A foggy morning at the confluence of the North and South Branches of the Root River, captured by photographer Renee Bergstrom. A Harmony couple shares their musical elegy to the Root.
Root River Song
HARMONY — Tim Little “discovered” Southeast Minnesota when he joined some friends camping at the Old Barn Resort and biking the Root River Trail.
“You’d love it!” he told Julie. The couple were living in the Twin Cities at the time, working long hours and spending a portion of every day crawling along in heavy traffic. It wasn’t until the following year that they booked a room at Mrs. B’s in Lanesboro, explored the rolling hills and bluffs, found the winding serenity of the Root River together, and dreamed of living here.
There was something about this place that spoke to their souls and the word they heard was “home.” They built a house near Harmony in 2016 and never looked back.
Tim has always enjoyed making music. Julie enjoys writing. During the long car trips back and forth while the house was being built, they discovered their two passions could be combined by creating original songs. A hundred songs or so later, they formed Lyric Hills Music, LLC.
The Root River gives Southeast Minnesota a big part of its character and spirit, and it continues to inspire, renew and delight Tim and Julie.
Root River
Lyrics, Julie Little; Music and Vocals, Tim Little
Have you ever encountered
A place in your life
Where you could let go
And slow down the changes
An island of peace
Contentment that flows
With a sense that you’re home again
Watching the scene as it goes.
My place is a river that shivers the branches
Of sleeping old trees – Those lying in watery currents…
A river so peaceful her rush is a whisper
“Slow down,” she whispers to me.
Go ‘round, round the bend, Root River –
Lazily winding
Spellbinding
I’m finding my way by the winding old Root.
When I’m weighted by troubles
Then I long to go
Where the river is near
For here I discover
A vision of calm
A sound that I trust
And the courage to contemplate
Handling whatever I must.
I come to the river that nourishes eagles
And skitters the trout who navigate shimmering shallows…
A river so peaceful she glides by resistance
“Go round,” she whispers to me
And always the river
She flows through the landscape reflecting the bluffs
And colors that change with the seasons
A river so peaceful she gives back the sunlight
“You’re found,” she whispers to me.
Go ‘round, round the bend, Root River –
Lazily winding
Spellbinding
I’m finding my way by the winding old Root.
© 2024, Lyric Hills Music, LLC
Root River Current’s coverage of the arts is made possible, in part, by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
