county fairs wind waves in the grass six steps of acquaintance coincidence (inevitable) all the kinds of clouds old farm buildings the first sight of a mountain the Oregon Trail the horizon houses people can’t yet bear to tear down small-town convenience stores knowing delivery guys by name the Pony Express reride corn cows knowingContinue reading “A hundred prairie things I love.”
Author Archives: This Prairie Life.
Draw OTB.
Approximately one eon ago, when I worked at the newspaper, we had a horticulturist with Extension who wrote for us every week without fail. Also without fail, her columns began with the words: “Now is the time for.” Looking at the narratives I’ve written here, that appears to be basically how I roll. I rememberContinue reading “Draw OTB.”
Today, on Christmas Adam.
It’s Christmas Adam. Several of my kids had never heard of that, and they find it hilarious. (Frankly, so do I, and I *have* heard of it.) Today, on Christmas Adam, we have outstanding window decorations. I love when the frost on the window does its own beadwork. It’s my favorite kind of Jack FrostContinue reading “Today, on Christmas Adam.”
Pasture cedar Christmas tree, and related thoughts.
Winter starts officially sometime tomorrow. The next day is supposed to be bitterly cold (although if we were further north, it would just be a regular winter day) with a high remaining below zero. Jack Frost’s artistry is growing on the storm windows — visibly expanding — even though the sun is up. I changedContinue reading “Pasture cedar Christmas tree, and related thoughts.”
All the emotions, some in disguise.
We picked some corn. Actually, we picked marginally more corn than we expected, given all the potential for the adverse weather conditions to do their worst. We had hail and wind claims this year and, in face of this drought, are almighty thankful we are on the water mound resulting from the canal irrigation systemContinue reading “All the emotions, some in disguise.”
James Webb and pasture plants.
Have you seen the amazing images produced by the various ways to see things with the James Webb Space Telescope? I could stare at those for hours. I don’t, usually, as life demands, etc., but I could. It occurred to me this morning as I cropped a photo from the pasture (my computer has thisContinue reading “James Webb and pasture plants.”
A September Thursday.
This fine Thursday, I woke up to essentially the same to-do list as Tuesday, so I went outside and took photos. As one does. The to-do list would take a whole, oh, I don’t know, two hours? — not including paying work — if I would just get started. That getting started part has evidentlyContinue reading “A September Thursday.”
How to realize you’re too busy.
It’s been a time here, fellow humans. Softball. Endless softball. Alysia asked me the other night about this out-of-character softball participation. I’ve been firmly in the camp of “no summer things” forever. I’m a believer in a generally simple life, saying no to most of the things, taking a true break from school, and notContinue reading “How to realize you’re too busy.”
Several stories in one story; or, the other grievous thing that happened.
Four thousand words! Dear friends, and especially new readers, I have previously never written this many words at one go in my life — not in college papers, not in high school papers, none of it. Chances are good I will never do it again, but the existence of my five kids proves I shouldContinue reading “Several stories in one story; or, the other grievous thing that happened.”
And suddenly, it’s Epiphany.
And wow, how things have changed. Today, the kids went back to school after a slightly extended Christmas break — extended by a day on the front end by a reward day off for good testing scores, and extended by two hours on the back end by a reward late start for food bank donations.Continue reading “And suddenly, it’s Epiphany.”
This Prairie Life. 