Little Pasture on the Prairie

I think you might learn everything you need to know about my tendency to overextend myself if you know that last week I took my kids camping and brought along a puppy and a week-old kitten who needed to be bottle fed around the clock.

How are you?

Midwest culture is unique. We “America’s Heartlanders” are known for our outdoor hobbies, farming, winter survival strategies, hard work and country living. We are also known for our politeness.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

Kittens are born with their eyes and ears sealed. They can not see or hear. But slowly over the hours and days, their ears and eyes open. The world they have known only through touch and smell is replaced by a reality infinitely more varied and vibrant.

Stray Thoughts: Summer School

Kids these days have it made…they really do. They carry cameras in their pockets that are much better than the best cameras their parents have ever owned. They carry entire libraries of music and thousands of movies of every genre, available at a moment’s notice.

Big Pharma has gone fishing

You are probably familiar with drug commercials. There are all sorts of them showing people being active and smiling as they attend a birthday party, go biking, go surfing, or shopping at a flower shop.

LETTER: When will the next EMT class start?

EMS week has now come to an end for 2023. This week is one that showcases the people that put their lives on hold to help others. I hear people thank EMT’s for their service but in small communities like the one we live in, you may not be able to say that for many more years.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

I’m almost done with lambing for another year, and this has been my most successful year yet. Ironically, it is also the year I told myself I was going to take a more hands-off approach (which I have said before)… and then actually did it (which I have NOT done before.

In the quiet times

As a teacher, there are moments when life slows to a standstill. With students out of the building and on summer break, there is calm. It is an unusual calm…a settling in of a stillness borne of both regret and hope.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

When we were kids, my brother always wanted to play army and I always wanted to play pioneer family. It is funny how things work out —my brother has been employed by the U.S.

Of mothers and memories

I remember waiting at home for my mother as she returned from work. It was spring and she was wearing a raincoat, with a scarf over her head. The smell of the spring rain and her perfume was unforgettable. To my young sensibilities, that was the unequivocal scent of home.