Jayna joined the marching band this summer as a banner carrier, and the NRHEG band has worked hard since May putting together a Wild-themed marching show to perform at competitions and parades. They’ve marched every weekend in June and July, with the final performance this past weekend for New Richland’s Farm & City Days parade.

My daughter’s had a fun time, but realized just how much work goes into this show and just how much work it is to walk all these parade routes. No more is she the casual observer, gathering candy from the streets, but instead the sweating parade marcher who is thankful when the end of the route approaches.

We haven’t followed her to all the parades this summer, but after running the gauntlet of Ellendale, Albert Lea, Blooming Prairie, and now New Richland over three weeks, I’m about paraded out. In fact, as I sat watching the Blooming Prairie parade on July 4th, I started wondering what a person who was not exposed to parades every year might think about the constant stream of tractors, horses, fire engines, and bands.

Well, my question was soon answered. Sitting behind me was a young man visiting our country from Colombia. The people around him were attempting to explain every unit that went by, but I heard little response from this boy. At one point, one of the people explaining asked him if he understood everything. The response was something along the lines of, “I don’t really understand much of this. I just stopped paying attention.”

After the parade, I asked him if they had parades in his home country. He told me only when the military decided to show off or when there was a change in government, nothing like our many-colored, varied-theme parades. He was also startled when Tootsie Rolls came flying his way!

So what is it about parades that so enrapture us, that thousands of people show up in places like Albert Lea and Blooming Prairie to watch essentially the same thing every year?

We’ve attended Blooming’s parade ever since I met Michelle, since her cousin lives on the parade route and always hosts a family and friends potluck. I think many people do this; I see many of the same groups of people around us on that block in BP. It’s a great reason to plan something, centered around a big event.

I’ve always loved watching the bands, probably because I remember my own marching band days. The shows they put on now are much more advanced than our stay-in-a-straight-line performances and always enjoyable. Plus, there’s always at least one polka band in most of the bigger parades! You can’t go wrong with some good polka music!

I’d like to make a proposal though for 2016. We all know the politicians will be out in force next year since it’s a major election year. I think I may make my decision on voting based on candy thrown. (Why not? They all do about the same amount of nothing when on the job.) Whoever throws out the best candy gets my vote!

Can we please put a moratorium on Tootsie Rolls for at least one year? Between those and Dum-Dum suckers, we’ve got enough to last until Halloween. In fact, someone suggested that I save it and hand it out in October!

Mark Lee of the Ellendale Fire Department might be going along with the Tootsie Roll boycott. He claims the EFD will buy and freeze candy bars and take them out right before the parade. There are two benefits to this: chocolate is good, and you don’t have to throw whole fistfuls at kids, just one each. Mark’s got my vote if he runs for office!

Speaking of parades, I’ll put my two cents in on the whole Confederate flag debacle. Who would ever have thought you’d see Hartland trending online?

Look, Brian Nielsen has admitted that he shouldn’t have flown the flag on the city fire truck. The Confederate flag is a symbol to many people of a dire time in our country’s history and the racial overtones of that time. It’s been around for a long time, but took one nutjob to wave it around before killing people to make everybody hop on the bandwagon to get rid of it.

Brian’s stance that we’re becoming too politically correct is spot on. A person can hardly step outside the lines of what people want to hear without facing someone’s wrath. I didn’t even notice the flag when they went by (scrounging for all those Tootsie Rolls, likely), but the way the media is today, all it took was one outraged person to post it online, and away they went. How many people raging about it have enjoyed watching The Dukes of Hazzard without thinking much about what was on top of the General Lee?

Was it wrong to do? Sure. Did it deserve this amount of attention? No way. If some crazy waves a Green Bay Packers flag prior to killing people, will the team change its name and colors, ignoring its long history? (Now going tongue in cheek, fair warning.) Anyone who flies a Green Bay Packers flag offends me. It represents everything I stand against. Take it down. You live in Minnesota. Oh wait, let’s not even get started on the Minnesota state flag or the names of lakes or…

Before I go, a very happy birthday to my wonderful wife Michelle, the love of my life, who will celebrate before next you read my words!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is accidence, which means the fundamentals of any subject, as in, “The writer’s focus on the accidence of parades sharpened his readers’ perception on the subject.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs managed to keep the rainclouds at bay with an assist from the Weather Eye for Farm and City Days. It threatened but did not make good on it. Will we be so lucky for the Waseca Co. Fair or will the thunderstorms finally prevail? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny becoming mostly cloudy with a moderate chance of showers and thunderstorms late in the day. Highs around 80 with lows near 60.Thursday, mostly cloudy with a good chance for showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the mid-60’s. Mostly sunny and muggy on Friday with a modest chance of evening showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80’s with lows in the low 70’s. Saturday, mostly sunny and humid with a modest chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 80’s with lows in the low 70’s. Partly sunny on Sunday with an increasing chance for showers and thunderstorms by evening. Highs in the mid-80’s with lows in the mid-60’s. Monday, mostly sunny and a tad cooler with a slight chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the low 80’s with lows in the low 60’s. Mostly cloudy and cooler Tuesday with highs in the upper 70’s and lows in the low 60’s. For July 20th the normal high is 82 and the normal low is 62. We will experience 15 hours of daylight, the same as we saw back on May 23rd. After bloating on Farm and City Days candy, the scurs have their sights set on those onion rings at the Waseca Co. Fair. Regularity is never a bad thing.

Tremendous crop progress since the rains fell on the 6th. Warm temperatures and dry conditions are just what the doctor ordered to allow the corn to get down to some of the nitrogen that was a question mark after heavy June rainfall. Judging by the color of most of the corn, it is not suffering from a lack of nitrogen. Tassels are also coming on rapidly. Given the ample supply of moisture and nearly ideal temperatures, we should see good pollination. Disease pressure at this point is still relatively low so fungicide applications are a gamble. Soybeans are also on the move. Most fields were in the R2 stage this past week although some of the earliest planted soybeans were a bonafide R3. While soybean aphids continue to become easier to find, the temptation to make early insurance applications becomes greater. A recent press release from the U of M should help temper that notion.

 http://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2015/07/the-downside-of-insurance-insecticide.html

Indeed we have been fortunate to have missed several of the recent severe thunderstorm events. It doesn’t appear the mosquitoes have noticed yet. Most are of the same opinion that going outside when it’s still or getting closer to dark is taking your life in your own hands. As a result the amount of repellent being used at the ranch has skyrocketed. It does give one some appreciation for the month of January. I can honestly say I’ve never been bitten by a mosquito while doing chores that time of year. 

Accomplishing anything in the garden has been a major feat. We did snag our first tomatoes on Monday though, a few grape and cherry tomatoes. Picking them on the run makes it easier to get exercise especially when not wearing repellent. Overall things look good at a fast trot. There are some Mt. Royal plums turning purple too although getting up the nerve to battle the bugs has been tough. Should do it pretty soon though as the birds seem to easily find them before we get there. The apple trees continue to impress as well. All the trees have ample fruit so there should be plenty for pies and eating barring some disaster before fall anyway. 

It appears there are several families of orioles, both Baltimore and orchard types, consuming grape jelly in our backyard. Up to a dozen individual birds are recognizable as they descend from the tree to the feeder hanging below. Of course there are a few others including the catbirds who like to sneak in when the orioles aren’t there to gobble down what they can before the next wave shows up.

It has taken a while but Mrs. Cheviot finally put the AC on over the weekend. There were wedding flowers being manufactured with some recruited help so it needed to be cranked up to keep them from withering in the heat. Both the flowers and the help. It certainly made watching the Twinkies game more comfortable from the recliner. Within a few minutes I was sawing logs, paying little attention to the TV or the commotion from the other room.

Made an appearance at the Farm and City Days car show Saturday and got to see all kinds of people. Columnist extraordinaire Bob Hansen accused me of going golfing although it’s probably been 20 years since people ran for cover after I swung a club. Al Batt offered me a used but not abused feline, which I gracefully had to decline. The smell of fresh cat poop in a warm garage this time of year really doesn’t tickle my olfactory senses. Pat B. checked the back of my neck for mosquito bites to make sure last week’s report was accurate. And Vista’s noted Swedish astronomer was glad that I’d remembered to bring my cooler. Of course then there were the cars, lining main street, gleaming and polished to perfection. One thing about it, it’s definitely “look but don’t touch.” No telling what might happen if a sticky, gooey handprint were to wind up on the seat of one of those old gals. Yes, on the cars of course.

See you next week…real good then.

Funeral services for Dorothy Irene Christenson will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, July 20, 2015 at Seventh Day Adventist Church in Albert Lea. Pastor Marshall Bowers will officiate. Interment will be at the Bath Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com 

Dorothy died Saturday, July 11 at Parkview Care Center in Buffalo.

Dorothy Irene Evans was born on December 16, 1923 at home in Medford, MN to John and Eva Grace Evans. 

She attended grades 1-3 in Medford, grades 4-8 in Matawan and grades 8-10 in New Richland, MN.

On August 23, 1941 she married Raymond Martin Christenson of Bath, MN at New Richland, MN. When Darlene was three months old (Feb. 1943) she took her baby by train to Portland/Vanport City, Oregon where Ray was working in the Swan Island Shipyards. They all came back to MN in August 1943 and lived in the home Ray built at Bath Township, MN.

St. Peter Lutheran Church of Otisco will host its annual ice cream social Sunday, July 12 beginning at 4:30.

The menu includes barbecues, ham sandwiches, potato salad, calico beans, pie, ice cream, cake, coffee and lemonade.

Music provided by “Just Friends.”

St. Peter Lutheran Church of New Richland will be serving lunch in the park after the church service Sunday, July 12 at 11:30.

They will be serving shredded beef sandwiches, potato salad, calico beans, lemonade, water and a cookie — bringing back an old-fashioned picnic, please join in celebrating their 125th anniversary.

If you have had the opportunity to enjoy the 2014 improvements to the Memorial Park area beside the New Richland Post Office, you will notice the growing number of engraved bricks being installed.  The improvements have added a sense of reflection and peace as you enjoy the scenery of the mural from donations of many, the bench in honor of long-time firefighter Tom Bruzek and the many bricks that have been donated by families remembering a loved one. 

Orders continue to be taken for the bricks. They are $100 with your choice of wording, with or without any artwork. The money goes into the Mural Fund which will be used for continued upkeep and improvements to the area. If you wish to order a brick, you can do so by stopping up at City Hall and filling out a form or you can contact Gail Schmidt at (507)-383-1147.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit the area, it is hoped you do so.

As the New Richland Area Foundation continues to provide grants to various organizations, city departments and the NRHEG schools, it is also about growing the fund.

The fund has grown from $13,929 to $434,713 in just 5 1/2 short years. The NRAF is administered under the family of funds through the Waseca Area Foundation, an affiliate community fund of Minnesota Philanthropy Partners.

Though this year’s granting dollars available was $15,000, the NRAF grants committee continues to be challenged with requests of more than $35,000 each year. Therefore it is our plea to request the community’s help in growing the fund so that more dollars become available to grant each year. 

The Ellendale United Methodist Church new pictorial directory is being compiled. Pictures will be taken at the church by Brant Hemingway on two Sundays July 12 and 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on one evening Wednesday, July 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. Please sign up for your preferred time at the church.

For questions call the church office at 684-2731.

Last week I was able to to spend some time up north at our cabin and, while the weather wasn’t ideal for fishing, it was ideal for spending time catching up on a few things that needed doing. The first day was wet windy and cool, but that soon changed. By mid-morning the following day it was sunny and warm ,but still breezy. Little did I know , it would be the last time that week that there would be a breeze.

After I pretty much finished with the things I wanted to work on, it was time for a little fishing. I didn’t bring the big boat this time because I was alone and I get a certain amount of satisfaction when fishing out of my little 12-foot boat. The boat has a 5-1/2 hp Evinrude Sport Twin, which was put together in 1959. The motor hadn’t been used since last fall but that little motor fired up on the second pull. I decided to try a lake I had never fished before and trolled the shoreline of that lake for about three hours without so much as a sputter. Hopefully I will not be jinxing it by saying what a sweet motor that is.

Sunny skies, warm temperatures and absolutely no breeze does not make for very good fishing on those clear, deep, Northern Minnesota lakes. I did manage to catch a couple of pike, four bass and a few perch so I avoided the dreaded “skunk” once again. I had one pike on that was a pretty decent fish, but when I got it to the boat the fish shot straight out of the water and spit out my lure. I managed to reach out with the net and catch it on the way down but alas, as I went to hoist the net into the boat, the fish once again leapt into the air and escaped the net. While I was fighting that fish an eagle flew low right over me and my little boat; at first I took that as a good sign, but after the fish escaped I was not so sure.

My oldest grandson Trevor and his uncles Travis and Jeremy were at Lake Vermilion last weekend for a bachelor party and to do a little fishing. Travis told Trevor’s mother it was so hot with no wind that fishing was terrible. Couple those conditions with the mayfly hatch that was going on and it made for some very poor fishing. I wonder what you could do at a bachelor party if the fish aren’t biting?

Some area folks have been having pretty decent luck without even leaving town. I saw a picture my friend Mark put on Facebook of some nice sunnies and a walleye he and his brother Larry caught somewhere on Fountain Lake last week. Now that looked like the makings of a mighty tasty meal.

The past couple of Sunday afternoons I have been able to spend a little family time watching my sons and grandsons play tennis at Frank Hall Park. I really enjoy this time and it is good to see both the tennis and pickle ball courts being used. We have been enjoying a pretty nice summer and folks are taking advantage of that by using the walking and bike trails along with tennis, basketball and pickle ball courts. We have so many nice parks in our city that are there for family picnics or to just sit back and take in what nature has to offer. I myself am planning on doing a little shore fishing this weekend with my granddaughter Emma. Hopefully Grandpa can find a panfish or two we can entice to take the bait. Taking a kid fishing is definitely a rewarding experience and if a young kid catches a fish or two they will usually be “hooked” on that great outdoors experience.

Just an observation: the other day I had occasion to visit the local Wal-Mart store whose parking lot sometimes seems to resemble truck stop. As I maneuvered through the lot and turned down a row that had the same-way parking on both sides, a person suddenly turned and started going “against the grain.” I’d guess she just didn’t want to waste any of her valuable time and as she passed by she gave me a look like it was my fault she was going the wrong way. I know we all make mistakes, but I also know most of us are capable of getting through life without yellow lines and arrows to guide our every move. I believe that’s what we refer to as “common sense.” Most of the folks who drive the streets of our fair city are courteous and considerate when it comes to the other guy, but there are always a few that will make life interesting.

In today’s world things sometimes seem to be moving way too fast and I believe it is good to take a little time to slow down and actually enjoy the moment. I’m not saying we should be that guy who goes 15 mph and rides the brake before every intersection, but it would be nice if we could slow down enough to actually enjoy the ride.

I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July. Until next time, enjoy the summer and take advantage of the weather ,but most of all just get out and spend a little time in the great Minnesota outdoors.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

I am so impressed with the quality and quantity of the gardens I see along the way this summer. I want to shout HOORAY! Sorry to say my garden is a few tomatoes planted in containers. I want to do more but sometimes it is hard.

I know I get caught up in these things but the quality of home grown fruits and vegetables is far more of value than "store bought." Thank goodness there are some things available at Farmers Markets.

The cave man was a nutritionist  ahead of his time. His circumstances had him eating berries, nuts and raw vegetation. He may not have known the value these things were back then, but thank goodness they were there for people to eat and enjoy.

Did you know that the heaviest part of the trash we throw away is food and other things that could be used as compost and reused to enrich the soil? Reducing food waste saves money and really does serve a purpose.

It is easy to buy a container of juice, but whole fruit is far better than bottled juice.

I recently read where scientists are studying compounds in bromelain, an enzyme in the pineapple stems, as a potential cancer-fighting agent. What is in that stem that we so often we throw away as it is kind of tough? CCZ stimulates our immune system, which helps kill cancer cells. CCS blocks a protein involved in many cancers. I often use my little electric chopper to grind up the middle of the fruit so I can enjoy that part of the fruit as well.

I have also found out that if I leave out a dish of berries or fruits on the counter instead of a candy dish, it will disappear as the kids will nibble at it as they pass by. Berries deserve a place in our diets because they aid in disease prevention.

Blueberries get high honors because they are a sweet treat loaded with fiber and vitamin C, as well as contain phytonutrients. They can be used in many different ways, including being eaten raw or frozen as a quick treat.

Often overlooked are blackberries. My mother loves them. They are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K. A cup of blackberries has 7 grams of fiber and they are also full of phytonutrients like anthocyanin,

Raspberries, red, black or golden, are high in fiber and vitamin C and are good to eat just as they are, just like popcorn, but they are good in salsas, salads and desserts too.

Strawberries are favored among both children and adults. They are high in folate and vitamin C and can be found year-round in the grocery stores. Kids like the big red berries but the red, shiny, medium-sized berries are usually sweeter and more flavorful than the large ones.

Berries are nutritious, as well as delicious, and can be used in so many different ways. Fruits and berries are as varied in taste as their looks. Sometimes we pass them by because we weren't brought up eating them as they were not as easy to obtain as they are now.

And don't forget the nuts. Though high in calorie count, they are loaded with good stuff that is prime for both your appetite and your health.

I am glad to see companies have gotten the message that people don't want additives and color added, which can contaminate their processed foods.

Summer is also a time we see a great deal of road construction, but this does not make me shout hooray — just the opposite. Road construction is necessary and often confusing and very frustrating. Construction zones are not a place for speeding or hogging more than your share of the road. I realize trucks have to be at a certain place by a certain time but it is a little scary to see some trucks or cars coming at you full speed ahead. I guess we have to remember that once the road construction has been completed, things will be better. Then we can shout - HOORAY!

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.  Also if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me. 

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:

• Thursday, July 9th: Larry Otto, Corey Pence, Mavis Knudtson, Joni Calderon, Lisa Worke, Dale Peterson, Jenny Bunn, Julie & Dean Hunt, Jennifer & David Lageson

• Friday, July 10th:  Kalene Larson, Ethan Green, Brett Dunlap, Sally Hanson Sadden, Suzanne Skroch Larkin, Carley Ray Talamantes, Holly Swearingen, Anna Uetcsh, Todd Borchert, Kym Cameron, Paulette Nelson, Ryan & Amy Crabtree their 8th, Dustin & Jenna Quimby

• Saturday, July 11th: Zoie Marie Jensen, Shirley Wallace Tennant, Nicholas Lee Shultz, Helen Scripture Schubert, Kelly Sauke, Nataniel Lizarazo, Michele Degan Reistad, Rochelle Thompson, Lisa Goodnature Noble, Christopher Olson, Jessica Mangskau, Elaine Peterson, Naomi Hemingway, Randy Borchert, Scott Knutson, Celina & Richard Drecher, David & Bonnie Jensen, Carrie (Thompson) & Danny Wichmann

• Sunday, July 12th: Daniel Christensen, Kimberly Peterson, Rick Pelzl, Daryl Waltz, Herb & Lori Moon

• Monday, July 13th: Megan Elizabeth Nowariak, Audrey Lillian Peterson, Marayah Mae Mortenson, Kolette Lageson Stevenson, Brenda Misgen, Sandra Cerney Collins, Joseph Adrian Parks, Ed Nelson, Cynthia Fuerniss, Dick Larson, Amber Anderson, Jean Johnson, Corey & Danielle Wangsness, Jason & Shannon Peterson

• Tuesday, July 14th: Budach Martin Perry, was born in 2013, Kallen Reed Rasmussen, Gavin Cole Halverson, Sharon Richards Lucas, Annette Hove, Madison Larkin, Dana Simonson, Jeff Kitzer, Jerry Langlie, Lee Cummins, Shane Davis, Peter Kasper, Roger Swearingen, Bethany & Ashley Ashton

• Wednesday, July 15th: Nathan Daniel Wayne, Nathan Joseph Bauers, Levi Peterson, McCoy LaVerne Schwierjohann, Thad Aaseth, Judd Aaseth, Stacy Seath Tempel, Lacinda Jensen, Vicki Utpadel Knudson, David & Kim Killian

• Thursday, July 16th: Sue Stieglbauer, Hudson Mrotz, Kyle Ladlie, Jeff Helmers, Nancy Wilder, Kenny & Sarah Price, Dave & Deb Oeltjenbruns

• Friday, July 17th: Kaylee Christine Hanson, Merton Nelson, Ralph Diaz, Sandi Vangen, Victor Christenson, Larry Molenaar, Leslie Schwartz, Lisa & Bob Wayne, Kristine (Simon) & David Freitas

• Saturday, July 18th: Anika Christine McDonald, Nancy Anderson, Matthew DeShane, Katie Dobberstein, Michael Graif, Luke Rye, Roger & Betty Davies, Mark & Mandy Boehme

Wishing that each day is happier than the one before!