Common Ground 208 Full episode

>>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR
"COMMON GROUND" IS MADE
AVAILABLE BY THE MINNESOTA
CULTURE AT AND ARTS FUNDS.
WELCOME TO COMMON GROUND.
"COMMON GROUND" CAPTURES THE
CREATIVE PROCESS OF VARIOUS
ARTISTS LIVING IN OUR REGION.
WE'RE DELVING INTO THE VEILED
HISTORY OF OUR AREA, PLUS WE
TAKE YOU INSIDE THE CULTURAL
EVENTS THAT PUT THE NORTH IN
NORTH COUNTRY.
ON THIS EPISODE OF "COMMON
GROUND COAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT
ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE WE
FEATURE, HER NAME IS MARY
SHIDELER, SHE'S FROM GRAND RAPID
AND MOST KNOW HER AS THE KAYAK
LADY.
SHE HAS KAYAK'S ALL 107 LAKES IN
INTHE COUNTY GLRCHLT I'M MARY
SHIDELER, THE KAYAK LADY, 14
YEARS AGO, 15 SEASONS AGO I PUT
MY KAYAK UP IN THE LAKE CHAIN
NEVER DREAMING EVENTUALLY I
WOULD PADDLE ANOTHER THOUSAND
LAKES.
I WAS DRIVEN BY CURIOSITY, I'M
50% RUSSIAN, 100% CURIOUS, I
JUST WANTED TO GET ON THE WATER
AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT WAS
IN A KAYAK BECAUSE I'M NOT BIG
ENOUGH OR STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY
A CANOE.
MY FORMER HUSBAND AND I MADE THE
KAYAK, IT'S 13 FEET LONG, 22
INCHES WIDE, WEIGHS ABOUT 35
POUNDS AND I CAN CARRY IT, OH,
ABOUT A QUARTER MILE BEFORE I
REALLY START SWEATING OR NEED TO
SIT IT DOWN BECAUSE IT'S TOO
HEAVY.
IN A KAYAK YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT
ON THE WATER AND THE WIND
DOESN'T PLAY WITH YOU AS BAD,
YOU STAY DRIER.
YOU CAN'T GET AS MUCH IN A KAYAK
AND THEY ARE A LITTLE MORE
AWKWARD TO CARRY, BUT YOU CAN
REALLY SNEAK IN AND OUT OF BAYS
AND COFFEES AN COVES AND GET NEO
WILDLIFE.
OTTERS DON'T SEEM TO BE AFRAID.
I THINK THEY THINK YOU ARE BIG
DEER SWIMMING IN THE WATER.
I HAD A STARE DOWN WITH A WOLF,
THAT'S A STORY IN THE BOOK THE
KAYAK LADY.
I'VE SEEN MOOSE OUT THERE, I'VE
HAD OTTERS POP UP AT THE TIP OF
THE KAYAK.
ONE DAY WHEN I WAS PADDLING, HAD
THE PADDLE IN AND ACCIDENTALLY
HIT SOMETHING AND A MUSKRAT GOT
UP AND GAVE ME A LOOK, THAT WAS
A DEAL.
I'VE SEEN LOONS SWIMMING UNDER
WATER, BEAVERS SWIMMING UNDER
WATER.
I'VE SEEN BASS IN THEIR BEDS,
PICKED BERRIES FROM THE SHORE,
IN THE KAYAK, IT'S LIKE A DRIVE
UP ORGANIC RESTAURANT.
I WANTED TO GET OUT OF THERE BUT
THE BIG MOTIVATOR I WANTED TO
GET IN THE WATER IN THIS LAB OF
A THOUSAND LAKES, I JUST WANTED
TO BE INDEPENDENT, AN INDE
INDEPENDENT WOMAN, I LIKE QUIET
TIME ON THE WATER, IT'S VERY MED
I TAKETIVE, RHYTHMIC, I WANTED
TO MEDITATE BUT BECAUSE I HAVE
SO MANY ANTS IN MY PANTS I
CAN'T, THE RHYTHMIC PADDLING IS
LIKE CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING.
THE INDIANS FROM GREENLAND USED
THIS FOR TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK I READ THE DAD WOULD
PADDLE AND THE MOM AND KIDS AND
DOGS WOULD GO INTO THE TIP, THEY
HAD LONG KAYAKS, THEY WOULD USE
IT AS A HUNTING BOAT, THEY COULD
GET UP CLOSE TO THE ANIMAL.
I'M PADDLING ON SMALL, LAKES.
PICK THE PRETTIEST ONE, THAT'S
THE ONE TO BUY.
PEOPLE SAY WHAT KIND OF KAYAK
SHOULD I GET?
THE REAL ADVICE IS GET YOUR
BOTTOM IN AS MANY BOATS AS YOU
CAN BECAUSE WE ALL WOULD TAKE A
DIFFERENT BOAT.
THIS BOAT, A SMALL BOAT IS MADE
FOR PEOPLE UNDER FIVE FEET,
UNDER 8 110 POUND, IF SOMEONE
HEAVIER GETS IN IT, I'VE SIENT,
THEY FLIP OUT.
YOU NEED A BOAT THAT IS GOOD ON
YOUR BACK, I'VE BEEN IN KAYAKS
WHERE I FEEL LIKE A PEA ROLLING
AROUND IN A BOWLINGALLY.
GET COMFORTABLE AND THEN SAY AM
I GOING TO PORTAGE THIS ON ONE
LAKE OR PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT
TO DIFFERENT KID.
IF YOU HAVE GRAND KIDS, YOU
PROBABLY DON'T WANT A WOODEN
BOAT, YOU PROBABLY WANT A
PLASTIC BOAT.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE AHEAD
SLEEKLY IN THE WATER, GET A
FIBERGLASS BOAT, THEY ARE HEAVY,
MORE EXPENSIVE BUT THEY ARE
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND THEY
CUT THROUGH THE WATER LIKE A
KNIFE IN WATER.
I HAVE A WOODEN BOAT BECAUSE
IT'S LIGHT AND I NEEDED A BOAT
TO FIT MY SPECIAL SIZE BUT GET
IN AS MANY BOATS AS YOU CAN, GO
TO SPRING CREEK, THEY WILL TAKE
YOU OUT ON A MINE PIT, THEY WILL
HAVE SIX OR EIGHT BOATS AND YOU
CAN TRY IT OUT.
THE PROJECT WOULD NEVER HAVE
HAPPENED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF
THE COMMUNITY, MY FAMILY, FRIEND
AND COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE HAVE JUMPED ON THIS
PROJECT WHO KNOWS WHY, MAYBE
BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE THE LAKE BUT
THROUGH THE YEARS MANY PEOPLE
HAVE HELPED ME FIND LAKES, THEY
HAVE COME AND PADDLED WITH ME.
THIS IS EXCITING, WE LIVE UP
HERE BECAUSE WE LOVE THE
OUTDOORS.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, PEOPLE
HAVE SAID WE'D LIKE TO PADDLE
WITH THE KAYAK LADY, HERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY.
THEY SAY IT TAKES A VILLAGE BUT
IN THIS CASE IT TAKES A COUNTY.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS I'VE BEEN
TAKING NOTES ON THE SIDE OF MAPS
AND THAT HAS BECOME A BOOK AND
IT'S CALLED "THE KAYAK LADY,"
AND IT HAS 21 CHAPTERS, 19
SNIPPETS AND COLORED
PHOTOGRAPHS.
I TOOK THE PICTURES IN THE BOOK.
YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION, GO
TO MARY THE KAYAK LADY.COM, YOU
CAN READ A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE
KAYAK LADY, SEE PHOTOGRAPHS, SEE
PHOTOS OF MY MOTHER 88.5 YEARS
OLD WHO WENT SKY DIVING ON HER
82ND BIRTHDAY.
>> I'M THE MOTHER OF THE KAYAK
LADY.
I HAD NO IDEA HOW ENTHUSED SHE
WAS ABOUT THIS, ONCE SHE KIND OF
GETS STARTED SHE WILL CARRY
THROUGH TO THE END AND GO FROM
THAT, AND, OF COURSE, I LIVE IN
ARIZONA, SO I'M ONLY UP HERE FOR
THE SUMMER TO COOL OFF, BUT I
THINK IT IS WONDERFUL THAT SHE
COULD DO THAT AND GO AHEAD AND
IT LOOK LIKE WE WILL HAVE A BIG



>> LET'S ROLL.
>> WOO!
[APPLAUSE]
>> IN THE FIRST PLACE I WASN'T,
I DIDN'T SET OUT TO WRITE A BOOK
BUT I WAS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE
NOTES ON THE SIDE OF THE
TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS, THEN IT WAS
ALL THE THING I FELT AND
EXPERIENCED, SOMETHING ON THE
LAKE, WHO I MET, THAT KIND OF
THING, SO I WAS ENCOURAGED TO
PADDLE ALL THE LAKES.
MY INTENT WAS JUST TO GET TO 50
NEW AND DIFFERENT LAKES A
SEASON, AND THEN PEOPLE SAID
WELL I HOPE YOU ARE KEEPING A
JOURNAL AND WRITING A BOOK, SO,
FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE
BEEN SERIOUS ABOUT WRITING THE
BOOK AND THE LAST SIX MONTHS
WE'VE REALLY BEEN SERIOUS.
THE EASIEST THING ABOUT THIS
PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY PADDLING A
THOUSAND LAKES, WRITING THE
BOOK, AND THE TEST PART HAS BEEN
EDITING THE BOOK, I HAD A
WONDERFUL EDITOR, I NEVER FELT I
WANTED TO CURL UP IN A CORNER
AND SUCK MY THUMB, SHE WAS VERY
KIND, REVISING THE BOOK, GETTING
THE BOOK WHERE I THOUGHT IT WAS
DONE TO A PRINTER AND DESIGNER
AND BACK.
THE BOOK IS BEAUTIFUL, "THE
KAYAK LADY," IT'S 8 BY 8, 24
COLOR PHOTOS.
WHEN WE PICKED IT UP IN
BRAINERD, THEY BROUGHT THE
PALLET OF BOOKS, OPENED THE
FIRST BOX AND PULLED THE FIRST
BOOK OUT I BURST IN TEARS
BECAUSE IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.
SOMEONE CAME OUT AND BOUGHT A
BOOK IN THE PARKING LOT, WE SOLD
A BOOK IN THE PARKING LOT.
MY BROTHER SAID WHY IS YOUR
SIGNATURE SO MESSY?
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING, IT'S MESSY
BUT NOBODY CAN IMITATE IT.
I DON'T WANT TO GET THIS BOOK
WET.
SEE, EVEN AFTER 1,007, SOMETHING
NEW HAPPENS, EVEN MONKEYS FALL
OUT OF TREES.
>> LET GO!
>> GOOD LUCK, MARY!
[APPLAUSE]

>> INITIALLY WHEN YOU START A
PROJECT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT
WILL GROW INTO BUT THIS PROJECT
DIDN'T START WANTING TO KAYAK
ALL 1,007 IN THE CONE, IT GREW
OUT OF A STRONG DESIRE TO WANT
TO GET ON THE WATER, JUST GO OUT
AND EXPLORE JUST TO HAVE SOME
ALONE TIME, GET OUT AND FEEL THE
BREEZE, SEE WHAT THE UNDER SIDE
OF A LILLIE PAD IS LIKE, GO OUT
AND LISTEN TO THE LOONS, WHETHER
IT'S A PARENT OR CHICK, THEY
HAVE A VERY INTIMATE CALL.
IT IS A SOFT CALL, THEY ARE
CHECKING IN WITH EACH OTHER TO
SEE IF THEY ARE THERE.
I WOULD NEVER HAVE HEARD THAT OR
KNOWN THAT IF I HAD NOT BEEN ON
THE WATER QUIETLY PADDLING THE
LAKES.
WE ALL HAVE A DEEM O DREAM OR DS
INSIDE OF US, A REQUEST INSIDE
OF US.
IT ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW
THEIR DREAMS, DREAMS DO COME
TRUE.
MY MOTHER AND I HAVE A SHARED
BUCKET LIST.
MY MOTHER STARTED HER BUCKET
LIST WHEN SHE WAS 80 YEARS OLD,
SHE HAD 70 THINGS ON IT AND
SHE'S DONE 50.
I HAVE 50 THINGS AND I'VE DONE
30.
THERE IS A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO
FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS, GET OUT ON
THE WATER, AND THE THINGS I
LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF, IT WAS A
WONDERFUL CLASSROOM, THE THINGS
I LEARNED ABOUT MOTHER NATURE,
WHAT I REALLY LEARNED WAS TO
KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT AND EYES AND
EARS OPEN AND JUST OBSERVE WHAT
IS OUT THERE AND LET THAT APPLY
TO THE REST OF MY LIFE.
WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ALONE AND TO BE NOT FORCED INTO
MY OWN THOUGHTS BUT HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO MY OWN
THOUGHTS, IT MADE ME BE STILL,
IT MADE ME BE QUIET AND WHAT I
OBSERVED IN NATURE I WAS ABLE TO
APPLY TO THE REST OF MY LIFE.
WHEN I WOULD QUIETLY PADDLE
ALONG THE SHORES OF THESE LAKES,
I USUALLY PADDLE CLOSE TO THE
SHORE AND LOOK DOWN INTO THE
CLEARWATER, NAL ALL LAKES ARE
CLEARWATER BUT IN THOSE
CLEARWATER LAKES AND COULD SEE
THE BOTTOM, PATTERN OF THE SAND
THE WAVES HAD LEFT, SOMETIMES
YOU COULD SEAT THE TRACKS OF
BLUE HERRON, OTHER TIMES CLAM
SHELLS, DEAD CRAYFISH, OLD ROCKS
OR WOOD ON THE BOTTOM OR PINE
CONES, PINE NEEDLES, SAW THE
PATTERN, IT REMINDED ME OF THE
LABYRINTH OF MY LIFE AND WHEN I
LOOKED INTO THE WATER AND NOBODY
ASKED ANYTHING OF ME, BUT I
COULD STARE INTO THE WATER AND
SEE THIS IS HOW IT WORK, IT
HELPED ME TO SEE MYSELF MORE
CLEARLY, HONESTLY, BE WRAI BRAVO
LOOK MY MONSTERS IN THE EYE.
AND I WAS ASKED BY THE ITASCA
COUNTY SOIL AND WATER OFFICE
HERE IN GRAND RAPID AND THE
MINNESOTA COUNTY TO TAKE
READINGS.
I USED A PLATE AND ALSO DEPTH
READINGS, A LOT OF THE WATER
CLARITY WILL BE BASELINE FOR
LAKES THE DNR HAD NO READINGS
FOR.
YOU SIMPLY -- I WOULD TRY TO GO
OUT TO THE DEEPEST PART, WHICH
WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND A LAKE IT
ALL LOOK THE SAME DEPTH, YOU
DON'T KNOW IF IT IS 6 INCHES OR
106 INCHES, SO I WOULD JUST DROP
THE DISK OVER THE SIDE OF THE
BOAT, WHEN IT HIT BOTTOM, IF IT
DID IF I HAD ENOUGH ROPE I WOULD
COUNT HOW MANY FEET DEEP IT WAS
AND WHERE WAS THE LAST TIME I
COULD SEAT THE DISH IN THE WATER
AND THEN WE KNEW THE WATER
CLARITY, THOSE ARE BASELINE
READINGS.
SOME WOULD HELP US TRIM --
BECAUSE I VISITED MOST LAKES
JUST ONE TIME I HAVE JUST ONE
READING, BUT A FEW YEARS AGO
ITASCA COUNTY HAD MORE LAKE
WATER READINGS, WATER CLARITY
READINGS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY
IN THE STATE.
THE KAYAK LADY DID THAT IN HER
SPARE TIME.
ONE OF OUR GREATEST RESOURCES IN
NORTHERN MINNESOTA ARE THE LAKES
AND MY INTENT IS WE KEEP THE
LAKES AS CLEAN AS PRISTINE AS
POSSIBLE AND BY TAKING WATER
CLAIRE I FI READCLARITY READINGL
FOR IT.
BY DOING CLARITY READINGS WAS A
WAY TO VOLUNTEER MY TIME AND A
WAY FOR MY PROJECT TO HAVE MORE
CREDIBILITY AND WAYS FOR THE
PROJECT NOT TO BE SUCH A SELFISH
QUEST BECAUSE I COULD SHARE
INFORMATION I HAD GATHERED.
>> WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT MARION
HER 1,007TH LAKE.
WE'RE INVOLVED WITH SENIOR
FISHING, WE GO OUT ON BOATS WITH
THEM AND DO OTHER PROGRAMS LIKE
THE EMPTY BOAT PROJECT AND
CONFERENCES, WE JUST HAD A
CONFERENCE.
>> WE ARE HERE WITH AGES, THE
ITASCA AGES THAT INVOLVES YOUTH
WITH SENIORS, WE TAKE SENIORS
FISHING, AGES STAND FOR ALL AGES
ENGAGED IN STEWART SHIP.
MARY IS FROM GRAND RAPID, WE
WANTED TO WISH HER WELL AND
CONGRATULATE HER, 1,007 LAKES,

>> YAHOO!
THIS IS MY BOOK THE KAYAK LADY
AND THIS BOOK IS A MEMOIRE OF
PADDLING THE LAKES IN ITASCA
COUNTY, IT TALKS NOT ONLY ABOUT
EXPERIENCES I HAD ON THE WATER
BUT IT TALKS ABOUT THE HEAL
NOTHING MY LIFE.
WE HAVE 40 FULL COLOR PHOTOS IN
THE BOOK, THESE WERE TAKEN ON
THE LAKE FROM THE KAYAK, HERE WE
HAVE AN OTTER POPPED UP IN FRONT
OF THE KAYAK.
THERE WERE FOUR BUT I WAS BUSY
BLOWING MY NOSE, SO I MISSED
THAT.
THIS IS THE DADDY OTTER.
THESE STORIES COME FROM MY
EXPERIENCE THAT I NOTED ON THE
SIDE OF MY MAP.
THIS SHOWS TWO OF THREE KING
BIRD EGGS THAT HAD HATCHED.
IT WAS HANGING OVER THE LAKE AND
I ALMOST HIT IT WITH MY
SHOULDER.
MY MOTTO IS ALWAYS HAVE YOU
CAMERA WITH YOU, YOU NEVER KNOW
WHAT YOU WILL SEE.
I BECAME A BETTER PHOTOGRAPHER.
A LOT OF US WANT TO WRITE A BOOK
AND WE WANT PHOTOGRAPHS TO GO
ALONG AND COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER.
THIS IS A FUNNY PHOTO, A LITTLE
BOY SAID A TWO-HEADED TURTLE.
THIS IS A GREAT REFLECTION ON
ELK LAKE, THAT TURTLE JUST
DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLANTS IS THE
PITCHER PLANT, THIS IS THE PLACE
THAT LOOKS LIKE A PITCHER.
WHEN I WAS IN THE BOG, I TAKE
TIME TO EXAMINE THE PLANT, IF
YOU PUT YOUR FINGER IN THE
PITCHER PLANT, YOU CAN FEEL THE
HAIRS, IF YOU WERE A BUG YOU
WOULD HAVE A SLIPPERY SLOPE
GOING DOWN BUT NOTHING TO HELP
YOU CLIMB OUT.
MOTHER NATURE IS CLEVER.
THIS IS A FUN PHOTO, I HEARD THE
ACTION BEFORE I SAW IT, I HEARD
A HUMMING BIRD BEHIND ME AND TO
THE SIDE, DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS
SO CLOSE TO THESE BLUE FLAG
IRIS, AS I STARTED TO TAKE
PICTURES OF THE HUMMINGBIRD AND
BLUE FLAG IRIS, THE WIND CAME UP
AND MOVED THE BOAT AROUND, HERE
WAS A HUMMINGBIRD FEED WILLING
ON THE BLUE FLAG IRIS.
THERE'S A PHOTO IT TOOK ME 11
YEARS TO GET, I'M PROUD OF THAT
JUST BECAUSE IT TOOK SO LONG.
I OFTEN ASK PEOPLE WHAT DO YOU
THINK THIS IS A PHOTO OF AND
VERY FEW PEOPLE GUESS THIS IS
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN A BEAVER
SLAPS THE WATER AND THIS WAS
EVENING, IF YOU WANT TO SEE
BEAVERS, GOOD TIME TO GO OUT IS
JUST BEFORE THE SUN IS SETTING
AND THIS BEAVER WAS PATROLLING,
SLAPPED THE WATER AND THE WATER
FLOO I DON'FLEW I DON'T KNOW HO.
THIS IS WARM WATER, COOL AIR,
SUN WAS RISING, PRETTY EXCITING
BOWSTRING LAKE.
ONE THING I LEARNED WAS TO LOOK
CAREFULLY, CLOSELY AT THE LITTLE
THINGS.
SEEING THE BEAR IN THE CREEK WAS
EXCITING, SEEING THE COW AND
CALF MOOSE WAS EXCITING BUT MORE
EXCITING WERE THE LITTLE PLANT
IN THE WATER.
YOU WANT A LIFE JACKET AND MAKE
SURE IT FITS AND IS COMFORTABLE.
YOU ALWAYS WANT TO TAKE WATER
WITH YOU, ALWAYS TELL SOMEONE
WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN YOU
WILL BE BACK.
PINK RIBBONS, GPS IS GREAT BUT
PINK RIBBONS DON'T HAVE
BATTERIES THAT WEAR OUT.
I ALWAYS TAKE FOOD BECAUSE THAT
20 MINUTE EXPLORATION CAN TAKE
LONGER.
AND I DID GET A CELL PHONE BUT
YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET TELEPHONE
RECEPTION.
THE CHAPTERS TALK ABOUT THE
EXPERIENCES AND SOMETIMES THE
MOST INTERESTING THINGS THAT
HAPPENED ON THE LAKE DIDN'T
ACTUALLY HAPPEN ON THE LAKE, IT
HAPPENED GOING TO THE LAKE OR
COMING FROM THE LAKE, SOMETIMES
THE PEOPLE I MET OR THEIR DOGS,
THE BOOK CHRONICALS WHAT
HAPPENED.
NOT EVERY DAY IS SUNNY, 72 AND
CALM WATER.
TO PADDLE THE 1,007 LAKES IN
THOSE YEARS I HAD TO MAKE USE OF
THE SOFT WATER, ONE TIME I
STARTED PADDLING IN APRIL, ONE
TIME MARCH, BUT APRIL WHEN THERE
WAS ICE ON THE LAKES, PADDLED
THROUGH SPRIP, SUMMER AND AUTUMN
AND BALD UNTIL FREEZE UP.
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT,
THERE WAS TWICE I THOUGHT I
WON'T BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS
BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WAS BEHIND
ME, WERE SO ENCOURAGING, I HIT
THE 100 LAKES, THEN I HIT 900
AND I KNEW I WOULD PADDLE ALL
THE LAKES.
IT WAS THE HELP OF WILLIE, STAN
THE TRAPPER, OTHER FOLKS WHO
WOULD LET YOU USE THE PHONE,
GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS.
LOTS OF PEOPLE TOLL THE KAYAK
LADY WHERE TO GO.
WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN TOUGHER, I APPRECIATE
EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT.
SOME CASES IT TAKES A VILLAGE
BUT IN THIS CASE IT TOOK A WHOLE
COUNTY.
INITIALLY I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST
GO OUT AND LEARN WHAT MOTHER
NATURE HAD TO OFFER.
BUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED OVER 15
SEEPSZ SEASON OF PADDLE GI LEARD
ABOUT MYSELF.
WHEN I BEGAN THIS PROJECT IN
JULY OF 1996 I WAS A MARRIED
WOMAN AND NOW 15 SEASONS LATER
I'M A STRONG INDEPENDENT SINGLE
WOMAN AND THERE WAS A LOT OF
TIME IN THEORY STRUGGLED, LOT OF
TIME I HAD TO LEARN, AND I
LEARNED IF I KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT
AND MY EYES AND EARS OPEN,
MOTHER NATURE WILL REVEAL SOME
OF HER MOST INTIMATE SECRETS AND
WHEN SHE DOES THAT I LEARN
TRUTHS ABOUT THE WORLD AND
TRUTHS ABOUT MYSELF.
MOTHER NATURE IS NOT GOING TO BE
RUSHED, SHE'S GOING TO WORK ON
HER OWN TIME FRAME.
A LOT OF TIMES I WANT THINGS TO
HURRY UP AND GET DONE, PROBABLY
MY NATURE BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED
IS YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE A DEEP
BREATH AND LET IT EVOLVE AND
JUST TRU THST THE PROCESS.
NOW I GRAVE TO BE ON THE WATER,
IN THE BEGINNING I WANTED PEOPLE
TO BE WITH ME ALL THE TIME.
I FOUND AN INNER STRENGTH, I
FOUND OUT I COULD DO THIS AND I
GOT IN TOUCH WITH MY INSIDES
WHICH I HADN'T BEEN IN TOUCH
WITH BEFORE BUT I GOT IN TOUCH
WITH MY INSIDES TO THE PLACE
WHERE I'VE MADE FRIENDS WITH
MYSELF.
I'VE PUT ON MY BIG GIRL PANTIES,
GOT MY COURAGE TO THE STICKING
PLACE, I WANT EVERYBODY TO
FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS.
DREAMS COME TRUE, I NEVER
DREAMED I WOULD FINISH ALL 1,007
LAKES OR WRITE A BOOK.
IF I CAN DO IT YOU CAN DO IT.
I'M JUST A SMALL TOWN GIRL FROM
MINNESOTA, EVERYBODY HAS THE
DREAMS INSIDE THEM.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
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"COMMON GROUND."
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