I live in river country. A few blocks from our house flows the Rock River, coming down from the north and emptying into the Mississippi River about 40 miles away. My wife and I frequently walk a path that looks over the Rock. If we head the other direction, the…
For a good chunk of one’s life, the years come and go, marked by birthday celebrations along the way. Some are considered significant milestones—18, 21, 30, 50, and so on. I just had one of those milestones last week, joining the ranks of the Medicare Mob on May 27. The…
“Here we are as in olden days…” Are we? In many ways, we are. Christmas rolls around again as it has for centuries. Hasn’t always been so universally celebrated; nevertheless, no one alive in the western hemisphere remembers when it wasn’t celebrated. The other night, we went for a Christmas…
The air was cool and crisp, but not cold—the sun’s warmth kept any discomfort at bay. The occasional clouds were not a nuisance or obstruction; they added to the texture of the brilliant azure blue sky. Dry leaves swooshed and crunched beneath our feet. Those they had left behind on…
I have always lived “in town.” Never in a big city, but in towns with population ranging from 1,700 to 20,000. Because of that, my exposure to the farm and farm animals has been quite limited. In-town parents need to be intentional about getting their children exposed to the farm,…
Eight years old and it’s the middle of summer. A bowl of Cheerios, a piece of toast, and you’re ready for a morning of outdoor play. What will it be today? A pick-up game of sandlot baseball? Exploring in the woods, down by the stream, looking for tadpoles and crayfish?…
On a recent Saturday, I awoke to a weather alert on my phone. The National Weather Service had issued a severe storm warning for our region with the added threat of tornados. The tornado threat level was both significantly high and rare. All the conditions pointed to the potential for…
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