We did it—we got out of the house and on the road about 7:30 yesterday morning. Before I go into that, a few confessions.

1. I haven’t figured out how to post photos on my blog site. In terms of technology, if I can’t figure something out right away, I get frustrated and give up. I’ll keep working at it, but in the mean time, I’m on Instagram, which I love. I am jujuannlulu because julieluna was already taken (can you imagine two of me out there?). I sometimes post on Facebook and I think you can find me there under Julie Luna.
2. I don’t like small confined spaces. Traveling with a dog, two adults and two adult-sized teenagers, and a whole carload of camping gear is a bit claustrophobic for me. I was pretty grumpy and agitated when we reached Mandan, South Dakota.
3. I didn’t write a paper for my Thinking Theologically class before we left. I was hoping to get it done last week, but it was crazy getting the garden and house ready to leave for such an extended time. And that is probably the real reason that I’m grumpy—I need to write this paper on the road. And having to bring along extra books for research doesn’t help with the claustrophobic factor. Lucky for me, Ernesto likes to drive so I can sit in the passenger seat with my laptop. (I’d rather listen to the book on CD that Benjamin brought.)

Our first stop was Breezy Point, Minnesota to pick up Elena from figure skating camp where we saw a show by all the young women that skated and learned that week. It was fabulous! Then we drove to Mandan, SD, which is just outside the capitol Bismarck.

The effects of the oil boom and bust are palpable here. Lots of new construction that has halted to a dead stop with large construction equipment scattered about like overgrown Tonka trucks and streets intended for homes that dead end into farm fields. I feel for the people here that waged their bets on making a living for their families and were let down. Being here I am haunted by

South Dakota is quite flat and desolate. When I walked Dreamer this morning she chased tumbleweeds. I am reminded of Willa Cather’s description of the vast plains of the Midwest being oceans of grasses flowing in the wind. Cather found this landscape comforting. I suppose what we call home, our homeland, is what we ultimately find comforting. Is it just what we are used to or are we meant to be part of particular landscapes and eco-systems? I’m convinced that God’s creation is much more complex and complicated than I will ever understand. Perhaps I am meant to live in a certain geographic area because my body’s response to it will cause me to want to care for this creation? When I moved to Berkeley, California in August, the dry season in the Bay Area, I dreamed (literally) of thunderstorms every night for weeks. It was as though since they were not physically present, my body was going to recreate them for me because they were so ingrained in my Midwest rhythm of seasons. And I never got used to earthquakes—I’ll take tornadoes any day!

Need to get back on the road…blessings to God’s creation and a prayer for our care of God’s creation. Thanks be to God!