Hard Work and Family: The Good Master

The Good Master

by Kate Seredy

Cousin Kate, weak and unruly, breathlessly arrives at the smoothly run far of her uncle, the Good Master. She learns from her aunt, uncle, and cousin Jancsi how to care for plants and animals on the farm and control her own behavior. She grows strong and healthy surrounded by a beautiful land, beautifully described.

From the distant, shadowy line where earth and sky merged together, golden shafts of light rose, piercing the white mist over the plains. A few lingering stars flickered and were drowned in the brightening sky. Then slowly, majestically, the red sun rose above the horizon. It seemed to hover for a second, as if reluctant to tear itself away from the earth; then it came into full view, painting everything to the smallest seedling in Kate's garden with its glorious light. The full-throated warble of a robin rose from the apple tree, heralding the new day.

The children are frequently visiting throughout the Hungarian countryside and often hear stories of myth and history.  The illustrations are simply delightful (and I believe are the same in the book I have and the paperback linked on Amazon).

There were a few stories of gypsies that had me cringing a little. I never know how much of what's told of gypsies in older books is prejudice and how much is based on actual behavior. I may talk with my children about that a little when we get to those parts. There are also a few parts where the children tease each other, speaking disparagingly of "sissy" behavior. We don't talk that way around here, but I'm not going to let it stop us from reading and enjoying the book.

In one chapter, the children meet Mikulas (St. Nicholas) at the train station and help him distribute gifts to the children in the village. (He turns out to be Kate's father, dressed in red and wearing a fake white beard.) If you have little ones who still believe Santa Claus or St. Nicholas leave gifts, this episode might raise questions in their minds. I'm pretty sure all of our children know we are the ones who leave gifts so I'm going to risk it.

"You know who the real Mikulas is? He is a different person to every child. He is always the one who loves you best in the world. We left beautiful gifts for the village children, but each of them will find some other gift, too, tomorrow morning. Perhaps it will be a very, very simple little gift, but it will be precious to those children because it was given with the greatest love."

I have a lovely hardcover copy printed in 1967. I bought it used on a whim because I recognized the name of the author and am delighted it appears as a recommended supplemental book for World War I in the Level 4 history plans at Mater Amabilis™™. The Good Master takes place before World War I. I intend to read it aloud to all the children: eighth grade, fifth grade, third grade, and first grade.

The sequel, The Singing Tree, is also recommended, which takes place during World War I. I just found a used copy of that on Cathswap so we may read that one as well.

Like Pearls Slipping off a String: Anne of Avonlea

Anne of Avonlea

by L. M. Montgomery

My ten-year-old daughter recently finished the Anne series. I started along with her, but don't have as much time to devote to reading as she does. Of course I read all these books when I was a little girl, but they have a new sweetness to me as an adult.

Saturday proved an ideal day for a picnic...a day of breeze and blue, warm, sunny, with a little rollicking wind blowing across meadow and orchard. Over the sunlit upland and field was a delicate, flower-starred green.

Why, oh why, is nature study not like that? We can't even manage a nature walk imbued with that kind of softness and peace. I think there must be a difference between a group of elvish teenage girls and my raucous thirteen-, ten-, eight-, and six-year-olds.

Anne is seventeen and working full-time as a one-room schoolhouse teacher, supporting her aunt and distant relation six-year-old twins, but her thoughts are far different from what we expect of modern teenagers. Perhaps they shouldn't be.

In the delicate, white-browed face beside her, with its candid eyes and mobile features, there was still far more of the child than of the woman. Anne's heart so far harbored only dreams of friendship and ambition, and Mrs. Allan did not wish to brush the bloom from her sweet unconsciousness.

Anne of Avonlea, when Anne is teaching school, prompted questions in my mind about the kind of life we're living each day in our homeschool.

"After all," Anne had said to Marilla once, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string." 

Anne's days are ones of hard work compared to our modern ones. She didn't have dishwashers or washing machines or vacuum cleaners, but how lovely they seemed to be. They are imaginary, of course, but I can't help feeling I could improve our days by focusing more on peace and relationships rather than activities and screens.

Perhaps she had not succeeded in "inspiring" any wonderful ambitions in her pupils, but she had taught them, more by her own sweet personality than by all her careful precepts, that it was good and necessary in the years that were before them to live their lives finely and graciously, holding fast to truth and courtesy and falsehood and meanness and vulgarity.

Kansas Dad reminds me all the time that we are creating this kind of environment for our children, a much different one from that found in most homes, but it's difficult not to see the room for improvement. Anne of Avonlea provided some much appreciated encouragement and inspiration.

Love Is...Washing the Dog Outside in the Cold Dark Night

The bad news is...we have a skunk living under our shed.

The worse news is...our dog discovered the intruder.

Kansas Dad is my hero.

(Love is also disposing of said intruder, just not tonight.)

Book Review: Fairchild Family Series

Fairchild Family Series by Rebecca Caudill

Two years ago, I read the first book in this series,  Happy Little Family, to the children. I had never read it before myself, but found it listed under optional extra reading on the Prep level Mater Amabilis page. Our library didn't have a copy so I bought one used on Amazon (sight-unseen, which is pretty unusual for me). It is the delightful tale of the five Fairchild children living in early 1900s Kentucky, told mainly from the point of view of the youngest child, Bonnie. One of my very favorite quotes is on the blog here.

Based on how well we enjoyed that book, I took advantage of a publisher's sale and bought the other three. I've just finished reading the last book aloud to the children and could not have asked for a better series to read with children.

In Schoolhouse in the Woods follows Bonnie through a year of school in the small school for the local families. Debby and Bonnie spend on summer going Up and Down the River (the third book), trying to make a little money but instead renewing friendships and gathering a collection of animals. When we went to the State Fair this year, the children all wanted to go to the poultry barn to see the bantam chickens, just like the ones Bonnie and Debby received. In the last book, big sister Althy teaches the rest of the children in their own little school (Schoolroom in the Parlor).

There are not many exciting adventures or trials to suffer; just natural every-day life. The children work, play, and learn together through the years. The illustrations by the author are just as lovely as the text.

These are perfect for reading aloud to all ages. I would have expected the young girls to like it best, but First Son in fourth grade enjoyed it just as much. It's hard for me to tell how difficult the reading level is, but I would guess it's close to that of the Little House books. I think First Daughter might be able to read it slowly and with help now, in first grade.

This series is easily among the best homeschool book purchases I have made and they'd be just as good for a non-homeschooling family.


I did not receive anything in exchange for this blog post. I bought the first book in the series used on Amazon. I purchased the remaining three from Bethlehem Books. They often have sales for 30-50% off their books, though sometimes the titles are limited. I highly recommend liking them on facebook or getting on their email list. I receive a small commission for purchases at Amazon through my links, but nothing for purchases directly from Bethlehem Books.

My Favorite Picture Books: The Year at Maple Hill Farm

The Year At Maple Hill Farm by Alice and Martin Provensen

In this book, we see animals and life changing through a year on a farm. We learn a little about farming, a little about the seasons, a little about the months of the year, and a little about animals. There's not a plot or story, really, just short descriptions for each month. Many of the spreads have multiple illustrations. On other months, there are large two page spreads full of details.

Frankly, the only thing I don't like about this book is that it's no longer in print in a hardcover edition. We received a paperback version as a gift and are loving it to pieces. Literally.

Alice and Martin Provensen have other wonderful books as well. Be sure to look for them at your library.

What I Loved about this Morning

Would you believe I completely and totally forgot about posting What I Loved about Last Week until about 11 am this morning? Usually I write a bit each night and finish it up on Friday night. This week, I did none of that. (Kansas Dad and I watched the first half of The Fellowship of the Ring instead last night, a more than worthy excuse, I think.

I do remember going to pick up First Son from Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and watching the older children race from the parish hall to the church for reconciliation after class. What a beautiful sight!

The week just doesn't compare to this morning, though. We woke late (8 am!) and Kansas Dad made his signature Saturday morning breakfast (eggs to order including 3 different omelets, toasted potatoes, and turkey bacon). Then Kansas Dad went out to butcher a deformed chicken which is now bubbling away on the stove for a delicious late lunch of chicken soup. First Daughter and I made granola bars which are cooling on the counter. Most wonderfully of all, I made homemade challah bread which is baking in the oven now and will grace our places as challah french toast tomorrow morning.

Now...what shall we do this afternoon?

Reading Through American History with Picture Books

When First Son was in kindergarten three years ago, we read through American history in picture books. Two or three times a week, we read picture books set in a particular time period. The books selected were mainly based on what I found in library searches and a few I had lying around; I didn't buy anything, but we were still able to read some wonderful books. I've been searching through the blog to find the particularly good ones to include for First Daughter's kindergarten year in 2012-2013. Next year, we won't read quite so many. Instead, I'm trying to find one picture book to read each week that will correspond to First Son's American history studies (Civil War through...well, as far as we get, but I'm hoping to get to September 11, 2001).

Well, I discovered that my blog records of our American history reading are rather hard to navigate, so I decided to write a post to help everyone, myself included, find them more easily.

For every time period, I was looking for living picture books. I was not particularly concerned with imparting factual knowledge like dates or big events. I wanted beautiful picture books that would delight us first and give us a feel for life in the time period second.

August and September: Pre-1600 North America - This group is mainly composed of Native American legends but also includes Columbus.

October: Colonial America through the Revolutionary War - the Mayflower, the Pilgrims, Paul Revere, Molly Pitcher, Johnny Appleseed and George Washington

November and December: Exploration, Expansion, and the Civil War - more tall tales, Sequoyah, Ox-Cart Man, the California Gold Rush, the Underground Railroad, and Abraham Lincoln

January: Reconstruction, Urbanization, and Industrialization (1865-1889) - The Statue of Liberty, immigration, and saving the buffalo

February: The Progressive Era (1890-1913) - Helen Keller, Least of All, George Washington Carver and more immigration

March: World War I and the Jazz Age (1914-1928) - The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Duke Ellington

April: The Great Depression - perseverance, family, and skyscrapers

May: Everything after the Great Depression to the present - John Steuart Curry, Art Tatum, Ella Fitzgerald, and some recommendations for later books

I spent a little time updating these posts, fixing the formatting and a few links that weren't working. I apologize to anyone who received updates in their readers for posts that are three years old.

UPDATE: Here's a link to the last post of the 2012-2013 picture books we used for First Daughter's kindergarten year. It includes links to all five of the posts.

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 2

1. The Cosby Show is one of the best shows. Kansas Dad and I have been enjoying it much more than we remember when we were children. Not only is it much funnier now that we're parents, but I can appreciate how much of the writing created a show perfect for the entire family to watch together and discuss. We're up to the third season. It's available to stream on Netflix.

2. Can anyone tell me the chigger's place in the ecosystem? I'm having trouble imagining them doing any good whatsoever. I'm starting to think they're a result of the Fall.

3. I have been exercising consistently every day for over seven weeks and am just starting to think I sees some results. Sadly, I have sprained or strained a muscle in my abdomen and now have to take a few days off. I'm afraid it's going to destroy all my momentum. It also ruined part of my plans for today as I was going to take the kids to a museum, but I'm not anxious to be walking around that much. (It hurts to stand straight or lay down straight -- much better to be sitting or curled.) I'm very thankful for my doctor's office's walk-in clinic that let me visit a PA who assured me it wasn't appendicitis. (We didn't really think it was, but it's nice to hear it from someone "official.")

4. Yesterday I was in the middle of mixing a batch of muffins using a new recipe when I opened the refrigerator and discovered we had NO eggs. For a few seconds, I wondered what I would do. Then I remembered, we have chickens! I sent First Son out to collect one for me, but he couldn't find them. So the girls and I trooped out as well (while Second Son napped) and I dug five out from under a hen who was resting in the nesting box. We went in to finish the muffins. It was a good country moment.

5. Speaking of muffins, I have made three batches this week and a number of loaves of bread. We've been busy with all the great summer offerings in our local community and with our friends. My house is reasonably clean and (as I mentioned above) I've been exercising regularly for the first time in years. All of that is good and yet I still find myself thinking in the evenings of all I (and we) haven't been doing during the day. I feel like I'm always asking myself if I have my priorities in order. Am I accomplishing what I should be each day? Should I be doing more? Or something differently? Perhaps my list of things I'd like to do is too ambitious? I have grand plans to finish our alphabet (Alphabet Art) and do some experiments (Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method). I want to pre-read all our read-aloud and reading lesson books for next year. I want to read some grown-up books about next year's topics as well to prepare myself. I want to finish my liturgical year binder. I'd like to be cross-stitching, working on Second Son's baby album, organizing pictures from the last year (none of which are in albums). And so on. Logically, I think I'm in a good place for a wife and mother of four young ones, but it's hard to convince my emotions of that. There are just so many good things to do each day and my time is no longer entirely my own. (It hasn't been for many years, but since I was pregnant with Second Son I struggled so much just to get the bare minimum done I haven't had time to think about how my time is not my own.)

6. My "new" laptop is up and running again. It's about three years old, I think, but that's two or three years younger than the desktop I was using. I'm still getting used to it and still haven't pulled pictures from the camera, but it's nice to have my own computer again. It's surprisingly hard to go back to a Mac after (dare I admit it?) more than a decade away but Kansas Dad keeps telling me I won't regret it. Another task on the to-do list: figure out how to get the desktop out into the living room where First Son and First Daughter can use it but Second Daughter and Second Son cannot destroy it. And figure out if we need a parental protection program. They won't be searching for anything but still...

7. Our summer reading program ended yesterday with a pizza party and a run through the librarian's sprinklers. The three older ones all received prizes (for showing up yesterday): a book each. I love our summer reading program! You should all have one as wonderful. I'm glad it's over, though, and we have Mondays and Thursdays to ourselves...for a week before swimming lessons start. I think our summer is turning out to be as busy or busier than our school year. Just without the lesson planning.

Jen has more 7 Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

Good News and Bad News

The good news: We no longer have a skunk living under our porch.

The bad news: It discharged when Kansas Dad killed it, so now our front yard smells like skunk. It's getting into the house a bit and we can't open the windows to air it out because it's even worse outside. Ugh.

So you may want to avoid visiting our house for a day or two.

Good Morning to You, Too!

Our dog found what's been making noises under our porch the past few nights.

A skunk.

Yeah, he got sprayed.

Happy Friday everyone!

Love Is in the Larkspur

Love is mowing the lawn for eight hours with a push mower (fun when the lawn is multiple acres) and mowing around the wildflowers your wife mentioned she loves.

Query XX

Seriously, how in the world are we supposed to see deer ticks if they bite the kids (or us)? Those things are minuscule!

We have found larger ticks on the kids nearly every day. I remember maybe three total last year. Now it seems like they're everywhere. And we're really supposed to save them in jars for 10-14 days in case we have symptoms? Where would I possibly put all those jars?

Maybe we should all get buzz cuts like First Son.

History & Culture: The Progressive Era (1890-1913)

I Go with My Family to Grandma's by Riki Levinson, illustrated by Diane Goode. This fun little story follows five girls from five boroughs who travel to Grandma's by all different routes. First Daughter enjoyed finding the girls in each group picture. First Son was not entirely interested. (I have a soft spot in my heart for New York stories.)

Stagecoach Sal by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Casron Ellis. I thought First Son would love this book, as a "bad guy" features prominently, and there's even a snake. He was not all that interested, though. He and First Daughter mostly paid attention when I sang the lyrics to the folk songs (and I was pleased there was only one tune I didn't know). The illustrations are fine, but they are not really my preferred style.

Adele & Simon in America by Barbara McClintock. We have been enjoying both of the Adele and Simon books. They show the children wandering Paris or all across the United States, with Simon losing something on each page. My two love finding all the things he has lost (and some are not so easy to spot) and the illustrations are wonderful. Descriptions in the back explain each of the pictures and place the cities and places.

Helen Keller by David A. Adler is one of his early readers. I thought the story of Helen Keller would fascinate the kids, but neither of them were very impressed. I suppose they may be too young to understand the concept of deafness or blindness, especially since the closest they've come to such things would be the Signing Time videos.

Lucy's Summer written by Donald Hall, illustrated by Michael McCurdy. I love this story and Lucy's Christmas, in which Mr. Hall shares some of the stories of his mother's youth. They give a wonderful glimpse into an earlier time.

Least of All by Carol Purdy, illustrated by Tim Arnold. I've mentioned this book before and I still absolutely love it. First Son was a little more interested now that he can read himself and a little baffled, I think, at the adults in the story who cannot.

When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, is another of my favorite stories. Courageous Jessie leaves her grandmother and her tiny village to live with a woman she's never met in New York City. She works diligently for years to earn enough money to bring her grandmother to America, enjoying her new home and (presumably) not experiencing some of the terrible hardships of new immigrants. (We sometimes read about death in our picture books, or at least encounter it, but I do try to shield my little ones from too much suffering. They are still quite young for such realities.)

A Picture Book of George Washington Carver is one of David Adler's many picture book biographies, this one illustrated by Dan Brown. First Daughter was not interested at all. First Son was only mildly interested, and then really only because George Washington Carver invented peanut butter (one of his most absolutely favorite things). Even so, he announced proudly to Kansas Dad that George Washington invented peanut butter. I was a little worried about discussing race relations, but First Son just accepted it. (We'll be talking much more about race later, of course, as we read about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr..)

My Great-Aunt Arizona by Gloria Houston, illustrated by Susan Condie Lamb, is a bright little story of a young girl's dream to see the world and how instead she taught generations of children at a local school and sent them out to the world instead. It's based on the true story of the author's great aunt. I enjoyed reading about how Arizona made a difference to her students without doing anything "great" after reading about George Washington Carver's amazing achievements.

Hattie and the Wild Waves: A Story From Brooklyn written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney is another of my favorites. The children have never been too interested in this particular book, however, and it certainly doesn't compare with Miss Rumphius. I liked including it with our history and culture books as a bit of a juxtaposition with stories like Jessie's above, as there were also some affluent immigrant families. And then, there's my thing for New York stories.

We'll be reading more about life just before the Great Depression in March. Suggestions welcome as I'm stretching what I've found so far to fill our days.

An Extraordinary Evening

Over the holidays, Kansas Dad and I had the special privilege of a private dinner at June. We had canceled reservations earlier in the week when Kansas Dad caught a little stomach bug and were very disappointed (but understanding) when we learned the restaurant was closed the week after New Year's Eve. My sister-in-law, though, just happens to be closely related to the owner and chef and convinced him to come in on her birthday to serve a special dinner just for us. What a treat!

We have never had such a wonderful and luxurious meal. Kansas Dad and I loved relaxing with my brother and his wife, chatting about all sorts of things, and enjoying fabulous organic, locally-grown, food without entertaining any children. We lingered over each dish and glass of wine (though the ladies weren't really drinking). Kansas Dad ordered the wine pairing for the whole meal and enjoyed some incredible wines.

For most of us, eating at June is only for special occasions, but I encourage you to plan an evening there if you are within a few hours of Peoria. You don't have to take our word for it, either.

A very special thanks to the chef, general manager and others who came in on a rare night off to prepare a delicious meal for us! (We paid, of course, but they still went to a lot of effort just for us.) I wish I had thought to take our camera for a picture to commemorate the evening.

Book Reviews: On the Farm and The Cat Came Back

We have all been enjoying On the Farm by David Elliott. The poems are short, celebrating a happy family farm. Holly Meade's woodcuts are vibrant. Second Daughter in particular loves this book. She makes all the animals sounds and anticipates the next one. She carries this book around, begging anyone to read it to her over and over again.

But then there's The Cat Came Back by Fred Penner. I think his updated lyrics are enjoyable enough. They seem less ghastly than the ones I vaguely remember from my elementary school days. The real problem is the illustrations by Renee Reichert. In theory they are clever, but I find the style very unpleasant. The kids like them well enough and Second Daughter has no problems with it at all.

She usually plops down in a lap with both of these and I am beginning to dread reading the second one. There are a few books like this for me, where the text is fine (or even wonderful) but the illustrations grate at me. Usually I just don't read the book to the kids, but these didn't seem so bad at first. Now the sight of Mr. Johnson is a little scary to me.

Anyone know of other versions of this book and song? Are there books you feel this way about? Is it just me?

Out and About

Last week we had two trips away from home. I feel like I'm still catching up on the laundry, but I think it was worth it. (Not that we made more laundry, just that Wednesday and Friday tend to be big laundry days on the Range and I wasn't here to do any of it.)

Last Wednesday, we met some friends for a delayed trip to the zoo. It was still cool and gray, but the rain held off until the drive home. One of the tigers was pacing.


Second Daughter has no fear of wandering off. First Daughter kept asking her, "Are you sure this is appropriate?"


Then, on Friday, we had the opportunity to visit our dear friends at Blessed Nation Ranch for a farm field trip. We saw chickens, cats, a dog, pigs, bulls, cows and a calf. Not to mention running around with all the kids. First Son especially adores their oldest son, who is so gracious and wonderful when playing with the younger kids.


First Son even milked their cow a little. He's still talking about it. (First Daughter was invited but declined.) I was chasing Second Daughter around. First Son also followed a bunch of the kids into the coop and came out with an egg. I'm so glad he'll be ready to do the collecting when our hens start laying!


Second Daughter loved the chickens. She loved all of it and would have wandered their yard all day, but it was a little chilly so we spent some time inside.


We did not make it home in time for naps. It was after 3 pm before we finished lunch, so I had to start packing up again right away to go to a family fun night at Kansas Dad's university. First Son loved the slide most of all.


Oh yeah, he looks ready for bed, don't you think?


No naps, junk for dinner, candy (cotton and otherwise) and lots of bouncers and games. It was a great night.

The Value of Community

Survival of Rural America: Small Victories and Bitter Harvests by Richard E. Wood is a fascinating book. Through a series of case studies of rural towns, based mainly in Kansas, Mr. Wood examines the reasons for population loss in rural counties and what strategies are being tested to reverse the losses. We may live in Kansas, but our little town is excluded from his area of study as we are relatively close to a larger city or a university (as we'll always be, as long as Kansas Dad stays in his chosen line of work).

Each case study allows Mr. Wood to show what real communities are doing to save their towns. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, he claims the success of any town depends on the people living there, people willing to devote time, energy, leadership, and money.

Broad public policy and planning initiatives are interesting and, in some cases, necessary, but in the end the success of most communities individually, and of rural America as a whole, will depend more on the actions and commitment of the people who live there.

Politics are not the case (or the solution) to the problem of rural depopulation, but Mr. Wood of course touches on the subject.

I think his [columnist Daniel Henniger] real point is that even in the small towns of Kansas most people are not one-dimensional. Their values and attitudes certainly differ from those of the New York woman [referring to an earlier anecdote], but they have been shaped by the kinds of processes that are no less complex than those by which she developed her beliefs. It is common among liberal pundits to bemoan the fact that almost everyone in red Kansas usually votes for Republicans, yet curiously they seldom pause to question the equally one-sided voting habits of their neighbors in New York City. In their minds, political wisdom, it seems, is a product of blue states as much as grains are a product of red states.

Later:

To understand what is going on in rural America, it is not helpful for people such as Thomas Frank (or William Allen White, for that matter) to find politics to blame for the ills that affect their communities. The causes, as we have seen, are broad, well entrenched, and affecting rural communities throughout the world.

In case you were wondering, Mr. Wood does give a very straightforward reason for the decline of rural communities:

Most of the changes can be attributed to two primary factors: improved transportation and the industrialization of agriculture.

According to Mr. Wood, rural communities almost universally do a tremendous job educating their youth. It is, unfortunately, a contributing factor to their decline as the students graduate and then go to college, many never to return.

There is one area in which Jackson most definitely sees the need for change if rural communities are to regain their vitality: education. Jackson believes universities--perhaps unwittingly--contributed to rural decline and depopulation. "The universities now offer only one series major: upward mobility. Little attention is paid to educating the young to return home and contribute to their communities...We educate kids to take tests," Jackon says, but "teachers don't even know how to talk about community responsibility."

There are, of course, exceptions, some of which he highlights in the book. I know there are also programs in Kansas that, for example, will pay your medical school loans in exchange for serving rural communities.

I don't know all that much about rural communities, besides what I've learned living in them (and most of that time I was too young to pay close enough attention), but Mr. Wood seems to do a thorough job, touching on all the important topics and providing a balanced view of such controversial issues as ethanol production and the Buffalo Commons metaphor. Do not expect a dry dissertation. Mr. Wood's writing is conversational and the case studies are engrossing. I would expect business professionals in particular to find much food for thought. Read it!

Kansas, like rural America itself, is important to us. Thomas Frank's observation that Kansas is "familiar even if you've never been there" is perceptive and means, I think, that such places are part of our national collective consciousness, our "field of dreams," as David Danbom called it. That's why there is concern about what is happening to rural and farming communities--those amber waves of grain--and why stories about their efforts to survive are featured prominently in national publications. We don't want those communities to die, even as we understand that the odds are against them. We care about communities that are trying to keep an important way of life--and our hopes and memories--alive.

I'm struck with a sudden desire to wander the state, buying gas and groceries in every little town along the way.

Just So You Know

Sticky traps lose their effectiveness after a while. If you're not careful, the mouse will escape as you put it into the plastic bag. A set of new ones will do the trick, though.

Suffering a Loss

Well, it was bound to happen eventually: we lost a few chickens last night, seven to be exact. Kansas Dad is pretty sure it was a raccoon. So he modified the chicken tractor for greater security, set a trap and plans to check on them a few times early tonight to see if he can catch the culprit in action...and take care of the problem.

Unwelcome Neighbor

Kansas Dad called me to the front room this morning and pointed to the porch. We watched the black and white fellow meander across, nibbling some cat food and sniffing around before climbing under the porch.

Will cats chase a skunk off? Perhaps he's just wandering through...