By Siri Corson Today the boughs of branches nod. The wood ducks in the water bob. The sunkissed barren brush does sway, But March was not always this way. Back in time (or twelve months past) Our land was gripped in arctic blast. An empty land devoid of color All life and joy the winter smothered. As … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Two Bronze Beasts, Two Men Named Mons
The Norwegian coat of arms features an upright, yellow lion, wearing a crown and wielding an axe. Recognizing the Norwegian heritage of Spring Grove, that lion would be a fitting source of the school nickname, the Spring Grove Lions. But “au contraire,” which in French means “to the contrary.” There is a 50-50 chance that the original namesake bronze lion came from France. … [Read more...]
The Challenges of Holy Week
By Pastor Nissa Peterson Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches At the beginning of Holy Week, the church prepares to experience the stories of Jesus’ walk to the cross. These stories can be really uncomfortable to experience. For those of us with young children, we wonder how our kids might be scared by the stories, and ask really hard questions that we don’t … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Booming Brewing, Organized Opposition
Second of a series It was long a familiar landmark for automobile traffic between Hokah and La Crescent on Highway 16 before it was torn down in 1954. The building originally housed one of the most successful breweries in Minnesota. The Root River Brewery was founded in Hokah Township by Joseph Pfeffer, Jr. in 1858, the same year he and his son immigrated from … [Read more...]
Nuisance Insects Appearing in Homes
By Katie Drewitz University of Minnesota Extension, Preston and Caledonia The warmer than usual temper-atures this winter has led to a prolonged season of nuisance insects. These insects include cluster flies, box elder bugs, sowbugs, multicolored Asian lady beetles and more. Fortunately, these insects are harmless, although they can be annoying, especially when many of … [Read more...]
Ask a Trooper
With highs near 50 and the sun in the sky, it can be hard to believe it is March in Minnesota. If you’re not a fan of Minnesota winters, the higher temps and lack of snow this winter is appealing. You might even think that the lack of snow has made our roads safer. Unfortunately, the effect on traffic safety is not always what people think. We’re seeing an alarming spike in … [Read more...]
Wondrous Love
By Pastor Pam Seebach Harmony, Mabel, and Newburg United Methodist Churches The dictionary defines “wondrous” as inspiring a feeling of wonder or delight. When I think about the season of Lent, I can find wonder, but I do not find delight as I consider Jesus’ last days or weeks on earth. Spoiler alert: Jesus dies! but then he is resurrected! There is an American folk … [Read more...]
Your Flying Farmer – Come Chore With Me!
Every morning (Yes, you read that right, every morning), my alarm clock rings long before the sun says hello. I roll out of bed, stretch my stiff neck, whisper “I love you” to my wife, and sneak down the squeaky stairs. If I’m lucky, I trip on one of my kids who decided the floor next to my bed was the best place to be just because it was near me. That is the closest I’ll ever … [Read more...]
All Together Now, We All Yodel for Ice Cream
It was too windy to pick rocks. We file away things in our heads for little reason other than to give us something to do when we’re not picking rocks. Things melt in our mouths, in our hands and, sadly, in our minds. This little ditty remains firmly planted in my brain, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. It’s a gladdening ode to the sweet delights of … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Kirk Cousins: The End of an Era
By Cashton Newgaard The NFL landscape is constantly evolving, with players moving between teams for various reasons. One such notable transition was Kirk Cousins’ departure from the Minnesota Vikings. His departure marked the end of an era in Minnesota as he and the team could not come to terms with the new contract extension. Cousins wanted too much money, that’s all we as … [Read more...]