Tag: Rural Minnesota

Back in the Saddle

It was a warm, sunny day, with temperatures in the low 60’s as I drove out to the farm, where on a previous visit a horse knocked me over and stepped on my foot, putting me in a walking boot for several weeks. I wondered how the horse would react to me (and me to the horse) so I was a bit apprehensive. But when I drove into the driveway a sense of peace passed over me. I was excited to be back helping with the animal chores. 

A student quilt displayed at the National Quilt Museum, January 2022.

Being among the animals reminds me of one of my favorite PBS series, “All Creatures Great and Small”, stories that come to life from James Herriot’s books. I may not be in Yorkshire Dales England, nor be a veterinarian, but none-the-less the setting is rural and picturesque, and the animals are sweet. 

I like putting on my mud boots and leather gloves and getting into the animal pens. Sampson, the dog, takes his place outside the pens, watching our every move… waiting for his special playtime with us after chores.

It’s fun to see the chickens respond to clapping; when they hear the sound (and are shooed towards the hutch) they all obediently climb through the little chicken-size door and we shut them in for the night. 

There are two donkeys who are brothers, and they are comical. I’m glad they have each other. 

The two goats are feisty and probably anxious to get out into the fenced-in field to graze freely when spring greens pop up through the earth.

The horses just seem happy to have warmer weather to eat outside, and be near each other. The horse that hurt me acted like nothing at all ever happened between us!

Overall it went well, and I’m happy to be back in the “saddle” again.

Three Evenings, Three Genres

We were happy to show off, to our friends from New Hampshire, our charming town in Minnesota, with the motto: Cows, Colleges and Contentment. 

A flyer for the Tribute to the Eagles concert.

Prior to knowing of their plans to visit we had bought four tickets to a Tribute to the Eagles concert. To our delight, the concert happened to be the day after their arrival to Northfield and they were eager to attend the concert with us. 

The Armadillos and Collective Unconscious; the two bands performed together for the Tribute to the Eagles concert.

So off we went to the Paradise Theater in Faribault. Two groups, the Armadillos and Collective Unconscious, formed the tribute band. Together they recreated songs by the Eagles, a “California Rock Band from the 70’s.” With eyes closed one could imagine being in a concert hall with the original Eagles band members playing and singing their energetic tunes. They put on a lively show.

Dancing up front.

We were moving in our seats, but in the end we were up and out of them, dancing to the music in front of the stage. It was a great concert. 

And that was the evening of the first day.

The next day we were showing our friends St. Olaf College. We took a stroll on campus and stopped to look in beautiful Boe Chapel.

Boe Chapel on the campus of St. Olaf College.

There were musicians practicing up front. A gentleman came and explained the group practicing was called Together in Hope and the choir’s mission (per their program) is to be “a catalyst for healing and reconciliation through the transformative power of music.”

He told us they were  going to perform a concert that evening. We had just made dinner reservations at the Ole Store right down the street from St. Olaf and the timing worked out just right for the four of us to attend this beautiful chorale music concert.

The Together in Hope choir at Boe Chapel.

The choir was accompanied by a few current students and some alumni of the St. Olaf Orchestra. They performed two works by Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen: So That the World May Believe: A Motet for Unity and Service and The Holy Spirit Mass. The program stated these songs were originally performed by the choir in front of the Pope, in Rome, in 2018. 

And that was evening of the second day.

On the third day we all decided to go to a Germanfest at a country church nearby. It is an annual event and known for it’s good German food with music.

German flag image.

When we arrived a polka band was playing. Although the weather was frightful…rainy and windy…we stood under the tent outside and listened to a couple of polka tunes and watched one couple dancing to the music. 

And that was the evening of the third day.

It was great fun to happen upon these three vastly different types of quality music available during these three specific days, in a row, all in rural Minnesota. What a gift.