Old Man River

On Saturday November 5th, 2010 Carol and I were on our 50th birthday trip. We went down to Winona, Minnesota. Our first full day there we went shopping for some things we needed. Carol needed yellow material. There was no Michael's or JoAnn's to be found on the GPS for Winona area... but hey, there was a CINDERELLA craft supply shop. When we found the only purple building on Mankato street we knew we were there! We walked in and could smell the faint smell of a cow barn? Everything you would have ever needed was there (except of course the color of yellow that Carol was looking for). We did meet up with the lady who owned the shop. She has lived in Winona for 50 years and has owned the "CINDERELLA" for 25 years. She said it is more of a hobby now -giving her something to do. WEll, if you could have seen her sweet face and heard her voice you would have found a few things to buy quick also. We couldn't walk out of there with out dropping a little cash on her hobby farm! So, we made a purchase and headed to downtown Winona. While shopping downtown Winona we found a little flower shop called Nola's. We stopped outside and took a picture of her sign and then went in to see the shop and meet Ms. Nola! She was a friendly lady telling me all about her name. Her mom is 91 years old and still as smart as a tack. She named her 4 daughters all names that went together: Nola Faye, Debrah Kay (I can't remember the rest I need to contact her so I can get them down as it was so clever!). She said she also had a mean brother named Charles Noel. As we were talking with her we told her what we were doing and she said "Oh! you girls need to go over to Lacrosse, I call it my little LA!, it is only about 30 miles down the road and then you cross the bridge and all the wonderful shops are right there!" ......Well, Carol and I could not miss out on this! If Nola Faye thought it was something we needed to do - we were going to do it!!! ......On our way to Lacrosse Wisconsin... we discovered a bridge - surely that couldn't be the bridge she was talking about... we couldn't go over that! It was about 17 miles long and hanging straight over the Mighty Mississippi River!
River (what in the world was holding all those miles of bridge up?) ......The bridge we saw was to our LEFT, we drove ahead a little and saw another smaller bridge - hey, maybe we could handle that one... but, what if there was more? We pulled into a gas station to our RIGHT to go in and ask ... "if we want to get Lacrosse, Wisconsin do we need to cross over a bridge?"
..."Yes, there is one bridge (she pointed to the small bridge going over a small body of water) and then you will go over another bridge and there it is." ......oh, that simple ?? "Is it the same size as the "blue bridge" we saw a ways back?"
..."Yes, it goes over the same river, it is the same size." ......"well, I don't think we want to risk our lives just to say we went to Lacrosse, Wisconsin!"
..."It's a new bridge, I don't think you would be "risking your life!" ......"well, you see my friend is driving and when she looks over the edges into that mighty Mississippi from over here she looses her scruples, her legs paralyze, and she has a hot flash..."
..."It used to be a metal bridge with grates all across it and when I was a little girl driving over that bridge with my parents I was scared, but I really think you will be fine." Smiling she tells me this, getting her money from the ATM machine.
......I go out to the jeep - tell Carol what I have found out.
We make a big turn and head back to Winona, Minnesota.
With the mighty Mississippi to our RIGHT ...and the gas station in our rear view mirror, ......singing "Old man river, that ole man river, we just keep rolling, we keep on rolling along."

Dreamin'... another story!

Conner was talking with his momma. He asked her when he would be "older again". She told him that he wouldn't have another birthday for about a year and then he would be four. Looking not the happiest he then asked his momma when he would be "older". She asked "how old do you want to be?" after thinking for a bit...
"I would like to be 16 and if I can't be 16 then 15"
Momma said "why do you want to be 15?"
and in his 3 year old almost 15 year old voice he answered...
"I would like to be bigger and older than Jaci Anna!"
Well, what can a momma say?
...she held him and smiled and just let him keep right on a dreamin' about someday being bigger and older than his sister.

MALASKA a laughing story!

When Conner D was last at our house he was reading the phone book... then he found a National Geographic. He sat on my lap and we looked at all the beautiful pictures together. He became quite fascinated with an article about the polar bears in Alaska. As we were looking at the pictures I told Conner a wonderful story about the polar bears.
...Conner D left Foley and went to Alaska to search for polar bears. While he was searching he found him self a wife and her name was Elizabeth. Together they searched, and took pictures of all the different bears they found in the cold land of Alaska. They had two children. A little boy named Oscar and a little girl named Olivia. Together they were a family looking for polar bears. One day Conner D. decided he missed his family in Foley - especially his big sister JaciAnna who was still older than him...(this is another story!). So back to Foley he went, taking his beautiful wife and children with him. They brought two polar bears back to Minnesota with them, their names were Lilly and Paco. Soon they found Foley to be to small for their big bears so they moved them to their own home in St. Paul at the Minnesota Zoo.
...as I was telling this sweet little boy on my lap the story, I would change my voice and start laughing... trying to make the story more fun. He would then put his hand to his mouth and laugh also - he was enjoying the fun that I was having in telling him this great fabricated story!
...when the story was done
...Conner D looked at me with the sweetest smile and said...
"GRANDMA, YOU'RE WEIRD!"
We laughed so hard!
Then two weeks later Conner called me and he still remembered the story of the polar bears in Alaska. He was telling me that he and his daddy were singing "North to MALASKA!" as he told me he was laughing. He also told me that his daddy made PASGETTI and round meatballs for supper... and he laughed some more.
I laughed and laughed and on the other end of the phone I could hear my little boy
enjoying my fun!!
P.S. - When God hears His children laugh... He smiles!

Harvest fest

And so I was thinking... I know, it is scary - but my mind gets to wondering as I try to figure out how things happened the way they did. ...It brings me to Halloween - which is the day before "All Saints day". It was a pagan day in which they would carve out pumpkins in scary faces and light them to keep away the evil spirits. All kinds of weird things... ghosts and goblins, witches and vampires... then there came the "tricks and treats" part - where in the world that came in I don't know. Now all of a sudden it is a big day for retailers. It is a bigger day than valentines day or Christmas as far as candy sales go. They sell lights, decorations, costumes, candy, whatever you would want you can get starting in August.
... I love the idea of kids dressing up, really, anyone getting to dress up for that matter. Be someone they want to be for a day. So why can't we just change this whole day? Lets set the rules ourselves and not let the retailers tell us what to do!
... My vote:
...September 30th, from 5:00 - 9:00
...Everyone dress up as they want to and walk the streets, knocking on peoples doors - say "hello, I am _______ and I would like a treat! Thanks!
...Start decorating the week before, carving pumpkins, setting out gourds putting up lights what ever you want... it is our day now - not the retailers! Put out some hay bales and a couple of corn shocks, a scarecrow or two. Leave it up as long as you want to - fall is a long season not just a day like halloween.
...lets just say for one year just to do fun things... no ghosts and goblins, devils or vampires. But, dress up as whoever or whatever you want, so no one knows you!
Okay - I am starting to feel better now...
Just knowing that the choice is really ours to do with it as we want to...
...Wont the retailers be surprised when all of their lights sell, all of their candy, their fall decorations etc... every last one will be gone...
- - but, there on the shelf will set all of the "scary" stuff - as we have decided to take halloween and change the whole darn thing! We will be all done celebrating the harvest by the time you realize what is going on Mr. Walmart, Ms. Target. WE are having fun -hope you will get on board next year!!
P.S. If you have any skeletons for our little ones - we are NOT buying them - send them to china or where ever they came from and pack up the bottled water too!
Thank-you!
Sincerely,
The Harvest fest steering committee.

Skully!

Along with the dress shopping girls week-end... came the "guys" fish fry at our house... ...First, we all got to go out to a farm and see Chris Lillenthals "Exotic Animals" after the dress shopping. He had Emu's, llamas (llama llama red pajamas!), kangaroo's, wallaby's and different kinds of birds. I was very thank-ful to Chris for sharing his knowledge and love for these animals with us all!
...Second, Mr. Tim Berger brought Skully over for a little visit. Skully is Tim's parrot, his friend! All the girls were skirmish not quite wanting Skully to be to close, they wanted Tim to just hold him so they could look. And then came Conner D...
...He would be brave and let Skully set on his shoulder! It lasted for about 5 seconds so thank-goodness someone had the camera ready! There was lots of laughter as he let the bird on his shoulder and then suddenly needed his mother!
...Third, came the frying of the fish! Curt was the main fryer and WOW! was it ever good! Curt, myself, mom, Jeff,Ann, Emily, Chris, JaciAnna, Conner D, Lindsey, Lacey, Krzysztof, NolaJean, Robin, Al, Brittany, Dylan, Miranda (Carol and Du were at a wedding, Jeremy was hunting) and Tim came to help us eat up all of Curts great fall fishing! We had lettuce salad, potato salad, raspberry brownies, banana bars, fresh bakery buns, beans, and did I mention FISH?
...First, I give thanks to our God for all of His many Blessings! For being with friends and family and enjoying the Love between us all.
...Second, I give thanks for people like Tim B., and Chris L., for sharing their animals with those of us that love them, but not for very long periods of time!
...Third, I give thanks for little boys willing to try something new even when all of those around him are afraid...
......and for momma's ready to be there when the braveness turns to fear. And that momma holds you until everything is well with your soul!
Thank You Jesus for this wonderful week-end!

Angels Dancing

My whole family came home on October 23rd for a day of dress shopping. Lindsey is getting married in April. Emily, JaciAnna, Lacey and Anna are in the wedding. Everyone gathered in the car and went to NewUlm to the store "Sisters" (which I thought was quite fitting). We were treated like Royalty and everyone found a dress they liked! JaciAnna was a wonderfully behaved flower girl who chose not to try on anything. It was jokingly asked if they had a white jogging suite she could wear! What a fun time everyone had! All dresses ordered and down payments made by 11:00! - We loaded up the girls and drove to the Dairy Queen in Winthrop and had a bite to eat together... all of us were laughing and reminiscing. These moments come so far and few between that you must grab a hold of them and remember the details. I remember...
girls, laughing and talking
dresses, beautiful dresses for a wonderful day!
JaciAnna, my first born grandchild - perfectly content being with all of us girls.
polite workers at "Sisters" and the "Dairy Queen"...
and most of all... LOVE. There was so much love in the air that I could feel the Angels Dancing!

A circle of love.

My favorite Aunt on my mothers side is by far Shirley. My wonderful mom has one sister and her name is Shirley! I have many fond memories through the years of the "ranch" in Willow Lake South Dakota. It is where my mom and Shirley were born and raised. My mom ventured off to Sioux falls, SD to work and Shirley stayed on and married her high school sweetheart. They made their home on a peaceful little acreage right outside the Willow Lake (population 321 - before mom left) city limits. I remember them having horses and always some kind of animals outside and fore sure a dog in the house! The house being full of hospitality and love.
...My Aunt cared for my grandma allowing her 9 more years to live independently in an apartment - even though eye disease had taken almost all of grams site. Shirley was a big part of grams life... taking her meals, setting up house cleaning, taking her to buy groceries, to church, to Minnesota, and assisting her in daily living. It was as if Shirley and Grams came full circle, Shirley being able to help grams as grams had helped her. Grams just moved into a nursing home in Bryant in 2008. She is doing well there also but I am thank-ful she had all those years on her own.... ....As of lately anytime you venture to the Ranch you will usually find Shirley nursing some stray cat and her kittens. On September 26th, 2010 we went to Willow Lake to celebrate my gram-mas 97th birthday... Shirley was again busy with a new litter of kitties that they found under a shed... their momma had left them and they were cold and hungry. Every day she takes a dropper and some kitten milk (that she get from the veterinary clinic) and goes out and sits with the kitties feeding each one by hand. She also lovingly built them an incubator so they would be warm and feel at home when she wasn't there. Before she backs out the car the kittens are safe....
....I wonder if that momma kitty knew that Shirley would find her kitties and take care of them? Knew that she would get them food, find them a warm home, and help them to grow? Until they were able to come full circle and have a life of their own.
It seems my Aunt Shirley's life has a common thread....
....helping people (and animals) close the ends of their circle!