DIPPING INTO MAGIC WATERS: Essays on Life, Family & Growing Up in Iowa

Gleaned from 450 essays written over nine years, this book covers stories close to the heart of the author. The title comes from a quote from the movie "Field of Dreams" (1989) where the character Terence Mann, speaking of the people that would come to watch the baseball game, said, " . . . and it’ll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick; they’ll have to brush them away from their faces."

For the author, these magic waters include stories about important people in her life, the wonder of the natural world around us, the traditions and celebrations of life - both when growing up and today. Along the way there is commentary on life today - both at the level of society and culture as well as personal observations of the author's journey to a life full of meaning and awareness.