Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

“Life can change in an instant”: A Minnesota family in need January 10, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 7:58 AM
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IT IS THE MOMENT we all fear—the late night phone call, the unexpected knock on the door.

For Nina Hedin, a young mother from Glencoe whom I highlighted in a magazine feature about 10 Minnesota bloggers, fear became reality on Saturday afternoon. Her husband, Tom, was seriously injured in a snowmobile accident.

Photo of Nina Hedin published in Minnesota Moments, winter 2012 issue.

I got to know Nina about a year ago, when she was among 10 Minnesota bloggers highlighted in a feature I wrote for Minnesota Moments magazine. This photo of Nina published in that winter 2012 story.

Here then, in Nina’s words, is the beginning of her family’s new reality:

I’ve told this story so many times over the last two days that the words are flying out of my fingers and onto this computer faster than I am thinking them.

Saturday, January 5, Tom left after lunch to ride snowmobile a little bit; he was going to visit a friend just outside of town. Around 3 pm he had still not returned and he had not sent any messages or called. This was VERY unusual for Tom and I was worried. Normally he’ll be out for 30-45 minutes and always, ALWAYS sends me random text messages.

I called friends that Tom sometimes rides with to ask if he had been by.

I hopped online to see if he used our check card anywhere; maybe he stopped for something to eat or there would be another clue.

At 4:30 pm there was a loud knock at the door. My stomach dropped. I knew it would not be good. I knew it. The county sheriff told me that Tom was in an accident and was to be airlifted to HCMC.

Fear, panic, adrenaline…

Nina and Tom Hedin with Jack and June.

Nina and Tom Hedin with Jack and June.

This, dear readers, breaks my heart. Even though I’ve never met Nina or her family, I remained connected to Nina after writing that initial magazine feature (which you can read by clicking here). I continued reading her The Adventures of Artsy Nina blog and we exchanged occasional emails. She is a vivacious, creative (she also runs two Etsy shops, Camp Honeybelle and Nina Baran Upcycled Vintage Jewelry)  and caring individual with a delightful sense of humor.

So when the call went out to Nina’s circle of blogging friends to share the Hedins’ story, I didn’t even have to consider. Helping someone in need, especially a friend, is the right thing to do. And the family needs assistance, both financially and in prayer.

Blogging about an evening out with her husband in early December, Nina wrote: "We held hands and ran the short block home through the first snow fall of the season, laughing and enjoying the end of a good night."

Blogging about an evening out with her husband in early December, Nina wrote: “We held hands and ran the short block home through the first snow fall of the season, laughing and enjoying the end of a good night.”

Here again, in Nina’s words, are the injuries her beloved Tom suffered:

Injuries listed from top to bottom; brain hemorrhage and complications, fractured orbital (eye) socket, facial lacerations, fractured T6 vertebrae, broken and dislocated right wrist, broken left elbow and fractured upper arm, left knee cap broken with severed tendon and puncture wound, right knee ligament injury.

He faces a long, hard road to recovery. As of yet we are unsure of the extent of damage to the brain, and the recovery time/therapy needed for his limbs and back will take months.

A recent photo of Tom with Jack and June.

A recent photo of Tom with Jack and June.

You can only imagine the insurmountable medical bills this couple in their early 30s, with two children, Jack, 3, and seven-month-old June, will face. An online “Help for Tom Hedin” account has been set up at GiveForward to assist the family with mounting medical and day-to-day expenses. The goal is to raise $100,000 by March 9.

Please consider offering your financial support by clicking here. Together we can make a difference and ease some of this family’s financial worries. Perhaps your friends, church group, family, co-workers, card club, coffee group, etc., can join efforts to collect monies for the Hedins. Every dollar, whether ten or 500, helps.

Because Tom has been with his current employer for only six months, he does not qualify for benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act. He has been his family’s main source of financial support.

Please also pray for the Hedin family and their medical team. I am a firm believer in the power of prayer.

Tom with Jack and June at Halloween.

Tom with Jack and June at Halloween.

In closing, let’s listen to Nina one last time with this excerpt from her January 8 blog post, “Life Can Change in an Instant”:

It’s a cliche. You hear it all the time, think it some of the time, but you don’t really get it until something happens to you and yours.

Life as you know it can change in an instant.

Hug your kids, your husband, your mom, your dad, your neighbor, your friend. You never, ever know what that next moment might bring.

TO OFFER WORDS of encouragement and support and/or to read the latest updates on Tom’s condition, visit his CaringBridge website by clicking here.

NINA’S BLOGGER CIRCLE of friends is already posting her family’s story. Click here to read a post by Montana resident and former Minnesotan Bernie at One Mixed Bag.

Then click here to read a post by Beth Ann from Iowa at It’s Just Life. For every comment posted to her blog during January and February, Beth Ann is donating 50 cents to the Hedin family for medical expenses. This is part of Beth Ann’s ongoing “Comments for a Cause” campaign. So simply by commenting on any of Beth Ann’s posts during the next two months, you will be helping Tom, Nina, Jack and June.

© Text and photos copyright of Audrey Kletscher Helbling and Nina Hedin
Photos courtesy of Nina Hedin

 

I finally learn to cook with Minnesota wild rice January 9, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:32 AM
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TO CONFESS THAT I am a native Minnesotan who’s never cooked with wild rice may equate a sin. I’m not sure. If anything, such a confession is akin to a Norwegian admitting he/she has never tasted lutefisk.

Minnesota blogger Sue Ready, when she learned that I’d never cooked with wild rice, remedied that. She gifted me with a pound of 100 percent wild rice from Quality Rice Products, Inc., Garrison. How kind was that? I’ve never met Sue, who blogs at Ever Ready. But she encompasses what I’ve come to expect in the bloggers I follow—a deep-rooted goodness.

If you check out Sue’s blog (click here), you will soon discover an abundance of recipes woven into her posts. She clearly enjoys time in the kitchen. I do not.

But I was up to the challenge Sue presented in that bag of wild rice. I chose one of her recipes, Artichoke Turkey Casserole, which includes 1 ½ cups of wild rice, for my debut attempt at cooking with northern Minnesota’s beloved grain.

Measuring the uncooked Minnesota wild rice before rinsing.

Measuring the uncooked Minnesota wild rice before rinsing.

The first problem: How do I even make wild rice?

I found instructions tucked inside the bag, but then faced my first obstacle. How do you rinse and drain wild rice without the kernels filtering through the colander? Do not use a colander apparently.

Next, after cooking the rice for the specified 45 minutes, the grain still crunched beneath my teeth. So I added another seven minutes to the simmer time and called it good, not really knowing whether I’d cooked the rice long enough or too long.

I just want to note here that the nutty aroma of the wild rice intrigues me. It smells of earth, although not precisely of earth. Perhaps rather the scent combines earth, water, fire, sky, even the history and traditions of the Ojibwe, early harvesters of this manoomin, the “good berry.”

Sauteeing diced carrots, onion and red pepper.

Sauteeing diced carrots, onion and red pepper.

Because I’d cooked the rice earlier in the day, I resumed making the hotdish with the dicing of vegetables—carrots, onion and red pepper—and the boiling of noodles. I already had the two cups of chicken (substituted for the turkey) which my husband grilled the previous evening.

About 45 minutes later, I had the dish pulled together with the assistance of the husband who sliced artichokes, stirred together cream of chicken soup and milk, and measured cheese while I chopped and sauteed the veggies and tended the noodles. Typically I can multi-task in the kitchen, but preparing this hotdish took way more time than I anticipated and I was getting hungry. And, as everyone in my family knows, I get crabby when I can’t eat at my usual time.

A wonderful blend of textures is presented in this hotdish.

A wonderful blend of textures is presented in this hotdish.

When I eventually pulled the hotdish from the oven, I couldn’t wait to dig my fork into this truly Minnesotan dish. I suppose an explanation is due here to those of you unfamiliar with Minnesota’s version of casseroles, known in our state as hotdish. Most hotdishes include a cream soup and noodles, this one no exception.

I wondered, though, about that combination of noodles and wild rice. But it works. The crunchy texture of the rice kernels pairs well with the creamy consistency of the noodle mixture.

Even though this hotdish includes a teaspoon of dried thyme and a tablespoon of parsley flakes, I found the flavor a bit too bland for my taste.

Yet, with a sprinkling of salt and fresh ground pepper added,  it’s a tasty and filling comfort food for a cold Minnesota winter evening.

Now that I’ve assured myself I can cook with wild rice—a food which always intimidated me—I’m ready to try preparing wild rice soup. After all, a cup of raw rice equals five cups of cooked rice, meaning I have plenty of manoomin for additional dishes.

Thanks, Sue, for expanding my cooking skills via your gift of Minnesota wild rice.

HAVE YOU COOKED with wild rice and, if so, what’s your favorite dish to prepare?

FYI: To try Sue’s Artichoke Turkey Casserole, an adaptation of a Better Homes and Gardens Comfort Foods recipe, click here.

© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Missing my boy, again January 8, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:11 AM
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I’LL ADMIT TO A BIT of melancholy. My son, my youngest, returned to college in Fargo on Sunday. I try not to think that he is 300 miles away to the west, just like my second daughter lives and works 300 miles to the east in Appleton, Wisconsin.

I realize they could live much more distant. Five hours by car in the big wide world is nothing really.

But to a mom accustomed to 26 years of direct face-to-face parenting, the switch to no children in the house is huge.

The funny thing is that I thought I’d adapted. And then, lo, the son returns home for three weeks of Christmas vacation and I get used to him being around and it’s kind of nice to hear that “Mom, can I have a hug?” It’s wonderful to rest my head against my boy, who towers above me. I didn’t mind washing his laundry or weaving around his belongings scattered upon the living room floor. I found myself planning meals based on what he might enjoy; one day I even made his favorite banana cream pie.

Yes, I rather spoiled him.

But not too much.

He accused me in one particular moment of being a helicopter mom. I try hard not to do that, to interfere, to suggest, to offer too much advice. But apparently in this instance I had. I suppose that is one of the toughest parts of parenting, realizing that sometimes lessons are better learned on their own. Miss a deadline and you suffer the consequences. Make the wrong decision and you have to deal with the outcome. Yet, steering our offspring from erring seems a natural parental response.

My 18-year-old son, shortly before my husband and I left him in his dorm room on the campus of North Dakota State University four weeks ago.

Our 18-year-old son, shortly before my husband and I left him in his dorm room on the campus of North Dakota State University in mid-August.

Prior to holiday break, I’d seen my son only four times since mid-August. And each time I noticed subtle changes in him which indicate growth in maturity and independence. He seems also to appreciate me more.

I continue to be impressed by his determination, his constant desire and drive to learn (often on his own), his focus, his discipline.

On numerous occasions, as he huddled over his laptop and a physics book these past few weeks, I had to remind him that he was on Christmas break and should, therefore, take a break from studying. But he seemed persistent in preparing for the physics exam he will soon take in an effort to test out of a class.

The afternoon he bounded down the stairs to tell me he made the dean’s list with a 4.0 GPA and that he’s six credits shy of junior year status going into his second semester at North Dakota State University, he was beaming and I wrapped him in a proud mama hug.

One of my all-time favorite photos of my son at age 5.

One of my all-time favorite portraits of my son at age 5.

In moments like that, I gaze at him and wonder how nearly 19 years could have passed already. Since birth he’s been his own person, the biggest baby in the hospital at the time weighing in at 10 pounds, 12 ounces. He walked at 10 months. He was putting together 100-piece puzzles by age four. Legos were his passion. He taught himself all about computers. He taught himself to yo-yo and then how to unicycle and then yo-yoing and unicycling together. Now he’s learning juggling.

His quest for knowledge seems unstoppable.

A current image of my son in the new eyeglasses he got over Christmas break. he brought home three frames to try for style and then his two sisters and I chose our favorite and we all picked this one. His oldest sister said the style fits his personality and makes him look smart. I agree and think they also age him, which is not a bad thing when you are almost 19 and do not want to look like you are still in high school. Note that these are the try-on frames, which explains the writing on the lens and the tag on the bow.

A current image of my son in the new eyeglasses he got over Christmas break. Note that these are the try-on frames, which explains the writing on the lens and the tag on the bow. I think the frames fit his personality and age him, in a good way.

The movement of time is also certainly unstoppable and I am reminded of that nearly daily, but especially when I consider the growth of children.

While my son was sleeping in this past Saturday morning, I was waiting in a check-out line behind a young father, his first-born cradled in a car seat in a shopping cart. To pass the time, with the father’s permission, I began interacting with his six-month-old roly-poly baby. Jacob smiled and cooed and “talked” in that charming baby way that melts a mother’s heart. And I couldn’t help but advise the new dad to cherish these moments because, before he knew it, his boy would be all grown up, just like mine.

TELL ME, ONCE our children leave home, do we ever truly stop missing them?

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU who have lost children too soon, how do you honor them, hold close their memories, even cope?

© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Prairie poetry January 7, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:25 AM
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Along U.S. Highway 14

Along U.S. Highway 14 between Sleepy Eye and Springfield on the southwestern Minnesota prairie.

THOSE WHO CATEGORIZE the southern Minnesota prairie as flat, boring and in the middle of nowhere truly have not seen.

South and west of Waseca, along U.S. Highway 14, a train cuts across the flat farm land.

South and west of Waseca, along U.S. Highway 14, a train cuts across the flat farm land.

Perhaps you are one of them—a traveler passing through this land defined by horizontal lines. Your patience for the endless miles of vast sky and open space expires shortly after you exit the city.

The horizontal lines of railroad tracks and farm buildings define this scene near Janesville along U.S. Highway 14.

The horizontal lines of railroad tracks, utility wires and farm buildings define this scene near Janesville along U.S. Highway 14.

You cannot fathom how anyone can live here, let alone appreciate this landscape.

East of Courtland, rows of bales edge a farm site.

East of Courtland, tidy rows of bales edge a farm site.

But I challenge you, the next time you are hurrying from City A to City B, to look beyond the pavement, beyond the preconceived ideas you have about rural Minnesota and specifically of the prairie.

West of Springfield, a snow fence emphasizes the horizontal lines of the prairie.

West of Springfield, a snow fence emphasizes the horizontal lines of the prairie.

View this landscape as an artist’s canvas. Before your eyes, you will begin to see the bold lines, the wispy strokes, the colors (or lack thereof), the composition of a scene.

The ethanol plant near Janesville on a cold December morning.

The ethanol plant near Janesville on a cold December morning.

You will feel the strength of the artist’s brush in the wind.

One of my favorite barns along U.S. Highway 14, west of Sleepy Eye.

One of my favorite barns along U.S. Highway 14, west of Sleepy Eye.

You will read poetry in the simplicity of the uncluttered landscape and in the fortitude and kindness of those who inhabit this place.

And then, perhaps, you will begin to connect to a land which possesses an infinite beauty unlike any other.

© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A peek at Wisconsin’s Packers obsession on game day against the Vikings January 5, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 10:15 AM
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I PERHAPS SHOULD NOT even publish this post, being a Minnesotan and a Minnesotan who does not watch football.

But even I can’t ignore all the hype about the big play-off game this evening between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers.

Have I watched a football game yet this season? No.

Have I watched a single sporting event yet this season? Yes, I did watch parts of the summer Olympics.

Within that context, you might rightly surmise that I don’t care much about sports. While I can appreciate an individual athlete’s talent, sports as entertainment (for some, but not me), and the value of athletics in teaching discipline and teamwork and in making for a good physical work-out, I dislike the adulation of/obsession with athletes in our sports-crazed world.

Father and daughter Green Bay Packers fans from Appleton. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

Father and daughter Green Bay Packers fans from Appleton. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

That segues us right into Wisconsin. Not until my second daughter moved to Appleton, 30 miles south of Green Bay, two years ago, did I understand just how devoted/obsessed/crazed Wisconsinites are about their Packers, but in a fun-loving sort of way.

For example, when my husband and I shopped at Appleton’s Festival Foods last October, the day before a Packers game, we came across a display of gold and green brat buns. We  just stood there and laughed and I wished I’d had my camera. Next time I’m buying some of those Packers buns and sneaking them into Minnesota. That would be easier than trying to do a food photo shoot at Festival Foods.

If you check out the Festival Foods’ website, you will note that the website colors are, not surprisingly, green and gold.

Game Time Kettle Korn. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

Game Time Kettle Korn. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

A year ago, while shopping at Lamers Dairy in Appleton, I spied Game Time Kettle Korn, dyed green and gold, of course.

Packers fans houses in Wautoma? Or simply a gold house and a green house?

Packers fans houses in Wautoma? Or simply a gold house and a green house? Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

And then there are the two neighboring houses in Wautoma, which is west of Oshkosh. I still wonder whether those houses were painted green and gold because of the Packers or because the homeowners especially like those colors. I’d have to vote for the Packers connection.

Near Omro along Wisconsin Highway 21, I saw this Packers-themed BEEF-FENSE! sign for McDonalds.

Near Omro along Wisconsin Highway 21, I saw this Packers-themed BEEF-FENSE! sign for McDonalds earlier last year. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

Billboards offer another prime venue for Wisconsinites to express their devotion to the Packers.

A tribute to Aaron Rodgers.

A tribute to Aaron Rodgers. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

But perhaps the most creative public display of Packers support is along Wisconsin Highway 10 west of Appleton near the New London exit. Here, on a highly-visible barn, you’ll discover a tribute to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. We spotted that Packers notation last trip since we, once again, skirted the unending road construction on U.S. Highway 41 between Oshkosh and Appleton (and around Green Bay; be forewarned).

So, you see, as much as I don’t care about football, I find Wisconsin’s devotion to the Packers both amusing and entertaining.

Icy cold beer served up in a Minnesota Vikings mug.

Icy cold beer chilling in a snowbank in my Minnesota backyard. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

Go, Vikings!

© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

What’s your take on these St. Paul moments? January 4, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:10 AM
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A view of the Minneapolis skyline from Interstate 35 on a light traffic day. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

A view of the Minneapolis skyline from Interstate 35 on a light traffic day. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

SELDOM DO MY HUSBAND and I venture into the Twin Cities.

I abhor the heavy traffic rocketing down the interstate, especially that one crazy driver who weaves from lane to lane.

I detest the Interstate 35W/Interstate 494 interchange, which throws our vehicle into the midst of a dodge ball game. I am not a nail biter. But, at this juncture, I bite my nails as my husband tries to merge into near bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-494 before the right lane ends.

You get the picture. Mostly, we stay out of the metro, unless we need to drive to Fargo where the son attends North Dakota State University or we need to visit our eldest daughter in south Minneapolis or the in-laws, most of whom live north of the metro.

An edited cell phone snapshot of Kellogg Boulevard shot from the skyway into the Xcel Energy Center.

An edited cell phone snapshot of Kellogg Boulevard shot from the skyway into the Xcel Energy Center.

But last Saturday we had to travel to St. Paul for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert at the Xcel Energy Center. I’d rather motor toward St. Paul any day given the traffic (at least when we’ve driven there) in the capitol city seems less rushed, less dense (you can take that word “dense” either way) than in Minneapolis.

A file photo of the stunning Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul.

A file photo of the stunning Minnesota state Capitol in St. Paul.

I also appreciate the less urban feel of St. Paul versus Minneapolis. I expect this assessment, right or wrong, stretches back to my childhood knowledge of St. Paul as the home of the state Capitol and the South St. Paul Stockyards and Minneapolis as the location of the Foshay Tower.

Both of the Twin Cities can be seen in this view taken from the state capitol. You can see the downtown Minneapolis skyline in the distance.

Both of the Twin Cities can be seen in this view taken from the state Capitol. You can see the downtown Minneapolis skyline in the distance to the left. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

Alright, I probably should not stir up a battle between the Twin Cities here. That is not my intent. Rather, I want to share a little story from our recent foray into St. Paul. The eldest daughter’s boyfriend lives and works there, so we stopped after the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert to see his apartment and then dine out at Cafe Latte.

That visit to a sprawling apartment complex across from Mears Park brought the first odd moment of the evening. During the elevator ride to the underground parking garage, a young woman stepped inside and promptly pressed herself into a corner, her back to the four of us. I was so stunned by her strange behavior that I remember thinking “What is wrong with her?” and “Should I say anything?” I noticed only her long auburn-dyed locks, her knee-high boots and the paper towels crammed into a plastic bag gripped in her right hand. I never saw her face.

Should I have spoken to her?

The second unusual moment came when we were dining at the Cafe Latte along historic Grand Avenue. While savoring my tasty asparagus chicken stew and smokey turkey pasta salad, I noticed a football-player-sized man peddling M & Ms directly outside the cafe’s front door. Anyone trying to enter Cafe Latte would have to weave around the man blocking the entry. Many diners pulled bills from their wallets. By the time we finished our meal, the mysterious Candy Man had vanished.

Who was this Candy Man? And would you have purchased M & Ms from him?

Finally, on our way back to the daughter’s car, parked in a ramp just off Grand, we encountered a woman who’d been standing inside the ramp entry before we ate. This time, upon our return, she asked, “Can you spare $1.75 for bus fare?” None of us reached into our billfolds.

Should we have given this woman money? How long had she been standing there and how much money had she collected?

Perhaps all of these incidents are common occurrences in the Twin Cities. I really do not know. But for this out-state Minnesotan, the moments were impressionable and, certainly, unsettling.

© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Mn Prairie Roots’ final photo picks for 2012 January 3, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:23 AM
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TODAY WE’LL VIEW the best of my photos, in my opinion, from the final three months of 2012.

While most of my stories and photos take you to places in Minnesota, sometimes I venture into North Dakota and Wisconsin, home to my son and a daughter.

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

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

Early OCTOBER found the daughter, my husband and I on a day trip to scenic Door County in northeastern Wisconsin at the peak of fall colors. I would like to take credit for this scenic shot, but Miranda shot this from atop Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek. It is the perspective of this image, the balance of objects and contrast of colors, and the fact that I am actually in front of the camera, rather than behind it, which make this photo a winner.

The absolutely fabulous lunch counter at the Highland Cafe.

The absolutely fabulous lunch counter at the Highland Cafe.

The strong horizontal lines, the unexpected jolt of red and the quaintness of this lunch counter scene at the historic Highland Cafe in southeastern Minnesota make this another obvious pick for a favorite photo. In OCTOBER I photographed this cafe, which unbeknownst to me then, would close about a month later. I would encourage you to check out the rest of my cafe photo shoot by clicking here.

My Mom counts the jars of horseradish.

My Mom counts the jars of horseradish.

OCTOBER also took me back to my native southwestern Minnesota, where some members of my extended family gathered at my middle brother’s place to make horseradish. I was allowed to photograph the process in between helping with the horseradish making. After the condiment was poured into jars and lids tightened, my 80-year-mother stepped up to count the jars. That’s when I photographed her hands, resulting in this photo. I’d suggest you click here to view my documentation of horseradish making.

Graffitti

Graffiti

I am big on details when I shoot photos. So when I noticed a manual typewriter at The Emporium during a day trip to Hastings in OCTOBER, I just had to leave my mark. Realizing this would also make for an artsy image, I shot this photo. The composition, limited colors and the bend of the keys all appeal to my eye as does the vintage charm of typing on a manual typewriter.

A customer steps up to the check out counter, where the wood floor is especially worn.

A customer steps up to the check out counter, where the wood floor is especially worn.

Vintage could be applied to another image, this one taken in NOVEMBER at a long-time North Mankato hardware store. My camera and curiosity often give me access to places the ordinary person may never see. Such was this visit to Mutch Hardware, which recently closed. However, photo ops exist right before your eyes, if you will only see them. When I saw the worn floor boards in front of the check-out counter, I knew I had a photo op. So I placed my camera on the floor, angled it up a bit and clicked without ever seeing what the lens saw. This was the result. I’ve used this shoot-from-the-floor/ground angle often with some surprisingly excellent results. To view all of my published pix from Mutch Hardware, click here. 

A scene from November in downtown Fargo.

A scene from November in downtown Fargo.

I can’t quite pinpoint what most appeals to me about this image taken in downtown Fargo in NOVEMBER. But I think it’s the FARGOAN sign, the words “proper & prim” on the window and how both contrast with the hardy man biking by on a blustery cold day which cause this scene to stand out.  I like that the biker is purposely out of focus, defining motion.

A snippet of the many bookshelves at Zandbroz Variety, So artful.

A snippet of the many bookshelves at Zandbroz Variety. So artful.

If you see just a bunch of books crammed onto bookshelves, then you need to examine this image again. I see lines, rectangles, squares and colors repeating. I saw abstract art in this section of Zandbroz Variety during a stop at this eclectic store in downtown Fargo in NOVEMBER.  The angle of the bookshelves draws the eye into the photo.

Every little girl wants to portray an angel...

Every little girl wants to portray an angel…

My top photo picks from DECEMBER are all Christmas-related, including this endearing shot of angels in a Christmas pageant at my church, Trinity Lutheran in Faribault. Given the poor available light, which meant shooting at a slow shutter speed, I was doubtful I would manage to get any publishable images. But, as luck and timing would have it, I was able to hold the camera still enough and click at the exact right moment to freeze this classic scene.

Some of the guests took home gifts of poinsettias which served as table centerpieces.

Some guests took home gifts of poinsettias which served as table centerpieces at the community dinner.

When my husband and I attended the Community Christmas Dinner at Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church in Faribault, I pulled out my camera after I finished my meal and took a wide range of photos to showcase the event. Soft light pouring in through the glass doors created ideal lighting for this scene in which I noted strong horizontal lines. I also like the balance of the image and how the design on the bulletin board truly encompasses the essence of the community dinner. I was pleased with so many of the photos I shot here and I’d encourage you to check them out by clicking here.

Although the wise men did not arrive at the birth of Christ, they are typically depicted in nativities. I added the "star" with an editing tool to enhance the image.

Although the wise men did not arrive at the birth of Christ, they are typically depicted in nativities. I added the “star” with an editing tool to enhance the image.

Finally, my last photo pick for 2012 was shot at the outdoor Nativity scene in front of Buckham Memorial Library and the Faribault Community Center. After viewing the image above, I felt something was missing, and that “something” was a star. So I added a “star” with an editing tool and this is the result.

This concludes a three-part review of my favorite Minnesota Prairie Roots photos from 2012. It’s been my honor to share these photos with you, to perhaps give you a new perspective on a scene, to take you to a place you’ve never been, to experience something you’ve never done…

In all of my photos, I strive to tell a story. And to do so, I present overall views and detailed shots. Seldom do I simply stand and shoot. You will find me crawling on the floor/ground, bending, climbing onto chairs and elsewhere, moving in close, photographing from unexpected angles. I am not afraid to wiggle my way into a place to get just the right shot. I consider color and lines and light. I anticipate how a scene will unfold.

Long ago I stopped viewing the world like the average person. Everywhere I see photos and stories waiting to be shared via images and words. Thank you for allowing me to share my discoveries with you, my dear, dear readers.

Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Mn Prairie Roots’ photo favs from July – September 2012 January 2, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 8:26 AM
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TODAY WE CONTINUE to scroll back through my 2012 posts, seeking out my most-loved photos. I planned to present to you images from the final six months of the year. But, I’m narrowing our focus today to the months of July – September because, clearly, when you live in Minnesota like me, you take many more photos during the warmer months than during the winter.

Given the sheer volume of photos from summer into early autumn, I found choosing a single image per month an impossible task.

Five-year-old David of Faribault, aka Apache Shadow, was among costumed reenactors from the Old West Regulators at the extravaganza.

Five-year-old David of Faribault, aka Apache Shadow, was among costumed reenactors from the Old West Regulators at the extravaganza.

JULY: Have you ever seen a cuter cowboy? The 26th annual Steele County Historical Society Extravaganza at the Village of Yesteryear in Owatonna presented numerous interesting photo ops, including this portrait of re-enactor David, aka Apache Shadow. I also shot the portrait, below, at the same event:

Family photo of John and Frank Styndl.

Family photo of John and Frank Styndl.

John Styndl was demonstrating blacksmithing skills when I asked him to pose with this cut-out of his great great grandfather, Frank Styndl. The family resemblance was remarkable.

At the same event, I shot this photo, a favorite because of the composition and how the word “horses” relates to the horsepower of the tractors.

Horsepower at the Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, Minnesota.

Horsepower at the Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, Minnesota.

You might also rightly speculate that the farm girl in me considered the tractors worthy of a photo.

An elderly man turns to a hymn in the old pocket-size songbook that's been used for decades.

An elderly man turns to a hymn in the old pocket-size songbook that’s been used for decades at the mission fest.

AUGUST took me to Marquardt’s Grove south of Janesville on a Sunday morning for an old-fashioned outdoor mission festival hosted by Freedom and Wilton churches. I roved around the wooded hillside for the entire service and afterward for the potluck to bring you a photo essay of this memorable event. Even hands can tell a story and this, by far, rates as my most beloved image from that outdoor worship service. (You can view one of my photo essays from that day by clicking here.)

That same little boy who was so intently focused on the musician.

A portrait taken at the International Festival Faribault.

Also in AUGUST, I shot some of my best portraits of the year at the International Festival Faribault. To see more portraits and photos from this festival, click here.

The observer

“The observer”

SEPTEMBER: Labor Day weekend brings the Rice County Steam and Gas Engine Show to rural Dundas and ample opportunity for some great photos. I chose this image to highlight because of the perspective from which I took it and because this leaves you wondering, “What is the aging farmer thinking as he stands there watching the threshing crew?”

Singing Hills Coffee Shop's delicious maple bacon sundae.

Singing Hills Coffee Shop’s delicious maple bacon sundae.

SEPTEMBER also brought the sweet discovery of Singing Hills Coffee Shop in Waterville while on a Sunday afternoon drive. I dared to try the maple bacon sundae and loved it. You just have to see the inside of Singing Hills, so click here for a tour.

Inside Nemo, my absolute favorite part of the entire antique theme park.

Inside Nemo, my absolute favorite part of the entire antique theme park.

Another wonderful discovery in SEPTEMBER was Hot Sam’s Antique Shop (theme park) south of Lakeville. For decades I’ve seen the sign and the kitschy hillside art from Interstate 35. I cannot believe it took me this long to visit. This is a must-see for anyone who loves junk, art and creativity. Click here to view more images.

The kids served popcorn.

Tending the popcorn machine.

Finally, the waning days of SEPTEMBER took me to a 50th wedding anniversary barn dance near Dundas. Although the lighting for photos was not particularly good in the dark barn, I managed to capture this sweet pic of the popcorn makers/servers.

So I’ll leave you here, lingering in the final days of autumn, before taking you, tomorrow, into the final days of 2012.

Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A Mn Prairie Roots photographic review from January – June 2012 January 1, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 4:36 PM
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HERE IT IS, the first afternoon of the new year. I am snacking on a cut-out Christmas cookie while writing. No resolution today to cut out the sweets.

The husband is napping in the recliner.

And the college-aged son only just stirred from slumber awhile ago given his late, or perhaps early, arrival home at 4:45 a.m. I lost exactly one hour and 19 minutes of sleep last night when I did not see his car in the driveway at 3:26 a.m.

Given that interrupted sleep, I arose late myself and am off to a slow start to this new year. I had no blog post in draft, not even an idea. But then a post on thekitchensgarden (a blog you absolutely must read) inspired me to review 2012 in photos, except I’ll review half today, half tomorrow, showing you some of my favorites.

My husband and second daughter head toward the Farmers Market at City Center (colorful awnings to the right) while I linger to photograph the street scape and Hey, daisy.

My husband and second daughter head toward the Farmers Market at City Center (colorful awnings to the right) while I linger to photograph the street scape and Hey, daisy in downtown Appleton, Wisconsin.

JANUARY: Last year my husband and I spent New Year’s weekend in Appleton, Wisconsin, with our second daughter. In the two years Miranda has lived in this northeastern Wisconsin city, we’ve grown to love it, especially the downtown. This image captures the essence of a downtown that appears both vibrant and quaint.

Reading a newspaper while waiting at the mall barbershop.

Reading a newspaper while waiting at the mall barbershop.

FEBRUARY: While attending a chili cook-off competition at the Faribo West Mall, I snapped this photo of a man waiting in a barber shop. It is the everyday Norman Rockwell feel of this scene and the soft light filtering through the mall doors that appeal to me.

A new generation of mint-makers crafted mints Saturday afternoon on my sister Lanae's deck. I took a break (that's my empty chair in the front) to photograph the event.

A contingent of my extended family make mints for my mom’s 80th birthday party.

MARCH: This photo is unusual for the time of year it was taken. Typically, we do not have days like this in Minnesota in March. But here we were, sitting on my sister Lanae’s backyard deck on a warm afternoon in March, making mints for our mom’s upcoming 80th birthday open house. Unbelievable.

An abandoned farmhouse along Minnesota State Highway 19 east of Vesta on the southwestern Minnesota prairie.

An abandoned farmhouse along Minnesota State Highway 19 east of Vesta on the southwestern Minnesota prairie.

APRIL: Although this photo was shot in March, in southwestern Minnesota, I did not post it until April. But let’s not get too technical with dates here. This is my favorite photo from April because if any single poetic shot could summarize the prairie, this would be it. If you wish to read the poem which accompanies this photo, click here.

Howard

Howard from Farmington

MAY: For May, I chose two photos, the first of Howard from Farmington whom I met at the Rice County Steam and Gas Engine Swap Meet and Flea Market.  There’s really nothing to say except I appreciate the opportunity to photograph someone like Howard. Just look at those deep lines etched into Howard’s skin, the history reflected in his eyes.

Hanging out along Central Avenue during Faribault Car Cruise Night in May.

Hanging out along Central Avenue during Faribault Car Cruise Night in May.

One Friday evening in MAY, I shot this Americana scene along Central Avenue in historic downtown Faribault during Faribault Car Cruise Night. Everything about the image captures a small town, hanging out with friends on a beautiful evening mood.

I set my margarita on a vintage TV tray and settled into a lawn chair next to the fire.

An evening in June in my backyard.

JUNE: This image reflects a relaxing way to spend a lovely summer evening in my Minnesota backyard. Pour a drink and gather around the campfire to appreciate the company of my husband and the beautiful outdoors.

And my second JUNE pick:

The ever-changing/growing diversity of Faribault High School as seen in this post commencement gathering outside the school.

The ever-changing/growing diversity of Faribault High School as seen in this post commencement gathering outside the school.

Following my son’s commencement in June, I didn’t just photograph him. This scene unfolded before me and I realized what a great opportunity this was for me to show the ever-changing diversity of my southern Minnesota community.

That’s it for the first six months of 2012. I always strive for new ways to tell a story, to showcase the beautiful scenes and people I see with my camera. To capture such moments, such scenes, and then to share them with you, brings me great joy.

Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling