A season of many changes

Fall is the season of many changes. For example:

 

A. The migration of birds, ducks and geese. The last hummer at our juice and grape jam feeder was September 26.

 

Pelicans, geese and ducks can be seen in flocks until mid to late November depending on ice conditions.

 

B. The first frost of the fall this year was Monday, October 7, 2024 followed by a light frost on the 14th of October and a hard frost on the 16th of October with the morning low of 28 degrees. (It froze the water in our bird-bath).

 

C. Just before Thanksgiving is winter long john fitting time for Scandinavians. That is when they “try on” the ones they took off just before Father's Day in June. Why do they “try on” their old long johns first? Because they have learned there is a waist expansion sometimes when they put them on after Thanksgiving!!

 

D. Changing of the clocks before going to church on Sunday morning, November 3, 2024.

 

E. Is your vehicle ready for winter??

 

E. Have you gotten all your coats, shoes, head wear, etc. ready for winter?

 

F. This is the time of the year where I cover the ground where cats like to make deposits behind bushes and next to our house. I put out coffee grounds and chocolate laxatives. The problem is solved shortly after the next full moon.

 

Interesting observations I've seen while driving:

 

A. Albert Lea police car right behind as the car ahead of it makes a right turn at a stop sign without stopping. Red flashing lights came on the police car!!

 

B. Minnesota personal license plate: Z MN - SRS (a white haired lady was driving with a bald man passenger!!)

 

An interesting thing about conversation at the table of men during coffee at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church Sunday morning: “Everything is talked about with one exception.” (The exception is Politics.)

 

The turkeys like the turkey sign on the East side of the road just after the Albert Lea dump going North. How do I know This? Because four out of the last four times the turkeys have been waiting for me to drive by.

 

Have you noticed in watching the world series baseball games the appearance of all the Yankee players? No long hair, no beards, I guess they all get higher pay than the other players to look good.

 

On Tuesday morning, October 15, Genie and I boarded a bus headed for Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin, arriving at the Queen Casino Marquette by 10 a.m. and leaving the Casino at 11:30  for lunch at Huckleberry's restaurant from 11:45 to 12:45. The afternoon was touring Historical Landmarks, a fish and cheese stop, an apple orchard and back to Albert Lea about 8 p.m.

 

The charter bus was through security at State Bank with Connie as the hostess and Dan the bus driver. They both gave excellent service. (Yes, the fall colors were almost in full color.)

 

Many thanks on a job well done by the Ellendale Heritage Society - mainly Barb Mroth and Brenda Dokken.

 

They put together brochures, maps and pictures of all the country schools that were consolidated into Ellendale-Geneva School.

 

This was to become part of the New Richland School system that we now know as NRHEG. (New Richland, Hartland, Ellendale, Geneva)

 

My part of the history was being a student of Country School District S3 for eight years, on to High School in New Richland, graduating in 1954.

 

A social event in Rural America is defined as any gathering of people where two out of three attendees are related and the third one knows the other two real good.

 

Such was the event at the WedgeWood Cove in Albert Lea on Saturday afternoon, October 19, 2024.

 

The occasion was the celebration of the birthday twin sisters Marlene and Marilyn.

 

They met and greeted everyone entering.

 

P.s. I should tell you the two of them created a shortage of 90 year old Birthday Cards in Albert Lea.

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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.