7/24 Greetings from MN's largest Candy Story...and on to Iowa

Barb's picture of me at Minnesota's largest candy store

What a day we had yesterday! I'll organize and label the photos I took yesterday as soon as I get a minute...sitting in bed typing this...we had lunch with Maureen Carlson, who doll and polymer clay and story afficianados will know...the last picture of yesterday was a staff she is creating...she loves to tell stories and ask questions...wise women all around.

I insisted on stopping at Minnesota's largest candy store, that you see in the background...I swear I just took pictures...I was holding Barb's purchases and beaming. Hundreds of varieties of licorice, soda, bacon floss and bacon soda with chocolate, too.

Dawn Marie lives in a 1908 house in a small town, and has decorated every surface...she has a living showcase for her clients, and is traveling to Sarasota this winter to do a consultation...good deal for a Minnesotan!

I got to meet Barb's son, Chris, a tall computer art guy with black spikey hair and glasses...should have taken his picture, and Bill's friend, Mike, as they were doing a raku firing in the basement or out back...the garden is a delight, the basement holds Barb and Bill's studios. Both Mike and Bill are story tellers, too...aren't we all? Mike is working with teaching troubled youth urban gardening, and has come up with ways to change the way we grow food...Inspiring to hear his passion.

Driving through the middle of this country makes all more obvious how important food and energy and corporations versus people, and how the key to the future of all of us lies here and NOW.