First of a series Clouds of dust filled the air from the automobile traffic heading from Spring Grove toward Eitzen on Houston County Highway 17, which in the 1940s, was not yet paved. Likely, no other building has ever drawn as many out-of-town visitors to Eitzen as did the Blue Moon Ballroom. Even a half-century after its demolition, visitors to the Eitzen Museum in the … [Read more...]
Remember the sabbath
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger In May, my colleague, Pr. Nissa Peterson, reflected on sabbath in this space, and I offer additional thoughts on that theme. Last fall I attended a conference on sabbath keeping in ancient Israel. The presenter’s theme was that sabbath is not merely “taking a break,” but deeply … [Read more...]
The grackle mob put out a contract on my door
I was skipping across the yard. It was more stumbling than skipping. The day traveled at warp speed as I filled a trailer with purposeless lumber. I was laser-focused on slaving away while trying not to be eaten by stable flies. It’s difficult to hit a small fly with a two-by-four. I hate to be interrupted when I’m working unless it’s by a bird, company, a ballgame, food, a … [Read more...]
Pastor devotion – Guard your speech
By Pastor Stuart Weist First Baptist Church of Preston Have you ever heard someone tell you to “watch your mouth”? Well, I have because unfortunately, in my youth, my tongue would often get me in trouble. Those little backhanded comments to parents, speaking ill of bosses or coworkers, or simply venting my anger though vile language, I have been guilty of it all and once … [Read more...]
Fresh off the Farm
What are you thinking?! Five lessons I learned during my “impossible” marathon One year ago today, I did the craziest thing of my life. Eight months prior to that, I laughed at my friend when she excitedly suggested that we should run a marathon together. You name the limiting belief, I had it. And I believed it - 1,000% Maybe you’re there too. Unfortunately, I feel … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Houston was the area’s pre-eminent bicentennial city
In 1975, Lt. Gov. Rudy Perpich visited Houston to personally present the city with a bicentennial flag as an official Bicentennial community. In 1976, the entire nation was celebrating the nation’s 200th birthday. However, few Minnesota communities so extensively observed the occasion as did Houston, which enjoyed a year-long celebration. On Easter weekend, La Crescent drew … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Some good times during tough times
Radio shows, barn dances, homemade ice cream parties, weddings and card games provided some emotional relief during the economic hardships of the Great Depression (1929-1941). Both farm families and townsfolk enjoyed much-needed entertainment, as frugal as it had to be. It could have been as unorganized as fishing or impromptu challenges at horseshoe throwing or as cooperative … [Read more...]
Investing my time in an NFT (Non-fungible tanager)
A Canada goose sounded like a car horn in need of tinkering. It was an avian tickle as I knuckled the sleep from my eyes. I was teaching writing classes and took some college kids on a nature walk at daybreak in a lovely park, which was one of my happy places. We met in a parking lot. I was easy to find. I’m a miler. You could tell a mile away that I was a birder. Binoculars, … [Read more...]
A little of this, A little of that
Growing up, I lived several feet from the Root River and the Preston Soybean Mill. Soybeans and water attract rats. To combat the rats we always had pet cats. They were all free, named Tabby, and died young from eating poisoned rats. After moving away from the soybean mill we didn’t need the cats anymore. When I was a junior in high school, I had boyfriend who had … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion Clothes do make a man, woman and child
By Rev. Debra Jene Collum Chatfield United Methodist In my part of the world, summer began this year when I opened the doors to the costume room at Potter Auditorium in Chatfield. I have been given the privilege and respons-ibility to create the costumes for the summer musical put on by WITs’ End Theatre. A lot of work goes into changing each person that stands on stage … [Read more...]