Annual count of 100% Norwegians

I was moaning and groaning about how bad the Twins were playing. Genie told me, “Cheer up, the Twins could be playing worse.” So I did and sure enough the Twins did play worse. The Twins lost four straight to the White Sox who are in last place!!

 

Genie and I have been sitting in our lawn chairs just barely inside our garage a lot more this summer-fall than most previous years. An unusual happening was watching it rain on the other side of the street than we were sitting on!!

 

The hummingbirds started showing up at our hummingbird feeders about the first part of July. Since then we have seen as many as six at a time trying to feed at the two feeders. (One on the north side, one on the south side of the house.) Most of the time the females outnumber the males about four to one. One male is a bit off color. The throat is a dark red with the rest of the body a dark black, almost iridescent. 

 

We saw a lot of fireflies earlier, but none now as the evenings are cooler. We’ve seen only two bars all summer and this fall.

 

Genie and I usually go to the Big Horn Mountains above Sheridan, Wyoming, staying at Arrowhead resort for one week, leaving Albert Lea Labor Day and getting home again 10 days later. This year we decided with my sciatica to stay home. 

 

We attended the annual Wick Agency luncheon for retired Aid Association (AAL) agents and spouses at the Paul and Julie Proft residence in Owatonna. Five retired agents and six spouses attended with Jeff and John Wick of the Wick family attending. 

 

Pheasant hunting season opens 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 11, 2025. The Minnesota August roadside survey reports pheasant numbers are up 50% over 2024. (A word of caution; the numbers are down in some areas.)

 

The moose population survey for 2025 has been reported as about 4,000 for the state of Minnesota- the same as 2024.

 

The duck hunting numbers for 2025 have been reported as about the same as 2024. 

In my annual count of 100% Norwegians in Minnesota - The number is less than 2024. (This is a long term decrease every year.) 

 

On Friday night and Saturday night September '05 and '06, the temperature dropped into the high thirties- low forties on the north side of our house in Albert Lea. I didn't think it froze until I looked up into a maple tree late Sunday afternoon and saw curled maple leaves that had been hit by frost.

 

We saw hummingbirds at our hummer feeders until dark Sunday evening, September 7. 

 

In my lifetime I’ve seen frost many times in September- even snow one time in September.

If you're wondering if we turned the furnace on this September 5 and 6 overnight, the answer is most certainly “no.” We did turn on the heat on Sunday night, September 7th. 

 

In summary: Weather will be weather, whether you like it or not.

 

To which the old Norwegian replied “SKOL” 

 

P.p.s. 

The weather will be soup and dessert weather Monday evening, September 22 at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church rural Albert Lea.

 

Your great evening is waiting for you!!

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in New York. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.