By Katie Hershberger Recently, I’ve been creating characters in my mind more often. It’s something I’ve done forever, or at least since the third grade (haha). Either way, creating characters is like an escape for me. For example, I created this sweet old lady who just so happens to fight monsters with her blood. Or, I created this go-lucky cat girl with a lazy eye. I try to … [Read more...]
The Plant Lady – Tis the “seed” son!
‘Tis the “seed”son! Seed packets have arrived in masses at the local hardware stores, garden centers and flower shops. 2022 is the year to treat yourself! Grab what you need, then go ahead and buy a few packets that you’ve never grown before. Most seed packets will have specific planting instructions, so I’ll go over a few tips to guide you in this fun adventure. Our last … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Encouraging and building one another up!
By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) United Methodist Churches In my own personal devotions I have been taking much comfort and joy from the writings of Paul in his Letter to the Philippians. I believe Paul’s writings in the Bible are timely for the days in which we live. Many people express to me how … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Houston County pioneer thwarted land sharks, debt collectors
Thousands of Minnesota “wives and children owe their homes to the foresight and wisdom” of a man from Houston County, stated the Duluth Daily Short Line. In the first Minnesota legislature of 1858, a young senator from Caledonia authored a bill, which decades later was still praised by a Washington, D.C. publication as one of the state’s best laws. Houston County pioneer, poet, … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why internet has become essential
By Nicholas Weist The internet has become an important part of everyday life in our world. The internet controls banking, e-commerce, security systems, and much more. We have become immensely dependent upon the internet and it used to be a nice want in our world, but because the internet has grown so much in our world today it considered essential. It is hard to imagine what … [Read more...]
First you smell skunks, then you chew mosquitoes
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... That line is from Star Wars, which never goes away. Some jaded souls say that’s true of winter, too. Winter can be a hard hill to get over, but the seasons creep up on us like cheap underwear. Spring drives in on snow tires. The seasons don’t unfold along a line. They unfold like a crumpled road map. I believe March 1 is the first … [Read more...]
Do not operate heavy machinery while reading this
I hurt my ankle while I was sleeping. I’d fallen asleep while reading a book titled, How to Get by on Less Sleep and dreamed about finding a cure for hiccups. Don’t hold your breath — I didn’t find one. I was staying in a hotel room all by my lonesome. The hotel, failing to check my references, had allowed me on the bed. As I stumbled out of that bed, intending to yell, “I … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Gold, murder, a water spout and a new Lutheran edifice
Part six of a series. Residents of Houston County were among those seeking wealth during the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1874-1877. Gold had been discovered in Dakota Territory by an 1874 United States Army expedition of 1,000 men, led by George Armstrong Custer. In 1877, according to a published history of Houston County, “A lot of Blackhillers, as they were called, left … [Read more...]
Fresh Off the Farm – You want me to drink fermented, what??
Sniff, sniff… GAG …what just happened? The first time I made kefir, I gagged and threw it away. I was given some weird looking cauliflower jellish balls known as “kefir grains” and was told they were AAAAAMAZING. “Just pour milk over them and let it sit for 24 hours.” Easy enough! I proceeded as instructed. Twenty-four hours later, I Martha Stewart-ed my way to the … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project If you try it, you just might like it
By Delaney Alden When I was in elementary school, my parents made me do many sports. They would try to coax me into doing a certain sport, or sign me up for a sport without my knowledge. Of course this angered me every time because back then I was scared to try new things or scared I would be bad at the sport. They would even bribe me with a puppy or a gift if I went out and … [Read more...]