Karen Babine
@karenbabine.bsky.social
Writer. The Allure of Elsewhere: A Memoir of Going Solo; All the Wild Hungers: A Season of Cooking and Cancer; Water and What We Know: Following the Roots of a Northern Life / Assoc Prof @UTCEnglish / Editor @assayjournal / My skillet's name is Agnes.
I didn't know until he died that my grandfather, Sgt Bill Babine, was awarded a Bronze Star at the Battle of the Bulge (he's left in this pic) as part of the Army's 84th Infantry, the Railsplitters. He also received a Purple Heart for his injuries.
#armisticeday #veteransday
#armisticeday #veteransday
November 11, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I didn't know until he died that my grandfather, Sgt Bill Babine, was awarded a Bronze Star at the Battle of the Bulge (he's left in this pic) as part of the Army's 84th Infantry, the Railsplitters. He also received a Purple Heart for his injuries.
#armisticeday #veteransday
#armisticeday #veteransday
Lt jg Kermit Kleene, U.S. Coast Guard, USS Charlottesville. When he returned after four years at war, his family thought he had been "on a four year vacation." Except for one night, two months before he died, my grandfather never spoke of the war and what he had seen. #ArmisticeDay #VeteransDay
November 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Lt jg Kermit Kleene, U.S. Coast Guard, USS Charlottesville. When he returned after four years at war, his family thought he had been "on a four year vacation." Except for one night, two months before he died, my grandfather never spoke of the war and what he had seen. #ArmisticeDay #VeteransDay
My great-grandfather, William Henry Babine, Sr., on this #ArmisticeDay, because he's one of the focal points of my Nova Scotia book. I suspect he saw action in France, but I can't prove it. What Bill, Sr. saw or didn't see still affects generations he never met. #veteransday
November 11, 2025 at 3:19 PM
My great-grandfather, William Henry Babine, Sr., on this #ArmisticeDay, because he's one of the focal points of my Nova Scotia book. I suspect he saw action in France, but I can't prove it. What Bill, Sr. saw or didn't see still affects generations he never met. #veteransday
Chaplain Lt. Col Dan Babine, United States Air Force, ret. #ArmisticeDay #VeteransDay
November 11, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Chaplain Lt. Col Dan Babine, United States Air Force, ret. #ArmisticeDay #VeteransDay
Not a bad use of a Saturday. My house smells really good right now.
Florence, in the background: felt cute, might make soup later
Florence, in the background: felt cute, might make soup later
November 8, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Not a bad use of a Saturday. My house smells really good right now.
Florence, in the background: felt cute, might make soup later
Florence, in the background: felt cute, might make soup later
So excited for Julija Šukys' new book!
It’s not *about* campus shootings, but about the archives left behind. The stories we leave and the stories we tell are not neutral, and the choice not to tell a story is as much a story in itself.
Grateful to my dear friend for this powerful, timely work.
It’s not *about* campus shootings, but about the archives left behind. The stories we leave and the stories we tell are not neutral, and the choice not to tell a story is as much a story in itself.
Grateful to my dear friend for this powerful, timely work.
October 9, 2025 at 2:08 PM
So excited for Julija Šukys' new book!
It’s not *about* campus shootings, but about the archives left behind. The stories we leave and the stories we tell are not neutral, and the choice not to tell a story is as much a story in itself.
Grateful to my dear friend for this powerful, timely work.
It’s not *about* campus shootings, but about the archives left behind. The stories we leave and the stories we tell are not neutral, and the choice not to tell a story is as much a story in itself.
Grateful to my dear friend for this powerful, timely work.
Revisiting MFK Fisher this morning and I just want to wrap this book around me like a blanket. She should not be so relevant in these days. #amreading #foodwriting
October 8, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Revisiting MFK Fisher this morning and I just want to wrap this book around me like a blanket. She should not be so relevant in these days. #amreading #foodwriting
Because Miss Ruby, our custodian, asked me last week when I was going to make snickerdoodles. My house smells awesome right now.
Can’t wait to see her face tomorrow.
Can’t wait to see her face tomorrow.
September 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Because Miss Ruby, our custodian, asked me last week when I was going to make snickerdoodles. My house smells awesome right now.
Can’t wait to see her face tomorrow.
Can’t wait to see her face tomorrow.
Dara offers Peets of Skepticism to all in need. The world is back on its bullshit today, so make sure you sniff the milk before you drink it. And if whoever’s knocking at your door was important, they would have texted first.
September 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Dara offers Peets of Skepticism to all in need. The world is back on its bullshit today, so make sure you sniff the milk before you drink it. And if whoever’s knocking at your door was important, they would have texted first.
"But who do you come from is not the question we ask: we ask where do you come from? We ask where, as if the place, the land, the terra pater, the Motherland, is what we mean when we want to know our origins."
-Karen Babine, The Allure of Elsewhere: A Memoir of Going Solo
-Karen Babine, The Allure of Elsewhere: A Memoir of Going Solo
September 5, 2025 at 2:15 PM
"But who do you come from is not the question we ask: we ask where do you come from? We ask where, as if the place, the land, the terra pater, the Motherland, is what we mean when we want to know our origins."
-Karen Babine, The Allure of Elsewhere: A Memoir of Going Solo
-Karen Babine, The Allure of Elsewhere: A Memoir of Going Solo
August 17, 2025 at 8:50 PM
I feel the same—both about tea and camping. Thanks for this
August 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I feel the same—both about tea and camping. Thanks for this
The Apostle Islands put on a show last night! Might have had an extreme heat warning, but it’s lovely anyway! #camping #scamp #apostleislandsnationallakeshore
July 28, 2025 at 4:18 PM
The Apostle Islands put on a show last night! Might have had an extreme heat warning, but it’s lovely anyway! #camping #scamp #apostleislandsnationallakeshore
The story of building the adobe house in Ramona, CA in the late 1930s was one of three stories my grandfather told--they made the bricks themselves. Grandpa liked to tell the same stories, the ones that gave him an identity, an expertise. The house is still standing and I'd love to see it one day.
July 25, 2025 at 9:11 AM
The story of building the adobe house in Ramona, CA in the late 1930s was one of three stories my grandfather told--they made the bricks themselves. Grandpa liked to tell the same stories, the ones that gave him an identity, an expertise. The house is still standing and I'd love to see it one day.
My great-grandfather was drafted by the Americans for WW1, despite being Canadian, then drafted in the 4th draft (the Old Man's Draft) for WW2. Six weeks after my grandfather and his twin left for boot camp, just before he was supposed to report, he took his own life. He was not going back to war.
July 23, 2025 at 7:06 PM
My great-grandfather was drafted by the Americans for WW1, despite being Canadian, then drafted in the 4th draft (the Old Man's Draft) for WW2. Six weeks after my grandfather and his twin left for boot camp, just before he was supposed to report, he took his own life. He was not going back to war.
Come see me at Magers and Quinn in Mpls tomorrow night at 7:00pm!
www.magersandquinn.com/event/Karen-...
www.magersandquinn.com/event/Karen-...
July 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Come see me at Magers and Quinn in Mpls tomorrow night at 7:00pm!
www.magersandquinn.com/event/Karen-...
www.magersandquinn.com/event/Karen-...
In 1755, my Acadian ancestors were and weren't deported. The ones who weren't were in prison. The British deportation of the Acadians (some of whom became the Cajuns in Louisiana) was a master class in cruelty.
July 21, 2025 at 10:59 AM
In 1755, my Acadian ancestors were and weren't deported. The ones who weren't were in prison. The British deportation of the Acadians (some of whom became the Cajuns in Louisiana) was a master class in cruelty.
Excited to be in conversation with Chris Hewitt about The Allure of Elsewhere at Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis on Wednesday 7/23! Registration is free and required (to help us plan the space)--link below!
July 20, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Excited to be in conversation with Chris Hewitt about The Allure of Elsewhere at Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis on Wednesday 7/23! Registration is free and required (to help us plan the space)--link below!
My sister and I took our nephews to see the Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island on Raspberry Island in St. Paul—and it was amazing! The woodpecker was my favorite, but it was so hard to choose.
The exhibit runs into the fall, so go see it! #mn #stpaul #alebrijes #family #summer
The exhibit runs into the fall, so go see it! #mn #stpaul #alebrijes #family #summer
July 19, 2025 at 10:29 PM
My sister and I took our nephews to see the Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island on Raspberry Island in St. Paul—and it was amazing! The woodpecker was my favorite, but it was so hard to choose.
The exhibit runs into the fall, so go see it! #mn #stpaul #alebrijes #family #summer
The exhibit runs into the fall, so go see it! #mn #stpaul #alebrijes #family #summer
This Romer's Gap chapter happens late in the book and is one of my favorites--check it out on Terrain.org!
#travelwriter
#womenwhotravel
#homeiswhereyouparkit
#camperlife
#traveltrailerlife
#memoir
#travelwriter
#womenwhotravel
#homeiswhereyouparkit
#camperlife
#traveltrailerlife
#memoir
July 19, 2025 at 8:09 PM
This Romer's Gap chapter happens late in the book and is one of my favorites--check it out on Terrain.org!
#travelwriter
#womenwhotravel
#homeiswhereyouparkit
#camperlife
#traveltrailerlife
#memoir
#travelwriter
#womenwhotravel
#homeiswhereyouparkit
#camperlife
#traveltrailerlife
#memoir
I took my 8 yr old nephew Sam camping to Duluth for the first time (we got 3+ inches of rain the first day) and I thought he might not get to see any lakers--but one came in overnight and docked at Two Harbors and as we were leaving for Split Rock Lighthouse, we saw another! Never gets old.
July 19, 2025 at 11:50 AM
I took my 8 yr old nephew Sam camping to Duluth for the first time (we got 3+ inches of rain the first day) and I thought he might not get to see any lakers--but one came in overnight and docked at Two Harbors and as we were leaving for Split Rock Lighthouse, we saw another! Never gets old.
MN friends, I'm at Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis on Wednesday 7/23 for my last MN reading (in conversation with Chris Hewitt!) before I head back to Chattanooga--would love to see you there!
Registration is required (it's free)--link below!
Registration is required (it's free)--link below!
July 18, 2025 at 2:26 PM
MN friends, I'm at Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis on Wednesday 7/23 for my last MN reading (in conversation with Chris Hewitt!) before I head back to Chattanooga--would love to see you there!
Registration is required (it's free)--link below!
Registration is required (it's free)--link below!