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Antiques & Collecting: Tussie mussies helped cover the smell of the streets

By Terry and Kim Kovel Is it a tussie mussie, a bouquetiere, a porte-bouquet, a nosegay or a posey holder? This funnel-shaped metal object was a fashionable accessory with an important purpose. In medieval times, the streets smelled from garbage and horses and other animals and lack of toilets. Women carried small bouquets of herbs and spices to cover the foul odors that they thought carried diseases. By Victorian times, the bouquets were bunches of sweet-smelling flowers or tussies. The stems were kept moist in damp moss and they were named tussie mussies. They were held by the long ...

Off the Shelf: Library reopening continues

As vaccinations continue and it gets a little safer to be out and among groups, New Ulm Public Library will continue to add back services and library amenities for our patrons. As of May 19, we added more chairs and tables for you to sit and relax. We have reopened more computer stations as well. The outdoor book drop is now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As of May 28, we do not have any capacity restrictions in the building or on groups meeting in our meeting room. Building and computer time limits are also lifted. As of June 1, the library will reopen for our full hours, ...

Family Living Focus: Keeping Physically Active at 50+ and Preventing Skin Cancer

Keeping physically active at 50+ is important. Physical activity can help prevent: • Heart disease • Obesity • High blood Pressure • Type 2 diabetes • Osteoporosis (thinning bones) • Mental health problems, such as depression Physical activity also helps you stay at a healthy weight, reduce stress, sleep better, and feel better overall. What To Do All kinds of physical activity, whether it is moderate or vigorous, will help you stay healthy. It is a good idea to aim for at least moderate activity such as brisk walking, raking leaves, or house cleaning for 30 ...

Antiques & Collecting: Campeche chairs — a perfect conversation piece

When decorating a room, it’s fun to include something out-of-the-ordinary. Perhaps you can find an unusual lamp or a modern painting, or a piece of furniture in a unique style. Try something new and go to an auction to see what is selling. Neal Auction Company’s recent auction was selling different styles of antique furniture, including a Campeche chair. It looked a lot like some modern chairs, but it had a single piece of leather curved to make the back and seat on a simple wooden frame. The back was tipped just enough to make it a perfect place to nap. The legs were upside-down ...

Off the Shelf: Summer Reading 2021

This year’s Summer Reading Program titled “Tails and Tales” starts on Monday, June 14, 2021 and runs through Monday, August 16, 2021. We will be doing a “check-out” count again this year working to reach a goal of 30,000 items checked out of the library in just 10 weeks. Sounds like a huge goal, but it’s not just the kids of New Ulm who are working on this goal. Everyone who checks out any item from the library during this time will be helping to reach this goal. All we need to do is check out 3,000 items from the library each week. You can see our progress by keeping an eye ...

Public Health Corner: May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is designated as the month to call attention to the millions of Americans who live with mental illnesses. Mental health disorders are very common. Statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) illustrate its prevalence. If you hear someone say “I’m a 1 in 5”, they are referring to the 1 in 5 U.S. adults who experience mental illness in a given year. Preliminary statistics from cdc.gov show the percentage of adults who report anxiety or depression increased significantly from August 2020-February 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, with the largest increase ...