Part five of a Civil War series It was not a mystery in 1861, but the lack of clarity in an 1882 history of Houston County made it a mystery to me in 2021. One name – Winfield Scott – all but jumped off the page. Winfield Scott was the era’s most famous army general and a major 1852 presidential candidate. Known as Old Fuss and Feathers for his insistence on military … [Read more...]

By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove and Fountain United Methodist Churches It was a very meaningful journey for me to be a student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. While a member of the seminary community, I met many well learned scholars and was blessed in so many … [Read more...]

A friend suggested we try paintball. I declined. Here’s why. I liked Roy Rogers better than Gene Autry. I liked Gene Autry better than Hopalong Cassidy. I liked Marshal Matt Dillon more than the other three. I wanted to visit Dodge Center, Minn., because I thought it’d be like Dodge City, Kans., where Marshal Dillon plied his trade. That would have been great. I got a … [Read more...]

It all started in high school when Paul Klockeman’s shop and industrial arts teacher, Richard Wildgrube inspired him to develop an interest in woodworking through a class called Building Trade. Truthfully though, it was probably already in his blood. Although he never met him, Klockeman believes his grandfather was a carpenter as well. His father did some woodworking and a … [Read more...]

I have been looking for an interesting recipe to share with you this month.  Since I happen to live on a farm that has been in our family since 1856, I have several historic assets in which to look.  I spent time yesterday looking at a bunch of recipe books I inherited from our parents and, perhaps, our grandparents.  They range from how to cure bacon to making liver cakes, … [Read more...]

I was playing the part of me. I’d spoken at a thing in Alaska. My wife had accompanied me. I’d had a swell time. We flew home and landed at MSP Airport at a reasonable time. I remembered where our car was parked and we headed home. Because we’d been gone for a spell, my wife said we needed things. We stopped at a large mall in the Twin Cities because they had things … [Read more...]

Part four of a series The song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” written during the Civil War in 1863, was instantly and widely popular, sung in both the north and south as well as in England.       When Johnny comes marching home again Hurrah! Hurrah! We’ll give him a hearty welcome then Hurrah! Hurrah! The men will cheer and the boys will … [Read more...]

Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the Fear of the LORD” (Psalm 34:11). The Fear of the Lord is an Awesome thing. When we fear the Lord, His Love is enkindled within us as we are drawn to love those around us, whether they agree with us or not, whether they are easy to be around or not, whether they … [Read more...]

From the outside, the farm off a long gravel road looks just like any other. But inside a shed on the property, you’ll find something incredible. A collection of nearly 600 farm toys, including semi trucks, collector cars, and other farm paraphernalia. It’s hard to imagine that a collection of this size only took a few years to grow. Don Redalen and his wife Penny say this … [Read more...]