Birds have a built-in sense of weather change. How do I know this? On Wednesday, October 12, from 5 p.m. ‘til dark, they were waiting turns to feed at our three bird feeders, plus eating seeds on the ground. At one time I saw eight house sparrows, three small sparrows, six chickadees, two nuthatches, two blue jays, two juncos (snow birds), two yellow finch and two red finch.
The next morning the low temperature at our place was 26 degrees. The bird bath was frozen solid. One blue jay was confused in trying to drink what was water the night before. Most of our flowers are has-beens except for a few yellow mums. The good news is:
According to old Norwegian folklore, Farmer’s Almanac agrees, Indian Summer is a period of warm weather in late autumn following the first hard frost of low temperature with at least a 28-degree minimum. Indian Summer can last as long as three weeks—wow!
In summary: Frost on the pumpkin, furnace on in the house, birds feeding like mad just before a hard freeze can be a forerunner of Indian Summer. I’m ready for the up to three weeks of warm fall weather. Are you?
Orange you glad it’s fall with Indian Summer? After this column, future columns will not be every week until next April or May. We have a number of things planned until then. (Genie will be back from her bus trip to Nashville and the Smoky Mountains by the time you read this.) Deer hunting the entire season, staying at Cass Lake Casino Hotel in November; a bus trip Saturday, Dec. 3 leaving from Wok-N-Roll in Albert Lea at 3 p.m. to Christmas by the Lake in Clear Lake, Iowa and back for a Chinese buffet at Wok-N-Roll; ice fishing to Red Lake, Lake of the Woods, Leech Lake in December and January; Norwegian Bingo with pizza and ice cream bar Saturday evening, February 4, 6 p.m. at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church in honor of Valentine’s Day with Valentine’s cards; the Eel Pout Festival in mid-February at Walker, MN; Sunday, April 2, a bus to Church Basement Ladies in Plymouth, MN leaving at 11 a.m. from Albert Lea—the performers are three men (yes, men) and three ladies, buffet supper at KFC in Owatonna on the way back.
The bus trips and Norwegian Bingo are sponsored by F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely on God) of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church. Reservations are needed; Bob or Genie Hanson at (507) 373-8655 or Wayne or Bev Indrelie at (507) 826-3267 are the contacts.
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Dear sinner:
It’s not following unless you let me go first.—God
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.