The Driftless Area

The photos (above and in the Blog tab) are of the Mississippi River of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Known as the Driftless Area, melting glacial waters carved the valley and bluffs. Its many moods and seasons provide the backdrop for my story.

Story: Work in Progress

Photography student Addison McDonel has lost heart. She gained entry into the master’s program at Rhode Island School of Design. Go her! But her coursework this first autumn? Substandard.

Hoping to rediscover her passion, she immerses herself where she first found her gift, in the wintry river bluffs of southeast Minnesota. Once again she jockeys with family—the usual squabbles with GenZ cousins, with Tante, and, sigh, the headache-inducing encounters with the ever-unimpeachable Aunt Heather.

Tante tells Addison to quit avoiding griefwork, quit hiding behind Daddy’s camera. But Heather knows Addison’s secret. Her culpability in Daddy’s death, which spurs Addison’s desire to leave home.

Then GenZ Keenan lands in the hospital unconscious, in serious condition. Addison can’t leave now.

 

Tante loves her family and the blufftop farm home.

Why speak of the past—hiding her East Prussian identity, the butchery of her family by the Soviet Red Army, the loss of her country. Her past cannot be undone.

But when Tante falls and hurts herself, a return to home is not assured. Not to mention those foolish GenZs have befriended a Russian. And why is Addison in such a hurry to leave?

But after the hate crime against Keenan, is there any such thing as a safe place.

This story will appeal to fans of authors Ruth Hogan and Marisa de los Santos.

Non-fiction

I also write non-fiction about spiritual practices. I have prayers in Anthologies through the Iona Community’s Wild Goose Publications in Scotland.

My first published book, Disturbing Complacency: Preparing for Christmas, contains daily devotions for the season of Advent. You can find a list of my other writings, published and unpublished under the Other Writings tab.

More About Me

I have grown children who live nearby. I enjoy walks, hikes in state or city parks, flower, veggie, and herb gardening, playing board games (Catan, Pandemic, Carcassonne) and online games (Wordle), and dealing with mischievous cats, both gingers—one striped, the other long-furred. I love sharing coffee or tea or meals with family and friends. Time is short and life is precious.

listening at a microphone

A Pastor’s Life

Currently, I serve a United Church of Christ (UCC) in Prescott, Wisconsin. It sits above the confluence of the Mississippi and the St. Croix Rivers. A great place to be. I received my Master of Divinity degree from United Theological Seminary and was ordained the same year. For eleven years, I served two UCCs in Alma and in Cochrane, Wisconsin beside the Mississippi River and for six years, served an open and affirming alongside an African American clergyman in a Twin Cities church.


life at Iona Abbey in scotland

For two years, I lived and worked as the Abbey programme worker on the Isle of Iona for the Iona Community. We welcomed up to 90 international guests each week. I was one of two resident pastors. The 20+ residents, the many volunteer staff, and the guests came from various Christian churches and spiritual backgrounds. We also had interfaith weeks with Jewish and Muslim faith leaders and their guests.

Iona is a wee bright jewel of an island off Scotland's west coast. It's an amazing journey to get there:

  • from Glasgow, ride a train or bus into the Highlands

  • from the coastal village of Oban, sail on the big ferry

  • from Craignure on the Isle of Mull, catch a coach for the 45-minute ride on a one-track road

  • from the wee village of Fionnphort (fin-ne-furt) you make your way to the small ferry for a 10-minute ride to Iona.

Other journeys, far-flung and nearby:

While I lived across the pond, I explored Scotland--Nethybridge and Blair Atholl, Glasgow and Edinburgh. I traveled to England--York and Keswick (kez ik), Fountains Abbey and Chatsworth House (of Pride and Prejudice film fame). I stayed with a friend in Northern Ireland and visited--Belfast, Carrickfergus, the Giant's Causeway, and the Corrymeela Community. For New Years, I went with a co-worker to her home in Berlin, Germany to watch the fireworks.

Back Stateside, I've visited a friend in Toronto, traveling with her to Ottawa for the Berlin friend's wedding. In 2014, I returned to Scotland and traveled with a Shape-Note singing friend to northern England—Holmfirth, York, Durham. I also stayed with other friends in Bunessan on the Isle of Mull. 

Through church I traveled:

  • to New Orleans to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina and

  • to San Cristobal in Chiapas, Mexico and studied 10 days at the Institute for Intercultural Studies & Research, which included visits to nearby sites—historical and justice-oriented. 

In the U.S., I traveled through mostly the Midwest (HUGE extended family) States. But when my children were still home, we also:

  • flew to Maine to visit a college friend in immunology research at Bar Harbor Island,

  • rode the Amtrak train to Washington and toured Seattle, Redmond, Port Townsend, Whidbey Island, Olympic National Park, and Ocean Shores,

  • drove to Colorado to visit family in Colorado Springs, check out Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods, then drove to Durango to visit a high school friend and explore Mesa Verde National Park,

  • visited Wisconsin's Apostle Islands and stayed at Madeline Island during a wet autumn and attended a summer workshop on Washington Island.

Did I mention I like islands?