Whatever Comes To Mind (268)
We just experienced the end of another year and nostalgia seems to always sneak in. We think of the all the years behind us, and what might have been.
I look out the window at the snow and I am more than satisfied with the light covering. My mother recently told me about the snowstorms that she experienced growing up.
Her stories make me glad that I didn't have to experience them or live through them. I am also glad that I am able to live inside a nice warm house.
My mother said that somewhere she has a picture of my Grandpa Hanson’s aunt who was visiting our family one winter while she was growing up. Before Aunt Emily left, she wanted to climb the huge snow bank that was packed between the house and barn on my grandparents’ farm.
The snow bank was high enough so one could barely see the barn roof and hard enough to walk on. In fact, the snow was packed so hard that it took a big Caterpillar tractor to remove it.
Climbing to the top of the snow pile was not an easy task as my mother said, and she went on to say that Aunt Emily was a tough, good-sized elderly lady. Aunt Emily finally did make it all the way to the top and had her picture taken sitting on top of the snow pile.
Mom also says that the road between the old Dr. Ertel farm, which is where Bob Swearingen lives now, and my Grandpa's farm, which were south and west of Ellendale, had a short piece of hill that often tried to mimic Donner’s pass. The neighborhood men and boys had to shovel a path for the old snow plow so that it could make it through all the snow. The operator of the snowplow hit that big snow pile so hard he had bloodshot eyes.
My Grandpa Schember used to plow snow in Waseca County. We have the pictures of snowdrifts that were up over the telephone wires with my Grandpa George standing on the top.
The winds that blew the snow back then must have been really long and hard. They had some terrible blizzards back in that time period. I am sure that many of them laugh at what we call a blizzard today.
The Armistice Day Storm that occurred on November 11 will always be a story that is talked about. The storm started out on as a nice, sunny day that quickly developed into havoc. For that matter, the Halloween storm of ice and snow that we had here in our area back in 1991 demobilized us for a few days and then some.
Winter arrives and reminds us that we live in Minnesota. Not that winter isn't expected, and that there aren't people who look forward to the many sports that can only be played in the cold and snow, it does surprise us from time to time.
It also seems like there are those who no longer want to see winter arrive and they are able to head for warmer temperatures and enjoy a different part of the US for a few months.
There is a plus side: that fresh, cool, clean air cannot be duplicated anywhere else, so we may as well enjoy it. When the snow is blowing around, all we can do is dream ahead to spring when we can get back out in the garden and see the green grass again and think about the dozens things we put off until spring and summer come.
Something did come to mind recently about how technology did a good job with an invention of insulated type gear that keeps one warm without bundling one up like the abominable snowman.
There were no “thinsulated” snowsuits and gear - not even Carrhart back in those early years. Long johns or underwear was the first layer many people would put on; wool, if you could handle it without itching.
Socks, too, were often wool and probably layered, to boot. A pair of jeans and then a pair of bib overalls, flannel shirts and lined overall jackets.
Most of the farmers wore yellow gloves that had to be changed often, as they got wet easily. Some wore leather "chopper" mitts over their regular gloves, which helped keep their hands dry and warm. And then there were the wool caps with ear "flappers." (Do they even make them anymore?)
For the big day or the trips to town, it was the sheepskin overcoat, a long and bulky and canvas-like material that stopped the wind. Most people also wore woolen scarves to cover their necks and face if you faced the wind. Straw was put in the sleigh to help soften the ride a bit and a tanned horsehide blanket was placed over quilts for those travels in the sleigh.
Once again, my grandpa comes to mind. He would wear a sheepskin coat, long and cumbersome, wool socks and underwear, head and hand gear, heavy woolen shirts and double the pairs of pants to try and keep warm.
Most kids went to school in wool snowsuits, and they weren't pink and blue and made from slippery, shiny material like they are today. When they got wet and had to be dried, the wool smelled something terrible. Mom said there was one good thing about drying all those wet clothes — it put moisture in the house.
The kids wore boots or buckle overshoes that reached almost to their knees. It is funny that kids could even move with all those layers of clothes they had on.
Once the scarf was wrapped around the face and the gloves were on, and they were ready to head out the door to play, then they would more than likely have to make a "pit stop" before heading out the door and have to go through the whole process of getting dressed up to withstand the cold weather all over again.
Women, bless their stylish souls; they may have worn men’s jeans for chores sometimes, but when they were going to town or to church, they wore skirts with long cotton stockings. Coats were usually quite warm as well.
Sweaters were a must. When the school board banned girls from wearing long pants to school, wool skirts, long cotton stockings were pulled on over lumpy underwear.
I will continue my story about those "good old winter days of old" in next week’s edition.
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Birthdays and Anniversaries:
• Thursday, January 24th: Morgan Sophia Luhring, her 8th; Renee Polzin, Greg Menefee, Mary Cunningham, Trevor Tracy.
• Friday, January 25th: Calvin Thomas VanderStoep, his 4th, Sophia Mabel Olivia Mrotz, Max Thomas Powers Brekke, his 6th; Emma Meiners, her 5th; Paula Olson, Vernon Simonson, Lana Thompsen, Troy Phagan, Ladawn Hatch.
• Saturdday, January 26th: Andilynn Leigh Knudson, her 4th; Russell Nelson, Bonnie Peterson, Pat Reese Ceplecha, Linda Oldenburg, Angela Borchert, Donna Borchert Knudson, Amanda Abel.
• Sunday, January 27th: Anna Mae Lee, Jon Berg, Linda Davis, Nancy Ingvaldson, Paul Larkin, Keegan Brighton, Myrtle Peterson, Ken & Waynette Peterson, Bruce & Rose Ann Kubicek.
• Monday, January 28th: Brian Brekke, Kevin Stieglbauer, Kalei Wilson, Caleb Brocker, Ruth Paulson, Denise McGowan, Rachel Schei, Lona Berg.
• Tuesday, January 29th: Molly Jo Wayne, her 5th Jalen Aaseth, Rick Seath, Andrea (Hanson) Carter, George Dettman, his 83rd, Kim (Harpel) Johnson, Zenobia Haberman, Stephanie Jensen.
• Wednesday, January 30th: 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 4th, Paul & Diane Stollard.
May your special day be a happy memory and tomorrow a bright new promise.
It is hard to believe that we are already 17 days into the New Year, and if you are like me, you've already broken at least one of your New Year’s resolutions. Making grandiose resolutions usually results in failure to live up to your own promises, so I've resolved to make my goals attainable.
When it comes to making healthy lifestyle changes, I've made the following easy ones. I think you'll agree that these are choices that you can actually live with.
We all know tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is an antioxidant that is believed to reduce the risk of prostrate cancer and several other cancers. The tomatoes need to be cooked to release the lycopene.
Lycopene is fat soluble, so your body is better able to get the benefit from it with a bit of fat, such as the olive oil, which is found in tomato sauces. So, dousing your burger in catsup helps, as catsup is a cooked product.
Grapes are great sources of resveratrol, the same cancer protecting compound found in wine, but they don't have the alcohol of wine, which can increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Resveratrol is a vitamin D and can safely be taken in tablet form, but grapes taste better!
A diet high in onions may reduce the risk of prostrate cancer by 50 percent and the effects are strongest if eaten raw or lightly cooked. If you like a milder taste, try Vidalia onion, shallots, chives or scallions in your salads.
Another change you can make is to break the soda pop habit and start drinking fresh lemonade or limeade. Daily doses of citrus fruits cut the risk of mouth, throat and stomach cancers in half.
Enjoying a 30-minute walk every evening after dinner is another way one can reduce their risk of breast cancer, according to the cancer research center in Seattle. Moderate exercise reduces levels of estrogen, a hormone that contributes to breast cancer. Women who lost 2 percent of their body fat had decreases in estrogen.
Another study linked to walking discovered that walking four hours a week cuts the risk of pancreatic cancer in half, probably related to improved insulin metabolism due to the exercise.
Buying organic foods is more expensive, but foods grown without those pesticides or hormones may eventually lead to cancer.
This raises a question in my mind because of all the chemicals and pesticides sprayed on lawns; is it really organically clean?
Commercial pesticides like 2,4-D are linked to non-Hodgkins lymphoma and MCPP, which are soft tissue cancers. No federal studies have accessed the safety of lawn care chemicals.
I would rather enjoy that bright little yellow flower, the dandelion, instead. They don't last long and its colorful shape makes it look like a happy face. I can live without the pesticides.
Another important bit of info: don't buy clothes that need dry cleaning. Dry cleaners still use a chemical called perchloroethylene which has been found to cause liver and kidney damage in animals if repeatedly exposed through inhalation. If you must take something to the cleaners take the plastic bags off of them as soon as you get them back home again and let them air outside before wearing them.
Acrylamide forms as a result of chemical changes that occur in foods, such as potatoes that are fried, baked, or roasted, which makes them a bad choice. Mashed potatoes are safer.
Thirty-five percent of food tested in the U.S. has been found to have detectable pesticide residue. It is much higher in other countries.
You decide when it comes to salmon on the grill. Canadians found those who ate four or more servings of fish per week were nearly 1/3 less likely to develop blood cancers.
Credit the omega 3s, which applies to most fish. They reduce the risk of endometrial cancer in women, but there is a catch — excuse the pun. Wild salmon is by far the best. The FDA has approved genetically modified salmon to be introduced into the US food supply.
Genetic salmon is meant to grow twice as fast as regular salmon and deemed safe for consumption, but it does not have to be labeled as such so you don't know what you're getting. Wild, farm-raised, or genetically changed, and there are huge differences.
Do you take a multi vitamin every day? Studies suggest it is the ideal way to improve your immune system’s function and help prevent a variety of cancers.
Are you a sun bather? People have been so good at taking advice to lather on lotion to avoid the sun’s rays, but then many don't get the natural vitamin D that the sun provides. Moderation is the key because too little may increase the risk of multiple cancers like breast, colon, prostrate, ovarian and stomach cancers as well as osteoporosis, diabetes, MS and high blood pressure.
The best source is exposure to UVB rays found in natural and artificial sunlight, but a little dab will do you — like 15 minutes a day. Vitamin D also comes in calcium supplements.
No surprise: mental attitude can also be a culprit. It seems at a hospital full of high tech machinery, doctors and aides who were social psychologists hired to help patients manage their personal care could predict who would make it and those who wouldn't. (upon their departure) It depended on the patient’s attitude.
If the patient returned to a different situation than what he had originally left, he recovered. If the situation was the same as previously, he went back to the same impass.
The disease continued its relentless course and he didn't survive. Cancer was a ticket out of an intolerable life.
Casting one’s self in a role of fear, victim, or distorted influences made the difference; negative thoughts and outlooks produce negative thoughts. The patients that survive almost invariably have a positive outlook. While outlook alone cannot ensue positive results, it certainly beats negative thoughts.
Thinking patterns are that powerful!
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 news, 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, January 17th: Ava Elizabeth Schember, her 5th; Blake Michael Born/Norday, Don Anderson, Jan Bartsch, Annette Busho, LuAnn Johnson Prescher, David Strenge, Mike Peterson, Brayden Broitzman, Kayley Camerer.
• Friday, January 18th: Madilyn Hamilton, Deb Bohnoff, Todd Holland, Julie Bunn Hunt, Annie Miller, Tabatha Miller, Mark Misgen, Vicki Babb, Ruth Neidermeier, Garret Schley & Ellie Schley.
• Saturday, January 19th: 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.
• Sunday, January 20th: Brentson Lange, Jim Krause, Marc Nelson, Jenna Nicole Cooper, Pastor Alvin Cooper, Anthony Thostenson, Alicia Lizaazo.
• Monday, January 21st: Joshua Dobberstien and Gerald Wobshcall.
• Tuesday, January 22nd: Reese Hendrickson, Taylor Lunning, Christian Sletten, Tom Haried, Lyle Shaunce, Barbara Van Gorkom, Jeff Miller, Heather Sargent.
• Wednesday, January 23rd: Eugene Worke, Bob "Emeritus" Hanson, Eugene Cornelius, Rodney Sorenson, Dean Broitzman, Garnet Folie, Jeff Miller, Chris Paulson.
May your special day be a happy memory and tomorrow a bright new promise.
Adopting healthy lifestyle means taking responsibility
Written by Jim LutgensAmericans are living longer today than at any time in the past. Many of us will remain mentally and physically healthy well into our 80s.
Some people, however, will become ill or die before others of a similar age. To some extent, this is a matter of chance, environment, and heredity.
But there are some very important factors in determining how healthy you are now and how healthy you'll be in your later years that are under your control.
You can stay healthier throughout your life by making positive lifestyle changes and by having regular checkups, so that any disease that develops can be detected and treated early.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle does not mean that you have to stop enjoying life. It does, however mean taking responsibility for your actions.
Medical research performed during the past 20 years clearly shows how a healthy lifestyle can help prevent a variety of diseases that cause most deaths before age 65. Heart disease and cancer are major causes of premature death, but you can take steps to help prevent some of these diseases.
Though finding ways to fight cancer has become a year-round effort here in our southern Minnesota area, January is when we typically put the big push on to secure funds to help find a cure during our local cancer auction.
There are so many different types of cancer and it’s not a one-kind cure for all types of disease.
There are research articles, books, and experiences, and all of them can contribute to a hopeful means of never contracting the disease or if it does happen, there are ways one can deal with it.
There are over 10 million cases of cancer diagnosed each year. By the year 2020, we could see a 50 percent increase if we don't get our act together.
Cancer doesn't develop overnight or come from nowhere. Most cancers are preventable, but it takes healthy changes in one’s daily life to significantly reduce the risk.
Any knowledge that I have gained over the years is for you to decide if it is fact or fiction, and if it is something that you would like to try and put into practice. I am only passing along information I have learned about.
Did you know the fermentation process for making sauerkraut produces cancer-fighting compounds? Compounds like ITC's, indoles, and sulforaphane. To reduce the sodium content, it is important to rinse canned or jarred kraut before eating.
President Bush may not have liked broccoli but it is actually a cancer preventing "super food" and one should eat it frequently. It is important to know that broccoli should be steamed or eaten raw, as microwaving it destroys 97% of its positive cancer-protective flavornoids.
Cornell University studies from the University of Arizona has learned that Brazil nuts toasted and sprinkled on your salad will contain a rich form of selenium, which is a trace mineral that convinces cancer cells to commit suicide, so to speak, and helps cells repair their DNA.
Two hundred micrograms of selenium daily, which is the amount found in two unshelled Brazil nuts, resulted in 63% fewer prostrate tumors, 58% few colorectal cancers, 46% fewer lung maligancies and a 39% overall decrease in cancer deaths.
The Dartmouth Medical School has said that choosing a calcium supplement with Vitamin D reduces colon polyps, which is a risk factor for colon cancer, in those susceptible to the growth.
Garlic contains sulfur compounds that may stimulate the immune systems natural defense against cancer and may reduce stomach cancer as much as by a factor of 12.
Sautee two cloves of crushed garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil. Mix in a can of low-sodium diced tomatoes. Stir gently until heated and serve over whole-wheat pasta.
The lycopene in the cooked tomatoes protects against colon, prostate and bladder cancers. The olive oil helps the body absorb the lycopene and the fiber filled pasta reduces your risk of colon cancer. And it tastes good besides!
Several pieces of cantaloupe eaten each morning is a good source of carotenoids, plant chemicals shown to significantly reduce the risk of lung cancer.
Blueberries rank number one in terms of antioxidant power. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are unstable compounds that can damage cells and lead to diseases like cancer.
Artichokes are a great source of silymarin, which is an antioxidant that may help prevent skin cancer.
Grilling meat can create a variety of cancer-causing chemicals but the American Institute for Cancer Research has found that coating the meat with a thick marinade helps prevent charring flames from contact with the meat and reduces the chemicals created. Precook your meat in the oven and throw it on the grill to finish it.
Every time you go to the bathroom, stop for a glass of good, clean water. Men who drink six eight-ounce glasses of water every day can slash their risk of bladder cancer in half.
Women were able to reduce their risk of colon cancer up to 45 percent by drinking heavy amounts of water as well. A naturalist friend of mine recommended drinking two glasses of water first thing in the morning and a glass before bedtime as a part of the water regimine. (It also helps your blood flow.)
For thousands of years, the power of green tea has been valued in Asian Countries. Western research reveals that it protects against a variety of cancers as well as heart disease. Some scientists believe a chemical called EGCG could be one of its most powerful anticancer compounds ever discovered.
Beer can work both ways. It protects against the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is possibly linked to cause ulcers and possibly linked to stomach cancer. But it is also important not to overdo it. Drinking more than one or two alcoholic beverages a day may increase your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, liver and breast cancer.
Information concerning this topic will be continued next week.
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 news, 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, January 10th: Sue Hunnicutt, Gary Nelson, Robert & Eleanor Leiser.
• Friday, January 11th: Joyce Sward, Melissa Farr, Rick Hanson, Deb Robertson Hare, Brad Nelson, Kelly Reichl, Alvin & Ardys Nelson, Dennis & Barb Grunwald.
• Saturday, January 12th: Heather Mattson Johnson, Macy Misgen, Albert Diaz, Barry Jepson, Cindy Farner, Brian Milan, Chris Wilker.
• Sunday, January 13th: 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.
• Monday, January 14th: Brooke Sorenson Krohn, Marlys Sorenson, Darla Hagen Matthees, Christine Hanson, Skyler Cromwell Lembke, Jenna Marie Abbott, Mark Langlie, Ryan & Kerri Wagner.
• Tuesday, January 15th: Steve Bailey, Paul Christensen, Emily Crabtree, Angela Borchert, Brian Farr.
• Wednesday, January 16th: 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.
Life is a journey we begin each day. Wishing that each new day is happier than the day before. Have a great day!
Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day. Little things mean a lot.
I recently opened up a puzzle, dumped all 1,000 pieces on the bulletin board that I use as puzzle board so that I could start to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. It was a colorful mess of little pieces waiting to be joined together to provide a pretty picture.
Putting puzzles together is what I use as a diversion when I need to take a break and think. It occurred to me how much putting together a puzzle can be like life’s puzzle.
My mother and I tend to like puzzles that are colorful, that make us feel happy. There are times when too many pieces of the same color background make it seem dull or tedious to work on.
The same can be true in our everyday life so we tend to leave them for a while, sometimes until the end and look for some of the more vibrant or easier pieces to do first. We start with so many disconnected pieces that we must put together to make something meaningful. It is a big task.
First, there is the border that dictates what and where our life will be contained. Then we start to search for colors and shapes that blend and form a pattern.
One must find where each one of the pieces come together, or where each piece must fit in our lives. It may be the place we live, the things we do, or the people who play an important part in our life or it could be all of the above.
When working on a puzzle it helps to be able to look at the picture on the box. It helps educates us as to where all the different pieces fit into the puzzle.
Just as puzzles come in different sizes so do families. Size has little to do with the beauty of the puzzle. There is so much to admire in both large and small puzzles.
There is a tendency to put pieces together that can be seen immediately to fit or be joined together. Sometimes two or maybe more form the nucleus or maybe a beginning of the whole picture. Like a marriage, where pieces are joined together to make an interesting picture, or life. Hopefully the pieces will fit and we find where each piece must fit in or not.
Sometimes you swear that a piece must surely fit. It seems to be the right shape and color, but for some reason, it just doesn't fit into the shape of things. Sometimes you look and look among all the pieces that are supposed to fit in the puzzle and you believe that the piece is missing.
Like puzzles, life is as colorful or complex as we make it. Sometimes by accident. Some times by thought.
Who doesn't want a colorful, vibrant life? But then sometimes it is good if the puzzle, or one’s life is calming and restful, like large portions of sky or sea when nothing is happening that stresses us.
I remember once doing a puzzle that was a picture of a quilt. It had a wide border, you might say, that was around the original border.
In life, this could be like adding another personality through a marriage or a new special friend, children or events that could change the original pattern, an extended family. For some, it could be somber with a death, a bad experience as for a born-again Christian recovering from bad habits, a health turn for the best.
Sometimes there are empty spaces that later are filled or maybe never are because the right piece may be missing. It takes time; the pieces don't just fall into place.
You work hard, looking, turning, trying and you may get disgusted with the process. It is really hard.
Sometimes it is tempting to throw it all back in the box and start over with a different puzzle, but that is not the purpose of the game or the project that you are working on. By sticking with it and continuing to keep trying all of the different pieces, it takes shape, just as things do in our lives.
How happy we are when there is surge of pieces that fall so easily into place. We are also discouraged when for a long time nothing seems to fit.
You take a break and usually when you come back to it again most generally you will find pieces that fit. As the puzzle takes shape, many thoughts run through your mind, happy thoughts of success, sometimes failure, but as it all takes shape, you realize such is life.
When you first start the puzzle, there are so many pieces that you have trouble deciding where they are supposed to go, so the initial progress is slow. As the picture comes together and the pieces to be considered become fewer, the puzzle goes together more rapidly, and finally, the last easily discernible pieces are easily placed.
So too is life when we are young. There are so many pieces that we can’t seem to make the connections.
But as sections of the puzzle are put together, we have direction. When the options become fewer, the rate of assembly goes very quickly.
There are bright, happy days, successes, and times spent with little progress, but you acknowledge that all the pieces put together are what shape your life: beautiful, dull, mediocre, and it all depends on picking the right puzzle and putting it together in the right way. That's life.
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Birthdays and Anniversaries:
• Thursday, January 3rd: Jerret Utpadel, Andrea Avery, Stan Nelson
• Friday, January 4th: Sophie Elizabeth Stork, Kelsey Christensen, Delphine Pence, Jeff Cornelius, Dennis Hill, Monty Mrotz, Jeremy Nelson, Corey Johnson, John Butler.
• Saturday, January 5th: Olivia Pauline Christopherson, Devon Mark Born, Pat Simon King, Warren Kelly, Randy Paulson, Jay Neitzel, Amy Kasper, Nash Petranek, Melinda & Ray Talamantes.
• Sunday, January 6th: Mallory Anna Schlinger, Marianne Christensen, Kevin Jensen, Tammy Busho, Todd Nelson.
• Monday, January 7th: Rodney Peterson, Gary Ayers, Stacy Jensen Pirkl, Karina Thompson.
• Tuesday, January 8th: (Elvis Presley) Cameron Schember, Mike Marcus, Terry Pelzl, Dan Reese, David Jensen, Ryan Benning, Jennifer Rechtzigel, Brandon Borchert, John & Melissa Marlin.
• Wednesday, January 9th: 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.
With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, grow richer in spirit. May the year ahead be filled with new discoveries!
It is that time of year when more lights and electricity are needed. It is also a good time to draw attention to bad habits that have been sneaking up on us so innocently.
December in general is a good month to concentrate on the abilities to search out energy wasted and hazardous acts of everyday living.
A clipboard in a handy spot will do if the energy seekers see a problem with it. A reward is acceptable.
Probably the least obvious is not unplugging appliances that are not being used, such as the radio. Even that toaster or George Forman grill can steal electricity.
Lights left on in unused places is an easy one; easy to forget, but easy to see. Using light bulbs that use less electricity counts, smaller bulbs, or better yet, the compact florescent bulbs or LED bulbs can really help save money on the light bill.
Cold air leaks around doors, windows and plug in outlets count can really make that light bill soar too. Shades and heavier or lined curtains or drapes, especially at night, will keep the temperature more even.
Water drips and gas leaks are not only annoying, but dangerous. Candles are beautiful but should be well attended and only used with caution. Choosing soot free candles protects the quality of the air as does burning the right kind of wood in fireplaces.
Have the kids make a list of outside interests that could use a little less light, such as car lots and large business establishments. Are all those lights really that necessary?
During an energy crunch a few years ago, we shut off a few lights, used smaller, more efficient bulbs and fixtures, and it was not such a big deal. So the lights weren't as bright, but saving energy and its cost was a common sense thing and our ancestors would say the same.
The only appliances that use electricity while not being used are those with clock-like-displays or "instant on" things like the TV. Even clock displays don't use a penny a year; think how long your electronic watch lasts on just a tiny battery.
Appliances that use heating elements, such as your toaster, grills, dryers etc. don't use electricity when they are not on any more. Those appliances are either "off" or "on".
Somewhere I'd heard that no matter how good an appliance is working, after 10 years it is costing you money because new appliances are more efficient. The young man at Sorenson’s filled me in on some details and it is true.
A refrigerator 10 years old will cost $200 a year as opposed to a refrigerator of today that will do more for less, like $40 for $60. A ten-year-old dishwasher will cost $45 to $75 a year while today's models will do the job for $10.
Most TV's are "instant on" (remember when TVs took a while to warm up?), so they are always "on" anyway, except for the picture. A way to substantially cut TV electric usage is to buy a flat screen LED or plasma unit instead of the old "picture tube" television.
LED televisions use a fraction of the electricity. Televisions would cost $50 instead of $75 while today’s model will cost $5 to $15 for an estimated 10 hours of use a day.
Freezers are a big thing, with that 10-year-old model doing the job for $200 to $250 but a new model today will work for $25 to $40.
Washers have really changed from the older models that cost more to run. Today’s model would cost only $9 to $20 as opposed to the earlier models that cost $50 to $75.
People also need to look at the amount of water that the older models of washers used as well. Half as much water is used as opposed to the earlier models and that amount of water will do the same or better job of caring for your washing needs.
If you run your television all day, a habit we acquire because we listen and not always watch it, will run you a great deal less.
Appliances only use energy when plugged in and if you are appliance shopping, "energy stars" not only give you a rating or efficiency but may give a rebate of $100 if you make a change. So, though we have an inclination to use these machines that are still in good working order, it probably isn't a good idea because we are "paying through the pump," so to speak. In the long run, buying a new model will save you money.
Need to check it out? Your electrical provider will loan you a device that will check how much electricity you are using with any particular appliance you want to check out.
Usually there is a refundable deposit or fee that makes the check up free when you return it. A good way to check if that old reliable refrigerator you keep in the garage for "overflow" is worth the energy it uses.
Now is the time to start thinking about some things that you would like to change in your life that may also save you money! New Year’s resolutions don't always have to be about losing weight.
Birthdays and Anniversaries:
• Thursday, 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.
• Friday, December 28th: Hope Mikesell, Chad Toft, Dorothy Brandt, Tyler Titus, Charlie Marlin, Merrill Bunn, Laura & John Ortiz, Neil & Ellen Pence, Erin & John Christensen.
• Saturday, 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.
• Sunday, 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.
• Monday, December 31st: New Years 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.
• Tuesday, January 1st: Happy New Year! Ross Aronson, Elmer Dobberstein, Jerry Seath, Larry Schwartz, Amanda Beach, Lois & Duane Aitchison.
• Wednesday, January 2nd: Grace Jolie Wangen, Brian Bedney, Jay Crabtree, Mark Dobberstein, David Lageson, Brenda Wayne, Aaron Nelson, John & Lorraine Lent, Kelsey (Wayne) & Matt Duncomb.
With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, and richer in spirit. May the year ahead be filled with new discoveries!
If anything is expected in Minnesota, it is the unexpected — and such has been our weather.
It is that time of year when we bake cookies and candies for friends; after all, it is Christmas time. Baking is a Christmas tradition I started almost 40 years ago.
And then, there is the "Grinch that stole Christmas." How can we in good faith feed our friends food that Nature News says is a no no?
Sugar, wheat, and shortening: all those things necessary for cookie baking that are all on the no list.
Yes, I know some people give fruit baskets at Christmas, and for some that is a good idea. So for those who still think that they need to bake goodies, they can replace shortening with applesauce, sugar and some stevia and wheat with flour ground from nuts and coconuts. Wear rose-colored glasses so you can pretend it isn't so - though you know different.
I guess one can make the portions smaller and/or suggest these items as a substitute for a dessert with more calories. Not for anything would I contribute to someone’s bad health, even in moderation.
Sending along the recipe with the gift helps. That way the recipient can choose if they want to poison themselves, poison someone else or feed the dog who might not know any better, with sugar.
Maybe we need to change the slogan to "Betcha can eat just one."
On to bigger and better things: I always send Christmas cards. I am sure some people don't appreciate it and say, "Why does she do that? Postage is too expensive,” or something of the sort. I have sent some Christmas greetings via e-mail but it just isn't the same.
Yes, I know the post office needs the money. I know my sister, who works for the post office, tells me they don't need more work, but all and all I think it is still a pretty cheap gift if you make it that. Just a few words puts you in touch with family and friends.
Some people really look forward to those Christmas greetings. I do.
It is like a hug, a handshake, or a thinking of you greeting! Like frosting on a cake, it is a little sweetness on an ordinary day.
This year, my mother and I tried to find old friends and neighbors that we don't hear from too much. A little honey takes away the bitter taste of some of the tragic and sad things that seem to be happening all around us. We need all the natural happiness we can give and get, especially at Christmas.
As I bake my Christmas cookies and loaves and loaves of banana bread, address my Christmas cards and letters, and affix the stamps, the thoughts that come to mind are precious, worthwhile accounts made payable through the years. There are many thank yous and thoughts of tough times we got through that are just as important.
"Double green stamps" again; awards received every day by just being able to have lived them. Hey, I am still here, aren't I?
I could never name everyone who has helped me along life’s way. I wish I could, but I know a lot more than I thought I did who have played an important part of my life.
It takes many musical notes to make a masterpiece beautiful and everyone is important. Such is life.
May every joy be yours his holiday season. May the blessings and joy of God's greatest Gift be yours. Merry Christmas!
Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, December 20th: Corlyn Paulsen, Kyle Johnson, Laurie Swift, Debbie Whelan, Odean & Andrea Johnson.
• Friday, December 21st: Audriene Nelson, Nancy Rich, Liz Wangness, Darin Rhodes, Brandon Hagen, Dave & Tammy Peterson, Duane & Cheryl Lembke.
• Saturday, 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.
• Sunday, December 23rd: Vicki Richards, Jonika Otto Wing, Jess Dunlap, Paitin DuBois, Julie Cornelius, Keith Severson, Carol Schultz, Sophia Swift, Burt & Carla Scripture.
• Monday, December 24th: Christmas Eve! Barbara Mrotz, Brooke Reese, Craig Paulsen, Anna Louise Fuerniss, Susan Oolman.
• Tuesday, December 25th: Merry Christmas! Mitchel Gale Evans, Krista Lee Hardyman, Tom Reitveld, Makenzie Butler.
• Wednesday December 26th: Nadine Strenge, Gerald Edwards, Tom Hanson, Joshua Kasper, Jill Peterson Otterbein, Nicklas Hanson.
May your find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day!
Be there. Even for a moment. That "Hi" from Mom or Dad is sometimes enough.
Say yes as often as possible. “Yes” is a positive word, and explain why, if you can't say yes.
Let them bang on pots and pans; they like them better than expensive toys.
If they are crabby, put them in water; bathtub or a swimming pool.
If they're unlovable, love yourself and you will both get over it.
Realize how important it is to be a child. You were one once.
Go to a movie theatre in your pajamas. Share a movie or watch a show on TV, or play a game together with your children.
Read books out loud with joy. Act out the parts, or change your voice for the different characters.
Invent pleasures together. Ask what they would like to do, share with them things that you used to do when you were growing up.
Remember how really small they are. They won't stay that small forever, so it is best to love them now.
Giggle a lot. Tell funny stories, and have them tell you funny jokes.
Surprise them; play "peek-a-boo" and do little unexpected things, or share small gifts.
Say no when necessary, but not too often.
Teach feelings. Kids most often read feelings better than adults.
Heal your own "inner child." Admit to have childish feelings when you need someone to parent you.
Learn about parenting. Read books, but mostly, play it by ear, and use common sense.
Hug trees together. See if your arms will go around the trees (children), examine the bark, the leaves and the sticky sap. And talk.
Make loving safe. It is O.K. to blow kisses and wave good-bye.
Bake a cake with their special recipe.
Walk like an elephant, jump like a kangaroo, swim like a fish.
Plan to build a rocket ship, and pretend that you are going to the moon.
Imagine yourself with magic. Touch your children with your magic wand, and say, “Abra-kadabra!”
Make lots of play houses with blankets and tablecloths over card tables or clotheslines.
Let your angel fly and dance and sing and enjoy being a child.
Reveal your own dreams and ask your child about theirs.
Search out the positive; it makes for happy experiences.
Keep the gleam in your eye and the sparkle in theirs.
Mail letters to God. Let your child know that you can say prayers any time, anywhere, because God is always there.
Encourage silly. Life should not always be serious; have fun and do dumb things once in awhile.
Plant licorice in your garden or anything else just as silly, but sometimes plant for real and see it grow.
Open up. Don't keep secrets unless you have to.
Stop yelling when you are inside the house.
Express your love. A lot.
Speak kindly and quietly and they will listen.
Paint their tennis shoes, or their toe nails, fingernails, or anything fun.
Handle with care and love. Snuggle, touch a shoulder as you go by, and give compliments.
Children are miraculous! There is nothing in this world that even comes close to them. Really love a child!
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 news, 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, December 6th: Sharon Johnson, Rodger Hill, Katie Marlin, Tony Jackovitch, John Lerum, John Kaplan, Sue Klemmensen, Chris & Marie Wallace, Emily & Jeffrey O'Brien, their second.
• Friday, December 7th: Katie Olson, Tracy Holland, Sam Peterson, Angela Hensrud, Wanda Schwartz, Helen Schmidt, Kara & Eric Grant, Ron & Theresa Langlie, Dawn & Eric Degan.
• Saturday, December 8th: Kathy Glynn, Teri McDonald, Jeff Schei, Tracy Haddy, James Olsen, Mike Flugum, Meghan Baumann.
• Sunday, December 9th: 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.
• Monday, December 10th: Cody Dobberstein, Steve Lee, Valarie Otterson, Karla Osmundson, Art DeNeui, Philip Olsen, Scott & Melonie Crabtree.
• Tuesday, 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.
• Wednesday, December 12th: Warren Sorenson, 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.
May you find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day.
Hanson household hosts another Thanksgiving feast
Written by Jim LutgensH anson Horde Annual Gathering
A dish to pass
N ew/old family and friends
S aturday noon
O n
N ovember 24, 2012
It didn't start out as a great Thanksgiving for my mother this year. Every miserable hurt and problem that could keep my mother awake until the wee hours of the morning occurred.
Thank goodness she realized the dough she had prepared for dinner rolls wasn't rising the way it should. So, at three in the morning, she busily hacked away at the dough, trying to make some resemblance of buns that she planned to take to our family dinner.
Despite her efforts, they ended up being small, unbelievably ugly buns.
Saturday morning was also the time for her to make the traditional chicken and noodles our family has come to expect each year. This dates back to many years ago, when my grandmother first started making them.
Mom wanted them to be especially good this year because one never knows when it will be the last time they are made. Mom did admit to me that she cheated a little bit.
Instead of cooking up a chicken, along with celery and onions, to make a tasty broth, she used a store bought broth, some cream of chicken soup, along with some chicken soup starters.
And wouldn't you know, it was tasteless, so she dug out her chopper and minced some celery and onion and cooked it a little bit in the microwave before she added it to the mixture, hoping it would do the trick. Meanwhile, she had forgotten to take the eggs that she would need to make the noodles out of the refrigerator so they could warm up a bit, and as a result, they didn't want to "beat up" like they should. She did decide to go ahead with the process, and added the flour but forgot to add the baking powder.
She kneaded the dough a little, maybe too little, and when she rolled out the dough on her kitchen counter it looked like a map of the United States instead of the nice square, which would have been easier to cut. She cut it anyway, adding a little bit of flour here and there so that it wouldn't stick to the counter top.
My grandmother Hanson always rolled her dough like a jelly roll and cut "slices" off, so to speak. The grandkids that happened to be at her house when she was making her "family favorite" chicken and noodles liked to unroll the noodles for her, which were then tossed in a little bit of flour before they were added to the hot, bubbling broth on the stove.
My mother says that she cheats, as she doesn't have to roll the dough up like Grandma used to do. She has found a "cutter" which cuts about five or six strips at a time, which makes it quicker and easier.
As my mother was making the noodles, memories of her mother flowed through her head and she so wished that her mother were here to be with us for Thanksgiving this year.
Once the noodles had cooked for a bit, mom transferred them to crock pots. We then found cardboard boxes that would hold the crock pots, so that they could be transported to Jim and Maryalice’s, where they were plugged in to electricity so that they would be nice and hot when we were ready to eat.
Though lacking many of the younger members of the family to celebrate the day this year, due to work or because they where celebrating the holiday with the other side of the family, it was nonetheless a great day.
Jim, as always, had a wonderful selection of wines to pick from to enjoy with the meal.
Our Pilgrim fathers and Indian friends would be astonished at the array of foods that covered the serving counter at the Hanson home. Jim had deep-fried the turkey this year, but nothing compares to his now famous "porketta," both health wise and delicious.
No one knows for sure what other family members will bring to share for dinner but there were really no duplicates. Each year, the family expects me to bring baked corn, and no one makes homemade turkey dressing like Teri McDonald’s husband, Keith. "Snookie" always has a new "something or other" and this year it was a refreshing salad. And, she was willing to share the recipe with all of us.
Yes, we had potatoes and gravy, as well as some delicious cheesy potatoes that Kelly made. Jim once again had made some Danish cooked red cabbage that many have come to enjoy.
Someone brought a tray of hors d'oeuvres, and Bob brought some smoked salmon along with crackers. Barbara brought her famous lefse, along with Hope butter of course, that could be enjoyed with either white or brown sugar.
The Hope butter was also great for the homemade buns, too. Maryalice had made pecan pie and a "little bit will do you," especially if topped with whipped cream. Which reminds me, there was a whipped cream salad (turtle, I believe) that was delicious and seemed more like dessert.
Maryalice always has a great variety of teas. Especially good was the green tea with pomegranate, that many enjoyed with their dessert.
There may not have been 75 of us this year, as we usually are, but everyone that was there was important and each of the "Hanson" families were represented. A day that started as a mental disaster for my mother became a historical memory for many of us.
What else can one say about Thanksgiving day? Wrap a prayer shawl around your shoulders and think of all the things God has given us and thank him for it.
Thanksgiving has always been a day to remember things that we are thankful for and each one seems more so. Yes, we miss those we cannot be with personally, but we can still find room in our hearts for them just the same.
At Thanksgiving, we tend to focus so much on the food, instead of what is really important to us — giving thanks for all of the blessings we have received. There is much to be thankful for in this bounteous land.
The thing I’m most thankful for is the interchange with family and friends. When we have annual family get-togethers, we are reminded of the blessings of being with extended family and friends, something we should be far more thankful for than a big meal, parades on TV, or an excuse to go shopping the next day.
A great meal consumed all by ourselves is just that — a great meal — but even a simple meal shared with family and friends is a banquet. I’m so thankful that in this part of the country, people tend to remain fairly close together, and we can see our family and friends.
It makes me wonder, why don’t we do this more often? Perhaps we should do this two or three times a year! Enjoy the meal, but take the time to enjoy family and friends more.
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 news, 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, December 6th: Sharon Johnson, Rodger Hill, Katie Marlin, Tony Jackovitch, John Lerum, John Kaplan, Sue Klemmensen, Chris & Marie Wallace, Emily & Jeffrey O'Brien, their second.
• Friday, December 7th: Katie Olson, Tracy Holland, Sam Peterson, Angela Hensrud, Wanda Schwartz, Helen Schmidt, Kara & Eric Grant, Ron & Theresa Langlie, Dawn & Eric Degan.
• Saturday, December 8th: Kathy Glynn, Teri McDonald, Jeff Schei, Tracy Haddy, James Olsen, Mike Flugum, Meghan Baumann.
• Sunday, December 9th: 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.
• Monday, December 10th: Cody Dobberstein, Steve Lee, Valarie Otterson, Karla Osmundson, Art DeNeui, Philip Olsen, Scott & Melonie Crabtree.
• Tuesday, 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.
• Wednesday, 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.
May you find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day.
I am often asked where thoughts come from for writing my column. It’s just that: Whatever Comes To Mind.
I was planning to cook "deviled" eggs. I went to the refrigerator wondering how long some of the eggs had been in there, and the subject for this week's "Whatever comes to mind" hit me: eggs and politicians have many similarities.
How do you determine if an egg is good? How do you determine if a politician is good? Can even good eggs be in the refrigerator (office) too long? Should I simply throw them out?
Eggs are easy to check. If you're old enough, you will recall the process of "candling eggs."
Each egg was hand held and inspected by holding it up to the light to see if had become rotten, or had blood spots. They were scrutinized to see what quality they were.
Similarly, we should regularly hold laws and politicians up to the light to check their quality. The merchant that was buying eggs wouldn't put up with inferior eggs, and we shouldn't put up with inferior politicians, either.
Our reputations depend on quality; it is too much to risk on a bad egg. We need to constantly monitor both eggs and politicians.
We may not be able to candle eggs at home, but I did come up with a way to see if they are fresh. Fill a container up with warm water.
The reason for using warm water is that eggs are porous. If you put an egg in cold water, it will contract and draw any bacteria that is on the outside of the shell in through the pores.
This is not good. So, if you use warm water, the egg will expand, and you will notice that little air bubbles form on the shell.
Put your eggs into the warm water, and look at them. A very fresh egg will sink to the bottom and lay on its side.
Week-old eggs will rest on the bottom but the fat end of the egg will rise up slightly. Three week old eggs will be balanced on the pointy end with the fat end sticking up.
Old eggs will be floating, bobbing along the surface of the water. These floaters should be tossed as they are no longer any good to eat.
Similarly, politicians are like eggs. They start out good but pick up "bacteria" (not so good habits) picked up from others in Washington. When subjected to careful heat (from their constituents) they remain good and clean, but when subjected to too much heat they may become hard boiled — able to last a long time, but aren't so wholesome anymore.
Eggs are found in a lot of places and in a lot of conditions. Eggs are sometimes found in hidden places; imported from who knows where.
Some eggs have blown out shells. They look O.K., but there is nothing there but an empty shell.
Politicians are like eggs, not always what they're cracked up to be. Some crack under the slightest pressure.
Put all your eggs in one basket? I don't think so.
Better to look at each individual egg, the quality, the color, and the potential of whether the benefits will be high protein energy or just a stinking rotten egg.
Like politicians, eggs come as brown eggs or white eggs, but without the shell, both are pretty much the same. Some situations call for beating the egg whites or yolks separately to use their best qualities.
If blended, they may lose their creative goodness, but if handled separately and then put back together (like my deviled eggs that I started this story with), they become something special.
Enjoy your eggs, and our government, but hold both up to the light to examine them regularly or you may end up with a "scramble" (or worse yet, poached!) As for me, I like my eggs (and my politicians) sunny side up!
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 news, 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 29th: Connie Smith, Dean Peterson, Emily Butler, La Vonna Ruhl, Christy & Tim Berry, Pastor Carrie & Dan McElfres.
• Friday, November 30th: Dan Mrotz, Lindsey Hagen, Lindsey Schlaak, Sophia Jepson, Eric Knudson, Norell Wood, Kellen Utpadel, David & Lizell Swearingen, Arnold & Dorothy Lund, Andy & Emily Butler.
• Saturday, December 1st: Ethan Elliot Marzoff, Kyle Anthony Neidermeier, Jim Cornelius, Brian Waage, Laurie Ellis, Teri Horan Finke, Barbara Wangsness.
• Sunday, December 2nd: Maryalice Hanson, Leah Wayne, Allura Danon Johnson, Paige Sorenson, Lyle Paulson, Jean Richards Worrell, Helen Sawyer, Heidi Wangsness, Heather Peterson, Dale Schewe.
• Monday, December 3rd: Eric Degan, Ethan Fletcher Cornelius, Brian Van Ravenhorst.
• Tuesday, 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.
• Wednesday, December 5th: Bodie Laxon Newgard, his third; Phyllis Hanson, Rick Aaseth, Rosalyn Johnson, Kathy Lee, Christian Conroy, Shannon Jensen, Kelsey Loverink, Ron Farner, Larry & Mary Richards.
May you find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day.
Between Halloween and Christmas there is a holiday so often forgotten. Well, not forgotten, but it kind of takes a back seat for the other two holidays because they are so much fun with lots of decorations and some candy and gifts.
It is nonetheless a big, memorable day. It has nothing to do with a table laden with favorite, tasty foods set to bring out the most finicky appetite. It has to do with thoughtfulness and thanksgiving.
It is a time when we should junk all negative thoughts and ideas out of our heads and start counting our blessings for the nicest things a day could bring your way.
Take a few moments and think about the things that you are truly thankful for: a baby's first tooth, eight hours of sleep, smooth, muscular arms, Heinz tomato ketchup, snow white carpeting, horse-show ribbons on the wall, 50s music, waterfront properties, an alarm clock that will tell you when to wake up and why, picking out a card and sending it to someone who would never expect it, homemade pie, knee socks, smiles, chewing gum, sunrise, life at a more leisurely pace, cats, bountiful harvest, a scented bathtub, little princesses, deviled eggs, e-mail, sports, beautiful trees, scotch tape, ice skating, furnaces that keep our homes warm, phone calls, cranberry salad, neighbors, airplanes, clear, cold glasses of water, yard sales, cheese cubes, the four seasons, ice cream, winter coats and mittens, dinner, shoes, motorcycles, cheap gas, relatives, carrots, pets, health care, computers, Rice Krispies, sweatshirts, chocolate chip cookies, schools, grandma’s noodles, the American Flag, firemen, band-aids, church bells, and I guess the list goes on.
There was a time in my grandmother’s day when she would say, "Before you leave the table you are to write a note or brief letter and sign it for everyone in the family who isn't here with us to let them know they are here in thought and spirit. I don't care if you write ‘the gravy was too salty,’ or ‘that so-and-so ate the last piece of lemon pie.’ The most important thing is that feeling of togetherness, and giving thanks for all that you have been given and feel.”
Often times Grandma used that paper tablecloth to send messages in the mail to the absent family members. A coffee stain or two, cranberries and even that greasy spot from dressing was included. It is hard to know who enjoyed the game the most.
Our family has already had an early "what-cha-ma-call it dinner" because my sister, Kaye, was home from Arizona for a week, so we called it a late Halloween/early Thanksgiving gathering, as well as a "Hello" and a “Good-bye" with a few birthdays recognized, as well.
My granddaughter, Mallory, who turns 10 years old on the real Thanksgiving Day this year, was asked what she would like for her birthday. Because she was caught by surprise she just kind of shrugged her shoulders and said she really didn't know.
However, my little niece, Ava, smiling ear to ear, said, "If I could have a wish I would wish we could all be together just like this all the time." Out of the thoughts and mouth of a four year old, I think it made us all think of what we were really thankful for. We looked at the four young ones in our family, who had donned their Halloween fancies, and I for one couldn't help but think what was most important to me: spending time with family and being thankful for what we have.
Children grow up so fast. We shouldn't waste a moment in enjoying them. As for our family, these little ones will never be 1 or 4 or 7 or 9 again. Make a point of loving every special moment you are able to spend with them. Let their happiness show.
Of course, before the day was over, we went on to take pictures of different ones together and of families and cousins together, pictures of black cats and pirates and lady bugs, which is what the kids had wore for Halloween this year, to be filled in albums to help us remember this special Thanksgiving Day!
We still have Mallory’s Thanksgiving birthday coming up, as well as the big thriller at Jim and Maryalice’s; the never to be forgotten super family holiday where everyone is asking "how are you?" or "look how you have grown."
After the dishes are washed, excess food is put away and before you know it, it’s time for coffee and such, enjoying life through pictures from now and then. Memories come forth of snowstorms that threatened to spoil the day.
Thankful yet? No, not until the last crumb is swept away, the leftovers shared with the party goers, the dishes washed and dried, the departure hugs of the family and friends and as you tuck yourself into bed you say, "Thank You God for a beautiful day."
Birthdays and Anniversaries:
• Thursday, November 22nd - Mallory Luhring, her 9th; Whitney McCamish, Jodell Hanson, Keven Larson, Donna Maixner, Jane Tappe, David L. Hanson, Jason Peterson, Jacki Shadden, Elzo Peterson.
• Friday, November 23rd: Amy Hunnicutt Kromminga, Lisa Holmes Rietsema, Margaret Loven, Marietta Sommers Rupe, Rick Thompson, Sara Anderson, Joyce Ditlveson, Amanda Farr, George & Diana Ritz.
• Saturday, November 24th: Blaine Boverhuis, Bud Carroll, Deb Peterson Schmidt, Bea Bunn, Ellen Pearl LaFave, Heather Snow, Lisa Hunnicutt Vreeman, Bob Hanson, Rita Glynn, Abraham Ladlie, Kyle Layland, Scott & Lisa Reitsema.
• Sunday, November 25th: Scott Groth, Calista Lerum, Randy Born, Mitchel Hill, Joel Langlie, Brian Vogt, Gideon Jude Long, Daryl & Kathy Paulsen, Ken & Iva Sletten.
• Monday, November 26th: Darlene Krohnberg, Cody Christensen, Robert Gasner, Linda Stieglbauer, Drew Vangen, Ashley Bergerson, Al & Diane Lee, Jamie & Kate Cameron, Brian & Heather Schember.
• Tuesday, November 27th: Kyle Goslee, Olivia Rae Kohn, her 5th; Paul Kasper, Cyrstal Spurr, Mike Draayer, Lorna Berg, Sandra Tonsing.
• Wednesday, November 28th: Quinn Lauren Wayne, her second; Vicki Peterson, Jackie & Scott Miller.
Wishing you quiet moments of beauty on your special day!
More...
I love America.
I love the people who live here.
However, our country is often criticized for one dumb thing or another, and there are those who seem to do their best to take her down.
I have often wondered if they ever take into consideration what would happen if they succeeded in anyway. Where would they go then for all the help they need, as we, the “good old US of A", do help in every direction.
No, not all people are kind or good or thoughtful, but there are many who will share what little or much they have to help others here as well as in places far away. They do it because they are kind and care about the welfare of others, and many of them start young.
Examples may be a little or a lot. Recently, Troy Utpadel loaded bales on a hayrack and took young people on a hayride to collect funds for UNICEF.
He didn't have to give up his day, but he did. Little Emma Esplan, only naive in mind, was able to cover the bare feet of the people of Haiti, and helped get them shoes to wear. She also helped alleviate them of some of the poverty they must suffer on a daily basis.
There are countless people in our communities who have turned their tragedy into triumph by fostering benefits and raising funds for things like cancer and other illnesses that have raised havoc. There are those who did so-called “mundane” things because the ill or incapacitated couldn't do them for themselves: raking leaves leaves, fixing leaky roofs or broken steps as well as other repairs; the list goes on.
I can think of many more like the ladies who get together and sew quilts for warmth or spend days sewing garments, bringing their own sewing machines along with their time and energy.
Who you are is what you do!
You can be a valuable asset to your family and your community. You are a person who can make a difference because you're not ordinary. You are capable of being remarkable and outstanding.
When you're tempted to think of the thoughtless, the greedy, and the cruel things some people are capable of, remember that only the Lord knows why. Think of all the good people in America that make this a place where even those who don't really like us will do anything to come here and be a part of this country.
Abraham Lincoln said, "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis." Freedom was founded on ideals from people who believed they could make a difference and they did.
Somehow it seems our nation does the best when facing adversity, and that is what is happening today. You find remarkable innovations in the place you least expect.
Hard times, killer storms — we need people who will stand up and make our nation stronger; people with compassion for this country who will work for the country before themselves.
There are countries who will work to become the world’s superpower by whatever means, absorbing our factories and jobs at a price because they have no quam about using materials and methods to their economic advantage. Spiraling price competition from China and India and Internet is driving prices down to their lowest levels.
It is time we wake up and know our country did not become what it is by apathetic people who think someone else will make it all go away while they sit back and expect the government to pay the tab. It is time to look at overspending: politically and individually.
Buy American and increase employment and prove to the world that we have competent, willing workers who value their jobs, work habits, less waste, fewer government programs, limited spending and breaking the chain of expecting a hand out.
Our people care and share and enrich their communities with their kindness. “God Bless America” isn't just words, it has real meaning.
If I had one wish, it would be that everyone love one another and care; feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, and warming the world with acts of kindness. I am proud of our community and the people who live here.
I am proud of our churches and church families. I am proud of our country.
Free. You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love.
God Bless 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 news, 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 15th: Sydney Ann Collins, Greg Riley, John Flor Jr., Daniel Mucha, Lee Waage, Cynthia Callahan, Jacob Douglas Bell.
• Friday, November 16th: Ross Sletten, Asa Daniel Russell Johnson, Matthew Marcus, Betty Brandt, Ronald Johnson, Fred Schmidt, Miranda Dubois.
• Saturday, November 17th: Presley Ann Broskoff, Mikayla Sue Brouwers, Stuart Kubat, Nathan Larson, Milton Wayne, Gloria Jensen, Nathan Schmidt, Elvern Holland, David Kasper, Jim Olson, Daniel Ingvaldson, John Nelson, Trisha Cyr, Brad & Donna Borchert.
• Sunday, November 18th: Edrea Marae Kubista, Toni Wayne Smith, Stella Langlie, LeRoy Peterson, Kim Lehmberg, Ernest Anderson, Paul Groth, Allen Schewe, Gordy & Karol Carroll.
• Monday, November 19th: Sidney Ellen Schultz, Kolby Dale Boverhuis, Deb Schmidt, Ruth Dunn, Roger Dulas, Jennifer Kycek, Chanelle McCamish, Darrin Peterson, Mandi Wobschall, William Conley, LaShawn & Gretchen Ray, Jeff & Julie Cornelius.
• Tuesday, November 20th: Chuck Pence, Howard Pence, Eric Simon, David A. Hanson, Angie Blouin Sikel, Dennis Blouin, Scott Brekke, Malinda Fennert, Alisha Waalkens, Heather Crabtree Krenke, Kristine Kelly, Rachel Nelson, Holly Mattson.
• Wednesday, November 21st: Paul Wallace, Angie Johnson, Paul Kasper, Desirae Farr, Cheryl Harpel, Greg Schimek, Leah Leak, Leah Maddox Larson, Abby Underland, Dustin Burshem, Robin & Jan Jepson.
May God bless you with a beautiful year to enjoy!
Is the trip, or the expenditure, absolutely necessary?
Written by Jim LutgensAfter spending days trying to take out my frustration on the political process, I thought about it and realized what was happening to me. As a citizen, I have a right to question some of the tactics these people I did or did not put in office are doing.
I also realized that there are simple things I can do that may make a difference in what is bound to come regardless of who we put in office. I feel we have become an uncaring nation and it shows.
Government has become so big that we feel powerless to do anything about government waste. We expect others to do the things that could give us a turn around. Regardless of who gets in office to run this country, it is bound to get worse before it gets better.
It is time to do our part to do what we can to make things better.
We seem to be more interested in who wins an athletic event, sing-a-along, or has murdered someone than worrying about what is going on with our government. We criticize but seem to do nothing, thinking it will just go away. It won't.
There are simple things that we can do. Maybe we need to be more frugal in the way we live. We need to start questioning if a purchase is necessary. We need to ask ourselves, “Do I really need it, or can I make something else do? Do I contribute to accelerated health problems by things that I do to my health, such as overeating, lack of exercise and the way I care of my own health? Have I let convenience of processed food stop me from making my own, which would be cheaper and better for me?
We all have a surplus of clothes because we have bought things that aren't necessary. Many items, still sporting the price tags and unused, show up at rummage sales as well as at the Salvation Army and thrift stores. At least passing them on to others makes sense.
One of the biggest jolts to the pocket change is the drink industry. The money spent on sweet drinks, if added up, would astonish you.
Put the money you didn't spend in a jar and invest it. You might be surprised how the money will accumulate that can be invested or used for better purposes.
They suggest that five cans of 75-cent pop per week could pay out $10,192 in 30 years. How many people pay and/or drink twice that amount of pop?
Modern Maturity magazine recently told us how we have been spending $250,000 on buying $20 pizzas weekly. That pizza "dough" (excuse the pun) invested in a mutual fund with a 9% annual return would be worth a quarter of a million dollars in 30 years, where as a senior citizen could use it to pay for necessities instead of relying on a "free for being old" expenditure.
One-dollar lottery tickets five times a week would amount to over $13,000. Nobody says you have to give up all things that might pleasure you at the time, but it does make you realize that saving that money would go a long way to pay for necessities.
Are they poor or lazy? Money not spent today could provide the money needed in the future.
I have no problem with government aid — food shelves, energy and tax rebates for the needy. I do have a problem if these same people expect to have others pick up the tab.
They could afford them by foregoing tobacco, drinks, tattoos and other needless items. Consider the government giveaway of free cell phones and 250 minutes of free calling for the poor and elderly to help them accommodate the possible need for emergency aid, or so that they can be reachable if the unemployment office calls.
At a recent cell phone giveaway, it was surprising how many people spent their time waiting on their cell phone to get a free cell phone. So who pays for the free phones? The answer — we all do; look at the taxes on your next phone bill.
Cell phones have very good uses and security purposes, but they also seem to be an expensive misused toy to a lot of people. The misuse of free does nothing for our economy; in fact, it is bad for our economy.
Every time government spends money, it takes money out of the economy. Every time government borrows money, it takes money out of the money supply.
Every time government prints money, it makes your money worth less; stop to think about it.
People learn little if all they think of is, "What can I get for free because someone else is paying the tab?”
Too many of our elected officials or even common folks, when put in charge of money that isn't theirs, will use it without thought in regards to whether it is really necessary. The citizens seem to know where government is wasting money better than the legislators.
Every person you know can give an example of government waste, yet our elected officials can't seem to find any programs that ought to be cancelled. That's the basis of our problem?
There is a limit. It doesn't have to make you a cheapskate.
In a recent AARP article, someone made reference to how her 90-year-old mother-in-law lived on $19,000 a year for the past three years in California. How did she do it?
She said it was little things. She used one napkin for all three meals, folding it and saving it throughout the day. I also know of those who went back to cloth napkins, feeling it was cheaper in the long run.
She reused gift bags. I recall when we use to open gifts carefully and would save the wrapping paper and use it over again and even used comic pages from the newspaper in a creative way to save.
It was useful, thrifty, and saved on the amount of garbage thrown away. There are those who use coupons faithfully. I never could figure out how they could manage to buy the amount they say they do, but of course there are savings if they are clipped and used for the things you buy.
This 90-year-old lady never had a credit card. My grandmother or mother never did either, nor do I. One trick for reducing expenditures is to pay with cash.
It is a lot harder to part with real cash than to use a credit card or check. Grandma always said if she didn't have the money for something, she didn't need it.
Most often gifts were money for the recipient to use as they desired or saved. I remember my mother saving pocket change and finding some creative way of giving the same amount to each child as birthday or holidays came due.
A bag, a jar, or a box can all become piggy banks. At first, we kids weren't sure we liked that idea, but it wasn't long until we looked forward to it because we often had something in mind we wanted.
This California lady wasn't a cheapskate, but frugal to the point of living a full and fruitful life. She maintained, "It is not how much we have but how well we live that brings happiness."
I guess that is a good thought to leave you with to think about. The candidate that promises me less government spending, not more programs, is the person that will get my vote.
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 news, 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 8th: Sydney Larson, Andrew Jensen, Brian Hughes, Burton Nelson.
• Friday, November 9th: Phyllis Hagen, Tami Lund Wacek, Scott Coxworth, Jon Aronson, Kent Kruckenburg, Cindy Gould, Tim Westrum, Christopher Jepson.
• Saturday, November 10th: Keith McDonald, Eric Anderson, Russell Reistad, Tomm Richards, Jennifer Zimprich, Jessica Kasper, Andrew Olson, Jessica (Johnson) & Dan Rebelein, Stan & Liz Reichl, Everett & Diane Jensen.
• Sunday, November 11th: Jason Tracy, Kate Laudon, Agnes Christensen, Ione Hagen, Dale Hunt, Paula Swearingen, Jennifer Jacobs, Dawn Diemer, Rachel Gould, Dave & Linda Brandt, Amanda Schimdt, Tory Lee Christensen.
• Monday, November 12th: Trinity Tracy Vulcan, Tatum Charlotte Vulcan, Samuel Henry Kaplan, Lois Johnson Aitchison, Jill Jensen, Holly Thompson, Craig Clausen, Helen Kellem, Scott & Jan Sorenson, Jill & Shannon Jensen.
• Tuesday, November 13th: Geoffrey Nelson. Abbey Louise Titus, Bill Johnson, Jeffrey Nelson, Diane Brighton, Earl & Janis Klinger, Steve & Pennie Ladlie.
• Wednesday, November 14th: Cassandra Hill, Dakota Tracy, Kaye Larson Allen, Jill Ottesen Kehne, Kim Anderson, Gloria Tufte Keehn, Dawn Farr, Brandon Grunwald.
Wherever this year takes you, may you feel happiness along the way!
It’s pure joy when hometown heroes come through
Written by Jim LutgensIt is such a joy when people we think of as hometown folks bring honor and glory back home.
Needless to say, when I heard Hunter Pence was going to be playing in the baseball playoffs, and later recognizing the parts that he played on winning some of the games that took him and his team on to the World Series, I have been glued to the television set and all the baseball games.
His teammates give him credit for being a real spark plug for the team, but baseball is his game and he has lived it just about 24-7 since he was a little boy. Hunter’s dad, Howard, stayed with him and his big brother, Howie, through countless little league games as these two young boys grew up.
Incidentally, a couple of those little league players, including Hunter, that Howard watched played baseball for many years, went on to play for the Houston Astros.
Maybe that is part of Howard’s legacy that he passed on to Hunter in a big way.
My family has retold the story many times of how I went to school and said that I was related to Harmon Killebrew. My sister, Kaye, did the same thing.
My nephew also went to show and tell at school and said that he, too, was related to an important baseball player: Babe Ruth. Actually, it was my grandma Schember who was related to the late Connie Mack whose name was originally McGillicuddy.
Look it up. It was something my grandmother Schember was very proud of.
Years later, the story once again came to life as the post office where Kaye works in Arizona was the post office that Harmon Killebrew came to get his mail. Kaye met him often and one day, she finally got up enough nerve to tell him the school story.
He got a big kick out of it and said he was proud to have known the late Connie Mack well.
And now, I can boast and tell you that I’m related to another famous baseball player from my Grandpa Richard’s side of the family, Hunter Pence. My Grandpa Hanson and Hunter’s great grandfather, Hans Peterson, were related.
The men were cousins and good friends. They carpentered together for years.
The Petersons were into baseball. In fact, my Grandma Hanson use to tell how Chris Peterson, a former Geneva resident, as a small child came with his mother, Helen, to see my Grandma Hanson and her new baby. (which I think was my mother)
Chris found a baseball bat and was playing with it. Not too much later, something happened and the bat shattered the glass head on my Aunt Helyn’s doll.
And now, his nephew, Hunter, is shattering records and bringing fame to our community by being a member of the San Francisco Giants, 2012 World Series Champion baseball team.
I, too, can proudly say that I am related to Hunter because my Great grandpa, Chris Christensen, who used to be the school custodian here in Geneva, was a half brother to Soren Christensen. Christensen was a blacksmith in Clarks Grove and married Nellie, who was another relative of Hunter’s, which is too complicated to explain now.
Sometimes you have to dig deep to find and remember the family associations, but not this time, because Hunter’s great grandparents, Hans and Helen Peterson and Mark and Gina Peterson, were also good friends of the family.
Needless to say, watching the 2012 World Series has been exciting for me and many others here in our area. Do you suppose that my granddaughters will go to school and share during show and tell that they are related to one of the players of the 2012 World Series championship team, Hunter Pence?
Pride doesn't stop here and one doesn't have to be a relative to be proud.
I am proud of little 10-year-old Emma Esplan, of Ellendale, who has collected over 500 pairs of shoes for the people of Haiti.
I am also proud of T.J. Schiltz, in his winning runs. Fame doesn't come without talent and endless energy behind it.
I am proud of our school band, athletic teams, and cheerleaders. It takes dedication to achieve those things.
They don't happen overnight or by sitting on a couch watching television. Winning isn't everything; it is how you play the game.
Isn't it great to pick up the paper, or hear in the news of the good things that people do that are positive?
Please take the time to acknowledge great accomplishments and the goodness of others.
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 news, 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 1st: Dakota Wangsness, Garrett Wangsness, Troy Hagen, Mike Reistad, Jamie & Sergio Hernandez.
• Friday, November 2nd: Gary Dummer, Karen Osmundson, Tracy Farr Simon, Janis Klinger, Troy Sommers, Dan Nord, Sylvia Janet Baker.
• Saturday, November 3rd: Nakayla Joy Butler, Preston Dean Shaunce, his 3rd; Brian Muri, Paula Degan Conroy, Jennifer Misgen, Lois Conklin, Tim Hanson, Aaron Sargent, Sydney McCamish, Quinn Sebastian Briedenbach, Angie & Josh Lair.
• Sunday, November 4th: Jeff Carlson, Brant Hemingway, Stuart Vangen, Grant Neitzell, Scott Anderson, Andrew Farr.
• Monday, November 5th: Faith Jennie Tweeten, Preslie Jean Tweeten, Hope Ann Tweeten, Alyssa Hagen, Kerri Newgard d'Eustachip, David Wayne, Mavis Langlie, Chad Braaten, Allison Hanson, Allison Jensen, Skyla Kundtson.
• Tuesday, November 6th: Brody Richards, Makota Grahm Misgen, Mary Ann Lund, Dylan Paul Moen, Jon Beck, David Hagen, Doug Klemmensen, Lauren Jo Draayer, Chad Ayers, Toni Roberts, Taylor Roberts, Ed & Fern Possin, Kellie & Ryan Benning.
• Wednesday, November 7th: Solveig Adelaine Mattson, her 2nd birthday; Ava Leigh Wangsness, her third birthday; Alymra Seath, Jolee Johnson, Travis Diederrich, Linda Dobberstein, Scott Olson, Mark Sundwall.
Make your special day a day you'll never forget, filled with smiles, good cheer and laughter!
How does your house rate on the conservation scale?
Written by Jim LutgensThere are games people play that can be fun and useful. Kids seem to love finding things they can use on parents, kind of a silly little game of, "You find things to tell me that are wrong, or need correcting."
During Children’s Health Month, the Environmental Protection Agency has been asking students to act as energy "patrols" and observe how energy is being used at school, as well as in their homes.
This time of year, we see more lights and electricity needed. Therefore, it is a good time to draw attention to bad habits that have been sneaking up on us so innocently.
Families can use it as an "I Spy" game, or a competitive listing to see how everyone is doing in regards to conserving energy.
These next few months of winter may be a good time to concentrate on the abilities of children to inform others of energies wasted and hazardous acts of everyday living.
Keeping a clipboard in a handy spot can be used by the "energy police" to record problems they see, such as not shutting doors and turning off lights in the bathrooms or bedrooms when there is no one in there. It is also a good practice to turn off the television or computer if they aren't being watched or used.
People can write down things they see where energy is wasted, and initial it. A reward is acceptable.
Probably the least obvious is not unplugging appliances, such as the toaster, the can opener, the electric toothbrush, and the radio, which can steal electricity. Lights left on in unused places is an easy one, easy to forget but easy to see. Conserving on the use of water, as well as gasoline, are areas of concern as well.
Families should start using light bulbs that use less electricity. They can also find ways to prevent cold air leaks around doors, windows and outlets. Using window shades and heavier or lined curtains, especially at night, will keep the temperatures more even. Water drips and gas leaks are not only annoying, they are dangerous.
Candles are beautiful but should be well attended and used with caution. Choosing soot-free candles protects the quality of the air, as does burning the right kind of wood in fireplaces.
Have the kids make a list of outside interests that could use a little less light, such as car lots and large business establishments. Discuss if they really are that necessary.
During an energy crunch in the past, we doused a few lights and started using smaller or more efficient bulbs and fixtures, and it was not a big deal.
I feel we need to learn to economize in our homes, schools and businesses. Depression and recession are something to be concerned about too.
By putting on layers of clothes, or sweatshirts or sweaters, we are able to lower the thermostats, which also goes a long way to help conserve energy as well as saves money.
October is also known for its Halloween tradition. The word Halloween is first mentioned in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variation of the fuller "All-Hallows-Even" (evening), that is the night before All Hallows Day.
Up through the early 20th century, the spelling, "Hallowe'en" was frequently used, eliding the "v" and shortening the word. Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, cornhusks, and scarecrows, are also prevalent.
Halloween imagery includes themes of death, evil, and occult, magic or mythical monsters. Traditional characters include ghosts, witches, skeletons, vampires, werewolves, demons, bats and black cats. The colors of Halloween, black and orange, represent the darkness of night and the color of bonfires, autumn leaves and jack-o-lanterns.
Halloween includes trick-or treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, carving jack-o-lanterns, ghost tours, bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, committing pranks, telling ghost stories or other frightening tales, and watching horror films.
Trick or treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?"
The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. In some countries, the children perform some sort of "trick," or sing a song, to earn their treat.
The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door-to-door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1) receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain.
Kids love Halloween almost as much as Christmas, and it gets a little confusing sometimes when you see stores displaying a mixed bag of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all at one time.
Traditionally, to kids treats should be treats. So what do you do in a world that we know spins on sweet and sugary treats?
I have tried other things - pencils, coins etc It isn't quite the same to a kid though.
Would you change tradition if instead of sweets for ourselves, we ask for foods for the food shelf or reversed roles and brought treats to others?
My mother used to tell us that May Basket Day was pay back time - when we took goodies to others, sort of a "give back" for our Halloween treats.
At any rate, it is a time for us to enjoy children. It really takes so little to make them happy and to celebrate, even if they have no more knowledge of the day than its costumes to be "someone or something" else, just for fun.
It is also important for them to know that not all people like Halloween but that many, especially the elderly, look forward to these little "monsters" to come knocking on their doors. That is when the tradition of "lights on" meant stop at my door, and "lights off" meant that the occupant at that house didn't want to participate or had run out of goodies.
I recall the late Norris and Luella Thompson of Ellendale, who decorated their home to the max and planned special things for the kids to look forward to. They had a large steaming kettle of hot chocolate, apple cider or tomato juice ( to resemble bloody cocktails).
There were all kinds of treats with descriptive names that applied to Halloween. The kids loved to go to their door on Halloween and the Thompsons looked forward to this annual event, and are still remembered for it.
However, I do remember one year we ran a Halloween record in our loud speaker system at our home. The kids were afraid to come to the door. We didn't try that again.
Giving up some childhood treasures isn't always easy for that "tween' age youngster. But, there are those who take this into consideration and plan activities like those at the Vibrant Life Church in Ellendale, where games and fun things are planned to include them.
We thank them for providing this fun evening for young and old alike in a safe and sensible atmosphere.
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 important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us. If you have news, 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, October 25th: Mavis Bartsch, Jady Beenken, Dean Van Hal, Charlotte Haberman, Heidi Crabtree Owen, Mikaela Krikava, Spencer & Barb Kubat, Dean & Sandy Jensen, Breanna & Timothy Breidenbach, Heidi & Jason Owen.
• Friday, October 26th: Nadine Strenge, Jannell Tufte, Jeanne Holland, Heather Hove, Reece Gabriel Routh, Jake Andrew Wiersma, Kevin Hamor, Conner Dean Phode.
• Saturday, October 27th: Jason Born, David Anderson, Bruce Yanke, James Bremer Jr., Mitchell & Amy Edwards, Donly & Joanne Cromwell.
• Sunday, October 28th: David Thompson, Jan Sorenson, Lisa Morin, Rick Horan, Randy Horan, Todd Brotizman, Rich Weckwerth, Sue Westrum, Tanner Jorge Wilson, Lyle & Darlyne Paulson, Jane & Jeff Allen, Amanda & Paul Rovnak.
• Monday, October 29th: Ann Anderson, Scott Klocek, Mark Motl, Bob Haried, Kayli Rose Johnson, Bailey Ann Davis, Warren & Mary Torgerson, Craig & Jennifer Torgerson.
• Tuesday, October 30th: Lilly Jane Wacek, Gordon Goette, Angie Broskoff Klemmensen, Allen & Barb Dobberstein.
• Wednesday, October 31st: Happy Halloween! Kyra Barbara Kotsmith, Brooke Hanson Berg, Heather Wayne, Emily Smith, Bill Klemmensen, Carrie Thompson, Roseann Kasper, Jerry Neitzel, Lorraine Lent, Kaye & Mike Cady, Vonda & Andrew Komba.
Hoping that your special day puts a song in your heart to last the whole year long!
I thank the readers who pass along information to me for stories that I might otherwise have missed.