ruminations
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterApril 22, 2019He’s arrived. Logan William Blenner. My newest grandchild and first grandson. Born in the early morning hours of the April 11 blizzard. Luckily, the wintry weather didn’t hinder his Iowa parents from getting to the Storm Lake hospital before Logan’s 3 a.m. arrival. The weather hindered this grandma, however, from meeting the little tike until some 36 hours after his birth. He didn’t seem to mind…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterApril 02, 2019In her book, “Girl, Wash Your Face,” author Rachel Hollis answers the question, “How do I …?” How do I pick myself up after a loss? How do I get rid of these looping negative thoughts that enter my head every day? How do I bring more purpose to my life? After reading her book, I’ve determined my question is, “How do I conquer my fears?” I am afraid of heights. I am afraid to wear a bathing suit…
- By Mavis Fodness, ReporterOctober 09, 2017Luverne Homecoming King Mark Robinson was surrounded by three friends intent on unscrewing the decorative nut on top of the scepter he received during the coronation ceremony. The mom voice in me told me to see what shenanigans these teenagers were up to. I quickly snapped a photo of the foursome, because you never know if the moment would have story significance. A day later I began pulling at…
- By Mavis Fodness, ReporterSeptember 19, 2017Since March, the empty nest stage I thought I crossed into last September has not been the experience I envisioned. As the last of the four children chose to join the Air National Guard and set off to basic training a year ago, I pictured tackling those back-burner projects to keep my mind off no longer having any children at home. I did enjoy reading again, coloring or watching TV with my feet…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterSeptember 26, 2016As a child growing up in the 1970s and ‘80s, I couldn’t wait to see the latest horror flick. Movies like “The Shining,” “Christine,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “Friday the 13th” would garner excitement. These movies featured a creepy bad guy who was out to hurt teenagers or their family members. Now as an adult, however, I purposely steer clear of horror movies. They have become too real due…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterSeptember 05, 2016Warning: Words printed in italics convey true feelings. Come mid-October residents with Minnesota driver’s licenses may have trouble boarding an airplane or entering military bases or federal buildings. This could include my family as we travel to San Antonio, Texas, for Adam’s graduation from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base. The baby of the family left Wednesday. Taking a deep breath.…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterAugust 08, 2016In my completion of daily horse chores, I often hear the familiar honks of Canada geese as they pass overhead. This spring, however, there was one honk that sounded a little different from the others. I am fairly certain it was Gary greeting me. Two summers ago my family unknowingly fostered a Canada goose into adulthood. What was then a gray and yellow fuzzy ball grew up to be a beautiful black…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterJuly 11, 2016“Back to the Future” is one of those movies I have watched again, again and again. Despite its futuristic title, it’s a movie that brings me back to the past. I was a college sophomore when the film debuted in theaters July 1985. I didn’t see the movie during its first release. I purchased the VHS years later for my first viewing. At the time of the movie’s release, my fellow college students…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterMay 16, 2016May 23 will be a joyous day even though it lands on a Monday this year. It will be the day after my youngest child graduates from high school. It will also be the day after my youngest daughter is married. How these two events came to be scheduled on the same day can be blamed (in part) on the story my husband, Bryan, and I have told our children countless times. We selected our own marriage date…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterApril 25, 2016Story development takes on different forms in the world of journalism. There are timeless stories — those that can be published anytime and entertain readers about a subject. Then there are the fast-breaking stories. These are full of facts about an event or incident. These run in the upcoming publication and inform readers of the latest news. And then there are the stories completed as a record…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterMarch 21, 2016There’s one sure sign that spring has arrived at my house. A bucket may not be as exciting as watching geese fly north or the winter wind having a little less bite. In my house the large container on the kitchen counter signifies spring is here. Along with the bucket, a rubber nipple and a two-quart plastic bottle often join the clutter. Their appearance means a newborn farm animal needs human…
- By Mavis Fodness, reporterJanuary 18, 2016My last consumption of a can of pop was 687 days ago. That’s one year, 10 months, 16 days — or since March 5, 2014. A month prior to that day I had my first (and hopefully last) experience with a kidney stone. Doctors cited pop as the culprit for the mineral buildup and gave me the advice to give up drinking the super sugary stuff or possibly suffer through another round of excruciating pain. (…
- By Mavis FodnessDecember 28, 2015“This Old House,” “Fixer Upper” and “Property Brothers” are among my favorite home improvement shows. It’s exciting to watch the resurrection of a once-loved home into a structure that is cared for again. Recently I have become a big fan of cooking shows and one in particular — so much so that I am contemplating a road trip. Chef & The Farmer is the name of a restaurant located in Kinston,…
- By Mavis FodnessDecember 07, 2015Sunday was the Feast of St. Nicholas — and my youngest son’s 18th birthday. In his sermon at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Father Tom told of the story of Nicholas, about his immense sorrow at the deaths of his parents and the relief he felt giving away his inheritance through small gifts. His main focus was giving gifts to children. The kindness brought happiness to his broken heart. Nicholas…
- By mavis fodness, reporterOctober 26, 2015Freshly painted barn brings dreams of very own quilt design Sac County, Iowa, has more barn quilts than any other place in the country or so its website indicates. Visitors can even run a self-guided tour to all 58 sites by printing the simple map off the Internet. For the past couple of years, my self-guided tour of the large, hand-painted designs on the front or sides of barns has consisted…
- By mavis fodness, reporterSeptember 28, 2015The saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” was never more poignant in describing my experience at this year’s state 4-H horse show. Unbeknownst to me, a Clay County mother and daughter were dealing with a nightmare the day after the Rock County delegation pulled onto the state fairgrounds Sept. 17. The Brown family’s horse named Brick was having trouble moving. No amount of coaxing from…
You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.