Sept. 23, ’09- In the early morning dew, I head towards Wild Rice Slough. Slumbering frogs are jostled awake from my pattering footsteps. They leap off the backwaters banks and plunge in for a warm bath. I do the ancient song and out of the fog, 7 ducks take flight from First Pond. The mosquitos swarm and gnats fly up my nose. A dragon fly drifts past and greets me. I see a bird fly and land 50 feet out on Sunrise Slough. It looks like a chicken. New light and I hear the Sandhill Cranes by Big Bend. I rejoice in the warmth of 63 degrees. I flip my hooded sweatshirt hood up for the skeeters are hungry. Excitement courses through my viens, for I still hear the Spring Peepers and crickets. Oh yes, it’s sounds like this that take me into sweet serenity and the quiet spot within where all joy and peace is found. Two pine trees stand so boldly in the haze of this September morning. Yesterday, Greg turned 21 and I smile with a knowing that his arm and head are hurting. He’s such a blessing in our lives. He is gleefully following his path by pursuing a major in Communications and a minor in Environmental Studies. His strong points are being a great son and always lavishing Hawken with lots of love. I’m anxious to see his newest tattoo he had scripted on his arm. It’s a way to celebrate his bornin’ day and honor his Grandma Verna Roskos. It’s a cross with V.R. and 9-22 on it. For Grandma honored Greg in the highest form and chose his birthday for her to sleep in her heavenly home. I hasten my pace for there’s a vet call. I slow my pace for there’s a deeper call. The call of nature to nurture my soul. A damp spider web snags my attention as I wipe it away. I watch bats swoop to feast on the skeeters when I return down the lane. Hawken, Tom and I head to Arcadia to the Pavillion. Carol Rumpel is one of the fabulous teachers that is very in tune with nature. She has helped assemble a delightful day to profile history. Tom has prepared a demonstration to share with all the 3rd graders. The children are so eager to listen and feel the furs.  Children are the key to our future and we feel the time investment spent with them is priceless. It was nice to see familiar faces that have been to our open houses within the school class.  Later in the day, we sought out the tickets for Michael Pollan.  I am so thankful to Kyle Pronschinske-son of Neil and Sue-for helping us obtain seats.  Tom and I arrived to Winona State University by 7 PM.  I found the desired seats of being front and center.  My brother Tim joined us to fill the third seat.  The event @ Somsen Auditorium was bustling with activity. By 7:30 , Michael strode on stage and I was delighted to see the dynamic smile and knew it would be some kind of wonderful. Last winter, our niece Nancy Mc Allister gave Tom  “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan.  It prompted us to stretch, grow and re-evaluate all that we are doing in life and was another brick that we needed to return to our divine calling.  I haven’t actually finished the book. It was intense and coincided with all my new thoughts. I swung through the emotional  tide and knew we had to return to a simpler way with our farm. After much deliberation and just plain having Tom say-”If the corn doesn’t turn out, we’ll turn the cows in it”  we took the plunge into not spraying .  I was Round-Up queen and laughed off my brother’s comments about all the brown spots in the yard.  I grew up spraying thistles and chopping them with a hoe.  Now  I’ve made a commitment to rectifying the wrongs for now and for our future.  This presentation by Michael was entitled, “In Defense of Food: The Omnivore’s Solution.”   His message was to get back to the way Grandma cooked. Take time to prepare food as a family. He had shopped @ Midtown Foods and had brought cereal like Fruit Loops back to scare the audience with the long list of ingredients and volumes of sugar. I just sat and smiled knowingly. The points that were new to me were that there are neurons in the gut and that different societies adapt to eating things because of their genetic make up. This coupled with the rapid changes that our society endures can be contributing to our bodies inability to handle food products that we consume that stray from Grandma’s home cookin’.  We eased our way in line for him to autograph our book. I  knew he was hungry so we presented him with a homemade apple crisp, honey from our farm and apples from our orchard.  Tom and I drifted down Somsen stairs and we held hands in the end of summer evening.  We agreed that we were craving  McDonald’s after hearing Michael talk about it. Odd, for it’s rare we eat there and car camp woman had freshly picked raspberries for us to rip into when we found our van.  Thanks to Michael Pollan for spending a September evening in Winona, a town that’s rich in beauty and culture. ‘Til we meet again-thanks for pushing us to learn and expand in the summer sun.

Eat well and be well,