Minnesota – Page 2 – Valerie's Voice

July 2024

The month of July was a very unusual, emotional month for us – dramatic negatives interspersed with unique positives…

A Negative:
A family member has been very sick.
A Positive:
My second cousin and his wife from Norway stayed with us for five days and we enjoyed our time together.
A Positive:
Our youngest son and his wife and two children, Zoey & Ezra, came for a three-week visit. 
A Negative:
I tested positive for COVID, and needed to curtail some activities. Thankfully I didn’t get very sick, it didn’t linger, and no one else caught it.

A stand-out activity with our two grandchildren from North Carolina, was a camping trip. We made plans to go camping with Zoey and Ezra when we knew they would be visiting us in Minnesota. Their parents had planned a getaway by themselves to celebrate special birthdays, so we made reservations for a camping cabin in a state park, about an hour away.

Camping never disappoints to create unforgettable memories. And we created memories. The biggest problem we encountered were the mosquitos, of course, and it also rained a couple of times. But we were able to do all we wanted to. We ate well (and outside)…blueberry pancakes, roasted hot dogs, s’mores, hobo meals… and we sat around the campfire, relaxed and read in the screen porch, had ice cream for lunch…we had fun.

We made hobo meals to cook over the open fire.

One of my favorite activities with Zoey and Ezra was writing and creating a book about our camping experience after we returned home. Zoey took notes as we all sat together and made suggestions as to what to write about our two-night camping trip and all the mishaps…much like The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Vacation. Both Ezra and Zoey got into this activity and we spent several hours on it. And I must say, it turned out well.

Ezra dictated as Zoey typed it up in a Word document. Then I edited the six chapters, and it “went to press”. We printed copies to present to the parents when they arrived home from their mini-get away.

The book, The Very Crazy Camping Trip, became an instant success!

Visitors from Norge

For five days my second cousin and his wife, Heine and Kari, from Norway, came to Northfield. We had a nice visit, and we were able to, once again, show off our town and southern Minnesota.

First we took them to a small town 4^th of July celebration – the oldest ongoing celebration in Minnesota. North Morristown has put on a 4^th of July celebration for 131 years, serving homemade pie, food offerings at concessions stands and live music. We enjoyed listening to the blue grass band Monroe Crossing, and traipsing over muddy paths for food, in-between rain storms.

Fireworks in Northfield were delayed until the next evening due to the rain. We walked down the street from our house to watch them on Friday, July 5^th .

We visited other relatives in the area…our grandfathers are the link. They were brothers…one went to America, the other stayed in Norway.

Me, Kari, Heine, my cousin Cindy and my aunt (in front).

Scheel’s, in the Eden Prairie Center, was a fun place to look around, especially for a hunter, which Heine is. But the home décor portion of the store is lovely to peruse too.

A beautiful field of coneflowers in the gardens outside the Marine Art Museum.

Eating outside, when possible, either on our deck or at a restaurant is always nice in the summertime and it was possible much of the time Heine and Kari were with us.

Lunch along the Mississippi River in Winona.

We went on a day trip to Winona. We stopped at Lark Toys in Kellogg for fun, and had a picnic lunch on the banks of the flooded Mississippi River.

We enjoyed the gardens around the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and went inside for a look around.

We stopped at Lock & Dam #5 north of Winona, and meandered around Lake City’s marina on our way back to Northfield.

We showed off the Norwegian immigrants historic Valley Grove churches and cemetery.

We hiked to Hidden Falls in Big Woods Nerstrand State Park.

Heine & Kari celebrating their 45th anniversary in Northfield, Minnesota.

We shopped downtown Northfield and celebrated Heine and Kari’s 45^th wedding anniversary at the Reunion in downtown Northfield.

The last stop was at Lakewood Cemetery to visit the graves of my grandmother and grandfather and beloved Auntie Ag.

My grandfathers gravestone at Lakewood Cemetery. He was the brother to Heine’s grandfather, Johannes.

We were able to get in to view the beautiful Lakewood Chapel, with 10 million 3/8 inch tile mosaics throughout.

One of the many angel mosaics in Lakewood Chapel.

Time flew, conversation and laugher abounded, family ties entwined.

Oxbow Park and The Depot

After we left Kasson and our mini-history tour, we continued on our day trip to Oxbow Park in Olmstead County, near Byron, Minnesota. It is a surprisingly special place with a picnic area, a nature center, a zoo, a discovery playground, and camping facilities.

The small, but amazing, Zollman Zoo is aligned with Oxbow Park and houses over 30 species of wild animals native to Minnesota. Many of the animals at this zoo have physical injuries so they cannot be released back into nature, and some other animals come from other zoo facilities that have surplus animals.

I told this guy I was going to take his picture…

My favorite was seeing the cougar looking very relaxed in a tree trunk, watching us from his perch. When I told him I was going to take his picture, he moved his big paw under his chin and posed for us!

The nature center, also a part of Oxbow Park, is only a year old. It is spacious, modern and well done. A few more small critters are inside, as well as a lot of displays and information on nature.

There was a bird watching station too. We sat for a few minutes and saw multiple hummingbirds drinking from a couple of feeders hanging outside the large windows.

This hidden gem is a place we hope to take our grandkids to, sometime this summer. Did I mention it is free? Donations accepted.

And what day trip is complete without ice cream? Surprisingly, we had to search many small towns to find some. But we didn’t give up, and found The Depot, a renovated train station, in the small town of Goodhue. The new owner served delicious ice cream cones in a refurbished, old railway station, with friendly folk willing to give us a tour of the station’s renovation.

Fun adventures and discovery awaits when you take the back roads of Minnesota.

Painted Rocks

I like to find small, painted rocks (especially with encouraging messages) in unexpected places. On a recent day trip, we found one, big painted rock!

It’s amazing how the artist captures the folds in the flag…it looks three dementional.

I didn’t know there was a The Freedom Rock project but according to its website: the project has a “goal of at least one Freedom Rock in every state in the union”, to honor America’s Veterans.

A Freedom Rock is a painted boulder depicting “unique to the state” military scenes, painted by Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II. Minnesota has seven Freedom Rocks in seven different areas throughout the state.

A photo of a photo of the original boulder for this Freedom Rock.

When we arrived in Kasson, Minnesota I noticed a huge, painted boulder across the street from the Clock Shop, at the American Legion on Main Street. It caught my eye because on our way to Kasson we had to take a road detour…and on that detour we noticed this stout, old limestone building on the side of the road, with a plaque and flag flying high. We stopped to check it out and discovered it was an old military recruitment station for the Civil War.

Civil War Recruiting Station in Wasioja, Minnesota.

We didn’t know such buildings existed. I also had forgotten the important role Minnesota played in the Civil War.

The plaque states that Minnesota was the first state to offer and send troops to aid the Union cause. Recruits from this station in Wasioja, MN totaled 200. The building, built in 1855, has been beautifully restored, and is there for all to see and remember.

One scene on the Freedom Rock, of the Wasioja Recruiting Station.

So, I was surprised when I stepped out of the car in Kasson and noticed the building we had just seen an hour earlier painted on a huge rock! We walked over to explore some more!

I liked this depiction of a soldier holding the SPAM can. The SPAM museum is a great place to visit too.

On another side of the rock was a painting of a WWII veteran holding a can of SPAM. Good old Minnesota SPAM. There were 100 million pounds of Hormel SPAM shipped to our troops during WWII.

A painting of the world famous Minnesota artist, LeRoy Neiman.

Another side of the rock was dedicated to a St. Paul man who was a cook in WWII and became a world-famous artist, LeRoy Neiman, when he got out of the service (although I had never heard of him.)

One more scene depicted “Kiddy Car Airlift” which was organized by Minnesota US Air Force Chaplain Colonel Russell L. Blaisdell. He rescued orphans and staff from Seoul during the Korean War. This was another mission I had not heard about.

“Doc Kelly” My father’s army picture, 1943.

And amidst this day of military blitz I thought of my own father. A few days before this day trip, while talking with family, I learned my father, who served in WWII, had the nickname of Doc Kelly. Apparently, the troops usually choose nicknames from last names, therefore “Kelly”, and my dad was a medic, assisting doctors, therefore “Doc”. I had not heard this before.

It was a great morning of discoveries and learning.

Summertime

Yesterday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, a time that marks the beginning of summer. Unfortunately, it rained the whole long day. Again.

A non-rainy day in summer, on Daggett Lake, Minnesota.

But here’s a fun children’s poem by Robert Louis Stevenson (published in 1915) to help celebrate summertime.

Bed In Summer

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

And then there were none…

Sad news…two days ago I was out in the yard and found the second baby robin (two of three – last week I found the first one) dead in the grass. I’m not sure what is taking them from their nest…someone suggested a Blue Jay.

On May 12 I noticed these three, beautiful blue eggs in a nest outside our window. Mama Robin has been caring for her young since then, and now all three have died.

Last night I took a photo of the last baby robin sitting contently in its nest.

And then I found it dead, this morning, under the tree where the nest is. I’m sad.

Now, I wonder if I’ll see Mama Robin anymore? I’ll miss her.

Tweets

This is an update on our resident robin and her chicks.

I noticed her nest in the tree outside our bedroom window a few weeks ago. Three beautiful eggs and a dedicated mama, sitting on the nest day and night. I kept checking in on her, and talking to Mama Robin throughout the day, and she got used to me.

Then we left town for a week. I thought of her when we were gone…wondering how she survived all the rain we heard we had, and wondering if her chicks had hatched. When I arrived home, I immediately went up to see her. I believe Mama Robin remembered me.

She was still sitting in her nest and all seemed well, but I couldn’t see any chicks.

However, the next day, when mama flew away for some food, I saw the eggs were hatched. I think I saw all three chicks, but then the next day there were only two. I found the dead chick under the tree, when I was out doing yard work.

The nest is right outside our bedroom window, and with the zoom on my camera I was able to get an unclose picture when the mama flew away for a few minutes.

When I am outside and approach Mama Robin’s nest, I warn her I’m coming. She doesn’t fly away.

It’s been a fun nature show to watch.

Bonus: Early this morning I looked out into our backyard and saw a deer.
I was surprised. By the time I got my camera she had wandered into the neighbor’s yard.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

On my drive out to Nerstrand state park, I was thinking about our Minnesota State Parks. They are definitely a valuable resource and I’m thankful they have been established so that I/everyone can get outside in nature, and explore.

I haven’t been to all 65 of the state parks, but we have visited many of them over the years. We did a lot of camping in earlier days.

There are seven state parks along the north shore of Lake Superior that are scenic and connect to the “big lake” somehow. The others, scattered throughout the state, are inviting too. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is about a 20-minute drive from our house. Maybe because I frequent it so often all year long, it has become one of my favorite state parks. A place to hike, to picnic, to camp…a place of beauty and rejuvenation… and so close to home.

As I starting walking down a familiar trail and saw the lime, spring-green leaves overhead (unique to this season), breathed in the fresh air, and heard birds singing, I sighed; this is exactly what I needed. I was happy to be here.

I was a little late to see some of the more familiar spring ephermals in bloom…the dwarf trout lily (found only in a few places in the world) being one of them…but there were other spring flowers blooming and it was fun to walk along and identify them.

Many of the parks, especially along the north shore, have water falls, as does Nerstrand. Hidden Falls is smaller, but still lovely. The recent rains made for a full spilling over. I sat and watched the mesmerizing water flow.

This beautiful bloom hangs under the large leaf of the mayapple plant. You need to look for it.

There were many mayapples with hidden blooms underneath their umbrella leaves.

I always feel safe walking the trails by myself in this park.

It was a great way to start my day.

Litter

The Faribault Flyers Bike and Ski Club picked up trash last week. The club adopted a portion of highway 60, out of Faribault. This means the club has committed to pick up litter along both sides of the highway section, at least twice a year.

Gary and I are members of this bike club and were available to help. It was a windy day, and that was challenging…keeping the plastic garbage bag from blowing away, or its twisting and dumping all the contents out. But, the sun was out and it was a mild temperature.

We were all given fluorescent vests to wear. The traffic on this particular highway is heavy, and a little dauting at first, being so close to the road with the cars whizzing by. We were given garbage bags to fill, then instructed to leave them on the side of the road to be picked up.

We divided into four groups of four or five.

We were told mark with a bag… and do not touch… drug paraphernalia or firearms, if we came upon any. I found what looked like a small firearm. I did pick it up because I was fairly certain it was too small to be real. It ended up being a large cigarette lighter in the shape of a gun. Sigh.

This small, heavy, metal gun that was a lighter.

It felt good to be outdoors on this spring day, while picking up the discarded pop and beer cans, liquor bottles, miscellaneous paper, fast food bags and cups and utensils, cigarette lighters and cigarette butts (the worse). I think there is a mentality that cigarette butts are not litter, so smokers just throw them out the window. There are a lot of them!

Full trash bags set along side the road for pick-up. We filled 35-40 bags, in two hours.

It felt good to participate in this community service. There were several of us from the bike club that showed up to help. Many hands make light work, although it was still hard work. We had a handy, dandy picker-upper which worked well. It reduced the amount of bending over a little bit, during our two-hour shift.

Six months from now, the club will set apart another afternoon to collect trash from the same section of the highway. It’s one of those jobs that is never ending, but I think we make a difference.

Square Dancers

My childhood friend, Diane, called me a couple weeks ago, to wish me a happy birthday. We have exchanged the same birthday card since 1979. It has become a treasure. Diane called to say I would be getting the birthday card late this year, because she was “snow birding” in Florida and forgot to bring the card along to send to me from there.

It was fun to chat with her awhile, and catch up on our kids. She told me this story.

In 1953, my father built this house that I grew up in.

When Diane’s mother passed away, several years after her father died, Diane’s son bought his grandparent’s house. So, he now lives in the house where Diane grew up, and across the street from the house where I grew up, in Northeast Minneapolis. It’s wonderful to know the house is still in her family. Her parents built their house in the early 1950’s, as did mine.

A special wall painting discovered under the paneling.

Diane told me her son has done a lot of updating and remodeling of the McKinley Street house, and currently he’s working in the basement. He began tearing the old paneling off the walls. Underneath he found the typical cement blocks, but also a surprise.

Taking care to preserve this special painting.

Back in the late 50’s, Diane’s father painted two life-size square dancers on the cement block wall. I had forgotten about them, but remembered them as soon as Diane mentioned it. A few years later, when her dad finished off their basement, he covered up the square dancers with paneling. Diane recalls that when her dad covered up the painting with paneling…he said, “it will be interesting for someone to discover these dancers someday.”

A moisture control was brushed over the wall painting, to help persevere the painting.

As Diane’s son was tearing down the paneling, lo and behold, he exposed the painting of the square dancers.

Little did Diane’s father know at the time, it would be his own grandson who would discover his special treasure on the wall, under the paneling!