By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) United Methodist Churches Here is an old photograph from about 1890 of pioneer people standing in front of the historic Lenora Church. It must have been a church picnic, a holiday of some sort as the people came together for this photo. I am impressed with the … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past How old is Black Hammer’s landmark lady?
Part two of a three-part series A local newspaper stated, “V. Valtinson returned to his home at Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Monday after a five weeks visit here with relatives and friends. Mr. Valtinson is one of the real pioneers of Black Hammer Township and can tell thrilling stories of the early days with the Indians. While here, Mr. Valtinson added a few stones to the stone … [Read more...]
Don’t even think about texting while bungee jumping
He hadn’t run amok. He’d bungeed amok. The historical society hosted a program on ghost towns. Most of the settlements had been tiny and failed because the railroad didn’t come their way, the people didn’t arrive as expected or the residents forgot where they’d put the village. Some of the names were Bancroft, Bath, Buckeye, Crayon Park, Dorwart, Knatvold, Lerdal and Sigsbee. … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past The Stone Lady of Black Hammer – Who? Why? How many?
Part one of a two-part series It has long been a double distinction – the name and the landmark – for the Houston County hamlet of Black Hammer. That early landmark, ”The Stone Lady,” still looks down from a hill named Black Hammer, 1.3 miles south of the village with the same name. Early 1850s settler Knud Olson Bergo lived near a bluff in Minnesota that reminded him of a … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage – Hidden treasures
You never really know what a day will bring. I can make plans, but situations come about in which I need to reassess my “Do List” and make changes. Has that happened to you? Today I arose to do my daily reading. I read the Holy Bible. After my devotional time I read a couple of pages from some classic writer. Washington Irving is the author I have been reading lately. I … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – We overcome the world
Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church God promises that “whatever is born of God overcomes the world… And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5). This is a comforting word for us Christians in the midst of our current struggles and anxieties and fears. Or at least it should be. But we … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Sabbath and Holiness around us every day
By Pastor Nissa Peterson Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches May is often one of the busiest months of the year, with ball games, graduations, family events, and preparing for summer gatherings. In the midst of a very busy season, it is extra important to think about taking time for Sabbath and rest. Often when we think about Sabbath we think it means needing to … [Read more...]
The wind brings uninvited gusts to my place
The trees gossiped in the wind. “It’s a nice day, except for the wind,” says everybody capable of putting eight words together. I’ve been picking up sticks in the yard. Great crop this year. I’ve picked rocks, too. It’s a spring habit. What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back? A stick. The wind finds branches or limbs with weaknesses, rips them free and deposits … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Farm boy evades “friendly” fore hooves while dancing to Lady’s tune
Part seven of a series It was “a different approach to torture,” putting the harness on a horse named Lady. It was “a dance to Lady’s tune.” Her front feet were some of the most active I have ever seen,” wrote Warren Lange in the published memories of his boyhood on a 1930s farm on South Ridge in Mound Prairie Township, Houston County. Lange described Lady as highly … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Pet peeve
By Kristina Biel When it comes to using the bathroom, I’d rather not have people have the ability to hear what’s going on in that world. It’s very uncomfortable and overall isn’t welcomed. What makes it worse is when you can hear what’s going on in the stall next to you too. Nobody wants to hear that. Now that you know why it’s such a bother we can teach proper bathroom … [Read more...]