Cultures collide on the frontier. Linda Ulleseit’s novel, The River Remembers, is a story set in the Michigan territory during the 1830s and 1840s. Three main characters—each from a different ethnic group—move the story forward. Day Set is a Dakota Indian. Harriet is a Black slave. Samantha is White, a sister…
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Three Women and Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 14. The Farmer’s Almanac gives the history of this day, pointing to three women who promoted respect and support for motherhood. In the middle of the 19th century, Ann Reeves Jarvis sponsored Mothers’ Day work clubs. Her goal was to improve the living condition for…
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She Asked Me to Pray
After working in hospital labor/delivery units for many years, I had the opportunity to join a home birth practice. I attended healthy women in labor at home. During the active phase of labor the doctor or midwife arrived. Approximately ten percent of the women were transferred to the hospital for…
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Supporting Mothers: The Hike for Life
Over the years I have often participated in the Hike for Life on Mother’s Day weekend. It has been a family event, children included. In the 1990s we hiked along the shore of Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago. Yesterday my daughter reminded me of her first hike. It was the…
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Flowers in Winter
The lilacs are blooming in my backyard. They are a favorite, because my grandmother had them around her home. The choke cherry tree extends it branches fluttering with green leaves and tiny white blossoms. Spring is in full bloom and Sunday is Mother’s Day. My husband and I will travel…