My Story

I might have been born in New Orleans. That is where my family of origin lives. Instead, by a twist of fate, I was born at the other end of the Mississippi River in Minnesota. Rather than growing up in a diverse city filled with a rich history, crowded public celebrations, jazz and blues, seafood, and a large extended family, I was raised on the Minnesota prairie in a small town nestled between the Des Moines River, a busy railroad that connected it to bigger Midwestern cities, and acres of farm fields. Nature and nurture tug hard with one another. That is my experience of being adopted.

I grew up on the edge of town with my mom and dad, two sisters, hunting dogs, iguanas, and many wild and rescued birds. My sisters and I took the bus to school, shivering under sun dogs at the top of our driveway, stomping our boots on the packed snow and turning our backs to the relentless wind. In the summertime, we fished and sailed and went camping as a family. I grew up scanning the big sky for severe weather and hoping for the return of the magic of ball lightning that once spun through our childhood bedroom. I knew nothing of hurricanes. Music filled our home. We all played instruments and listened to recordings from Herb Alpert to Burl Ives to Charles Ives. My sister Maria is a world-renowned jazz composer.

Before graduation from Windom Area High School, I attended haushaltungschule in Switzerland, where I first learned to make challah. Other education followed:  Carleton College, Teachers College at Columbia University, the University of Minnesota Law School, and the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis.

Another twist of fate brought me to work in Des Moines, Iowa, where I met my future husband Joel. He introduced me to Judaism. I make challah every Friday for Shabbat, using his sister’s recipe—not the Swiss one. We have two sons, who introduced me to the work of being a mother.

Inspired by The Diary of Anne Frank, I started keeping a journal as a child. My sister Kate is a superior journal-keeper and illustrates every day with words and images. My writing is more episodic. Writing is my solace and the way I try to make sense of nature and nurture. I am supported by two writing groups, Friday Writers and the Fisher Cats, to whom I owe so much for helping me find my voice. 

I am grateful to you for being here, meeting me on this page. Let’s talk. Please send me a comment so I can learn more about you.