Whatever Comes To Mind (268)
Though we just celebrated Valentine’s Day with much hoopla and in joyous ways, it does well to remember Valentine’s Day is every day.
The best gift you can give yourself on Valentine’s Day, and every day of the year, is the gift to your own heart.
I know you've heard these things a thousand times or more and may have elected to ignore them, believe “it can't matter to me,” or feel you're just not into it, but the fact of the matter is we need to be kind to our heart.
If your heart tires, wears out or doesn't work any more, you're without a motor, and there is no more. Discovering the fact of good health and how it affects your heart is usually not a concern until it threatens your life.
We take our heart for granted and don't always treat it like we could or should. We want to be healthy but not enough to work at it. Every minute of the day, three Americans have a heart attack. These yield some 800,000 deaths a year.
The number of American heart attacks in one year equals the total of all American deaths in 10 Vietnam wars. Over half of all Americans die from cardiovascular disease. That is more than the total death of all other causes — cancer, accidents, leukemia, etc.
Give a gift to your heart, yourself, and your family. Give serious thought to the care of your heart. Lifestyle is everything. Your heart works hard for our living. It deserves the best you can give it.
Your best friend works for you 24 hours a day. It pumps life-sustaining blood 12,000 miles a day to take care of all parts of your body.
It is not hard nor that easy to keep it pumping and sustaining our life — because we develop habits that interfere with the health of the heart.
Move it or lose it. No time to exercise?
Research has confirmed that physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease. We know that people who are sedentary have a much greater chance of developing heart disease — and dying from it. We have also learned that you don't have to run a marathon every day to protect your heart. Moderate exercise, like regular walking, will do it.
Making exercise fun is important because you are apt to do it without even thinking about it.
You don't need a lot of expensive equipment or to spend hundreds of dollars on health club memberships. Just find ways to build activity into your normal day. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes and the willingness to move out of your comfort zone. The older you are, the more you need exercise. It helps prevent bone loss and reduces the risk of dozens of diseases.
If you can walk to the telephone you can walk around the block. Park your car farther away from the office. Take the stairs at work instead of the elevator. Walk the dog; it will do you both some good. Try exercising every time there is a commercial on your television disrupting your program. You're apt to get more exercise than you may want or need. Three 10-minute sessions add up to 30 minutes, which is all you need each day to stay healthy.
Commercial endeavors that taste good or make life easier sometimes get in the way and hide in unsuspected places. Even good things can be two-sided and provoke our well-being.
It isn't that we haven't heard it often enough or that we don't know better. We just don't think it affects us or that little bit won't hurt, forgetting sometimes those "little bits" get together and become "big bits."
Stress is a characteristic of modern life, but we don't have to succumb to it. Create a realistic perspective, clarify goals and unwind through exercise or a hobby. Thinking concern? Don't worry. If something is over, it can't be undone.
If you can't do anything about it, let it go. Ask yourself, “What the worst thing that can happen?” and then deal with it.
Children do what adults do, meaning they pick up unhealthy habits at an early age.
Too much meat, not enough fruits or vegetables. They drink sugar drinks and not enough water. They don't exercise. Some may even go on to smoke.
They say, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” I beg to differ. They may be forever, but I say your heart is your best friend because without it beating there would be an end.
If you truly love someone, take care of yourself so you will be there for them.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, February 20th: Hadley Routh, Derek Flesche, Amy Shaunce, David Swearingen, Joyce Lageson Hoddick, LuAnn Sommer Granholdt, David & LeAnn Hanson, Jim & Nancy Cornelius
• Friday, February 21st: Jeannie Worrell, Andy Butler, Phillip Ingvaldson, Bryan Dirkson, Leanna Peterson, Chris & Kim Jensen, Darrell & Cynthia Farr, Max & Marlene Jensen
• Saturday, February 22nd: Shelia Nelson White, Carlie Thompson, Dalys Waltz, Joan & Marian Mast
• Sunday, February 23rd: Sharon Gasner Ramaker, Bernie Warnke, Josh Krueger, Markus Allen Misgen, Daniel Suelter, Dale Waltz, Tiffany Mischke, Daniel Walterman, Laura & Jamie Baudoin
• Monday, February 24th: Jerry Hemingway, Rick Draper, Nathan Wayne, Roxy Menefee Ray, Sarah Zamora, Nancy Larson, Kathy & Daryl Reed
• Tuesday, February 25th: Berniece Farr Mattson, Colton Hagen, Brad Hagen, LuAnn Miller, Sherri Larson Fritz, Steve & Vicky Dobberstein
• Wednesday, February 26th: Sharon Menefee, Shawn Jensen, Becky Lassahn, Ray Coxworth, Ginger Cornelius, Mary Lou Spurr, Chris Sauke, Mike Glynn, Jeff & Robin Christensen, Joel & Peg Radjenovich
Wishing you quiet moments of beauty on your special day!
I am a jigsaw addict and it occurs to me our crusade for a cure for cancer is much like the puzzles I put together. Each of us is different and yet we fit together to achieve a complete picture.
It is only fitting that we thank all those "pieces of the puzzle" – the organizers, the hosts, the auctioneers, the runners, the bookkeepers, those who solicited for donations, those who donate, those who bid and those who buy – everyone who helps in any way.
When you put them all together it is a "perfect picture" of what can be done when people work together. It means a lot to me as I'm sure it does to a lot of other people.
God says, "If you say Thank You" that is enough. That seems so little but I guess it says it all. THANK YOU!
In all the years of watching and being a part of the Geneva Cancer Auctions I am always amazed at what goes on. It is remarkable! It doesn't happen without a lot of dedication, sweat labor, mental thinking, dedication and love.
It is time I publicly say, "Thank You" to all those who work so hard to make this a success, giving of their time to make this what it is. I know you'll understand how inadequate words are to describe the joy and wonder I feel about everyone who has been a part of the Geneva Cancer Fundraising activities. When I try to define the special meaning this means to my life - I can't.
So I will just say "thank you" – and know you'll understand.
Whitey and LaJune
When hearts touch each other -life unfolds its wings of love. Life is people and places - old and new. Things to be discovered as we work together for a common cause. When something is important to your life you know you're on the right track and the good we see is to win.
Thank you! You two are so very special to many, many people. You're sensational!
Auctioneers
Like a voice in the darkness - what would we do without someone to speak for us and give us direction? Have you ever thought of the value of the words and numbers you speak and what it means to others? Some things are so valuable, they are priceless. I, among many, appreciate what you do in this cause to find a cure!
Barb & Jack and the crew
at the Geneva Bar and Grill
We are all together on this journey of life, sharing each other’s joys and sorrows. What is important is that it brings us as one to achieve a beatable goal. Thanks to you and your crew for all the extra hours of time and labor you put into make this believable. Words can never really express how much this means to me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, to those who have been touched by cancer who continue to find many different ways to also help in this cause to FIND A CURE! The Wild Game Feed, the Matt Felt and Dillon Gordon Run, the Motorcycle Rides, the Golf Outing, the Hot Looks For A Cure Calendar, the "Locks For Love," special raffles, as well as so much more which have all been an important part of the complete picture as well. Having been hurt, they turn their loss into love by promoting causes to help someone else.
Supporters
We are all different but we have a common cause: Love and care of our fellow man. We have all known heartache and we have felt the warmth of togetherness that has been brought to us all through our efforts as we work together for its rewards.
It is comforting to know we can count on each other to understand, to share our deepest feelings and trust that our work will be beneficial.
"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." –Mother Teresa
If you have an idea for a story that you would like to see covered in your newspaper, contact me or the Star Eagle office.
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, Feb. 13: Cobi Gowlland, Becca Spurr, Greg Spurr, Jim Brocker, Eric Olson, Linda Ingvaldson, Bonnie Jensen, Brian Rechtzigel, Anita Kes, Terry & Pam Roberts
• Friday, Feb. 14: Happy Valentines Day! Angie Entwisle, Elsie Vander Stoep, Michelle Peterson, Matthew Reiter, Angela Westrum Lair, Lee & Jean Johnson, Bob & Mary Macko, Gene & Linda Pederson
• Saturday, Feb. 15: Kloe Renee Wacek, Nancy Cornelius, Patty Kunkel, Eric Olson, Adam Warnke, Ron Jensen, Michelle Hanson, Angie O'Byrne, Elina Butler and John Pfaff
• Sunday, Feb. 16: Delores Hemingway, Marian Horan, Jesse Lund, Wayne Jensen, David Peterson, Sara Miller, Sarah Nelson, Ian Oolman, Tanya Callahan, LeAnn Hanson, Donald & Dory Hunt
• Monday, Feb. 17: Toni Wayne Smith, Nancy Johnson Erickson, Thomas Farr, Keith Wayne, Dave Von Gorkom, Dawn Pence Gross, Brian Dobberstein, Joan Richards, Joan Kaphers, Michelle Cortinas, Carolyn LaFave, Shannon Weckwerth Pacholl, Alvin & Cheryl Cooper
• Tuesday, Feb. 18: Kris Munson McDonald, Janice Waage, Zola Wayne, Jamie Kunkel Riley, Brad & Rachel Lerum
• Wednesday, Feb. 19: Abraham Peterson, Allison Schmidt, Eleanor Schember, Maklela Larkin, Deedee Hunt, Jason Jensen, Teri Ravenhorst, Marjorie Solberg
Sending you heartfelt wishes for a wonderful birthday!
Snow storms do not wait for babies to be born
Written by Jim LutgensMuch as we hate the cold weather we’re enduring now in Minnesota, I am old enough, but yet young enough, to remember some winters that “weren't so hot" in the past. If you feel this is an exaggeration or an "old wives' tale," I don't think so. Plenty of people still remember snowbanks that closed roads, covered telephone lines and the need for massive equipment plus human shovels to get through the roads and farmyards.
Often that caterpillar or the famous "Oshkosh" were thought to be able to go through anything, but they weren't completely successful. Modern equipment has played a big part in changing this, but there are still times Mother Nature stops everything "cold."
Or should. Such as too many cars cavorting in the ditches and medians because they couldn't see or keep things under control. Of course there is always that rush to get where one is going that seems to accelerate in times of danger.
Before I complain about "warming up the car," I try to remember what it was like in my grandfather’s day, or even in my parents' time. Now many people even have warmed front seats in their vehicles. Old-timers not only heated hot water for the car radiator but heated the oil as well. My mother remembers when her dad sometimes just "put the car up" for the winter or got it out only for special occasions.
Horse blankets weren't just used for horses back then. They were also used in the cars in an attempt to stay warm. Did you ever see any of the old horsehair car robes? Bricks were warmed in cook stove ovens and used to keep feet from freezing, even though footgear then was "designed for winter" and was way beyond the athletic models kids wear today.
A recent news story reminded me of the fact that babies still arrive despite the weather. I heard of an incident where sleds were brought out to get the mother and child to the hospital. In one case the baby was even born on the way. It could have happened in our family, as my aunt Phyllis was stranded during a late winter snowstorm and had to "walk" up "Dr. Ertel Hill,” which was west and south of Ellendale. She was transported by makeshift sleigh to the county line where a neighbor, Orlando Thompson, was able to connect with snowplows working out from Ellendale, and she was able to get to the hospital. That was March 15, 1951, and not quite as cold as we have experienced recently.
My middle daughter, Kimberly, was born in a storm in the spring of 1973 that necessitated the assistance of a snowplow.
During the worst of the blizzard conditions this past weekend, it was still nothing compared to the year my nephew, Cameron, was born, 1975. The day started out warm and rainy and then changed into a "blast from the past" that would leave no ability to travel.
My mother said God was good the year when her grandson Cameron arrived into the world. The weather on that January 8 was "like spring,” but quickly changed back to a January snowstorm. The intensity of that storm caused zero visibility conditions. My mother still wonders what she would have done if they had not been able to get to the hospital, as Cam’s birth could have been very traumatic.
Snowmobile suits, quilts or blankets are standard equipment in our family vehicles during the winter season, on my mother’s orders. While my mother was working for Head Start she helped the kids make coffee-can survival kits for their parents. Placed in the old three-pound coffee can was a can of Sterno, candles, matches, flashlights, and hard candies. The survival kit was to be carried in the car along with a length of strong cord, to which one could tie some bright colored balloons and then put it out the window so their car could be seen.
Of course that was before cell phones. Cell phones do have their place in automobiles under such circumstances.
They say a lit candle is enough to keep you from freezing. My cousin Jim says that even in an Eskimo igloo, a whale-oil lamp (the equivalent of a candle), will keep it above freezing.
It doesn't take long to freeze something when the temperatures drop like they sometimes do. My mother found that out this past week when she went outside for a very short amount of time. She did have gloves on, but evidently not the best as she froze the tips of three fingers so badly they blistered like balloons.
Needless to say the ribbing that she has been getting - "Did you learn something?" or "If that had been one of us what would you have said?" just added to the pressure she was experiencing in her fingers.
Incidentally - DON'T put frozen digits in either hot or cold water to thaw. At best use mild temperature water with a little bit of white vinegar, which helps kill bacteria.
Be PREPARED. Being cold is no fun. The car may be ever so warm and toasty, but in an emergency things change quickly. And remember: stay in your car. Don't try to walk anywhere during a storm. I recall the year our family traveled to the Twin Cities area for a YMCA swim meet. We had lots of blankets in our car and used them. Unfortunately, when we got home the kids took them along with them into the house. We went on to Clarks Grove and got trapped on the off-ramp of the freeway and spent the night shivering in our car. Thank goodness, Daryl had his snowmobile suit in the car, and once daylight arrived he was able to safely walk for help. Things you don't count on happening, they do. Distance may be short in good weather, but ever so long in bad weather.
It is important to remember to drive "on the top half of your gas tank." Experienced winter drivers keep at least half a tank of fuel in the vehicle in case they are stranded in a storm.
When the snow flies many people remember back to that famous 'Armistice Day Snowstorm" of November 11, 1940. Weather forecasting and weather warnings were not as efficient as they are now, and the un-forecast storm killed 145 people (including 49 in Minnesota) and stranded thousands.
My hat's off in admiration to those local Methodist volunteers in Ellendale who provide an emergency location in times of need. Eighty-eight people were able to spend a safe, food filled and friendly night recently because of the efforts of a few kind hearted souls who praised God with their willingness to be of assistance during the brunt of the storm. These valiant volunteers were able to turn a traumatic situation into one of triumph and were able to meet many grateful strangers.
Thinking about winter and snow … I have pictures of my Grandpa Schember standing on snow banks in New Richland that reached over the telephone lines. We also have one of Great Aunt Emily sitting on a snow bank in my grandparents’ farm that was high as the barn. I can also remember seeing the snowdrift that had formed on the road going east out of Geneva toward the freeway (before there was a freeway) that had to be "tunneled" through because it was so large.
My Grandma Hanson used to talk about ice-skating on the pond north of the old School House in Geneva, which is where Dale and Nadine Strenge now live. She also told about sailing across Geneva Lake in ice sailboats during their noon hour from school. Needless to say the kids were late in getting back to school after such an excursion. Evidently "noon hours" were a wee bit longer than they are now.
Our Minnesota weather affects who we are. It causes us to think ahead, and avoid risk if possible. If you live in Minnesota, you have had the opportunity to experience some pretty dramatic weather. Those of us who live here learn to deal with the weather – or when to simply take precautions to avoid it.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, Feb. 6: Jean Klocek, Carolyn Hanson, Dean Jensen, David Kelly, Martin Bartness, Colleen Borchert, Troy Haddy, Jean Clausen, Sonja Thompson, Megan Stephoni, Todd Nelson, Brooke Burns, Kay Swenson
• Friday, Feb. 7: Cheryl Cornelius, Ted Pelzl, Kelly Simon, Emma Lorraine Klemmensen, Karissa Dolan, Dorothy Katz, Joel Radjenovich, Steve & Holly Glynn
• Saturday, Feb. 8: Lainee Ann Krohn, Erin Thompson, Terry Wacek, Dennis & Cheryl Sauke
• Sunday, Feb. 9: Emily Eder, John Warnke, Donnavon Eaker, Laura (Edwards) Baudoin, Brad Lerum, Howard Goette, Kelly Lageson, Heidi Nelson, Karen Knudson, Tami Sorenson, Jay Wangsness
• Monday, Feb. 10: Brooklyn Jo Baudoin, Brett Mitchell Kubiatowicz, Greg Hagen, Abbey Jensen, Tom Wayne, Dean Reiter, Michael Glienke, Wayne Osmundson, Rachel Strand, Judy Thostenson, Peggy Talamantes, Greg Nelson, Madison Johnson, Dick & Mary Ann Ewing
• Tuesday, Feb. 11: Helyn Langlie, who will 94 this year, Megan Pence, Jet Wayne, Neil Douglas Schmidt, Donna Wilker, David Dunn, Julie Christensen, Rhonda Thompson Christensen, Steve Gallentine, Earl Cleven, Teresa Knudson Pratt, Nadine Berg
• Wednesday, Feb., 12: Gail Skroch, Joe Moon, Michael Hanson, April Van Riper, Rick Borchert, Eugene Kruckeberg, Travis Wayne, Jessie Olson, Greg Oswald, Taff & Jean Worrell, David & Carolyn Hanson
May all the good wishes that you receive on your special day bloom in your heart and bring you joy!
Seems like I am not the only one who gets upset with the way some of these "singers" try to rearrange "The Star Spangled Banner.” I still like to hear the song sung the way I learned it back in grade school - straight and strong and meaningful.
When sung proudly with reverence before a game or event it gives me goosebumps. When someone tries to “change the flavor" it hurts me.
I know musicians like to put their rendition on songs and sometimes it doesn't matter but excuse me, I like the "Star Spangled Banner" the old way with the flag respectfully displayed to remind us what we have been given.
A Marine Corps Colonel in Afghanistan recently wrote “…with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten - straight up, no styling.
“Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world.
“Don't make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification.
Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love - not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from your costume, makeup and your entourage.
“Sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you. And please remember, not everything has to be sung as a Negro spiritual. We're getting a little weary of that.
“Francis Scott Key does not need any help.”
The words of "The Star Spangled Banner" were first written on September 14, 1814 by Francis Scott Key as a poem entitled, "Defence (sic) of Ford McHenry."
When the bombardment of Ford McHenry subsided, the American Flag was still flying. This flag was truly huge. It measured 42 X 30 feet. Though published in a number of newspapers at the time, it wasn't until the Civil War the song became one of the most popular patriotic songs of the United States.
It was Woodrow Wilson who requested the song be played at all sporting events. In 1931 Congress drafted a proclamation naming "The Star Spangled Banner" as our national anthem. President Hoover signed the proclamation and the rest as they say, is history.
Believe it or Not ... It was Robert L. Ripley of "Ripley's Believe It or Not" who spurred the American people to demand "The Star Spangled Banner" become the national anthem.
On November 3, 1929, Ripley ran a cartoon saying "Believe It or Not, America has no national anthem.” Americans were shocked and wrote five million letters to Congress demanding Congress proclaim a national anthem.
Most people don't realize there are actually four verses to "The Star Spangled Banner.”
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light.
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of deep,
Where the foe's haughty hosts in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream;
"Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave.
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave;
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
It will be interesting to see what rendition will be given to this song before the start of the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 2.
I pray the original version will be sung with reverence and strength and hope as it was originally written.
Thank you for making a difference!
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week's birthdays and anniversaries include:
• Thursday, Jan. 30: Alice Richards, Allison Grunwald, Renae Wallace, Trudy Nelson, Cody Boverhuis, Dennis Jensen, Jeanette Fetterly, Michael Robinson, Scott Morreim, Wally Wobschall, Missy (Wayne) & Sean Engel, their 5th, Paul & Diane Stollard
• Friday, Jan. 31: Ethan River Thompson, his 9th; Avery Routh, her 9th; Dana Jensen, Jim Worrell, Keith Hagen, Sue Richards, David Skroch, Jim & Lois Plunkett
• Saturday, Feb. 1: Grayson Joseph Bickler, his 6th; Richard Grunwald, Brad Hagen, Tom Olson, Shelly Wencl, Sam & Sharon Peterson, Darrin & Michelle Hanson
• Sunday, Feb. 2: Kia Jayann Buendorf, her 6th; Matt Davis, Addie Farr, Joey Farr, Michael Farr, Butch Otteson, John Fornberg, Robert Hanson, Jim Motz, Karri Bangert, Lillie Fenney
• Monday, Feb. 3: Bowen Gregory Jensen, his 8th; Lily Neitzel, Julie Hanson, David Johnson, Sherry Misgen, Tara (Stollard) Richards, Francene Pittman, Jeremy Hanson
• Tuesday, Feb.: Aaron Duane Bauers, Tyler Cerney, Tyler Sorenson (1994), Waylen Busho Jr., Billy Glynn, David Newgard, Roy Jensen, John Lent
• Wednesday, Feb. 5: Crystal Simonson, Blanche Kasper, Darrell Howell, Randy Reese, Ericka Johnson, Kylee Jace Wilson, Wesley Schoenrock
• Thursday, Feb. 6: Jean Klocek, Carolyn Hanson, Dean Jensen, David Kelly, Martin Bartness, Colleen Borchert, Troy Haddy, Jean Clausen, Sonja Thompson, Megan Stephoni, Todd Nelson, Brooke Burns, Kay Swenson
• Friday, Feb. 7: Cheryl Boettcher, Ted Pelzl, Kelly Simon, Emma Lorraine Klemmensen, Karissa Dolan, Dorothy Katz, Joel Radjenovich, Steve & Holly Glynn
Saturday, Feb. 8: Lainee Ann Krohn, Erin Thompson, Terry Wacek, Dennis & Cheryl Sauke
• Sunday, Feb. 9: Emily Eder, John Warnke, Donnavon Eaker, Laura (Edwards) Baudoin, Brad Lerum, Howard Goette, Kelly Lageson, Heidi Nelson, Karen Knudson, Tami Sorenson, Jay Wangsness
Let the good times carry you away on your special day!
Francis Misgen was a man of many talents. He said things as they were. He could hide the goodness and softness of his heart sometimes in being honest and blunt, but one always felt the importance of his presence. Loyalty was his middle name. He often visited the care centers and was loyal to his quest that the New Richland Care Center would be where he wanted to be when the time came. I wonder how many times he made a point of really visiting with his friend Ed Menefee when he was there?
Francis was proud of his country and an outstanding member of the armed forces that carried over into his participation to the service men’s organization. I will always have a mental picture of his pride as he drove fellow servicemen in his jeep during parades and other events. A project he took on to perpetuate the value of the armed forces and the sacrifices they made for our well-being.
He was a family man that extended beyond his own children to those of other family members. He didn't coddle as much as he brought strength to his family as he taught them that life doesn't come easy. It takes hard work and an intelligent mind to accomplish what needed to be done. He was honest, humble and kind.
He had a right to be proud. He never shirked in his willingness to be of service and help to others. He continued to work well past his age because it was something he did - he believed it was important to do what you can while you can.
Francis was Francis. He will leave an indelible place in my heart and a mental picture of a proud military man who served his country and mankind in many ways. God Bless the memory of this great man.
And speaking of great men — I ran across this 50-year-old speech by noted radio host Paul Harvey recently. It is often quoted, sometimes inaccurately. But I checked it for accuracy. This is the authentic version.
I couldn't help but think how his predictions have come true. I'm not going to comment further, but whether you believe in the devil or not, think about the foresight Harvey had 50 years ago. Almost all of the things he warned us of - whether the work of the devil or our own misguided policies - have come true.
Next year will mark the 50th year of Paul Harvey's famous "If I Were the Devil" commentary. So for you who have never heard or read it, I thought I would share it with you and then you can consider what has happened in America over the last fifty years.
"If I Were the Devil”
If I were the Prince of Darkness I would want to engulf the whole earth in darkness.
I'd have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree.
So I should set about however necessary, to take over the United States.
I would begin with a campaign of whispers.
With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve, "Do as you please."
To the young I would whisper, "The Bible is a myth." I would convince them that "man created God," instead of the other way around. I would confide that, "what is bad is good and what is good is square."
In the ears of the young married I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be "extreme" in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct.
And the old I would teach to pray - to say after me - "Our father which are in Washington."
Then I'd get organized.
I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull, uninteresting.
I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies, and vise-versa.
I'd infiltrate unions and urge more loafing, less work. Idle hands usually work for me.
I'd peddle narcotics to whom I could, I'd sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction, I'd tranquilize the rest with pills.
If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions; let them run wild.
I'd designate an atheist to front for me before the highest courts and I'd get preachers to say, "She's right."
With flattery and promises of power I would get the courts to vote against God and in favor of pornography.
Thus I would evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, then from the Houses of Congress.
Then in his own churches I'd substitute psychology for religion and deify science.
If I were the Satan I'd make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas a bottle.
If I were the devil I'd take from those who have and give to those who wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. Then my police state would force everybody back to work.
Then I would separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coalmines and objectors in slave-labor camps.
If I were Satan I'd just keep doing what I'm doing and the whole world would go to hell as sure as the devil."
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:
• Thursday, January 23rd: Eugene Worke, "Emeritus" Bob Hanson, Eugene Cornelius, Rodney Sorenson, Dean Broitzman, Garnet Folie, Jeff Miller, Chris Paulson
• Friday, January 24th: Morgan Sophia Luhring, her 9th; Renee Polzin, Greg Menefee, Mary Cunningham, Trevor Tracy
• Saturday, January 25th: Calvin Thomas VanderStoep, his 5th; Sophia Mabel Olivia Mrotz, Max Thomas Powers Brekke, his 7th; Emma Meiners, her 6th; Paula Olson, Vernon Simonson, Lana Thompsen, Troy Phagan, Ladawn Hatch
• Sunday, January 26th: Andilynn Leigh Knudson, her 5th; Russell Nelson, Bonnie Peterson, Pat Reese Ceplecha, Linda Oldenburg, Angela Borchert, Donna Borchert Knudson, Amanda Abel
• Monday, January 27th: Anna Mae Lee, Jon Berg, Linda Davis, Nancy Ingvaldson, Paul Larkin, Keegan Brighton, Myrtle Peterson, Ken & Waynette Peterson, Bruce & Rose Ann Kubicek
• Tuesday, January 28th: Brian Brekke, Kevin Stieglbauer, Kalei Wilson, Caleb Brocker, Ruth Paulson, Denise McGowan, Rachel Schei, Lona Berg
• Wednesday, January 29th: Molly Jo Wayne, her 6th Jalen Aaseth, Rick Seath, Andrea (Hanson) Carter, George Dettman, his 84th, Kim (Harpel) Johnson, Zenobia Haberman, Stephanie Jensen
May your special day be a happy memory and tomorrow a bright new promise.
Despite technology, we still get weather we didn’t expect
Written by Jim LutgensWhen all else fails one can always talk about the weather, whether we can do anything about it or not.
Do you think the day will come when we will have some control of the weather? It would be nice to think that we could alleviate some of the natural disasters that raise havoc with so many unfortunate individuals, businesses and organizations. But would we try to take it one step further and selfishly use it to our advantage? We laughingly say, “At least that’s one area the government hasn't been able to mess up yet.”
Think it isn't possible? I don't know. There are a lot of things that have become possible we never would have dreamed of once upon a time.
I won't even go into the modern miracles, though I don't think of myself as being "that old." I'll leave it to the young people to understand the quirks and parts of electronic mysteries. It baffles my mind to think you can put a little box to your ear and talk or listen to people miles and miles away.
My only concern is that there are side effects to even good things, and we seem to misuse them along the way. Some things gained, some things lost.
I admire people who keep an eye on the weather, who journal the weather every day. Others don't journal but know when to expect unfavorable weather because they "feel it in their bones." Still others believe in planting and harvesting by the moon, the effects of a thunderstorm out of season and what effect it will have on the next season.
Those are things old timers would go by before we had weather men and weather machines. But despite all our knowledge we still have weather we didn't expect, and it "hits or misses" us just the same.
The beautiful snowfall we had for the Christmas holiday was something to behold, even though we stomp through and blow and throw snow around. I watched a group of kids in Geneva build a terrific snowman. Snow can be fun, or it is not?
Cold weather is something else. It was 22 below, with 55 below windchill, in the local area on Monday morning, Jan. 6. What can one really do then?
Is there anything fresher than the not-always-welcome cold air that comes with it? It makes the air feel clean and sharp, as well as easier to breath (well not always).
In Minnesota we expect "cool" moments, which to someone from elsewhere might be anything above zero. But the cold weather that arrived that first weekend in January could well be described using that old saying, "When H _ _ _ freezes over." When the governor says "No School" because of the cold weather for the first time in 17 years, IT IS COLD.
Do the kids say, "Hurray! No school today!" – or do they wear a bored look and reach for their cell phones to share their misery with friends? With sports called off, do the kids rest or do they find something to keep them in shape?
Staying close to family and friends in cold weather, is the basis of a lot of memories of "when I was a kid," like heat generated by splitting wood for an old wood burning stove, flannel sheets, long underwear, face masks and something warmer and drier on one's feet than "tennis shoes." Styles change, but a good over-the-ear cap or helmet, warm gloves and a warm scarf come in handy. It also brings out parent advice of "Do you have a blanket or snowmobile suit in the car in case you have trouble along the way?"
Cooks think soup, chili, hot chocolate, coffee or tea to help “warm the insides" – as if that makes the outside not seem so cold.
Wrapping up in a warm comforter, quilt, or fuzzy blanket with a good book and an attitude for comfort can ease the stress as you try not to think of frozen water pipes, a vehicle that won't start or a trip not taken because it is too cold.
Businesses and school officials, along with the general public, had to change schedules, so as not to put people in danger by just being "out and about." Of course there are always those who brave the weather just to prove they can, especially if they boast of having Scandinavian blood that “may curdle but never freezes.”
There are jobs to consider and people who "have to be" some place at a certain time because …
In all seriousness, the weather can be a threat to those who have little or no control over their circumstances. Frozen ears, feet and bodies happen and it is more than sad, it is tragic. Hypothermia is serious. People really do need to be careful.
Deviation from a normal schedule can put people into a lot of last minute decisions, like where do the kids go when there is no school? A parent at home becomes the baby sitter, teacher, or professional dealmaker or breaker, thinking up things for the kids, who may be extra revved up from snacking on sugar treats, and "what can we do now" may be replaced by television, which may offer programming of less than acceptable viewing.
The sun can come out, making a mockery of the cold. It looks like it could be warm, but it isn't. It is just bright and beautiful, if you are inside where it is nice and warm.
We do know that eventually it will warm up. Just think how we would appreciate a little of this "cool" on a very hot summer day. I couldn't help but laugh when my computer "spam" carried an advertisement for air conditioning. Yeah, I thought somebody was thinking ahead of the time, they haven't been outside or they warmed up on too much "sauce" at the liquor store.
You be the judge. Some people will say the deep freeze was the result of "global warming." Who am I to say? Akk I know is it was just plain COLD!
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:
• Thursday, Jan. 16: Carter Howard Hanson, Kiley Beenken, Craig Bailey, Remi Wayne, Joshua Crabtree, Joni Groth, Jeff Kaplan, Tracy Tracy, Melissa Wagner, Emily Bedker, Tena Bryce, Jeremy Anderson
• Friday, Jan. 17: Ava Elizabeth Schember, her 6th; Blake Michael Born/Norday, Don Anderson, Jan Bartsch, Annette Busho, LuAnn Johnson Prescher, David Strenge, Mike Peterson, Brayden Broitzman, Kayley Camerer
• Saturday, Jan. 18: Madilyn Hamilton, Deb Bohnoff, Todd Holland, Julie Bunn Hunt, Annie Miller, Tabatha Miller, Mark Misgen, Vicki Babb, Ruth Neidermeier, Garret Schley & Ellie Schley
• Sunday, Jan. 19: Brian Wayne, Laura (Otterson) Ortiz, Dennis Grunwald, Steve Jon Christensen, Barb Wayne Heyer, Kent Johnson, Thomas Kasper, Francis Misgen, Peter Spande, Dick Ewing, Dick & Laurie Swift
• Monday, Jan. 20: Brentson Lange, Jim Krause, Marc Nelson, Jenna Nicole Cooper, Pastor Alvin Cooper, Anthony Thostenson, Alicia Lizaazo,
• Tuesday, Jan. 21: Cooper Routh, his 4th, Joshua Dobberstien and Gerald Wobshcall
• Wednesday, Jan. 22: Reese Hendrickson, Taylor Lunning, Christian Sletten, Tom Haried, Lyle Shaunce, Barbara Van Gorkom, Jeff Miller, Heather Sargent
• Thursday, Jan. 23: Eugene Worke, "Emeritus" Bob Hanson, Eugene Cornelius, Rodney Sorenson, Dean Broitzman, Garnet Folie, Jeff Miller, Chris Paulson
• Friday, Jan. 24: Morgan Sophia Luhring, her 9th; Renee Polzin, Greg Menefee, Mary Cunningham, Trevor Tracy
• Saturday, Jan. 25: Calvin Thomas VanderStoep, his 5th; Sophia Mabel Olivia Mrotz, Max Thomas Powers Brekke, his 7th; Emma Meiners, her 6th; Paula Olson, Vernon Simonson, Lana Thompsen, Troy Phagan, Ladawn Hatch
May your special day be a happy memory and tomorrow a bright new promise.
Another Christmas season has come and gone, and each year leaves us with special memories.
I think it was 1985 when a group of neighbors on a circle drive in North Mankato elaborately decorated their homes with Christmas lights and figurines. It was quite an attraction, and the news quickly spread that it was the sight to see. Our family drove over. Coincidentally, one of the first homes on that circle drive was my mother’s cousin and her husband, Gary and Mona Lee.
Many cars full of people came to see the extravaganza. As Mona watched all the people enjoy the neighborhood lights, it occurred to her they could use their display of lights to help others, by collecting food for the needy.
Mona started phoning her neighbors, most of whom felt it was a good idea. So beginning in 1988 a "Santa House" was set up in the area each year, with an invitation for those who came to enjoy the Christmas decorations to bring food to share with others less fortunate.
They never dreamed that their word-of-mouth venture, without publicity, would attract so much attention, but that first year they took in 400 pounds of food and $200 in cash. On the last year they collected over $5,000 in cash and a ton of food.
I forgot to ask Mona how many years they continued the event. Mona said the trees that had been small when they first began, had grown so large it made decorating difficult. They later had to use a city boom truck, along with a volunteer boom truck from Mapleton, to help decorate the trees. A group of neighborhood volunteers, including Mona’s nephew’s fraternity, helped decorate and hang lights.
Is it any wonder, what these people started so many years ago would come to my mind when Daryl and I drove over to Mankato before Christmas to see the Kiwanis Holiday Lights at Sibley Park? They too collected money and canned donations for the food shelf.
When I came home I contacted the Lees (who still live in Mankato but spend winters in Sun City, AZ) about the event they began oh, so many years ago.
Mona said it had been a hard thing to let go, because it was a great bonding time for the whole neighborhood and she was thankful her family had a part in it. It became a unique and wonderful neighborhood as they spent so many hours working together.
I have learned the homeless and hungry crave more than food. They need companionship and interaction with others along with the gift of the human touch. People need to "hang out" with friends. I find that is also true of those who are providers and give of their time and talents.
People need people; it is as simple as that!
Maybe that is why the Kiwanis had such a huge success when they first lit up Sibley Park in Mankato with holiday lights in 2012. Sibley was open for 39 nights for a total of 168 hours of operation during the Christmas season in 2012, and 53 nonprofit groups helped to set up the display of lights, as well as help take them back down again. As a result, over 30,000 vehicles and 100,000 people enjoyed the Christmas lights that first year. I know Daryl and I enjoyed seeing all of the beautiful lights, especially the Grand Lawn Displays, which included a 60' tall Christmas tree of lights.
Those who came last year donated just over 13 tons of food, which went to 12 area food shelves; as well as close to $30,000 to the nonprofit groups who helped the Kiwanis organization with the event. It turned out to be such a huge success, they decided to do it again in 2013.
This year the Kiwanis worked with the Mankato Area Foundation on the addition of the Mary Dotson synthetic ice rink, which offered a unique and memorable skating experience for people to enjoy under the lights, no matter what the temperature.
"The constant in my mother's life was the joy of being surrounded by kids.” Mary Dotson's son, Denny, wrote. “One of the ways mom chose to do that was by providing a skating rink, which she did for nearly 50 years, next to her home in west Mankato. The skating rink was her opportunity to interact with the neighborhood children and watch them grow. My mother would be very pleased, as are all of her children and grandchildren, with the skating rink in her memory at Sibley Park, especially a rink that doesn't need flooding and can be used on the warmest of winter days! I hope this community, and its visitors, will enjoy the Mary Dotson Skating rink for years to come."
The Kiwanis this year also included a lighted computer-animated walking tunnel that complimented the lighted driving tunnel, both choreographed to the Dancing Lights area. The Santa's Toy Company display, which was also included in the display of lights, came from the Winter Wonderland display in Blue Earth.
Children of all ages were able to visit Santa in his workshop and see his live reindeer. Visitors also enjoyed horse-drawn wagon rides and live music on weekends.
On our return trip home Daryl and I made our yearly stop at the Vince Peterson farm, north of New Richland, to take in Vince’s Christmas display he has been maintaining for 32 years.
Vince told me the squirrels also enjoy his Christmas lights, and he had to replace 10,000 of them when he put out his decorations this year.
Thank you, Vince, for sharing the Christmas spirit with so many of us. Your gift is a real treasure to enjoy.
People helping other people, sharing the holiday spirit with others, and their only reward is the joy of giving itself. As we see, the feeling is infectious and inspiring - the kind acts of one or two spread to others, who then band together to spread the spirit.
Isn’t that what charity, and the holidays, ought to be? Sharing with others, as shown by the examples above - NOT about shopping, “Black Friday,” or gift wrapping.
That feeling of giving and sharing doesn’t have to be limited to Christmas. In our close-knit rural communities, you can read about community giving and sharing in almost every issue of this newspaper.
And that’s why we live where we do.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, Jan. 9: Melinda Hanson Talamanates, Lisa Dunn Wayne, Mark Lee, Adam Deml, Jay Wangsness, Steve Vanden Heuvel, Becky Wayne Clark, Larry Jensen, Allen Dobberstein, Allan Swearingen, Dan & Lavonne Nelson
• Friday, Jan. 10: Sue Hunnicutt, Martha Jacobson, Gary Nelson, Eldert & Avis DeRaad, Robert & Eleanor Leiser
• Saturday, Jan. 11: Melissa Farr, Rick Hanson, Nanko DeRaad, Deb Robertson Hare, Brad Nelson, Kelly Reichl, Alvin & Ardys Nelson, Dennis & Barb Grunwald
• Sunday, Jan. 12: Heather Mattson Johnson, Macy Misgen, Albert Diaz, Barry Jepson, Cindy Farner, Brian Milan, Chris Wilker
• Monday, Jan. 13: Lacey & Brad Grutzik, 2013, Julia Anne Marlin, Melonie Crabtree, Rita Sletten Nelson, Diane Lee, Haley Butler, Tracy Utpadel, Jay Brown, John Olson, Tracy Bergerson, Marion Hoffman, Bruce Haberman, Gregory David, Jack & Gloria Jensen
• Tuesday, Jan. 14: Brooke Sorenson Krohn, Marlys Sorenson, Darla Hagen Matthees, Christine Hanson, Skyler Cromwell Lembke, Jenna Marie Abbott, Mark Langlie, Ryan & Kerri Wagner
• Wednesday, Jan. 15: Steve Bailey, Paul Christensen, Emily Crabtree, Angela Borchert, Brian Farr
• Thursday, Jan. 16: Carter Howard Hanson, Kiley Beenken, Craig Bailey, Remi Wayne, Joshua Crabtree, Joni Groth, Jeff Kaplan, Tracy Tracy, Melissa Wagner, Emily Bedker, Tena Bryce, Jeremy Anderson
• Friday, Jan. 17: Ava Elizabeth Schember, her 6th; Blake Michael Born/Norday, Don Anderson, Jan Bartsch, Annette Busho, LuAnn Johnson Prescher, David Strenge, Mike Peterson, Brayden Broitzman, Kayley Camerer
Life is a journey we begin each day - wishing that each new day is happier than the day before. Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day. Little things mean a lot.
It’s the end of another year. What started so bright and shiny and new, now no longer is. It’s worn and soiled and no longer sparkling in anticipation. The old year is tired and it’s time for the new year to start with a clean slate.
The old year had its moments - good things and bad, sadness and celebration.
Funny, I sort of feel like that year. I am tired too, but I am looking forward to a bright new year and all it may bring.
I thank my editor at the paper for extraordinary experiences. I've been blessed with many people and events to cover for our paper. I’m thankful we seem to have more good news than bad, more smiles than frowns.
Stories don't always come easy. They aren't just words and facts and research. Sometimes it’s a real struggle to say the things you need to say, and you can only hope to get them right. Sometimes I cry, and I feel for the person or event I’m covering. It's a problem. I think of the pain, the strength, the endurance — something that doesn’t happen overnight. It becomes a part of me.
If it is an event, I think of how many people are involved, how much time and money and emotion went into perfecting the project, the people involved putting so much time and effort and thought into doing the right thing. That too doesn't happen overnight. The thought and planning can be year-round. They deserve more than a thank-you. But God says that is enough, and they accept that.
I admit to sharing the pride and happiness of things accomplished and well done. When I see names pop out in the paper or in the news there is a feeling that they are a part of me.
Great things don’t happen overnight. The dedication and work that go into being an outstanding student, the expertise that wins, or doesn't win, a game, a trophy, or a voice, a performance, a song, doesn't just happen. It all involves hours of knowhow and time behind the scenes.
The people who are successful seem to be those who are busiest, glad to work those extra hours and confident enough to give ideas and make decisions.
Some people can always find time to volunteer, lend a helping hand, do whatever they can do to make life better for others.
I've found stories in places least expected, and they always involve people. That is one of the pluses of working for our paper. I've met people I never would have known or been able to appreciate.
My wish for you in 2014 is that all the news will be good news, and if not, that there will be strength and kindness and love enough to make the news bearable.
I wish for peace in your heart, in your thoughts and in your world. I wish you happiness, joy and extra special moments. Let there be a song in your heart, beautiful warm memories, friends and family to greet you and the feel of sunshine even on a cloudy day.
I want to relay the thanks I have gotten from so many people we have helped in some way. Many have shared their gratitude for that boost that got them through a hard time by making it a little easier.
Life is never perfect. We all need a little help now and then, and it is nice to know help is appreciated. The readers and the subjects of columns say “thank you” over and over again and I hope you know how it made them feel.
Perhaps, years from now, we will look back on this year, and like an old car, it may go from being a "clunker" to a "classic" when viewed in the rearview mirror of passing time.
Happy New Year! May 2014 be a special year for you. Thank you!
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:
• Thursday, Jan. 2: Grace Jolie Wangen, Brian Bedney, Jay Crabtree, Mark Dobberstein, David Lageson, Brenda Wayne, Aaron Nelson, John & Lorraine Lent, Kelsey (Wayne) & Matt Duncomb
• Friday, Jan. 3: Jerret Utpadel, Andrea Avery, Stan Nelson
• Saturday, Jan. 4: Sophie Elizabeth Stork, Kelsey Christensen, Delphine Pence, Jeff Cornelius, Dennis Hill, Monty Mrotz, Jeremy Nelson, Corey Johnson, John Butler
• Sunday, Jan. 5: Olivia Pauline Christopherson, Devon Mark Born, Pat Simon King, Warren Kelly, Randy Paulson, Jay Neitzel, Amy Kasper, Nash Petranek, Melinda & Ray Talamantes
• Monday, Jan. 6: Mallory Anna Schlinger, Marianne Christensen, Kevin Jensen, Tammy Busho, Todd Nelson
• Tuesday, Jan. 7: Rodney Peterson, Gary Ayers, Stacy Jensen Pirkl, Karina Thompson
• Wednesday, Jan. 8: (Elvis Presley) Cameron Schember, Mike Marcus, Terry Pelzl, Dan Reese, David Jensen, Ryan Benning, Jennifer Rechtzigel, Brandon Borchert, John & Melissa Marlin
• Thursday, Jan. 9: Melinda Hanson Talamantes, Lisa Dunn Wayne, Mark Lee, Adam Deml, Jay Wangsness, Steve Vanden Heuvel, Becky Wayne Clark, Larry Jensen, Allen Dobberstein, Allan Swearingen, Dan & Lavonne Nelson
• Friday, Jan. 10: Sue Hunnicutt, Martha Jacobson, Gary Nelson, Eldert & Avis DeRaad, Robert & Eleanor Leiser
• Saturday, Jan. 11: Melissa Farr, Rick Hanson, Nanko DeRaad, Deb Robertson Hare, Brad Nelson, Kelly Reichl, Alvin & Ardys Nelson, Dennis & Barb Grunwald
With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, grow richer in spirit. May the year ahead be filled with new discoveries!
What will Christmas be like a hundred years from now?
Written by Jim LutgensChristmas starts in some stores right after the school bells ring in the fall with displays of things to buy for the holiday, so how can it sneak up on us so fast and catch us unaware?
If Christmas seems different, it is in many ways. There are so many things happening everywhere. One wonders what Christmas will be a like a hundred years from now. Can you imagine?
A large number of things have changed over the last 100 years. I remember when my grandmother talked about how they celebrated "back in her day.”
The Christmas tree was never decorated until the night before Christmas Day, and it was set up in one of the rooms that were shut off in winter to save heat. Grandpa and Grandma decorated the real tree - no artificial trees back then - and because there was no electricity, they used candles on the tree. Grandma said the lighting of the tree was really something special, and the kids were in awe of the spectacular sight, which of course could only be lit for a short time because of the fire danger.
Strings of popcorn, cranberries and paper chains and a few very special ornaments were also added. Walnuts were opened carefully so they could be glued back together, and with room for a wire loop added they were made into an ornament and put on the tree.
In Denmark, the young children’s shoes were put on a ledge with straw inside to cradle the contents and served as their Christmas stocking. The items were often a piece of fruit, some homemade cookies or rock candy. I am sure I may have told the story before about how my Grandma Hanson had gotten an orange in her stocking. Then she thought, "This was really something, I will try that again." She did, and the next night there was an apple. Thinking this was good and it would go on forever, she tried again. The greedy little girl was surprised to find the head, bones and tails of the fish that they had ate for supper the night before.
It was both a Christmas and a lesson she was never going to forget, or the rest of us for that matter as we heard the story. Those gifts from over a hundred years ago are quite a bit different than the Barbie cars, bicycles, iPads, and TVs that many kids of this decade would like to find in their Christmas stockings now.
In my parents’ day things were a little better, though my mom said many of the gifts were homemade or things that were needed for everyday living. Staple items like socks, pants, scarves and mittens were common. Though she will always remember the life-size rubber baby doll my grandma gave her that she called Peter, because she called everything "Peter" - the dog, the cat, the bird or whatever. My mother reports that today’s market has never produced a baby doll that remotely resembled it.
Another special gift my mother received through the years was a wooden cupboard made from a sugar box with C & H Sugar stamped on the back and equipped with 10-cent aluminum cookware from Woolworths. There was also a housecoat, long enough to touch the floor with big red and green flowers. Again, socks, mittens and caps were wrapped as gifts along with a family of hard little bite size cookies, or "pepper nuts" as they were called, that Great Grandma Christensen always made at Christmas time.
My Grandma and Grandpa Hanson always entertained her side of the family for Christmas Day, and it got to be quite a bunch because anyone else who wanted to join, did. Grandma was the cook and Grandpa was the driver because cars weren't as prevalent then, so many of the guests needed transportation. The double doors into the living room were opened for the occasion, and the old blue heating stove combined with all the body heat kept everyone warm. It was a time for playing the player piano, the old Edison Victrola after the tables were cleared. They played games of “spoons” and “old maid,” or their bunny kept everyone busy. Remember - there was no TV back then!
If the weather cooperated they played “fox and goose” and had snowball fights. They even played softball in the snow. The week between Christmas and New Year’s, one could expect Yule bokkers (sort of like adult "Trick or Treaters") who disguised themselves in outlandish garb and came in the middle of the night, wrestling people from their beds and seeking treats and things to drink and raising merriment by singing and dancing.
There were sleigh rides, jingle bells on the harnessed horses, skiing and sliding, and of course the biggest snowman possible. They also made homemade ice cream, turned by hand from real cream, and everyone would hardly wait for it to get done and they could pull out the paddle to taste the delicacy. Ice cream was a real treat then, and still is for some now.
I remember when our kids were small. They always delighted in having lots of things under the tree to open. I saved up every “necessary” item I could and wrapped them up so they would have lots of things under the tree. Yes, my kids got socks and underwear and crayons and coloring books, too. I remember a Christmas strike that threatened a gift holiday, and by coincidence one of the girls got the exact baby doll she wished for through the union center gifting toys for the kids. That many years ago, there were toy drives similar to the "toys for tots" of today except toys were often renovated, repainted and repaired.
Today, kids make out wish lists in stores, or give lists to parents and grandparents, and even write down where they can be found and the cost. Which really helps when one doesn't know what is "in" to buy.
How will Christmases be a hundred years from now? We will never know, but as long as there is humanity, I hope there is a Christmas. It will be there as long as we have faith and hope and never let them go.
I hope that they all continue to include at the top of their list each year that one special gift we will always need which was and still is Jesus, forever and ever.
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:
• Thursday December 26th: Nadine Strenge, Gerald Edwards, Tom Hanson, Joshua Kasper, Jill Peterson Otterbein, Nicklas Hanson
• Friday, December 27th: Sue Bailey Billbray, Colette Hemingway Moudy, Mikkel Iverson, Jamie Hagen, Scott Christensen, Carly Titus, Stacy Osmundson Titus, Ron Peterson, Shannon Peterson Pederson, Brad Bothum, Joe Anderson
• Saturday, December 28th: Hope Mikesell, Chad Toft, Tyler Titus, Charlie Marlin, Merrill Bunn, Laura & John Ortiz, Neil & Ellen Pence, Erin & John Christensen
• Sunday, December 29th: Maxx Greyson Richards, Maya Grace Richards, Gary Hunnicutt, Seth David Petranek, Brent Born, Craig Haberman, Darlene Underland, Benjamin Paulson, Whitey & La June Hagen, Amy & Joe Louks
• Monday, December 30th: Anita Casterton, Matt Christensen, Ryan Schrodt, Jane Simon, Lucille Goodnature, Jim Dobberstein, Gladys Peterson, Mark & Gail Skroch, David & Arianna Arends, Kyile & Rachel Aase
• Tuesday, December 31st: New Year’s Eve! Bailey Joy Ihrke, Bree Olivia Ihrke, Larry Paulsen, Dean Pospesel, Lynne Flor, Brent Wiersma, Brent Worrell, Isabelle Wayne, Dorothy & Adrian Kilian, Greg & Cindy Oswald, Larry & Elaine Howell
• Wednesday, January 1st: Happy New Year! Ross Aronson, Elmer Dobberstein, Jerry Seath, Larry Schwartz, Amanda Beach, Lois & Duane Aitchison
• Thursday, January 2nd: Grace Jolie Wangen, Brian Bedney, Jay Crabtree, Mark Dobberstein, David Lageson, Brenda Wayne, Aaron Nelson, John & Lorraine Lent, Kelsey (Wayne) & Matt Duncomb
• Friday, January 3rd: Jerret Utpadel, Andrea Avery, Stan Nelson
• Saturday, January 4th: Sophie Elizabeth Stork, Kelsey Christensen, Delphine Pence, Jeff Cornelius, Dennis Hill, Monty Mrotz, Jeremy Nelson, Corey Johnson, John Butler
With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, and grow richer in spirit. May the year ahead be filled with new discoveries!
And now, the rest of the Hanson family story
Written by Jim LutgensGrandpa Hanson comes particularly to mind this time of year because November 20th was his birthday and November 30th was when he left us for a better world.
Grandma Hanson was a driving force whose strength and activities and acts of kindness so often come to mind, that there are times one tends to put thoughts of Grandpa Hanson on the back burner until fall rolls around. I am reminded of things I know and experienced through him, along with stories about him related to me by others. I will try to picture in your mind the pictures I have of him in mine.
My mother looks at her square hands and thinks of her dad. His too were square, but with more calluses, slivers and blemishes, because a farmer’s life back then was hard. She remembers how warm and safe she felt when he held her in his lap, touching her with those work-scarred hands. She tells me of the many people who "knew him when," who tell her how much he was appreciated. He was a good and willing neighbor, always close at hand when someone needed him. He had 4-H connections and those 4-H boys and girls — now grown — have come forth to tell how much me meant to their life.
This is the time of year there was wood to put up, used to keep the house warm in winter. The big circle saw was used to cut off chunks of wood to be split and stacked. Butchering of meat for the winter was also a big event. There was slaughtering the livestock, which was then hung in the end of the corn crib until it was cut up and wrapped — because by that time of the year it was cold enough to do so. There weren't home freezers back then, but individuals could rent space in the locker plant in town.
Farming was different then. The farmer was more than a hard laborer; he was the veterinarian, the animal obstetrician, the one who mixed the homegrown grains, slopped the hogs and pitched the loose hay in the old barn. He was a carpenter and fixer of small things. He turned the sod behind a hand plow with one horse for power and he picked corn by hand, sometimes on moonlit nights when need be, because there never seemed to be enough hours in the day. He recycled the field by turning out pigs and cows and other livestock to glean the fields for anything that might have been missed.
There were straw sheds constructed using a woven wire base. He blew straw over it, making a cozy shelter for young stock for which there wasn't room in the barn. Farmers had to crack the ice (before tank heaters) in the cow tank so the cattle would have for water to drink when they were turned out for exercise, which helped to make it easier for barn cleaning.
How about separating the milk and cream by hand using a hand turned separator? Or milking by hand until a gasoline engine could take its place and run a milk machine, or using the tractor manifold if the power went out? Such progress. Cattle to feed along with young calves, sheep and cats to feed using a bottle. So many things come to mind.
There are mental images of Grandpa in his bib overalls, sometimes closed with a nail if the button was gone from the suspenders, and his denim jackets. He also wore long underwear and often one piece which may have included some wool content that controlled arthritis some but froze as a stiff skeleton of cloth on wash day on the clothes line in winter. He also wore yellow work gloves and a sheepskin coat as he delivered cream to Ellendale, often criss-crossing open fields and cutting fences because snowdrifts were too deep on unplowed country roads. It was a five-mile trip that not only involved the cream but also served to pick up things at the old grocery store, or mail that was undelivered, both for this family and neighbors.
It took the better part of the day going by sleigh and there were still chores to do when he got home. Sometimes there may have been a little time to read the paper before turning out the kerosene lamp and going through a cold hallway on the way upstairs to a not-so-warm bedroom. Flannel sheets and hand made quilts were used on the bed to help keep one warm so they could sleep through the night in preparation for dawn and the chores of the next new day.
Perhaps at one time the bedroom was shared by an incubator that hatched the chickens for the coming year. The eggs had to be rotated carefully and at a certain time. It was easier to buy them hatched and one could hear them peep in their boxes at the post office. Yes, they came parcel post and they peeped to let everyone know it. Later the chickens were ordered from the hatchery in New Richland. It was a big time labor and worry saver. Weather could raise havoc with a new batch of chicks in a brooder house warmed with a little kerosene burner. Many trips were made to the old chicken house to check on them to see if they were warm enough or had crowded together, which might make them smother. Of course every one of them had to be handled, their beaks dipped in lukewarm water so they would learn how to eat and drink.
Thanksgiving — “Giving Thanks Day” — is a time to reflect upon our blessings, not only our food, but our family and well-being. It is a time to reflect upon what we have seen in our lifetime, and the lifetime of those who came before us. I thank our hosts who so unselfishly "gave us this day our daily bread." I also thank my Danish ancestors for their traditions handed down and for memories too good to lose. Here in Minnesota, we know who we are, who our parents were, what they went through. That’s not true for much of the U.S. today. I think we would be a much better nation if we had that sense of our place among family, neighbors, and country. I thank my family for being there sharing the love and joy of Thanksgiving and instituting the beginning of the Christmas season. And most of all I thank my God for all.
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, December 19th: LaJune Hagen, Kathy Peterson, Jerry Thompson, Sheryl Tracy, Loren Haroldson, Cheryl Utpadel, James & Barb Bremmer, Chris & Jennifer Paulson, Jerry & Bev White
• Friday, December 20th: Corlyn Paulsen, Kyle Johnson, Laurie Swift, Deb Whelan, Odean & Andrea Johnson
• Saturday, December 21st: Audriene Nelson, Nancy Rich, Liz Wangness, Darin Rhodes, Brandon Hagen, Dave & Tammy Peterson, Duane & Cheryl Lembke
• Sunday, December 22nd: Destiny Rita Hill, David Arends, Pam Cook, Gary Dobberstein, Tracy Dulas, Julie Jensen Wichman, Ed Nelson, Nikki Toft Schumaker, Barbara Zamora, Bryce Hanson, Jamie Jensen
• Monday, December 23rd: Vicki Richards, Jonika Otto Wing, Jess Dunlap, Paitin DuBois, Julie Cornelius, Keith Severson, Carol Schultz, Sophia Swift, Burt & Carla Scripture
• Tuesday, December 24th: Christmas Eve! Barbara Mrotz, Brooke Reese, Craig Paulsen, Anna Louise Fuerniss, Susan Oolman
• Wednesday, December 25th: Merry Christmas! Mitchel Gale Evans, Krista Lee Hardyman, Tom Reitveld, Makenzie Butler
• Thursday December 26th: Nadine Strenge, Gerald Edwards, Tom Hanson, Joshua Kasper, Jill Peterson Otterbein, Nicklas Hanson
• Friday, December 27th: Sue Bailey Billbray, Colette Hemingway Moudy, Mikkel Iverson, Jamie Hagen, Scott Christensen, Carly Titus, Stacy Osmundson Titus, Ron Peterson, Shannon Peterson Pederson, Brad Bothum, Joe Anderson
May your find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day!
More...
Gifts that come wrapped in love and tied with tradition are by far more precious than anything money can buy. It may sound trite, but in fact we, and I say, we, because I know I am not the only one who looks forward all year to the Hanson family Thanksgiving and reunion hosted by my cousin, Jim, and his wife, Maryalice, Hanson.
Every year is a special occasion, but this year’s event was beyond belief. No less than 58 family members filled the Hanson home, their stomachs, but most of all their minds. How important such an event can be. We may wonder why our hosts would go to all the hard work and planning; it is such an unselfish gesture on their part and it means so much.
Many of the participants we only see once a year. Sometimes, a couple of years can slip by, but at that rate the children grow up, some into young adults. It is a treat to say the least. We feel honored that they come to see us, their relatives, to allow us to see them, and as they get older, to show us the next generation. It is a reminder of who we are - where we came from - and that memories and traditions will carry on.
We were fortunate enough this year to have the four oldest members of the "tribe" in attendance, remnants of the older generation who gave us reminders of the past: Helyn (Athan) Langlie, Phyllis (Paul) Hanson, Carole (Curt) Schember and Phyllis (Eugene) Hagen. There was time to take family pictures. Pictures say so much and are happy reminders when "pictures that come to mind" are no longer a part of our lives. We tend to forget sometimes. I had hoped to get a picture of the entire Hanson tribe in attendance but we weren't able to get that accomplished. Too many bodies for one picture. In the 22 years we have been doing this at the Hansons’ we have acquired a lot of pictures. It is fun to look back at those old photos, those no longer with us, pictures of babies that now have babies of their own, how we used to look.
There were, of course, thoughts of Grandma and Grandpa Hanson who hosted ever so many holidays for the family. Things were different back then, but the love and enjoyment of being with the family was always there. New generations of families are establishing their own roots, but it is nice to note they still have ties to their ancestors’ roots. There's an urgency to tell things about that older generation, things we were too young to know about or remember. Oh, there are thoughts of the things Grandma always had for holidays and Great Grandma Christensen too and somehow, somebody remembers and tries to duplicate that tradition of great foods. We had "tom-e-toes", lefse, chicken and noodles, Danish red cabbage, two turkeys deep fried in peanut oil, a smoked beef brisket, baked corn, Christmas breads, herring, and Danish delights. We ate until we were uncomfortable, then dished up another plate!
Julie Langlie made egg coffee, something you don't hear of as often anymore, but was the only real coffee as far as her dad, Athan, was concerned. It is made using an egg, which binds the grounds together in the boiling water to bring out the flavor. Tastes differ and are unmatched by even the most expensive brews advertised today.
Though Barbara Mrotz’s stacks of homemade lefse (dressed with Hope butter and brown or white sugar) are definitely the treat of the day. There are great salads and dressing (or stuffing as some call it), two different kinds in fact this year. We also had the traditional pumpkin pie, chocolate cream supreme, chocolate chip cookies along with homemade bread, crackers and cheese, and munchies throughout the day.
Though the Dane blood which once dominated is now mixed with other nationalities through marriage, it is still good and only adds to the quality of the character. Everyone is Danish for this one day.
Our host Jim continues to hold on to the ceremonial tradition of offering a Scandinavian toast of "Bestefar’s" Aquavit, a type of liquor distilled from caraway seeds. Available in almost all cold-weather regions of the world, some are reluctant to partake of its “rich flavor,” but feel it is traditional. For those who can’t handle Aquavit, Jim also does the “Sabreage,” cutting the top off of a Champagne bottle with a cavalry sword, a tradition started in Napoleonic times and carried forward to this day by British Lancers — and Jim Hanson.
No one seemed to be in a hurry to leave this family gathering because there is just so much to talk about and share. All through the house, several knots of people were gathering, conversing, and sharing memories.
It is not that there are always thoughts of family and memories of the past, but getting together always fosters more memories we will look back on in later years. When my Aunt Phyllis put away the childish things that had served their purpose in her home when the grandkids were little tykes, and redid her spare bedroom for adult guests, her children redecorated the room as a gift for her birthday this year, which falls near Thanksgiving. They did it so beautifully it could take your breath away. In part it also portrayed the special connection she and Eugene always had with the big oak tree that was the background for many, many pictures of their family growing up. Not only a picture of wisdom, but a family saying on the wall that says it all: “Like branches of the tree we all branched out and in our own direction but returned to our roots.”
New families mean new roots that grow deep and fill with new memories to add to those from before. That is as it should be. Time makes us subject to change. Again, as it should be, but the memories linger on above what was and what got us this far.
This is only part of the story. Next week I will share more thoughts of those “good old days.”
— — –
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, December 12th: Torie Richards, Jean Groth, Addison Gayle Lyman, Bernard Falksen, Allen Paulson, Matthew Butler, Barbara Lageson, Judith Johnson Tetzloff, Kim Seath, Christopher Nelson, Mark & Cheryl Johnson
• Friday, December 13th: Deb Bunn, Dan Carroll, Jake Pence, Eleanor Koster, Spencer Wayne, Maks Robert Edward Hanson, Michael Kelly, Mike & Michelle Peterson, Candy & Darin Baker
Saturday, December 14th: Makenna Marie Smith, Alexander Jayce Quimby, Keith Bengston, Randy Lehmberg, Elizabeth Falksen Brockoff, Richard Conroy, Wayne Reese, Tina VanRiper, Catherine Lageson, Jim Ladlie, Rich Krikava, Daryl & Peggy Radjenovich
• Sunday, December 15th: Josh Otto, Jolene Sorenson, Brenda Burshem, Dustin Quimby, Maureen Riley, Nancy Kelly, Travis Reichl
• Monday, December 16th: Dorothy Christensen Lund, Allen Larsen, Abraham Groth, Angie Deml, Karen Zicafoose, Laura Rayman, David Brandt, Bev Phillips, Vicky Dobberestein, M. Carol Nelson, Peggy Radjenovich, Paul & Mary Groth
• Tuesday, December 17th: Zachary Tracy, Becky Edwards, Gretta Lageson, Tanya Blouin, Cheryl Cooper, Jack DeRaad, Joel Davis, Alex Edward LaFave, Keith & Leigh Ann Wayne, Lyle & Helen Swearingen, Bruce & Faye Thompson
• Wednesday, December 18th: Mary Torgerson, Catherine Suzanne Olson, Scott Lang, Chris O'Byrne, Margaret (Mugsy) Swearingen, Gavyn Tlamka, Jay & Sheri Crabtree
• Thursday, December 19th: LaJune Hagen, Kathy Peterson, Jerry Thompson, Sheryl Tracy, Loren Haroldson, Cheryl Utpadel, James & Barb Bremmer, Chris & Jennifer Paulson, Jerry & Bev White
It is your special day; take a break and celebrate!
Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day. Little things mean a lot.
Socialization is most important thing about coffee time
Written by Jim LutgensIn my thoughts today, probably because we are now officially in the season of Christmas, is the privilege to visit any number of care centers and assisted living facilities that are not only in my heart but are also thought provoking. Hopefully I can make the time to double my efforts to visit others during this holiday season.
It comes to mind that I have observed very good things about many of these facilities but have also observed some little things can and do make big differences. Full care and assisting living centers are understandably different, but my thoughts today center around the afternoon coffee — an event I feel is more important for socialization than food.
My thoughts keep coming back to the fantastic way a facility in Waseca serves their dinners so beautifully attractive it would put elegant restaurants to shame. What a wonderful way to invite the residents to come out of their rooms and enjoy their meals. But I guess I was talking about afternoon coffee, wasn't I?
At one of the assisted living units in Owatonna, I have seen ever so many come out at coffee time because there is such a variety of items to choose from. Coffee, tea, cocoa, juice or just refreshing ice water and cookies are also as varied, with healthy choices. Fruit cups, fresh fruit, tiny round sandwiches and roll ups, various cookies including oatmeal raisin, a favorite. There are always leftover bars and desserts from meals too. I guess the thought is, coffee time doesn't have to be something with sugar and is as varied as a day. Impressive. The best part about coffee time is that people come out and enjoy conversation with their friends.
I also thought about the sweetener packets of sugar and substitutes. Substitutes often scare me because of the things I have read that say they have side effects and can contribute to sweet desires or problems with insulin. There are natural sweeteners that do not have that effect — like Truvia or Stevia — no more expensive but safer and also usable for cooking and baking. Using slightly less sugar in baking and cooking, or substituting applesauce for some of the shortening or oils, allows the use of things like apples and pumpkin, making attractive tasty treats while incorporating fruits or vegetables in the diet.
Fresh vegetables are always good, especially when combined with a low-calorie dip. Plain yogurt with chopped veggies for natural color and flavor is always enjoyable. Fresh vegetables and fruits can be a part of the daily food balance and tasty as smoothies, juice or munchies. Chop, if need be, to make them easier to chew or swallow.
I realize there are regulations, budgets and time elements to consider, but the health and welfare of those we value is the prime reason for varied, special afternoon breaks.
Coffee time doesn't have to be coffee or sweets. The important thing is socialization. Getting people out of their rooms is important because there is more to life if you share it with others.
Healthy cookies or bars are a consideration for those who have problems handling some foods because of handicaps and sight abilities.
Recently I read about a "Double-the-Oat Oatmeal Cookie.” I haven't tried it yet, but I will. I may also try some variations. Here’s the recipe:
Mix two eggs with 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided, 1 1/3 cups dried cherries and a generous cup of pecan halves, coarsely chopped (you may substitute 1 1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips and 1 cup of chopped walnuts for the dried cherries and pecans).
Whisk the eggs and vanilla until frothy. Add sugars and oil. Mix well until blended and creamy in appearance.
In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients, except the oatmeal. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture. Mix in two cups of the oats and mix well. Then add the cherries and pecans, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of oats. Mix well. The batter will be stiff.
Drop the cookie dough on cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Bake at 350 for about 14-15 minutes until brown but still soft.
Here's a second "whatever comes to mind." Maybe it was the red, white and blue Christmas trees at Whispering Oak or the thought that too much of the things we are apt to buy this holiday season are made in a foreign country, often China, when it could and should be made here in the good old USA!
We are in the biggest shopping season of the year, and I would like to think that just as we consider whether to use high fructose items from our food resources, it is equally important we read labels when it comes to the merchandise and gifts we buy.
There are hundreds of American makers, artisans and small businesses who stand out and serve as inspiration for others. We should be so grateful and mindful of people here whose creativity and craftsmanship should not only be prized but encouraged to flourish. By not buying foreign merchandise, we let them know we are buying quality U.S. products with American money.
Sometimes, American-made products are not more expensive and are of better quality. We should be united in our mission to support American makers and workers.
It would, and should, make a big difference in keeping jobs right here in America.
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
This week’s birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, December 5th: Finnegan Fladger, Bodie Jaxon Newgard, Phyllis Hanson, Rick Aaseth, Rosalyn Johnson, Kathy Lee, Christian Conroy, Shannon Jensen, Kelsey Loverink, Ron Farner, Larry & Mary Richards
• Friday, December 6th: Sharon Johnson, Rodger Hill, Katie Marlin, Tony Jackovitch, John Lerum, John Kaplan, Sue Klemmensen, Chris & Marie Wallace, Emily & Jeffrey O'Brien
• Saturday, December 7th: Katie Olson, Tracy Holland, Sam Peterson, Angela Hensrud, Wanda Schwartz, Helen Schmidt, Kara & Eric Grant, Ron & Theresa Langlie, Dawn & Eric Degan
• Sunday, December 8th: Kathy Glynn, Teri McDonald, Jeff Schei, Tracy Haddy, James Olsen, Mike Flugum, Meghan Baumann
• Monday, December 9th: Eva Buendorf, 2012; Carrisa Christensen, Paitan Janis Glynn, Al Paulson, Robert Robertson, Rusty Besco, Mark Ribbe, Tony Phillips, Courtney Thompson, Brian Strand, Chuck & Cynthia Crabtree, Steve & Terri Engel
• Tuesday, December 10th: Cody Dobberstein, Steve Lee, Valarie Otterson, Karla Osmundson, Art DeNeui, Philip Olsen, Scott & Melonie Crabtree
• Wednesday, December 11th: Jane Nordhorn Allen, Justin Hove, Geoffrey Ramaker, Marty Shultz, Rick Johnson, Janice Paulsen, Beth Scripture Klucksen, Jake Thompson, Theresa Van Ravenhorst, Larry & Emily Otto
• Thursday, December 12th: Torie Richards, Jean Groth, Addison Gayle Lyman, Bernard Falksen, Allen Paulson, Matthew Butler, Barbara Lageson, Judith Johnson Tetzloff, Kim Seath, Christopher Nelson, Mark & Cheryl Johnson
• Friday, December 13th: Deb Bunn, Dan Carroll, Jake Pence, Eleanor Koster, Spencer Wayne, Maks Robert Edward Hanson, Michael Kelly, Mike & Michelle Peterson, Candy & Darin Baker
• Saturday, December 14th: Makenna Marie Smith, Alexander Jayce Quimby, Keith Bengston, Randy Lehmberg, Elizabeth Falksen Brockoff, Richard Conroy, Wayne Reese, Tina VanRiper, Catherine Lageson, Jim Ladlie, Rich Krikava, Peggy Radjenovich
May you find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day.
Thanksgiving is more than just a day in November
Written by Jim LutgensThanksgiving is more than a day in November. School children are taught to remember that first Thanksgiving where prayers were offered just for being alive and for the strength that had been given to endure and survive. Lest we forget our forefathers came to establish a country under God’s name. Times have changed and yet they remain the same. We are in fact all still pilgrims subject to God’s guidance and it will show us the way to purposeful living.
We have many things to be deeply thankful for: big things, small things that we accept in many ways and often without thought where these gifts came from.
God doesn't always give us the things we wish for. Thank God He knows best. Sometimes things that seem like tragedy are really a blessing in disguise. It is all in how you look at it or use it.
I received some good words over the Internet from "Kelly," who has experienced the ups and downs of life and not only survived but became stronger.
Her thoughts:
"Thank you Lord.
There is a roof over me.
I have a good place to sleep.
There is food on the table and shoes on my feet.
You gave me your love Lord and a fine family.
I thank you Lord for all your blessings to me."
There are times one can feel so overwhelmed by the problems that surround us it is hard to face a new day. Anxiety and depression can only make those problems worse. It is hard. Not always a cure, but that is when it is time to think about the positive things we have in our lives that can help us cope with the negative.
Thanksgiving. It is "THANKS GIVING". We have so much to be thankful for - lest we forget.
Too often we get so involved with the foolish frolicking of Halloween and the frantic celebration of Christmas we forget to remember Thanksgiving’s real purpose. The first Thanksgiving Days were harvest festivals, or days for thanking God for plentiful crops.
It was also created as a time to say thank you for all the good things in life that cost nothing and provide everything.
In a frenzy of busyness and technology and quickly changing times that challenge us every day, we need to take time to appreciate the positive or good things we have been given. Thank you is such a meaningful statement. It is so easy to say and mean it.
My mother has a saying on her wall, "That if the only prayer you ever say is ‘Thank you’ - that is enough.” That really says it all!
Yes, thank you God, but thank yous go beyond that to the people you know and appreciate but don't always voice that feeling of appreciation that can make a day or even change a life. Putting it into words is all that is necessary.
A thank you, spoken verbally, or a note of appreciation and admiration, are all inspiring ideas that make our lives so much richer.
Enrich Thanksgiving Day beyond the food and friendship and family gatherings and take time to tell someone how much they mean in your life.
Keep a journal. Or just make a list of all the good things that have happened in your life and say, "Thank you," even if it is just in thought.
Thanksgiving Day, usually a family day, is celebrated with big dinners and joyous reunions. We are so fortunate in our family that the Saturday after Thanksgiving my cousin, Jim, and his wife, Maryalice, provide an informal family reunion of sorts to commemorate Thanksgiving Day and reminisce and catch up on what has been happening in the family. It is a reminder of all the family holidays my grandparents celebrated through the years. It is fantastic! Cherish those memories and family moments.
Though there are those who may overfeast, we should be mindful of those whose feast is small or not at all. We are thankful there are those who are planning a "Victory Dinner" and other dinners like the Salvation Army for those who don't have family and friends to share the day with.
One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of house you lived in, how much money you had, nor what your clothes were like, but the world may be a little better, because you were important in the life of another.
Just think of all the nicest things the day could bring your way. That's exactly what you are wished — with love.
Embrace the day and make your life richer. Appreciation can make a day, even change a life!
Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.
If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, November 28th: Quinn Lauren Wayne, Vicki Peterson, Jackie & Scott Miller
• Friday, November 29th: Connie Smith, Dean Peterson, Emily Butler, La Vonna Ruhl, Christy & Tim Berry, Pastor Carrie & Dan McElfresh
• Saturday, November 30th: Dan Mrotz, Lindsey Hagen, Lindsey Schlaak, Sophia Jepson, Eric Knudson, Norell Wood, Kellen Utpadel, David & Lizell Swearingen, Andy & Emily Butler
• Sunday, December 1st: Ethan Elliot Marzoff, Kyle Anthony Neidermeier, Jim Cornelius, Brian Waage, Laurie Ellis, Teri Horan Finke, Barbara Wangsness
• Monday, December 2nd: Maryalice Hanson, Liam William Philip Abbott, Allura Danon Johnson, Leah Wayne, Allura Danon Johnson, Paige Sorenson, Lyle Paulson, Jean Richards Worrell, Helen Sawyer, Heidi Wangsness, Heather Peterson, Dale Schewe
• Tuesday, December 3rd: Eric Degan, Ethan Fletcher Cornelius, Brian Van Ravenhorst
• Wednesday, December 4th: Sue Mattson, Jessica Shultz, Sandy Larson Russo, Sue Brown Asplund, Shawn Vangen Steffen, Jeff Kasper, Skylar Larson, Holly Pichner, Max Jensen, Casey & Jon Homuth
• Thursday, December 5th: Finnegan Fladger, Bodie Jaxon Newgard, Phyllis Hanson, Rick Aaseth, Rosalyn Johnson, Kathy Lee, Christian Conroy, Shannon Jensen, Kelsey Loverink, Ron Farner, Larry & Mary Richards
• Friday, December 6th: Sharon Johnson, Rodger Hill, Katie Marlin, Tony Jackovitch, John Lerum, John Kaplan, Sue Klemmensen, Chris & Marie Wallace, Emily & Jeffrey O'Brien
• Saturday, December 7th: Katie Olson, Tracy Holland, Sam Peterson, Angela Hensrud, Wanda Schwartz, Helen Schmidt, Kara & Eric Grant, Ron & Theresa Langlie, Dawn & Eric Degan
May you find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day.
There are those who will remember the Armistice Day Storm of 1940. And there are those who have heard of it, but didn't endure the fury of the weather that changed a more-than-warm, beautiful autumn day into an intense storm.
What comes to mind is how symbolic that storm was on that day.
When instilled as Armistice Day, it was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 o'clock, to remember November 11, 1918.
We take this time each year to close our eyes and say a prayer, not only to commemorate the "war to end all wars," but also to remember people who lived and died because of war.
Today we honor all branches of the service, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, and we also honor those families who paid a price for a war that should never have been.
This comes to mind: while attending a veterans program at an Albert Lea elementary school, we saw one young man proudly display his dad’s military picture because his dad couldn't be there in person to hear him sing and see his display project in person. Sometimes we forget the time that goes by for our servicemen and women and their families, and kids grow up fast.
In 1926 this special day was made an official legal holiday. In 1954 the holiday was changed to Veterans Day.
We are not the only country to commemorate this day. Other countries too remember and respect Remembrance Day, Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday.
During the first official Armistice Day, President Woodrow Wilson invited the World War I veterans to the White House.
Today, it is a federal holiday. Many veterans groups, businesses and particularly dining establishments invite and honor the Veterans with a free breakfast or luncheon as a Thank You. What a fitting and filling blessing to our living veterans. Government offices are closed. Some schools are, too, but many choose to use this day to instill patriotism in the minds of our children and to help them realize how important our country and government are. It is hoped that the day brings the realization that it is important for all of us to defend that constitution, to be active in enforcing it, and not assume that someone else will take care of it as wisely as it should.
The presenting of the colors, the pledge of allegiance to the flag and the respect given to our country’s patriotic songs like "The Star Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful" are not run-of-the-mill fluff, but traditionally important. These songs have meaning one should not forget.
Just as weather can change a peaceful beautiful day into a tragic, chaotic event, so can war and the peace we all seek can be changed in almost a blink of an eye.
I, for one, value our servicemen and women and our veterans. The things they have done to give us the freedoms we have should not be forgotten. Those freedoms should in fact be fought for, not just on a battlefield, but in our everyday living. We all share in that responsibility.
Wars are fought, won or lost by the attitude of the ordinary person who believes in equality and intelligent, unselfish agreement as well. Striving to do the right things for everyone and not just a favored few is not unlike any war, and should be treated as such.
I believe those who run the government or those who have different outlooks should not be exempt or have priority over the ordinary taxpaying citizen. They should be expected to share the same laws.
Glad to be an American? Now and at any time we should further the cause not on a battlefield but by the way we vote, expectations of what the government does or does not do for those who need it most.
We honor our Veterans and servicemen and women when we stand up for equality and intelligent strength in government. We owe it to them to protect what they have saved for us.
We can fight without ammunition and destruction by doing our part here on the home front. It is important that we let our opinions be known, not just complain and leave it up to the other guy. We can make a difference to protect what our service people have fought and died for.
Look to where help is really coming from and people who share. Honor and take part in aid given by our churches, schools or other organizations. They are there in support in times of need - emotional and for practical purposes. It's time. Take a stand.
Mark Twain said, "Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
Every day - not just Veterans Day! NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, Nov. 21: Paul Wallace, Angie Johnson, Paul Kasper, Desirae Farr, Cheryl Harpel, Greg Schimek, Leah Leak, Leah Maddox Larson, Abby Underland, Dustin Burshem, Robin & Jan Jepson
• Friday, Nov. 22: Mallory Luhring, her 11th; Whitney McCamish, Jodell Hanson, Keven Larson, Donna Maixner, Jane Tappe, David L. Hanson, Jason Peterson, Jacki Shadden, Elzo Peterson
• Saturday, Nov. 23: Amy Hunnicutt Kromminga, Lisa Holmes Rietsema, Margaret Loven, Marietta Sommers Rupe, Rick Thompson, Sara Anderson, Joyce Ditlveson, Amanda Farr, George & Diana Ritz
• Sunday, Nov. 24: Blaine Boverhuis, Deb Peterson Schmidt, Bea Bunn, Ellen Pearl LaFave, Heather Snow, Lisa Hunnicutt Vreeman, Bob Hanson, Rita Glynn, Abraham Ladlie, Kyle Layland, Scott & Lisa Reitsema
• Monday, Nov. 25: Scott Groth, Calista Lerum, Randy Born, Mitchel Hill, Joel Langlie, Brian Vogt, Gideon Jude Long, Daryl & Kathy Paulsen, Ken & Iva Sletten
• Tuesday, Nov. 26: Darlene Krohnberg, Cody Christensen, Robert Gasner, Linda Stieglbauer, Drew Vangen, Ashley Bergerson, Al & Diane Lee, Jamie & Kate Cameron, Brian & Heather Schember
• Wednesday, Nov. 27: Kyle Goslee, Olivia Rae Kohn, Paul Kasper, Cyrstal Spurr, Mike Draayer, Lorna Berg, Sandra Tonsing
Wishing you quiet moments of beauty on your special day!