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The hangover month

Of all the months of the year, November most closely resembles a hangover. This is not just because it follows the twin bacchanals of Oktoberfest and Halloween. It’s also due to the fact that here in the Northland average high temperatures are plummeting and days are growing shorter at a pace that’s often associated with the Kentucky Derby. The trees have shed their Technicolor autumn wardrobe, and migratory waterfowl are booking airline flights for the Gulf coast. Another sure sign of the impending winter is that our cat, Sparkles, has transitioned from a rugged semi-feral ...

Dealing with Global Darkening

We can’t deny it anymore. It’s getting darker. It’s darker earlier and longer. This weekend, with the time change, the darkening goes into hyper drive. It is Global Darkening. (I know. It’s half the globe. Work with me here.) There are Global Darkening deniers. They say it is scheme of left-wing woke socialists who want us to turn our lights on. I say the evidence is irrefutable. Look out the window, you darkening deniers. I guess this has happened before. That is little consolation. This plague of dimness seems oppressive even if it did happen a year ago and the year ...

A scary season

We’re afflicted with oodles of scariness and creepiness at this time of year. And I’m not just talking about Halloween; Election Day is also looming in the gloom. It’s bizarre that these bizarre things occur at roughly the same time. But I’m OK with that. Let’s get all the frightening stuff out of the way and be done with it. Kids dressed up as superheroes such as Batman or Spider-Man or Taylor Swift are honest when they ring your doorbell and chant “Trick or treat!” Adults who are running for elected office are basically saying the same thing except that they often ...

VOTE411: Your place to find voter information

No matter what zip code we live in or the color of our skin, our voices are equal at the ballot box, and we could all use some help making sure our voices are heard. VOTE411.org is the League’s one-stop shop where you can find all the information you need to cast your ballot. It’s virtual, nonpartisan, and available in both English and Spanish.  Even for those of us who’ve voted before, the process can be confusing. Election rules differ from state to state and can change between elections. VOTE411 gives you personalized information so you’re prepared to cast your vote in ...

National Friends of Libraries Week

October 18-24, 2026, is National Friends of Libraries Week. It is a chance for libraries throughout the United States to recognize the contributions of their Friends of Libraries groups to their communities. New Ulm Public Library is grateful to have an active group of library Friends who support our collections, programming, newsletters, and more through their efforts and donations of both materials and funding. The Friends of the New Ulm Public Library is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) community organization that believes in the importance of the library and its services for people ...

Finding Laura

I’ve been reading the book “Prairie Fires” by Caroline Fraser. I chose it for a couple of reasons. First was that it involves Laura Ingalls Wilder who, along with her family, lived at De Smet, South Dakota for many years. De Smet is about 40 miles west of our farm, so it feels like a ...