We landed in Georgia on the night of the big game. We were there to work with University Extension Agents to help them articulate and tell the story of how they had made an impact in their communities. Needless to say, the mood the next morning was pretty enthusiastic, as UGA brought home the national championship. Go Dawgs! They had been waiting 41 years, after … Continue reading Georgia
The day before the tragic storm in Kentucky, we were working with Extension agents at a statewide conference in Lexington. Extension programs are a division of land grant universities and their goal is to educate entire communities. These folks are charged with integrating the research of an institution into the day to day lives of the state’s residents. Extension agents offer nutrition programs in rural … Continue reading Kentucky
A Peace of My Mind set up our studio for first generation students at the University of Minnesota and asked, “What will graduating from college mean to you, your family, and/or your community? Continue reading U of M – First Generation Students
Sean Davis is a writer, a veteran and a wildland firefighter. He lives in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. In the summer of 2020, the McKenzie River Valley was devastated by a forest fire that quickly burned 174,000 acres and destroyed more than 500 homes. Sean says he has been to the apocalypse four times. He has seen difficult things and you will find that he shares … Continue reading Sean Davis
So here we sit, wedged in between two historic Wednesdays. A week ago, an angry mob stormed the U.S. Capitol while congress was in session to certify the results of our presidential election. And a week from now, Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States. A few miles south of us crews are working overtime to build as many … Continue reading Hard times
Our village showed up this week, and it was amazing. To say that our 2020 Christmas tree harvest was a shit show (pardon the language) would be an understatement. Everything that could break…broke. Everything that could quit…quit. There are a few choke points in a tree harvest that if they go down, the whole operation falls apart. I say this like I know what I … Continue reading It takes a village
It’s been two weeks since we left our home in Bloomington. We had a few days of planned down time with family in Wisconsin and then a few more days of unplanned down time when a small college engagement in Pennsylvania cancelled due to last-minute COVID restrictions on campus. During the last two weeks, we’ve learned to slow down a little. We no longer have … Continue reading Unplugging…plugging in
Over the past few weeks, I’ve produced a series of remote portraits with Ithaca College and gathered stories around the question, “What does community and belonging look like for you in this time of pandemic and protests?” It’s something I’ve thought of a lot lately, as we all learn new ways of navigating the world. As Karen and I leave our home of 20 years. … Continue reading Ithaca Remote
“I think you have to think life…right ’til the end…and then you think eternal life.” I met Tony and Jenny Potts at a Bruderhof community in New York’s Hudson River Valley. The Bruderhof are Christians, living in community…they share resources, faith, and a life-long commitment to care for one another. Tony: We are here to serve others. It’s not a life of getting. It’s a … Continue reading Tony and Jenny Potts
“You do all these inspiring things,” she said. “I’m just a planner.” I thought for a minute. One of the things I love about A Peace of My Mind is that it lets me drop into different communities and spark interesting conversations. I meet new people and I see the creative ways that people work toward positive change in the world. One of the challenges … Continue reading Dreamers and planners
