By Jan Stadtherr The juicy tomato was the subject of a column that I wrote 10 years ago. Many friends and family members have commented that it’s their favorite column. A decade later, the garden favorite is haunting me. To update you, the column is as follows: “One of my most recent blonde moments was this fall as my husband, Ron, and I were driving to Brainerd. As the car meandered around the curves of State Highway 84, a red and white sign at the end of a driveway caught m

Clara City man, 101, served as a medic By Patricia Buschette Bob Brix, a 101-year-old resident of Clara City Senior Living, in Clara City, Minn., has a vivid memory of his experiences in WWII. Bob was born in 1924 in North Minneapolis where he graduated from North High in January of 1942. Bob Brix at the Iwo Jima memorial. Bob was given the opportunity to travel to Washington DC to see this memorial and others as part of the Honor Flight program.  Photo by John Donner “My fat

By Tim King In June of 1970, you could still catch an east-bound Great Northern passenger train in Sauk Centre, Alexandria, and other towns up the line to Fargo, and ride in comfort to the Twin Cities. At that time, Interstate Highway 94 had just been completed and Central Minnesotans simply weren’t used to the notion that they could jump in the car to see the grandkids in the Cities in a couple of hours. Anybody can cultivate. I was 21 and working for a young farmer named Jo

By Nancy Leasman I did it. I had knee replacement surgery and am on the mend. And, I am grateful to all those who daily help people with dysfunctional joints regain their mobility. I’m grateful to the surgical team, the nurses and staff in the hospital, and my spouse for offering help with all those things one cannot manage alone after joint replacement. The physical therapy team which provides consistent assessment and encouragement cannot be thanked enough. My gratitude goe

By Marlys (Blake) Hagstrom of Hutchinson “Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind” is one of the lines in a song made popular by Elvis in 1968. When I begin to reflect on growing up in Hector, the pages of memories in my mind slowly turn and come to life… I can’t forget the five-cent ice cream cones at Evie Ahl’s Café or penny candy at the variety store. They had everything from handkerchiefs to toys.  The long trek home from school always included a stop at the Berry

Hutchinson woman, 89, loves to stays active, try new things, live an adventurous life By Maggie Gray She first learned to hunt at 15, chasing the attention of a boy who spent his weekends in the woods. If she wanted his company, she figured, she’d better learn to shoulder a rifle too. That spark grew into a lifelong passion that carried her and her late husband Dale, affectionately called “Moose,” onto 300 acres of wild land outside Hutchinson. Darlene fishing with friends. C

Get a close look at these stain glass windows. These are the Gelman Windows found in San Juan, Tex., photographed by Elaine and Gary Wood of Alexandria, Minn. Kimberly Halpin of Princeton, Minn. captured these pretty pinecones clinging to long green needles growing in Plymouth. I’m sure the sap and pine needles smell just like the holidays. This stunning hour-long exposure photograph was taken in Grand Marais in Northern Minn. at the Fall River Waterfall, and centers around t

By Sharon Craig of Granite Falls Recently, I was in the hospital and a wonderful nurse asked me how my husband and I had achieved such a long-lasting marriage (60 years and counting). The quick response was not to end your day in anger. Don’t be afraid to say you’re sorry. My wise daughter says sometimes it’s better to be kind rather than right. Don’t let false pride keep you from apologizing when it’s needed. Our wedding day, 60 years ago. Contributed photo When I think back

Couple has small army of Christmas figures By Scott Thoma Brenda and Rick Swenson of New London admit they get a little “nuts” over the holidays. That self-proclaimed moniker rings true from mid-October until early January when their home in New London becomes a residential museum with over 700 nutcrackers filling nearly every available space throughout their home; even in the bathrooms. Rick and Brenda Swenson in front of a few of the 700-plus nutcrackers in their collection

By Cheryl (Rostad) Barry of Underwood My brother and sister-in-law, Brad and Karen Rostad, have been missionaries in Jamaica since the late 1980’s. They’ve witnessed tropical depressions and hurricanes, Gilbert in 1988 and Ivan in 2004. Although these storms were devastating, they pale in comparison to the monster Hurricane Melissa, which destroyed 1/3 of the island on Oct. 27-28, 2025. It was labeled a Category 5, but was more like a Category 6 because of the widespread dest

By Jim Palmer When I was young, now was the time of the year when I would start making up Christmas lists for Santa, parents, grandparents, and any other relative who was willing to send little Jimmy some Christmas joy. This year, I have made up a wish list for Senior Perspective. Now and then we have people ask us what they can do to support us... so why not make up a list. There are some specific asks in here and some more general ones, but they are all things we would love

Browns Valley woman, 88, has made and gifted 63 blankets the last few years  By Carol Stender Kitty Johnson is one prolific crocheter. The 88-year-old Browns Valley Health Care Center resident has completed 63 blankets over the past three years. Some were given to family and the rest to workers at the care center. “Every blanket is given freely,” she said. “It’s my way of saying thank you for helping me.” She orders and pays for the yarn online by herself. Kitty is particular

Alex woman has collected over 130 nativity sets By Julie Parent Many households have a nativity set (or two) on display as a way to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ over the Christmas season. Cathy Johnson of Alexandria has taken that celebration to the next level. She has collected more than 130 nativity sets and continues to add to her unique collection.  Cathy Johnson and her dog Chewy are surrounded by nativity sets throughout the room. Photo by Julie Parent A nativity

By Bill Vossler How do you make an oven that weighs 2,000 pounds? Basically, with a village, said Marjorie LaCoursiere of Red Lake Falls. “Jane Vignes of Climax came up with the idea,” Marjorie said. “She got the plans online, and made one herself. Since she is on the Board of Directors for AFRAN (local American/French Club) she thought it would be a good idea to make one for the Chautauqua Festival we sponsor near Huot every year. We all thought it was a good idea too.” So a

By Darwin Anthony of Trimont I am THE FIREPLACE that is within the wall at the end of the Anthony living room. It is now late fall and I know what must happen. I must be made ready as I am something of winter. I wait to be cleaned so that I can offer cozy pleasure to those who care for me. Such pleasure comes from seeing the varied color of my fire and hearing the crackling sound as the wood within me burns. It is a sound that only an actual wood-burning fireplace can produce

It is important to have regular screenings for macular degeneration so detection can be caught early. Stock photo Answers by Dr. Mitchell Gossman, an ophthalmologist at Eye Associates of Central Minnesota, located in St. Cloud What are the types of macular degeneration, why are some treated with injections, and why are some not? There are many distinct types of macular degeneration, much like there are dozens of breeds of cats. However, there are two main categories. The firs

Couple first met in elementary, discovered a shared love of geocaching By Vivian (Makela) Sazama Betty Jo and Wes Sorenson of Leek Lake near Vergas never thought a friendship that began while children would return in their later years and spark into love and marriage. When Wes was in 5th grade he lived in Hawley and Betty Jo, who was in 4th grade, lived in Dilworth. “My dad liked to play poker and so my parents would go to a friend’s house in Dilworth to play. Since they coul

St. Cloud Area Fun Singers started performing in the ‘80s By Nikki Rajala Sandy Hurd, a member of the St. Cloud Area Fun Singers, doesn’t just stand there and sing a part. A volunteer at heart, she tells jokes, participates in skits, and chats up the audience afterward. Why? “Because we bring so much joy to people,” she said. “Seeing the appreciative faces of our audiences is what I like most about being in this group. We like entertaining them and they look forward to us. So

By Rachel Barduson of Alexandria It seems like everything was such a big deal when I was a kid. Maybe it’s because everything was  such a big deal when I was a kid. Little things. As we approach another Christmas, I guess it’s a mixture of often-forgotten little things that, strangely, I am thinking about this year. Little things, like... sitting on the floor of the car while dad was driving and mom was sitting in the passenger seat, right there on the floor between my parent

By Bill D. Ward Today’s Wisdom: “Every life holds an epic tale, even if no one alive remembers it.” Greg Melville A good friend of mine is the caretaker at our town’s cemetery. He tells me that he occasionally runs into people who are touring cemeteries collecting gravestone encounters of famous people. Do we all need to up our game a bit on our monument design? We have two famous people in our cemetery, but most tourists are there for one special one. Hildred Olson was a lit