If there is a word for Minnesota, it might be weather – it’s unpredictable. I suppose in reality you could add many more: cold, windy, bright, dull, etc. Minnesota weather: if you don't like it, stick around – it will change!

After our Thanksgiving meal levels off, we can sit back and think about all the things the past year has brought us, both good and bad.

It isn't surprising that our country has increasingly high obesity rates.  All our celebrations and special occasions seem to center around food, and the temptation gets the better of us. Sad to say it is really an excuse, because what we overeat in that day isn't the culprit; it’s all the days we overeat in.

It is interesting to pick up almost any magazine and you will see it has big, big letters on the front in regards to cutting calories, losing body fat, etc. Good attention getter, encouraging people to buy.  Then while looking inside one will find pages of good habits and ways one can eat that will slim you down. Plastered on the next page are the pictures of succulent foods made with all the stuff that made grandmother’s food so good: cream, butter, sugars and such. Oh, we are such hypocrites.  Hurrah for those who stick to a "tease taste" and come away from the table feeling fine. 

So then it is onward and upward to Christmas. For many it has been a good excuse to put out their finest array of lights, flowers, and evergreens, indeed making it the prettiest time of the year. I am glad people enjoy sharing their Christmas decorations with others. It is also a good time to bring out the old Christmas songs and artists like Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole and so on. And before the kids start rolling their eyes at the tradition, advise them to really listen to the words and to the music.

There are health benefits too. Music can lower your blood pressure 26% by triggering the release of brain chemicals that ease tension and improve blood flow. Music can reduce aches and pains by 21% by distracting you from discomfort and help you fall asleep faster by calming your nervous system. 

From the sound of things you can almost buy gifts for the multitude and almost for free if you are willing to stand in line at absurdly early hours in the morning to take advantage of those "killer" bargains on Black Friday. And if you have the right cell phone or camera you can compare store prices by reading the bar code. That takes someone smarter or more ambitious than me.

At any rate, there are more things to Christmas to bring joy and good will. My girls are already planning their cookie-baking day, an event as much fun as Christmas Day. The flour may fly and the sparkles shine, but the girls and the granddaughters do so enjoy their day in my kitchen.

It is a special thing for me. When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I delayed the operation because I didn't have my Christmas cookies baked. My daughters came home and we spent the weekend baking cookies and then delivered a great number of plates of cookies to family and friends. We were so busy we didn't have time to think about tomorrow. We laughed and enjoyed our time together and later the thanks from so many. Unforgettable: Mrs. Chris Hammerholt. She was so thankful and appreciative and marveled at the "gift." The gift was ours. Anything that comes from the heart fills the heart of the giver.

Christmas will soon be upon us with more special efforts and care for the people we love. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I feel we have an unbelievable area of people who are incredibly kind.  Everyone feels like family. They are. They share. They creatively think of things to enhance the world we live in, including children who do great things. 

Giving a gift of yourself is the nicest gift anyone can receive, whether its taking extra time reading a special story, singing a song, attending special functions or events, visiting shut-ins, or sending a letter. Yes, postage is up but where can you get more for your money, especially if you take the time to write, even a little bit, and not just sign our name? (It doesn't cost any more if you write a short note) People will know you're thinking of them and it can be done early before the Christmas rush starts. They don't all have to be done at the same time.

My sister always decorates the largest tree in the most extravagant way. Sounds like work when you're just two people and work everyday. It is her way of reliving every Christmas as she puts each bulb or ornament on the tree, as it holds a special memory of the days of her life. She even thought one Christmas that maybe she shouldn't bother to put up her tree, but later couldn't help herself.  Imagine her surprise when one of her neighbors commented how her children looked forward to seeing her beautiful 20-foot Christmas tree decorated and lit when they went by.

Christmas Eve has always had its special moments. My cousin, Barbara, was born on Christmas Eve and has always been special to me.

My mother remembers the things her parents did to make Christmas special for them, when times didn't always dictate big, expensive gifts. My Grandpa made wooden toys and Grandma sewed special things and found "dime store" goods that wouldn't be just a dime today. 

And I remember my Grandma Hanson telling about when she was a kid and the live tree was decorated on Christmas Eve and unveiled on Christmas morning when the big double doors to the living room, which were usually closed to save heat, were opened up.

I will always cherish the story and lesson she told of when she and her siblings hung their Christmas stocking in hopes of getting a special gift. She told how she found an orange in her Christmas stocking, so she decided to try again the next night. When she checked her stocking the next morning she found an apple. The third time wasn't so good; it was the skeleton of bones from the fish they had had for supper the night before!

Remembering rural school programs was another favorite memory my Grandmother shared. Can you remember what you were taught to recite for your school programs? The stage back then was formed using a wire strung from one side to the other of the one room schoolhouse. Sheets were often used for "drapes" and if lighting wasn't available, daylight had to do. They practiced every day and then it was time for the program before the Christmas holiday, which was followed with about two weeks of vacation time. 

Take time to think about your favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday memories and the most memorable gift you were ever given.

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, November 13th: Geoffrey Nelson. Abbey Louise Titus, Bill Johnson, Jeffrey Nelson, Diane Brighton, Earl & Janis Klinger, Steve & Pennie Ladlie

• Friday, November 14th: Brickyn Moen, Cassandra Hill, Dakota Tracy, Kaye Larson Allen, Jill Ottesen Kehne, Gloria Tufte Keehn, Dawn Farr, Brandon Grunwald

• Saturday, November 15th: Eli Fussy, Sydney Ann Collins, Greg Riley, John Flor Jr., Daniel Mucha, Lee Waage, Cynthia Callahan, Jacob Douglas Bell,

• Sunday, November 16th: Ross Sletten, Asa Daniel Russell Johnson, Matthew Marcus, Betty Brandt, Ronald Johnson, Fred Schmidt, Miranda Dubois

• Monday, November 17th: Eli James Lutgens, Presley Ann Broskoff, Brynn Routh, 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

• Tuesday, November 18th: Edrea Marae Kubista, Toni Wayne Smith, LeRoy Peterson, Kim Lehmberg, Ernest Anderson, Paul Groth, Allen Schewe, Gordy & Karol Carroll

• Wednesday, November 19th: Sidney Ellen Schultz, Kolby Dale Boverhuis, Deb Schmidt, Leah Scott, Roger Dulas, Jennifer Kycek, Chanelle McCamish, Darrin Peterson, Mandi Wobschall, William Conley, LaShawn & Gretchen Ray, Jeff & Julie Cornelius

May God bless you with a beautiful year to enjoy!

The shift from autumn to winter is creeping steadily closer to reality with the changing temperatures and the occasional threat of snow looming in the forecast. The onset of winter can have some good sides to it like the opportunity for some “hard water” fishing. This is something that many of us look forward to and for the most part the early ice-over can be the best time for ice fishing. The low water levels that are once again prevalent in our area lakes concern me when it comes to Pickeral and Albert Lea Lakes. With no water flowing over the dam between Fountain and Albert Lea Lakes this could signal another freeze out for that lake. Hopefully it doesn’t happen but it could be cause for concern.

The firearms deer hunting season is in full swing and there seems to be a fairly good number of deer in our area. Hopefully the area hunters do well and all of them have a safe hunt. Hunting is a great sport and whether you are a deer hunter, pheasant hunter or waterfowl hunter there is WMA land for hunters to use. We in Freeborn County are particularly lucky because there are 11 wildlife management areas for public use.

Small game hunting is a great way to introduce our youth to the sport of hunting, something that can last a lifetime. Our Minnesota outdoors heritage is based on hunting and fishing and without our youth involved these sports as we know them today may eventually change, and not for the better. We need to ensure that these sports will be there for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

I have written many times about hunting the slough north of town with my trusty Red Ryder BB gun and although it wasn’t a “real” gun I treated it as one and when I finally moved on to a .22 and a .410 I already had safety awareness. My gun training was learned by hearing “never point a gun at anyone” or “always point your gun towards the ground when walking or when climbing over a fence”.  Now the fence thing wasn’t fool proof so I learned to set the gun on the other side of the fence that I was climbing over.

While exercising hunting rights in the woods and fields appeals to many people, with it comes some responsibility, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. That includes ethical hunting practices, respecting the resource and passing on core values to preserve Minnesota’s hunting heritage for the next generation.

“The time shared between a youngster and a mentor is invaluable,” said Col. Ken Soring, DNR Enforcement Division director. “There simply is no better way to introduce a young person to safe, ethical and responsible aspects of hunting than with the close supervision of an adult mentor.”

A past president and current treasurer of the local Des Moines Valley chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, Cody Duroe, Jeffers, Minnesota, is a 47-year-old who has been hunting since he was a teen. His father was not a hunter so he learned through friends. He knows the importance of mentoring.

“My 12-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son take turns sitting with me with a 20-gauge shotgun in one of our deer blinds,” Duroe said. “It’s a great opportunity to teach hunter core values to preserve Minnesota’s hunting heritage for the next generation.”

Duroe’s children receive several lessons while taking in the sights, sounds and smells of fall.

Once the firearms deer season is over the public land will be a great place to hunt for rabbit or squirrel. You may hunt rabbit and squirrel right up until the 28th of February. This is a good way to start a youth out and it doesn’t require anything more than a .22 or .410 for a kid to enjoy the outdoors and learn about the sport of hunting. I am still curious as to why there is such a shortage of .22 ammo in the stores these days. You almost have to know someone that works in a sporting goods store in order to get your hands on a couple of boxes of shells.

Speaking of squirrels, as I sit here writing this column I am staring out the upstairs window at a squirrel sitting on a branch chewing on what looks like a walnut. We do have our share of squirrels in the neighborhood and each evening as I arrive home I manage to scare a pair of rabbits that seem to have taken up residence in our yard. To me this is a good thing because I have always enjoyed watching wildlife and even though these critters are “city dwellers” they are still entertaining to watch.

Until next time, get outdoors and enjoy the fall before the snow begins to fly.

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

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

Top of the morning to you.

And the rest of the day to you.

Is today Thursday or Friday?

I couldn’t say. I’m from out of town.

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: anyone can start a marathon.

Ask Al

"When is the best time to save money?" When you have some. Will Rogers said, "The time to save is now. When a dog gets a bone, he doesn’t go out and make a down payment on a bigger bone. He buries the one he’s got."

"What state does the Mississippi River end in?" A liquid state.

"If it takes one man four days to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build the same wall?" It would take no time at all. The wall was already built by the one guy.

"Do you ever suffer from writer's block?" I'm not sure if any other writers live on my block. Why should I get writer's block? My father never had farmer’s block.

Swedes are also another name for rutabagas

I offered a handshake and a howdy. 

The woman said, "Sit down, sit down, sit down."

She was welcoming, but I looked for two other people who might have entered the room with me.

Her husband greeted me. He’d just come in from outside and was wearing earmuffs that looked like hamburger buns. His wife brought a snack for us. He kidded that she wasn't much of a cook. He said that she was asked to bring the toothpicks for the church potluck.

"Do you have any Swedish blood?" the man asked.

I told him that my Grandma Cook, nee Sundstrom, came from Sweden.

"Let me tell you something about Swedes," he said.

"Here we go," I thought. 

He continued, "Nicest people I've ever encountered."

Phew.

The woman brought out the family Bible to show me some of her Swedish ancestry. Her grip loosened and her entire family tumbled to the floor.

Continuing education

I listened to Doug Duncan, chief economist with Fannie Mae, speak in Mankato. Duncan grew up on a dairy farm near Fergus Falls. His father was fond of saying, "If you're going to have a good crop in October, the tractor has to start in March."

Duncan lives in Cape Coral, Florida, where so many Baby Boomers have retired to, that his children refer to the place as “God’s waiting room.”

Duncan said that homeownership peaks in people in their mid 60s. More young adults are living at home with their parents than ever before. Both sides see the downside of that situation. Duncan isn’t a proponent of the self-esteem moment, saying that U.S. students are 29th in the world in math, but are number one in feeling good about it.

He talked to a landlord in San Jose, California, who said that renters are commonly charged pet fees.

Duncan said that economists have three rules of forecasting. If you give a number, don't give a date. If you give a date, don't give a number. If you get it right, don't look surprised.

Raise a leg in memory

I ate breakfast at Mi Casa in Juneau, Alaska. There was a lovely wood carving of an owl near the cash register. A sign indicated that it was dedicated to the memory of Sapo, a previous owner’s dog, a Shih Tzu. The carving of the raptor had been on the floor during Sapo’s lifetime. Each day, Sapo raised a leg on the owl. When the dog died, the owner, despite claiming to dislike Sapo, had the carving spruced up and made into a memorial.

The Nation’s Capital

After speaking in Washington, D.C., I searched the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for a family member who died there, hoping that I’d be unable to locate it and he’d still be alive. I found his name on the Wall. 

I must have looked like a tour guide as a couple questioned me about a monument. I told them that I was from Minnesota. "I’m sorry," they said in unison. Someone asked if there was a law that the White House must be white. A child whined, "Couldn’t we see this online?"

Nature notes

"Why do robins stay here in winter?" Robins can tolerate cold temperatures if food is abundant and snow isn’t too deep. Robins persist until food supplies are exhausted, then move on. The advantage to condensed migrations is that robins have shorter distances to travel to breeding territories in the spring. 

Meeting adjourned

If you want to be great, be kind.

The scurs were right to be concerned about the Weather Eye’s unusual noises last week. It meant a major cool down was on the way. Will the thermostat stay stuck open or will we catch a break? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny with a slight chance of snow. Highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the low teens. Thursday, mostly cloudy with highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the mid-single digits. Mostly sunny Friday with highs in the low 20’s and lows around 10. Saturday, mostly cloudy and warmer with a moderate chance of snow. Highs in the upper 20’s with lows around 5. Partly sunny for Sunday and colder. Highs in the upper teens and lows in the upper single digits. Monday, mostly sunny and slightly warmer. Highs near 20 with lows in the upper single digits. Mostly sunny on Tuesday with highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the low teens. The normal high for November 15th is 42 and the normal low is 25. The scurs are thinking they should flush the Bar’s Stop Leak out of the heater core. 

With an increased sense of urgency, farming largely shifted gears last week with fall tillage and anhydrous ammonia being applied in most quarters. Manure applicators were also busy as witnessed by the pungent aroma clearing nostrils across much of the area if the wind direction happened to be right. If weather forecasts are correct some of this activity will come to a screeching halt once the ground freezes up for the season. Tiling will continue for a while longer but again there are limits even though the equipment nowadays can pull tile plows and trench through some formidable frost. There are still some fields of corn left to harvest here and there though. Luckily we dodged the bullet of the snowstorm that went to the north. The ten-man dryer continues to roar in Bugtussle although the days of that too are numbered. One of the cool days last week when snow was predicted, there were what appeared to be flakes floating as I opened the pickup door. False alarm: Just pink bees wings from Bugtussle’s own ten-man dryer. 

It looks like gardening is officially done at the ranch. Monday night a quick foray into the garden led to grabbing the winter radishes as well as the last of the spring types planted in late summer. While the quantity wasn’t what we’ve come to expect the quality was superb. Like the carrots, the radishes are sweet yet they pack a subtle punch to complement the sweetness. All in all the garden and small orchard were a success. Even though we don’t can, in addition to carrots and radishes there are plenty of squash, potatoes and apples to savor over the upcoming months.

The day is drawing nigh when barn cleaning at the ranch will commence. First though the tractor needed some work. The solenoid, the starter button and the ground cable were replaced. By the appearance of the red paint on the parts they were original. Once replaced the International 263 six took off like a champ. After 43 years I could only shake my head and marvel. They just don’t make stuff like they used to.

In the yard at the ranch we’ve pretty much given up on mowing the road cut one last time. That’s fine as there just weren’t enough good days to allow it to happen. The little solar lights that have graced our patio all summer are reflecting the shortening days and the cloudy November weather. Seldom do they stay lit much past 8 o’clock.

The birds and squirrels really don’t seem to care. The squirrels are content to munch the hearts out of the corn kernels and clean up under the sunflower feeders. Some goldfinches have returned and expect if snowfall begins to mount, we’ll see more of them. Colder weather meant the nectar feeders needed to be taken in and replaced by an additional suet feeder. The cold has brought additional activity from the woodpeckers. The most faithful of our feathered friends though have been the blue jays. Some don’t like them as they can be mean to the other birds. Here however they seem to just do their own thing in addition to adding color to a suddenly gray landscape. 

Road construction in Bugtussle seems to have lasted an eternity. Actually it’s only been since mid-July but it just never seems to be completed. We haven’t had to worry about communication because it’s been nonexistent. Luckily, if there were any assassins after me they’d have a rough time as it’s seldom that I’ve been able to get into the Mall for Men the same way two days in a row. The daily shell game of cones, barricades and construction equipment parked willy-nilly on the streets has taken its toll. Oh well, just as the fieldwork is coming to an end due to the cold weather, pouring concrete and laying asphalt that should’ve been done over a month ago has ceased.

The icy roads and snowfall issued a wakeup call across all of Minnesota on Monday and Tuesday. Mrs. Cheviot found that out on U.S. 14 the other day. Luckily she was paying attention to the rapidly deteriorating conditions on the bridge deck and made a nice recovery when the car began to fishtail. Not surprised particularly with all the diddling around people do on their cell phones while driving that there were as many accidents as there were though. Regardless of the reason for the accidents it’s winter and driving accordingly is on order. Time to listen to Roadhouse Blues methinks. Using hands free of course.

See you next week…real good then.

I found myself in the midst of a bizarre scene at parent-teacher conferences for Anton this past week. I stood outside his classroom with Michelle, two teachers, and another parent. I was the only one who was NOT a graduate of the local school system.

I’m sure many school districts have plenty of alumni that come back to or remain in the area. Still, I’ve always found that if you graduated from NRHEG or NR-H or E-G, there seems a good chance you’re around here. In so many ways, this stands to be a positive for our towns.

First off, I can say that as an outsider, I was welcomed right away when I moved here. Some towns can’t claim that. My hometown of New Ulm, at least in the past, was sometimes known as being wary of people not of German descent; maybe that was because of how strongly German New Ulm’s culture has always been steeped.

I got lots of advice from veteran teachers when I started. Part of that was starting to meet and understand some of the families that spread their roots deeply through the area. Many of these families form such a solid base in our towns that it only helps keep our communities firm.

I always find it fun to read the history parts of our local paper, both to see the pictures and to read about what happened 25 or more years ago. It’s interesting to see names of people who are still here and what they accomplished all those years back.

I used to think it would be a very long time before I worried about teaching children of former students. However, the fact that I taught seniors at the beginning of my career before becoming full time in the middle school led to that timeframe being moved up. This is my fourth year of having at least one child of a former student. Mr. Cyr would probably say that’s not so much of an accomplishment as it is a sign of longevity.

It was a tad bizarre my first year of realizing I was in that stage of my career. It’s hard not to remember back on the parent in my classroom. Naturally, the child wants to know about the parent’s performance in my class; luckily, I still have all my gradebooks from over the years! I used to wonder why I kept those – now I know!

Every child dreads to hear, “You’re just like your mother/father!” They don’t even want to hear it if it’s said in a positive vein! While we all inevitably become at least somewhat like our parents, teenagers try to put it off as long as they can. But just like teachers can often start to see things better after meeting a parent and understanding why the child is the way he or she is (again, positively or negatively), there’s a built-in advantage to having spent that much time teaching the parent!

Another aspect of this longevity is just how many alumni work at our schools. I’m sure I’d miss some if I tried to list them all, but there are some notable former students of mine that I’m peers with now. Mr. Berg and I have taught together for a decade after having him in senior English way back in the day. It was a little strange to start, since that was my first real teaching experience with a former star.

My son had the possibility of having Mrs. Holland as a teacher as he went through early elementary, and that would have been a very intriguing situation. I had Erin as both a student and a basketball player, and it would have been a different sort of parent-teacher conference indeed if my former student had taught my child! It didn’t work out that way, but I know it’s good to have her in our district.

And now I’m at another of those “never would have thunk it” moments. I’ve rejoined the junior high basketball coaching ranks after some years away. As part of this, I’m under the direction of our new varsity coach, Onika Peterson. Onika also was a student and basketball player for me, and now she’s my boss! I guess they’re right when they say that you should be nice to everyone since you never know who might be in charge of you some day!

Gary Nordlie told me once that when grandchildren of students you had start rolling into your classroom that it’s time to retire. I hope it doesn’t get to that point, but based on how many people stay here, knowing it’s a great set of communities, it’s always a possibility. I can hear it now: “You’re just like your grandma/grandpa!”

Word of the Week: This week’s word is Bohemian, which means leading a wandering lifestyle, as in, “He started his twenties with a Bohemian life before returning home to his roots to start a family.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

Awards were presented at the NRHEG fall athletic ceremony on Monday, Nov. 3. They were, by sport:

Football

• Most Valuable Player: Spencer Tollefson

• Most Valuable Offense: Trevor Tracy

• Most Valuable Defense: Nick Bartness

• Most Valuable Lineman: Zeke Erickson

Carlie kicks off college hoops career Friday

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

High school is history for Carlie Wagner.

A new chapter begins Friday, Nov. 14 on the court where she captured so much glory last March: Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

The freshman phenom from New Richland will begin her college basketball career as the Minnesota Golden Gophers face Southwest Louisiana at 7 p.m.

Wagner, of course needs no introduction around here. The 2014 NRHEG High School graduate grew to legendary proportions while leading the Panthers to three consecutive state tournaments and the last two state championships. She could have attended virtually any college in the country but picked Minnesota, mostly to stay close to family.

Committee hopes for more commodity donations

By GAIL SCHMIDT

New Richland Area Foundation

As we near the end of 2014, it reminds me that this is a good time for me to update everyone on the activity of the New Richland Area Foundation. 

This year, through the NRAF Fund, the NRAF Grants Committee was able to grant $15,000 to seven different grant recipients in April. These grant dollars available are a result of approximately 5% of the interest income from the NRAF Fund of $426,000. The Grants Committee received eigh applications totaling $35,382. The committee carefully reviewed each and every one in order to meet the grant guidelines and yet assist in fulfilling the needs of the NRHEG Public Schools and the City of New Richland. The grants were presented at a NRHEG School Board Meeting and a City Council Meeting as well as announced at the NR Farm & City Days pancake breakfast.

Sharon Ann Johnson, 71, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL passed away on October 13, 2014.

She was born November 2, 1942 in Waseca, MN to Verle and Lucille Hansen. She grew up on the family farm in New Richland, MN and earned a degree in Elementary Education from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1964, where she sang in the Gustavus Concert Choir.

Christine Espeland, 53, went to Heaven early Sunday morning on November 2, 2014, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She died on All Saints Sunday as a tribute to her strong Christian faith.

Christine was born Christmas day in 1960 to Steven and Agnes Kubicek in Owatonna, MN. She had two brothers and a sister. Chris went to high school in Ellendale, MN where she was involved with the band and was a majorette. She attended college in Winona, MN.

Christine married her high school sweetheart Wayne in 1980. They moved to Arizona with their daughter (Rachael) in 1983. After calling Arizona home, they had two more children Ranae and Robyn. They have lived in Cottonwood since 1986.