Dispatch from Red Oak House (April 14): I dug some snow, watched someone go by with a pickup, heard snowplows and pondered whether a trip to the market was advised. Canceled a plan to drive to Rhame tomorrow (postponed for another time). Did other work around the house. No paper or mail delivery. Filled the bird feeders again. Did some …
Dispatch from Red Oak House (April 12, 2022): I shovel the driveway and back patio four times. Jim sets up the indoor greenhouse in the dining room for the vegetable seedlings. I text back and forth with various family members across the country, including my uncle in Mississippi who is watching the same Weather Channel report from Bismarck as me. (In …
The blizzard has begun here at Red Oak House. On days like today, if indeed we were going to drive (much less leave the farmhouse), my Slope County Grandpa Andy (and my Mother, his daughter) would say, “Keep it between the ditches!” My Mother said this until her last days to her children when she was worried about us traveling. …
Despite how this looks, and I suppose partially because of it, North Dakota is a beautiful place. I sometimes miss the wide openness and wildness of a good blizzard. The whole world shuts down and you can crawl under the covers with a good book for hours unnoticed. Stopping to listen to the wild wind. Appreciating the warmth of your …
Alexandria, Va., photographer Jeff Olson and his wife, Joanne Plager Burke Olson, joined millions of others on the East Coast in digging out from this weekend’s Blizzard Jonas, which dumped up to 3 feet of snow or more in some areas. Even their dog, Coach, got in on the act. Also see photos from Jeff’s first day back in Washington, …
Few things point out the differences between Northeasterners (below Rhode Island) and Upper Midwesterners (above Iowa and Nebraska) more than the winter storm, such as the #snowzilla or #jonasblizzard that has just occurred. For those of us who live in one but grew up in the other, the differences can be perplexing. In general, the conclusion is that the Northeast …