Skittles Finds a Friend

I drove out to the farm to check on Skittles. I was worried about her because she’d been venturing out into the wilds as of late, and with the human scent on her, I was concerned that she might not be accepted by her own kind any more.

As I neared the farm, my fears were allayed; she was out in a field, romping around and looking for food with a new friend.

At this time of year, a field is like a giant scratch-off ticket for the deer; they may get lucky and scratch up something to eat, or find nothing and have to move on. Today, they would get lucky.

Skittles has come a long way since we found her orphaned last year. She may be scratching around in a field now, but with all the new friends she’s made, I think she’s already won the lottery.

–Photo by me

River Rink

What do several great NHL players, including three that joined the US Olympic Hockey Team, have in common? They all had their humble beginnings right here, at the river rink in Warroad, MN.

For a town of less than 2,000, that is simply incredible. Perhaps some of the fighting spirit that gave the town its name still hangs in the frigid air.

I look at the kids out there now and wonder what great future hockey players may be among them.

–Photo by me

high noon (archives)

in the middle of our supper,

the night fell with a thud,

splattering gravy everywhere.

smokey licked most of it up,

but the damage was done,

and it stayed dark all night.

then, at breakfast, the day

suddenly broke overhead,

and our eggs and bacon went

flying all over the place.

again, smokey cleaned it up,

but the damage was done,

and the day stayed broken.

for lunch, we went out to

the pasture to eat more of

the mushrooms we’d found

there a few days before.

suddenly, smokey pointed

up at the sun and yelled,

“it’s high noon! hit the dirt!”

but the damage was done,

and we stayed high all day.