Twin Cities Milk Producers Association

I bid on – and won – a disk of images from the Twin Cities Milk Producers Association, at the Howard Bowers Fund Silent Auction at CCMA, the 53rd annual meeting of the Consumer Cooperatives Management Association. Stuart Reid, of Food Co-op 500, found the photos and offered them to this event.

The disk contains images from the early 20th century of cooperative creameries in Minnesota, showing various facets of milk production. They're beautiful and evocative, and indulge my fascination with creameries. Look at the lovely diagram of confined cows, with those grain-tailed arrows indicating the escape of methane gas? Andy Warhol would have loved these pictures.

Sweet Sunday

Yesterday afternoon, a meeting with wonderful friends to talk about one of my favorite reads of the past year, Elizabeth Bowen's The House in Paris. Scones and real strawberries, sweet peas, cherry blossoms, a few minutes to sing together, Malcolm Dalglish's new processional for next February, Arts Week in Bloomington. (I wish I could really sing...I do love to listen.)

Stopped to talk for a minute with Ruth, next door, as she harvested kale from her front yard garden. Home of Scott Russell Sanders, author of the new book A Conservationist's Manifesto. Came home to a supper in our own backyard, a large salad and even the kids were here. Sav and Andreas are back from a week in Canada on an island, with friends.

Working, hatching plans to go to Pittsburgh later this week, for the 53rd annual gathering of CCMA, the Consumer Cooperatives Management Association. This is always fun: a chance to learn, reconnect, a tribal reunion.

Oh, and I'm twittering, too. Who knew? We'll see where that goes. You can find me at CCMA2009: I will twitter (in Twitsburgh) for natural foods and cooperation! I am also over there at elenabella. Come follow me, if you want to play with those kinds of messages.