Today my family is enjoying the long awaited sunshine by
spending time outside in the Lake Side Park here in Winona. The temperature is around 70 degrees F. and
the children are enjoying the slides and rides so much. I look out at the lake and I see couples
kayaking along, with others in the middle of the lake punting over the calm water. I am reminded of the paintings from Norman
Rockwell and the scenes that he sketched from around the turn of the last
century in American life. The people
here in Winona are for the most part laid back and don’t seem to be in a hurry, that is compared to other places that I have lived. There
are many fishermen either fly casting or using the traditional method of
fishing, either in boats or on the shoreline of the local lakes, trout streams
or the Mississippi river nearby. Life
seems to slow down even more in the summer in this unique area of the
world. People take everything with a
grain of salt and do not get bothered by too many things. Life here is wonderful and I cannot find
fault with this life style that I enjoy so very much.
As I sit on the porch now, my nephews who are 5 and 3 bring
wild daisies to my 8-year-old daughter, (Abby).
They just picked them from the meadow and want her to put them in her
hair. We all look up and see at that
moment, a grey fox trotting by into the woods heading to her kits. A couple of days ago as we were looking out into
the meadow, the children and I saw a new born fawn staring back at us from about 30 yards
away. The mother deer was close by, but
not too close that she would draw danger to her new baby. Each day seems to bring with it a new
adventure with the forest animals coming to visit our meadow.
Living here where life is slow compared to much of the world
is wonderful in so many ways. Going to Shakespeare
plays in the summer, listening to concerts in the park and on campus, or going
to car shows, they all bring so much enjoyment for the whole family. God has been good to my family and I want to
praise him for his loving kindness, and his compassion for all that he has blessed
us with.
