Description:

A young girl, living in rural Missouri in the 50's and 60's, receives spiritual gifts from oddball family members which she will need when she becomes the parent of a child with autism. A grandfather with a strong Native American relationship to the earth and all living things teaches about selfless love while his sassy mouthed and practical wife shows the value of small things and persistence. While an aunt decides late in life to become a hippy and a bit of a witch, there is a cousin who has no time for people who will not follow any adventure which comes their way. The mother spends a lot of time being nearly to shy to be alive while other family members delight in teasing her. The characters romp through tragedy and joy to the rhythm of small town life with a background of the ancient Mississippi river. The lessons taught take meaning when, in adulthood, the granddaughter has a child of her own. The fact that the child develops autism only gives the lessons deeper meaning.