Mankato Magazine

Beating the winter doldrums Pursuits of passion Missing Mankato? Not these snowbirds Fermenting a winter diversion Also in this issue: • YWCA’s Women of Distinction awards • Emerald Travel: Vacation companion • A century on ice: Mankato curling

MARCH 2012

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ANKATO M

FEATU RES MArch 2012 Volume 7, Issue 3

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Pursuits of passion

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Distinctly succesful

When the winter sets in, we find plenty of ways to while our time until spring.

These winners of the YWCA’s Women of Distinction awards are leaders at work and in the community.

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Cold beer Robb Murray ferments a winter diversion by brewing his first batch of homemade ale.

Missing Mankato?

Not these snowbirds. Heading south for warmer climes and ocean air, their thoughts are a long way from home.

Donna Hensel shoots a little pool on a table at her home.

Photo By Pat Christman

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6 From the Editor Thinking too much about doldrums 10 Familiar Faces Julie Willis of Emerald Travel 12 Artist Insight Jane Horton 30 Fashion Currents Looking for lace 32 Places in the Past Mankato curling 34 Get Out! Don’t let failure slow you down 36 That’s Life The geometry of personalities 38 From the kitchen Have your cake — and drink it, too 39 Happy Hour Beating the brandy drum 40 Good Health Vitamin question? Ask your pharmacist 42 Things to Do, Places to Go Events to check out in March 44 Garden Chat Hoping for a hoop house 52 The Way it Is Will ‘The Circle’ be unbroken?

Coming up in the April issue of Mankato Magazine...

A little help getting ready for spring.

We’ll look at some products that are made in Mankato and we’ll explore home improvement ideas both indoors and out.

We’ll also meet the handymen, the fix-it experts, the landscapers and gardeners whose work you’ve probably noticed (and maybe admired) around town.

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In our April issue, we’ll spend some time sprucing up. Join us, and we’ll clean house together.

Go ahead, dream big.

At Community Bank we know small businesses are the backbone of America and our local community. So we’re always there to help. From checking accounts with no service fees to small business loans, you’ll get a fast, informed decision – right on site. Community Bank. The right t for your business.

MONEY MATTERS. WORK SMART. LET COMMUNITY BANK HELP YOU BRING THE TWO TOGETHER.

Progress Report: Transporation Round-a-bouts, high-speed passenger rail service, expanded share-the-street bike routes and other exciting transportation strategies are being planned for Greater Mankato! These kinds of projects take a lot of research, planning and funding to accomplish. Therefore, it often takes years to see the results in our community.

AMANDA BOHLKE CONSUMER & COMMERCIAL LENDER

MANKATO – SAINT ANDREWS DR. 507.385.4444 MANKATO – MADISON AVE. 507.625.1551 VERNON CENTER 507.549.3679 AMBOY 507.674.3300

The Mankato Area Transportation and Planning Study (MATAPS) established a vision for meeting the long-range transportation needs of the region through 2035. The MATAPS 2035 plan addresses multiple aspects of the transportation system, including roadways, transit operations, non-motorized facilities and rail (freight and passenger) operations.

There are also highway coalitions for HWY 169 and HWY 14 that are working to bring attention to the needs of these highways to enhance safety, reduce congestion and maximize economic development along these corridors.

The Bike/Walk Advocates continue to advocate, educate and encourage people to use their bicycles and walk to improve their health, reduce congestion and pollution and make Greater Mankato a better, more livable community.

As the region continues to grow and develop, transportation has and will continue to be an important driver. The Transportation area of the Envision 2020 plan is intersecting with all of these efforts and groups across the region to continue to move things forward.

For more information about our community’s transportation goals or to get involved, contact the KPA Chair of Transportation, Ken Saffert at safferts@hickorytech.net. For more information about Envision 2020, go to envision-2020.com contact Judy Arzdorf, Implementation Team Chair, at jarzdorf@harrymeyeringcenter.org or Barb Embacher, Vice President of Greater Mankato Growth at bembacher@ greatermankato.com or 507.385.6644 MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 5

MANKATO magazine

MARCH 2012 • VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 PUBLISHER EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR

James P. Santori Joe Spear Tanner Kent

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Rachael Hanel Tanner Kent Nell Musolf Pete Steiner Grace Webb Marie Wood

PHOTOGRAPHERS

John Cross Pat Christman

PAGE DESIGNER

Christina Sankey

ADVERTISING MANAGER

David Habrat

ADVERTISING SALES

Cheryl Olson

ADVERTISING ASSISTANT

Barb Wass

ADVERTISING DESIGNERS

Aaron Tish Seth Glaser Sue Hammar Tony Helget Liz Klukas Christina Sankey

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Denise Zernechel

Mankato Magazine is published monthly at 418 South Second St., Mankato, MN., 56001.

To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $19.95 for 12 issues.

For editorial inquiries, call Tanner Kent at 344-6354, or e-mail tkent@mankatofreepress.com.

For advertising, call Cheryl Olson at 344-6390, or e-mail mankatomag@mankatofreepress.com.

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From The Editor

By Joe Spear

Thinking too much about doldrums

W

hen our new Assistant Editor Tanner Kent recommended “beating the winter doldrums” as a theme for this month’s Mankato Magazine, I figured we couldn’t go wrong.

We have winter and we have doldrums. Well, much to delight of many, we’ve not had much of a winter.

Doldrums will likely be with us for a while.

Doldrums is one of those words, a plural noun by the way, that you don’t really need a dictionary to know what it means. It’s usually given away in the context of the sentence and just by the way it sounds, the way it is pronounced — like the constant drumming sound in one’s head when listing to a dull speaker.

My Google dictionary — the one where you type “What does the word Doldrums mean?” into the Google search bar — gives the first definition of doldrums as “a state of inactivity.”

The second definition — and I know you’re waiting excitedly for this — is “a belt of calms and light winds between the northern and southern trade winds of the Atlantic and Pacific.”

Well, that’s news to me. So, not trusting the “Internet” dictionary, I pull out my 20-year old “Webster’s New World College Dictionary” the “Official dictionary of the Associated Press.”

It’s a little more specific on doldrums: “dull, gloomy, listless.”

So, now that we’ve established that, we can figure out just what we are trying to beat in the winter around here. Many people go south for the winter, the socalled snowbirds.

A place like Galveston, Texas, and St. Petersburg, Fla., certainly beat the winter part of our equation, but can’t things be just as dull, boring and listless in some RV park in Phoenix as they are in, say, Mankato during the winter?

Others take up hobbies to beat the winter doldrums or winter blues. There are ham radio clubs, bridge playing clubs and woodworking clubs. Though the fellow who tried to begin the latter found people with woodworking “agendas.” I guess you don’t want people with agendas around power tools.

Many people just read books during winter, and while I would be the last one to suggest literacy is dull, reading a book probably wouldn’t make David Letterman’s list of Top 10 ways to beat the winter doldrums.

I have yet to see such a list on Letterman, possibly because the subject is dull and listless, or at the very least, not interesting to the viewer of David Letterman, who, as it turns out, are probably watching TV to beat the winter doldrums.

Still, we are advised to have some strategy to beat the winter doldrums.

Mayo Clinic psychologist Lisa Hardesty tells us that having hobbies is an integral part of a person’s well being and people need to be passionate about something to avoid a cycle of depression.

That’s certainly good advice, and a simple and most affordable way to keep healthy in mind and body.

In fact, writing this column has made me more depressed because I’ve had to define and describe doldrums in ways I would normally not spend a lot of time doing. And my writing is not really a hobby. It’s work I actually get paid for.

Maybe I’ll join the ham radio club and see if we can’t connect up with those snowbirds in Phoenix, hook up the Skype and get a game of bridge going. Joe Spear is editor of Mankato Magazine. Contact him at 344-6382 or jspear@mankatofreepress.com M

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Twin Rivers Council for the Arts located in Emy Frentz Arts Guild 523 South Second Street Mankato, MN 56001 507-387-1008 info@twinriversarts.org SoutherMnArts.org

www.twinriversarts.org

Spring into a local arts establishment to invigorate your creativity.

So arts and culture thrive

march almanac

This Day in History March 1, 1881: The first state capitol building burns. Three hundred people escape safely, but the building (including the law library) is a total loss. A second capitol is built on the same site.

March 5, 1853: Seven counties are formed by the territorial legislature, including Blue Earth County, so named for the color of the clay found along Blue Earth River.

March 8, 1920: The U.S. Supreme Court settles a boundary dispute between Minnesota and Wisconsin over control of the Duluth harbor. The court finds in Minnesota’s favor.

March 17, 1851: St. Paul hosts the state’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade. Although the Irish immigration to St. Paul would not peak until the 1890s, many Irish had already settled in the city.

March 22, 1882: Judge Eugene St. Julien Cox, who was the brilliant but tragic first mayor of St. Peter, is impeached on 17 counts of habitual drunkenness for conducting courtroom business while drunk. Ten bartenders testified in the proceedings. Other witnesses recalled instances where the judge, lawyers, jury and spectators would all get drunk together. Cox is removed from office, but the conviction is overturned a year later.

March 29, 1998: Tornado activity sweeps through south-central Minnesota, causing at least one death and numerous injuries. Comfrey and St. Peter are hit particularly hard, prompting one observer to declare that St. Peter appeared “decapitated.” A man in Dakota County catches a falling page from a Le Center library book.

Click Here

H

1750 Northway Drive North Mankato, MN 56003 800-729-7575 www.corpgraph.com

ome improvement can be a daunting task. Fixing faucets, wallpapering the walls, re-tiling the bathroom and re-decorating the guest room can be intimidating projects indeed without the know-how or an expert. But this collection of websites and blogs will help you accomplish anything on your spring checklist.

• At The Dollar Stretcher (www.stretcher.com), the focus is on saving money for consumers. Content comes from a variety of in-house and outside contributors and addresses a wide variety of topics from which stocks to avoid in 2012 to choosing the right auto body repair shop to overlooked tax breaks and the wisdom of paying for credit repair.

• The Do-It-Yourself Network (www.diynetwork.com) offers exactly what the name implies: a host of articles and how-to guides on every aspect of home repair and improvement.

• 20x200 (www.20x200.com) is an organization devoted to offering professional art and photography for an affordable price. Featuring a gallery of hundreds of established and up-and-coming photoraphers, the site allows users to purchase art by first selecting a price range (beginning at $24.).

• Casa Sugar (www.casasugar.com) is a mix of indoor and home decor ideas boiled into easy-to-read articles.

The site includes everything from high-end home fashions to tips for re-purposing old frames.

Eating Healthy

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ork tenderloin now has an additional benefit: it has been recently certified by the American Heart Association. Naturally low in sodium and delicious, pork tenderloin is a flavorful solution for those who want to take care of their heart without neglecting their taste buds.

On average, the most common cuts of pork have 16 percent less total fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than 21 years ago. Ounce for ounce, pork tenderloin is as lean as a skinless chicken breast. Choose cuts of pork that come from the loin -- including chops and roasts -- for the leanest cuts.

Sautéed Pork Medallions with Lemon-Garlic Sauce

1 pork tenderloin (1 pound), trimmed 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup dry white wine (for non-alcoholic, substitute low-sodium chicken broth) 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth Grated zest and 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or rosemary* Cut pork into 12 slices, about 1-inch thick. Sprinkle pork on all sides with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning once, until the pork is well browned and internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer pork to serving platter and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and broth. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet, until the liquid is reduced by two thirds, about 5 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, the lemon zest and juice, and the parsley. Serve the pork medallions drizzled with the sauce (makes a generous 1/3 cup; about 1 1/2 tablespoons per serving). Serve the pork with whole wheat linguine or brown jasmine rice to soak up all the delicious lemon sauce.

What’s in a name?

E

very collector has an official name for their hobby. Many are based on Latin words and defy recognition. Have a look at these names for collectors of various objects

Arctophile: teddy bears Deltiologist: postcards Digitabulist: thimbles Helixophile: corkscrews Numismatist: coins, money, tokens, medals Philatelist: postage stamps Plangonologist: dolls Vexillologist: flags

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 9

Familiar Faces

By Tanner Kent • Photos By John Cross

Travel Companion

Emerald Travel owner Julie Willis has a new location in the Madison East Center.

MM: Tell me a little about the history of Emerald Travel. When did it open, and why the name “Emerald Travel”?

JW: Emerald Travel has been in business since the mid-80s. I believe it was originally Sun ‘N Fun Travel, then it became a Uniglobe and then when the former owners took over in the early 1990s, it was renamed “Emerald.” The rumor is that was the birthstone for the former owner.

MM: How did you get your start in the travel industry?

Was this your original career choice?

JW: I came to Mankato in the fall of 1990 to attend Mankato State University as an Elementary Education major.

After the first semester I decided to make a change. I enrolled at Rasmussen Business College to start in the fall of 1991 in their Travel Management program. As part of that program, we were required to intern at a local travel agency. I did my internship at AAA. Upon my graduation in 1992, I was hired by AAA to work in their auto travel department doing their Trip-Tiks. Within a year, I moved into their world travel department booking travel. My husband and I moved to Iowa in 1995 when he got his first 10 • March 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

teaching job, but then returned to the Mankato area in 1996. At that time I was hired at Emerald Travel. My business partner, Carolyn Steinhaus, and I purchased the agency in 2004.

MM: Have travel and vacation destinations changed over the years? If so, how?

JW: The most popular destinations have remained very consistent over the years. Mexico is by far our No. 1 request, followed by Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

The preferred vacations are typically the all-inclusive resorts.

Having the bulk of your trip paid for before you leave eases the stress once you are at your destination.

MM: When is the peak time of year for business?

JW: We are the busiest starting in November through Easter time. During the summer, we do many Alaska cruises, honeymoons, destination weddings and European vacations.

MM: What is something that people may not know about Emerald Travel?

JW: We moved from our downtown location to the Madison East Center at the end of 2010. Our new office is accessible using either the southeast doors or the east doors. No appointments are necessary. If you are only available for a short amount of time and would like to set up an appointment, however, we can do that.

MM: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

JW: I treasure the relationships I have developed over the years with my clients. I also enjoy booking and learning about new destinations. I think that’s what makes it such a fun job — we never know where the next call will lead us. We can be talking about Las Vegas one minute and the next could be South Africa.

MM: What’s the best vacation you’ve ever had?

JW: I love visiting new destinations. My husband and I did an Eastern Mediterranean cruise in 2007 that sailed from Rome. We made stops at Sicily, Mykonos, Santorini, Patmos and Ephesus, Turkey.

We also did a big driving trip this past summer that started in Bangor, Maine, and continued from there to Nova Scotia. We then drove from Nova Scotia all the way back to Minnesota. My favorite stops were Oak Island in Nova Scotia, Montreal and a

little island in northern Ontario called Manitoulin Island.

My favorite place to vacation is the Playa del Carmen area south of Cancun. The beaches are beautiful and you can do as much or as little as you want. M

Julie Willis Place of residence: Mapleton Hometown: Sioux Falls, S.D. How long lived in Mankato/surrounding area: 21 years When did you start working at Emerald Travel: 1996 Education: Travel management degree from Rasmussen Business College Family: Husband Jason and 3 children: Jamison (17), Jordan (13) and Jonah (8)

Julie Willis works with an employee at Emerald Travel. Willis said the best part of her job is never knowing “where the next call will lead us.”

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 11

Artist Insight

By Nell Musolf

Late Bloomer

Jane Horton

J

ane Horton hasn’t been painting for very long. As a matter of fact, she didn’t begin painting until about eight years ago when her husband was doing a little yard work.

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“My husband cut down an abandoned robin’s nest from a tree in our yard,” Horton recalled. “The nest had three leaves pushed into the bottom.”

The random placement of the leaves struck Horton as curious and she discovered she had her very first subject. After buying some tubes of water-soluble oil paint, a few brushes and a canvas she got to work.

“I had no idea at all what to do, how to begin or how to manipulate paints. But I painted the nest and was pleased with the result,” Horton said.

Horton named her maiden painting “Empty Nest” and then promptly enrolled in art classes at Minnesota State University. Five years later, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Horton enjoyed her educational experience at MSU and found the staff to be encouraging but also demanding.

Horton called herself a “dreaded” non-traditional student who was taking classes with classmates who were younger than her daughters.

“That dynamic created interesting discussions and experiences,” Horton said.

Horton still doesn’t consider herself to be a painter but she does enjoy working with all mediums and a variety of subjects. She feels her best work happens when she is in a setting where she can encourage others to be creative. To that end, she volunteers at the Harry Meyering Center where she is active in a group called the Painting Club.

Katie Shabrak, activities coordinator at HMC, is happy to have an artist of Horton’s caliber leading the group.

“Jane had been helping several artists with other projects in a one-on-one setting for a couple of years,” Shabrak recalled. “The idea of actually having a monthly painting

idea had been floating around, so when Jane came into our lives it seemed like the Painting Club was meant to be.”

Shabrak added that the club has been “nothing but fun” and she appreciates Horton’s knowledge of art along with her kindness and willingness to support and teach the artistic group.

The Painting Club is made up of HMC residents who explore their creativity along with Horton and other members of the staff. The club currently has 12 members. Horton feels strongly that the people who are participating in the Painting Club be allowed as free a reign as possible in their artwork. She usually prepares a brief introduction at the top of each class and ensures the proper supplies are available.

“After that I push and encourage the artists to soar, create and not be limited to or try to meet the expectations of someone else,” Horton said.

The Painting Club is definitely not a paint-by-the-numbers kind of group.

Shabrak thinks that Horton’s ability to give a short history about artists and their works has helped the HMC Painting Club expand its horizons.

“Jane has encouraged us to try new ways to paint. We tried different mediums and our artists really enjoyed going out of their comfort zones and being creative and trying new things,” Shabrak said.

An example of getting the club out of its comfort zone occurred on the

evening when Horton arranged for the class to meet outdoors so everyone could experiment with the drip-and-splatter style of Jackson Pollack. The new setting was, at first , slightly intimidating to the class, as was the technique that was different from anything they had done before.

“Even the uneven terrain and picnic tables were out of the norm for some. But once they gained confidence, our artists just took off,” Horton said.

The Mankato area will have the opportunity to see some of the Painting Club’s work at an upcoming art show.

The exhibit runs from March 1 through April 30 at the Landkammer Building with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 19th. M

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 13

Pursuits of Passion How Mankato keeps busy during the gray of winter

After completing his banjo, Tony Francour taught himself a three-finger plucking style.

Photos By John Cross & Pat Christman

Donna Hensel has a pool table in her Mankato home to keep her game sharp.

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By Nell Musolf

Donna Hensel said, “I’ve thought about retiring from pool but I’m just not quite ready for bingo and crochet.”

T

he long, cold days of winter may inspire some people to curl up with a cup of tea and a good book. But, for others, winter is the ideal time to pursue a hobby. In the Mankato area, people are playing bridge, connecting with amateur radio operators, shooting pool and building their own musical instrument, just to name a few of our winter pursuits.

Pool shark

Donna Hensel has been playing pool for over three decades. Her passion for the game started when she was playing against someone who noted that pool was all about angles.

“Once I saw what he meant, I was hooked,” Hensel said.

Pool is a hobby that Hensel said is a very good way to help winter go by since the pool season starts in mid-October and ends in April. It’s also a social event, another plus during the gray months of the year.

“You get to know many people who have the same passion about the game,” Hensel said. “You run into the pool ‘diehards’ at the weekend tournaments and conversations can be anywhere from, ‘you wouldn’t believe the 8-ball I just missed’ to ‘you should have seen the bank I made to get out.’ There are some games you can remember forever and some games you just want to forget.”

Hensel has built up quite a reputation for herself as a pool player and over the years has been on several winning teams. Her current team, The Circle, play for the Circle Donna Hensel has been playing pool for more than three decades.

Inn. Hensel said a definite highlight for her team was winning the International On Air Jeffrey Hundstad is vice president of the Championship in Las Vegas in 2009.

Mankato Area Amateur Radio Club, or Hensel and her teammates recently moved MARC. The group of amateur radio from the women’s league into the men’s operators, also known as “ham” operators, with the goal of improving their game. has been in existence in Mankato since Hensel practices approximately two to 1954.

With a current membership holding four hours a week but if a tournament is steady at 42, group members from all looming, she will put in at least an hour a walks of life get together once a month to night for a few weeks on the 8-foot talk about all things radio.

Olhausen table she has at home. When she “There are more men than women in practices, she works on her stroke and the club,” Hundstad said, “but the group is shots that have been giving her trouble. not exclusively men and everyone is But Hensel admits she doesn’t practice as welcome to join.” much as she used to.

Members pay $30 to join MARC but “I love the game but as you get up in non-members can attend any MARC years, it seems you lose the drive you had events.

Activities include SKYWARN (a when you were younger. I’ve thought about group of radio operators who are also retiring from pool but I’m just not quite storm spotters), public service ready for bingo and crochet,” Hensel said. communications and “nets” — which are roundtable discussions on anything from technology to the weather.

Rag-chewing is another popular activity.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 15

Amateur Radio Club President Andy Johnson checks out Aries Blanker’s homemade nanotechnology Tesla coil during its annual Homebrew Electronics competition in February.

Ron Geppert explains the inner workings of his homemade RF choke to Chuck Rowen during a February meeting of the Mankato Amateur Radio Club

“Rag-shewing is chatting for the sake of chatting,” Hundstad explained.

“Rag-chewing is chatting for the sake of chatting,” Hundstad explained.

MARC holds the Homebrew Electronics competition in February, a friendly competition that comes with a traveling trophy. The goal of Homebrew Electronics is to design, build and present a radio-

related project. The project is then rated by members on originality, practicality, reproducibility, technicality and craftsmanship.

The current MARC calendar can be found at: http://www.marcmvra.net.

Tony Francour hadn’t played an instrument for years when he decided to build his own banjo.

16 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Hobby sounds

For people who are interested in solitary hobbies, building an instrument from scratch might be a good way to while away the winter months. Tony Francour decided to build his own banjo a few years ago after seeing a catalog from Musicmakers, a company based in Stillwater that designs and manufactures folk musical instruments kits.

He spent two months building his banjo.

On the bridge

The classic card game bridge also has its fans in the area.

Henry Hanson belongs to a local bridge-playing group that meets twice a week, at Dutler’s Bowl on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the Summit Center. Hanson said anyone is welcome to join, but recommends participants have at least a basic knowledge of the ins and outs of the game.

“In my opinion, bridge is somewhat like chess,” Hanson said. “It can be difficult or easy.

It all depends on how you want to make it.”

Interested bridge players are welcome to call Hanson at 507-387-2463 for more information.

Hobbies anyone?

Not all hobbies make it to the group meeting level.

Tom Tiefenbacher attempted Tony Francour said about playing the banjo: “I find it’s a great to form a group of woodworkers way to relax.” in southern Minnesota to no “I had learned to play guitar as a avail. Tiefenbacher, a member of teenager,” Francour said, “but hadn’t had the Minnesota Woodworkers Guild, was an instrument for many years.” tired of driving up to the cities for Intrigued by the idea of building his meetings and hoped to start a local own instrument, Francour decided to try chapter. He ran into trouble when he tried building a dulcimer and learn how to play to get people to commit. it. When he and his wife visited the “It was strange to me but everyone Musicmakers shop, his wife suggested he seemed to have a personal agenda different build a banjo instead, and Francour from mine,” Tiefenbacher said. “Only one agreed. or two of them were interested in making Building the banjo took about two it happen.” months, a period Francour feels might be Tiefenbacher still works with wood for longer than necessary but he wanted to personal pleasure and hasn’t given up on take his time and enjoy the effort that the idea of group of like-minded local went into making a musical instrument. woodworkers.

Francour said that building the banjo was “If there are interested and motivated not too difficult. woodworking folk who want to get “The hardest parts — shaping the body together and form a group,” they can call and neck — are done at the company Tiefenbacher at 507-381-7829. M shops. The rest involved shaping and drilling the head, sanding, finishing, assembly and fret installation,” said Francour.

Once his banjo was completed, Francour learned how to play a three-finger bluegrass style and now spends about an hour every day on his banjo.

“I find it’s a great way to relax,” Francour said.

Hobbies for your health

L

isa Hardesty believes hobbies are more than pleasant diversions.

In fact, she believes them integral to any individual’s wellbeing.

“I can’t talk about hobbies without talking a b o u t overall wellness,” said the psychologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

“Hobbies help in a lot of different ways.”

Medical organizations consistently define “wellness” in terms of comprehensive health, not merely an absence of disease or sickness. Hardesty said she encourages many of her patients to seek or pursue a hobby for the medical benefits.

“Hobbies can give you a sense of purpose,” she said, “especially if you’re involved with something you’re passionate about.”

Purpose and passion make individuals more resilient. And resilience, Hardesty said, is the first line of defense against any malady.

She’s recommended hobbies for people suffering depression and for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is commonly known as the “winter blues” and is a form of depression caused by lack of sunlight. She’s also recommended hobbies for people who need more exercise and people who are stressed.

Hardesty said people can start small with their hobbies; setting aside even 15 minutes a day to pursue a passion can have positive effects on well-being. Even seemingly trivial hobbies like reading jokes or visiting with a supportive friend, she said, are beneficial.

Hardesty also said that hobbies in which a person is learning a new skill or gaining expertise, and those that include physical activity, enhance the benefits.

“I often see these people: They work, go home, have families,” Hardesty said.

‘But they don’t do anything they are passionate about. They create a cycle of depression.”

— Tanner Kent MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 17

Cold Beer One man’s beer-making odyssey ferments a winter diversion Photos and story By Robb Murray

W

e’ve been blessed this year with unseasonably warm weather, and no one has appreciated it more than I. I don’t know if you know this about me, but I hate winter. Loathe it. Abhor it.

Detest it like a sickness.

So even though this weather has been

The first step to making homemade beer is purchasing a do-it-yourself brewing kit.

just shade cooler than spring on a lot of days, it’s still winter. And when winter comes, we Midwesterners like to hole up inside and find stuff to occupy our time.

Some choose television or video games.

Some like to curl up with a good book.

And I do those things, too. But this year, I wanted to try something different.

For a few years now, I’ve been wondering what it would be like to make my own beer. I mean, think about it: Micro and craft breweries are popping up like weeds, even right in town here. Mankato Brewery just launched its first beer to booming success. (Within days of its launch, I had to make a half-dozen phone calls to find a place for my buddy Lance and I to give it a taste.)

All over the state, breweries are starting up.

And down the road a jaunt in New Ulm sits the second oldest family-owned brewery in America: Schell’s, which makes a beer that, for the moment, is one of my faves — The at-home brewing process requires proper sanitation and a Firebrick. At Fitger’s whole lot of waiting.

Brewhouse in Duluth, they make a handful of quality brews, including an apricot ale that, had my family allowed it, I would have consumed A LOT more than the two I did.

Go to the liquor store and the scene is a far different than one than when I turned 21 in 1990. Back then, there was basically Miller, Budweiser and maybe a Rolling Rock, Schlitz or Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Now? Heck, even basic liquor stores sell a wide variety of beers. A handful of Schell’s beers, a half-dozen New Belgium pale ales, Samuel Adams varieties, even Mexican beers, shandys ... an imbiber’s paradise at various locations throughout the community.

So it’s clear, especially in these parts, that beer is part of our culture.

With that in mind, I made it very clear last November what I wanted for Christmas. I’d seen it at Scheel’s, Herbergers and other retailers, the big red box calling to me like a siren.

Mr. Beer. This inexpensive kit was the perfect way for the kids to get me what I wanted for Christmas, and to get me on my way to making my own beer. And on Christmas Day, when I opened the biggest present under the tree, I’d gotten what I asked for.

A few weeks later, the boy and I busted open the kit and tried our first run at homemade beer. (Why the boy? Why is a

way) and is ready to boil. And when it’s done, it’s poured into the fermenter. In goes the yeast, on goes the lid and ... Now it’s time to wait.

The instructions give you options when it comes to the waiting. Give it at least a week, they say. Let it sit more, they say, and it will give the beer — which in this case is called “West Coast Pale Ale” — more flavor. I compromise and give it 10 days.

Now it’s time to bottle it. But first, a taste. Instructions say you’ll know the beer is ready if it tastes like, and I’m not making this up, “flat beer.” So I pour an ounce and give it a try. True to the Mr. Beer instruction book writer’s words, it does, indeed, taste like flat beer.

The time for the next phase is The first batch produced enough beer to fill eight liter bottles. here.

Reusable, brown plastic bottles child involved in making a beverage for came with the kit, so that’s what we used. which he is far to young to legally Bottling, like the previous boiling process, consume? Relax, people. He’s not drinking has a few tricky steps that must be done it. It’s just a fun thing to do. It’s like in order. Beer is carbonated, of course, so baking cookies, only you don’t get to eat each bottle must include a few teaspoons them for two weeks. And plus, with all of sugar. Over the course of the next the measuring and liquids and ratios, it’s week-long waiting period, the sugar will kind of like a chemistry lesson. So haters, cause a chemical reaction like back off.) photosynthesis to produce carbonation After perusing the instructions, I — See? This is chemistry, people. realize that making beer is a simple Bottling goes well for the most part. I process, but one that must be undertaken have enough beer to fill all eight of my with a certain amount of diligence when liter bottles. Once the caps are screwed it comes to following things exactly. It’s on tight, it’s time again to wait. made very clear in the handbook that Again, I give it 10 days, those brown EVERYTHING needs to be sanitized and bottles sitting on a shelf, teasing me every that even the slightest particle of bacteria time I go into the laundry room. can spoil en entire batch of beer.

Finally, it’s time to try it.

Luckily, the kit came with a pouch of Earlier in the day pulled one of those sanitization granules that cleaned out my bottles down and threw it in the fridge so fermenting keg and all the tools I would it’d be good and cold by 7 p.m. After need. So after everything was sanitized, it twisting the cap off and filling up the was on to the meat and potatoes of the pilsner glass I’d bought at Fitger’s, it’s the operation. moment of truth.

When using a Mr. Beer kit, they take Verdict: It was ... well ... Not that good. the trickiest part out of the equation. The It seemed a little flat, actually, but it had wort, or the mixture that contains the decent flavor. At first. heart and soul of a beer flavor, comes A few weeks later, as I photographed it ready made in a can. And the Mr. Beer for this article, tried it again. The extra folks make a few dozen varieties — darks, time improved the quality dramatically. reds, ambers, lagers and all kinds of pale Where at one time I couldn’t really see ales. With their catalog I can order as myself finishing the batch, now I can. And many cans and varieties as I want, but I will. Even my beagle liked it. digress.

In the days that followed my adventure, The boy pops the can and the wort as I told my beer-making tale to others (which is an outstanding word, by the

— ala Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” — I got lots of feedback, especially from people who have brewed beer before.

Try different sugar, don’t use bottles, try a different variety.

I also looked online a little to see what kind of success others have had with Mr. Beer. I found out Mr. Beer is not exactly brimming with positive testimonials. One thing many of them said, though, is that Mr. Beer is a good place to start if you’ve never done it and you just want to see how beer making works. And in that respect, Mr. Beer was a great success.

And I’ll do all those things people suggested, of course, and I will definitely try again. Because making perfect beer wasn’t the goal. The goal was simpy making beer, and the boy and I accomplished that. We had fun, bonded a little. And I have a good start on this new hobby of mine.

We’re already deciding what variety to try next. And down the road, after I do this for a few batches, I might upgrade to a more extensive kit.

Either way, this has been a great way to get away from winter, even if just for a little while. M

The first batch: “Even my beagle liked it.”

Jennifer Pfeffer

Najwa Massad

Distinctly Successful Meet the winners of the YWCA’s 2012 Women of Distinction

By Madeline McBride

E

ach recipient of the 40th annual YWCA Women of Distinction award is in a different career field and has different accomplishments, but how they feel about Mankato and its community is the same: They want to see it flourish.

“They have a difficult time narrowing it down,” Anne Ganey, the executive director at the Mankato YWCA said of the committee choosing the recipients. “This community is filled with amazing women who do fabulous things.”

Ganey said women used to run whole communities as volunteers, but now many women do this as well as maintain careers.

The award, she said, honors this progress.

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The Women of Distinction award acknowledges women who embody the YWCA mission of eliminating racism and empowering women through volunteerism and their careers. Jennifer Pfeffer, Najwa Massad and JO Bailey will be honored as the 2012 Women of Distinction at a March 22 event at the Verizon Wireless Center.

Pfeffer is the executive director at Pathstone Living in Mankato, Massad is the owner of two restaurants in Mankato and Najwa’s Catering while Bailey is the vice president and general manager at Radio Mankato.

Impacting the Community “Mankato is home,” Pfeffer said.

“The growth of this community is important to me.”

On top of her career at Pathstone Living, Pfeffer is part of the Greater Mankato Growth board, the YMCA board and was part of the original Envision 2020 meetings to develop a long-range community plan in Mankato. She said giving back to the community is something she learned through her parents’ actions: “It was a strong message that giving back and caring for others is important.”

Bailey was also part of Envision 2020 and is the 2012-2013 president of the Mankato Rotary Club as well being a big influence in starting the Holiday Sharing Tree that now serves over 900 families.

following your own lead.

“The heart and the head have to be there” without one overpowering the other, Pfeffer said about what goes into being a leader.

Massad agrees: “If I get a little bit excited, everyone else gets the same way. Everyone takes their cue from who’s leading them.”

That’s where Massad says the strength comes in.

“You have to be a strong leader because you’re leading everyone else,” she said.

Leading by example is a business tip to which Bailey adheres; do as you say and say as you do.

“I have had wonderful mentors in my career who have helped me move to the next level,” Bailey said, adding that she’s at a point in her career where it’s her turn to teach. “I like to make them believe in themselves,.”

JO Bailey “I think it’s important to connect and give back,” Bailey said. “It’s important to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Shannon Gullickson, who nominated Bailey, said “the first thing that comes to mind” about Bailey is her involvement in the community.

“I don’t think about how much time it takes, I think about the difference it will make,” Bailey said.

Massad also said she wants to see the place she’s made her home continue to grow. She is the vice chair of the City of Mankato Planning and Zoning Commission, a chairperson of the MultiModel and Transportation Committee and was the first-ever female chairperson of the St. John’s Catholic Church Finance Committee.

Karla Njoku, Massad’s daughter and nominator, said in an email: “We have had many opportunities to expand our businesses elsewhere, but my mother’s commitment to the town that let her build her dreams is astonishing.”

Strong leadership

There are many different kinds of leaders, but these three women boil leadership down to three key characteristics: passion, strength and

Career pursuit

Massad’s managerial staff and most of her employees are women. Njoku said her mother not only impacted her and her sister’s life, but the lives of other women, too: “I know this because they introduce themselves to me and tell me how she has made them who they are today. These are women in their 30s, 40s and 50s who worked for my mother when they were in high school or college.”

Massad’s career is moving forward as she and her family are working on franchising their restaurant. Massad, along with her husband John, own Massad’s in the River Hills Mall and Olives in downtown Mankato. She is also the exclusive caterer for the Mankato Verizon Wireless Center through Najwa’s Catering.

Kelly Olson, the YWCA development director, said through “perseverance and tenacity (Massad) has become a successful

businesswoman.”

Pfeffer also works with about 95 percent female employees, which she said partially has to do with her career. Pfeffer has helped the non-profit Pathstone Living grow to be able to offer more programs such as assisted living, a memory care program, transportation and others.

“I think care-giving is a women’s issue, especially when you talk about aging,” Pfeffer said.

Olson said Jennifer is an incredible leader and Beth Colway, the development director at Pathstone Living, agrees.

“She’s been a mentor to all her employees,” Colway said.

Distinctive Difference Award

New this year at the YWCA is the Distinctive Difference Award. This award is given “to honor and recognize a business or organization from the Greater Mankato Area that’s achievements have made a significant contribution to advancing women and/or people of color into upper management and leadership positions.”

HickoryTech is the first recipient of the Distinctive Difference Award. The company has about 50 percent female supervisors and managers and more than 50 percent were promoted from other positions at HickoryTech. All employees receive training on diversity and equal treatment for all. HickoryTech’s employees also volunteer with United Way, South Central Workforce Council, Special Olympics, CADA House and others. M

If You Go WHAT 2012 Women of Distinction event WHEN 5 p.m.

Thursday, March 22 WHERE Verizon Wireless Center TICKETS $50 per person, $500 for a table of eight MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 21

Missing Mankato?

Not these snowbirds.

By Tanner Kent | Photo By Pat Christman

22 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

D

on’t think for a moment they miss the winter. They might miss home, that cozy place in the valley where the zip codes reach 56, but the temperatures rarely do.

They might miss the people, the family, the Wagon Wheel or Belgrade Avenue. But when they’re heading south on Interstate 35 to Texas, Interstate 25 to Phoenx or Interstate 75 to St. Petersburg, they’re minds are on golfing, ocean breezes, dry air and balmy sunshine. In short, nowhere near Mankato. This bunch of seasonal southwards calls themselves snowbirds. For the rest of us stuck in the slush and snow and frost, we call them lucky. “Oh sure, we hear all the stuff from people back home when we leave,” said Roger Bailor, a snowbird of some 15 years. “But they’re just jealous.”

Goodbye MSU, hello Phoenix Nineteen years ago, Jack Auger retired from teaching in the counseling department at Minnesota State University. The next winter, he and his wife Martha were on their way to Phoenix They leave in early January, heading for Jack’s hometown of Denver. (That’s where Martha used to go and visit her sister, who once asked if she’d like to go on a blind date MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 23

with a rather tall gentleman. That gentleman was Jack.) They spend a few days in the thralls of the Rocky Mountains — “beautiful country,” Jack notes with a wistful note in his voice — before setting off again for Albuquerque, then Phoenix. Their daughter and granddaughters live near Phoenix and the Augers said they delight in having a dual purpose for leaving Mankato behind for two months every year.

“It’s a great way to see family,” Jack said.

But, don’t you miss the tranquility of falling snow, the howl of sweeping wind, the crack of ice under your boots?

“Heavens no,” Martha said.

Business and pleasure Charlie Thompson spends so much time in Florida that it might be more accurate to say he summerbirds in Minnesota. In fact, Thompson spends more time living in his St. Petersburg townhome than he does his home in North Mankato. He and his wife Barb leave for Florida after Labor Day and don’t return again until just before Memorial Day. “When the leaves start falling, we know what’s coming,” he said. Thompson said his time in St. Petersburg is a mixture of work and idle pleasure.

The father of Jacob Thompson, an Army staff sergeant who was killed by an explosion in Iraq in 2007, Charlie has devoted much of his time to making Freedom Pens — pens that are made out of spent rifle shells. He’s fashioned more than 13,000 to date and said he works at least 40 hours a week making the pens in his shop.

But at night, he and Barb “keep the restuarants in business” and spend a lot of time at the beach.

“The gulf is about a 10-minute bicycle ride away,” Thompson said. “We go to the beach and just sit back and relax.”

Thompson added that they also attend church regularly — and that’s where he sees a clear division between wintering residents and their native, yearround counterparts.

“It’ll be 72 degrees and the people who are from Florida have their jackets on,” he laughed.

“Us snowbirds are wearing shorts and T-shirts.”

Happy trails Roger and his wife Eileen lived most of their lives in the countryside near Albert Lea before relocating to 24 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Mankato during their retirement to be closer to their two daughters, both of whom work in the medical industry.

Sometime after New Year’s Day, Roger said he starts getting the itch to move. Thanksgiving leftovers are long since cleared from the fridge and Christmas festivities have concluded. Roger said he’ll just give his wife a look, and she’ll know it’s time to start packing the camper.

“It’s a look like, ‘Let’s get out of here before the snow is so high we can’t get out of here,’” she laughed.

They keep a standing, mid-January reservation at an RV park in Galveston, Texas — but they often set their compass south a few weeks in advance, giving them ample time to meander the country. They’ve seen Graceland and the Grand Ole Opry, they’ve caught Bulls basketball games in Chicago, barbecue in Kansas City and the self-described world’s largest McDonald’s, which straddles Interstate 44 near Vinita, Okla.

Though this year’s winter has been uncommonly mild, Roger said it still doesn’t compare to wintering a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico.

“I love Minnesota,” he said. “But I don’t mind leaving to enjoy this for a while.” M

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507-344-6390

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Missing Something?

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 25

Reflections

Photo By John Cross

In Minnesota, there’s nothing like the appearance of the first robin to cast away the bonds of winter.

The first robins hopping about the yard are a traditional harbinger of spring.

Not that the birds always get it right.

Meteorological spring arrives on March 20, but that can mean very little in these latitudes. March traditionally is one of our snowiest months and historically, a time for some of our most infamous blizzards.

Most notably, the Great St. Patrick’s Day Blizzard of 1965 dumped nearly two feet of snow across much of Minnesota, creating drifts up to 25-feet high, snarling traffic for days.

Nevertheless, the return of robins to our landscape, even a white one, is a balm to a winter-weary soul.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 27

28 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

$01856275 Year-to-date Economic Impact 2011 Total Economic Impact: $40,500,000

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 29

Fashion Currents

By McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Lace provides elegant details In the spring of 1939, Coco Chanel said this about lace: “I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin.” ace was around a long time before the famous designer and always has had a very special place in fashion.

Whether it’s as delicate as a spider web or made to look more durable and dramatic, lace adds interest, romance and femininity to any garment. The little black dress is a wardrobe staple, but it’s importance is heightened if it has a lace trim, lace overlay or inlay or if it is completely made of lace.

Today, lace is mass-produced, but in the past decade, it’s been made more durable and more affordable. And now a huge variety of stretch lace is available. If you need a good reliable dress for after-five year-round, take a look at the ones with lace details. M

L

A black empire bodice has lace over a nude color lining with tiered skirt.

30 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 31

Places

in the

Past

By Grace Webb

A century on ice Curling in Mankato dates back to 1903

Submitted photo Con Birr (pictured at far left) and the rest of the team that won the 1972 senior national championship. Also pictured are (from left) Marlene Ganske, Marj Overmeyer and Bob Maes.

T

he stone slid across the ice, scraping over bumps left by air bubbles in the river. It was a good day — the river coating the river was slick and hard, the best kind of ice for curling.

Con Birr, a teenager who lived on a farm outside of Mapleton, watched as his curling stone slid closer to the crude target.

His father, standing on the other side of the river, shouted directions as Con’s cousin and another friend from high school swept furiously, smoothing out the stone’s path. It was winter in the late 1940s, and the four men curled whenever there was ice to play on.

“Not a year has gone by without curling,” Con said.

The game is fairly straightforward: teams attempt to push curling stones down the ice and land on the target at the other end. Players use brooms to “sweep” the ice and help lead the stone. Each target has three rings, and whichever team gets its stone closest to the center earns points for that round. Con was introduced to the game by his father, and they formed a team with Con’s cousin and another friend from school.

Con has played ever since. Now, 70 years and several championships later, Con still curls with the Mankato Curling Club.

Starting a club The idea for a Mankato curling club grew after local men started gathering together to curl in the early 1900s. By

32 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

1903, the group had formed an official club.

At first, it was small, but by the 1950s it had grown into a sizable community of curlers. Women began curling with the club in the late ’50s, and in the ’60s, the club began hosting mixed spiels (competitions) that were open to both men and women.

Until 1940, the Mankato Curling Club met and played on its own property near where the former Continental Can was located. The city offered to buy the land from the Curling Club in exchange for a 99-year lease providing adequate shelter for the club to meet, and the club accepted.

At first, the city put the club’s new building near the old high school, but by 1950, the club had to move again when the school went through construction and renovation. This time, the club was housed in two steel buildings built from leftover huts from the airport, and players only had four sheets of ice to use.

Finally, in 1965, the club’s president convinced the city to build the club its own building.

“That improved things a lot,” said current club president Jake Palmer.

The building is located on Hope Street and houses both an ice arena and a lounge area. The arena has five sheets of ice, which can accommodate 10 teams, and the lounge has a kitchen and tables. In the late 1960s, the club purchased its own set of curling rocks (previously, players had brought their own), which are still being used today. Also, the club began hosting bonspiels to allow players to compete against regional teams, such as Mapleton.

As the club has grown, so have its membership opportunities. Now, leagues are available for high school students and those with disabilities. The club hosted the Club National Championship last year, and, by special request, is hosting it again this year in March. “It’s really a feather in our cap,” Palmer said.

Today’s games The Mankato Curling Club has grown into a strong and prestigious group. While membership has varied over the years, it currently claims about 180 members.

Game nights pull in people of all ages,

from 5-year-olds to 85-year-olds. Whole families often come and make teams. “[Curling] bridges age barriers and age gaps, [because] grandparents and grandkids can play together on the ice,” Palmer said.

Con is one member who brings his whole family. He and his wife curled on the same team for years, and now his three children and their children also curl. In fact, Con’s two sons, Kevin and Todd, were national curling champions in 2007 and took third place at the world competition that same year.

Con doesn’t curl quite so much now, but he is in charge of creating the ice for the arena, which is a very precise job. He also is happy to explain the game to spectators who don’t quite know what’s going on.

Scoring and rules can be difficult to follow at times, such as the concept of an eightender. An eight-ender is when a team gets all eight of its curling stones in the center and scores eight points. It is extremely difficult and rare, but the Mankato Club has had its share of eight-enders, and so has Con. “It’s like a hole-in-one,” Palmer explained. “It’s unbelievable.” Passing on the knowledge It’s Thursday night and Con is standing outside the arena, watching as teams square off against each other.

It’s just a regular league night, not a real competition; this is all practice and fun.

Con would be out on the ice too, but his team has a bye this week. Instead, he wanders around the lounge, saying hi to other league members and teasing their kids.

He notices a young woman watching the game with a confused expression, and he swoops in to save the day. She admits she’s never seen the game before, so he starts explaining what is going on and how to keep track of who’s winning. He gets excited when she starts to understand and enjoy the sport.

Con likes it when young people show an interest in the game; it ensures the sport won’t die out. He’s especially excited with how many kids participate in the Mankato Curling Club — about 100.

“That’s encouraging to see,” he said. M

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 33

Get Out!

By Rachel Hanel

Don’t let failure slow you down I

n a famous Nike commercial, former NBA star Michael Jordan says this: I missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.

I’ve lost almost 300 games.

Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot, and missed.

I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.

And that is why I succeed.

Those of us who spend time outdoors are usually trying to improve ourselves in some way.

It might be a small goal — can I run to hat next telephone pole without stopping?

Or it might be something larger — can I make the team? Can I win the race? But in reality, anyone who spends time trying to get good at something is going to falter every now and again.

Instead of ignoring our failures, w h a t w o u l d happen if w e e m b ra c e d the bad d a y s ?

Wo u l d doing so make us e v e n stronger?

I t ’ s tempting to keep those bad days to yourself. We’re shy about sharing our failures. Pithy status updates on social networking sites, especially updates about athletic endeavors, are overwhelmingly positive and can make you think you’re the only one who ever has a bad day.

Social networking sites let us project our best selves to the world, says Cindra Kamphoff, sport and exercise

psychology associate professor at Minnesota State University.

Positive posts on Facebook generate more comments and more “likes,” she says. This can keep a person motivated and thinking positively, and people perform better when they feel good.

Kamphoff, who is training for the Boston Marathon, went through a two-week stretch in January when her training didn’t go well. She admitted to not posting much on Facebook during that time. But the low moment passed and she has since had some fantastic runs.

Instead of posting in midst of disappointment, Kamphoff prefers to wait until she comes out of it. Then she tries to find an over-arching message and explain how she overcame obstacles as a way to help others.

Friends and family can offer a new perspective on the bad days, especially because we tend to dwell on our failures when they may not be as bad as we think.

“We tend to think it’s all or nothing,” Kamphoff says.

I can attest to this. Last spring, I had a particularly bad run. Up until then, my running was going well. I was getting stronger and faster. Then I went for a run and felt sluggish. I could barely hold a pace that just a few days before had been easy to maintain. I became so frustrated and anxious that I cut my run short. Fears overwhelmed me: Was I sliding backward?

Was I finally getting to the age where I could not expect any more physical improvements? Was this the beginning of the end?

I shared my disappointment with others via Facebook. On April 7, 2011, I posted: “I had a bad running day. For some reason I only seem to be getting slower.”

Some other runners chimed in and admitted to recent disappointments as well. That honesty helped me gain some much-needed perspective.

Looking back, I realize how irrational my thoughts were. And if I would have obsessed about that bad day, it might have had lingering effects.

“Actions are connected to thoughts. If you focus on how it went poorly, that’s what the mind will remember,” Kamphoff says.

But I think I felt particularly bad on that day because on Facebook, I had been reading posts from people who were having great days, and I compared myself to them. And therein lies a big danger — comparing yourself to others, Kamphoff says.

Kamphoff cited a recent study on mental barriers that athletes face. Comparing oneself to others was in the top five. It’s fine to look at someone as a role model and motivator, she says, but it can be harmful to think you have to be as fast or as strong as someone you know.

The bad days also allow us opportunity to examine what went wrong and how we can do it differently next time. Mistakes can help us become better.

“We’re not perfect. If we have expectations of being perfect that sets up a fear of failure.”

Successful people use setbacks as opportunities for comebacks, Kamphoff says.

Those setbacks make achieving goals even sweeter.

Even on bad days, Kamphoff says people can find one small thing that went well.

Celebrate that one thing. Maybe it was a run that at least started out well. Or the fact that you were outside while so many others were on the couch.

“We tend to focus on what didn’t go well, and that impacts motivation,” Kamphoff says.

Focusing on what went well protects confidence.

“We can’t expect everything to go perfectly. There are good miles and bad miles.

Keeping the focus on the bad run is not going to help you.” M

Rachel Hanel is an outdoor enthusiast who lives in Madison Lake.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 35

That’s Life

By Nell Musolf

The geometry of personalities

T

here are many ways to divide people into groups. You can go with classics such as: Republicans and Democrats; meat eaters and vegetarians; people who watched “The Munsters” in re-runs and those who preferred “The Addams Family.”

But I tend to divide people who think in lines as opposed to those who think in circles.

This is not a gender related issue. Line thinkers can be of either sex, although they do seem to be predominantly male while circle thinkers do seem to be mainly women.

Circle thinkers start off with one topic, connect it to another one that connects to another one and so on, stretching out into infinity until they remember what they were talking about in the first place and return to the beginning to complete their initial thought.

My friend Jane is a circle thinker of the highest order. Jane and I can be having a conversation about school lunches and, from that springboard, she will wander into a reminiscence about the kind of cookies her mother used to pack into her lunch bag when she was growing up and then move on to how the world became a much less tasty place when Coke manufacturers switched from cane sugar to beet sugar, then segue into a story about the classic Don Ho song “Tiny Bubbles” — the connection being sugar cane is grown in Hawaii — and finally return to the lunch issue with the astute comment that

school kids have much better hot lunches than we used to but it doesn’t matter since they don’t appreciate them anyway and should really be forced to pack their own noontime meals.

Having a conversation with a circular thinker can be a little dizzying at times but it is always interesting.

Line thinkers never wander off course. They think in bullets and excel at coming up with solutions to problems before the problem has been completely verbalized. An example of a conversation between a circle thinker and a line thinker would be the following: Circle Thinker: “I think my cholesterol might be a little high ...”

Line Thinker: “What do you mean by a ‘little’ high? What are your cholesterol counts? Exactly? Have you been to your doctor?

What did your doctor say? How many calories are you supposed to consume in a day? How many DO you consume? Should you be drinking so much red wine? How much weight have you lost?

Does your doctor know that you always order extra cheese on your pizza? How much does extra cheese cost? Why don’t you have a second diet drink instead of extra cheese? Or, have green pepper on your pizza and take a walk if you’re so worried about cholesterol.”

At this point, the Line Thinker leans back in his seat, arms crossed and a satisfied expression on his face since he obviously feels he has solved the problem while the Circle Thinker wishes wish she’d never brought up her cholesterol level in the first place.

Line Thinkers are seldom at a loss for a solution — or for words — and never dither between choices. They know what they want and they usually get it. They drive everyone around them crazy until they get it, but that is beside the point.

The fun really starts when a Circle Thinker and a Line Thinker marry each other, a scenario that is about as common as Tater Tot Hot Dish at a church supper.

I must admit I do enjoy watching the expression on a Line Thinker’s face when a Circle Thinker is off on one of the many tangents it takes to complete a story. It’s like watching a mother sit helplessly as her first-born is learning to tie his shoes — it’s obvious she’s dying to jump in and cut to the chase but she also knows her first-born has the right to keeping looping the laces around … and around … and around until finally ending up with a very messy bow.

I’m mainly a Circle Thinker but can think in lines when necessary. My husband is mainly a Line Thinker but can think circles around me when he chooses to.

What can I say? If nothing else it keeps our marriage interesting. M Neil Musold is a mom and a freelance writer from Mankato.

36 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 37

From The Kitchen

From: The Washington Post

Have your cake — and drink it, too

C

ombining booze and baked goods isn’t a new concept.

(Think Grandma’s uber-tipsy rum bundt cake or a Kentucky-style chocolate-bourbon pecan pie.) It’s an idea that’s usually driven by flavor, not a desire to party.

The choice of whether to let alcohol burn off in a 300-plus-degree oven or to douse the dessert with an alcoholic, unbaked glaze or filling determines whether a sweet goes on the kids’ table or on an adults-only menu.

If you want to come up with your own highballinspired treats, look to the bar cart as much as the dessert menu. A cherry tart might get a ryevermouth whipping cream to emulate a Manhattan; a chocolate cake merits a White Russian-ish Kahlua-infusion. Still, don’t use premium bottles.

And while it’s tempting to think more is more when it comes to booze and baking, remember that turning flour, sugar and other ingredients into sweets is a scientific art. If you tweak your recipe too much, you’ll get a soggy mess, not an intoxicating success. This means adding a tablespoon or two, not a martini glassfull, of alcohol.

Plus, you want your guests to feel like they can gobble a second piece of pie and still drive home safely.

38 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

Chocolate-PecanBourbon Pie Makes one 9-inch pie or about six to eight slices.

Crust 1 recipe for pie crust for a 9-inch pie or a prepared pie crust 1/4 cup heavy cream (to glaze the crimped pie edges) Filling 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1 1/4 cups dark corn syrup 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 tablespoon bourbon 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Steps Preheat the oven to 350°F. To prepare the pie shell: On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to five days. Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the edges of the shell with heavy cream to create a golden brown finish. Set the pie shell to the side while you make the filling.

To prepare the filling, using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix together the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and bourbon.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl at least two times while mixing. Add the warm melted butter and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the pecans and chocolate chips. Sprinkle the pecanchocolate chip mixture across the bottom of the pie shell. Pour the filling over the nuts and chips, covering them completely.

To bake, place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pie is firm. The edges of the filling will rise, but the middle will remain a little loose. Don’t worry about this — the pie will continue to bake after it’s removed from the oven.

Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool and set for two to three hours before serving.

Happy Hour

From: The Washington Post

Beating the brandy drum

O

f all the six major base spirits — gin, vodka, tequila, rum, whiskey and brandy — none gets less love from the average drinker than brandy.

Sure the Sidecar (cognac, Cointreau, lemon juice) is a classic. But after that, can you can name a brandy cocktail? Even among new, edgy, contemporary cocktail menus, it has been rare to see brandy as the featured spirit.

These cocktails, however, wear their brandy proudly.

New York Stone Sour Ingredients Ice 2 ounces cognac or Armagnac 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 ounce dry red wine

Steps Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.

Add the cognac or Armagnac, juices and sugar; shake well, then strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass.

Invert a spoon just above the surface of the drink. Pour the red wine gently over the back of the spoon so that the wine floats on top of the drink.

Brandy Stout Ingredients Ice 1 1/2 ounces brandy 1 ounce nut-flavored liqueur, such as nocino or Nocello 1 1/2 ounces stout Steps Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.

Add the brandy, liqueur and stout; shake well, then strain into an old-fashioned or rocks glass.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 39

Good Health

By Family Features

Vitamin question?

Ask your pharmacist

health. When choosing between brands to recommend, pharmacists consider the following: Product Quality: Nearly nine in ten pharmacists (85 percent) say that product quality is a very important factor when deciding whether or not to recommend a specific brand of vitamin. Look to trusted brands first.

Product Purity: Many people may not be aware that it's important to consider a vitamin's purity. In fact, nearly four in five pharmacists (77 percent) say that product purity is very important in choosing whether or not to recommend a brand, and two in three (65 percent) say the same of product potency as well.

W

hen it comes to understanding which vitamins are right for you, it can be tricky to know what your body needs. For some, a multivitamin can help fill in gaps in nutrition, for others, extra calcium and vitamin D are needed to help keep bones strong and healthy.

While most Americans will turn to their local pharmacist with questions concerning prescription medicines, few ask about which vitamins and supplements are right for them.

In fact, many Americans don't realize they have unlimited free access to a health expert Ñ their local pharmacist Ñ who can provide detailed guidance on products sold at the pharmacy. This includes everything from over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines to vitamins and supplements.

A recent survey sponsored by Nature Made found that pharmacists estimate they answer questions regarding prescription medications for about half of their customers.

By comparison, they estimate they answer questions about OTC products for just one in three customers (35 percent) Ñ and when it comes to answering questions about vitamins and supplements, they estimate they do so for just one in five customers (23 percent).

Pharmacist tips for vitamin supplements According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than half of all U.S. adults are now taking supplements, which makes understanding the difference between quality vitamins even more crucial. Approximately nine in ten pharmacists (93 percent) agree taking vitamins and supplements is important for maintaining good overall

40 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

USP Seal: Two in three pharmacists (67 percent) also say it's important to look for the USP seal or other third-party certification when selecting vitamins and supplements. The USP Dietary Supplement Verification Program is a voluntary testing and auditing program that helps dietary supplement manufactures ensure the production of quality products for consumers. The program verifies the quality, purity and potency of dietary supplement finished products.

Top pharmacist recommendations • The survey also found that pharmacists were "very" and "somewhat" likely to recommend the following: • In addition to recommending fish oil to support heart health, two in three pharmacists (63 percent) are also likely to suggest flaxseed oil and about half (47 percent) recommend garlic.

• Nine in ten pharmacists recommend certain vitamins and supplements like Vitamin D to fill specific nutrition gaps • Only about two in five pharmacists (42 percent) recommend ginkgo biloba for mental alertness.

• For urinary and immune health, four in five (82 percent) recommend cranberry.

• To maintain normal energy levels, nine in ten (91 percent) recommend a B vitamin complex, and about three in four (72 percent) recommend an iron supplement. In addition, pharmacists are two times more likely to recommend a protein-based product over a caffeine-based product for maintaining energy.

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 41

Things

to do,

Places

to go

march 1 Riverdance 7:30 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center, Mankato $57, $47 • Ticketmaster.com 3 Doomtree with special guest Toki Wright 7 p.m. • Verizon Wireless Center Soundstage, Mankato $12 for students, $15 general admission • Ticketmaster.com 4 2nd Annual “From Me to You” Wedding Expo and Bridal Consignment Noon to 3 p.m. • Oakcrest Elementary School, Belle Plaine free • belleplainemn. com 10 The Gustavus Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras in Concert 1:30 p.m. • Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall, St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

12 Bethany Lutheran Band Homecoming Concert 7 p.m. • Bethany Lutheran Trinity Chapel, Mankato Freewill offering • Blc.edu/events 14 Gustavus Adolphus College guest artist and faculty recital featuring John Snow, Peter McGuire and Esther Wang 7:30 p.m. • Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall, St. Peter free • gustavus.edu 16-17; 18 Gustavus Adolphus College Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Something Like Flight” 8 p.m.; 2 p.m. • Anderson Theatre, St. Peter $9 for adults, $6 seniors and students • 933-7590 17 Minnesota State University student recital by Sarah Layton 3 p.m. • MSU, Mankato free • 389-5549 17 Gustavus Adolphus College faculty recital featuring Justin Knoepfel 1:30 p.m. • Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall, St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

11 Tab Benoit 7:30 p.m. • Hooligan’s Bar, 1400 East Madison Ave. $17.50 advance, $20 at the door • mnsu.edu/music/events

42 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

18 Bethany Lutheran student recital by Nichole Knutson and Karen Wagner and Kristin Carr 2 p.m. • Bethany Lutheran Trinity Chapel, Mankato Free • Blc.edu/events 20 Minnesota Sate University Orchestra concert 7:30 p.m. • Performing Arts Center 320 Maywood Ave. $9 general admission, $7 for MSU students, students K-12 and children • 389-5549 21-24 Minnesota State University Department of Theatre and Dance presents “The Gingerbread Lady” 7:30 p.m. • Andrea Theatre, Performing Arts Center 320 Maywood Ave. $10 general admission, $9 discounted, $8 for MSU students • msutheatre.com 22 Bethany Lutheran student recital by Andrew Soule and Michael Harting 7 p.m. • Bethany Lutheran, Trinity Chapel, Mankato Free • Blc.edu/events 23 Vasa Wind Orchestra Spring Concert 7:30 p.m. • Gustavus Adolphus College Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall, St. Peter free • gustavus.edu

17 Mankato Symphony Orchestra presents “Bach’s Lunch Family Concert” 11 a.m. • Mankato YWCA Exercise Room $10 for adults, $5 for youth 17 and younger • Mankatosymphony.com

24 “We Cannot Escape History,” Symposium on Blue Earth County Civil War History 9 a.m to 4 p.m. • Heritage Center and the Summit Center 415 Cherry St. • bechshistory.org

18 Gustavus Adolphus College faculty chamber concert featuring Yumiko Oshima-Ryan, Peter McGuire, Justin Knoepfel and Sharon Mautner-Rodgers 1:30 p.m. • Jussi Bjorling Recital Hall, St. Peter Free • gustavus.edu

25 Mankato Symphony Orchestra presents “Music on the Hill: The Soprano Concert” 2 p.m. • Chapel at Good Counsel, Mankato $15 at the door, $12 in advance • Mankatosymphony.com 25 Minnesota State University student recital by Lauren Parsons 3 p.m. • MSU, Mankato free • 389-5549

Foot and Ankle Care Whether it’s because of a medical condition, heredity factors, injuries or ill-fitting shoes, the Mankato Clinic Foot and Ankle Department is here to help you care for your feet. Listen to what your feet are telling you.

See a foot and ankle doctor for: • Problems such as: flat feet, bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, loss of feeling in your feet and swelling of your feet and ankles • Ankle or foot sprains • Any foot or ankle pain • Revisions of previous foot and ankle surgery • Diabetes - yearly foot check-up • Joint pain in your feet or ankles • Trauma or fracture to the foot or ankle MANKATO CLINIC FOOT AND ANKLE PHYSICIANS

James Nack, D.P.M. Foot and Ankle Surgery Podiatry Wickersham Health Campus

Lynn Gustafson, D.P.M. Foot and Ankle Surgery Podiatry Wickersham Health Campus

Andrew Lundquist, D.P.M. Foot and Ankle Surgery Podiatry Wickersham Health Campus & Daniels Health Center

Please call 507-385-4055 for same day availability.

MANKATO CLINIC MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 43 1-800-657-6944 • www.mankatoclinic.com

Garden Chat

By Jean Lundquist

Hoping for a hoop house

“I’m building a greenhouse in my basement this spring.” hen my friend Trista posted that on her Facebook page, I thought it sounded just crazy enough to try myself.

For many years, I’ve been blessed to be allowed to use the hoop house over at Carol and Dale’s place, next door. For the past few years, Dale has been telling me the plastic is outlasting its expected lifespan, and that the hoop house might be a no-go in spring.

Plastic gets brittle when exposed to the elements, and I knew he was right – one day, it would give up and rip. Well, one day this past winter, it did.

I’ve got many of the basic elements to start seeds and grow plants already in my basement.

Larry built me a seed-starting box several years ago, with a frame overhead used to suspend fluorescent bulbs. Add a few

W

overturned trays to move the seed cups closer to the lights, and some chains to raise and lower said lights, and it’s a pretty nifty device. With the box, and the use of the hoop house in early April, I had a very good thing going.

So this year, I’ve added a few elements to make up for the loss of the hoop house.

Nothing big. Nothing a few hundred dollars couldn’t buy.

The first drawback to keeping plants in my basement is that it’s chilly down there.

Set the box on the cement floor, and it’s even more of a chill. So I bought a heating mat big enough to cover the entire base of the wooden box. The cost? Only $99.99, plus tax.

Now, I’ve tried a heating mat before, knowing the floor is cold, but I gave it up and got my money back when it tried to burn down the house one day by overheating. That mat was only a quarter of the size of the one I bought this year.

I’m hoping a decade has resulted in new safety features in seed-starting mats.

Next, I bought a timer for the lights. I’ve never been good with details, like remembering to turn off the grow lights at night before going to sleep. This used to result in spindly plants that took a long time to harden off before setting them outside in the garden.

I’ll miss what the hoop house offered me, though. I loved taking my lawn chair and bag of seed-starting mix and heading north to the hoop house. I loved sitting in

there and re-potting the plants from the little cups into bigger ones.

It was warm, it was calm, and there was greenery all around me. If it happened to be raining lightly, it was even better. The sound of rain drops on the plastic roof was soothing. I always looked forward to repotting day. An added benefit was that I got to talk to Carol and Dale almost every day when my plants were over there.

As I write this, I’m not feeling so much excited about gardening, as I’m feeling nostalgic for the pre-gardening days of seed starting. The way I see it, I have a couple of options.

The first option is to believe that duct tape can fix everything, and head north with a roll or two, and set to work on that winter rip.

The second option is to believe Larry, who always told me I didn’t need a hoop house as long as Carol and Dale let me use theirs. The implication I drew from that was that he’d build me one when the time came. If he did that, I’d invite Carol and Dale to put their plants in with mine so I could still see them almost every day for a month or so.

But don’t let Larry know about the plans for a greenhouse in the basement — or he may not build me a hoop house! M

Jean Lundquist is a master gardner who lives near God Thunder.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 45

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix

1

2

Antique Farm & Toy Tractor Show: 1. The Hamsmith family inspects a scale model farm during the “Antique Farm and Toy

Show” at the Verizon Wireless Center. (left to right: Melissa Hamsmith, Emina Martinez, Robert Hamsminth and Kacey Hamsmith)

2. Duane Farr, a collector from Minneapolis, shows off his 1957 Tonka Gasoline Truck.

3. Some of the tractors exhibited were so small they could fit in the palm of your hand, as was the case with this John Deere 4440 at 1:64 scale.

4. Randy Koehne of Worthington checks out the price on a toy combine.

5. Brian Sundquist of Mahtomedi shows off the collection his family helped him start when he was a child.

4

5

46 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

3

JOBS dance

1

1. A group of friends pose for a formal shot before the dance.

2. Formal shots were popular at the dance.

3. A group of ladies show off their formal wear before

heading to the dance.

4. It was a crowded dance floor at the Verizon Wireless Center.

5. A large group of friends get together for photos before heading to JOBS.

4

2

3 5

BECAUSE

No one is turned away for inability to pay.

MANKATO FAMILY YMCA For so many reasons.

mankatoymca.com 387-8255

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 47

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix 2

1

Mankato Bridal Show 1. Peggy Fratzke shows future daughter-in-law Megan Lecy some cake options that Hilltop HyVee has to offer.

3

2. Klea Swenson of HyVee Floral shows off her display of flowers.

3. Kari of Drummers Garden Center and Floral gives Adam Madsen and Ashley Worke of Mankato some information on wedding bouquets.

4. K. B. of First Class Entertainment was the MC of the Mankato Bridal Show.

5. Becky Frederick of Campus Coiffures French Hair Salon puts the final touches on 8-year-old Julia James.

6. Denise of Imagination at Work Design Studio shows off one of her designs.

7. Jenna of Tip Top Tux helps some shoppers pick out wedding styles.

8. Kim Stock and her daughter Morgan Stock of Amboy look at what Parties & Wedding

Plus of Mankato has to offer.

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7

48 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

5

6

8

MN Ag Expo

1

1. Kurt Kruger, President of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, welcomes the crowd and introduces the first speaker.

2. Bill Darrington speaks at the Expo at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato.

3. Past Soybean presidents came back for the 50th anniversary membership reception.

4. Chairperson Gene Stoel gives a talk at the banquet.

5. Michael Peterson entertains the crowd with a song in the banquet hall.

4

2

5

3

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 49

Faces & Places

Photos By Sport Pix

Twins Caravan

1

1. Alex Kollasch, 2, enjoys some ballpark food.

2. (from left to right) Kasey Geiger, Haley Zabel and Bailey Arndt swing their imaginary bats

at the photo booth.

3. Shelby and Kaiden Hammerschmidt, 8, check out the selection of baseball cards.

4. Alicia Deutschmann takes Koraile Edwards, 3, dancing.

5. Michael, 11, Michelle, and Maris Kahnke, 5, watch the presentation.

2

3

4

50 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

5

1

Music on the Hill 1. Lydia Miller, concertmaster of the

Mankato Symphony, smiles after a performance of Piano Quartet in E Flat

Major, K 493 by W. A. Mozart.

2. Dozens gathered to enjoy The Music on

the Hill concert series at Our Lady of the Good Counsel Chapel on Jan. 22nd.

3. Mathew Young perfoms a rendition of Dumka: Duo Concertante for violin,

viola, and piano by Rebecca Clarke.

2

3

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 51

The Way It Is

By Pete Steiner

Will the ‘Circle’ be unbroken?

S

o here’s how it went down: A certain scribe planned to do a story about the Circle Inn, the legendary watering hole on Belgrade Avenue.

Within five minutes of sitting down there with pen and pad, he is approached by a prominent businessman who has an idea for yet another story. Ten minutes later, a musician joins the group, then another, then a local farmer, and then the farmer’s vivacious 20-something daughter. The scribe considered breaking out with the Cheers theme, “where everybody knows your name, and you’re always glad you came!”

It’s a Monday afternoon at five, and any number of groups are engaged in earnest conversation, talking sports or business or politics, as comfortably as if in their own living room. A contractor who’s about to join our group steps up to the bar, and the ‘tender doesn’t even have to ask what to pour.

Whether it’s eight a.m., after work, or later in the evening, “There’s always someone here!”

The contractor smiles. The first musician agrees: “You always find somebody you like and want to talk to.”

The farmer’s daughter comes here after work sometimes to meet her Dad: “It’s the only place I get to see him!”

It’s part of the magic of the Circle.

•••• Leo Bohrer opened the original Circle Inn right after Prohibition ended, in 1934, just east of the current location, when Highway 169 was just a two-lane. Then, after coming home from the Korean War and finishing a stint for the Mankato Merchants semi-pro team, the fleet centerfielder Glen “Speed” Bohrer joined Leo. They moved to the current red cement block building with the brick facade in 1958.

Speed bought out Leo in the early ‘60’s, and sons Tom and John began helping out Dad as soon as they could push a broom.

•••• 52 • MARCH 2012 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

“Pete, I b e e n working here for half a century!”

T o m m y marveled as I sat down with him recently.

Though they have hired help one young w o m a n started when she was an 18-year- old c o l l e ge Submitted photo: You never know who you’ll run into at The Circle. One night in 1992, freshman legendary trumpeter Al Hirt showed up. and “she’s packed at eight with workers fresh off the been with me half her life!” Tom and John still midnight shift drinking whiskey, but times come in every day, to do the books, some have changed. bartending, lots of schmoozing, and to this George comes in & he’s not with the 10 day, their own cleaning. “Pete, the money I other guys. John greets him and asks, what’ll save lets me take a nice vacation!” he have. “Can’t have no more coffee, just It’s basically a working-class bar, Tom says, came from the Wagon Wheel.” yet you’ll often find prominent businessmen “What’s goin’ on at the Wagon Wheel?” here, too, without their neckties: “Been a “Same old ****!” couple deals done here.”

John gives me a look: the Wagon Wheel and Thanksgiving Eve is the biggest crowd of the Circle are cut from the same hometown the year, as old friends back from far and wide cloth. jam the place to catch up on each other’s lives.

•••• Why is the Circle such a popular gathering Tommy’s response, when asked if he’d ever place? had bartender training, is a laugh. He recalls “I’ve always assumed, it’s not us. It’s the his first day bartending in 1975: his Dad people that make it. I just direct it. They’re brought him in for mid-afternoon, normally good customers, and we have a relationship.” the quietest shift. But it had rained, and three •••• groups of union workers poured in. One guy Two real stained-glass windows sparkle got a little rowdy, and young Tom tried to cut behind the bar. I speculate that the spiritual him off. The man said he knew the owner and distance between a bar and a church is not so would see to it that the new guy was fired. But great as some imagine. The bartender the new guy also knew the boss, and Speed ministers to the patrons, who confess their chose to keep his kid on. troubles, if not their sins. Instead of a choir, at •••• the Circle, at least on weekends, you get a So why is it called “The Circle’? “Nobody band. They open the doors to congregants six knows. That’s just what it’s always been.” And mornings a week at eight. it is appropriate. Like Tom says, customers The last time I was in a bar at 9 a.m. might make the place, and now he’s seeing the have been half a century ago when my Dad children and grandchildren of long-time brought me to Mettler’s for a hot beef on a customers “circling in.” Last time he saw duck-hunting day. But I’d been told to come in them, they were kids, so he gruffly demands for Friday’s “Learning Center.” their ID. Then, if they’re old enough, Tommy Brother John presides, and everyone’s buys ‘em a drink.M M drinking coffee, discussing an upcoming fishing trip. Someone’s brought donuts, and John offers me one. Used to be, in the old Pete Steiner is a longtime radio announcer, days, 20 or 30 years ago, the Circle would be newsman and news director for KTOE Radio.

MANKATO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2012 • 53

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