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Remembering Dean

This column is often written in a form called the personal essay. “Personal essays relate the author’s intimate thoughts and experiences to universal truths,” is one definition. “Universal” seems a bit much for mine. Maybe “township truths.” Sometimes personal means my thoughts on picking rocks or watching baseball. This one is deeper personal. Fifty years ago, on May 24, my brother Dean died. That day wasn’t any different than any of the other 18,000 since he’s been gone. Anniversaries make things sharper in focus. I have referenced Dean’s passing before and ...

In honor of those who made ultimate sacrifice

It’s been said that ‘the nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten.’ We tell the world who we are as a nation by how we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we hold dear. Memorial Day is a time to remember these fallen heroes and do right by the veterans and service members who are still with us. That’s why today, I’m thinking about the countless Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I’m thinking of Quentin Gifford from Mankato, who was on the USS Oklahoma when it was torpedoed during the attack on Pearl ...

Aurora borealis

It was a spectacular show that was enjoyed by everyone. Were it to be given a Rotten Tomatoes rating, it would be ranked as “super-duper fresh.” Best of all, this over-the-top production was free. Yes, the recent display of the Northern Lights was pretty special. It was leagues better than any computer-generated special effects that Hollywood could cook up. Maybe this was because the price was right. Or maybe it was because it was a communal experience that could be savored by almost everyone in the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis — those weird, swirling, pulsing ...

Sisterly snag: A party predicament

Dear Annie: My sister “Emily” and I were planning a joint celebration for our parents’ 40th wedding anniversary, but we’ve hit a snag. Emily wants to host a large party with all of our extended family and friends, but I think that a more intimate gathering would be more special and less stressful for our parents. They are both pretty reserved, and I just know they would prefer something smaller. Every time I try to discuss this with Emily, it ends in an argument and she accuses me of not wanting to do something “all-out” for our parents. Every time I try to explain my ...

Miss good old days of planting

Planting season has arrived in our neck of the woods and farmers are busier than Santa’s elves on Christmas Eve. There’s something about the sight of an unplanted field that turns farmers into fanatics. Maybe it’s due to the scent of warming soil, but a more likely reason is the sound of a neighbor’s tractor pulling a planter. This makes farmers unreasonably anxious and one thought crowds out all others: “We should be planting too!” My earliest recollection of the planting season is watching Dad pour bags of seed corn into our four-row planter. The smell of the neon-pink ...

Rhubarb comes to life — Season of Eating just around the corner

I took a photography class in college. On the first day, Brother Zarr informed us that he didn’t want to see any photos of old people or kids. Anyone can shoot a picture of an old guy on a corner or a kid on a swing. It doesn’t take any creativity. Writing about spring is like that. Whatever blogger or columnist you read is writing about spring right now. It’s such an amazing season of transition, green exploding everywhere, life rushing back to a comatose landscape. It doesn’t take any creativity. So, I’m writing about spring. Brother Zarr would be disappointed. Spring ...