Julebukking, part three Kathleen Stokker, author of “Keeping Christmas; Juletide Traditions in Norway and the New Land” discovered that Norwegian-heritage settlements in the Midwest United States had widely engaged in julebukking (pronounced “YEW-luh-booking”), also known as “Christmas Fooling.” At the time, Stokker was not aware of any julebukking in her hometown of … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage – “It’s Not Santa’s Job”
Excerpts from a play by Wenda Grabau©2014 Santa: “What a night! What a job! Everybody wants something from Santa Claus. Some kids are just out-right greedy. Some freeze when they get here and say nothing. Still others need a lot more than what they are asking for. (Sighs loudly and shakes his head.) I wish I could do more or those kids. I can say Santa will help, but he … [Read more...]
Nothing Says “Merry Christmas” Like Saying “Merry Christmas”
What child doesn’t love a tube of lip balm for Christmas? That’s because no child wants to miss a single minute of school because of chapped lips. Lip balm is better than bunny slippers. I received a pair as a gift one year and learned that they’re fiercely territorial. Some kids, after weeks of dedicated research, discover that if they really want something, they should … [Read more...]
Home Alone When “Creatures” Crowd the Kitchen
Part two of a series She was home alone that night when she heard some footsteps in the house. Her husband was away on a call as a veterinarian. No one in Spring Grove locked their doors back in the 1970s. Soon, 15 to 18 “creatures” entered the kitchen and formed a circle around her – surely alarming. No one said anything until finally, one approached and whispered that she … [Read more...]
Fresh Off the Farm – Prepare Him Room?
I do not want to write this article. I mean … usually I do … but not today. Today is much too busy, with more “to-dos” than I can count. I’ll probably even add more things to the list as I’m doing them throughout the day so I can bask in the twisted mental high of running my pen through those burdensome beasts. (I know I’m not the only one who does this!) Trouble is, I … [Read more...]
Noses are Red, Fingers are Blue. I Like Winter, How About You?
The wind blew another partridge out of a pear tree. Winter has trouble doing the right thing. It’s not the snow that gets you when you live in a snow globe. It’s the shaking like a chilly Chihuahua that happens before the snow falls. My wife and I gathered around the light bulb for warmth and read about global warming on a night as cold as a cast iron commode with wind gusts … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project – Honesty — a Virtue or an Excuse?
By Audra Otto We’ve all been taught the difference between right and wrong, what constitutes an admirable moral, and how to act in a virtuous manner. Many times, honesty is one of the first traits that will come to your mind when thinking of qualities of a “good person.” I agree wholeheartedly - honesty is the right choice, 99% of the time. However, I have noticed a trend … [Read more...]
Eat Well, Be Well, Have Fun
“The way you make an omelet reveals your character.” – Anthony Bourdain Hello fellow food, drink and life lovers. Id like to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Tim Blanski, I live in the country outside of Spring Grove with my wife Lisa Catton, our two goats Jack and Luna, our two remaining barn cats Geraldine and Hazel, our last remaining chicken named … … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Of White Christmas and Advent
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist In my Christian tradition it is generally thought that singing Christmas hymns should wait until the day of Christmas Eve. Most of us in mainline Protestant churches fudge on that a little. We recognize that banning Christmas carols until Christmas Eve isn’t practical or even good practice. So in my congregational … [Read more...]
Four Things You Shouldn’t Spend Any Time Worrying About
You have enough things to worry about. You should stop worrying about achy-breaky earworms, fake funeral processions, treehouse fires and pop machine avalanches. “You never know,” my elders often said to me. Yours probably said the same thing. “It’s always something” was frequently added as a non-explanatory explanation. I’d just spent a week in an aging hotel meant … [Read more...]