Road Trip to Nebraska 2009

If you heard about the snow storm in Colorado last Thursday, you understandably assumed that any rational being might have looked out the window early that morning and decided it was not a travel day.

But isn’t the internet a wonderful resource? In consulting The Weather Underground, bytheway, which was accurate and easytouse, we deduced that if we set out RIGHTNOW, we could drive out of the storm. Yes, we could. And we did.

We were determined. We were off on our annual trip to Nebraska for the Mari Sandoz Heritage Conference in Chadron, me and my three traveling companions: Kris, Kathy, Diane.

Other than returning to my HEARTland, this annual event draws me. It’s the people, the place, the learning. Some thoughts:

At one point someone mentioned how important “keeping ‘at it”” was to becoming great…or, at least, to improving. So, weavers and spinners, the more you weave or spin the better you’ll be. The better you are, the more you learn what there is to learn. I certainly have learned this the past coupleofyears as I’ve worked on my book projects. I’ve not only improved technically, I’ve learned volumes, improving in almost every way. I share this to encourage you. But there’s one thing more to add to the mix: passion—a critical ingredient. It keeps you going.

Have you ever been away at a conference for only a few days but feel it’s been much longer? This is how it felt upon returning home. Having experienced so much and learned so much, there’s much to ponder.

My most important introductions I’m exploring:
Wright Morris: writer and photographer
Weldon Kees: poet, artist, composer
Louise Pound: folklorist
Loren Eiseley: author