Return to the Center of America

Return to the Center of America, the saga continues ...

coming home

John, his last day of work at the Sioux Power Plant in West Alton, MO

(His hard hat reads "Hitachi - John")

We have been home for about 10 days now and already our adventure to the center of America seems like a dream. We watch the weather for St. Charles, and it’s hard to imagine 6 degrees, or the brown and icy grey colors of winter. Meanwhile in Florida we are trying to heal our house (which became "sick" while we were away) and Jubilee, who has come down with a severe allergic reaction to the mold, pollen and dust of Florida.

I was touched very deeply by the rivers and sky and land and people of Missouri, and hope to carry them in my soul forever. I asked someone who had lived for awhile in Missouri if they ever missed living near the sea, and she answered, "no, because we have this big sky and endless land here." I understand that now.

We are grateful for the strange twist of event that brought this journey into our lives, and hope for more.

Snow

I know it's just a little bit, but hey, I've been in Florida for a long time, and it's magic to me.

11 degrees F this morning, the water in the lakes is freezing. Glorious!

MO Girlfriends

Julia and Marcia, my treasured Missouri friends.

(They know how to do scarves!)

Views from our windows this morning

Front view:

Back view:
More snow coming this afternoon and tomorrow ...

yellow berries

Just when I thought that the leaves had mostly fallen, and the trees had gone dormant, I start noticing all the berries!

Update: John tells me that these aren't berries at all, but crabapples! (Sure are small for the crabapples that I remember). There are lots of red and blue berries around, it seemed unusual to see yellow ones.