I am going to say it… the Midwest breeds tough folk. The hubs and I are out of our league. They cook, bake, sew, chop wood, and build homes or at least understand how to fix a problem, all before noon. We can manage people and situations, but doing the manual part is out of league and desire. We went to a horticulture meeting, and while most were discussing plants and such with big names with flair, we wanted to ask what grass we should plant. We didn’t ask, out of fear that we would outed as absolute idiots in a land that growing anything came from generational knowledge from the time they were in the womb. The horticulture group is not my jam, but the people were so nice and a breed of Midwest tough that put me in a state of awe. I just enjoyed our vast differences and the pretty pictures of the plants. The rest was over my little Arizona head filled with rocks and cactus and the ability to call anyone to fix anything without worrying about a ferry schedule.

Horticulture ain’t my thing, obviously, but I appreciate everyones knowledge and abilities. One of the leaders of the group just finished the first wall in their home and was starting another one. Yup. All before dinner. The group taught me who to go to learn what kind of grass grows in this absolute land of wonders on the St. Mary’s River and truly understand that both coasts are absolutely spoiled with enormous amounts of everything, but we all have  skills. However, to be considered Midwest tough, you must grow up with a lack of things and the abundance of land that makes you land smart and talented with what you have in a way I will never become but appreciate. For me I will marvel in their talents and kind ways, but still cater  parties we throw due to my Westerners’ weakness and inability to cook for a crew.

It’s OK.

Please note: the picture is of a real bear 100 feet from where we are staying. Ah, what do you do? Put your arms up and scream while standing dead (hopefully a figure of speech) in your tracks. Again, Midwest tough, I hid in the house for three hours after this sighting, but I told the story all day long.