Walks in Early Spring

We had 2 guests this past week. Nick Hamilton, a friend of Melanie's from her Juneau days and now a middle school teacher in Columbus, Ohio, spent some of his spring break with us. It was wonderful to visit with him. Among walks and shared meals on the Farm, we discovered that he too has Croatian roots. Melanie and I shared memories of our trip to the villages of our Grandparents in 2003. He has plans for a trip to Croatia as well. I dug around and found Grandmother Dora Budiselich and Grandfather Kazimir Blaskovic's copy of the ship's manifest, the official record of their passage through Ellis Island in 1908.

Jess Larson stopped by on her trip inbetween a meeting at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri and a return back to the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge. One of Richard's former graduate students, Jess is now a Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We laugh because both she and Richard "graduated" last spring. She received her Master's and Richard completed 32 years with the Wildlife Biology program at the University of North Dakota.

It is wonderful to share dreams, discoveries, concerns for these times, and efforts to live sustainably with fellow travelers. So many beautiful things are happening in the midst of the struggles in our world. One needs to walk carefully in tender times, always being aware of what is important in each step.

As we walk about the farm during their visits, paths are wet and muddy, so we walk carefully. The Earth still wears that soft brown of Winter. On closer look, little green plants are carefully and eagerly sticking their heads above the soil. Wild Strawberry leaves abound.