The imagination needs attention

My father was named Rudolph August Krueger.
His family was made up of pioneer people.
There were no famous people among us. 
Some were dirt farmers.
some rode the rails in Box Cars
Some were Horse Traders
Some got undone by alcohol.
He and Mother Mathilda met at
an event at an Evangelical Gemeinschaft
church. 
Now for some imagination.
Let us now go to the Cemetery near Springfield.
A number spellings are used. Krieger, Kruger and others. Genealogical studies are complicated.
We know of some contacts with Native Americans
But no stories that would be authentic witness.

Delton Krueger  5-11-2020

Keeping Our Eyes On Issues Part 1

Starting With The American Civil War
divisions within American society were put on public display.

The War was greatly about slavery.  White people saw themselves as superior to black people. The war did not settle that matter. These days we hear of The Confederate Flag and White Supremacy.

A person can start a spirited conversation over black/white relationships. We need to have more of these.

I promise not to forget about the Civil War and the history that surrounded that convulsion of death and those who gave their lives at places like Bull Run and Antietam and Gettysburg.

Delton Krueger 5/7/2020                             

Birch Trees

                                                                                                           Birches look so organized
Usually gathered as a family.
Their beauty charms humans.
Driving on a slope of land that
Exhibits Paper Birch with its loose
Bark blowing 
In the Spring wind
Waving to passers-by with a shy glance
That invites attention. 
I remember a Birch grove in
Clear water County, Nimrod Township,
 Bathed by Long Lake.
      
      Delton

Flowers guide the Way

The Urgency of Daffodils

A yellow flag
shows the way to a field of flowers between
heaven and earth.
This is a time to grow
because the frost will be here
before we are ready.
Earth sets the time schedule
creatures are obedient no matter
how charming and seductive.

My dear daffodil 
I love you and the earth 
that is your mother and father.
Your companions are woodlands
That will not desert you. Perhaps a stream that runs near will nourish and comfort you.
I will see your children and say hello.....

Delton

THE REFUGE

The Sherburne Refuge Those words raise up images of open fields, Sand Hill Cranes, Crows, Ducks, Walking People, Fish, St Francis stream, Mahnomen Lake.

This was and is truly a Refuge. For Native Americans it was a burial ground on the shores of the lake .

Blue Hill was a place of worship. An outlook to view sunrise and sunset. The location for a white person burial ground.

In winter there was a cross country ski trail and a space for snow shoeing. 

A grove of white pine was place was refuge for private conversation and touching.

The Sand Hill Cranes were so impressive.     Standing as tall as a person they got attention.   Could they would have tales to tell about the migration time

Racial Awareness

A Pool of Racial Awareness

Can you imagine a swimming pool filled with people of many colors and shapes. Even trying to imagine such a scene is confusing and painful.

Who do you think would try to climb out of the pool first?

Who would begin to dance and sing?

Who would stand and look around to see if any one was there who she or he knew or had known?

Would the children behave and help rescue if they found some really small ones.

 What would the really old people who could hardly walk deal with all the confusion.

Would someone try to organize the crowd into black and brown and white?

Delton Krueger 4/15/2020

Three Hares

Three  Hares

an ancient circular symbol

appearing in sites appears in the

Middle East and to Devon, England

They race around in an endless circle

showing energy

Is a good luck symbol

for Buddhism, Islam, Celtic, Pagan, Christian and Judaism

  

Delton Krueger 4/8/2020

The Rapids

There were rocks everywhere.  I should have paid more attention to the rapids and its geography before getting into this situation. Now there was no way out of what was bound to happen.

The best outcome was a scratched aluminum canoe. Or a canoe folded in half by the weight of the water. I decided that a scratched canoe was better than death by stupidity.  Actually, there was no time for rational consideration or asking a teacher what to do now.

Personal survival does focus the mind. 

Off we go into the rocks. The flowing water creates a cushion that allows for bouncing off of some sharp-edged rocks. Please get into the mainstream of the rapids. Do not let the canoe get pushed sideway by the current. So far, so good.

Notice the tree branch ahead.  It may remove my hat. It does and there it is floating on ahead. 

Driven by the water the canoe runs against a rock that leaves a deep scratch in the side of the canoe but does not puncture the aluminum skin.

Now I can see clear water ahead. Be careful of the whirlpool at the foot of rapids.

The expectation of a scratched canoe was realistic and was accomplished.

This story is brought to mind by the global pandemic. 

by Delton Krueger 4/1/2020

Murder on The Cottonwood River

There were three parties in this drama

One woman. Two men. 

 

Observers included several birds and animals.

The setting was a substantial stream.

The time of day was dusk.

The atmosphere was charged with human emotion.

An argument was happening.

The drama was building to a climax.

The woman realized she was the prize.

Two men realized this was a test of their manhood.

One man had a gun in his pocket.

The contest was elemental.

A man died.

The murderer had a plan.

 Train tracks were just up the hill.     

He had experience in jumping a freight car

He got about 60 miles until they got him.

The woman went on with life.