“Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, and the waving wheat can sure smell sweet, when the wind comes right behind the rain. Oklahoma, every night my honey lamb and I sit alone and talk and watch a hawk making lazy circles in the sky.” I sang that aloud in the key of off on my drive to Oklahoma for a speaking gig. I sang because I was all alone in the … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Getting Vocal About God
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches I want to share an article from a pastor friend of mine who grew up in Chatfield, Pastor Chris Brekke: Minnesota Steve bought a horse. It was a strong and healthy steed that had been owned by a Baptist preacher. The oddity about the horse was that to get him to go you had to say “Praise the Lord” … [Read more...]
Your Flying Farmer – Smelling the Past
We stepped through the ancient door and were met with the unmistakable smell of the past. As we examined the coins from another century, gazed at the array of clothing from another era, and imagined the hands that wielded the impressive swords, we were sent through time in the presence of the well preserved antiques in the shop. As my kids and I walked around the dolls and … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback – A Brewery and a “Social” Prohibition in Rushford
By Nancy Snyder and Sally Ryman The Rushford Brewery was built in 1867, changing hands a few times before being purchased in 1875 by Jacob Pfeiffer. The brewery could produce up to 10 barrels of beer per day. Pfeiffer brewed beer for the saloons in north and south Rushford and other “outside markets.” There were at least 13 saloons in Rushford prior to prohibition. Jacob … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – A Ringer Was Not a Bell, but a Bulls-eye Was
Hard-working farmers in the late 19th Century (late 1800s) needed no extra exercise, but recreation was good for the mind and spirit as well as the body. Among adult pioneer men, hunting, target shooting and bowling were among popular pursuits. Bowling, in the pioneer era, was an outdoor activity. The alley was shorter than in later indoor facilities. There were nine pins, … [Read more...]
Prehistoric Gummy Bears Chewed Gum While Hibernating
A kid offered me some Big League Chew bubble gum. If you’ve ever been a kid, you’ve likely chewed bubble gum. I thanked him and then declined his kind offer. I don’t chew gum. It makes my jaws tired. I had a neighbor who got punched in the jaw during an altercation. When John Wayne was socked in a movie, he’d rub his jaw and smile. Real life differs from reel … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage – Change of Pace
Vacations can be at a beach, in the mountains, in farmland, the ocean side or even in the desert. Whether touring, fishing, boating or shopping, a change of pace can energize some and wear out others. As farmers, our lives have been spent pretty close to home, but a few short weeks ago, we took a long overdue trip to visit my husband’s brother and his wife in the 48th state … [Read more...]
I Remember Three Things
I remember a professor (I don’t remember his name) telling my class (I don’t remember what class it was), “I have three things I want you to remember today.” I don’t remember what the three things were, but I remember there were three of them. So, that’s been a big help, and I also recall learning (I don’t remember at what school) that a personal mission statement has three … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Strange Bovine in the Barn? It Must Be Halloween
“We never heard of trick or treat,” wrote local historian Ingrid Julsrud (born 1900) about her childhood in Houston, Minn., during the early 1900s. However, on Halloween, she and her childhood friends did dress up “funny” to visit their neighbors to have them guess who they were. She recalled Halloween being not as much for children as for “grownups who played pranks around … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – The Clanking of the Chain, the Rattling of the Wheels
Second of a series One of the first two automobiles in Houston, Minn., was the 1908 International Harvester Auto-Buggy, belonging to Dave Lord. Children were enthralled by that amazing machine, which looked much like a two-seated buggy heretofore pulled by a team of horses. The tires were small and made of hard runner about as big around as a one-inch garden hose. The … [Read more...]