December is going full tilt towards Christmas

Shown here are two pictures that I’ve found on Facebook over the years. One is a winter picture of North Broadway. The other is of the turnaround that once was used by teens when they dragged Broadway.

 

The month of December is now going full tilt towards Christmas. We are planning to partake in our annual lefse-making at my sister Judy and her husband Mike’s house again this year. It has become an annual tradition for quite a few years and one that I hope we can continue for many years to come.

 

I can remember when, as a kid we would go “up to the farm” for the annual making of potato sausage. Our family was all Norwegian, but we would mix with the Swedes in our family to make this Swedish delicacy. Christmas even brought Swedes and Norwegians together when it came to making this delicacy. We could both agree on eating this delicious sausage, but when it came to lutefisk and Torsk, there was a difference. Us Norwegians usually ate lutefisk with melted butter and plenty of salt & pepper, while torsk was the same fish, boiled and served with a cream sauce. It was all cod just served a little different. I am not an expert on this, but it seems to me they are the same.

 

Either way, they are traditional Christmas delicacies. Most folks that you talk to hold their nose when you mention lutefisk. I have to say that it is an acquired taste. Brian, my oldest, refuses to even try it, even after all these years. Personally, I just think that he is afraid that he might like it.

 

When I was a kid, the thought of lefse would make my mouth water. I always looked forward to lefse rolled up with butter and sugar on the inside. Today, the kids don’t seem to have that infatuation with lefse. That is probably because there are so many other treats available at Christmas. I still look forward to having lefse with a mix of sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on the buttered lefse. Being brought up when I was means, that I know that there are not many foods that are not made better with a large coating of butter. As a kid, I can remember when oleo margarine first became available. I recall sitting in my grandma’s kitchen and listening to her and my aunt Alice talking about this Jack Sprat Oleo margarine. I also remember the Jack Sprat logo that was painted on the building which was eventually torn down to make room for the new courthouse.

 

As I drive around town, I like to reminisce about the buildings, businesses and homes that were once standing where new buildings or parking lots now exist.

 

Until next time: Parents, guardians responsible for kids’ safety around cold water, states the DNR: Rapidly falling air temperatures, dangerously cold water, and the likelihood of skim ice on some ponds across Minnesota means it’s imperative for parents and guardians to talk with their kids about the importance of safety.

 

Whether through thin ice or into open water, falls into the water this time of year can turn tragic quickly, and an unexpected fall can incapacitate even the strongest swimmers in short order. It’s up to parents and guardians to teach their kids about the dangers of cold water, and ensure they’re properly supervised anytime they’re around it.

 

“Many kids have an innate curiosity about the water, but they likely don’t understand the dangers,” said Capt. Adam Block, boating law administrator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “All water this time of year is dangerous, from the small neighborhood pond to the state’s biggest lakes and rivers.”

 

As a kid, I was one of those curious adventurers that explored the slough from Bridge Avenue to Goose Lake. This was an adventure for us kids to spend a Saturday exploring nature and finding out about wildlife and what makes the outdoors so special.

 

Please show your support for our troops who are now deployed, especially during the holiday season. These service men and women are making that sacrifice, so that we may have the many freedoms that we enjoy today.