Mature Lifestyles Magazine, Fall 2013 by Home Magazine Online

F R E E FALL

2013

Two for the Road: Barb From and Dan Webster

Making Music with Jim Lawrence

Fall Colors:

Worth the Drive!

A Survivor Story Despite everything the past few years have thrown at her, Shawn Adams is still smiling.

Fall Savings! Up to 50% Off!!

Contents

MATURE LIFEST YLE • FALL 2013 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 3

FEATURES 6 A Survivor’s Story Shawn Adams has been through a lot in the last few years. But she’s not complaining.

10 Two for the Road Barb From and Dan Webster have visited all 50 states on a motorcycle.

12 City of Sculptures The sculptures on display this year come to Mankato from all over the country, and abroad.

16 Music Adds Meaning to Life Jim Lawrence has been playing music for 60+ years.

DEPARTMENTS

4 Publisher’s Note 19 Book Review 20 Travel: Worth the Drive 22 Community Calender

Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 3

publisher’s notes

Welcome to the fall edition of Mature Lifestyle…

he older I become, the more I am amazed by strongwilled people. In this issue of Mature, there are several individuals who I admire for facing adversity, following their passion and “flying by the seat of their leather chap pants.” First, I applaud our cover girl, Shawn Adams. Dictionary.com gives the definition of survivor as “a person who continues to function or prosper in spite of opposition, hardship or setbacks.” Her story is nothing short of amazing. I wish I could bottle up her incredible attitude and open it up when I’m feeling sorry for myself. Shawn’s story is exceptional. But I also believe that we have all, at one point in our lives, been survivors. Things just happen in life that we are not prepared for…but we march on, drawing on our family, friends and faith to make it through. Years ago, my ex-husband had back surgery and ended up with staph infection. It almost killed him, and at one point there was concern that he would never walk again. I was eight months pregnant with child number two. I could never quite understand the odd looks and stares as I pushed him through the clinic. He was a large man, over 6 feet tall and 225 lbs. Today, I look back and think, “How did I do that?” Working full time to keep the insurance, taking care of our 3-year-old, and making sure he was taken care of was nothing short of a miracle. But you get up every day and think, “Lord, just get me through this day.” Shawn has my complete respect. Read her story and if you have a minute, stop at Adams Auto Sales on Madison Avenue and tell her how much her story has inspired you. I also need to mention Jim Lawrence. He is near and dear to my heart – and he, too, has 4 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

Mature Lifestyle is a Quarterly Publication of the Home Magazine, Mankato, MN. A Property of Community First Holdings, Inc.

an attitude that needs to be bottled. Always smiling or whistling a tune…and how can you not tap your feet when he’s playing “In the Mood” on his saxophone? He reminds me of the Eveready Energizer Bunny. He keeps going and going and going. Most of his “gigs” are in the summer and if you haven’t seen him in an area parade, you are going to the wrong parades! Congrats to Jim on a happy and full life, making music to “keep a song in your heart. “ Another story to read in this issue is about the Barb From and Dan Webster from Traverse (when I called to ask directions to her house for the photo shoot, she said, “It’s a suburb of St. Peter.”) Barb and Dan had just arrived from Wisconsin after driving all night when I got there. Again, making more miles on their motorcycle. And Barb just smiles all the time, enjoying her life. I did ask how they took the bike to Hawaii and in her sheepish grin she said, “We rented a motorcycle there.” So I guess the next stop for them is Canada or maybe even Europe? Lastly, this issue features fall travel, a book review, and a calendar of local events. Don’t forget to take a stroll through Mankato/North Mankato on the “CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour.” A special thanks goes out to a Mature fan who called to remind me that she would like to see the new sculptures in this issue (like we did last year). This year, there are 34 sculptures from artists throughout the world. If you have a minute, vote for your favorite and drop your ballot off at a drop box or mail it to City Center Partnership. Have a safe and wonderful fall!

Kelly Hulke, Publisher

Publisher Kelly Hulke Sales Manager Mary Degrood Sales Executives Yvonne Sonnek Debby Carlson Deena Briggs Dorothy Meyer Editorial/Photography Sara Gilbert Frederick Joe Tougas Christie Skilbred Lucas Key Photography Graphic Designer Deb Granger Business Manager Ron Bresnahan Advertising Information: Home Magazine 1400 Madison Ave., Suite 610 Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 387-7953 fax 387-4775 homemag@homemagonline.com

On the cover: Shawn Adams

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SHAWN HEADLINE ADAMS HERE

A Survivor’s Story By Sara Gilbert Frederick

waiting room, she had already decided that hawn Adams has had a tough couple she would survive. of years. “I knew right from the start that I’d kick She’s been through breast cancer – it,” she says. “There was no choice for me. including a double mastectomy and reconI knew what I had to do, and that was to be struction, chemotherapy and radiation. strong and survive. Feeling sorry for yourShe’s had both hips and one knee replaced. self does nothing.” And she’s lost her 56-year-old husband, Adams’s sister Shelly had Doug, to a heart attack. come to the clinic to wait for But if you sit across from her. “She just had a feeling,” her at her desk at Adams Auto Adams says. “She just thought Sales in Mankato, you won’t she should be there for me.” hear a woe-is-me story. You Shelly called Doug, who was in won’t see her break down or Texas at the time, while Adams fight back tears. In fact, even “What you drove home to tell her two as she was preparing to return to surgery in less than 24 go through is daughters, who were in high school. “When I told them, they hours – this time to replace pretty barbaric. said they knew when they heard one of her new hips, which So you have to the garage door go up,” Adams was recalled by the manufacturer – you won’t catch her have a sense of says. “They didn’t know why, but they just knew.” feeling even the slightest bit humor to get The girls – Clancy and sorry for herself. “What choice do you have?” through it.” Quinn – were the reason that Adams resolved to stay strong. Adams says. Doug “freaked out,” she says, so she knew Cancer and Chemo that she couldn’t. “They look to you, to Adams made her choice on February 1, see how you respond,” she says. “So you 2010. She had gone to see her doctor for have to respond with strength. As a mom, what she thought was an infection – her it’s just what you do. You protect them, no breast was red and hot to the touch, which matter what.” had happened a year earlier and been sucNot that Adams didn’t complain a little cessfully treated with antibiotics. When she bit. She wasn’t at all happy that her famreturned to the clinic to get her test results, ily’s trip to Jamaica, planned for a week they didn’t give her a prescription. Instead, after her diagnosis, had to be cancelled. Her her doctor told her the diagnosis and unhappiness over her doctor’s mandate to handed her a book: The Guide to Breast skip the trip was so apparent that he called Cancer. But even as she walked back to the her the night before surgery to make sure that she hadn’t gone on vacation anyway. 6 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

“He had even written a letter to the airlines, so that we could get our money back,” she says. That trip would prove difficult to reschedule. Adams had surgery to remove her left breast and 17 lymph nodes on February 10; chemotherapy started as soon as she had healed, and then radiation. When she finished radiation in September, she scheduled the surgery to remove her other breast and reconstruct both. “I told them that I was never going to go through that again,” Adams says. “So I had the second surgery, with the reconstruction right after.” She doesn’t pretend that all of that was easy. Chemo and radiation were particularly tough, she says. Her hair fell out. Her skin started to peel. And the shots they gave her after chemotherapy made her miserable. But as she lay in bed with body aches and fatigue, she and her girls watched movies together. “You have to have a sense of humor about it all,” she says. “It’s pretty horrific. What you go through is pretty barbaric. So you have to have a sense of humor to get through it.”

Hips and Hearts Adams wasn’t laughing when she made an appointment to have the pain in her hips checked out early in 2011. She was told that the chemotherapy had affected her joints and that she would need both hips and one of her knees replaced. As she finished the (continued on page 8)

Shawn Adams has regained her focus at Adam Auto Sales after a series of life-changing events.

Mature Lifestylesâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; Fall 2013 7â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

Shawn Adams

About Mammograms…

(continued from page 6)

final stages of the reconstruction process throughout 2011 and 2012, she also dealt with three separate surgeries to replace her weakened joints. By then, both Clancy and Quinn had started college – Clancy at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Quinn in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Doug and Shawn were staying busy at Adams Auto Sales, the business they had started together on December 15, 1995. The two had met at a dealership in Texas, where Shawn was the assistant new car manager and Doug the used car manager. When they moved to Mankato and started the business together, Doug handled the day-to-day operations while Shawn did the title work so that she could be close to home with the girls. By then, Shawn was also clear of cancer and through the worst of the recovery for her hips and knees. For the first time in two years, things were looking like they might be settling down for the Adams family. “We were ready for the next phase in our lives,” she says. Until May 18, 2012. “It was just really unfair,” Adams says of Doug’s sudden death that day. “We were empty nesters, I finally had the okay about moving on past the cancer, we had a lot to look forward to. And then you don’t.” Doug’s heart attack was much harder on Shawn than her breast cancer had been. But again, she knew that she had to be strong for the sake of her girls. “It was the same thing again – but harder,” she says. “I’m their only parent now, so I had to be strong. If I had fallen apart then the whole deck of cards would have fallen apart.” Grief affected each of them differently, Adams says. Clancy was stoic, determined to be strong for her mom. Quinn, however, was more distraught and grieved openly. Shawn did her crying when she was alone in the car. But she also found comfort in talking to others who were also grieving. “Some people have it worse than me,” she says. “I have to quit complaining.”

8 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

Friends and Family Doug’s death left an empty desk at Adam Auto Sales, which meant that Shawn needed to step back in. That turned out to be a good thing. Not only does the business give her focus and occupy up to 60 hours of her time each week, but it also allows her to spend her days with a staff that is like family to her. “We’ve got a good team here,” she says. “I could have fallen on my butt when I came back, but I didn’t. And that’s because of them.” The team includes her brother, Rhett Bradley, who has been with the business since it opened. The other employees – including Denny Touhey and Joe Tachney – have been with the company for years. They’re friends (Touhey brought a lasagna to share while Shawn was going through chemotherapy) and family. “They have been incredible,” Shawn says. “This is an excellent staff.” Under her leadership, Adams Auto Sales has continued to do quite well. Sales this year are expected to top the record they set last year. “I’m thankful that even though Doug died, we’re still thriving at Adams,” she says. “I have a purpose here. I have to earn a living, and everyone who works here is on payroll, so I’m responsible for them, too. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself.” She does, however, have to take the time to recover from her fourth hip replacement surgery, necessitated by a recall on the hips she received the first time around. Getting that news last February was almost more than she could take. “I did cry when my hips were recalled,” Adams admits with a smile. “I read it and thought, ‘Are you serious?’ But now I’m ready to put this behind me too – again.”

“I knew what I had to do, and that was to be strong and survive.”

reast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States.

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Country Neighbors 175 E. Derrynane Street LeCenter, MN Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 9

BARB FROM & DAN WEBSTER

10 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

Two

for the

By Joe Tougas

our years ago, the extent of Barb From’s interest in motorcycles was keeping her kids away from them. “If you ever got on a motorcycle you’d be grounded for life,” she recalls telling them. “I was afraid of ’em. I always thought they were dangerous.” Something clearly changed, according to her upper right arm. On it is the Harley-Davidson motorcycle brand name scripted across an outline of the continental United States. She had this tattoo done in January to commemorate how she and her partner, Dan Webster, logged more than 70,000 miles on his Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic in just two years. In that time, they hit the four corners of the continental United States, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. “I’m so proud of doing 50 states,” From says. “Our next goal is to do all the provinces.” Her turnabout in attitude can be attributed to the man seated on a nearby couch, who just returned from oil field work in northern Minnesota. Dan Webster is tan version of Hugh Laurie from the television show “House,” and he speaks low and calm, as though he learned vocal expression from an idling Harley. In 2010 this North Dakota native was doing cattle work in the Waldorf-Pemberton area, about 30 miles from Mankato, and signed up for a swing dance class through that city’s community education program.

Road

“I got on,” From says, “and probably From was one of his classmate’s at the Lincoln Community Center. Recently sepa- within five miles I went “whooooa. This rated and on longtime disability with severe is fun.” And a biker chick was born. scoliosis, she took the class because she had Sure, it helped that Webster was a motora passion for dancing that she had rarely cycle safety instructor (“If somebody’s been able to pursue. The two classmates going to know about how to be safe on a became friends and soon started dating. And to know Webster is to know a biker, bike, it’s going to be him,” From says), but someone who rides whenever and wherever what sold her was the sensory rush that came from riding. he can, from cross-country trips to lunch “So many times you hear that bikers breaks. He puts on 10,000 miles a year in know why dogs hang their head out the Minnesota, where the average enthusiast window of the car,” she laughs. “It’s the logs closer to 5,000 miles. wind and being open “He just talked and free. You’re not more about bikes, and stuck in a car. You I thought well, you can see everywhere.” know, that just might And the vibrations be fun,” From says. actually help her It was while the two scoliosis, she says. were in Florida on From that point a short trip that she on, biking became agreed to renting a “I’m so proud of doing a bond – Webster motorcycle for a try. 50 states,” From says. driving, From on Webster knew exactly what to rent for a “Our next goal is to do all back. Their first trip was a ride to Illinois nice and comfortable the provinces.” to accompany her impression: A Harleyson to a concert. Davidson Standard, “When we were in Illinois we thought, featuring side compartments and a notori‘Well, let’s go to Kentucky,’” From says. ously smooth ride. Like a Cadillac instead “He likes horses so much he wanted to go of a Pinto, he says. “It was out in the sticks, Florida-wise,” to Kentucky. And then Tennessee wasn’t Webster says. “Out in the countryside with (continued on page 14) the trees and rolling hills.” Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 11

ART WALK

oice

City of Sculptures 1

_Layout 1 5/22/13 2:22 PM Alice Page in 1 Wonderland, Emma by

Adirondack Bench

Stairway to Red

the River

Sack Race

How Do You Feel Today?

city-wide outdoor exhibit Zion Jamin’

NATUR E

of sculptures in both

Alice in Wonderland, Emma by IL Redentore Adirondack Bench the River

Alice in Wonderland, Adirondack Bench Lance Carleton • Steel Sponsors: Coldwell Banker Commercial Fisher Group & Hilton Garden Inn Sell Price: $8,000

Emma by the River Betty Branch • Bronze Sponsor: Stifel Nicolaus & Company, Inc. Sell Price: $19,500

Stairway to Red Chris Kilbane • Powder Coated Steel Sponsor: Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. Sell Price: $9,500

1 AliceYou in Wonderland, Adirondack Bench How Do Feel Today? Carleton • Steel ShohiniLance Ghosh • Bronze Sponsors: Coldwell Banker Commercial Fisher Sponsor: Neubau Group & Hilton Holdings, Garden Inn LLC Sell Price: $7,000 Sell Price: $8,000

2 Emma by the River Sack Race Betty Branch • Bronze Roger Sponsor: GoldenStifel • Foam, Cement & Resin Inc. Nicolaus & Company, Sponsor: Group Sell Tailwind Price: $19,500 Sell Price: $29,000 3 Stairway to Red

or the past three 3 People’s Choice years, CityArt rd Ballot Mankato has hosted a

5 Sack Race

Stairway to Red Do You Expectant MotherHowSeven Spirits Feel Today?

ote for one

Zip : North Mankato and

unge

Mankato. The 34 sculp-

tures ary Lou! :

on display this year

VID E NAME, A DDRESS AND SIGNATURE 11 ut ID .of Water,

6 Zion

012 er person • No copies accepted • Vote for one High and Dry

Jamin’

come to Mankato from

ctober 25, 2013 ng theall Wind over

Shima

Snappy

the country, and

8 IL Redentore

Expectant Mother

Tundra

Prairie Ship

Seven Spirits

25 q Fish Out of Water, sculptures will be in place 2010, 2012

way to Red

in the Sky

26 q Catching the Wind next spring, so be sure to

Do You Today? in the Dark

Race

7 Jamin’ Mother Expectant David Hyduke • Bronze Ben Hammond • Bronze Sponsor: Wells Fargo Sponsor: Clinic Health System Sell Mayo Price: $5,000 Sell Price: $16,500 8 IL Redentore

29 q The Effect

31 q Seeing in the Dark

32 q Salsa information about the

n Spirits

33 q Pagan Apple

sculptures, tour or the 34 q the Michelle

and Dry

Shima

13 Snappy

SevenSponsors: SpiritsSnell Motors Shawn Sell Morin Bronze, Iron & Stainless Steel Price:• $25,000 Sponsor: Paulsen Architects 9 Expectant Mother Sell Price: $12,000 • Bronze Ben Hammond

Tundra

Prairie Ship

High and Dry$16,500 Sell Price: Kyle Fokken • Painted and Powder Coated Steel, 10 Seven Spirits Aluminum Plastic Shawn&Morin • Bronze, Iron & Stainless Steel Sponsors: Schwickert’s Sponsor: Paulsen Architects Sell Price: $12,000 Sell Price: $15,000

27 q Flora Grande

ctant Mother

High and Dry

The Messenger 30 q Saturday Dances the Sky late, or too cold!inFor more Distractions

edentore

28 q 1 Sitting Bear it’s too 6 17 take a tour before

Apple

n’

A Feather’s Flight

Saturday Distractions

The Messenger

A Bad Hair Day

Dakota Moon

18 A Feather’s Flight

A Bad Hair Day

Dakota Moon

program in general, visit cityartmankato.com. 21

ie Ship

Messenger

Natalia

Grace

ather’s Flight

The Plunge 22

Natalia

d Hair Day

Grace

Hey Mary Lou! 23

The Plunge

Fish Out of Water, 25 2010, 2012

Snappy Martha Pettigrew • Bronze Judd Nelson ForgedRealty Steel& VoyageurWeb Sponsor:• Atwood Sell Clifton, Price: $17,500 Sponsor: Larson Allen, LLP & Minnesota Valley Federal Credit Union 13 Snappy Judd Nelson Sell Price: $5,600• Forged Steel

Hey Mary Lou!

Fish Out of Water, 2010, 2012

lia

e for voting.

your ballot in any ox as indicated on th .

Shima

Sponsor: Clifton, Larson Allen, LLP &

Minnesota Valley Federal Credit Union Tundra Price: •$5,600 VirginiaSell Sperry Steel 14 Tundra Sponsor: Bremer Bank Virginia Sperry • Steel Sell Price: $8,500

Sponsor: Bremer Bank

ota Moon

ed CityArt recommend it to a friend

Sponsor: Mayo Clinic Health System

11 High and Dry Shima Kyle Fokken • Painted and Powder Coated Steel, MarthaAluminum Pettigrew • Bronze & Plastic Sponsors: Schwickert’s Sponsor: Atwood Realty & VoyageurWeb Sell Price: $15,000 Sell Price: $17,500

25 24

Cody Joseph Swanson • Carrara Marble

rday Distractions

Sell Price: $29,000

The Plunge abroad. 23 Aqnew round of 24 q Hey Mary Lou!

Sponsor: Neubau Holdings, LLC

Jamin’Sell Price: $7,000 David Hyduke • Bronze 5 Sack Race Sponsor: Wells Fargo Roger Golden • Foam, Cement & Resin Sell Price: $5,000 Sponsor: Tailwind Group IL Redentore 6 Zion Cody Joseph Swanson • Carrara Marble Grant Standard • Bronze, Steel & Copper Sponsors: Snell Sponsor: I & Motors S Group Sell Price: $25,000 Sell Price: $20,000

ondack Bear Bench

ect

Zion Grant Sponsor: I & S Group 4 How Do You Feel Today? Sell Price: $20,000 Shohini Ghosh • Bronze

rande in Wonderland,

ma by the River

Chris Kilbane • Powder Coated Steel Sponsor: Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc. Standard • Bronze, Steel & Copper Sell Price: $9,500

Catching the Wind

Flora Grande Wind

26 Catching the

ballot to: enter Partnership 193 o, MN 56001

27 Flora Grande

Sitting Bear

28 29 Sitting Bear

The Effect

Dances in the Sky

SellShip Price: $8,500 Prairie Greg • Reclaimed Agrarian Materials 15 Mueller Prairie Ship GregJames Mueller Reclaimed Agrarian Agency Materials & Sponsor: R.• Weir Insurance Sponsor: James R. Weir Insurance Agency & Southern Minnesota Orthodontics P.A. Southern Minnesota Orthodontics P.A. Sell Price: $9,000 Sell Price: $9,000

16 Saturday Distractions Saturday Distractions Lee Leuning & Sherri Treeby •• Bronze Bronze Lee Leuning & Sherri Treeby Sponsor: Mankato Ford & Valley News Company Sponsor: Mankato Ford & Valley News Company Sell Price: $12,000 Sell Price: $12,000

Joellen Domenico • Bronze & Sandstone The Messenger Brennan Companies JoellenSponsor: Domenico • Bronze & Sandstone Sell Price: $12,500 Sponsor: Brennan Companies Sell $12,500Flight 18 Price: A Feather’s

Dances in the Sky

The Messenger

Deb Zelenak • Bronze Sponsor: Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery A Feather’s Flight Sell Price: $8,950 Deb Zelenak • Bronze Sponsor: Chankaska Ranch & Winery Sponsorship Levels: Bold names Creek denote Platinum Level $2,000 Sponsors. Unbolded denote Bronze Level $1,000 Sponsors. Sell Price:names $8,950

Seeing in the Dark

12 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles Seeing in the Dark Salsa

Salsa

33 Pagan Apple

34 Michelle

Sponsorship Levels: Bold names denote Platinum Level $2,000 Sponsors. Unbolded names denote Bronze Level $1,000 Sponsors

2,000 onsors.

cityart walking sculpture tour

A Bad Hair Day Jerry McKellar • Bronze Sponsor: Gislason & Hunter LLP Sell Price: $18,500

CI T Y CEN T ER M AN KATO • 2013

Dakota Moon Chris Powell • Bronze & Steel Sponsor: Downs Food Group Sell Price: $8,800

Natalia Gregory Mendez • Steel Sponsors: MinnStar Bank & Red Door Creative Sell Price: $7,000

Grace Serge Mozhnevsky • Aluminum Sponsors: Mankato Clinic & Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic Sell Price: $6,000

The Plunge Debra Zeller • Bronze Sponsor: HickoryTech Sell Price: $14,500

Hey Mary Lou! Lee Leuning & Sherri Treeby • Bronze Sponsor: US Bank Sell Price: $22,000

Fish Out of Water, 2010, 2012 Matthew Dominic Farley • Fiberglass Canoe, Discarded Water Bottles, Steel, Wood & Paint Sponsor: United Prairie Bank Sell Price: $8,000

Catching the Wind Gregory Johnson • Stainless Steel & Bronze Sponsors: Abdo, Eick & Meyers & Leonard, Street and Deinard Sell Price: $12,950

Flora Grande Lance Carleton • Steel Sponsor: The Marigold Sell Price: $15,000

Sitting Bear Eric Thorsen • Bronze Sponsors: Frandsen Bank & Trust & Lindsay Windows Sell Price: $12,950

29 30

28 31 32

The Effect Osamede Obazee • Scrap Metal & Iron Sponsors: Angie’s Kettle Corn & Wells Federal Bank Sell Price: $8,300

Dances in the Sky Edward R. Thomas • Indiana Limestone Sponsor: Mankato Area Foundation Sell Price: $24,000

Seeing in the Dark Martin Eichinger • Bronze Sponsor: Mankato Independent Originals Sell Price: $8,900

a 4

20 21

Salsa Richards D. Poey • Bronze Sponsor: Carlson Craft Sell Price: $4,375

b 10 9

Sculpture Locations

Pagan Apple Chris Kilbane • Airbrushed Steel Sponsors: Business on Belgrade & North Mankato Port Authority Sell Price: $11,000

Michelle Joseph L. Castle III • Bronze Sponsor: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Sell Price: $32,000

People’s Choice Award Winners Each year, you can help choose the People’s Choice Award. The winning sculpture will be purchased by the City Center Partnership and will join the permanent collection of City Center Public Art.

33 34

Legacy Sculptures

Purchased for and/or donated to the City Center Partnership for permanent installation. A Reading Magic Julie Jones 2011 People’s Choice

B Guidance Deb Zelenak 2012 People’s Choice

a Going for the Goal Dee Clements

b Chasing My Tail Again Matt Miller

“It’s a lot of gravel,” he adds. “I studied on the computer about it and talked to a lot of people, read books about lots of rocks and frost and bugs and rain and soft (continued from page 11) spots and semis and…it was no big deal. If I wrote something about it and put it that far, and all of a sudden it was like, well, next to the stuff I read it would be two different worlds.” there’s Georgia. Then it was Florida…” By August 2011, they had covered 49 Webster claims he merely followed states in 12 months. Webster was turning From’s directions. “I’m kind of set in my 50 the following year, ways, I’m not much with GPS’s and “It’s the wind and being so they arranged to celebrate by biking computers and all that open and free. You’re not in Hawaii. While and I let her navigate. there, Dan caught a stuck in a car. You can Next thing I know record-breaking mahi we’re in Florida.” see everywhere.” mahi that weighed, On this trip to Barb From fittingly, 50 pounds. the Florida Keys, That fish will Webster recalled how soon be on a wall in From’s rural St. Peter the upper East Coast would look in the home, a memento of one milestone as they fall, and from the southeast corner of the prepare for the next: hitting all of Canada’s country they rode up Highway 1 to Mada-

Barb From & Dan Webster

waska, Maine, the northeast corner. “I used to work construction years ago, and I know how beautiful it gets out there in the East when the leaves start turning,” he says. “Well, this was October and we’re in Maine.” They were also in deep to a passion that kept them determined to hit two more corners. “She was the driving force behind it,” Webster says. “I was between jobs, we had money sitting around. So we just plain did it. She’d say, ‘We don’t have to be to work tomorrow. We don’t have to be anywhere. Let’s keep going.’” “It is like all bikers’ dreams, to just being able to take off,” From says, adding that with the exception of five nights, they stayed in tents at campgrounds and state parks. “And we’ve made just about everything in a pot. You can get by real cheap.” After a trip to Mardi Gras, they continued on to Ysidro, California – the southwest corner of the country – and headed toward home through cold and snow in upper New Mexico and Arizona. In June they set out for a 3,460-mile trip to Fairbanks, Alaska. Once there, they rode further up the infamous Dalton Highway (a largely isolated and hazardous stretch featured on the Reality TV show “Ice Truckers”) to the Arctic Circle. “It was no big deal,” Webster says.

14 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

About Osteoporosis…

steoporosis, or thinning bones, makes your bones break easily. This condition is more common in women than in men. After women have gone through menopause, their bodies make less estrogen (a hormone that helps protect their bones). Their bones become more prone to breaking. Half of all women past menopause will break a bone during their lives. Women who are 65 or older should be tested regularly for osteoporosis. You should begin to be tested at age 60 if you are at increased risk for fractures, for example, if you weigh less than 155 pounds. Reduce your risk for osteoporosis by: Doing weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, climbing stairs, jogging, yoga, and lifting weights. Getting 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams of calcium every day by eating the right foods as listed below. A cup of milk or plain yogurt has 300 milligrams of calcium. You can also take calcium pills with vitamin D if you are not getting enough calcium in the food you eat. Not smoking. Taking medicines that can help prevent osteoporosis.

• •

provinces. Any idea when they plan to leave? “Well,” From says. “Monday would be good.”

Which Foods Are High In Calcium?

• Foods in the milk group, such as milk

and dishes made with milk, cheese, and yogurt. (Choose lower fat, lower cholesterol foods, such as skim milk.) Canned fish with soft bones, such as sardines, anchovies, and salmon. Dark-green leafy vegetables, such as kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and spinach. Tofu, if it is processed with calcium sulfate. Read the label to find out. Tortillas, if they are made from limeprocessed corn. Read the label to find out. Ask your doctor or nurse: How can I get enough calcium? Should I have a bone density test? If so, how often should I have this test? What medicines can help prevent osteoporosis? Should I take them? If you would like more information about “Osteoporosis” call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433 for assistance Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm or chat with a specialist online during these hours at www.MinnesotaHelp. info®.

• • • • • • •

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Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 15

JIM LAWRENCE

16â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

adds meaning to life J

im Lawrence has music in his blood. Jim remembers at the young age of 10 that his father, Andy Lawrence, wasn’t home on Saturday nights. He was a musician, and that meant there were performances at parties, concerts, clubs and ballrooms. For Jim, Saturdays meant listening to the radio, which featured beautiful songs such as “Stardust,” “Sentimental Journey,” and “In the Mood.” “Radio in the ‘40s was a big deal,” said Jim, now 78. It didn’t take long before Jim couldn’t just listen to the music anymore; he had to play it. He picked up his first instrument several years later, playing trumpet in school at Madelia and then in the St. Peter Drum and Bugle Corps (now called the Govenaires). “I played 30 years and marched 30 years with the now-called Govenaires,” he said. “I was in my early 20s when I started playing with them. When I joined it we wore Cadet uniforms.” Jim’s dad had started his own band in the late 1940s after World War II. But it wasn’t until Jim was about 30 years old that he started playing with the Andy Lawrence Orchestra. “It was neat to do because I’d always heard his music, so it was just nice to be a part of it,” Jim said. They played shows all over the area, and many parties at the Mankato American Legion. “It was a party band; popular music,” Jim said. “Even up through the 1970s you could

still play a lot of up-to-date music with a swing band.” After Andy retired it became the Jim Lawrence Orchestra, and Jim wanted to take their sound back to the golden age. “I went back to all the 1940s swing,” said Jim, who now plays trumpet and saxophone. The Jim Lawrence Orchestra continued to grow in popularity over the years. By 1990 people had started calling Jim to put the band in parades. “So then in ’91 I bought a trailer, and in ’93 I put a canopy on it,” said Jim of the trailer upon which the band plays in parade routes. Crowds always respond so well to the 1940s music. It was the height of swing and of the dancing and ballroom years.

The music brings back so many good memories to those who lived through it. There’s a saying written on Jim’s folder of music that sums it up best: “Nothing brings back a memory of your life…like music!” The Jim Lawrence Orchestra is incredibly popular in area nursing homes. The band plays at them in many towns where they do parades. “There are four or five towns where nursing homes hire me first,” Jim said. “It’s fun to do because you evoke so many memories for those people. People are always smiling and crying.” But even folks too young to remember those days seem to know the classic tunes. Jim’s wife, Cindy, is one of those people. (continued on next page)

The Jim Lawrence Band is business every summer in their covered trailer, playing swing music in area parades throughout Southern Minnesota. Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 17

Jim Lawrence

(continued from previous page)

Cindy was also in the Govenaires for about 10 years, and both she and Jim have played in the Mankato Community Band for more than three decades. (Jim also played for 10 years at Bethany Lutheran College and then for 12 years with the MSU symphonic band.) Cindy was playing piano in the Jim Lawrence Band for more than 10 years before they eventually married. Now, together with the other bandmates, the couple plays about 60 shows per year. Summer is their busiest time. Like Jim’s dad, Jim said he much prefers the concert and club gigs rather than the big shows. “I’d much rather sit down with the people and be able to talk to them,” he said. “I’d rather play a party than a ballroom.” Songs the band are guaranteed to play are “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller and, ever since 9/11, “God Bless America.” “It’s amazing the applause we get,” Jim said, even for “God Bless America.” Jim said he can’t imagine slowing the pace on his performances. Just the pleasure people get out of hearing the old popular songs of the 1940s is plenty to keep him going. “At parades, the streets are lined with kids waiting for candy, and the old folks are sitting back in the shade. But if you watch their hands, and you watch their feet, they tap them as we go by,” Jim said. “And we always get a smile,” he added. “He’s just got them eating out of his hands,” Cindy said. Jim says, looking back over the years, playing music has added so much to his life. “To get lost in music alleviates a lot of stress,” he said. To quote Lawrence Welk, “Keep a song in your heart.”

“Nothing brings back a memory of your life… like music!” 18 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

Six tips to becoming a healthier woman By Amy Brien, M.D., Mayo Clinic Health System OB/GYN and women’s health physician

1. Eat right. Your meal choices have a

major effect on your weight and overall well-being. Skip foods that are high in saturated fat, sodium and sugar. These foods slow you down, pack on extra pounds and can lead to serious health issues. Instead, include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean sources of protein into your daily fare. A proper diet leaves you feeling energized and focused. Additionally, nutritious meals help you lose weight, prevent certain diseases and lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 2. Get moving. Moderate exercise is an ideal way to stay healthy. Health experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise each day. This aids in maintaining a healthy weight, as well as protecting against many leading health problems, such as heart disease, obesity and stroke. The benefits of exercise are not only physical – exercise helps reduce stress and improve mood as well. 3. Don’t smoke. Smoking leads to heart disease, cancer and stroke, all of which are major causes of death in women. In fact, lung cancer kills more women than any other type of cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s important to avoid smoking, and if you do smoke, speak with your health care provider about ways to quit. There are also free resources available such as smokefree.gov and 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

4. Be breast-health conscious. It’s always important to monitor breast health, and there is no time like the present to learn more. According to the CDC, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fifth leading cause of death among women.

Amy Brien, M.D.

Warning signs of breast cancer may include: General breast pain A new lump in the breast Breast thickening or swelling Shift in the breast shape or size Changes in the nipple, including bloody discharge New variations in the breast’s skin, such as dimpling or irritation Regular mammograms are the best way to identify breast cancer, and early detection is essential. Speak with your health care provider if you have any concerns about breast cancer and ask when it would be appropriate to schedule a mammogram.

• • • • • •

5. Manage chronic conditions. If you have chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, it’s important to follow your health care provider’s recommendations. You can also find valuable information about chronic conditions on mayoclinic.com.

6. Moderate alcohol intake. You’re at a greater risk for various types of cancer, including breast, colon, kidney, lung and liver, if you drink alcohol in excess. Only consume alcohol in moderation, if at all.

Book Review by Terri Schilichenmeyer

“Queen of the Air”

by Dean Jensen c.2013, Crown $26.00 / $31.00 Canada 336 pages

he bar was all of an inch in diameter, but it was perfect. You only needed to grab it and hang on, so it didn’t have to be very big. It just had to hold your weight as you swung hand-over-hand, hung upside down, and performed monkeyshines on the monkey bars when you were a kid. It was so easy then. Those same moves look easy now, especially when done by a professional. But as you’ll see in the new book Queen of the Air. by Dean Jensen, what’s on the trapeze isn’t what’ll keep you hanging.

Alfredo Codona didn’t believe in love at first sight – until he saw Leitzel. He was just sixteen years old, a relatively minor trapeze artist and soon-to-be heartthrob. She was eighteen, stunningly beautiful, a “darling with circus audiences everywhere...” Smitten, he pursued her with single-mindedness – but the Queen of the Air had her career to think about, and she ended the short romance. Born to an unwed teenager in 1891, Leitzel definitely had circus blood in her veins: her father had owned a traveling troupe; her grandmother and aunts were all performers and her mother was a trapeze sensation. It didn’t take long for Leitzel to upstage her. Alfredo was the long-awaited son of Edward Codona, owner of a traveling circus. Born in Mexico, Alfredo spent most of his youth watching his sister, Victoria, receive tutoring on the high wire. It was her prowess that got him to Chicago. It was she

who saw his heart break when Leitzel said their romance was over. And so, in 1909, Leitzel went her way and Alfredo went his. She married, divorced, and married again but always had lovers on the side, powerful men who visited her tent after her performances. Her fame grew, and she made “Mister John” Ringling a lot of money. On the trapeze, the grown-up Alfredo “had no peers.” His fame, too, was growing and he had his sights set on a feat that everyone said was impossible. He married a fellow troupe member, but he never forgot his first love. And then, eighteen years after their last kiss, Alfred Codona found himself working beneath the same roof as his beloved Leitzel… So you say you love a good romance filled with drama. Add 1920s intrigue, period settings, elephants, and a dash of OMG, and you’ve got Queen of the Air. Author Dean Jensen, in fact, makes Leitzel and Alfredo’s story seem more like a novel, with rich settings and good character shaping. But it’s no novel, and in his afterword, Jensen explains how he researched this “epic” story. Long before you get that far, though, you’ll be treated to a few hours of stupendous feats under the Big Top, and back to an Dean N. Jensen innocent time that Author wasn’t so innocent after all. I could barely tear myself away from this book, and I think you’ll love it, too. For anyone who knows that stardust can be a tarnished and magic is an illusion, Queen of the Air. absolutely soars.

Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 19

TRAVEL

Worth the

Drive

It takes about three hours and 40 minutes Although Superior tends to be the star to drive the 235 miles from Mankato of the show on the North Shore Scenic to Duluth. But don’t stop once you get Drive, there’s much more to look at as well. there – except perhaps to refuel, grab a The thickly forested hillsides are often bite and enjoy your first few views of Lake breathtakingly beautiful in the fall, and the Superior. Then get back in the car and streams and waterfalls along the highway keep driving. can be almost as impressive as the big lake Although Duluth itself is a wonderful itself – especially if you plan to stop and place to visit, with restaurants, hike in any of the seven state parks on Once parks, brew pubs and outdoor the way. Tettegouche State Park adventures aplenty, the best is especially well known for its you get way to experience fall waterfalls and colto Duluth, you spectacular in Minnesota is to head orful trails, and the Superior might as well even farther north. From Hiking Trail is one of the best Duluth, you can jump keep driving on opportunities in the state for on County Road 61 and experiencing the wilderness the North Shore up close. enjoy a 154-mile route known as the North Shore If you’re looking for history, Scenic AllScenic Drive. you’ll find it at Split Rock LightAmerican The route goes through house outside of Two Harbors, at Drive. Two Harbors, Silver Bay and the commercial fishing museum in Grand Marais as it winds its way Tofte or at the Grand Portage National north along Lake Superior. Although most Monument fur-trading post. If you want to of the road hugs the shore, the lake itself is enjoy the arts, spend more time in Grand often hidden from view by trees and rugged Marais, which is home to several galleries, landscapes. If you roll down your windows, a playhouse and a folk school. And if you though, you’ll likely hear the waves rolling want to be active, make a tee time at the into the rocky shoreline and smell its signa- golf course in Lutsen or bring bikes to take ture crisp, fresh scent. on the trails there as well.

The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge (left) and the Split Rock Lighthouse are just a couple of sights along the North Shore Scenic Drive. 20 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

Although the North Shore Scenic AllAmerican Drive can best be described as rural, with only small towns scattered along the way, there is no shortage of dining, lodging and entertainment options. Many beautiful resorts and bed and breakfasts are located along the North Shore, including many with their own restaurants onsite. Because fall is a busy time, it’s best to make reservations in advance to be sure you have a place to stay after a long day hiking or sightseeing. Eventually, you’ll have to make your way back to Duluth as well. When you do, don’t rush right through. Spend some time watching boats coming into the harbor – make sure you have a chance to see the city’s famous Aerial Lift Bridge go up to allow one of them to pass through. Stop by the Great Lakes Aquarium, the zoo, or the old Depot, which houses a train museum. Tour the S.S. William A. Irvin, a retired iron ore boat now docked in Duluth. Or just enjoy strolling along the boardwalk that’s been built along the lake. There’s no reason to rush – it’s only three hours and 40 minutes back to Mankato when you go!

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Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 21

WHAT’S HAPPENING

What to Do and Where To Go Blues Dancing Class Every Wednesday, 9 p.m. Savoy Bar and Grill 526 South Front St., Mankato (507) 385-0072 “Sky Girls” by Minnesota State Mankato Theatre 9/18, 7:30 p.m. Andreas Theatre Earley Center for Performing Arts, MSU (507) 389-6661 Dick Kimmel and Co. 9/24, 7 p.m. Sigurd K. Lee Theater, Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center, Bethany Lutheran College events@blc.edu Zonta Annual Fashion Show 9/26, 5 p.m. Verizon Wireless Center (507) 386-6268 Gingerbread Craft Show 9/27-28, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 9/29, 11 am.-6 p.m. River Hills Mall (651) 457-8980 Music & Brews, featuring Mankato Symphony Orchestra 9/27, 5:30 p.m. Mankato Brewery (507) 625-8880 Minnesota State University, Mankato Homecoming 5K Walk & Run, 9 a.m., outdoor fitness trails

fall 22 Fall 2013 Mature Lifestyles

President’s Annual Pancake Breakfast, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Blakeslee Stadium Parade, Noon, MSU Campus Carnival, 4 p.m., Parking Lot 20 (507) 389-1515 Great ArfWalk Festival 9/28, 10:30 a.m. Land of Memories Park (507) 625-6373 Harvest Festival 9/28, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Minneopa State Park Fingerprints and Footnotes 10/01, 6 p.m. Blue Earth County Historical Society Center (507) 345-5566 “Les Misérables” by Minnesota State Mankato Theatre 10/3-5 & 10/10-12, 7:30 p.m.; 10/5, 6, 12 & 13, 2 p.m. Ted Paul Theatre, Earley Center for Performing Arts, MSU (507) 389-6661 Fall Fashion Show, featuring Taylor Marie 10/3, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Old Main Village Florida Georgia Line 10/4, 7:30 p.m. Verizon Wireless Center (507) 387-8443 Mankato River Ramble 10/6, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Land of Memories Park (507) 720-2039 Haunted Corn Maze and Mill 10/11-12, 10/18-19, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Farmamerica (507) 835-2052

Lutefisk and Swedish Meatball Dinner 10/12, 12 p.m.-8 p.m. Grace Lutheran Church, Mankato (507) 345-4248 ArtTalks! 10/14, 5:30 p.m. Emy Frentz Arts Guild, Mankato (507) 387-1008 “Blithe Spirit” by Minnesota State Mankato Theatre 10/17-19, 10/23-25, 7:30 p.m.; 10/20, 26 & 27, 2 p.m. Andreas Theatre, Earley Center for Performing Arts, MSU (507) 389-6661 Ghosts From the Past 10/18, 6 p.m.; 10/19, 5 p.m. First Congregational Church of Christ, Mankato (507) 345-5566 Scheels and New Balance Sport and Health Expo 10/19, 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Myers Field House, MSU (507) 385-6660 Mankato Family YMCA KidsK 10/19, 2:30 p.m. MSU campus (507) 385-6660 Mankato Marathon 5K 10/19, 4 p.m. MSU campus (507) 385-6660 Mankato Marathon 10K, 7:30 a.m., MSU campus Half-Marathon, 8 a.m., MSU campus Marathon, 8 a.m., MSU campus Merely Players presents “Little Shop of Horrors” 10/25, 7:30 p.m. Lincoln Community Center, Mankato (507) 388-5483

OcTUBAfest 2013 10/25, 7:30 p.m. Bjorling Recital Hall, Gustavus Adolphus College marketing@gustavus.edu 10th Annual Fun Run & Walk 10/26, 9:30 a.m.; 10/27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. St. Peter Community Center (507) 934-0667 Home Based Business show 10/26, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. River Hills Mall (507) 550-1109 Merely Players presents “Little Shop of Horrors” 10/27, 2 p.m. Lincoln Community Center, Mankato (507) 388-5483 Zorongo Flamenco Dance Performance 10/28, 7 p.m. Gallery, Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center, Bethany Lutheran College events@blc.edu Merely Players presents “Little Shop of Horrors” 11/1-2, 7:30 p.m.; 11/3, 2 p.m. Lincoln Community Center, Mankato (507) 388-5483 Holiday Gift Show 11/9, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/10, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. River Hills Mall (507) 550-1109 Viva Vivaldi Winter Show by Mankato Symphony Orchestra 11/23, 11 a.m. Mankato YMCA (507) 625-8880 Christmas Treasurers 11/24, 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Old Main Village

Make the most of road trips to enjoy fall foliage

aunts to view fall foliage are popular excursions come autumn. The vivid color on display in forests and parks is simply too much for many motorists to resist. Though nature’s beauty is often on display regardless of geography, some locales tend to boast more beauteous backdrops and picturesque landscapes than others. The key is to visit during peak viewing times. Leaves begin to change earlier in the northernmost latitudes. For example, much of Canada and portions of the northern United States begin to witness changes in foliage in late September, whereas regions further south must wait until October to see those changes. Mid-October is when peak times are most prevalent for the greatest portion of the United States. Travelers in North Dakota and Wyoming can view fall foliage at this time. Autumn coloring persists until late October and early November in certain areas, including the southeastern and central regions of the United States. When planning a road trip to see fall foliage, pay attention to local weather and foliage reports. Remember, road trips are quite popular this time of year, and municipal parks may be quite crowded on the weekends. If you can spare time off during the week, it may work to your advantage to cruise around when traffic is less congested. Bring along maps or a GPS system so that you can travel to multiple areas. Autumn leaves can be enjoyed from a car, but they are equally enjoyable when experienced on a hiking trip. Pack a bagged lunch and picnic in a quiet spot, and you’re bound to spot squirrels and other wildlife gathering up food reserves in preparation for the winter weather. While the foliage is impressive enough on its own, the science behind this awesome display of color is something to behold as well. During the spring and summer, leaves produce most of the food necessary for the tree’s growth. Cells inside of the leaves contain chlorophyll, which absorbs sunlight, turning it into sugars and

Road trips to see fall foliage are popular excursions throughout autumn.

starch that the tree uses for food. In addition to green chlorophyll, other pigments specific to the types of trees are present. These pigments are generally masked by the large amount of chlorophyll present during warm weather. When autumn arrives, changes in the duration of sunlight result in the gradual decrease of chlorophyll and the breakdown of residual chlorophyll in the leaves as the trees prepare to stop food production for the cold hibernation. Other chemical changes take place as the leaves prepare for winter, and these mix with chlorophyll residue to produce various shades of colors. Weather, light and water supply will influence the shades of colors as well. Rainy weather makes them more vivid. While the colors are appearing, a special layer of cells develops, and this layer gradually severs the tissues of the leaf from the branches before the leaves fall to the ground. The best days to see leaves are those days that are cool and dry. Leaves that fall on roadways and are dampened by rain can be very slippery, so it is important to exercise caution while driving. Mature Lifestyles Fall 2013 23

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