Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

From Books on Central: A success story about books, dragons & community January 9, 2025

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An imaginative depiction of a dragon on the merry-go-round at LARK Toys, Kellogg, perhaps not unlike dragons featured in fantasy novels. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I LOVE WHEN KIDS, like my 8-year-old granddaughter, Isabelle, love to read. It sets them on a path for success in school. If you can read, you can learn anything. I’ve always believed that, except perhaps when it comes to math. Reading didn’t help me there.

Book cover image sourced online.

But Izzy isn’t thinking about math; her dad is a math whiz anyway. Rather, she’s focused on reading for the love of reading a good story. On a recent visit, she could barely contain her excitement about Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. Izzy quickly finished the first volume in the series and then breezed through the next two.

A back-to-school display filled the bookshop windows at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2024)

There’s a story here about Dragon Rider. Izzy’s mom, my eldest, found the fantasy novel while we were shopping at Books on Central, a used bookstore run by Rice County Area United Way at 227 Central Avenue North, Faribault. All proceeds go to local nonprofits supported by the United Way. Initially, Izzy wasn’t too excited about the book. But soon after we arrived home, she was snugged in the recliner reading.

I photographed the poetry section, right, during one of my visits to the bookshop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2024)

This is exactly what grandparents, parents and the good folks at Books on Central like to see. The volunteer-run bookshop just completed its first full year of operation with more than $30,000 in used book sales during 2024, according to lead volunteers Dave and Jeanne Campbell. That’s a whole lot of books considering kids’ books sell for a buck or two and adult books for a bit more.

Among the books I’ve purchased at Books on Central. The book on the left features a cover photo of an elevator moved from my hometown of Vesta onto a nearby farm. The book includes writing by Larry Gavin of Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2025)

I’m thrilled that the Faribault community and beyond has embraced and supported this used bookstore by donating books and by buying them. It’s a win-win for everyone. People can get rid of books they no longer need, find books to read and help their neighbors. Bookshop proceeds assist The United Way in their mission of focusing on financial stability, health and education.

Previously in the display window at the bookshop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

And education includes reading. The local United Way supports Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides a free book a month to registered area children for the first five years of their lives. Dolly’s Book Bash, an annual fundraiser to support the program, is set for Friday, January 24, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. at the Northfield Ballroom. The event features music, line dancing, an auction and games.

Signs marking the location as a former jewelry store remained when the bookshop opened. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Back at Books on Central in Faribault, the bookshop is, in some ways, magical. The setting is in the former Dandelet Jewelry with beautiful built-in wooden shelving and drawers and a chandelier centering the space. In the back, kids have an area all their own to peruse the many books ranging from board books for babies to picture books to novels like Dragon Rider. The whole space feels inviting, enchanting.

This is a well-organized bookshop. Volunteers know the books and where to find them. Inventory changes often. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2024)

Sales of 2,661 books totaling about $9,000 in the last quarter of 2024 reflect the incredible support and enthusiasm for Books on Central. Those numbers are remarkable considering the bookshop is typically open only 24 hours a week and is totally volunteer-run. Volunteer hours in 2024 totaled 4,479.

Jeff Jarvis talks about the Dakota during a June presentation at Books on Central. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo June 2024)

This place is more than a volunteer-run used bookstore. It’s also a place to connect, to build community, to learn. Books on Central hosts frequent literary events featuring area writers. I attended a poetry reading by published poet, retired Faribault High School English teacher and friend Larry Gavin. I could listen to Larry read poetry all day. The way language flows from his mind to his fingertips to create poems, well, it’s magical. He has a radio reading voice that mesmerizes. I also listened to a group of Northfield poets read their poems at Books on Central. I heard local historian, writer and artist Jeff Jarvis talk about the Faribault Dakota. And I delighted in the engaging storytelling of native Tanzanian Joseph Mbele, a St. Olaf College professor, consultant and author of several books, his newest Chickens in the Bus—More Thoughts on Cultural Differences.

New signage was installed on the building in late 2024. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2024)

I love that my granddaughter enjoys going to Books on Central. She’s discovered it’s a special place where, if you look (or let your mom look), you’ll discover a silver dragon flying between the pages of a book.

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FYI: Books on Central is open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. Donated books are accepted, but must be in good condition. Volunteers sort and clean the books, determining which to stock. You will not find musty and moldy smelling books here.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Shopping, gathering & connecting at local holiday markets December 12, 2024

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Visiting during a recent Pop-Up Christmas Shoppe at Buckham West, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)

HOLIDAY MARKETS, craft sales, boutiques, bazaars and bake sales, whatever you term them, seem endless this time of year. I’ve hit many. And that’s from someone who doesn’t like to shop.

Vendors filled the Faribault American Legion on Saturday for a Christmas Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

I should note here that I buy very few Christmas gifts—just a couple for the two grandkids and for my son. And this year for the soon-to-be-born second grandson. That’s it. Those gifts, at least for the little people, come from a big box retailer because the kids have their lists (which Grandma appreciates).

Shoppers come and go from the Craft Spirits Holiday Market at 10,000 Drops Distillery, Faribault, last Saturday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Caroline Jones of Graceful Mandalas marketed these mugs and other of her creations at the 10,000 Drops holiday market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Sellers were scattered throughout the complex of buildings housing the distillery and Corks & Pints. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Back to the one or two-day holiday markets usually held on weekends. These are not just about selling merchandise, although certainly that’s the goal. Rather such pop-up shops, whether held in a church basement, senior center, an old shed, school gym, distillery or elsewhere, are community events. A place for folks to gather, converse, embrace the holiday spirit and maybe buy a gift or two. I bought something for my son at a recent market.

I chatted a bit with Chris Delesha of Delesha’s Woods at the Legion market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
My friend Kirk Mansfield was at the Legion selling wood and metal creations crafted by him, his wife, Paula, and a friend. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Angels, bowls and more created by Turnings by PDan and sold at the Legion’s Christmas Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

I enjoy connecting with people, talking to friends and strangers at these sales. Everyone has a story. Something they may want to share, whether about their product or family updates or holiday plans.

Vendors chat at the holiday market at 10,000 Drops. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

I practice active listening. Not just hearing. There’s a difference. And when I do that, I find people opening up to me. I value these one-on-one conversations allowing me to show interest, empathy and care. Sometimes all people need is for someone to listen, really listen.

Sellers get creative in displaying their wares. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

These pop-up sales are also a place to learn. Vendors—from artists to crafters to bakers and more—are a talented bunch. Even if I don’t buy anything, I often chat with the sellers about their goods. I’m genuinely interested in learning and connecting with creatives, in listening to their backstories.

Linda’s Woolies, felted wool, fleece-lined mittens for sale at the Legion Christmas Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Multi generations engage at the Legion’s holiday sale. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Vicky Scheiber, Nicole Boehme and Heather Berg create custom papercrafts, greeting cards, jewelry and woodcrafts under the name Scheiber Designs, here sold at the Legion’s Christmas Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Creatives never get, dollar-wise, what they should for the time invested. They create because they love what they do. They hold a passion for knitting, for baking, for woodworking, for sewing, for photography, for writing, for whatever and then try to turn that into something which brings in a bit of money and brings joy to others.

A scene outside the Christmas Market at the American Legion last Saturday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

In these final weeks before Christmas, I hope you’ve taken time to attend a holiday market in your area. They offer a great shop local option and an opportunity to experience community at its most grassroots basic.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Building community via Christmas tree give-away in Faribault December 10, 2024

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Viewing Christmas trees in Central Park on a recent weekday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

FIVE YEARS IN TO FARIBAULT’S Adopt-a-Tree Holiday Tree Program, the initiative to give Christmas trees to those in need continues to grow. This year 75 decorated artificial trees were donated and placed in Central Park. That’s up from some 20 trees when the program launched in 2020. Each December since, those numbers have increased.

A snowflake tree topper shimmers against a backdrop of trunk and branches on a tree in the park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

This all started during the COVD-19 pandemic after restrictions on large gatherings resulted in cancellation of Hometown Holidays events. The trees in the park not only brought light and joy during an especially dark time, but also helped folks in my community who were struggling financially.

Here trees line the sidewalk along Second Avenue. More trees edge sidewalks leading into the heart of Central Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Initiated by the Faribault Parks and Recreation Department, which paired with nonprofit St. Vincent de Paul, the Adopt-a-Tree program gives Christmas trees to those who would otherwise not have one. If you’ve priced Christmas trees, you know they are costly.

I knew Gloria, who recently passed and who absolutely exuded love and joy. I love that someone (likely family) donated a tree in her honor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Ours is a rural area, as evidenced by this farm sponsorship. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Another personal sponsorship, which speaks to love and determination. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

The community quickly embraced the idea with service clubs, businesses, churches, individuals, nonprofits, schools and more buying and decorating trees to display in Central Park and then give away. These groups and individuals benefit, too, by raising awareness about their causes/organizations/businesses or simply by offering sponsors an opportunity to give back.

Trees in many sizes and colors were donated. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Adopt-a-Tree has truly built community spirit. To view these festive trees is to see generosity, compassion and care. To view these trees is to understand that Faribault folks genuinely want to help others. When we connect on that level, we are a stronger, better community.

The historic Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour backdrops trees along Second Avenue Northwest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

I’ve seen the trees aglow at night from afar, a beautiful sight in Central Park along busy Second Avenue Northwest. I’ve seen the trees during daylight, too, when I walked through the park and looked more closely at the decorations and the tree sponsor information printed on signs.

The Grinch tops a Grinch-themed tree. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
An unexpected find, a sweet reindeer in pink. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
On the candy cane-themed tree, vivid red. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Bulbs, other ornaments, garland, ribbon, lights…adorn trees, some with toppers, some without. Some trees are themed—the Grinch, candy canes, gingerbread men, reindeer…

Spotted on the tree donated by the Faribault, Minnesota, Chapter of HOG (Harley Owners Group). (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
A tub of ornaments sits in the park. Many trees blew over and ornaments fell off during strong winds last week. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Pom poms strung together make a particularly creative and colorful garland. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

No matter the decorations or the tree size or color (from flocked to white to black to assorted greens), the visual statement is the same. We care.

Trees line the sidewalk leading into the park toward the bandshell in the background. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
At the end of the row of trees pictured above sits this Santa ice sculpture carved by Adam Scholljegerdes and Jason Felix for Winterfest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

When individuals and families pick up their trees from Central Park this week, I can only imagine the happiness they feel knowing that a Christmas tree will grace their homes. What a gift. This is not just about a tree. This is also about feeling loved and cared for by community. And that will last long after ornaments have been removed, the tree dismantled and placed in storage.

It takes a lot of power to light 75 Christmas trees. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

We never know what someone is going through, whether struggling financially or otherwise. So if the simple gift of a decorated Christmas tree lifts spirits and makes the holidays bright, consider the long-lasting impact. Light breaks through darkness. Joy fills hearts. Hope rises.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Lighting up the holiday in Faribault December 9, 2024

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Crowds gather along Central Avenue in Faribault before Saturday’s parade. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

ON SATURDAY EVENING, with the temp at a balmy 45 degrees, crowds gathered in the heart of downtown Faribault for fireworks followed by a holiday parade as part of my city’s Winterfest celebration. Without snow and with such warmth, this felt nothing like weeks before Christmas in southern Minnesota. Yet, I wasn’t complaining. I’d rather be warm than cold.

A festive street scene 1 1/2 blocks off Central Avenue near The Depot Bar & Grill. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

That meant wearing long johns under my jeans, winter boots, a stocking cap and mittens, and a hooded sweatshirt under a lighter weight jacket (not the down-filled parka I initially thought I needed). I was prepared to stave off the evening chill while waiting.

We sat really close to the fireworks launch site. Here, fireworks glitter as they fall from the sky, surrounding a bare tree. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Randy and I did lots of waiting. First for the fireworks to start (it was our choice to arrive early) and then during the parade (as lengthy gaps between units persisted). We even left early given the delays.

Against the backdrop of a festive storefront, families wait for the parade to begin. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Aside from the waiting, the fireworks and Parade of Lights on Central proved wonderful. Festive and uplifting. There’s something about gathering to watch a parade that creates a true sense of community. Throngs crowded the edges of Central Avenue, leaving a single lane for vehicles, floats and parade participants to work their way through our historic downtown.

As the massive Faribault Fire Department ladder truck passes, the boy on the right holds his light-up cowboy hat and waves. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
Kids not only watched the parade, but also participated, as shown here. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
All bundled up to watch the parade from the comfort of a stroller. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

I love watching the kids. There’s magic in their enthusiasm. There’s magic in the way they scramble for candy and jump up and down. They exude pure joy.

The oversized snowman is a parade staple. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
The magic of Whoville came to Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
The Grinch and Max share the love. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

You can’t help but feel happiness surging along the street as music and holiday lights and costumed characters all create a festive mood. Santa, the Grinch with Max his dog, a chubby snowman, an oversized gingerbread boy…I saw all of them and considered how these characters make us smile in the dark of December. Even as an adult, I still very much love the Grinch, who was transformed from mean to loving and caring. That gives me hope.

To the far left in this scene, a bundled up baby sleeps while the Sno-Go Club parade unit passes by. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
A boy standing near me got a free light-up cowboy hat. He wore it sometimes, sometimes not. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
A shopkeeper and his dog at the parade. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Glo sticks ringed necks. Freebie cowboy hats flashed atop heads. Babies bundled in snowsuits slept. Kids waited and watched. Youth danced and waved and smiled.

Fire on one float… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)
…and ice on another, from River City Refrigeration. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

I especially enjoyed the contrast of fire and ice in two parade units. One featured a fire pit, the other what I can only assume was dry ice. They were decidedly creative, a switch-up from masses of holiday lights, inflatables and standard holiday decorations.

The parade unit of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers was all about light. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2024)

Unit by unit, person by person, the parade lit a path along Central Avenue, shining the light of the holidays upon everyone watching. Light. The lights of happiness and joy and love and hope and a feeling that, despite our differences, we are all alike. Craving light. Needing light. Immersing ourselves in the light of community on a December evening in Faribault.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

With gratitude for my southern Minnesota community November 25, 2024

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I photographed this tag hanging on The Gratitude Tree in the neighboring city of Northfield in 2019. I love this idea of publicly expressing thankfulness, including for community. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 2019)

WHEN CONSIDERING GRATITUDE, as we do this week, we usually look inward. But I want to look outward and share six reasons why I feel grateful to live in Faribault.

This is my all-time favorite image showing local diversity. Here children gather to break a pinata during an international festival at Faribault’s Central Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2012)

PEOPLE make a community. I knew no one when I moved here as a newlywed in 1982. But I was welcomed and have since formed deep friendships in Faribault. I can walk into a business, attend an event, or simply be out and about and run into someone who knows me. Conversation often follows.

Recently I attended a 75th anniversary open house at Burkhartzmeyer Shoes, a third-generation family owned shoe store in downtown Faribault. After purchasing athletic shoes, I headed to a back room for complimentary refreshments. A small group of us sat there talking and laughing, simply enjoying each other’s company. I felt like I was inside a small town cafe drinking coffee and conversing. It felt that down-home comfortable.

But I can feel just as comfortable with strangers, including Adolfo, whom I met in October while walking in Central Park. Adolfo moved to America from Venezuela, a country he fled because of Communism and violence. On this morning, he was pushing his one-year-old grandson in a stroller. It’s part of their daily routine. Darling Milan drew me to his grandpa, where I connected with Adolfo on a personal level and heard his story. I feel grateful for every opportunity I have to meet Faribault’s newest immigrants and hear their stories, stories often laced with hardship and hope. To live in a city as diverse as Faribault is truly a gift.

Kids help at the Faribault CommUnity Thanksgiving Dinner by, among other things, creating festive placemats. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo November 2017)

Faribault overflows with CARING INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS striving to help others: the Community Action Center, Rice County Habitat for Humanity, St. Vincent de Paul, HOPE Center, Ruth’s House, IRIS (Infants Remembered in Silence), the Salvation Army, Operation: 23 to 0… I’ve received support while dealing with some especially challenging life events. When you experience that community love and care first-hand, you understand the true meaning of community.

Once again this Thanksgiving, volunteers will serve a free CommUnity Thanksgiving Dinner as they have for the past 30 some years. I’ve previously helped deliver those holiday meals. Every Tuesday, a free meal is also available at the Community Cafe. With Christmas approaching, I’m part of a bible study group coordinating the annual Angel Tree (gift giving) at my church. I could go on and on with an endless list of how people are helping people in my community. Hearts are loving, spirits giving.

A 1950s scene along Faribault’s Central Avenue is shown in this downtown mural. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I am especially grateful to live in a community which values THE ARTS. The Paradise Center for the Arts in downtown Faribault centers our arts scene. Every time I tour a gallery exhibit, attend a play or otherwise engage in the arts, I feel grateful to live here. I’ve even contributed to the local arts scene by publicly reading my poetry. I love attending summer concerts in the park and concerts inside the historic Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour. I appreciate the history-based murals that color our downtown. I grew up in rural southwestern Minnesota with minimal access to the arts, meaning my gratitude for the arts in Faribault runs deep.

I treasure Buckham Memorial Library, just blocks from my home. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2022)

My thankfulness for BUCKHAM MEMORIAL LIBRARY also runs deep, for the very same reason. I grew up in a small farming town without a library. And I love to read. That we now also have a volunteer run used bookstore, Books on Central (benefitting the Rice County Area United Way), notches my gratitude level even higher.

A snippet of Faribault’s historic buildings, photographed during a monthly Car Cruise Night. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

The bookshop is located in the heart of our HISTORIC DOWNTOWN, another reason I feel grateful to live in Faribault. My community cares about preserving historic buildings. I love old architecture. There’s nothing quite like walking among vintage vehicles along Central Avenue during Car Cruise Night as the sun sets at the end of a summer day. Beautiful.

In just minutes, I can reach the countryside, where I love to travel gravel roads. This road winds among the lakes and farm fields west of Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2022)

Faribault also offers incredible NATURAL BEAUTY in a diverse landscape of woods and prairie, hills and valleys, ravines and bluffs. It’s so different than my native prairie. Admittedly, it took me a while to “get used to” all the trees when I moved here 42 years ago. I still mostly have no sense of direction on roads and streets that don’t run prairie grid straight. But I love to walk through city parks, along city trails, at River Bend Nature Center, on the campus of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf… And within a short drive of my home, I am immersed in the countryside.

A view of The Gratitude Tree outside the Northfield Public Library in 2021. People wrote their reasons for feeling thankful on a blank tag. Those were then hung on the tree. I’d like to see a Gratitude Tree in every community once a year. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2021)

This list of a half dozen reasons to feel thankful for the place I call home just touches the surface of why I am grateful to live in Faribault. It’s not utopia, certainly. Nowhere is. But today I want to pause, consider and acknowledge specific reasons for feeling thankful that Faribault is my home. I hope you’ll do the same, wherever you live.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A wildflower mural blooms in Nerstrand October 30, 2024

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Wildflowers bloom on a mural along Main Street in Nerstrand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

NERSTRAND, POPULATION 295, is one of those small towns where not a lot changes. Until something does, and then you notice.

The mural is painted onto a corner of WildWood of Nerstrand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

On a recent drive through this community in far eastern Rice County, I noticed something new. A mural. The wildflower-themed painting stretches across a corner of a brick building marked as WildWood.

I found Jordyn Brennan’s signature down low on a lily stem. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)
“Love for All,” a mural in Faribault that celebrates my community’s diversity. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I felt a sense of familiarity with the artwork. And then I saw Jordyn Brennan’s signature climbing the stem of a dwarf trout lily. The Minneapolis artist’s colorful “Love for All” mural, complete with hands signing the word “LOVE” and plenty of flowers, covers a spacious exterior building wall in the heart of downtown Faribault.

Heading east out of Nerstrand, WildWood is located at 315 Main Street, next to Lake Country Community Bank. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

And now her work can be seen in the heart of downtown Nerstrand on WildWood, a restored brick building housing an event space and photography studio. I peered through the window of the locked front door to see more brick and wood. Lovely. Rustic. Down-to-earth visually appealing.

The mural adds an inviting nature-themed backdrop to The Wilderness green space. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

Tricia and Nick Streitz, with the help of family and friends, worked many years to renovate the space, which previously housed a woodcraft business and was then used for storage. Tricia’s business, Sweet Shibui Photography, is now located in a portion of the historic building. The rest is available to rent for gatherings in the 1,800 square foot The Great Room and outdoors in the 2,400 square foot The Wilderness green space.

A Monarch caterpillar spotted among the flowers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)
A bumblebee feeds on a coneflower. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)
Way down low on the mural, near the ground, I found this ladybug. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

But on this Saturday afternoon in late October, I focused on the mural of coneflowers, dwarf trout lilies, sunflower, butterfly weed and several other wildflowers unknown to me. I found a Monarch caterpillar, Monarch butterfly, dragonfly and bumblebee interspersed among the florals, almost missing a ladybug.

The mural is on the left side of the WildWood building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

I love public art, especially in small towns where art is often not easily accessible. This mural splashes color into the few blocks that comprise Nerstrand’s downtown business area. But the mural is also a backdrop for The Wilderness outdoor gathering space. I can easily envision family and friends gathering here and on the concrete patio to celebrate a small wedding, an anniversary, a graduation, a baby or bridal shower, whatever brings people together in life’s celebratory moments. Yard games are part of the package rental. WildWood is hosting an indoor/outdoor Makers Market from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday, November 16.

That’s the rare dwarf trout lily to the far left in this section of the mural. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

This day I celebrated the discovery of the wildflower mural on the side of a new business in town. The over-sized art honors nature, including the endangered dwarf trout lily, which only grows in three places (Rice, Steele and Goodhue counties) in the world. That includes in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park just to the west of town.

The WildWood name fits given the nearby Big Woods and Tricia Streitz’s backstory. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

Even the name of the business, WildWood of Nerstrand, is decidedly appealing for the images it brings to mind. A favorite young adult book and treasured childhood memories of playing in the woods inspired the name, Tricia Streitz shares on the company website. Hers is a poetically-beautiful story. Imagine children running free, into the woods, building forts, climbing trees…

A Monarch butterfly lands on a coneflower in Jordyn Brennan’s mural. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2024)

All of this I learned following a drive into a small Minnesota town, a town where not much changes. Until it does. I noticed the change. Stopped. Embraced the beauty of that wildflower mural, public art that reaches beyond art to connecting community in a celebratory space.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Prayer ribbons at the Cathedral July 16, 2024

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A garden graces a side entry to The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

AMONG THE FLOWERS, trees and shrubbery fronting a side entry to the space that connects church to guild house, three red benches nestle. Bold. Vibrant. Statement pieces in a garden at The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour.

Construction on the original part of the Cathedral began in 1862 and was completed in 1869. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

But those benches outside the massive limestone church towering above the landscape along Second Avenue across from Central Park in Faribault serve as more than a place to rest. They are a place for prayers.

Prayer ribbon instructions posted on a bench. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Ribbons, representing prayers, are tied to the slatted benches. A sign explains: PRAYER CHANGES THINGS. All are welcome. Take and tie a ribbon. Say a prayer or let your ribbon be your prayer.

Choose a ribbon from the bag. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

What a creative idea. A Ziploc bag of multi-colored ribbons hangs on one of the benches. Each hue represents a different prayer. Green for forgiveness. Blue for thanksgiving. Orange for self-control. Pink for kindness. Yellow for patience. Purple for joy.

One of the three garden benches is covered with prayer ribbons. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

These prompts prove soul-searching. Too often prayers focus on needs/wants/desires, not tough topics like forgiveness and self-control. And how often we forget to express gratitude and joy in prayer.

Ribbons representing prayers of joy, kindness and self-control. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

To be reminded of these traits, these feelings, these thoughts can only make us kinder, gentler, better people.

A historical marker at the Cathedral summarizes its history. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
The Cathedral sign lists community connections. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

That follows a guiding principle of the Cathedral as a place “where history meets heart.” The Cathedral, since it’s founding in the mid-1800s, has long centered on community. Bishop Henry Whipple befriended the Dakota people and many more. Today the church still opens its doors—as the site of the Community Cafe (serving free meals weekly to the community), as a venue for free concerts, as a historic site to tour, as an active participant in Faribault’s annual Heritage Days celebration, as a location for Red Cross blood drives…

Ribbons representing patience, thanksgiving and joy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

And now this seemingly small, yet powerful thing, this beckoning to ponder and place prayers upon public benches. Prayer changes things. Just as a faith family can, when thoughts and ideas expand into actions. Actions that embrace community, providing a welcoming place to gather, to celebrate, to contemplate life.

An inviting entry garden…with prayer beribboned benches. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

We all hold the capacity to forgive, to thank, to control our thoughts, words and behavior, to practice kindness, to exercise patience, to express joy. If tying a ribbon to a red bench encourages self-reflection and positive change, then that is a good thing. We can always be better, do better, live better, in ways that improve our lives and the lives of those around us.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

The beauty of flowers in a community June 26, 2024

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Roses bloom in the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens at the Rice County Fairgrounds in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

OH, HOW BEAUTIFUL the flowers that gardeners tend. Petals flash color, painting the landscape in bold and delicate hues. Flowers dip and bend in the wind like silent writers penning poetry. Flowers inspire, bring joy, carry love stories and memories.

Delicate pink flowers in a garden at the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Flowers have always been a part of my life. From my paternal grandma’s unruly flowerbeds to my mom’s rows of colorful zinnias in the vegetable garden to my own flowers growing in a chaotic mess, I’ve delighted in blooms.

Clematis climb an arched trellis at the teaching gardens. An historic church and school, part of the Rice County Historical Society, are a lovely backdrop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

I especially appreciate the local public flower gardens that grace my community. From Central Park to the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour to the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens and beyond, there are plenty of flowers and plants in Faribault to fill my spirit with summer joy.

Vivid yellow lilies jolt color into Cathedral gardens. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Another Cathedral lily. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
At one time I could identify flower parts, like those shown in this lily close-up blooming at the Cathedral. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Right now, the lilies are in full bloom. They appear a sturdy lot to me, a lesson in botany with stamens and pistils and all those parts I once learned in a long ago science class. Now I don’t care much about that, just the beauty my eyes take in as I wander among the flowers.

An inviting garden, complete with benches, graces the northside entry to the Cathedral. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Iris bloom at the Cathedral. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
For use at the teaching gardens when needed. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

I’m thankful for the volunteers who plant, weed and care for flower gardens created out of a love of gardening and out of a desire to beautify a community. It takes time, effort, commitment, and that does not go unnoticed by me.

A clump of daisies, similar to these photographed at Faribault Energy Park, grow on my boulevard. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo July 20219)

Life is full of opportunities to brighten this world. Flowers are one way. I watched the other day from my living room window as a young boy picked a daisy from an errant patch growing in the boulevard by my house. Then his mom plucked one, too, tucking a single stem into the front of her tank top. I didn’t care that they picked the daisies. I could see how happy it made them.

At the teaching gardens, flowers ladder a stem. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

The daisy, such a simple flower, blooming profusely in the grass next to a busy street. Bent by the wind and rain, as if bowing to the earth. The daisy has always been a sunny favorite of mine. Daisies were woven into my bridal bouquet, my bridesmaids’ baskets of flowers and corsages on my wedding day 42 years ago. Flowers hold love stories, memories.

Fanciful astilbe grow in the teaching gardens. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
In bloom at the Cathedral. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Spots of purple in a Cathedral garden like a single line of poetry. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

I expect, if pressed, anyone could share a flower story. Stories of love and loss, celebration and sorrow, gratitude and healing. Flowers hold stories as much as they write them. Creativity thrives in their bold and delicate hues, in the way they grow and flourish and fade. In the way they stand or bend in the wind, like silent writers penning poetry.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Waterville snapshots reveal small town character June 19, 2024

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A vintage 1969 or 1970 Chevy pickup truck parked in a car port at Twin Lakes Auto Parts in Waterville. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

EVERY PLACE HAS CHARACTER, especially small towns. Or at least that’s how it seems to me, someone with an affinity for rural. I am not a big city girl, preferring quiet Main Streets to city traffic, low-slung buildings to soaring skyscrapers, small gatherings to crowds. I feel grounded, rooted, at home in rural locations.

One of Waterville’s most unusual homes, a small house sandwiched between businesses along Main Street. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

For me a day trip to explore small towns is as appealing as a day in the big city for someone who prefers cities. We are all different and that is a good thing.

A ghost sign on a downtown building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Recently I toured seven area communities in a single day while working on a photo essay column for SouthernMinn Scene, a regional arts and entertainment magazine. I found myself photographing scenes well beyond the scope of my themed essay focusing on small town bar exteriors and signage. With camera in hand, I always scan for interesting photo ops.

Vintage bullhead art signage hangs on the Waterville Event Center. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Among my stops was Waterville, in the southern Minnesota lakes region of Le Sueur County. Summertime residents and visitors plus bikers pedaling the Sakatah Singing Hill State Trail swell this town’s population well beyond 1,868. Waterville folks definitely recognize the value these people bring to the local economy, to the community.

Unexpected art on the side of the Corner Bar. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

I realize not everyone sees what I see upon walking through a small town business district like that in Waterville. I tend to notice details, oddities, the small things that make a place interesting. I’ve photographed the heart of Waterville several times, so this trip I mostly zeroed in on different details.

I see this often in small towns, specific notes left for delivery drivers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

I should note that I’m particularly drawn to signage—handwritten to business signs.

Classic’s Pub opens soon in this massive building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Waterville will soon be home to two new businesses, as noted on signage. Classic’s Pub, a bar and event center featuring displays of vintage cars and motorcycles, is opening in a spacious corner building along South 3rd Street. Waterville has several other bars. But I’m excited about this one (not that I’ve been in the others) because of its vintage theme.

Another business opening soon in Waterville. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

And just across the street, a sign notes that The Cleaver & Corn is opening soon, serving sandwiches, gourmet specialty popcorn from the local The Snack Shack, sweets and more. That, too, sounds like a great addition to the community. And the business name…I find it particularly creative.

A customer pulled up to the hardware store on his riding lawnmower. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

As I walked about the downtown, I saw a whole lot of character. In buildings. In signage. In storefronts. Even in a John Deere riding lawnmower driven to and parked outside Harry’s True Value Hardware.

Waterville Hardware Hank, just across from True Value. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Just across the street sits Waterville Hardware Hank, offering a second option to locals, cabin owners and campers. I’ve been inside this store with its narrow aisles and original wood floors. Not this trip, though.

Lots happening at the Corner Bar in June. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Rather, I kept my feet on the sidewalk and pavement, opting to photograph downtown Waterville while outdoors only. That focused perspective revealed plenty of character that makes this small town unique, welcoming, a place I always enjoy visiting.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Art soars in Montgomery with “wing walk” June 18, 2024

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Wings grace the side of Franke’s Bakery, known for its kolacky, a fruit or poppyseed-filled Czech pastry. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

WHEN PEOPLE BRAINSTORM ways to build a stronger, better community, then implement those ideas, beautiful things happen. I see that each time I visit Montgomery, a community of some 3,200 in Le Sueur County.

Promoting Kolacky Days on wings on the Pillars Building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
A single wing hangs on the Pillars Building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
“We welcome you” in Czech on the Pillar Building wing. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Montgomery’s latest project, The Montgomery Wings Mural Walk, adds yet another artsy element to this self-proclaimed Kolacky Capital of the World. Beyond promoting its Czech heritage, Montgomery celebrates the arts, centered at the Arts & Heritage Center of Montgomery.

Historic Hilltop Hall houses the Arts & Heritage Center of Montgomery, right, and Posy Floral & Gifts, left. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Now the Arts & Heritage Center has joined with the Montgomery Community Foundation and Tri-City United High School ARTeam to create and paint wings displayed throughout town and at an area winery. The wings are a colorful addition to the community, yet another reason to visit a place known for its bakery, its brewery and much more.

Poppy-shaped wings on the American Legion building honor the war dead. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

That “much more” includes a creative community that collectively creates. Locals of all ages met at the Montgomery Farmers’ Market, at Memorial Park, at Next Chapter Winery, at an Art Night to paint the colorful wings that have taken flight throughout primarily the downtown area. While visiting Montgomery recently, I searched for those wings.

Floral wings at Posy Floral & Gifts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Art-themed wings at the Arts & Heritage Center of Montgomery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
One of three wings art posted at American Legion Post #79. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Scissors wings at PinCurls Salon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Franke’s Bakery baked goods-themed wings. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

From vivid flowers at Posy Floral & Gifts to paint splotches at the arts center to an eagle at the Legion to scissors at PinCurls Salon to baked goods at Franke’s Bakery, the wing art often fits the location. It is symbolic, colorful and meaningful. Eye-catching, ideal for photo ops.

A solitary wing on the side of LaNette’s Coffee Shop is watered by “Scarlett,” who circulates among the wing art. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

The wings, in many ways, tell a story. A story not only of specific place, but of community. Of ideas and talent merging to create this beautiful thing, this public art that brings joy to visitors like me. I admired. I smiled. I delighted. And I felt this sense of unity that comes from people working together on a common goal—to brighten their community with public art.

Angel wings at St. John feature lines from faith-based hymns and songs. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)
Faith songs up close on the angel wings. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

It was a bit of a treasure hunt to find the wings given I didn’t have a map to guide me. But that’s OK. I like exploring. Local barber, Steve, tipped me off, though, to the newest one, song-themed angel wings—including the song “On Eagle’s Wings”—at St. John Lutheran Church.

These wings at the Legion honor all branches of the military. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

Every visit to Montgomery leaves me feeling happy, uplifted, impressed by this small town that hosts an annual Kolacky Days in July, honors veterans in photo displays downtown, cheers on the Mallards baseball team, showcases art in the town’s gallery and more, much more. I feel and see the spirit of community here.

Floral wings identify and celebrate local floral shop, Posy Floral & Gifts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

As I was about to leave the downtown business district, I watched an older man exit Posy Floral & Gifts, a bouquet of pink roses in his arms. And I thought to myself, I really ought to photograph that scene. But, rather, I watched, taking in the magic of the moment. I wondered about the recipient, the reason for the flower purchase. My thoughts took wing. Were these roses to celebrate, to encourage, to thank? Or were they simply a “just because” way to brighten someone’s day? Just as the Wing Walk brightens the community of Montgomery, brightened my day.

© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling