HERE IN NOT SO SUNNY, NOT SO WARM FLORIDA, two year old granddaughter Sofie is not quite ready for grandparent hugs yet. Evidently FaceTime phone calls for a year and a half are not quite the same as in-person. But we are immensely patient. Mostly. And so VERY grateful we are able to safely make this journey and begin to
Beyond This Glass Is An Eagle Nest
BEYOND THIS GLASS IS AN EAGLE NEST in a tall pine. Between the glass and the nest was a 100 foot pine we had to take down two days ago. Hopefully preventing the spread of beetles and definitely allowing sunshine down to the young pines below.
The Loss Of A Grand Old Tree Friend
WELL, TODAY’S SAD NEWS of the loss of a grand old tree friend was balanced by a bit of happy news. It seems my memoir, “Deep Woods, Wild Waters” was named by Minnesota Monthly one of the top ten books of the last decade on Minnesota sports and outdoors. Who knew?! Notice sent to me by my publisher, University of
Old Deacon Pines
TODAY KATHY AND I BADE GOODBYE to one of the proud, old deacon pines here at the Church O’ The Pines. Tall and straight, 120 years of age and weighing scores of tons, it had become infested with bark beetles. So, to protect its neighbors, we made the sad decision to have it removed.
Sermon Deals With Loss
ON THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES, our sermon deals with loss. Very near our cabin is a straight, tall, Deacon pine, 120 years of age. Still strong and green, it is infested with bark beetles and this week we must take it down and remove it—to protect the cabin and the forest. Several hundred yards away
Minnesota’s Great Mandolin Master
AS POSTED YESTERDAY, MINNESOTA’S GREAT MANDOLIN MASTER and composer Peter Ostroushko has passed away. In June of 2019 a group of wonderful musicians donated their time and talents to a fund-raiser for Peter and Marge. At the end of the concert a number of folks took the stage to close out the evening with Peter’s exquisite “Heart Of The Heartland.”
The Deacon Pines
HERE IN THE PINEY WOODS BY THE FATHER OF WATERS, it is warming up fast. Only 497 degrees below zero this morning.
Father Of Waters Lies Frozen
ON THIS COLD WINTER DAY, as the Father Of Waters lies frozen beneath an icy blanket, here is an excerpt from my summer essay, The Stick Throwers, from the book, “Deep Woods, Wild Waters.”
The Trees Pop And The River Booms
HERE AT THE CHURCH O’ THE PINES IT IS COLD. 540 degrees below zero. The trees pop and the river booms. The sun hangs at the same point on the horizon, there for 3 days now, as it is too cold to move. At certain points in the blue dome overhead, we begin to see cracks in the sky, as
Stonehenge And The Incredible Journey Of Those Ancient Rocks
TOYING WITH THOUGHTS OF PERSPECTIVE on a troubling, historic day, I just came across a story about Stonehenge, and the incredible journey of those ancient rocks.