“How is life treating you?” a friendly caller asked, just checking in with me. It wasn’t. I had to pay for everything. And nothing cost 5 or 10 cents. My moth-er and my aunts often referenced Five and Dime Stores, also known as variety stores, which were retail stores that offered a wide selection of low-priced merchandise. Frank Woolworth opened the country’s first … [Read more...]
Recycling? Bin There Done That
I enjoy walking to the mailbox. It’s a pleasant task. I also enjoy visiting the recycling bins conveniently located behind Hartland University, the local dispensary of adult beverages, whose Facebook post during a recent March thunder blizzard (Thunder, wind and snow – woohoo!) read: “Hartland University will be open and on time today. All classes will be in person; no … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Houston County’s Fiddler, Pitcher and One-of-a-Kind Weightlifter
One from Money Creek performed as far away as Panama and Puerto Rico. Another from Spring Grove performed in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Another did not take his act on the road, but the act was so amazing that a Twin Cities newspaper reporter came to Brownsville to see if it was really true. An exceptional three, in order of their births: Tony … [Read more...]
The Messy Apron Chronicles – There’s No Better Time Than Now to Jump Into a Lifestyle That is More Sustainable!
Recently, I found myself navigating the aisles of my local grocery store, on a quest for chicken thighs to prepare for dinner – an ingredient I hadn’t purchased in quite some time, perhaps months. To my sheer astonishment and dismay, I was taken aback by the steep price for a mere four chicken thighs. This shocking experience triggered a deeper conversation between my husband … [Read more...]
Did Tony Bennett Leave his Heart in a Piggly Wiggly?
They were checking to see if I were an alien life form. I appreciated their efforts because I’d always wondered if I might be one. I was placed on my back and slid headfirst into a magnetic tube. It looked as if it’d be possible to get a tan while I was in there. I’d never been in a luge, but I felt as if I was in a sled on which one races in a supine position. By … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – In the Valley, There Was a Village Named Winnebago Valley
Winnebago Creek flows through a valley in Winnebago Township and before it crosses into Jefferson Township (southeasternmost township in Houston County), there once was a town in the winding valley called Winnebago Valley. The town, about five miles (as the crow flies) west of the Mississippi River, has long since faded away; all that remains is a privately-owned National … [Read more...]
Butter and Mud
As I write this, I find myself skating across a thin layer of frozen mud, propelled by 3,500 gallons of manure. No, this is not an attempt at extreme sports; it’s just another day on the farm. Don’t try this at home, friends, but yes, I often write in the field, while driving a tractor and hauling manure. It’s one of the quirky perks of farm life – where multitasking is a … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Come Back to the Table
By Pastor Kevin Barnhart Spring Grove Evangelical Free I sometimes get angry at God. With the twists and turns of life, over the mountains and valleys that we all must transverse I have accumulated a myriad of tears and trials that can weigh like lead on my heart. Questions that seem lost in a vast abyss of silence … why not just run away; rail on God’s big powerful … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Churners, Chinners and Red Brick Dust
By Lee Epps Her oldest sibling, 14-year-old Walter, was understandably disappointed when she was born. After all, he already had five younger sisters. But young Adelia Schumacher would be tomboy enough to catch and shag the baseballs cousin Julius “swatted when Walt honed his pitching skills.” Adelia (Schumacher) Sievert (1913-2001) left a written account of growing up on a … [Read more...]
Eat Well, Be Well, Have Fun “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove then the hunger for bread” – Mother Teresa
Until a couple of weeks ago I was a virgin. Bread baker that is. My need to be creative and open minded about recipe following always seemed to be a non-starter when it comes to baking. I was always told that you can’t mess with baking recipes. You need to follow directions precisely. You can’t just change things willy nilly. “It’s the truth, trust me!” Well, that is just … [Read more...]