It’s already Thursday, and I am still struggling to complete a blog post. Well, this is my week of storytelling in person, rather than virtually.
On Tuesday, I presented on my mission trip to Estonia. Today, I am in Fargo at the Sanford Survivorship Retreat. I took this opportunity to leave on Wednesday and spend some time with my brother in Jamestown, and then off to Brewhalla for the rest of the afternoon.
Whoa. It was not what I expected. Brewhalla is an industrial-looking hotel, marketplace, brewery, and bar. I spent some time wandering through open-air shops filled with plants, artwork, little things, food, and beverages.
I also took some time to walk a mile or so and try to get my bearings. It didn’t work. My time living in Fargo many years ago was unrecognizable as I remember it, with all the new construction and businesses that no longer exist.
Besides the general lay of the land, I see the influence of a new generation in the artwork. Paintings, ceramics, books, and puzzles were buzzing with color and content. It made me dizzy to absorb everything I saw. So, here I am feeding my mind with ideas for more art in my life.
No, I did not purchase anything but a refillable lead pencil. The pencil is made from tightly rolled paper, and the tips screw on and never need sharpening. I love me some good pencils. It was a high school biology class that started it all. I love blank books and journals. My teacher, Mr. Dinkins, told us that we should keep our science notebooks in pencil. If you drop your notes in a puddle of water, the ink smears, but the lead pencil can be salvaged.
If you have a passport, note that the contact information page should be filled out in pencil. It even says so.
Once my next two presentations — yes, one in Fargo and one in Bismarck — are behind me, I have to think about fall. I would love to do a few farmers markets so I could see all my friends (aka known as customers), and I do have a great selection of jams and jellies for your winter toast.
This short time in Fargo has pumped up my creativity. Couple that with a headline passing by my field of vision on some social media outlet that read, “Women with granny skills live eight years longer than women without.”
So, I got to thinking. One — I am skilled in domestic arts like cooking, baking, gardening, canning, preserving, knitting, weaving, crocheting, and jigsaw puzzles. So, why not pass it on?
Okay, maybe I need to stop rambling today and get to the business of getting ready for the conference. I needed to empty my head so I could get on with my day. After this week, my life will settle down a bit, and I will go back to writing, caring for my garden, and making Christmas presents. Oh, and contemplating where to go from here.
Sorry if this is a bit messy, but I gotta go. Prayers appreciated, as always.
INDYchildrendotme 
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