To Cindy

So the deal was I smoke

gross nasty          I know    but it is what it is

you were just beautiful and smart         Im really going to regret our disconnect

North Country Stories…

Yesterday Andy and I went to Duluth to take photos of big boats coming into the harbor… Usually the only folks there are tourists — taking photos, or locals stopping to watch.

This time, a Native American family caught my eye.  The kids were running around doing what kids do.. The adults were watching patiently — they didn’t have cameras and they looked hopeful…

As the ship came in, they started looking intently at the deck… Then they began to say “there’s grandpa”… “look, he’s waving to us”…

Sometimes we go out to take photos of landscape and we’re lucky to see something really special.

In the woods

When I was a kid, on Saturday’s my folks would have rum and cokes and listen to A Prairie Home Companion.

Garrison Kielor’s story about Buddy Holly still makes me cry.

Our version of that is hanging out in Isabella and listening to the Dead and Neil Young way too loud, 22 miles from the next nearest person.

To me, it feels like praying because I’m not very religious………………..or am I?

Sometimes I feel like wearing an orange robe and wandering around the forest service roads just being happy with everyone and everything, but I’m worried they wouldn’t sell me smokes at Piggly Wiggly.

Itchy Feet…

I’m itching to go back to Carhenge…

This travel thing, I realized is a family thing — my grandparents traveled extensively — driving to Alaska and all the national parks… Later in life they took several cruses and lived in both Iowa and Florida for quite a while.

My aunt has fantastic travel stories — and has been everywhere… Mom, Pam and I did our share of travel as well…

Along the way I’ve become somewhat of a travel ninja — I can work an airline and airport like a pro….. (Hubby and my debaters can attest to that — Andy has yet to see that talent in his photographer’s assistant) — I can read a map, drive in the mountains, find us someplace to stay and scope out the local good stuff with an uncanny accuracy… in short, I’m not only a good traveler (a huge compliment in my family), but I’m also a fun travel companion.

I get kind of restless when I’m in town for too long — and I’m someone who loves to go — wherever… I’ve been to all but 8 (I think) states.  I’ve been to Canada, Mexico and Europe — I’d love to go to Asia and/or South America and I may end up teaching for a short term in Africa in a summer or two.