By Rachel Barduson It was the winter of 1966 that dad brought home a flying saucer for my sister and I. It was the newest thing in “sliding” – as in sliding down our hill in the pasture. It was a round disc, made of shiny, sleek aluminum, and could go down a snow-covered hill faster than the ancient and traditional toboggan sled that stood next to the house. Maybe dad caught us using the shovel (not a snow shovel – just your one farm shovel of the era) as we tried to use it a

By Cheryl (Rostad) Barry of Underwood Prior to a knee replacement in 2018, I purchased a cane at a local thrift store. After surgery I went to a rehab facility for a few days. I was required to label my belongings, including my cane. Fast forward to 2025, I had my other knee replaced. On occasion I used my cane for added support. In July, I visited my brother in Kodiak, Alaska. On my return trip, I had a six-hour layover in Anchorage. To bide my time I read, made phone calls,

By Jan Stadtherr I’m very thankful that I don’t have to learn English again! When my husband and I took a river cruise a few years ago, we visited the countries of the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Hungary. I was amazed how many of the citizens of these countries spoke English fairly well. There were many sighs of relief when we were able to converse with them as we didn’t know their languages. But they know ours, at least to a point that we could converse. There are ove

Today’s Wisdom: A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. –David Brinkley By Bill D. Ward I recently got to spend some time catching up with a bunch of college friends and roommates. Some I hadn’t seen in 53 years. A lot had happened in everyone’s lives since the early ‘70s. There was no shortage of stories of the old days. Some were familiar because I was there. Others were new to me. Thankfully I had been elsewhere the

By Tim King “You can’t go home.” That’s what Mike Tuomala told me a half a century ago. Mr. Tuomala was my supervisor on a 10 day U.S. Forest Service job in the late summer of 1971. We spent our days in the deeply physical work of clearing and repairing portage trails in the Boundary Waters. Mr. Tuomala taught me, and two other young fellows, how to lay a stepping stone staircase on the down-hill slope of a forest trail so that it prevented erosion and so it looked as though

By Nancy Leasman We’ve had a house guest for nearly three weeks. One whom we’ve never seen. She’s been reclusive, elusive and stealthy. She’s left signs of her passing but has spoken not one word. Child #7 and her fiancé live in St. Paul. They have two cats. Then a third one appeared outside their patio door. They fed it. As the weather turned cold, they took pity on it. They made a shelter but she refused it. One cold morning, they brought her in. That process wasn’t without

By Gwen Hanzlik of Dassel The storm arrived like a door slammed by winter itself — sudden, unannounced, unforgettable. In February of 1972, the snow didn’t fall so much as it claimed territory. Towns across central Minnesota and the surrounding counties found themselves paused inside the same white silence. The roads disappeared first. Then the familiar sounds of engines, school bells, and daily errands all faded into muffled waiting. What remains now are not weather charts,

By Jim Palmer I am writing this on Jan. 24 --  also referred to as “Blue Monday.” The third Monday in January was given this designation by a psychologist years ago because of multiple negative factors that stack up this time of year -- specifically post-holiday letdown, gloomy weather, financial stress from Christmas bills, and (for most) a time when they realize that New Year’s resolutions aren’t sticking. While some experts consider this formula less than scientific, menta

By Carrie Classon “I miss our conversations!” Marilyn wrote to me. I don’t know Marilyn well, but I like her very much. “You want to get a coffee sometime after Christmas?” I asked. Life starts to pick up and get moving again in early January. After hibernating in a cookie-induced coma for two full weeks, we’ve had a brief reprieve from normal. Now, with enough cookies consumed to keep us safe from a sudden cold snap and make the zipping of our trousers just a little more cha