Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Smithsonian & companion exhibits in St. Peter focus on water August 24, 2016

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"Water/Ways" prompts me to think about all the uses of water.

“Water/Ways” prompts me to think about all the uses for water and much more.

I FLUSH THE TOILET. Wash my hands. Drink a glass of water. Throw laundry in the washing machine. Shower. Water plants.

I never think about how much water it takes to make something.

I never think about how much water it takes to make something. In this interactive exhibit, I learned that 240 gallons of water are needed to make a single smartphone.

And I never think about it. Water. It’s just always there, flowing from the faucet.

This "Water/Ways" art directs me to the exhibit at the NCHS.

This “Water/Ways” art directs me to the exhibit at the NCHS.

But “Water/Ways,” a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street program, and “We Are Water MN” are causing me to consider this vital natural resource that flows through every aspect of my days.

The Treaty Site History Center sits along U.S. Highway 169 on the north edge of St. Peter.

The sidewalk curves like a river to the Treaty Site History Center along U.S. Highway 169 on the north edge of St. Peter.

Sunday afternoon I visited the Treaty Site History Center in St. Peter where the Nicollet County Historical Society is hosting joint national, state and local water-themed exhibits through September 25. After that, the Smithsonian show will move to these Minnesota communities: Red Wing, Sandstone, Lanesboro and Detroit Lakes.

Entering the "Water/Ways" exhibit, a collection of informational panels.

Entering the “Water/Ways” exhibit, a collection of informational panels.

What does water mean to you? That question posted on a display panel sets the tone for this exhibit packed with information about water. More than simply words, the panels feature interactive aspects that stretch this beyond a compilation of facts and accompanying visuals.

According to this graphic, 40 states are expected to experience water shortages by 2024. that includes Minnesota.

According to this graphic, 40 states (in red) are expected to experience water shortages by 2024. That includes Minnesota.

What would you lose if you did not have water?

A section of the exhibit shows the most common pollutants in Minnesota waters.

A section of the Minnesota exhibit asks, “What’s in the water? Minnesota’s common pollutants and where they come from.” Visitors can pull the cards from the rack (shown here) and learn about those common pollutants to Minnesota waterways.

What’s in the water?

Visitors share water memories.

Visitors share water memories.

One way a visitor pledges to protect water.

One way a visitor pledges to protect water.

This graphic breaks down water usage in Minnesota.

This graphic breaks down water usage in Minnesota.

Visitors are encouraged to share their memories of water, to list ways they can protect water, to learn what’s in Minnesota’s water and more. In this state of 11,842 lakes, water covers more than 13 million acres (or six percent of Minnesota), more than any other state. That’s according to a 2010 “Minnesota Water Facts” report I found online from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

I appreciate the "We Are Water MN" aspect of the exhibit.

I appreciate the “We Are Water MN” aspect of the exhibit.

The Minnesota Humanities Center collaborated with the DNR and other agencies in creating the companion exhibit, “We Are Water MN.”

Vintage ice skates were part of the local portion of the exhibit.

Vintage ice skates were part of the local portion of the exhibit.

Additionally, Nicollet County infused its water history. The Minnesota River runs through this county with 105 miles of river front land and was instrumental in bringing early settlers to the region. My own maternal ancestors settled in the Minnesota River Valley near Courtland.

In a side room, you'll find Kay Herbst Helms' photo exhibit, "Water Rights?" In the table display, visitors are asked to pen their thoughts on water.

In a side room, you’ll find Kay Herbst Helms’ photo exhibit, “Water Rights.” In the table display, visitors are asked to pen their thoughts on water.

A photo in Kay Herbst Helms' "Water Rights" exhibit.

A photo of a photo in Kay’s exhibit.

On droplets of water,

On paper droplets, visitors write about water.

Mankato photographer Kay Herbst Helms brings her photographic perspective to “Water/Ways” with 19 black-and-white water-themed photos in her “Water Rights” collection. Her exhibit, she says, “celebrates water and some of the people who are helping to protect our water rights now and for generations to come.”

Another idea expressed about water.

More ideas expressed about water.

This isn’t the first time Kay has focused on water in photography. She created “Water Vapors” and now “Water Vapors II,” showing through September 30 in the History Center Art Gallery at the Blue Earth County Historical Society in Mankato.

One of many quotes spark conversations about water.

One of many quotes spark conversations about water.

This quote in the “Water/Ways” exhibit strikes me more than any other:

No water, no life.
No blue, no green.

These panels address the cultural

These panels address how water inspires humanity in our art, music, dance and literature.

What does water mean to you?

BONUS PHOTOS:

"We Are Water MN" pins in a jar at the exhibit.

“We Are Water MN” pins in a jar.

This section directs us to look to the future as it relates to water.

This section directs visitors to look to the future of water.

There's even a section for the little ones to put on a puppet show.

There’s even an area for little ones to put on a puppet show.

More panels, more information to digest.

More panels, more information to digest.

FYI: Click here to read my previous post about a celebration I participated in as part of the “Water/Ways” exhibit.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

In St. Peter: Celebrating water through dance, poetry & photography August 23, 2016

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The southern Minnesota based Rural Route Dance Ensemble performs Sunday afternoon next to a log cabin at the History Site Treaty Center along Highway 169 in St. Peter.

The southern Minnesota based Rural Route Dance Ensemble performs Sunday afternoon next to a log cabin at the Treaty Site History Center along Highway 169 in St. Peter.

ON THE OTHER SIDE of the log cabin, traffic thrummed in a steady rhythm, the noise sometimes detracting from the five young women dancing barefoot in the grass and from the poets reading in to the wind.

A Smithsonian exhibit on water is currently showing at the St. Peter history center.

A Smithsonian exhibit on water is currently showing at the history center.

Still, despite the traffic noise from busy U.S. Highway 169 in St. Peter, the focus remained primarily on “When Water Dreams: A Celebration,” hosted Sunday afternoon at the Treaty Site History Center.

This photo of Swan Lake near Nicollet is one of 19 black-and-white images included in an exhibit by Kay Herbst Helms.

This photo shows a side view of Kay Herbst Helms’ photo of Swan Lake, one of the largest prairie potholes in the contiguous United States. Located in Nicollet County,  the lake covers 14 square miles. I’ll tell you more about Kay’s exhibit of 19 black-and-white photos in a follow-up post.

I was part of that event thanks to Mankato photographer Kay Herbst Helms. Kay’s latest photo project, “Water Rights,” sidebars “Water/Ways,” a Museum on Main Street exhibition organized by the Smithsonian Institution showing through September 25 at the Nicollet County Historical Society host site in St. Peter.

Sunday afternoon, along with other invited southern Minnesota poets, I read “In which Autumn searches for Water,” a poem published four years ago as part of an “It’s All One Water” collaboration in Zumbrota. I clarified before reading my poem that I wrote this when our region was suffering a drought, unlike now when Minnesota has been deluged with rain. Here’s the third verse in my five-verse poem:

But she finds at the pond site, the absence of Water,
only thin reeds of cattails and defiant weeds in cracked soil,
deep varicose veins crisscrossing Earth.

League of Minnesota Poets President Christina Flaugher reads her poetry. John Hurd and Susan Stevens Chambers also read their poetry.

League of Minnesota Poets President Christina Flaugher reads her poetry. Christina’s mother, Susan Stevens Chambers, also read, both her poetry and that of Henry Panowitsch. Two others, Craig Nelson and Mira Frank, read the works of published poets, including that of local poet Jim Muyres who was unable to attend.

Mira Frank reads the works of published Minnesota poets, here from County Lines.

Mira Frank reads the works of published Minnesota poets, here from County Lines.

I’ve come to enjoy poetry readings—listening to the rhythm of words penned by those who, like me, are moved to string words together in a lyrical way that touches emotions.

This water bottle was sitting in the grass at Sunday's event.

This water bottle was sitting in the grass at Sunday’s event venue site.

With water as the theme for Sunday’s celebration, poets read of lakes and rivers, of rain and of drought, of ships steaming immigrants across the ocean, and more.

An appreciative audience attended the water celebration.

An appreciative audience attended the water celebration.

Volunteers taught attendees to fold paper cranes.

Volunteers taught attendees to fold paper cranes.

Those clustered in lawn chairs, on blankets and standing—some folding paper cranes for the Minnesota State University, Mankato, 1000 Peace Crane Project—focused on the scene unfolding before them.

Water celebration, #47 dancer close-up arms up

 

Water celebration, #49 dancer close-up arms behind

 

Water celebration, #57 dancer with hands together

 

Water celebration, #67 dancers with hands up

 

Dressed in blue, members of Rural Route Dance Ensemble moved with such grace, like water lapping at the shore, waves rolling in the ocean, rain falling from the heavens. I won’t pretend to be an expert in dance; I have viewed few dance performances. But dance, like poetry, is open to interpretation.

North Mankato poet John Hurd reads.

North Mankato poet John Hurd reads.

Life experiences, emotions and more shape poetry—how it is written, read and interpreted.

Susan Stevens Chambers reads from her new book.

Susan Stevens Chambers reads from her new book, Good Thunder, Blue Earth.

The poetry readings of Good Thunder writer Susan Stevens Chambers mesmerized me. Susan has a melodic voice that soothes and comforts like the sound of rushing water. Except her words don’t rush. They flow. I especially savored Susan’s selected readings from her recently published compilation of rural-themed poems, Good Thunder, Blue Earth, published by River Place Press.

 

Water celebration, #94 Susan's dress blowing in breeze

 

As this poet read, her long blue dress swayed in the wind and I thought of gentle waves. Of water.

FYI: Check back for a post on the Smithsonian “Water/Way” exhibit, including more information on Kay Herbst Helms’ photography exhibit, “Water Rights.”

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

What a difference a day makes August 22, 2016

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Rain clouds threatened as my husband and I headed south into St. Paul late Saturday afternoon.

Rain clouds threatened as my husband and I headed south into St. Paul late Saturday afternoon.

IN MINNESOTA, WE OBSESS about the weather. More than elsewhere? I don’t know because I have lived in this northern state my entire sixty years of life.

Just out of St. Paul, the sky unleashed torrents of rain.

Just out of St. Paul, the sky unleashed torrents of rain.

But weather has such an impact on our daily lives from the snowstorms of winter to the thunderstorms of summer that we take great importance in weather forecasts. And weather talk. If there’s nothing else to talk about, there’s always the weather.

Shortly thereafter, we came upon a weather related crash. The entire front of this car was smashed. Traffic snarled, apparently for a crash further away. That was cleared by the time we arrived.

Shortly thereafter, we came upon a weather related crash along 35E. The entire front of this car, left, was smashed. Traffic snarled, apparently for a crash farther away. That was cleared by the time we arrived.

A wash-out Saturday was not predicted, as I recall. But then I do tend to fall asleep during the 10 p.m. news, about the time the weather person appears on-screen with charts and maps and Doppler radar.

South of Burnsville, the clouds continued to build.

South of Burnsville, the clouds continued to build as we drove Interstate 35 toward Faribault.

Here in southeastern Minnesota, clouds and rain prevailed on Saturday, impacting outdoor events. I was snug in a first-ring north metro suburban home with my sweet 4-month-old granddaughter while the skies drizzled and the clouds built in to a torrent of rain upon my departure.

Westbound on Minnesota State Highway 99 west of Shieldsville.

Westbound on Minnesota State Highway 99 west of Shieldsville early Sunday afternoon.

As drenching as Saturday was, Sunday was not.

I captured this side mirror image late Sunday afternoon along a rural county road between Ottawa and Le Center.

I captured this side mirror image late Sunday afternoon along a rural county road between Ottawa and Le Center.

The day yielded sunshine and scattered white clouds puffed against a blue sky. No rain. Just cool temps without humidity. Truly glorious.

We came across this pick-up truck broken down along a rural county road near Ottawa. The driver was waiting for a tow truck.

Driving home from an event in St. Peter (I’ll post about that tomorrow), we came across this pick-up truck broken down along a rural county road near Ottawa. The driver was waiting for a tow truck. Sunday was a much better day to break down than during the Saturday rain.

It was a good day to talk about the weather.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

If you think there’s nothing to do in southeastern Minnesota this weekend, then read this August 19, 2016

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IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR in Minnesota when we try to cram as many events in to our days as possible before summer flees, autumn arrives and, dare I say, winter settles in for too many months.

This weekend is no exception here in southeastern Minnesota. Here’s a list of selected activities that may interest you:

I photographed this art on the Steele County Free Fair grandstand in April. This is the theme and art for this year's fair.

I photographed this art on the Steele County Free Fair grandstand in April. This is the theme and art for this year’s fair.

In Owatonna, the Steele County Free Fair, billed as Minnesota’s largest county fair, continues today through Sunday. Last year 307,403 people attended. From a human cannon ball to pig races to more fair food than you can shake a stick at, the SCFF offers something for everyone.

 

Kenyon, Minnesota, welcomes visitors to its recent Rose Fest.

Kenyon, Minnesota, welcomes visitors to its annual Rose Fest. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.

Over in Kenyon, home to social media celebrity Police Chief Lee Sjolander, the community is celebrating its annual Rose Fest Friday through Sunday. The list of activities is extensive but includes such events as a free pool party, a hog roast, parade, kid’s pedal tractor pull, a car show, business expo/farmer’s market and way more. (Click here to see the complete listing.) Be sure to admire the Boulevard of Roses, a center strip along Minnesota State Highway 60 in Kenyon where roses grow.

 

This emblem tops a trophy to be awarded August 19 at the Car Club Show Down.

This emblem tops a trophy to be awarded on Friday evening at the Car Club Show Down. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo July 2016.

UPDATE, 5 PM Friday: Due to the weather, this evening’s Car Cruise Night has been cancelled. However, a car cruise will be held next Friday evening.

On Friday evening, Faribault Main Street hosts the monthly Faribault Downtown Car Cruise Night from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. along Central Avenue. This month’s event features the Car Club Showdown in which car clubs will compete for an oversized handcrafted trophy. Other highlights include the appearance of the University of Minnesota solar vehicle and the Gopher Motorsports UMN Formula SAE car. Representatives of the Museum of Automotive History, a group working toward creating an automotive museum in Rochester, will also be in attendance. Even if you’re not a mega car enthusiast, plan to attend for the sense of community and the fun in an historic downtown. Plus, you can check out downtown restaurants, food trucks and the F-Town Brewery.

 

An Aztec dancer photographed at the 2015 International Festival.

An Aztec dancer photographed at the 2015 International Festival.

Faribault’s diversity will be celebrated from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday during the 11th annual International Festival in Central Park. Cultural booths, ethnic foods and merchandise, cultural entertainment, kids’ activities, henna art, a silent auction, volleyball and pentanques/bocce ball competitions and more will be part of this festival.

 

A sampling of the art showcased in the Somali exhibit at the Paradise. Photo courtesy of the Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault.

A sampling of the art showcased in the Somali exhibit at the Paradise. Photo courtesy of Julie M. Fakler, Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault.

Several blocks away at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Avenue, you can also learn more about other cultures at The Somali Museum of Minnesota gallery exhibit running through September 17. The PAC is open from noon until 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. The Minneapolis-based Somali Museum is “dedicated to preserving traditional Somali culture.” Faribault is home to a sizable Somali population.

Plainview book fair poster - Copy

To the south in Plainview, this community celebrates Corn on the Cob Days, an event which started Wednesday and continues through Sunday. Both weekend days are jam-packed with activities ranging from a book fair to an antique tractor pull to a model railroad show to an arts and crafts fair on Saturday to a parade and all-you-can-eat free sweetcorn feed on Sunday. The corn, compliments of local Lakeside Foods, will be served beginning at 11 a.m. until gone.

 

Pulling a barge down the Mississippi River in Winona in September 2015.

Pulling a barge down the Mississippi River in Winona. Image published here for illustration purposes only is not part of the exhibit in St. Peter. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo September 2015.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, in St. Peter some 40 miles to the west of Faribault, the Nicollet County Historical Society will host “When Water Dreams: A Celebration” featuring local poets, writers, musicians and dancers. I will be there reading my published poem, “In which Autumn searches for Water.” This outdoor event at the Treaty Site History Center, 1851 North Minnesota Avenue, is in conjunction with the current Smithsonian traveling exhibit “Water/Ways.” That exhibit, focusing on the relationship between people and water, is showing through September 25 at the history center in St. Peter.

TELL ME, are you taking in any local or regional events this weekend wherever you live?

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Family reunion craziness with Hungry Hungry Hippos August 18, 2016

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Hungry Hungry Hippos board game cover #9

 

THUNK, THUNK, THUNK. The rapid clatter of four hippo mouths banging against plastic in a furious game of Hungry Hungry Hippos is enough to make any parent or grandparent crave silence.

 

Hungry Hungry Hippos game #13

 

But preschoolers love this noisy Milton Bradley game in which players slam levers that open Henry, Homer, Harry and Happy hippos’ mouths to marble-sized white balls. The object is to gather as many balls as possible as quickly as possible.

For now, my Hungry Hungry Hippos game sits boxed in a spare bedroom closet, the four hippos’ mouths clamped in blessed silence. I’ve strategically placed the game at the bottom of a board game stack, hoping any preschool visitors to my home will fail to notice it. They always spot it.

 

Hungry Hungry Hippos human version #116

 

This past weekend my husband’s family took this favorite childhood game to a whole new level with the human version of Hungry Hungry Hippos played at the Helbling family reunion. We were advised in advance to wear bike helmets and long-sleeved shirts and pants if we wished to participate. Just like kids, we didn’t listen.

 

Hungry Hungry Hippos human version #117

 

But, just like kids, the young adults loved the game which had them lying tummy down on hand-built creeper type platforms shoved toward a pile of colorful balls with upside down laundry baskets acting as hippo mouths.

 

Hungry Hungry Hippos human version #119

 

The human hippos were hilarious to watch. It’s not a game for those without upper body strength or an inability to latch onto a laundry basket while simultaneously attempting to capture all those balls tummy side down.

 

Hungry Hungry Hippos human version #135

 

All participants were under the age of thirty.

 

Reunion, Helbling family 2016 137

 

After the young adults finished their brief play, the preschool and elementary-aged contestants joined the fun. They loved this version as much as the original. And more.

 

Hungry Hungry Hippos baskets become train #155

 

Once done, the kids climbed into laundry baskets set atop a creeper and went for a ride with Engineer Matt pushing the imaginary train.

TELL ME, have you played any such creative games at a family reunion? I’d like to hear. My husband and I are hosting the family reunion next year along with other family members and are planning an Oktoberfest theme in honor of our German heritage. It may be difficult to top Hungry Hungry Hippos, though.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Connecting with loved ones at a Minnesota family reunion August 17, 2016

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Cousins Evelyn, left, and Sierra are the same age.

Cousins Evelyn, left, and Sierra, both about 16 months old.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE a family reunion?

Family: my eldest daughter, Amber and her husband, Marc, and their daughter, Isabelle.

Family: my eldest daughter, Amber; her husband, Marc; and their daughter, Isabelle.

I define those two words as an annual gathering of related people who love and care for one another. They meet to have fun, to laugh and cry together, to joke and also carry on serious conversations, to remember and to make memories. It’s all about reconnecting and maintaining the strong bond of family.

Saturday marked a perfect Minnesota summer day for the Helbling family reunion in a stunning setting.

Saturday marked a perfect summer day for the Helbling family reunion in a rural Minnesota location.

Last weekend my husband’s family reunited at his youngest sister and her husband’s rural acreage north of the metro. It’s a beautiful property with woods and pond in a serene setting that I really did not want to leave on Sunday afternoon.

Four-month-old Izzy's feet.

Four-month-old Izzy’s feet.

On this land, 43 of us came together—from as distant as west central Missouri and Grand Rapids, Michigan—for the Helbling family reunion. Thirty-two adults. Eleven kids. And two babies. Every year in recent years there have been new babies.

Sierra tugs at her mommy's shirt.

Sierra tugs at her mommy’s shirt.

Missing were my father-in-law, who is recovering from a stroke, and eight others. We remembered, too, those who are no longer with us—my mother-in-law, gone nearly 23 years now, and my nephew who died of cancer 15 years ago. A small group of us, including Justin’s parents, honored him on Sunday with a pizza lunch.

Brothers-in-law Randy and Marty catch up as smoke trails from three grills.

Brothers-in-law Randy and Marty catch up as smoke trails from three grills.

Through shared experiences, we bond as only family can in joy and in grief.

My husband, Randy, is on the right with his siblings who attended the reunion.

My husband, Randy, is on the right with his siblings who attended the reunion. He is the oldest boy in a family of nine children.

On this weekend, we paused for family portraits, understanding the importance of documenting our presence for future generations. We laughed and cheered as young adults and then kids competed in the human version of Hungry Hungry Hippos. Many threw bean bags in a tournament. Others basked in the bright sunshine on the pond dock watching a cattail float on the water. We cradled snail shells, paddled in the paddle boat, gave hugs and high fives.

Baby Emmett was passed from arm to arm.

Baby Emmett was passed around all day.

We celebrated successes and welcomed the newest Helbling family member, Emmett, born only two weeks prior.

Justin stands atop a deck and calls the family to lunch by blowing into a conch shell.

Justin stands atop a deck and calls the family to lunch by blowing in to a conch shell.

The memories continued to stack as kids chased a baby bunny found in a window well. Great nieces plucked sun-ripened tomatoes. A niece’s husband summoned family to lunch by blowing in to a conch shell. Adults tossed batons and wood chunks onto the lawn in the Scandinavian game of Kubb. Four slim family members stuffed themselves inside a cardboard box, just for fun. And in the deep dark of night, those sleeping in tents awakened to the eerie howling of wolves from a nearby sanctuary.

Balls, purchased for a human game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, proved popular with the kids. Here four-month-old Izzy doesn't know quite what to do when set among the orbs.

Balls, purchased for a human game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, proved popular with the kids. Here four-month-old Izzy doesn’t know quite what to do when set among the orbs.

This is the stuff of memories. This is the stuff of family reunions.

Cousins found a hole in the yard and proceeded to dig and dig.

Cousins found a hole in the yard and proceeded to dig and dig.

TELL ME, do you have an annual family reunion? What are some of your memories of that event? For me, I have a lingering physical memory of Saturday’s reunion in the form of multiple intensely itchy chigger bites.

FYI: Check back tomorrow for a post about the human version of Hungry Hungry Hippos which was played at the reunion.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Hot Sam’s Part II: Like an I Spy book August 16, 2016

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One of several beach themed scenes at Hot Sam's.

One of several beach/water-themed scenes at Hot Sam’s.

IT’S EASY TO BECOME distracted by the showy scenes that target your attention at Hot Sam’s Antiques, a multi-faceted attraction in rural Lakeville. There’s so much to take in, to enjoy, to photograph in this wooded site next to a pond.

Grandma in her rocking chair was just sitting there on the ground under the trees.

Grandma in her rocking chair is just sitting there on the ground under the trees.

I’ve learned during two visits here to slow down and look, really look. Hot Sam’s is like stepping into the pages of an I Spy book. Turn the pages (walk) too fast and you’ll miss an object, a find, a work of art, a whatever. To see everything that defines this place which defies defining, you need to focus.

The road into Hot Sam's is lined with treasurers.

The road into Hot Sam’s is lined with treasures.

Art on the fence lining the driveway.

Art on the fence lining the driveway.

More miscellaneous treasures on the fence.

More miscellaneous treasures on the fence.

That visual concentration starts at the gate with a hodgepodge collection of objects decorating a fence alongside the gravel driveway.

There's parking up by the log cabin/antique & collectibles shop.

There’s parking up by the log cabin/antique & collectibles shop. Explore inside and out.

The hard to miss Hardware Hank.

The hard to miss ginormous Hardware Hank.

Don't miss the crashed plane on the other side of the pond.

Don’t miss the crashed plane on the other side of the pond.

Park your vehicle and explore with the eye of a treasure hunter and a riddle solver. Only then, with an I Spy attitude, can you truly appreciate everything that is Hot Sam’s.

BONUS PHOTOS:

One of my favorite works of art at Hot Sam's.

One of my favorite works of art at Hot Sam’s.

No lamb and lion...

An odd pairing of sculptures.

For the Popeye fans.

For the Popeye fans.

An adorable woodcarving for sale.

An adorable woodcarving for sale.

Details matters, like the suitcases atop the cab.

Details matters, like the suitcases atop the taxi cab.

Just hanging out...

Just hanging out…

Heed the signs and don't explore the restricted area.

Heed the sign and don’t explore the restricted area.

FYI: Click here to read my first in this two-part series about Hot Sam’s Antiques.

Note that you must check in with Kathy or Jake before taking photos as a photo fee applies.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Hot Sam’s Part I: Art, antiques & oddities in rural Lakeville August 15, 2016

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A vintage van becomes a work of art at Hot Sam's.

A vintage van becomes a canvas for art at Hot Sam’s.

HOT SAM’S ANTIQUES, rural Lakeville, defies a singular definition. It’s unlike any place I’ve ever toured.

You'll see lots of vintage vehicles scattered throughout the property.

Vintage vehicles are scattered throughout the property.

There are weird and quirky surprises seemingly everywhere.

Weird and quirky surprises are seemingly propped everywhere.

Behind the sunflower and the fanciful treehouse are a log cabin and other buildings housing antiques for sale.

Atop the hill, behind the sunflower and the fanciful treehouse, are a log cabin and other buildings housing antiques and collectibles for sale.

It’s part photo park, theme park, artist’s haven, junkyard, antique shop. It is undeniably unique. And how you perceive this place depends on your individual preferences. If you like the odd, unusual and quirky, you’ll appreciate Hot Sam’s.

Posted at the entry to Hot Sam's located along Pillsbury Avenue just off Interstate 35, Lakeville exit.

Posted at the entry to Hot Sam’s located along Pillsbury Avenue just off Interstate 35, Lakeville exit.

The lovely and friendly Kathy poses for a quick portrait with the on-site pooch.

The lovely and friendly Kathy poses for a quick portrait with the resident pooch.

The Avon Freeway is new since my last visit to Hot Sam's several years ago. Avon collectible vehicles line this log along the driveway.

Avon collectible vehicles line a log along the driveway. A hodgepodge of items decorate the fence.

I first visited this attraction just off Interstate 35 south of the Twin Cities several years ago, returning on a drizzly Saturday afternoon in early June. Things had changed a bit. I couldn’t simply pull out my camera and start photographing the vignettes created by owner Jake Hood and his artist friend Barry. I had to check in with Kathy Sakry, Jake’s partner. With a bit of prompting, she remembered me and then waived the usual photographer’s fee, a necessity, Kathy says, to cover expenses.

The narrow gravel road into Hot Sam's leads to a quirky world of art and finds.

The narrow gravel road into Hot Sam’s leads to a quirky world of art and finds.

Geese wander the shore of the on-site pond.

Geese wander the shore of the on-site pond.

Looking toward a section of the beach, the setting for many water-themed vignettes.

Looking toward a section of the beach and the pond, the setting for many water-themed vignettes.

With Kathy’s OK, I threaded, camera in hand, down the puddled gravel driveway toward the sandy beach. I kept a watchful eye on the overcast threatening sky.

Sand is hauled in to help stage the beach scenes like this cabanna, added since my last visit.

Sand is hauled in to stage the beach scenes like this recently-added cabana.

An inviting tropical scene...

An inviting tropical scene…

Jake visits with a guest.

Jake visits with a guest.

The beach-side cabana, turtle-topped sand dune and dune buggy scene is Jake’s latest project. Thatch materials came from a now-closed business at the Mall of America. No surprise. Jake hints at connections to junkyards/scrappers/other sources from Minnesota to the coasts. You clearly need those ties to create an attraction like Hot Sam’s.

My husband obliges my request to sit for a photo.

My husband obliges my request to sit for a photo.

Butt bar stools, for example, come from some place in Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. There’s a certain mystique that envelopes Hot Sam’s, although if you had the time, Jake would likely share detailed stories.

This guitar sculpture and other sculptures are perched atop a hill along Interstate 35 south of Lakeville.

This guitar sculpture and other sculptures are perched atop a hill along Interstate 35 south of Lakeville.

Jake and I talk before he takes me and my husband into a hidden paradise.

Jake and I talk before he takes my husband and me into a hidden paradise.

Entering Hot Sam's tropical paradise. This is the only view you'll get of this place tucked into the woods. Maybe Jake will show you if you ask. But then again maybe he won't.

Entering Hot Sam’s tropical paradise. This is the only peek you’ll get of this place from me. Maybe Jake will take you there. But then again maybe not.

As it was, he invited my husband and me to board his golf cart for a short drive into a hidden section of the property. I hung on as Jake twisted the cart through the woods, down a hill, around a curve and into a recreated island-themed paradise. This party spot is most often frequented by musicians drawn to Hot Sam’s by an over-sized guitar sculpture visible from Interstate 35, Jake tells me.

If you've seen this shark and other hillside sculptures from Interstate 35 south of the Lakeville exit, then you've seen Hot Sam's art.

If you’ve seen this shark and other hillside sculptures from Interstate 35 south of the Lakeville exit, then you’ve found Hot Sam’s. Take the Lakeville exit and go east a short distance before turning south onto Kenrick Avenue.

For years, sculptures have been positioned roadside atop Hot Sam’s hill. For years, I’d seen the art and never bothered to exit the Interstate. I expect many other motorists have done the same.

A scene outside a building filled with antiques and collectibles.

The front porch of a building filled with antiques and collectibles.

That’s the thing. We drive by, just drive by. And then one day, if we have the time and/or inclination, we stop. And then we discover a place that defies easy definition, a place that showcases creativity, a place that everyone should tour. At least once. Or twice. When we’re always in a hurry, we miss the Hot Sam’s of the world. And that is our loss.

You never know what awaits you if you only take the time to stop at a place like Hot Sam's.

You never know what awaits you if you only take the time to stop at a place like Hot Sam’s.

TELL ME: Have you ever toured Hot Sam’s? Or have you visited a place just as interesting and unique? I’d love to hear. Check back tomorrow for one final photo look at this south of the metro area attraction.

FYI: To get to Hot Sam’s Antiques from Interstate 35, take exit 81 near Lakeville and go east on Dakota County Road 70 about half a mile to the stoplight. Then turn south onto Kenrick Avenue/County Road 46. Continue approximately 1 1/2 miles on Kenrick, which turns into Pillsbury Avenue. Hot Sam’s is located on the west side of the road at 22820 Pillsbury Avenue South, Lakeville. You’ll see a sign.

Open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. weekdays (except closed on Thursday) and Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. I recommend calling in advance to confirm hours.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Road trip stories: Impressions of Barcelona, New York, not Spain August 12, 2016

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 5:00 AM
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Barcelona is located along Lake Erie just off Interstate 90 near the New York/Pennsylvania border.

Barcelona is located along Lake Erie just off Interstate 90 near the New York/Pennsylvania border.

MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF BARCELONA, a hamlet located within the town of Westfield, New York, was not a good one.

I had to pee. Bad. The van also needed gas. So it was a good time to pull off Interstate 90 in the southwestern corner of New York. I practically flew out the van at the Citgo station, only to stop abruptly at the front door. A sign banned anyone but customers from the restrooms. My facial muscles involuntarily scowled. Welcome to Barcelona.

When my travel weary mind finally clicked that, yes, I was a paying customer, I walked inside. I didn’t know I was being watched. But the clerk advised that, yes, she had seen my reaction. And, yes, I could use the bathroom.

Cones blocking a freshly-poured concrete sidewalk blocked me from getting too close to the Portland Harbor Lighthouse and keeper's house.

Cones rimming sidewalk construction blocked me from getting too close to the 40-foot high Portland Harbor Lighthouse and keeper’s house.

Once I got over that, I noticed the beautiful old lighthouse across the street. (I’m speculating that many lighthouse lovers travel here and then need to use the service station restrooms.) Being a landlocked southern Minnesotan, I find lighthouses a bit of a novelty. However, there would be no getting inside this 1829 lighthouse constructed of native fieldstone. Decommissioned in 1860, the Portland Harbor lighthouse and accompanying keeper’s house became private property.

I moved closer to the lighthouse keeper's house, until I realized this was private property.

Another angle, from the side, of the lighthouse keeper’s house.

Upon researching this National Register of Historic Places landmark later, I learned that the lighthouse was the first public building in the U.S. illuminated by natural gas.

Boats parked near the lake.

Boats parked near the lake.

I wasn’t about to leave Barcelona, though, without at least seeing Lake Erie. If it was Lake Erie. At that point, well into our second day of a long road trip from Minnesota to Massachusetts, I wasn’t even sure what state we were in. And my Great Lakes geography is lacking. I know the locations of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The other Greats, not so much.

It was a lovely day to be on the beach of Lake Erie.

It was a lovely day to be on the beach of Lake Erie.

Just blocks from the gas station, my husband and I found a public access to Lake Erie. I am always impressed by the immensity of the Great Lakes, how sky and water blend into an infinity of blue, how distinct horizontal lines divide land and water and sky, how such a vast body of water can appear calm one day, threatening the next.

My husband obliged my request for a photo of me on the shores of Lake Erie.

My husband obliged my request for a photo of me on the shores of Lake Erie.

I scooped my hand into the cold water, plucked silken smooth stones from the beach, posed for a photo to prove I’d been here, in Barcelona.

© Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

When a small town Minnesota newspaper implements a “pay for” letter policy August 11, 2016

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 5:00 AM
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SHOULD A NEWSPAPER charge for publishing a letter to the editor?

My Minnesota State University, Mankato, journalism professor Robert Shipman would likely turn over in his grave if he read that question. He impressed upon me that the editorial page is the heart of a newspaper. A staunch supporter of community journalism, he would not advocate paying for letters to the editor. Neither do I.

I have great respect for this newspaper man who nearly 40 years ago taught me the basics of journalism—instilling in me a strong sense of fairness in writing balanced news stories. Opinion, he emphasized, should be reserved for the editorial page.

 

Gaylord Hub election letters policy - Copy

 

This brings me back to charging a fee for letters to the editor. Interestingly enough, my concern is prompted by a notice published in The Gaylord Hub, a third-generation family newspaper where I accepted a reporting job right out of college.

Decades after I left my two-year stint at this small southern Minnesota weekly, I still get The Gaylord Hub. Unlike most community newspapers, The Hub does not have a strong editorial page. Rare are the editorials. However, locals often voice their opinions in letters to the editor. There’s been significant controversy in Gaylord related to school issues.

But now the publisher/editor has established a new policy for election-themed letters. Policies for letters to the editor are the norm at newspapers. Many publications restrict length; monitor for libelous and offensive content and personal attacks, etc.; and don’t publish election-related letters in the final issue before an election. But, in a quick perusal of the internet, checking out several major dailies across the country and several Minnesota daily and weeklies, I found none with a “pay for” publication fee.

The Little Falls based The Morrison County Record, for example, states that “Letter writers are encouraged to stick to the issues and the positions on issues and qualifications of the candidates.” Letters that lean toward advertising aren’t published.

In Gaylord, though, under the new policy, if you want to write a letter supporting or opposing a candidate or a political party, you’ll have to pay for it. Thirty dollars for up to 300 words for a Paid Election Letter.

I get where the newspaper is coming from with this policy. Some people will abuse the system by viewing the editorial page as a free advertising opportunity. But to blanket apply that to all election-focused letters seems a suppression of opinions. The policies established by The Morrison County Record seem more appropriate, more balanced in curbing potential abuse while maintaining freedom of expression.

That said, there was a time when newspapers printed obituaries and engagement, wedding and birth announcements at no cost to readers. No more, at least in most publications. Would my college professor opine that change. He likely would. Robert Shipman was Old School community journalism. He was all about integrity, unbiased reporting, getting facts right and, above all, always always spelling names correctly. He taught me well. He taught me that the opinion page is the heart of a newspaper.

Thoughts?

Copyright 2016 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

The new letters to the editor policy published in the August 4 edition of The Gaylord Hub.