My wife asked me to put ketchup on the shopping list. Her wish was my command. Now I can’t read anything on the list. I’m a stay-by-the-cart guy. That’s my job when I go shopping with my wife. My wife goes this way and that way driven by a shopping list. I stay by the cart. I’ve gone years without once saying, “I’m going shopping,” but sometimes I need to purchase … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Soldier, pioneer, hotelier handled “Wild Kate,” founded village of Houston
The founder of the city of Houston, William George McSpadden, Jr., was one of the most influential early settlers in what became Houston County. Often on the move, he came west after one war, led Houston County soldiers throughout another war and later served in the state legislature. He was born in 1825 or 1826 in Ireland, during his Scottish parents’ two-year stopover on … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Silent victims
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist Here in Chatfield the Commercial Club is lifting up the many women owned businesses during Women’s History Month. There are many, many women-owned businesses in our entire area including in our faith communities. Women leadership in our small towns is very valuable and very necessary. In the Christian Scriptures, women … [Read more...]
Hobby – Mabel resident, Lonnie Morken, started collecting sports cards as a young boy
It is not surprising that Lonnie Morken, athletic director and coach at Mabel-Canton School, collects trading cards – basketball, baseball, football, and boxing. His favorite is basketball. He is also eager to share what he has learned with others. Morken started off the interview by describing his collection. “At one point, I had close to 250,000 cards but have flipped my … [Read more...]
A Little of this a Little of That
The mail is usually the same: bills, catalogs, money requests, and assorted junk mail. How boring. Then one day a while ago, the mail was exciting! I had received an actual greeting card from an old teaching colleague. It had a stamp and had been sent through “snail mail.” I love cards and greetings that come through “snail mail.” An e-invite, an e-thank you note or an … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Presidents, Mexican War heroes had Houston County namesakes
Presidents, founding fathers and especially military heroes were memorialized in Houston County with village namesakes, such as Hamilton, Jefferson, Reno, Houston, Winfield and San Jacinto. Only Houston, Reno, and with a name change, Hamilton survived. Although Mexican War heroes figured most prominently when choosing village names, two founding fathers were also remembered. … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion: Let us dance in the joy of spring
By Pastor Bridget Sheely Racine/Sumner Center UMC, Stewartville UMC Children’s Ministry Coordinator In the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer I bid you peace on this beautiful day the Lord has made. Spring is a miraculous experience. The whole world comes alive after the winter in which it seemed that everything was dead. The world comes filled with color and the scent of … [Read more...]
Life is a near-death experience
We’ve all had near-death experiences. Eating your sister’s cooking, trying to break Joey Chestnut’s hotdog eating record, smoking an “It’s a boy” cigar, drinking milk that’s past its expiration date, driving a car whose oil should have been changed, eating suspicious school lunches, or buying a red car after a study found it’s pooped on most often by birds (green cars are the … [Read more...]
Hobby: A good catch – the rewards of fishing
American author Zane Grey once wrote, “If I fished only to capture fish, my fishing trips would have ended long ago.” This philosophy eloquently describes the unseen rewards of fishing, and Brent Afseth is one fisherman who finds joy in more than just the catch. Brent’s earliest memories of fishing include going with his dad to Mille Lacs lake and staying at McQuoid’s resort. … [Read more...]
The Working Mom 2.0: Learning to Bend
If any of you have ever noticed that your daily schedules and plans can be a bit regimented, you are not alone. I am finding I need to start “bending” my daily ways before I become obnoxiously schedule and task oriented – and, heaven forbid someone asks for something that is outside of my schedule. Ha! Aside from the abnormal COVID social restrictions that limit going out and … [Read more...]