LAST SATURDAY I WENT “home” for the holidays. Back to my native southwestern Minnesota prairie. Back to see my mom and siblings, in-laws and nieces and nephews. Twenty-nine of us gathered to celebrate. Three were missing.
U.S. Highway 14 curves toward grain bins on the west edge of Sleepy Eye.
To get there, we journeyed through many a small town, first along Minnesota State Highway 60 and then onto the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Highway, U.S. Highway 14. Through towns like Elysian and Madison Lake. Past Mankato. Through Nicollet and Courtland and New Ulm. Then on to Sleepy Eye and Springfield.
Entering Lamberton from the east, the Lamberton Stockyards.
And finally, west of Sanborn Corners, to Lamberton. Past the Gypsy Park and then turn right at the Chicken Pox Factory. Unless you’re in my family, you won’t understand the park and pox bit and I’m not going to explain.
Grain bins, like these in Sleepy Eye, mark the prairie.
So many farm sites have stood here for generations.
There are many well-kept barns and farm sites along U.S. Highway 14 between Sleepy Eye and Lamberton.
As we traveled, I studied the land and farm sites, the communities, the details that define the prairie that shaped me.
Someone’s rural home on the southwestern Minnesota prairie.
Oh, how I still love this land. It was good to be home, if only for a short while.
Wherever you travel this holiday season, may your journey be safe, your time one of joyful celebration.
Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
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