Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Pi or pie March 14, 2025

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 2:54 PM
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Pecan pie served at a church event. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

MY GRANDSON UNDERSTANDS pi. I don’t. Did I mention that Isaac only recently turned six and is in kindergarten? His dad, a math major and actuary, taught him about pi some time ago.

Today my daughter texted a photo of Isaac displaying the pi formula, as he wrote it number-by-number. Isaac wanted to stay home from school so he didn’t miss Pi Day. Not sure what he would miss since his mom is, like me, mathematically-challenged and Dad was working. But who understands how a six-year-old mathematician’s mind works? Not me.

Given he couldn’t skip school, Isaac informed his mom that he would drink an infinite amount of water today because pi is infinite. That seems logical, although I would opt for an infinite amount of pie.

To all of you math nerds (and I mean that in the kindest way)—and that includes my son, a son-in-law, granddaughter, Isaac and a sister-in-law—enjoy your pi. I’ll never understand. But pie? Yup, that I understand.

One of my favorite places to purchase homemade pie is at the North Morristown Fourth of July celebration. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

For all you pie lovers, here’s an easy-to-make, healthy pie that is a family favorite. What types of pie do you especially like?

Chocolate Tofu Pie

10-12 oz. soft silken tofu

10 oz. dark chocolate chips

1-2 tsp. vanilla

9” graham cracker pie crust

In blender, blend tofu until smooth. Add vanilla. Blend again. Melt chocolate chips. Add melted chocolate to tofu in blender and mix thoroughly until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours minimum. This keeps well in the fridge for several days. Serve with sliced strawberries, optional.

Tips: If you can’t find soft silken tofu, soft or firm will work. It just takes a lot more time to blend. Cut the tofu into chunks for easier blending. Also, if you are serving this to kids or picky adults, don’t mention the word “tofu.”

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

All about circles & numbers at physical therapy July 6, 2023

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 5:00 AM
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Pretend this is a screen with moving circles. Tap all the red circles, then the blue, then the yellow. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo used for illustration only, June 2023)

“THIS IS FUN!” I effused as I touched a series of red circles, then white, then blue on a big screen. Since I quickly mastered that Fourth of July-themed task after several tries, my vestibular rehab therapist upped the challenge.

Next Ryan had me tapping first a square with a pulsing letter inside and then white circles that popped up randomly on the screen. Whenever the letter changed, I had to tap the blinking letter and then those elusive white floating circles.

I felt like I was getting not only a visual workout (the goal), but also my morning exercise as I stretched to reach the circles. At the ends of rounds, Ryan would adjust the time, increasing the difficulty. When he saw me struggling, he decreased the screen size. Magical, I thought in my exercising brain. My therapist’s aim was neuromuscular re-education via use of the Bioness Integrated Therapy Systems, software designed to present me with dual tasking and visuospatial processing challenges.

At this point the word “fun,” rather than “brain work-out,” still held my thoughts. But just as I was feeling good about my successes, my therapist determined I needed a bigger challenge. Circled numbers popped onto the screen. I should have stopped Ryan right then and there and told him that I am not a numbers person. Words are my thing. He knows I’m a writer. But I was willing to try as long as I didn’t have to solve math equations.

Turns out I only needed to know how to count. No problem. Easy peasy. Or so I thought. I was instructed to tap the numbers 1-10 in sequence inside a large rotating circle. That requires some visual dancing. The numbers disappeared as I tapped them. Then, of course, Ryan added more numbers. Fifteen. Then 20. He also adjusted the speed. And then he told me the numbers would not disappear. Oh, boy.

By then, the word “fun” had vanished, poof, just like that from my thoughts. I felt a tad dizzy and my head hurt. Ryan noticed. Play ended. I sat, closed my eyes, didn’t always look Ryan in the eye when he talked to me. Those are all cues that my brain is experiencing sensory overload.

We chatted about July Fourth plans and vacations and how I can manage my symptoms when they flare. I’ve come to understand what helps me deal with agitation and sensory overload—deep breathing, coloring, therapy putty, rocking, closing my eyes, ear plugs, retreating to a quiet place. But it’s always good to review those coping skills.

It was nearing the end of my 45-minute weekly therapy session. I still felt like my head had been slapped. At that point, Ryan gave me a break. He had planned to use the virtual reality roller coaster again to strengthen my visual and auditory tolerance. But he recognized my brain had had enough sensory exposure. Or perhaps to much exposure to numbers.

© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Make that pie, please, not pi March 14, 2023

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 12:06 PM
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A sign marks the pie booth at the North Morristown, Minnesota, Fourth of July celebration. This is my kind of “pi.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

ON THIS, PI DAY and the International Day of Mathematics, I openly admit that I dislike math. I’ve never been good with numbers, never got the early intervention in grade school to help me with the dreaded fractions and other math challenges. And let’s not even discuss how much I disliked word problems. Reflecting as an adult, those problems seem particularly useful in everyday mathematics application. But back in the day, I could not wrap my brain around solving them. And back in the day, my school did not offer extra help to students struggling in any subject.

Moving into junior high school, my dislike of math only intensified. One particular math teacher, who shall go unnamed, scared me to death. He would call students to the blackboard to solve math equations. Talk about intimidating, terrifying and humiliating for those of us who were not good in math, but which he expected to be good in math because, hey, he was. I hope teachers no longer do that—call students to the front of the class to solve math problems.

Then came high school and the dreaded, required algebra. That I made it through that class without failing is still almost incomprehensible. Again, my brain could not understand what letters and exponents had to do with numbers. To this day, I don’t get it and I’m all too happy to leave algebra back in the early 1970s.

Thankfully, the next generations have not inherited my math deficiencies. My son holds a math minor to supplement his computer science degree. And my two grandchildren excel in math. The first grader is in an advanced math class. I can ask Isabelle to solve a math equation well beyond what a nearly 7-year-old should know and I can almost see her brain spinning as she pops out the answer, boom, just like that.

A previous wristwatch of mine. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Isaac, who recently turned four, shows the same developing math strengths. When he stayed with us last week, he was writing digital time in squares across sheets of paper. He started with 1:00, finished at 1:59 and then started with 2:00, reaching 2:59. Early on, he was fascinated by my wristwatch, which I often removed from my arm and slipped onto his. He also liked my vintage alarm clock collection and our wall clock. But mostly, Isaac simply loves numbers.

That their dad, Marc, holds a math degree and works as an actuary likely factors into the grandkids’ math interests and skills. I am grateful they won’t struggle with math like their grandma did all through school.

And then there’s my sister-in-law Rosie, a retired math teacher. No questioning that she loves math.

Homemade blueberry pie purchased at the North Morristown Fourth of July celebration. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

But me? Nope. Math-lovers may be celebrating Pi Day today (what does “pi” even mean?), but not me. I’d rather have the pie you can eat, thank you.

TELL ME: Are you good in math? Do you like math? Did you have any experiences like mine in school?

© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Boots and blooms April 27, 2013

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 9:29 PM
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IF YOU ARE AN ELEMENTARY school student of the 1960s, like me, you can relate to this post. If you are not, pretend that you are and imagine sitting at your desk, mimeographed math worksheet and box of eight thick Crayola crayons at your fingertips.

Your teacher, we’ll call her Mrs. Olson, instructs you to circle the one item among the pictures that does not belong.

You pull a nubby green crayon from the box of colors because green is your favorite. You’re pretty sure you can use green because Mrs. Olson has not instructed you otherwise. You wish to be obedient.

You study the pictures and crook your elbow around your paper. David is seated across the aisle and you have caught him several times peeking at your math worksheets. Mrs. Olson does not like cheaters. Neither do you.

You study the five images.

Blooms

Blooms, purple

Boots

Blooms, pink

Blooms, blue

Without hesitation, you circle the second picture of the single purple bloom.

The next day Mrs. Olson returns your paper with an “S+” and a smiley face scrawled beside your name.

DEAR READERS, would you have circled the single bloom? I expect most of you would have drawn a circle around the boots. But, remember, this is a math worksheet. We are learning numbers. All of the pictures, with the exception of the purple bloom, show multiples.

I assure you, this marks a rare occasion when I will teach you a math lesson, for I struggled mightily with numbers and still do.

THESE EDITED PHOTOS were taken at Donahue’s Greenhouse in Faribault. I am still wondering how those boots fit in among all those flowers at Donahue’s.

© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling