Missoula Children's Theater

Forgive my lack of posting this week, however the theater has come to town!
On Sunday night two directors of he Missoula Children's Theater, Anne and Allison, moved in with me.

Hendry Park, the school I always talk about in my small town, has fund raisers and books fairs just to bring this traveling theater troupe to town.

The process is amazing. Monday are the auditions, rehearsals every night (meaning just Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) are from 3-8 with a break for a packed lunch.

There are over 40 kids in the show and it has been fascinating to watch this show come to life in such a short time.

Tonight the kids meet again at 3:00 for dress rehearsal and then the show tonight and tomorrow....7:30 and 12:00!

Be sure to come out!

Oh, and Jonah is in the show! Pictures to follow.

Now, on with the show!

Poetry Passage

Last week I mentioned a new book, Step Gently Out, by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder. I was fortunate to go to the book signing and talk at the Museum of Art in Fort Wayne last Friday night. The book is absolutely gentle to touch as well as beautiful.

Rick shared the photos and videos of insects and birds that he has captivated on film. It was spectactular.

I used the book as our Easter prayer at dinner on Sunday.

The book is published by Candlewick and is available in Fort Wayne at the museum.


Click here for the book's trailer, it is beautiful!

Art Out My Window

This photo was taken last week on my journey to Shipshewanna. The weather was so beautiful that I had the windows rolled down. I took this photo in the town of Topeka, Indiana.

Fixing comment links...

Hi Folks,
Be it known that I do get your comments, I just can't get them on the blog. I am working on this. Thank you so much for your notes. I read them all and enjoy them. I hope I can fix this soon. You would all enjoy the other comments as well!!

Art Out My Window will be published soon!!
Lou Ann

This week's column...A Trip to Shipshewanna and unexpected surprises!

Click here for this week's column!!


It was a perfect week to take a trip to Shipshewanna to view the barn quilts. Of course, like always, there are surprises along the way!! As always, thanks for reading! The following photos are just a few from my journey! Enjoy.

White Picket Gardens

Last night there was a frost at White Picket Gardens. I covered the turtle garden, but left the rest to nature. Fortunately berries were not in bloom yet, just the lovely trees of Spring. Here is my haiku for the day.

shivering flowers

wearing winter's coat of lace

frozen diadems

Here are a few photos from White Picket Gardens that I took late yesterday afternoon. Also, taking a cue from Anne of Green Gables, I have decided I will be Lou Ann of White Picket Gardens. As always, thanks for reading!



Poetry Passage

This week's poet is Aldo Leopold. Leopold was an essayist from Madison, Wisconsin. I first became aware of his writings and philosophies through Fred Wooley, our naturalist at Pokagon State Park. Fred refers to Leopold's writings often in his own talks.

This past winter, storyteller and friend, Jim Fitzer has developed a one man show on the life of Aldo Leopold. The show opens this month at the Chattanooga Theater Center in The Circle Theater in Chattanooga. The show dates are April 18, 19, 25, and 26. The show begins at 7:00 and the tickets are on sale for $10.00. If I lived closer to Jim, I would be first in line for a ticket! For more information on Jim and his work, please check him out at www.jimfitzer.com.

I chose to share with you a part of an essay Leopold wrote for the beginning of April, the piece is entitled, "Bur Oak".

Following the essay is a photograph I took at Pokagon State Park yesterday. It is what was the origin of today's blog.

"Have you ever wondered why a thick crust of corky bark covers the whole tree, even to the smallest twigs? This cork is armor. Bur oaks were the shock troops sent by the invading forest to storm the prairie; fire is what they had to fight. Each April, before the new grasses had covered the prairie with unburnable greenery, fires ran at will over the land, sparing only such old oaks as had grown bark too thick to scorch. Most of these groves of scattered veterans, known to the pioneers as 'oak openings,' consisted of bur oaks."

Aldo Leopold from his book "A Sand County Almanac".