West with the Wind

by Rebecca Cuningham

I drove northwest to Minnesota last weekend. This was my first solo trip of the year. I relaxed, read and learned about a town that was more important to my family history than I knew.

Conducí al noroeste, a Minnesota el fin de semana pasado. Era mi primer viaje a solas del año. Relajé, leí y aprendí sobre un pueblo que es aún más importante para mi familia que yo sabía.

Downtown Faribault Photo: R. Cuningham

West with the Wind

She drove west with the wind and rain
until Poynette, then shone a sunny plain
a woman traveling on her own
unfettered but with her phone
the farmers fields lay dry and gray
crossing river past river the way
to a town of 22,000 souls
Faribault, Minnesota her goal.

–Rebecca Cuningham, 21 March 2022

Al occidente con el viento

Hacia el oriente bajo lluvia y viento
hasta Poynette donde había mejor tiempo
una mujer viajando sola en la pradera
libre, pero con comunicación acontecedera
los campos yacen grises y secos
cruzando río tras río por camino truecos
a un pueblo de veintidós mil personas
llegar a Faribault, Minnesota se ambiciona.

–Rebecca Cuningham, 21 marzo 2022

Faribault Buckham Library Photo: R. Cuningham

The library looks more like a church than a house for books. I find that charming.

La biblioteca parece más una iglesia que una casa para libros. Para mí es muy acogedora.

Shumway Hall/Morgan Refectory Photo: McGhiever

I knew my dad’s sister and her husband had both studied several years apart at Shattuck/St. Mary’s school, which is in Faribault. I hadn’t realized my paternal grandmother attended her last two years of high school there when her family moved out of state temporarily. I discovered it in a conversation with my dad after my weekend visit to Faribault. Now I long to return, to know something of the grandmother who passed away when I was so young.

Sabía que la hermana de mi papá y su marido estudiaron separados por unos años en la escuela Shattuck/St. Mary’s, que está en Faribault. Lo que no sabía fue que mi abuela paterna la asistía los últimos dos años de la escuela secundaria cuando su familia estaba fuera del estado por un rato. Descubrí este hecho en una conversación con mi papá después de mi visita a Faribault. Ahora tengo muchas ganas de volver allí, de conocer algo de la abuelia que falleció cuando yo era muy chica.

¡Olé! –Rebecca

Faribault Flag Photo: R. Cuningham
Tags:     
Rebecca Cuningham

27 thoughts on “West with the Wind”

  7. Always great to return to the roots of your predecessors. Being a first-generation American in my family, it’s cool to see people like you be just a skip away from their parent’s and grandparent’s hometown. The architecture is lovely!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for sharing personal history, Rebecca. My dad lives in Minneapolis where he is the third generation on his mother’s side that lives there. That is special to me. The interesting thing about Faribault is two generations of women went away to school there, but I’m just finding out more about it as an adult. I do like the architecture too – very classic!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m sure you meant that as a compliment, so I will take it as such. I enjoyed her books very much as a child. A closer reading of them as an adult left me speechless as to her racism against Native Americans. Sad to see that. I admired her pioneer life, preparing the larder for winter, very much.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Pingback: *Press This* West with the Wind #225 | Its good to be crazy Sometimes

Comments are closed.