Mini Ha Has and Great Big Smiles

Several years ago my book group in TX decided to read Longfellow's "The Song of Hiawatha" thanks to Jennifer Kay's suggestion. Although this part of the poem starts in chapter 3 it seems to be the one we all know:

By the shores of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,
Rose the firs with cones upon them;
Bright before it beat the water,
Beat the clear and sunny water,
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.

Little Hiawatha grows up and falls in love with the lovely Minnehaha. During my vacation to Minnesota a few weeks ago Brittany and I took her kids over to Minnehaha Falls. It was beautiful to see. I didn't see this statue of Hiawatha and Minnehaha but it's apparently nearby. I did, however see all of us having a wonderful time playing in the the little pond farther down from the falls.

Nannie Joy with Juliette, Annie, and Jake

Brittany and Baby Jewels

This looks easy but it was actually quite slippery

They made it to safety

Previously on this day of adventure we stopped by Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. They just happened to have a sand "castle" contest the day before. We took pictures of our favorite sculptures and did a little more wading and tree climbing.

Can you tell what this is?

Annie's favorite

This one's just kind of interesting

Jake's favorite

Juliette was happy with all of them

my favorite

Isn't this what summer's all about?

In getting from point A to point B we also made 2 great discoveries: 1) a Batman bench next to a liquor store which required an immediate slam on the brakes by the driver (me) for Jakey since I knew he'd want his picture taken on it and 2) the world's best corn stand. We didn't know it had the world's best corn but Brittany wanted some for dinner and we all agreed it really was the best corn on the cob we'd ever had.

Now for a little trivia. At Indian Art Camp where Annie and Jake made Indian purses we learned that the Dakota Tribe is known as the Dakotas east of the Mississippi River and the Lakotas west of the Mississippi River (I like to type it all the way out so I can say M I crooked letter crooked letter I crooked letter crooked letter I humpback humpback I). However, they personally don't like to be called either. They prefer Sioux. We also learned when we were at the Falls that when President Johnson and Senator Humphrey visited there in 1964, Minneapolis was in a drought, so the city had to open up many fire hydrants upstream and out of sight to feed water to the creek. I think that's hilarious.

As we drove around I found myself singing (to myself), "From the land of sky blue waters, comes the beer refreshing, Hamms the beer refreshing, Hamms". Talk about a successful advertising campaign. Fifty years later and I'm still thinking of Hamms Beer when I think of the land of 10,000 lakes. I learned that "minisota" is a Dakota, or should I more appropriately say Sioux word that means "water that reflects the sky". I also learned that Minnesota has more shoreline than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined.

I like Minnesota. I like where Jordan and Brittany live, just 20 minutes outside St. Paul. (Apparently, everything is just 20 minutes somewhere.) There is very little traffic and it's easy to get around. I was there in November and January and it wasn't that cold. But then, of course, it was considered a mild winter. They say the summers make the whole state worth it. I think I agree.

Daddy Does his Duty

Life has been a bit hectic. I had a little vacation in Minnesota that I'll blog about later but just for tonight I thought I'd post this video. Brittany had to make a quick weekend trip out to San Francisco to see her dad. Eli stopped in the day before she got there. Chelsea, Sawyer and I flew up yesterday for the day. Lynn's not doing well and is now in a nursing home.

Jordan emailed this brief clip to my iphone on Sunday. While holding down the fort with 3 little kids and Mommy M.I.A., he was able to experience the bright side of self-sufficient children getting themselves dressed for church.

Ye Have Done It Unto Me

On a delightful Saturday afternoon at Doheny State Beach when my nephew and niece were learning to surf I happened to observe the following scene just a few feet away from me. As these girls started walking across the sand and positioned themselves nearby, I was so disturbed by what I saw that I started taking pictures as a reminder of how cruel we can be, how uncaring and thoughtless and unkind. And also as a reminder to be more aware of my circumstances, no matter what age, and watch out for the one on the "outside".

When I was in 6th grade my teacher had us look at pictures from Life Magazine and then write a story about them. Upon seeing these girls I wanted to write their story. I wanted to know what the girl on the left was feeling. I wondered what pain and self-consciousness and insecurity she was experiencing. Whose mother’s friend's daughter or cousin or sister was she? Who encouraged her to wear what she wore and tag along? And who would be there for her when she went home, trying to be brave and say she had a wonderful time at the beach? Who would believe her brave smile and ignore her tear-stained eyes and humiliation? Or who would be there to comfort her?

I wondered all sorts of questions. And in the end I decided not to write the story. The pictures tell it all.