Part two Houston County and Fillmore County were established, broken off from Wabasha County by the territorial legislature, in 1854. An 1882 history of Houston County reviewed some news-worthy events in the county during its first three decades. The following is quoted with the original spelling, capitalization and punctuation from that large volume. These entries are most, … [Read more...]
I’ll let the moon shine down my throat
That’s what I’ll do if I ever get hungry again after Thanksgiving. Instead of eating, I’ll let the moon shine down my throat. I hope the Doppler weather radar gave you perfect Thanksgiving meteorological conditions for someone to guard the food while the rest gave thanks. Hope looks to the future, gratitude to the past. My mother was up early before anyone in a house of early … [Read more...]
Why MY marriage needs help, and why YOU are being lied to.
BY Liz Gerdes “Great Marriages Don’t Just Happen”... I read the understatement of the century. Well, thanks, Captain Obvious! You’ve simultaneously discouraged me and insulted my intelligence in five words. Of course great things take work. You’ve said nothing profound, Captain O. I know if I want a weedless garden, it must be weeded. A house must be cleaned. Windows … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Imported sheep, a fiery death and fine trout fishing
Part one of a short series. An 1882 history of Houston County included a collection of occurrences that would reflect life in the county during its first three decades. One typographical error has been corrected for clarity, but the rest of the following text is quoted with the original spelling, capitalization and punctuation from that large hardbound volume. These entries … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – An attitude of gratitude
By Rev. Deanna Woodward Maple Leaf Parish United Methodist Churches of Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston and Spring Valley The late Rudyard Kipling was an author of poetry and of several classic books, including the Jungle Book. During his lifetime, his writings made him both famous and wealthy. A newspaper reporter came up to him once and said, “Mr. Kipling, I just read that … [Read more...]
A little of this, A little of that
Without shame, I admit that I have never made a pumpkin pie from scratch. Maybe you haven’t either? Now, before you get testy and mad at me please let me explain. I have never purchased a frozen pie crust. My “never fail pie crust recipe” lives up to its name. My husband says it is even better than his mother’s. Please don’t pout, Myna, everything else you make is better … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Wrestling with God…
By Pastor Kevin Barnhart Spring Grove Evangelical Free The steady thrumming of the rain beating down on the windows matches my heartbeat. I am struck with an oppressive feeling that sometimes life seems to be one big valley. Do you understand this feeling? The news is teeming with so much sadness and sorrow, people shouldn’t die, marriages shouldn’t end, homelessness, … [Read more...]
The snows of November came early
“When does winter start in Minnesota?” I was a guest on a radio show whose host posed that question. The station was located where winters are different from here in the frozen foods section of the country. I won’t say kinder or gentler, but the temperatures are higher and snow is lacking. My lame answer was, “When last winter’s snow has finally melted.” This assured … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past After dark in Black Hammer, “Mathias with the Fork”
Sometime before Minnesota became a territory in 1849, there was a tale of a trapper who roamed the area that included what later became Black Hammer and Yucatan Townships in Houston County. During extreme weather, he would ask for food and shelter overnight at whatever settler’s cabin he could find. Other information about him, even his full name, was not known. But when asked … [Read more...]
Knowledge is power and Francis is Bacon
I could have waited but I couldn’t wait. I mumbled the nursery rhyme, “Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, the birds began to sing – wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?” My parents were visiting the neighbors, which involved drinking copious amounts of coffee and eating brownies. They … [Read more...]