Butterfly Hill Farm: Congratulations Dr. Bravo, Dr. Bramon and Families

Banner Photo

May 20:

The Farm is really greening up. Plants are breaking into buds and flowers, under our ever watchful eye. Buffalo Gal, a rose we brought with us from North Dakota, is covered with buds and today she presented us with her 1st flower.

Irises began blooming yesterday. And we were not surprised that the 1st to flower were Irises from Melanie's 2 Grandmas (Ethel and Dorothy, who have both passed). I noted that the Yellow Columbine is also breaking into flower. And the Bleeding Heart just continues to throw out cascades of flowers.

We got 1 inch of rain last night. We did lose a few limbs, but otherwise, the countryside is in that luscious, after rain, spring-moving-into summer, green.

I do remember that my Dad, when he came to our Farm in 2007 just 2 months before he passed, said: "This is paradise. When I go to Heaven, I want to come here." It surely is beautiful here. The landscapes are radiant.

And the Hummingbirds, with all their energy, have just arrived. They buzz about. I don't know how they have all that energy. They wintered in the Yucatan, crossed the Gulf on those tiny wings, and now are setting up home here. I supposed you could say, they are setting up home just like us.

All this makes a perfect backdrop for wedding preparations and for the wedding itself. Is this for real?

Photos

Except in very specific circumstances, all photos depicted here were taken on our Farm. Those circumstances off the Farm relate to the purposes of this Farm and this writing exploration. Almost all were taken by 1 of the 3 C's. If not, I try to make sure others are credited. I (Glinda) am usually the one carrying the camera, but not always.

I do my best to gain permissions of Folks whose pictures are shown on this Blog. If for any reason, you are pictured and would like your photo removed, just let me know. Thanks.

Glinda

...began her professional career as a Home Economist, later serving as a Home Economics Teacher Educator for 2 decades. In 1995, she moved into analyzing the Human Side of Environmental Issues. She went from studying Humans in their Little Homes to studying Humans in their Big Home, the Earth. Those 2 leggeds were, after all, creating a substantial problem for the Earth, which sustains them. After 30 years in higher education, she became Professor Emerita of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Ecological Studies at the University of North Dakota in 2005.

Glinda has a special interest in analyzing the split Humans have with Nature. Her focus is bringing Humans home to the Earth, opening at long last to the awe, magic, and love of this beautiful Earth whirling in the Great Cosmic Sea. She is a writer, teacher, poet, artist. She is the writer for this Blog, the substance of which will likely become a book she has known she would write.

Recent interview with Fast Recipes: http://www.fastrecipes.com/latest-news/nature%E2%80%99s-recipes:-living-off-the-land-in-missouri-2010061740080/

Richard

...grew up on a 120 acre Farm about 5 miles west of here. Those humble beginnings have had a profound effect on his Life. He was trained as a Wildlife Biologist and later responsible for the Wildlife Management Program at the University of North Dakota for over 3 decades. Retiring in 2007, he is a UND Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biology.

Richard brings to the Farm a lifelong interest in the Natural Sciences (Birds, Wildlife, Prairie Restoration, Ecosystems, Gardening) and the Humanities. As his wife (Glinda) says: "He is one of those few people in our Culture who can still read Nature's story and make it accessible to those around him."

Melanie

...would list a bio a little shorter than her Mom and Dad. That's because she hasn't lived quite so long, which is the normal course of such things. But her bio would be no less interesting and perhaps even more so. She has come to this work and this walk far earlier than her Mom or Dad.

Melanie has an interest in healthy lifestyles. It's not something you read about; it's something you do. She brings her love of life, her travel near and far, her love of people known and unknown, her playful curiosity, and her knowing to Gardening, Raising Chickens, Herbal Healing, and the Culinary Arts. She makes a place for Kids of all Ages on this Little Farm.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Congratulations Dr. Bravo, Dr. Bramon and Families

The Artist and Writer in me almost always has a plan. Sometimes the Universe has another plan for me. In this case, it was Blogger. The ordering of these pictures is not exactly as I had hoped. I tried and tried to get them to go according to my order. But it was not to be. So I shall leave it up to the Reader to sort this out. While you are doing it, please note that I gave up, completed the copy, then headed to bed. But I digress.

On Saturday, we had a very special day. Four years ago, we were newbies on this little Farm. I suppose that we still are. We were entering a kind of school. And as Richard has said many times, "The learning curve is steep." Simultaneously, some magical creatures were popping into our lives. They were entering their own kind of school. They were intent upon becoming Doctors: Doctors of Osteopathy.

Enter Rachel. And along with her came: Joni, Sarah, and Maria. Rachel, Joni and Maria were classmates right here at A.T. Still University. Sarah was Rachel's special friend who was also in Med School, but on the west coast. I shall forever remember that special day in December when Rachel, Sarah and Joni came in a fog out to our house. They left in a fog too. Maria was Rachel's roommate. We had far more interactions with Rachel, Maria, and Joni. This little entry is mostly about them.

Four years later, their cohort was ready for graduation ceremonies. Rachel will take one more year because she took a special fellowship. Joni and Maria walked across that stage, meeting all their requirements and taking their Osteopathic Physician's Oath. They are now Dr. Bramon and Dr. Bravo.

We 3 C's were thrilled to join their families at the graduation celebration, before and after too. This was such a special day to celebrate human accomplishment, family and team support, interweaving of family and community, growing, taking on challenges, completing goals, making a commitment toward entering a profession directed toward healing.

This is the 1st graduation for D.O.'s that I have attended. But I have to say something about it was familiar. Perhaps it related to the graduations of 3 of my Uncles: Drs. Harley Samuel Wiles (class of 1903), Louis Brenz (class of 1903), and Albert Alexander Griffin (class of 1949). Our family is steeped in the lore and legend of these 3 Doctors and their education here.

I looked at the pictures of Uncle Harl (with presumably his sister, who also graduated) and Uncle Louis. They are filled with the excitement of completion of a goal that was very special too them. That same look was all over the graduates on this beautiful Saturday.

I am sure that considerable progress has been made in Osteopathic Medicine in that time, as well as considerable change in our world too. One can ponder what changes the world will see in another 100 years.

But in the meantime, we 3 C's congratulate the 2 new Doctors. We wish them well in their journeys ahead. We celebrate the exquisite interconnections of our paths. We thank them and their families for including us in their special celebratons. And we look forward to Rachel's special day in the Sun May 12, 2012.