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.”

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.”

The prairie at midday in autumn.

… sans kids, because school, and celebrated with a deli meal from the grocery store. One thing about the pasture is that it’s pretty much impossible to capture the feel of it in a photo. I’ve come close a few times, but the day I perfectly catch the feel of it will most likely neverContinue reading “The prairie at midday in autumn.”

The prairie’s aura of calm is the vacation from summer break.

This column first appeared in the July 10-11, 2021, issue of the Kearney Hub. (I said I wasn’t doing this anymore, but apparently this wasn’t true in real life.) You can find it on page 5A of the print or e-print edition. My husband and I took a couple hours last week to deliver aContinue reading “The prairie’s aura of calm is the vacation from summer break.”

Things I love about summer.

I’m glad the prairie is a place with seasonal change — there’s something about that seasonal change that is invaluable for perspective. And while each season has its high points, somehow I’ve settled into a strong preference for this one. It is missing some good things (*cough* school *cough*) and has some annoyances (ugh, humidity!)Continue reading “Things I love about summer.”