces the most fish of any of the Great Lakes. This is because it is shallow and the water is warmer than the other lakes. A short drive took us to Oberlin , OH., that I last visited when Lars graduated from Oberlin College in 1992.

      Today Loganberry Bookstore awakened from it's Monday slumber. A few blocks down the boulevard from me it's vast bazaar of new and used books, gifts, cards, art, etc. Perusing the stock occupied most of my morning. Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer, followed me home. It was published a few blocks down Washington Ave., from the Minneapolis condo. Too bad Loganberry Books is 700 miles from MN. Pictured below...

      Tomorrow we'll be on the road again.

Takk for alt,

Al

                                  The West End Market.

                       A small portion of Loganberry Books.  

      "A family is where the love of humanity dwells, and it is a beautiful world where hope flourishes." This is the final sentence in Paek's book.  Paek, Nam-nyong. Friend (Weatherhead Books on Asia) . Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.  Published in 1988 it is one of the few North Korean novels to reach an international audience. It's unique that it is a state-sanctioned book by a leading North Korean author in good standing.

       Ignoring the paeans to socialist society's ideals, the book is rife with perceptive observations on marriage, the human condition, and the ways people feel and think. Character development is well done so empathy with the characters develops easily. The good hearted divorce judge, the main character, is a very engaging person. 

     Paek's descriptions of nature are classic. Describing the wind as rushing without a home, going as if being chased gives a whole new way of thinking of it. His descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of spring after a long cold winter transports the reader to the scene.   

    In all it was a fascinating read on many levels, so, yes, I recommend it.

A boat ride is scheduled for this afternoon followed by dinner. Therefore, this early post.

Takk for alt,

Al

    

                          This is how I feel after a long car ride.

       The Air B&B, whee I'm staying in Cleveland, is only few blocks from Shaker Heights. My image of Shaker Heights came from reading All The Little Fires. It's not what I pictured. Think of large houses spaced in a forest of tall trees with winding streets. The Shaker Museum was quite modest, which I suppose would be appropriate for a modest sect.  Wikipedia, see below, can fill you in on the details of the Shakers.

      Bonnie gave us a tour of John Carroll University, where she is Dean of Arts and Sciences. Then she treated us to dinner at her house, about a block from the university. Both her house and the university are in University Heights. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Shakers

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For the Indian Shaker Church, see Indian Shakers. For other uses, see Shaker (disambiguation).

United Society of Believers

Life of the Diligent Shaker, Shaker Historical Society
Total population
2
Founder
Ann Lee
Regions with significant populations
Maine, United States
Religions
Shakerism
Scriptures
The Bible, various Shaker texts
Languages
English
Website
maineshakers.com

Shakers

Topics
Early chronology of Shakers Era of Manifestations Shaker communities Shaker families Shaker furniture Shaker inventions "Simple Gifts" Works based on "Simple Gifts" Anti-Shaker
Notable people
Founders Jane and James Wardley Ann Lee William Lee James Whittaker Joseph Meacham Lucy Wright Other members Shaker members
v t e

The Ritual Dance of the Shakers, Shaker Historical Society

The Shakers Harvesting Their Famous Herbs

The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, are a millenarian nontrinitarian restorationist Christian sect founded circa 1747 in England and then organized in the United States in the 1780s. They were initially known as "Shaking Quakers" because of their ecstatic behavior during worship services. Espousing egalitarian ideals, women took on spiritual leadership roles alongside men, including founding leaders such as Jane Wardley, Mother Ann Lee, and Mother Lucy Wright. The Shakers emigrated from England and settled in Revolutionary colonial America, with an initial settlement at Watervliet, New York (present-day Colonie), in 1774. They practice a celibate and communal utopian lifestyle, pacifism, uniform charismatic worship, and their model of equality of the sexes, which they institutionalized in their society in the 1780s. They are also known for their simple living, architecture, technological innovation, music, and furniture.

During the mid-19th century, an Era of Manifestations resulted in a period of dances, gift drawings, and gift songs inspired by spiritual revelations. At its peak in the mid-19th century, there were 2,000-4,000 Shaker believers living in 18 major communities and numerous smaller, often short-lived, communities. External and internal societal changes in the mid- and late-19th century resulted in the thinning of the Shaker community as members left or died with few converts to the faith to replace them. By 1920, there were only 12 Shaker communities remaining in the United States. As of 2019, there is only one active Shaker village: Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, in Maine.^[1] Consequently, many of the other Shaker settlements are now museums.

Cleveland, Ohio.

          Lisa safely piloted us around Chicago through blinding rainstorms, endless construction and bumper to bumper traffic. "Are we having fun yet?" echoed in the car. No, it wasn't much fun, but necessary to bring us to Cleveland. Lisa is staying with Bonnie at her house at John Carroll University and I'm in an Air B&B, in east Cleveland. The Air B&B, is the back unit of a duplex and I have the run of three floors.

       The irony of driving through cloudbursts of rain struck me as the parched west waits desperately for some. Josh, neighbor to The Little House, texted me that Sinai got .25" which is better than nothing but not nearly enough.  We're 700+ miles now from Sinai. 

       The cartoon below struck me becasue one of my corn fields has a very poor stand. It was too dry at planting time for some of the corn to germinate.  But, unlike the cartoon, there was seed in the planter.

 Takk for alt,

Al

Safely in Illinois.

       Wisconsin has many trees. Perhaps you never noticed that. Driving from Hudson to Janesville, then east on Highway 14, until crossing into Illinois many trees could be observed. Knowing the actual tree count in Wisconsin would be interesting. It was a quick and easy trip that brought Lisa and me to Lake Chrystal, IL. There is more traffic on I-94 and I-90 than that which I encounter driving from Minneapolis to The Little House. Could that be an understatement?

      We are hosted by Chris and  Mary in a style beyond that to which we are accustomed.  Finally, after two plus years, we are reconnected with Joanne's sister and brother-in-law. Grateful that we all survived COVID it's good to be together again. It's the first stop on our first post pandemic road trip. So far so good!

Takk for alt

Al

UFOs?

        The screen saver on my computer posted this picture with the question "How were these made?"  My  answer is "They were either made by UFOs or, round balers. These bales have some advantages to the smaller square bales, such as shedding rain. One big advantage of them is that you're not tempted to lift them by hand. Depending upon the content of the bale they weigh in the range of 800-1200 lbs. Many refugees from the farm have memories of the labor of handling the smaller bales. 

        Judging by the spacing of the bales it appears that it was a modest forage crop. If they are bales of straw left after harvesting a crop of grain it would be about average and the golden color would be in keeping with that.. The lay of land makes me think it is a crop of hay. With no trees in sight suggests a field in the west. It's a pretty picture, at least.

       Well that's about as profound as it get's today. 😀

Takk for alt,

Al

Quiet condo!

      When I returned to the condo after dropping Kaia off at doggy camp today I found a note taped to my door. It was from the neighbors on the floor above me apologizing for construction noise. They are installing a new floor. The noise is not a problem, though yesterday when Kaia heard the pounding she barked. She probably thought someone was pounding on the door. Trygve almost never barked but Kaia assumes some watch dog responsibility.

    The condo feels empty without her and it is a good reminder of how important she is to me. Companionship is one reason I value her. The other is the motivation she provides to keep me moving. She's a bit possessive. She'll be sleeping quietly by me until I begin a telephone conversation. Then she'll find a tissue to tear, carry socks around or do something else to indicate she's being ignored. 😃

A bit of poetry for this day.

Maya Angelou (b. 1928)

"Touched by an Angel"

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

Takk for alt,

Al

Maya Angelou (b. 1928)

"Touched by an Angel"

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

Dog Park

     Kaia loves to run in the dog park. However, the dog park lacks an essential ingredient. Kaia is tuned to birds and, lovely as is the dog park, it has no birds. Robins, blackbirds and mourning doves grazing in the grass fly at Kaia's approach and then she races them as they fly. In the dog park sans birds she runs but not as fast as she does when there are birds to chase. She notices other dogs but has no need to visit them which makes it simple to turn her loose to run in the park.

   There's construction either just above or below my unit. The pounding unsettles her so she barks adding  noise to the din. Trygve barked about once in every three years. Kaia thinks she's a watch dog so she barks when someone comes to the door. Tomorrow she's going to doggy camp while Lisa and I take a little road trip.

Takk for alt,

Al

Memory lane.

        After returning from Thailand earlier than planned in 2020, as COVID was advancing, I moved to Lisa's house for six weeks. Leaving the condo I thought might be a brief exit of a few weeks. After six weeks it became clear that isolation was going to be much longer term. On May 1, 2020, I relocated to The Little House and have lived mostly there ever since.

      Today I took my first extended walk in the Skyway since early March 2020. For any who may not know, the Minneapolis Skyway system is a second story 'sidewalk' running approximately 10 miles connecting downtown buildings. Walking the Skyway today was a bit of a ghost town experience. Most of the businesses that lined the walk are shuttered. There were a few other walkers, but not many. Prior to the pandemic every retail place was occupied and at 3:00 p.m., my walk time, the walkway would have been busy with people. My guess is that there's a bit more life now than there was a few months ago.  

    One of Joanne's favorite activities with he granddaughters was to walk the Skyway from home to Target Store. This would be about a mile in each direction. Evy was old enough so she knew the way. Recently I asked Evy for a memory of her grandma.  She remembered coming back from Target to find her mother waiting to bring her home. Joanne said, "But we haven't baked chocolate chip cookies yet." Yesterday Evy invited me over to her house for a chocolate chip cookie she baked. Joanne would have loved that, as did I.

Takk for alt,

Al

Rain, or lack of it.

       Josh, my neighbor, next to The Little House, texted my a picture of my rain gauge. It held .1" of rain. Here, in Minneapolis, we've had some showers that brought more than that. My weather app says .7" for Mpls. Makes me jealous for South Dakota. So, back to waiting!

      Kaia and I walked down to the art fair by the Stone Arch Bridge. As the sky darkened we headed back to the condo and were safely inside before a nice shower came. A few hours later it rained hard enough so I could only see a couple of blocks. It didn't last long but is very welcome.

Takk for alt,

Al

Swimming Party!

       The family gathered for a pool party at the condo swimming pool. Pizza came afterward!  How fun was that 😁.  Kaia had a morning run at a dog park so she had her outing, too.  All's well and so is Al, 😋

Takk for alt,

Al

Well that explains it!

      Hearing has been a struggle lately. While I can turn up the volume with the app on my phone that has the effect of amplifying all the ambient noises so it's of limited value.  That's why I went to the VA for an audiology test today. Voila!!!!!! What was learned? The left aid was non-functional, shutting down when sounds came. Not, too helpful! It was sent to the manufacturer for repair. Since my last audiology test  about two years ago I've lost 20 decibels of hearing in my right ear. With a tune up of the the right aid, I'm now hearing better than I as with two. New aids, more powerful and reliable, are on order and I should get them in September or October.  

      What was that you said?

Takk for alt,

Al

The Condo in the Sky!

        Driving from the Little House I paralleled a small weather front for the first two hours. Driving into the wind that accompanied the front was not good for gas mileage. After a brief pit stop the front got ahead of us. When that happened my gas mileage improved 15%.

    The condo is surrounded by construction sites.  The third avenue bridge is closed for years. The gateway tower, two blocks away is coming up, 20 plus stories already. 3rd avenue is down to one lane and 4th avenue as well.  With the construction traffic has diverted to Washington Ave. which runs past this building. Life seems to be returning to downtown Minneapolis in spite of all the construction. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Energetic Dog.

        Kaia and I have been doing our run/walk before breakfast so she get more exercise in the relative cool of the morning. Even with that she gets restless in the afternoon. In the 90 degree heat her afternoon run is short though she still loves to run. She just doesn't go so long and then she's ready for a big drink of water. 

       There are two businesses left on Sinai's main street, not counting the post office. There's a bank and a butcher shop, which is next door to my garage. Every Wednesday noon the bank employees, 4, and the butcher and his help, 2-3, have lunch together at the bank. The butcher often supplies meat to grill and others bring salads and desserts. Going by local custom the meal is called 'dinner', the evening meal is 'supper'. They've issued me a standing invitation to join them which I do when I'm in town. Today the menu was pork chops, watermelon and fresh vegetables.  It's a treat for me who often eats alone. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Not a sprint!

       Reading has been a bit on the back burner since warm weather arrived. It took three requisitions from the library before I finished David McCullough's biography of President Truman; TRUMAN.  It garnered a Pulitzer Prize, and few details were omitted in this book of over 1300 pages. As always, I learned a lot and came away with an even greater appreciation of Truman. (Less appreciation for Eisenhower, but that's another subject.)  Yes, I recommend it, thought reading it is not so much a sprint as a marathon.

      In the early 90s I purchased some land that had a cattle lane. The lane,  fenced on both sides, led from the cattle yard at the farmstead to pasture on the far end of the property. To provide a runway for wildlife I planted a double row of cedars in the lane. They now stand approximately 20" tall and harbor a variety of nesting birds. These cedars are also a gift that keeps on giving. Berries from the trees take root in the adjoining grassland and, with out removal, cedar trees would soon disrupt the integrity of the grass field.

     This morning's project was removing some of those misplaced cedars. Stoop labor is good exercise for me but a morning of it was enough for one day. Two bald eagles soaring above added spice to the effort. So gratifying so see them after they came so close to extinction.

Takk for alt,

Al

Summer bloom...

      The large, craggy, old catalpa tree in my neighbor's yard is full of white blossoms. It's on full display from my dining room window. The blossoms will give way to pods so the beauty comes at the expense of some mess. The chain link boundary fence that Jose erected serves to keep the pods from my yard.

      Spending the morning in tall grass was tick free. Thanks to Ranger Ready tick repellent, a gift from my neighbor, Josh. Spray lower pants legs, boots and bingo...no ticks. Good news becasue there are projects to do that require time in the grass.

Takk for alt,

Al

                                              The neighbor's catalpa tree.

                              

The longest day!

      My memory of Sunday evenings when I was a college student was that it was a "down"  time. Sunday's now are a bit like that. Kaia and I took a good walk early, 7:00 a.m., if that is early. Then followed the traditional Sunday blueberry pancake breakfast. After which it was time to read the newspaper. Church services are online followed with a live, zoom coffee hour. That completes the morning.

    It is the afternoon and evening that can get a bit long. Now many WNBA games can be accessed online so that's good entertainment. Reading?  At the moment motivation for reading is lacking, though I'm near finishing the 1300+ page biography of Harry Truman, which is very good. 

    Young robins are frequenting my yard and likely their parents are busy with a second nest. Saw a flock of canada geese on Lake Joanne...many adults with their goslings. They graze on the corn planted nearby. Last year they ate acres of soybeans from the same field. 

Takk for alt,

Al

                               My pond at sunset last night.

This beautiful summer day brought to mind Mary Oliver's poem.

 Mary Oliver (b. 1935)

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean—
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

    This morning the purple martins were swooping and swirling around the little house. I had to slow my truck, as I drove down main street, to let two chickens cross the street. Living here has its advantages. But, I think Mary Oliver is correct when she writes "Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?"

Takk for alt,

Al

Obsessed.

            Awakening to the sound of thunder this morning gave me hope of a significant rain. It's clear, and fascinating, how obsessed I've become with rain. O course rain matters and to many more than it does to me. When my weather app predicted an 80% chance of rain today it gives no indication of amount. The apps prediction was accurate as rain fell thus fulfilling the 80% chance.

          The rain awakened in me internal dissonance. Feelings of gratitude for what came get all mixed up with regret that there wasn't more rain.  Five miles west of  Sinai it was a sprinkle, thus my west field didn't get any, Sinai got .2" and my east field got .4"  So, I'm trying my best to be grateful and not focus on the lack.

       Yesterday I posted about the pond across the street from The Little House. Kaia and I were in the front yard last night enjoying the evening air. A turtle, about the size of a salad plate, crossed the street in front of us heading away from the pond toward the houses. Thinking I knew better than the turtle I redirected it to the pond. 

Takk for alt

Al

Life by the pond.

       Algae is blooming on the pond across the street from The Little House.  It was late coming this year becasue May was cold. In spots it is thick enough to support the weight of a blackbird that lands on it. The egret hasn't returned nor have the pelicans for some days. While I miss the egret the frogs live in greater safety with the bird's absence. 

     Kaia and I have been doing our run/walk early in the day. She gets hot very fast when she's running. Now, at 4:00 p.m., it's 95 degrees which isn't great for dog exercise. There's a heat advisory on for the county. The weather app says 80% chance of rain tomorrow. So here's hoping that it not only rains but rains enough to amount to something. My umbrellas is ready. 😄 The .2" of rain at the house last night did not reach to the field where the gauge was dry.

Takk for alt,

Al 

Tom Hennen

From a Country Overlooked

There are no creatures you cannot love.
A frog calling at God
From the moon-filled ditch
As you stand on the country road in the June night.
The sound is enough to make the stars weep
With happiness.
In the morning the landscape green
Is lifted off the ground by the scent of grass.
The day is carried across its hours
Without any effort by the shining insects
That are living their secret lives.
The space between the prairie horizons
Makes us ache with its beauty.
Cottonwood leaves click in an ancient tongue
To the farthest cold dark in the universe.
The cottonwood also talks to you
Of breeze and speckled sunlight.
You are at home in these
great empty places
along with red-wing blackbirds and sloughs.
You are comfortable in this spot
so full of grace and being
that it sparkles like jewels
spilled on water.

Accompaniment!

         In the year after Joanne's death, Sam, a friend from the early 60s, stayed emotionally close to me. Though we'd been friends a long time, geography kept us from spending much time face to face. Sam's entire ministry was in South Dakota, while I moved from North Dakota, to South Dakota and Iowa ending in Minnesota. Despite the geography he founds ways to touch me as I began to traverse the land of grief. Then, about a year after Joanne's death, his beloved wife, Mary, died. So now we are fellow denizens of the land of grief.

    Today the mail brought me an article from the Christian Century, May 19, 2021. The article is a review of the book The Night Lake: A Young Priest Maps the Topography of Grief, Liz Tichnor. Two and a half years after her mother's suicide her 40 day old son died. In the book she writes about asking another priest, her mentor, if he'll accompany her to pick up her son's ashes at the funeral home. He replies that of course he will saying "It is the priest job to accompany the body. This is our job, Liz. You will not do that alone."  The reviewer comments "If we are Christians, we choose to accompany the body."

     When Joanne died, Pastor Mary, led a beautiful blessing of the body. Then she encouraged us, the family, to accompany Joanne as she was moved from the condo, down the elevator, through the lobby to the hearse waiting outside. It was a moving and powerful experience. 

     Accompaniment: Every year when I've completed my teaching stint at the school in Thailand there has been a big send-off party for me. At the conclusion of the festivities the faculty gather and accompany me to the vehicle that carries me away. That is always a moving and powerful experience.  Lutheran World Relief uses the word 'accompaniment' to describe their relationship with their partners in other countries. Is not accompaniment an apt description of relationship, both with the living and those who have recently died?   Thanks, Sam!

Takk for alt,

Al

PS A little 'pop-up' shower dropped .2" of rain on The Little House this afternoon. I wonder what the rain gauge in the field 4 miles a way will show?  Every little bit helps.

Drought map.

       Readers of this blog know that I've been writing about how dry it is in South Dakota. This USDA map shows that Brookings County, home of The Little house, is in better condition than most of the state.  Start counting counties from the nexus of  MN, ND, SD, i.e., top right hand corner of the map, to the 4th county down and that's Brookings. Normal forage production on June 1, indicates that Brookings is relatively in better condition than almost anywhere else in the state. 

    Lawns are turning brown and my neighbor and I have suspended lawn mowing until it rains. Today it is 90 degrees with 37% humidity.  With the low humidity level it feels comfortable to me. Of course my comfort zone begins at 75 degrees and up. 😀

Takk for alt,

Al

Wind Without Rain.

       Herbert Krause was the 'writer in residence' at Augustana College when I was there in the early 60s. His books were about pioneer days in Dakota. A three volume boxed set of his books rests on a shelf in the condo. The three are Oxcart Trail, The Thresher, and Wind Without Rain. The only one of the three that I've read is The Thresher, and that was so gloomy that I never read the others. Maybe, someday???

    Wind Without Rain, came to mind as we experience drought and yesterday it featured a 30 mph wind. This kind of a hot spell, so early in the growing season that suffers from lack of moisture, is outside of my personal experience.  What will this early heat do to corn and soybeans? Likely it isn't good for them. My spraying was effective so my corn isn't competing with weeds for the little moisture available. The weather app on my phone indicates a 40% chance of rain Friday and that's all for ten days. It's raining in Bangkok but that's a bit far away.  😒

Takk for alt,

Al

June 6, 1964

       On June 6, 1964, Joanne and I were married at First Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, SD. It was a big week for me. On Sunday I graduated from Augustana College and on Saturday was married. There was no time for a real honeymoon. Joanne had accepted a position as counselor at St. Louis Park High School, MN. State licensing regulations dictated that she needed one more counseling course to qualify. The course was available at the University Of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD., and began meeting the Monday after our wedding. Of course it never occurred to Joanne that she could miss the first day of class. 😃

       There was a big celebration for our fiftieth anniversary in 2014, held at St. James Lutheran Church, where I'd been pastor for 19 years.  Of course, we knew life is uncertain, but didn't think that 4 years later Joanne would die. It was a wonderful celebration and I am so glad and grateful that Joanne and I had a chance to share it. 

     Today I began my day, as I often do, with a visit to the cemetery. It was particularly poignant to read our wedding date inscribed on our marker.  Three plus years now in the land of grief and on this day the presence of absence is particularly profound.  

Takk for alt,

Al

                                     Celebrating fifty years.

What is so hot as a day in June?

          The thermometer in the car registered 100 degrees for part of the trip to The Little House. When we arrived the temperature dropped to a balmy 93, well within my comfort zone. The house, sitting closed up, was 80, and I wondered "So why didn't I test it's a/c before now? The a/c is needed for Kaia. 😉 However, it's started immediately much to Kaia's satisfaction.

          Joanne exuded graciousness throughout our marriage. Still, there were a couple of my faux pas that she never quite got over. In the summer of 1976 I went to Union Seminary, Richmond, VA., for summer school, with the family in tow. Filling out the application form for family housing I missed the box for air conditioning.😝  We were housed at the end of a hall with a four foot box fan that was so powerful that we had to hang unto the children when we turned it on. Of course we had to have the windows open and he were next to the hospital emergency entrance so sirens were a constant. Joanne couldn't even take the children swimming, while I studied in the air conditioned library, because all the pools were private to keep out African Americans.  We survived and she never finished recounting the experience. 

Takk for alt,

Al

                      Enjoying the condo's pool.

Overnight!

      A gift of staying at the condo is proximity to family. Tonight my granddaughters are going to stay overnight with me!  😁  They love to swim, the pool is open and temperatures are in the 90s. What could be better?  A quick trip to the grocery store prepared the refrigerator and pantry for their presence. They'll probably approve if we order in pizza. In my memory they've never stayed overnight, even when Joanne was alive.  Kaia will love the extra attention, too.

     Perhaps I'll return to The Little House tomorrow. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Something to think about.

     "POWER PARADOX: New research suggests that the biggest threat to Christianity in a given nation is state support for it. A global sample of 166 countries over ten years found that as Government support for Christianity increased, the number of Christians declined. The data suggests that people are repelled by the intertwining of religion and partisan politics and that disentangling them might be the answer to rapid secularization." (Christian Today, May 6) Quoted in the June 2, 2021,  Christian Century, P. 8.

      It's quite interesting that this come from Christianity Today, an evangelical publication, given evangelicals wish to make America a Christian country. Whenever Christianity has been granted state status, going back to Constantine, the church has suffered. "What does it profit one to gain the whole world but lose one's soul" comes to mind.  It's time to reaffirm the separation of church and state for  the good of both entities. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Urban cabin!

       When referring to The Little House on the Prairie, I catch myself calling it "home" as in "I may go home Saturday. So if that's 'home' what is this condo in Mpls where I am at the moment?  Perhaps this is my "urban cabin."  I've heard of others, some from Iowa, who had a condo in Mpls that they considered their urban cabin. For them it was a place to stay while they attended Guthrie Theater or sporting events.

    It was the need to sign some papers at the bank that brought me this time. Of course a significant reason to come is to see family and friends. In fact a Friday night sleep over of the granddaughters is in the works. How fun that will be! The swimming pool is open and ?????????  Kaia seems quite content here.

Takk for alt,

Al

On the wing...

       Today I saw and interesting variety of birds, in addition to the ubiquitous blackbirds, ducks, geese and robins.  Two great blue herons took flight as I tractored by the lake. A brown thrasher is nesting in the cedars far from human habitation. The hawk that circled overhead  was too far for clear identification.  As children we called them "skunk birds" because of their coloration but now it's recognized as a bobolink flying up from the grass.  The blue bird was sticking his/her head out of a nesting box. Pelicans still frequent my pond. To my delight an egret came to the pond today and stalks the shallows. 

       The bank has summoned me back to the big city tomorrow to sign some papers. Kaia and I will leave early enough to make a 1:30 appointment there. It's good that I got the spraying done today. The first adventure with the sprayer worked as well as the amateur operator permitted.  It takes about as long to drive the 10 miles between fields as it does to spray one. Some of the corn, planted the end of April, is now just emerging after last weeks rains. It's still very dry!

Takk for alt,

Al