Thrive, Minnesota

One of the many wonderful things about My Minnesota has to do with the equitable distribution of its cultural leaders. I've mentioned the poets and writers in the Duluth area. Joyce Sutphen, our current poet laureate was raised on a farm near St. Joseph Minnesota. She teaches at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, not exactly a booming metropolis (not that there's all that much wrong with booming metropolises [metropoli?]). Bill Holm was born near Minneota and taught at Southwest State in Marshall. Robert Bly spent much of his life living on a farm in western Minnesota. Paul Gruchow was also a gifted writer associated primarily with Minnesota's natural places and beauty. Next June, the 5 and 6 to be specific, the University of Minnesota Center for Small Towns will be hosting a summit on Leveraging Arts and Culture to Build Thriving Communities. As a Christmas present to myself, I'm planning on participating. Several years ago I participated in a similar event in Morris. One evening's entertainment was a Peter Ostroushco concert. His rendition of Bob Dylan's Girl from the North Country damn near brought me to tears. I hope to see and meet at least some of you there.