Columnists
When we think of “new beginnings” in relation to the calendar, we typically think of January 1st and the start of a new calendar year. The start of a new year seems like a great time to try something new, commit to New Year's resolutions, and overall have a “fresh start” or a “new beginning.”...
As you read this, I will have returned (and recovered?) from one wild weekend.
I am currently in Illinois, specifically the far north suburbs of the Chicago area. I have some connections here because, decades back when I was a college student at Winona State, a good friend informed me she...
“ASK A TROOPER” by Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol
Question: With back to school starting, can you talk about school patrol safety?
Answer: When you see a student safety patrol helping children cross a street or highway, you must come to a complete stop. You must also...
ASK A TROOPER
By Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol
Question: My husband always used to say "never use your cruise control during any rain".
Is that still true with advances on tires and technology?
Answer: He is correct, cruise control should never be...
Grief and death are difficult for us. This isn’t exactly a ground-breaking statement, but after leading three funerals over the course of eight days, I’ve recently been reminded that, as a culture, when faced with grief and death, we often don’t know what to do.
This is one reason why we...
On a whim last spring, I purchased a square hammock which is 10 feet on a side. It’s meant to be suspended from four points. The obvious choice, of course, is four trees.
The phrase “live and learn” comes to mind. After all, trees are easy to come by, but four trees located within reach of...
One thing that has been on my mind lately, and understandably so, is how beneficial it is for both children and adults to be part of Sunday School. We recently finished our Sunday School Program for the year and one new thing we did is have a Spring Program after the Service for the kids to show...
A yellow lady slipper growing in the wild.
The yellow lady slipper flower was only a concept to me until this past weekend.
I have taken a fair number of pictures of our state flower, the pink lady slipper. I have challenged myself to capture its subtle shading from a strong pink at the tip to white at the stem. I have been amazed by...
I went to the Orpheum Theater in the Cities this past week to see Shen Yun, a show which features dance and music styles from China. During the show, the emcees informed us the tumbling and acrobatic acts usually associated with the circus actually originated as part of Chinese music performances...
It’s one thing to understand something academically, and quite another to watch it happen in front of you.
Thanks to an astronomy class taken during my (long-ago) college days, I knew “aurora borealis” means “lights of the north,” and that they result when above-typical solar activity...