By Rev. Peter Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church “Which father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (St. Luke … [Read more...]
Your Flying Farmer – Are You Ready for Christmas?
Winter seems to have come early this year. Snowstorms, cars in the ditch, below-zero temps, cold tractors, frozen manure, and air so cold it makes me chilled just thinking about running into the air for a winter flight! I often wonder what the cows are thinking with all this cold and wind. No matter when it happens, it always feels a couple weeks too early. But didn’t … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Canaries Certainly Sang on Portland Prairie
Long woolen underwear in that day was not red, but according to one wearer, “was rough and coarse and itched like blazes.” That day was the 1890s and that wearer was C. J. McNelly (born 1883) who wrote of his youth growing up on a farm on Portland Prairie in southern Houston County. He described the 1890s as the era between the pioneer days and the modern advances in the … [Read more...]
We Encountered Significant Brumal Turbulence
It was the opening salvo of winter. Challenging climatic conditions reminded us we’re not in charge. I read William Faulkner’s book, “Absalom, Absalom!” which included a 1,288-word sentence. And he wasn’t even writing about a Minnesota winter. Winters can be a long sentence. Jonathan Coe’s 2001 novel, “The Rotters’ Club,” contains a 13,955-word sentence spanning 33 … [Read more...]
The Smell of Christmas is in the Air
The smell of fresh pine trees, burning wood, steaming hot chocolate, and freshly baked cookies fills the air at the Guberud Hill Tree Farm from Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas or until the last tree is sold. Starting the day after Thanksgiving and continuing every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas, the public is invited to stop by and select the perfect Christmas … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – The Light Shines in the Darkness
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish of the UMC Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston, and Spring Valley: Faith Churches (and Lenora) In recent days winter has really come on with deep snow, arctic winds and subzero temperatures. I think we have all been kind of spoiled over the last few winters, with little snow and balmy weather, but this winter could be different. … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past “A Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits!” Open ’til Midnight
The well known ditty, “A shave and a haircut, two bits!” was more than an often vocalized musical phrase, dating back to a song in 1899; it was a fact of life in the 1930s, at least at the Hokah Barber Shop on Main Street in Hokah, Minnesota. “Two bits” was slang for 25 cents, which had the purchasing power then as does about $6 in 2025. Going to church on Sunday and going … [Read more...]
Two Trains Jumped the Tracks Near a Christmas Tree
By Al Batt There was no haystack to be found in those needles. I vowed not to get my tinsel in a tangle. Four of us put up a Christmas tree. Yes, it took that many. It was a small tree made heavy with angels. The angels flew onto the boughs. A couple of trains sat on tracks beneath the tree. The trains weren’t full-sized because the tree was small, but they caused me … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback – Always Go Forward – Preston’s “Two-Headed” Car
By Joanne Hall Preston Historical Society In 1965, LaVern Knoepke, who worked at Jerry’s Body Shop in Preston, was approached by the Preston Booster Club with the idea of making a “clown car” for parades. There were several of the same type of “clown cars” at that time, so they were looking for something a little different. It is not clear who suggested the idea of a … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Wild Hay at Root River Bottom
Trees could be both a blessing and a curse for the first white settlers in 1850s and 1860s southeast Minnesota. Firewood for heat and cooking were necessities for both farmers and the few town dwellers. Large trees provided lumber for buildings or rail fences. “Raising a house” was the term used for putting logs in place, one in top of another until the structure was high … [Read more...]