Stumpy’s Restaurant & Bar Within the past couple weeks, I was blessed with a couple of great opportunities in Rushford, Minn. First, I was looking forward to my dental check-up at Rushford Dental Clinic. I was seriously excited about going to the dentist. My teeth always feel so good after they’ve been cleaned. And, I think it is important to be aware of the … [Read more...]
It isn’t fake-effect snow
What’s your favorite part of living where you do? How would you describe where you live in a single sentence? Did you mention the weather in your second answer but not the first? Someone from southern Alabama called and offered me a writing gig. He asked about the weather. That’s obligatory. I told him I was putting the skis on my rocking chair. A caller from … [Read more...]
Noticing more
Kristi Danielson-Vreeman notices more and sees more than she used to — not because of glasses or surgery — but because she’s a photographer! Small details that might have previously gone unnoticed now become subjects of her photographs; close-ups of spiderwebs become crystal creations. Kristi’s dad bought her a 110 flash camera when she was 12 years old, thus nurturing a … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project – Eating together is feminist art
By Maddy Bergey Ever since I can remember, I have indulged in my grandma’s cooking. This came from a place of being a hungry child whose days at her grandparents’ revolved around holding a spelling bee, watching “Days Of Our Lives”, sketching runway-worthy outfits, and especially admiring Grandma’s large collection of cookbooks. These cookbooks were planned, created, and … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Changing that inner voice
Many individuals, young and old, struggle with inner conflicts. It is a daily struggle for many people that can last for years or decades if there is not a shift in one’s inner critic. This is not a slow and easy process for anyone; like anything else, changing this inner voice takes time, patience, and practice. Recently, I went on a women’s retreat with my mother. This is … [Read more...]
Historic memories of Fillmore County The Daniel Dayton family – The Ravine House… A pioneer life in Big Spring, Minn., Part V – the final segment!
By Dianne Ruud Today’s column marks the fifth and final segment of the fabulous “Daniel Dayton Family Story,” authored by my good friend “Flip” (Brian) Huggenvik! Last week we enjoyed seeing family pictures of Aaron and Rosalie Dayton and their children, Emily and John. We left off as Flip was giving many details of the Dayton family members lives as they matured and moved … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Railroad cars afloat on the river; stagecoaches replaced
With the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, transcontinental stagecoach traffic ended. The arrival of railroads in southeast Minnesota in the 1860s and ‘70s signaled the demise of stagecoach passenger service. By 1880, most of Minnesota was accessible by railroad. And it would not be long before automobiles replaced stagecoaches in the delivery of mail. In … [Read more...]
What did Merriam and Webster name their dogs?
I put my car into reverse. That took me back. I thought about dog names. I’d been listening to an audiobook that mentioned a dog’s name. Bella and Max are the most popular names for dogs today. I’ve been fortunate to hang out with a good number of dogs during my existence but none of whom were named Bella or Max. The reverse gear took me to a day before Christmas back … [Read more...]
A Little of This a Little of That
The adults were whispering, and when I entered the room, they were silent. That’s when children (whose parents swear that they are hard of hearing) really start to listen. Being exceptionally nosy and very good at hearing behind a closed door, I decided to investigate. The adults were talking about my Grandma Ruth, the matriarch of the family. What had my sainted … [Read more...]
Spring Valley woman crafts through pandemic
Linda Kruegel has enjoyed sewing and crafting for most of her life. As a child, she and her family lived with her grandma who was a quilter and a sewer. “I remember a good many days of sitting underneath the quilts while she and her sisters and friends were quilting,” she said. During Linda’s junior year of high school, she made her own wedding dress as a school home-ec project … [Read more...]