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The phrase “the new norm” has gained popularity since the pandemic starts to wind-down. Personally, I am not a fan of most of the new norms. Maybe over time I’ll start to warm up to people working from home or a new supply shortage of the week. I really struggle with going to the store, any store for that matter, and not always finding what I went there for. I was killing time before a grandson’s…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 21, 1902. Breeders Association Officers Elected and By-Laws Adopted—Next Meeting March 15 The meeting of the Breeders’ association was held at the court room last week, when constitution and by-laws were adopted and an executive committee elected. J. B. Dunn was elected vice president and N. R. Reynolds recorder. Members of the executive…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 17, 1902. Rural Route Established Will Begin Operations First of March Hon. Gilbert Gutterson, Special Agent of the Department, Goes Over the Route and Makes Appointment of Carrier and Substitute—Route Will be Twenty-Five Miles Long and Will Serve More Than One Hundred Families. The first rural free delivery route to be established in this…

Trips to the grocery store were frequent during my days as a mother of four growing children. Now, as an empty nester, weeks go by before I need to refill the cupboards and freezer. I’ve noticed, however, the previous several-times-a-week stops at the grocery store are now replaced with several-times-a-week stops to the farm supply store. It turns out my other “kids,” the ones of the four-legged…

It happens every year around this time. We finally have enough snow to cover the ground and folks start to think automatically that wildlife is on the verge of starving to death. The calls start coming in as to where they can find some corn to feed this destitute wildlife. It is true in years with heavy snow cover and below zero temperatures for extended periods that wildlife will start to show…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 10, 1902. After Twenty-Seven Years William F. Brown, the First Settler to Prove Up on a Rock County Claim, Visits the Scene of His Early Residence Residents of Rock county, enjoying as they do more of the advantages and benefits of a well settled, cultured and prosperous community than many older communities, are apt to forget how short a…

A friend of mine in Luverne put her recycling bin out on the wrong day. The next morning she discovered the bright yellow recycling “tag of shame” attached to it. The tag of shame is usually given to people who place non-recyclable items in recycling bins. You know the kind – they don’t wash the cans or remove the labels. (Yes, you are supposed to.) They try to recycle types of plastic that aren’…

We all know the dangers of driving with snow and ice on the roads, but driving with snow and ice on your vehicle is also a hazard. Always take time to remove all snow and ice from your vehicle before traveling. This is for your safety and the safety of other drivers. Snow and ice left on your hood, roof and trunk can shift and blow off – blinding you or the driver behind you. Limited visibility…

Some fishing and hunting outings end with full game bags or fish stringers, and others end up with nothing but the receipts of the money you spent. Empty fish stringers don’t always mean that the trip was not a fun or successful one, though.  It depends on what criteria you use to define success. I recently traveled to St. Cloud to attend the Minnesota Pheasants Forever state meeting. This event…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on July 7, 1905. Was a Grand Success Such Was Luverne’s Celebration of the Glorious Fourth 6000 People Were in Attendance Notwithstanding Preceding Unfavorable Weather Conditions, Luverne Observes Our Nation’s Birthday With a Notable Successful Celebration—Occasion Graced by Presence of Governor John A. Johnson Who Delivers Inspiring Address—…

Last week, in the middle of our news meeting, I stood up and paced to the other side of the desk. “My Apple Watch told me it was time to stand,” I told my puzzled co-workers. “So, I stood.” I knew what they were thinking. “If your watch told you to jump off a cliff, would you?” I wouldn’t go that far, but I have become a slave of sorts to the demands of my wristwatch. It reminds me to take more…

I am learning that as you get older it’s not just your birthday that tells you and others that you’re getting older. While my birthday is down the road a bit and Mary’s is just around the corner, it seems the signs of our advancing ages are popping up all too often. Our middle child is turning 40 this month, and our oldest grandson is graduating from high school this year. After months of Joe…

Monday marked Betty White’s 100th birthday and the world waited to celebrate. Unfortunately, Betty had other ideas. The actress, comedian and animal lover died Dec. 31 at the age of 99, 17 days short of the century mark. My sister, Avis, would have been 64 on Monday. I wish she could have made that century mark. Instead, Dec. 24, 2021, marked a decade since her early and unexpected death. I…

I’m not a fashion diva, and never has that been made more clear than last week when I – like many in Rock County – slogged through the first week of 2022 with a case of the flu. I felt fine Sunday morning, but I opted not to attend church because my husband had been feeling poorly for a few days. Our community’s new-found sense of health caution made me decide against sharing the germs from our…

I finally became a Covid statistic just before the end of 2021 when I tested positive. Even though I was fully vaccinated, I still contracted the virus. I knew from the get-go that was a very strong possibility. The reason I went in for testing wasn’t because I was sick and had all the symptoms. It was more like I was a half a bubble off plumb on the feel-good level. Of course, Mary was…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on July 7, 1905. Was a Grand Success Such Was Luverne’s Celebration of the Glorious Fourth 6000 People Were in Attendance Notwithstanding Preceding Unfavorable Weather Conditions, Luverne Observes Our Nation’s Birthday With a Notable Successful Celebration—Occasion Graced by Presence of Governor John A. Johnson Who Delivers Inspiring Address—…