INDEPENDENTLY SPEAKING

There’re times when blessings rain down like, you know, rain.

Our youngest daughter was married last Saturday.

Here on the farm.

Outside.

On October 10.

Have I ever mentioned we live in the place with the worst weather in the world?

When I learned of the proposed wedding dat...

I got nothin’.

It’s Monday morning. In less than 24 hours, 600 words arranged in complete sentences need to be sent off to various editors. When I got up this morning, I did the math and figured I’ve been in this situation roughly 1362 times. I’m sure I’ll be able to co...

“Papa,” Number Five said, “we need to make a fire thing.”

He put his hand on my shoulder and looked intently into my eyes.

“What do you mean, a fire thing?” I asked. I wasn’t about to commit to anything without a few more details.

“You know,” he said, “a round thing, made...

I now have nine jars of very thick, very sweet grape juice.

I’ve always kind of believed the old, “when life gives you lemons make lemonade,” thing. But I don’t know what the hell to do with this stuff.

I was shooting for grape jelly. Sadly, as is often the case when I s...

I can stop wishing for a tornado.

We painted our farm buildings.

Let me explain. 

For a hundred years or so, this was a real farm, with half a dozen different barns and buildings scattered around the grounds, most of which I built or helped build. Over time, they all got...

I’m perched on a worn wooden deck, high above a northern Minnesota lake. A gaggle of grandchildren are splashing in crystal clear water that I think is way too cold, but the kids don’t seem to mind. I’ve spent most of my life seeing cold and wet as something to be avoi...