Page 29 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

Lois read aloud many miles and helped the time move along

through the hours of travel on the Interstate. Poetry and literary
criticism. We turned north at the Capital, Bismarck and have

stopped for the night at Washburn.

I had the time to reflect on the constant question asked of us by

the locals as to why we were in their part of the country. I believe
this is simply a case of what we all do in failing to see the details of

our surroundings after experiencing them for a while. In the case
of this farming country, these fine folks exposure to the land has

been for decades and generations. This is not an example of
familiarity breeding contempt but rather breeding complacence.

What do we see with our unaccustomed eye as we drive for miles
and miles through the countryside that they understandably no

longer note? We note that there are multiple variations in the
silos with some a deep metallic blue with Old Glory on the side,

some with blue and white-checkered bands around the top, and
white ones with red stripes over the top. We see the beauty and

distinctness of the hues and depth of the colors green and gold in
the crops, the symmetry of the contour plowing and plantings, the

ingeniousness and massiveness of their farm machines, the

special, hard won, knowledge of crop and livestock management,
weather, economics, and the manner of using the roads and great

rivers to move their products to market, the clarity of the air, the
immensity of the sky, the smell of new-mown hay, the deer and

rabbits in the mornings, the plenty and simple loveliness of the
churches, the symbols in the communities of the heritages of

those who came to settle the land, the love of our Country shown

with the Stars and Stripes flying in the farmhouse front yards, the
accents and friendly ways of the people who gladly talked to

strangers about their lives, and everywhere – the flowers, the

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