Over one thousand years ago, Leif Erikson became the first european to set eyes upon the Americas – nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. Yet we still celebrate the man that was a distant second, while few know of the first. Why is this? You could say that there isn’t much evidence of Leif’s “discovery,” […]

Read more "Forgot Facts/Recalled Falsehoods"

     First, there was the pulling. Delicate little plants, glistening with the cool dew of the early morning spring air, ready to be gently plucked from their beds. At this stage, the uninitiated would be forgiven for believing that the ensuing labor would be performed with that same sense of gentleness. But they would […]

Read more "To Leaf Hanging"

           There was an old familiar smell in the air as I stepped outside this morning. We are all familiar with it: the smell of the earth thawing from a state of suspended animation beneath the ice and snow. It is the smell of spring nearing. To most of us it is quite nice, not […]

Read more "A Point in the Circle"

     Leading up to this last Christmas, I was asked the dreaded question of what I would like as a gift. I say “dreaded” because as an adult, I have learned that this question is merely a courtesy. Christmas gift wishes for children afford them the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild – […]

Read more "What do you want to be?"

>>> We see a man. Handsome, sickly, sunken cheeks, dirty blond hair. His name is Jan Bergson. His eyes are troubled. Searching. He is on his death-bed. Bloody rags are nearby, medicine bottles. His daughter Alexandra comes in from the cold. She is his oldest child. Bundled up, she begins to unwrap shawls and remove […]

Read more "o pioneers!"

Photographs from Spring. Remembering dry brown grass and fast moving water as days move to Fall now. This is The Land. In Jess’ family for generations. We are drawn here, before weeds are tall, before grasses close the entrance to the creek. To walk, look for rocks. Someday we’ll build here and will never have […]

Read more "the land"

Garlic scapes and summer squash. Farmer’s market in the morning, fridge pickles by midnight. >>> We may need a larger refrigerator…  

Read more "scapes from the ordinary"

Unglaciated / Unchanged // This name is an ode to the Driftless region in which creators Molly Reese and Jess Reed dwell. We write. Make pictures. Are passionate about tiny homes, big gardens, small footprints. We cook, bake, preserve, observe. We walk in stream beds picking up rocks from when the Earth was new. This […]

Read more "creative juices are thawing…"