Category Archives: St. Joseph

Keep Death Always Before Your Eyes

It was a hard week in my neck of the woods. Last week a police officer was killed in Cold Spring, in an alley behind Winner’s Bar, about six blocks from where I used to live. The case is very … Continue reading

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A Hundred Words for Ice

Ice is important to our winter life. Snow is unpredictable, but ice is a certainty. Still, not all ice is equal. The pond could freeze on Sunday night, when the 10-degree 25-mph winds blow all night long. Then on Monday, … Continue reading

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Thanksgiving, Cars and America

Last month my Honda Civic Hybrid died and after 10 years, it was time to buy a new car. Having moved to a part-time job, I was no longer in the same “bracket” for buying. I had hoped the next … Continue reading

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Election Day

2008 was the first year I voted in St. Joseph (I blogged this after the election). I went to the firehouse in the morning, because I like to wear my sticker all day, and it was crowded. My name wasn’t … Continue reading

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One Hour

The question for today, the first day of Daylight Savings Time, is “How will you use your extra hour?” I woke up somewhat more refreshed than usual, looked out the window at the garden, and wondered. I used my extra … Continue reading

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Scratch

Steve’s daughter Catherine and her boyfriend Homer are visiting from New York and now waiting out Hurricane Sandy. Homer’s mother Marjorie is the one who let us tag along on her weekly market shopping in New York in March. Homer bakes … Continue reading

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At the Somali Grocery

Yesterday, on the way back from having my car checked (bad news), I stopped at the Somali grocery to buy a big sack of basmati rice and some tandoori masala spice. There is a large Somali population in St. Cloud. … Continue reading

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Raw Milk Cheese

It’s been a regular cheese factory around here this weekend. It’s also baking season, and I’ve been loving cooking with the pie pumpkins. I finally plugged in the freezer to hold the last of the tomatoes, the green beans and the … Continue reading

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End of Summer

It was the fall equinox yesterday, and I spent most of it cooking pumpkin bread and pulling things out of the garden. For the first time, I had to wear a wool cap and sweater out there, and I was … Continue reading

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Stickwork, part 3: Lean on Me

At the end of three weeks, the sculpture is done! Five leaning buildings that started as images of a small chapel on the lake and became a means and representation of community. At the celebration, gifts were given to visiting artist Patrick Dougherty … Continue reading

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