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Seasons of Minnesota
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Atwater Peaceful Thymes
Kandiyohi Kandi Quick Stop
Lake Lillian The Food Garage Citizens Alliance Bank
New London 3 Sisters Furniture ACMC GlenOaks Hillcrest Truck Stop McKale’s Restaurant Mill Pond Mercantile Mord’s Hardware Hank New London Bakery Pennock The Pit Stop
Raymond Buckingham Vet Clinic Cenex Kitty Korner Café
Spicer Dairy Queen Green Lake Mall Mel’s Sport Shop Spalon Mac Spicer Superstop Westwood Café Zorbaz Sunburg Kaffestua
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contents
November/December 2014
LOCAL EVENTS
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12 14 16 21 22 24 26 28 30
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Nelson Pumpkin Patch Festival Rainmaker at the Barn Theatre
Sheriff’s Desk Behind the Scenes at the Sheriff’s Office Public Safety The Consequences of a DWI
Capturing Memories of a Lifetime How to Hire a Wedding Photographer
FEATURE STORY: Forever in my Heart – A Tribute to Leinie, My Loyal Companion Safe Avenues Empowering Women
Mental Health Trouble Shifting Gears: What is OCD? Interior Design The Psychology of Color
The View from Down Here The Blessed Ones It Seems to Me Holiday Greetings Local Flavor Skillet Lasagna
Seasons of Minnesota
Publisher & Editor Sheila Rohner Quinn
Contributing Editor Laurie McCabe
Advertising Sheila Rohner Quinn
Graphic Designer J. Leandro Rodrigues
Distribution Assistant Maxine Sweeter Contributors Dennis Benson Connie Burns Stephanie Felt Sheriff Dan Hartog Jen Johnson Margaret Lanning Brian McPhail Patrick Thibault
Seasons of Minnesota PO Box 1707 Willmar, MN 56201 Phone: 320.444.3272 E-mail: publisher@ seasonsminnesota.com
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he feature story this issue is devoted to my precious dog, Leinie, gone far too soon due to poisoning. But I won’t devote too much space to that here since I’ve already written five pages about him. If you’re a pet lover, you’ll understand how I’ve been feeling since he was taken away from me so suddenly. I’m sure at least some of you can relate to the shock and heartbreak. Other interesting articles this time include “The Psychology of Color,” which will help educate you about which colors to use in your home. We also have an article about hiring a wedding photographer, which should be good timing for those of you getting ready for spring and summer weddings. Also included is a short update on Safe Avenues, the women’s shelter here in Willmar. They do a great job to help women (and children) dealing with domestic abuse. As usual, we have our devoted regular columnists with stories about their own holiday experiences, as well as contributions from Sheriff Dan Hartog and Stephanie Felt, from the Safe Community Coalition. Last but not least, Dennis Benson has so graciously shared his photos from two local events - the Pumpkin Patch Festival at Nelson Farm and the most recent show at The Barn Theatre, The Rainmaker. Finally, my apologies for not publishing a September/October edition, but it couldn’t be helped. First time I’ve ever skipped an issue and hopefully the last. Thank you so much to my loyal advertisers, readers, and contributors this past year. Please know how much I appreciate you!
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!
www.seasonsminnesota.com ________________________
To advertise, please call: 320.444.3272 or email: publisher@ seasonsminnesota.com
~Sheila
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ON The cOveR: Publisher Sheila Quinn with her beloved Jack Russell, Iden Rye Leinenkugel, aka “Leinie” ( pronounced: Liney )
Seasons of Minnesota is published bi-monthly by Quinn Graphics and Publishing, Inc. of Willmar, MN. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form, without prior written permission from the publisher and original author. Contributors maintain copyright ownership for all articles, photos, artwork, and other submissions. Opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the publisher.
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Publisher’s Note
Nov/Dec 2014
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Photos By Dennis Benson
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Sheriff’s Desk
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By Dan hartog, Kandiyohi county Sheriff
hen you are out and about in the community, the most visible sign of law enforcement are the officers in uniform patrolling in marked squad cars, responding to calls. There is much more to the Sheriff’s Office than the deputies and dispatchers taking calls for service. We also have a group of employees who keep the Sheriff’s Office running smoothly, making sure all information and data involved in the operation gets to wherever it needs to go. If you haven’t guessed, I’m referring to our records and secretarial staff. The Sheriff’s Office has four secretaries and four records staff members who do an outstanding job in keeping the office running smoothly and efficiently. Taking care of many different tasks, our four secretaries employed with the Sheriff’s Office are Shelly, Cindy, Cloey, and Carol. Their biggest job is transcribing reports that are dictated to them by the deputies. We have 29 deputies who
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take calls or assignments that require them to complete reports. They transcribe reports on anything from damage to a mailbox to death investigation calls. They type these reports and then electronically put the report into the records managements system of the Sheriff’s Office. If charges are pending on a person or if the case needs to be reviewed, it is electronically sent to the County Attorney’s Office for review. The secretaries also answer telephone calls, take care of forfeiture files, log evidence into and out of evidence for deputies, and keep an inventory of what is in the evidence room. They assist in taking care of removing drugs from the drug take back box and keep updated lists on levels 1, 2, and 3 sexual offenders living in the county. They also code bills for the Sheriff’s Office and CEE-VI Drug Task Force and input data into our budget database, as well as manage our Facebook page.
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Our jail secretary deals with greeting the public and answering questions, telephone calls, typing reports, inmate funds, monthly billing to other agencies who are boarding prisoners in our jail, and works with the jail administrator. The next group of individuals who work hard behind the scenes are the records staff. We have four staff members: Carol, Andrea, Lori, and Donna. The Sheriff’s Office has a joint records unit with the Willmar Police Department, which is responsible for operating the records unit. These are the individuals who staff the front window of the Sheriff’s Office, where they field questions from the public and officers. The records unit makes sure all information in the records management system is correct and transmits some of that information, such as traffic tickets, DWI arrests, permit to carry firearms, etc. to the State of Minnesota databases. The records staff also receives into the Sheriff’s Office the permit to purchase and carry handgun
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permits and makes sure applications are filled out properly. They then run criminal history and Department of Human Services checks on all individuals who are applying for these permits. Records staff also takes care of managing all of the civil process paperwork. What is civil process? The Sheriff’s Office serves legal papers that attorneys need served on individuals, paperwork from the court system such as harassment restraining orders, orders for protection, and executions on property. Civil process also entails working with paperwork to evict someone from their property as well as lining up deputies to assist in the eviction process to keep the peace. Our secretaries and records staff do a great job with all of the duties they perform. These everyday tasks can be taken for granted, but without their hard work and dedication the Sheriff’s Office would not be as efficient as it is. Thank you to all of these terrific staff members for all of your hard work!
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Photos by Dennis Benson
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Public Safety
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contributed By Stephanie Felt Kandiyohi county Safe community coalition
o...you’ve been pulled over by a police officer and they suspect you’ve been driving while intoxicated (DWI). What happens now? First, you’ll be asked to perform field sobriety tests and you’ll be asked to blow into a portable breath test device. If the officer believes you are intoxicated, you’ll be handcuffed and taken to County Jail. Once there, you’ll be read an implied consent notice, which informs you of your rights, and your driver’s license will be temporarily suspended. You will then be allowed to contact an attorney. Next, you’ll be asked to take a breath, urine, or blood test to determine the amount of alcohol in your system. If you refuse, you will likely be charged with refusal to take a test. If you do take a test, you will either be released to a sober party or held in jail. At your first court appearance, a judge will explain the charges and you can request
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a public defender, if you qualify financially. Otherwise, you can either hire an attorney or
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represent yourself. Next, pre-trial release conditions will be set as well as your bail amount. This can be thousands of dollars. Finally, the date and time of the next hearing will be established. At that hearing you either plead guilty or ask for an Omnibus hearing. At an Omnibus hearing, you can challenge the evidence against you. If a contested hearing is held, the State will call the law enforcement officer(s) involved in your arrest. Once the stories from both sides are received, the judge has up to ninety days to issue a ruling. If the Court decides the evidence is sufficient, another hearing will be scheduled. A date for a trial will also be set. Assuming no plea agreement is reached, a trial will be held. In a typical DWI case, the trial lasts one day. If you are found guilty, the judge might pronounce sentence immediately, or they might schedule a sentencing hearing. At the sentencing, a probation officer, the prosecutor, and the defense attorney will all make arguments to the judge about your punishment. You can be sentenced to jail time and fines. Sometimes you will have “stayed jail time,” which means you don’t have to go to jail as long as you follow rules set by the Court. Other times you will serve a portion of jail time, with the balance served if you don’t follow the rules of probation. Those rules will almost always include being placed on probation for a minimum of one year. You will likely be required to participate in a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Impact Panel, as well as be required to get your driver’s license reinstated, meet regularly with your probation officer, and remain law abiding. You could also be required to have an ignition interlock system on your car or be required to participate in electronic alcohol monitoring. So...what has all this cost you? The vehicle tow, attorney fees, bail or bond fees, random alcohol/drug testing fees, fines, cost of any recommended treatment, cost of getting your
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driver’s license reinstated, fees for an ignition interlock system, and fees with setting up electronic alcohol monitoring. All this plus lost wages, higher insurance cost, loss of a commercial driver’s license, and in some cases, the forfeiture of your vehicle. Not to mention the emotional cost of shame and embarrassment. These rules and costs will continue throughout your probation—from one year to multiple years, if you have previous DWIs. It’s not worth it.
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The next thing you should ask—and as far as I am concerned, the most important— is how do they handle the digital images to make sure they don’t go missing? I heard a story of a bride who hired a family member to photograph her wedding. Later, she found out that all of the images were missing. Any professional photographer would have backed them up in three different places. One place is on their computer, another can be on external hard drive, and the last is that they should be stored off site, either on a digital storage site or on a digital storage device in case of theft or fire. You can never be too careful with these digital images. After all, they are the only ones you’ll ever have of your wedding. Once you set up a consultation with a potential photographer, ask to see one or two full wedding sessions. That will give you a good look at the entire wedding, not just one or two photos. Look for consistency in the quality of the shots. Note the posing, the exposure, and the coloring (white balance) of the images. They should be consistent. Also pay close attention to how their images look in low-light situations, such as the ceremony, reception, etc. You want to make sure these images are bright and clear. Once you decide to book a photographer, make sure you sign a written contract with them. Any professional photographer will make sure it covers both themselves AND you. Some things that should cover you are: What would happen if the photographer could not shoot your wedding due to sickness or something that is out of their hands?
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By Brian McPhail, 3D Photography
s a photographer, I hear both the good and bad stories from clients and friends about their wedding photographer. I just love hearing about the good ones but cringe at the bad ones. I am writing this article with the hope of helping you make your wedding memories great— and avoid those bad experiences. One of the first things you should do when you interview your photographer is ask for references. Any professional photographer will have a list of references. When you get that list and make your calls, the first thing you should ask is how their experience was with that photographer. Did they show professionalism the whole day? Did they cause a distraction during the ceremony? Did they deliver everything they said they would? If there were any issues that came up, how did they handle it? How long did it take to get your images back? These are just some of the more important questions to ask. Page 14
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Would they find a replacement or refund your money back including the retainer fee? Most professional photographers would try to find a suitable replacement and not leave you scrambling in the dark to find one at the last minute. Another part that needs to be covered is the loss of your images. What would they do if, for some reason, the images went missing? Even with backups, it does happen. Also check to see if the contract states how long it will take before you’ll get to see your photos. This varies with each photographer; it can be anywhere from a week to a month. Many other questions should be asked of your photographer before booking. These are just some of the top ones I think should be addressed. Many online sources can give you additional advice, and I strongly recommend reading them. The last thing I want to add is—take your time, and if you don’t feel 100% comfortable with your photographer, keep looking. Not every couple and photographer is a perfect match.
________________________________________ For more information or to set up an meeting to discuss your photography needs, give me call me at: 320.905.0533.
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FEATURE STORY
By Sheila Quinn
Leinie out front of his heat at the Purina ProPlan Incredible Dog Challenge
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e met and fell in love at the county fair the summer of 2008. My friend Alex had a booth there for her veterinary practice, and she had two puppies with her. Of the two, something about Leinie (pronounced: Liney) attracted me to him. I picked him up and didn’t want to put him back down. So after sitting there a while, she let me bring him around the fair with me. We bought cheese curds, watched kids play games, and even went to the horse show for Page 16
a bit. All the while, we were becoming more and more attached to each other. She let me take him home on a trial basis to make sure it would work out, and the rest is history. I must admit that the name Leinie confused me at first. It’s short for Leinenkugel, the beer, which I’d never heard of. You see, Alex has a theme for each litter of puppies, and he happened to be part of the beer litter. So his full name is actually Iden Rye Leinenkugel. I thought it was weird at first and considered
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changing it, but it grew on me—and it really fit him. Besides, I liked that he had an unusual name, different from other dogs I met. It became a funny topic of discussion since most people had trouble pronouncing it. But they knew it was a beer, so if they couldn’t remember his name, they called him “Beer Dog.” And at first they didn’t remember MY name either, so I became “Beer Dog’s Mom.” We still laugh about that! I wasn’t even looking for a puppy when I met Leinie. I’d always wanted a dog of my own, but I hadn’t ever felt the time was right. Until right then. Apparently, I was waiting for Leinie. He’s the one that was meant for me. Or rather, we were meant for each other. I had intended for him to be “just a pet,” but little did I know the places he would take me and how much he would change my life.
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After several months, Alex invited me to take Leinie along to Kansas for a Jack Russell terrier trial (a dog show for terriers). I was a little lost, but I entered Leinie in racing because I thought that sounded the most fun. Much to my surprise, he was a natural right from the start and won the Reserve Puppy Championship in racing at that first trial. From that moment, I was hooked and would end up taking him to many trials all over the country throughout our time together. And even Canadian Nationals one year. He went on to win countless racing championships, and we had a great time at the trials. But even more fun was all the new people we would meet along the way. Some of my best friends are those I’ve met at these competitions, and it became an important part of my life. I find it pretty awesome how we
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Leinie - continued
terrier people take care of each other and how close we become. We’re like a big family, even though most of us only see each other a few weekends a year. One of the highlights was the honor of Leinie being invited to the Purina ProPlan Incredible Dog Challenge (we call it the IDC) in 2013, held at Purina Farms near St. Louis. This is such a big event that it is broadcast on national television. He finished second in the finals that year, quite an achievement. I was so proud of my little boy! Of course, he didn’t realize what he’d done—he just liked to run! He was invited back in 2014, but as some of you know, we were involved in a bad car accident on our way there. So...we weren’t able to make it. “Oh well, I thought. There’s always next time, so hopefully we’ll be invited back in 2015.” Little did I know, there would be no next time. Along with the trials, though, Leinie and I were inseparable. I discovered the truth to the saying “a dog is man’s best friend.” Since I work mostly from my home, we spent more time together than most people do with their pets. Even when I did go somewhere, he usually came along. He was family to me and a very important part of my life. Not only did we have a lot of fun together, but he was also my cuddlebug. He was sweet and loyal—and easily made friends with others as well. Friends would come over to my house, and he would immediately jump into their laps, then grab his rope to play tug-of-war with them. Or we would take him to the lake so he could go swimming and fetch sticks. In his mind, everyone was there to see HIM. They were happy to spend time with him, and it made me smile. He had such a kind, sweet personality. How could anyone NOT love Leinie?! Throughout his six years of life, he and I went through a lot together. In fact, he got me through some very difficult times. I can’t imagine how I’d have made it without him. Unconditional love. I never knew how much Page 18
Our family Christmas portrait - 2014
I could love a dog until I had Leinie. It was almost as if he were another little person. My one and only, my heart and soul, the one I called the “love of my life.” Some people never get to experience that, even with other people, so I felt very blessed to have that with him. Along with the car accident, this past year has been especially hard for me. I already called it the “year from hell,” and as most of you know, I even had to skip the last edition of the magazine. That was a big deal to me. Even when I spent time in the hospital this past year, friends and family would bring him to visit me. That was the bright spot of the day; he even made the staff smile! Even after everything I’d been through, I still had my Leinie, so that’s all that mattered. He would help me through it, and life was going to get better. I just knew it. We could have both easily died in that burning car (after the crash, my vehicle burst into flames!). I don’t remember it, but someone came to our
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rescue and pulled us out in time. Our lives had been spared. I’d look at him several times a day after that and smile, so grateful that we still had each other. And then, just three weeks after surviving the accident, without even so much as a scratch, he was gone. Really?! Now this too?! How was I supposed to get through this? Leinie was a very special dog. One in a million. He was the kind of dog that everyone loved. I sometimes called him Mr. Happy. He could make anyone smile. Even his trial competitors loved him, and only after his death would I come to realize just how much they all adored him. I had no idea he was so well known, nor how much support I would receive once he was gone. We dog people always love our little ones, but one is always extra special—what we call our “heart dog.” For me, that was and will always be Leinie. And that leads me to the heartbreaking part of the story…. One night after being outside in my yard for a few minutes, I noticed he was shaking. Sure, it was a little chilly, but how could he be THAT cold? Something wasn’t right. So I called Alex (my vet and one of my closest friends) and my son and I headed right out there, with Leinie shaking uncontrollably on my lap. I had no idea how serious this was; I thought we would be there for a little while and then just go home. No big deal. I couldn’t have been more wrong. By the symptoms he was exhibiting, Dr. Alex took one look at him and knew right away that he must have ingested some sort of poison. My poor little boy laid there getting worse and worse, even though treatment began immediately and continued for 2 ½ hours. Dr. Alex did absolutely everything she could, which should have pulled him through. But Leinie still shook uncontrollably in my arms, his eyes fully dilated, his heart racing, his blood pressure skyrocketing (the highest blood pressure she’s ever seen in a dog!), and he was panting and drooling like crazy. Nothing was helping. Nov/Dec 2014
Then suddenly, without warning, he was gone. We tried CPR to revive him, but nothing was going to bring back my little boy. Some unknown poison had taken him away from me, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was absolutely heartbroken. Crushed. And confused. Where could he have gotten into any poison? Neither of the places we’d been that day should have had anything toxic within his reach. I began to question myself – had I left something out? Had I dropped medication on the floor and not noticed? I was panicking that I had done something to kill my own dog. I was horrified and blaming myself. “Oh, what have I done?!” As it turned out, toxicology reports revealed that what killed my baby was Methyl Parathion, an extremely toxic pesticide that is highly regulated in the United States but actually illegal in many other countries. Nothing could have saved him; the damage was irreversible. And the most senseless thing about it is that this chemical shouldn’t have been anywhere near us that day, and we will probably never figure out where he got it since no one saw him eat it. If it wasn’t
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Leinie - continued
an intentional act, it was at the very least a careless one. (I will be following up this story with an entire article devoted to an exposé on this very dangerous toxin.) So here I am without my little boy. My soulmate. My heart. Such a big part of my life is gone, and I’m finding it difficult to get much done or even concentrate. I’ve never cried so much or been so confused. Or angry. It’s hard to imagine that he’s never coming back! I keep thinking he’ll jump up on me any minute. I’ve even called out to him a few times, then realized he isn’t here anymore. And then, obviously, I break down all over again. Of course, it’s happening right now as I write this. No surprise there. He was far too young to die. At the age of only six years, I thought we had plenty of time left together. I was already looking forward to next year’s trials and just to be hanging out in the house cuddling with him. Or playing out in the yard. Or taking him swimming, his other favorite activity other than racing. Now all of those plans are out the window. But mostly, I just miss my friend.
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I even find myself missing the things that used to annoy me. When I’m eating, I miss his constant begging. When I watch television, he isn’t there to bark at every animal that comes on the screen. (Others thought it was cute, but I was really sick of it!) If someone comes to the door, he isn’t barking like a madman. I miss everything—everything that made him who he was. My life will never be the same without him, and it’s killing me. I feel lost. I have to accept that he’s gone...but how? Anyone who knows me will tell you how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. He completely changed my life, and for that I will always be thankful. Now I am left with just memories of my sweet boy and all the good times we had together. But as much as it breaks my heart to lose him, I sure don’t regret that I ever got a dog in the first place. Our six years together were the best years of my life. Thank you, Leinie, for all you did for me. I will always love you and will never forget everything you brought to my life. You made me a better person.
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By Jen Johnson, Fund Development Manager & community education omestic Violence is a subject that has been making headlines lately. This sensitive topic has been generating discussions around the state, and we have local solutions for women right here in our area. Safe Avenues is a victim services provider offering advocacy services to victims of domestic and sexual violence and also provides parenting time services to families in turmoil. We are very fortunate to have strong community support in all seven counties in which we operate: Kandiyohi, Renville, Swift, McLeod, Meeker, Chippewa, and Lac qui Parle. Safe Avenues provides advocacy services such as support groups, safety planning, safe shelter, transportation, and legal advocacy. We assist clients with obtaining the skills necessary to become self-sufficient. Each client is unique; therefore each client needs different types of help. Someone may need assistance obtaining a new apartment or home. Someone else may need assistance in obtaining a job or going back to school. Others need to completely start over and require everything from dishes to bedding or clothes. Nov/Dec 2014
Safe Avenues receives many donations throughout the year from individuals, church groups, businesses, and community members. This support is vital to assisting victims of abuse. Some community groups host fundraisers on our behalf; others donate material items and funds to assist victims of abuse in getting a fresh start. We are fortunate to have over 37 dedicated volunteers who donate their time and talents to our agency as well. We wouldn’t be able to do this without all of this ongoing assistance, so we appreciate it all so much. In addition to the help we give to women, we also provide community education and professional training sessions. If you are interested in learning more about domestic violence, sexual assault, or parenting time services, please contact the Community Education Coordinator at the number below. If you would like to make a donation, please call or write to the address below. Thank you to our community for helping us to provide these much-needed services! ________________________________________ Safe Avenues - PO Box 568 - Willmar, MN 56201. Phone: 320.235.0962
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Mental Health
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By Patrick Thibault
etting stuck on the same thought and finding it difficult to move easily onto the next thought is one of the defining characteristics of obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD). The thoughts drive the behaviors and impact the ability to make decisions. For example, did I remember to turn off the stove? It is a perfectly natural thought until it builds into a repetitive pattern of checking and re-checking the knob. Hand washing can
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become a ritual because of distorted thinking: did I remove all of the germs from my hands? When the reasonable turns into the extreme, as with OCD, it can impair a person’s ability to function in a healthy manner. In the make-believe world of Hollywood, former police detective Adrian Monk fights crime as a homicide consultant. But at the same time he fights OCD. “Monk” is afraid of germs, odors, and asymmetry, to mention just a few of his OCD symptoms.
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While Monk is examining a crime scene, he can become distracted by an unbalanced picture frame or a smudge on a mirror. This hampers his acute perception, and he has to be coaxed back into the issues at hand. The TV series portrays Monk as a super-crime fighter and is mixed with humorous jabs at his OCD. But in the real world, there is nothing funny about the severe behaviors and consequences experienced by people with OCD. Hygiene takes on extreme levels: fear of germs in food, water, or on the skin. This obsession drives extreme behaviors, which can include excessive bathing throwing away clothing, bedding and dishes. In severe cases, the person may avoid eating altogether. What do neuroscientists and psychiatrists believe is going on in the brain? Our brain has different parts, and while each part has a different function, they all work together to allow our bodies to operate. Kind of like the parts of a car engine. One important part of the brain is called the cingulate gyrus (CG). The purpose of the cingulate gyrus is to help us move easily from one thought to the next. It helps us to make decisions and to adjust to a changing environment. During a conversation, the CG helps us shift from one thought to the next. While driving, the CG allows us to decide to make a right turn at a signal light in advance of the actual turn. A more complicated example is US Airways pilot Captain Chesley Sullenberger’s 2009 dive into the Hudson River, and the sequence of steps he needed to perform in order to bring the plane down safely. Without a normally functioning CG, daily tasks—and heroic feats—are challenging at every turn. So how is obsessive-compulsive disorder treated? The key is to lower the activity level of the cingulate gyrus. A number of years ago, a medication called Luvox was introduced to treat OCD. Today, many antidepressants, such as Prozac and Zoloft, can be used. In addition, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps an Nov/Dec 2014
individual address the faulty thinking. This is introduced under the guidance of a counselor and requires daily practice. With the correct help, OCD can be managed. If you prefer pictures, go to www.brainplace.com to examine a brain image of an active cingulate gyrus. You can also go to the National Institute of Mental Health to learn more about OCD.
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By connie Burns, connie’s Interior Motives
ith winter upon us, we begin staying indoors more and more. And when that happens, we often start thinking about the look of our home’s interior. Are there things that are out of date or that we’ve grown tired of? Or perhaps we just want to spruce things up a bit before the holidays when family and friends arrive for gatherings and parties. Painting your walls can be the quickest and most economical way to update your home. Naturally, most people tend to pick Page 24
colors for their rooms by choosing colors they like; but what do the colors you choose do for you and your family? All colors can have a positive or negative effect on us depending on a number of factors. Our personalities, our age, gender, and even memories from our childhood have an influence on how color affects us. You’ve all heard the sayings, seeing red (being angry), the green room (where people wait before going on stage), feeling blue (being sad), and being yellow-bellied (a coward).
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The color red is thought of as power and authority in the business world—or a warning in the medical field, but it can be a warm and stimulating color in your home. It is also known for raising your blood pressure—for some, to the point of anger and aggression— as well as increasing your appetite. Green has a peaceful, calming effect on most people, making it a good choice for a bedroom or waiting room...unless you’re using a primary or bright green, which can then act as a stimulant. A lot of different shades of blue are very peaceful and calming, but as you get into the dark blues, it can be overwhelming for some people, thus the saying, feeling blue. It can also convey being cold and unemotional. Yellow is the same as the other colors in that different shades can produce different emotions. Certain shades of yellow can raise our spirits and boost confidence. Other tones, however, can make us feel anxious or fearful. Another interesting color is orange. It doesn’t rhyme with anything and there aren’t any sayings about it, but it is another color that can affect our moods. Orange is a fun color and can make us feel energized and enthusiastic. Too much, however, can seem frivolous. And what about white? White can signify simplicity, sophistication, cleanliness, and clarity. It can also seem cold and sterile. There is a lot of information online about color and the positive—and negative—ways it can affect our mood. It’s a fascinating subject with some research to back up the claims. There are serious studies about color
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and also some based on new age theories. So remember, next time you paint a room, it’s not always about the colors you like but about the colors that are good for you. You want to set the right tone and mood for the spaces in your home.
________________________________________ For more information and help with your color choices or other decorating needs, contact Connie Burns at 320-212-4858, or send an email to: connieburns.interiormotives@gmail.com
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The View from Down Here
O
ur home on 7001 Buckhead Drive was a wonder to behold at Christmas. Velvety round cranberry bows as big as your outstretched palm dotted each candle-lit window. A large lighted Moravian star acted as a welcoming chandelier to visitors approaching the front door. Tablescapes, mantel arrangements, and wreaths swirled with fresh magnolia, holly, and pine foliage. Williamsburg-looking apple cones competed for height with burgundy, green, and beeswax taper candles that were fit snuggly in pewter holders. An enormous hand cut cedar filled out a corner to the right of the brick fireplace. It was bedecked with paper, gold, yarn, silver, porcelain, and wood ornaments. The cedar was topped with a Page 26
By Margaret Lanning
miniature Moravian star and grounded in bright boxes covered in Christmas papers of all colors and moods. My mom was a blur from mid November until mid January. Her jingling footsteps were heard all over the house at many times of day and night. She cleaned, dusted, cooked, and decorated with Christmas gusto and a jingle bell around her neck. Her taste was simple. She wanted every surface covered. She enlisted the help of her family as she pulled out items and told stories as each one was placed in its special spot. The smell of Moravian spice cookies and sugar cake, Cornish hens, Russian tea, and spiced apple cider wafted through the house at different times during those special weeks.
Seasons of Minnesota
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Our neighborhood lined their yards with luminaries on Christmas Eve. That was my Dad’s job. I often helped him set up the little white paper bags, fill them with an inch of sand, and settle thick white candles inside. After dark, you could drive for miles near my house and enjoy the paper lights edging both sides of the street. The church glowed like a Christmas card from the outside, and worship was made easy with Christmas tunes of old. We sang with the angels, marveled with the shepherds, and worshipped with the wise men. Then we were reminded that we were not lauding a historical figure, but one mysteriously alive this very Christmas. Christmas morning, Mom labeled our “Santa” gifts with construction paper cutouts of holly leaves with our names on them. Handmade stockings crocheted and personalized by my Grandmother hung overloaded with treats and games above them. My brother, David, and I always sat on the second floor anxiously dangling our feet over the steps. Dad typically spent time oohing and aahing as he took pictures of what Santa brought us. “Bags of coal for Margaret!” he would say. “Switches for David!” When we finally scrambled down the stairs, it was our turn to ooh and aah. Dumping our stockings out always revealed treasures stacked on a tangerine in the toe. After a special breakfast of our traditional cream cheese Danish, we began opening gifts from Aunt Ruthie, Mimi and Granddaddy, Mom and Dad, and countless other relatives. Dad always put bows on his head as they came off packages, proclaiming that he was our gift. At some point, Mom would forget which gift needed to be opened last for a crescendo. I was the impatient one. My brother was the calm one. And when the gifts were all opened and the Danish eaten, we were the blessed ones. Nov/Dec 2014
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It Seems to Me
F
By Laurie Mccabe
or as long as I can remember, one of my favorite parts of the Christmas holiday season was receiving and sending Christmas cards. It was a way of staying in touch with family members scattered across the U.S. and keeping up with friends who had moved away—or ones who are right around the corner. Often included in the cards were school photos of children or a family portrait. Rarely was there a card with just a signature—you always got a handwritten note on the left side of the card with a few tidbits of news about the past year. Other cards included long, detailed personal letters, again, handwritten. Others still had a typed and photocopied “year in review” newsletter—typically full of brags about children’s or grandchildren’s Page 28
accomplishments, trips taken, new cars bought, or other minutiae interesting only to the person writing it. But no matter the contents, they were always exciting to see slip through the mail slot in the front door. We always counted how many we got each year! In my house, we had ribbons on the wall over the piano where we would hang and display all the cards. Picture would be set up on the piano next to our family photos. Some of the cards were religious. Some were of winter scenes. Some were whimsical, but very few were crass or funny. I think the crass or funny cards came along a decade or so later. Some were general Happy Holidays cards from our Jewish friends (we sent them Hanukkah cards).
Seasons of Minnesota
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We kids usually had a hand in choosing our cards, but addressing and writing them was a task left to our mom—she was the personal note-writing kind of card sender. With a few getting the long letter and a small school photo of each of us three girls with the name and age on the back. I continued this tradition when I was on my own and after I had a family. I continue to do it to this day—now I’m adding photos of the grandchildren to some of the relatives … and notes and letters, of course. It’s a timeconsuming task, but I feel good about doing it. It’s a thoughtful way to stay in touch. We get a fair number of cards in return, but each year I notice the envelopes are getting fewer and fewer. And it makes me sad. The custom of sending Christmas cards started in England in 1843. A government worker wanted to have more people using the newly created postal service and came up with the idea of Christmas cards. He had an artist design one card and they were sold individually.
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Christmas cards started being used in the United States in the late-1840s, but only by wealthy people—the cards were expensive to print and mail. As printing prices came down and postal services improved and became cheaper, more and more Americans were able to afford to stay in touch at the holidays. It seems to me that this lovely tradition shouldn’t fade away. Yes, it’s easier and cheaper to send an email or post a mass greeting on Facebook, but it isn’t the same. Christmas cards (or Hanukkah cards or New Year’s greetings) keep people in touch with each other. And they make great decorations over the piano.
________________________________________ How does it “seem” to you? Need some advice? Got a question or a suggestion for a future column? Please write me at dashelamet@yahoo.com and let me know if you still send holiday cards to family and friends.
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Local Flavor
Most of us love lasagna, but we don’t always have time to prepare it. Here is an easy version that is both quick and delicious. Enjoy!
1 pound ground beef 1 onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic minced 1- 14 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes, undrained 1 1/2 cups water 1 – 6 ounce can tomato paste 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
Add pasta and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, checking part way through. Add more water if needed. Combine Parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese; drop by spoonfuls on top of pasta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and cook covered 5 more minutes or until cheese has melted. Serve and enjoy!
2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups broken lasagna noodles (or other pasta) 3/4 cup ricotta cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a large skillet, cook beef with onion until beef is cooked and onion is tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add tomatoes, water, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, and salt. Stir well. Page 30
Seasons of Minnesota
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