A rugged cast-iron ring stood strong against the harsh Minnesota winter as it hung on the doorframe of my great uncle rsquo s old farmhouse More than a hundred feet away was another ring firmly fixed to the dairy barn Years ago during a blizzard my uncle would attach a line between both rings so he could find the path between the house and the barn Keeping a firm grip on the line kept him from losing his way in the blinding snow My uncle rsquo s use of a safety line in a snowstorm reminds me of how David [... more]