He reached out to me when the snow piled waist-deep, but I continued to resist long after the thaw. The pursuit endured for months, as with a pack of hounds. Finally, I relented. Unlike the fox exhausted to the point of death, my change of heart came when I caught the scent of a potential … More Joining the Symphony of Life through Partnerships.
The best part of our family having carved out a niche through farming, writing, and the creation of fine art, by far, is having a seat at the community’s dinner table, which enables us to join the larger conversation. This brings immense joy, particularly when our contribution is the least important part, but somehow remains … More Finding a seat at the table
Just seven weeks ago, the bleakness seemed absolute. Beyond thought or comprehension. All we could do was huddle together and put one foot forward at a time in little baby steps. But which way was forward? Way too much happened all at once to not consider the possibility that the doors were closing on our … More Turnaround!
I’ve been quiet lately. That’s ok, I think. Probably the most memorable experience of the past month was a trip the family took to pick strawberries together. We took the country route, rather than the busy highway. I was inspired by several farms, and stopped for grass fed beef and a full gallon of maple … More The Power of Place
My quest to meet freaks, weirdo’s, people using useful skills USEFULLY, non-conventional humans, artists (who may or may not be human), continues. Today, however, I must return to a fascinating couple that I introduced in my recent post on the Food Farm. They are Duluth’s very own “odd couple.” The show Green Acres comes to … More An “Odd Couple” Producing Food and Art ORGANICALLY in the Heart of a Renaissance
Cultivating awareness can be taken as an activity pursued in solitude for no greater purpose than that of enriching ourselves, as a kind of ego-centric navel-gazing activity. However, this is certainly not the goal. As we become more “aware” and exude gratitude for a multitude of blessings that have been showered upon us, we can … More Practical Ways to Cultivate Awareness and Gratitude in Daily Life, Part 2
The view from the mountaintop is stunning, but the hard slog of getting there is what allows us to really appreciate it. So much hard work is required, the path can seem to drag on interminably, eventually we catch glimpses of the landscape which build anticipation, and finally the panorama opens up in all directions. … More Teachers are the salt of the earth, secret messages from arachnids, and gratitude for every layer of life.
Every single trip spent delivering books by bike is meaningful. Powerful even. Well, in this case I was delivering a thank you note to the Mayor’s office. He purchased my book and carved out 15 minutes of his day to visit with me recently. The hourlong round-trip required to personally deliver a handwritten note to … More Tales From the Pedaling Book Peddler, Part 3 – Unearthing Gold of Immeasurable Value
One week ago I tore into my first box of books, and immediately began delivering them by bike to individual readers across the city and countryside. This here was one of my last deliveries that evening, after seven hours of haphazardly criss-crossing the area. I reached home just before it became too dark. Close call! … More Tales From the Pedaling Book Peddler, Part 2
One final breath. Then, with a subtle exhalation of release, nothing. She was gone. Her body remained, but grandma was no longer there. Born a century ago in 1915, this dreaded moment loomed for years. It seemed she had been around forever, and would go on indefinitely. Indeed, another lifetime like her’s takes you back … More Grandma Lights the Way
Ed's Big Adventure 