Last week, I noticed that snow had melted away from the south side of the barn, exposing dirt. Would it be strange to confess that I leaned down to breathe in the scent of it? The horses and dog found … Read the rest

Len Nelson says he doesn’t like kids. “Ankle-biters,” he calls them.

For several weeks each Sunday morning before the appointed date, 75-year-old Nelson stands up at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church and announces that there will be an ice-fishing party for … Read the rest

Not long ago, my friend Tina alerted me to a fox den near a trail where we regularly go horseback riding. The fox was there, sitting on top of its den watching as she and her horse passed by. I … Read the rest

There is a reason that wildflowers evoke flowery, evocative language. On a recent hike through Crow Pass, acres of wild roses filled the air with a scent like sweet honey and raspberries. Each rose’s five pink petals lay open like … Read the rest

I’m not a shoe person like my mom. My stylish mother’s head turns every time we pass by a shoe store or display. She loves pretty footwear; I believe she’d have  a pair for every outfit and occasion if she … Read the rest