Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Two delicious Minnesota food events & that Wisconsin barn October 12, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 7:20 AM
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Diners dish up at last year’s fall dinner at Trinity Lutheran Church, North Morristown.

IN RECENT YEARS I’VE become an enthusiastic church dinner foodie.

And this Sunday, October 14, my favorite of all church dinners will be served at Trinity Lutheran Church, North Morristown, in western Rice County.

Let me tell you, these parishioners can cook. You’ll get real homecooked food from potatoes that have been peeled and mashed to garden grown squash to fresh-baked bread to ham that’s not pressed.

This is the meal you’ll get at Trinity Lutheran Church, North Morristown’s, fall dinner and more. Delicious.

The full menu includes turkey, ham, potatoes and gravy, dressing, squash, corn, cranberries, bread and cake. If you pile all of that onto your plate, you won’t need another meal on Sunday.

And, get this: This generous fall dinner will cost you only $10 (ages 13 and older), $5 for 6-12-year-olds and free for those five and under.

Serving is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Be prepared to wait upstairs in the sanctuary for tables to empty in the church basement.

You might want to attend the 9:30 a.m. church service so you can be among the first in line.

Participants in last year’s Chili Contest dish up chili at a business along Central Avenue during the Fall Festival.

ANOTHER AREA FOOD EVENT actually happens a day earlier during the Fall Festival in downtown Faribault from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday. In addition to an 11 a.m. costume parade, pumpkin painting and other activities for the kids, a Chili Contest is part of the celebration.

You can eat your way down historic Central Avenue sampling about 30 chilis between 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. I’d advise arriving earlier rather than later as in the past some competitors have run out of chili. I believe the cost is $3, a real deal considering you will have your fill of chili.

Be sure to vote for your favorite because the winning chili will be featured every Friday from October through February at Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza.

Seriously, people, two days of no cooking and eating great homecooked food on the cheap works for me.

FINALLY…REMEMBER that Wisconsin barn I featured here earlier this week? You know the one with the message “#12 is #1G.” I wanted you to guess if the barn was painted green, gold or red.

Well, dear readers, here is the true barn color:

Yes, the barn is red.

I know some of you are perhaps disappointed that the barn is not Green Bay Packers green or gold.

But, I must tell you that, while shopping at Festival Foods in Appleton, Wisconsin, last Saturday, my husband and I found green and gold brat and hamburger buns on a special Green Bay Packers food display.

I could have kicked myself for not bringing my camera into the grocery store. Randy photographed the buns with his cell phone. So if we ever figure out how to get that photo onto my computer, I will show you those green and gold buns.

I am not making this up.

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MY APOLOGIES, READERS, for the over-sized images here. But I’ve tried to reduce them without success; apparently some technical issues going on here with WordPress.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Scenic and “touristy” Door County, Wisconsin October 11, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 7:32 AM
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DOOR COUNTY, WISCONSIN.

I’d heard so much about it—”touristy,” fish boils, “you’ll love the small towns,” wine, cherries…

To be honest with you, I wasn’t 100, not even 50, percent certain I wanted to visit this northeastern Wisconsin peninsula cozied by Green Bay on the west and dwarfed by massive Lake Michigan on the east.

I am neither a woman who enjoys shopping or masses of people. So a one-day trip to Door County did not come without a bit of trepidation.

One of many Door County shops, this one in Egg Harbor on the western side of the peninsula.

What I discovered is this: Yes, lots of people visit this scenic tourist destination, but not so many on a Friday in early October that I felt overwhelmed. And, yes, the western side of this peninsula could definitely be classified as “touristy,” because, after awhile, the endless wineries, antique and gift shops, candy stores, etc., all begin to blend together.

Collectibles for sale at Peninsula Antique Center near Egg Harbor.

You can only sample so much wine, flavored balsamic vinegar, flavored olive oils, cheese spreads and cherry salsa before you become disinterested. Fortunately my traveling companion husband and second daughter agreed that by the time we reached Fish Creek, we’d sipped enough wine, sampled enough oil and vinegar and salsa and cheese spreads, but no sweet stuff, thus requiring a stop for a shared truffle and shared fudge.

A winery truck parked in Egg Harbor.

I must interject here that we were pleasantly surprised to find Door County wines to be reasonably priced—the ones we purchased being around $10.

After stopping at numerous shops, it was time for a break and a little lunch at Julie’s Park Cafe & Motel in Fish Creek, conveniently located next to the Peninsula State Park entrance. I ordered the day’s soup special of fish chowder while my husband ordered an 8-ounce burger topped with bleu cheese and the daughter chose a chicken sandwich topped with onions and cherries.

My bowl of fish chowder was burn-the-roof-of-your-mouth hot, but bland in taste and appearance. Is this typical of fish chowder? I don’t know given this was my first time eating fish chowder.

I wish I could tell you our food was over-the-top delicious. But my daughter had to search for the cherries in her sandwich. I found the fish chowder bland. The burger was good, my husband said, but too much at eight ounces, the only burger size available. The thin, dry fries were more like shoestring potatoes than fries.

Scrumptious Door County cherry pie from Julie’s Cafe.

As disappointing as two of our three main menu choices were, Julie’s Cafe redeemed itself with the generous slice of tart Door County cherry pie we ordered and shared. No visit to Door County should come without a purchase of something “cherry,” whether wine, salsa, dried or fresh (when in season) cherries or, most recommended by me, cherry pie, even if it was $5 a slice.

No one was spitting cherry pits into the strong cold wind when we stopped at Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery at Fish Creek.

I’d love to visit Door County during the cherry harvest and inquired as to when that might be. Our vibrant and friendly waitress at Julie’s Cafe did not know, which surprised me.

But then I suppose you could say I wasn’t exactly the most prepared tourist either, approaching Door County with the attitude of “we’ll stop when we see something we want to see.” That seemed a workable plan for a first time visitor.

Even on a bone-chilling cold and windy day, vendors were set up streetside in Egg Harbor.

Door County, though, deserves much more than a quick no-itinerary one-day trip. It deserves careful planning so you see beyond the storefronts, drive beyond the two main routes—42 on the more “touristy” western side and 57 on the less populated rural side—and discover all this lakeside land has to offer. For it was the glorious, natural beauty of this place which most charmed us.

Scenic Whitefish Dunes State Park on the eastern side of the peninsula.

Glorious autumn colors as photographed by Miranda Helbling from Eagle Tower in Peninsula State Park at Fish Creek on the western side of the peninsula along Green Bay.

Scenic Egg Harbor.

TO READ A PREVIOUS POST about Door County, click here to see photos of Peninsula State Park.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

My thoughts as a Faribault resident on the alleged crimes at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School October 10, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 9:07 AM
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In the distance you can see the clock tower on Shumway Hall at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, photographed last fall from City View Park.

I’D LIKE NOTHING BETTER today than to ignore the horrible, unspeakable allegations which have thrust my community of Faribault into the headlines.

In fact, Tuesday morning, I wanted to hide the Faribault Daily News from an overnight house guest from California and told him as much.

I mean, would you want your guest, a first-time visitor to Minnesota, to read this major news headline about the southeastern Minnesota community in which you’ve lived for 30 years: Former Shattuck teacher faces child porn charges.

All but one-fifth of the newspaper’s front page was devoted to coverage of the still unfolding story about alleged sexual misconduct involving at least six victims at a prestigious private college prep school on Faribault’s east side. Former Shattuck-St. Mary’s drama teacher Lynn Seibel (from 1992 – 2003) has been charged with 17 felonies, including 10 of sexual misconduct, and is being held in the Los Angeles County Jail, according to the news report.

This morning I awoke to these front page news headlines: Report: Another Shattuck teacher had sexual relationship with student—police reviewing 2008 investigation; New witness comes forward in Seibel case; Shattuck St. Mary’s has positive—and significant—impact on Faribault’s economy.

There are also accusations from law enforcement that school officials failed to report the discovery of child pornography on Seibel’s computer in 2003, the same year the former drama teacher lost his job at the school. Shattuck officials say they reported their discovery to authorities. I don’t know who’s telling the truth and who isn’t in this part of the case. That’s not for me to decide.

What I do know is this: Awful, horrible allegations like this make you realize that no place, no place at all, is immune from unspeakable crimes against our children by those in positions of authority. If, indeed, there has been any sort of cover-up—remember my wanting to hide the Faribault Daily News from my California house guest—then the case takes on additional significance. Thoughts of the Jerry Sandusky case can’t help but flit through my brain.

That all said, let me tell you what connection I, as a Faribault resident, have had to Shattuck-St. Mary’s and how I’ve viewed the school up until now. Mostly, I’ve always thought of Shattuck as a boarding/day school where rich people send their kids. (Current tuition ranges from $26,950 for domestic day students to $42,450 for international students.) Although that “rich people” conclusion probably is not entirely accurate, that is what I, and I expect many Faribault residents, think. I’m just being honest here with my opinion.

Landmark Shumway Hall at Shattuck during the annual Christmas Walk.

Shattuck is also an internationally-known hockey school, turning out winning teams and youth who go on to play professional hockey. I’ve attended one hockey game there and also enjoyed a figure skating show during the school’s annual Christmas Walk.

If one place captures the beauty of Shattuck, it would be the grand stairway in Morgan Hall photographed during the Christmas Walk.

In addition to the open house holiday event for the community, Shattuck hosts an annual Easter egg hunt and numerous arts-related performances that are open to the public.

A hallway leads to the 1889 Morgan Hall, photographed during the Christmas Walk.

And then there’s the physical campus itself. Founded in 1858 as an Episcopal mission school, the school’s two campuses feature some of the most gorgeous stone buildings in Faribault. The clock tower and archway entrance to the Shattuck main campus are notable city landmarks. Locals are married here, in this beautiful setting.

To think that this lovely and historic place of strong stone walls could hold secrets of alleged sexual abuse against the children sheltered here is nothing short of heartbreaking and horrible.

TO READ LOCAL NEWS coverage on the case, click here.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Autumn splendor in Door County, Wisconsin October 9, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 7:47 AM
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HOW DOES ONE EVEN BEGIN to describe the glory of an autumn landscape?

A view from the Eagle Panorama overlook  in Peninsula State Park where you can see Horseshoe, Strawberry and Chambers Islands, Welcker’s Point and the Upper Michigan shoreline.

Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek in Door County, Wisconsin, shows us what words can never summarize. Natural blazing beauty beyond belief.

My husband, Randy, and me at Eagle Panorama. Yes, Randy is wearing the shell of his winter coat over a heavy hooded sweatshirt. I was not smart enough to bring along my winter coat or a hat.  Photo by Miranda Helbling.

My husband, Randy, with our daughter Miranda, who has lived and worked as a Spanish medical interpreter in Appleton, Wisconsin, an hour south and west of Door County, for nearly two years. This image was shot at Eagle Panorama.

My husband, Randy, daughter Miranda and I toured northeastern Wisconsin’s scenic peninsula on Thursday when fall colors were at their prime.

Except for the raging wind blasting us from Green Bay on the west side and, later, Lake Michigan on the east, we savored the day. How could we not, with colors this stunning, these from Peninsula State Park?

Treetop view from Eagle Tower. Photo by Randy Helbling because I would not climb the 75-foot tall tower which rises 225 feet above the shoreline. You can barely see Shore Road, bottom right, the road we drove through the park.

See me standing down there waving at my daughter atop 75-foot Eagle Tower? Photo by Miranda Helbling.

If I wasn’t afraid of heights, I could have seen this view from Eagle Tower shot by my husband, Randy. The road on the left is Shore Road, the route we took through Peninsula State Park.

Eagle Tower, built in 1914 as a forest fire observation platform, offers a scenic view of Green Bay and beyond. Photo by Randy Helbling.

Horseshoe Island as seen from Eagle Panorama, not to be confused with Eagle Tower.

The Eagle Bluff lighthouse, built in 1868 and on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. Door County is home to 11 lighthouses. No, we did not tour any and saw only this one.

Remember my earlier mention of the wind? Well, these waves on Green Bay show you just how windy it was on Thursday morning when a wind advisory was in affect for Door County. I believe winds were around 25 – 30 mph.

Near the pier in Peninsula State Park.

Do not let this illusion of calm waters fool you. We did not walk very far onto the pier because of the fierce wind.

It’s a scenic drive along Shore Road through Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek.

HAVE YOU VISITED Door County? If so, what were the highlights of your trip?

CHECK BACK for additional posts of Door County.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Photographing Webster, Minnesota, Part II October 8, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 7:29 AM
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Main Street/Rice County Road 3 in Webster, Minnesota. One of the best known businesses in Webster is the Ranchero Supper Club, near middle in photo, to the left of the white car.

WHENEVER I SNOOP around a small town, I wonder when someone is going to step outside of their home or business and ask why I’m taking pictures. Only once has that happened in my many Main Street visits. That was in Otisco, south of Waseca. When I explained who I was, the local relaxed.

If I lived in one of these rural towns and saw a stranger wandering with a camera, I’d question him/her, too.  But that’s me.

My traveling companion, my husband, is used to my curious ways, my quest for interesting photos. He even tips me off occasionally to photo possibilities. Yes, he’s a quick study.

One of the more unusual finds in Webster was this graffiti etched into brick on a downtown building. Names covered several separate sections of wall. I photographed this particular section because of the name Randy (my husband’s name) and “FUZZY,” which was the nickname for one of his sisters. No, they did no etch their names here. Anyone know the story behind all of this downtown graffiti?

Sometimes he probably thinks my photo ideas are crazy. But if he does, my spouse has the good sense not to tell me.

Here are the remainder of the interesting (at least from my perspective) photos I shot in Webster in northern Rice County several weeks ago.

More brick at the Webster Town Hall, a former school, I presume. I love that the old playground equipment has not been removed due to safety concerns. That’s the edge of an old merry-go-round you’re seeing to the left in the frame.

And just how often do you see a pay phone anymore? Well, in Webster you’ll find this one.

Interesting signage atop what I think is a former bank building.

One of Webster’s most interesting businesses: Sight on Survival, “a defensive products and law enforcement gear retail store.”

A snowplow blade awaits winter’s arrival.

To the west of Webster lies one of the most beautiful multi-purpose parks I’ve seen, the Webster Township Park. the park includes this ball diamond, basketball court, horseshoe pits, playground, picnic shelter and grills, nature trail and more.

TO SEE ADDITIONAL images, click here to link to my previous post, “Webster, Minnesota, on a Sunday morning in September.”

Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

What color is this Green Bay Packers barn? October 7, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 9:35 PM
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TRAVELING HOME from northeastern Wisconsin this afternoon while the Green Bay Packers were playing the Indianapolis Colts, I spotted this barn along Wisconsin Highway 10 near the New London exit.

The barn owner was paying homage to Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the message of “#12 is #1.” My husband told me that since I am clueless as to nearly anything regarding football except that Wisconsinites are crazy about their Packers.

Now, how crazy are they? I’ll let you decide. One of these barn photos shows the actual color of the barn. Which is it? You decide by casting your vote via a comment.

Go.

CHOICE #1: Is the barn painted Green Bay Packers green?

CHOICE #2: Is the barn painted Green Bay Packers gold?

CHOICE #3: Is the barn painted barn red?

Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Caution: Machinery, deer (maybe even a John Deere) & a cold front October 4, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:33 AM
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IF YOU LIVE IN MINNESOTA, in the heart of farm land, you’ll totally understand the first part of the message below posted on a sign in front of the Henderson City Hall.

Slow moving farm machinery and deer chased from their habitat most assuredly are reasons to be extra cautious while traveling rural roads during the fall harvest.

As for that “Chilli on the Hilly,” strike the second “l” in “chilli” and you have chili served this coming Saturday at the Henderson House Bed and Breakfast up that road to the left (Minnesota Highway 19) and around the curve and then to the  right up the steep hill.

Or, strike that second “l”  in “chilli” and change the second “i” to a “y” and you have the current weather in Minnesota. Chilly. Ten inches of snow forecast for northwestern Minnesota today, folks.

Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Webster, Minnesota, on a Sunday morning in September October 3, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 9:39 AM
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Reflections in the window of the Webster Post Office.

IN WEBSTER, MINNESOTA, on a Sunday morning, the rooster crowed…

 the black cat prowled…

and the John Deere combine roared through town.

And we were an hour late for worship services at St. John’s Lutheran Church (due to an incorrect time published in an area newspaper).

Because we missed church and had an hour before serving of the annual fall harvest dinner at St. John’s, my husband and I had more than enough time to explore this unincorporated village in northern Rice County some 30 minutes south of the Twin Cities.

BRO Machine Company housed in an old creamery.

It takes all of about a few minutes to drive around Webster, unless you park, get out and search for photo ops to define the essence of this rural community. Only then do you notice the nuances that give Webster its character.

Like any small town, it’s worth your time to stop and appreciate, to notice the bikes dropped by kids on lawns, the toy trucks abandoned outside front doors, the aging buildings, the well-kept yards with beautiful flower gardens, and the rolling countryside around Webster. All of this makes you (or at least me) want to pull up roots and move to this peaceful place.

But since that’s not practical…I took photos a few weeks ago…in September.

A beautifully-landscaped yard in Webster.

A front yard in Webster.

I was particularly charmed by the friendly MN Valley Co-op Supply sign on the side of the building.

PLEASE CHECK BACK for one more post with images of Webster, which is only a few blocks long and wide.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

My opinion of Fargo, the film not the city, & a television series October 2, 2012

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 9:02 AM
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SO THEN, THERE, I watched that there Fargo movie just like I promised ya I would, albeit that promise was made, and this review written, months ago. Ya betcha.

But timing is everything. This past week the Academy Award winning writers of Fargo, native Minnesotans Joel and Ethan Coen, announced plans to executive produce an hour-long series for FX television loosely-based on Fargo. Perfect. Time to pull this review out of my draft box, update and publish it.

Since I don’t get FX, relying instead on a roof antenna to deliver several channels of programming to the single 1990s television in our house, I doubt I will ever view the new Fargo series. I have no idea what writer Noah Hawley, or the Coens, have planned for the small screen adaptation.

But, if the team can produce a show similar to the 1990s television series Northern Exposure, set in Alaska, I’d consider it a success. Honestly, I loved that geographic-centric show with strong local characters and could see the same premise working for Fargo.

That update given, let’s return to my opinion of the original Fargo film. To get you back on track, I’ll repeat the intro to this post:

So, then, there, I watched that there Fargo movie just like I promised ya I would, albeit that promise was made, and this review written, months ago. Ya betcha.

Honestly, people, I cannot write like I’m some northwoods hick. This is not how I talk either. Nor is this how Minnesotans or North Dakotans speak, although occasionally a “ja/ya” or “you bet” may slip into our conversations.

After watching the Coen brothers’ 1996 award-winning film for the second time, because I’ve visited the city of Fargo thrice already this year with the son now attending North Dakota State University, my negative opinion of the language in the movie has broadened. Now not only do I dislike the inaccurate accents and word usage, but I don’t like the bad language either. I apparently had forgotten about all the crude language written into the script.

Apparently I had also forgotten that seven—and I think I got that count right—characters are murdered. That’s a lot of bloodshed.

So what do I consider the film’s notable accuracies in depicting Minnesota?

The Coen brothers, who are native Minnesotans, got it right with the snowy highway scene, the scraping ice from the windshield, the buffet and the eggs for breakfast, the car needing a jump start and this weather phrase: “Gotta front comin’ in.”

But here’s what I really appreciate in Fargo: One of the main characters is a strong woman, Brainerd (Minnesota) Police Chief Marge Gunderson. She is gutsy and determined and she is married to an artist. That the Coens would write that key part for a woman impresses me, because, even in 2012, I am quite certain the number of women who head up police departments in Minnesota and North Dakota is relatively small.

I also like this line by Gunderson, spoken at the end of the movie as she ponders the loss of life, all because of money: “There’s more to life than a little money, you know. Don’tcha know that?”

That statement is enough to redeem the movie for me.

But I’m still wondering why this film was titled Fargo. Sure, the opening scene takes place in Fargo. But that’s it. From there on in, it’s set in Minnesota. I suppose Brainerd doesn’t have the same ringing appeal or instant identity as Fargo.

And then I’m a bit confused by the discrepancies between the opening—which states that the events depicted in the film took place in Minnesota in 1987—and the afterward, in which viewers are told the film is based on incidents but not a true story. Which is it?

IF YOU’VE SEEN the movie Fargo, what’s your opinion of it?  Do you think it accurately depicts Minnesota and/or Minnesotans? Would you have chosen a different name for the film?

What do you think of plans for a television spin-off of Fargo? What type of content would you like to see in that proposed series? Would you watch it?

CLICK HERE to read a previous post I wrote about a woodchipper and movie memorabilia from the Fargo film on exhibit at the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling