Dream beyond the borders of your hometown
Ghosts are good for business, and Port Townsend, Washington has its fair share of stories. Manresa Castle is haunted by a heartbroken woman, whose love never returned from the Great War, and a Jesuit priest. A Lady in White wanders the grounds of Point Wilson Lighthouse and is, allegedly, a bit of a snoop; she… Continue reading Every Town has its Ghosts
When planning my trip to New Orleans, several people suggested visiting a plantation. Oak Alley, an hour outside the city, was of particular interest because of its 300-year-old alley of McDonogh oaks. More than that, though, I felt a trip was important because it would provide a glimpse into the antebellum South's history, juxtaposing the… Continue reading Oak Alley Plantation
You first enter New Orleans a little tone deaf and flat-footed, tripping over the broken, heat-stressed sidewalks and the frenetic pace of Bourbon Street. Maybe there’s a Hurricane in your belly. You feel like simmering gumbo, stirred together with so many strange people—your flavors and stenches mixing, mingling with the notes of a distant band.… Continue reading The Streets of New Orleans
I moved away from Minnesota when I was 18 and haven't always been the best at communicating with family members back home. This is especially irksome to my mom's mom, who happens to be a prolific letter-writer. Once, when I returned for my parent's 25th wedding anniversary, Grandma asked me, "Have your hands healed?" "Nothing's wrong with… Continue reading Grandma
My mom turned 40 at Kramer’s Supper Club in Evansville, Minnesota, a no-stoplight town in the West Central farmlands. It was a surprise party. I was 17-years-old at the time and the only one of my 4 siblings to snag an invite because I had a car and agreed to sneak in the cake ahead… Continue reading 40 Days
