Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
AS AN AVID READER, I always have a stash of books stacked on the floor next to the recliner. Most come from Buckham Memorial Library, which I frequent often. Having grown up in a rural area of southwestern Minnesota without a library nearby, I feel incredibly grateful to live within blocks of the public library in Faribault.
Sprayed book pages with artsy designs are featured in a display at the library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
On a recent stop at Buckham, I not only picked up more books, but also took note of a vibrant and unusual book display. Identifying signage suggests: “Don’t judge a book by its COVER. Judge it by its EDGES!”
Patterns and solids sprayed onto the edges of book pages. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
Below that sign, colorful books line three shelves. They look a bit like bolts of vivid plain and patterned fabric with page edges, not spines, exposed.
The backwards placement is intentional to showcase the sprayed, or painted, edges of the books. I love the artsy display, which appears fitting for an art gallery.
Signage explains why page edges are painted. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
Additional signage further explains that spraying the edges makes a book appear richer, of better quality, premium. While the practice of painting edges was once used to protect books from dust and moisture, the process is now primarily decorative, according to Buckham Public Services Librarian Allyn McColley.
Sprayed pages up close of artsy designs. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
That’s confirmed with signage listing sprayed edges as done in a solid color, gradient, stenciled or artwork style. The art, especially, from dripping blood, to a dagger, floral pattern, feathers, nature themes and more, focused my creative eye.
About five years ago, spraying book edges became a “thing” again. McColley has noticed that trend in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, romance and regular fiction. One look at the exposed pages in the display created by library technician Caitlin Boran confirms that.
I pulled out the book to see the title of this fantasy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
Examples of the 49 books I counted with painted edges are “His Face Is the Sun” by Michelle Jabes Corpora, “The Dragon Wakes with Thunder” by K.X. Song and “Wild Reverence” by Rebecca Ross, all fantasy; “Strange Ink” by Gary Kemble, horror; and “Overdue” by Stephanie Perkins, fiction.
Another fantasy book pulled to reveal the title. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
The fact that I hadn’t noticed the revived trend of painting page edges perhaps comes from my personal reading choices. I don’t read fantasy, science fiction, horror or romance.
But I read lots of fiction (especially murder mysteries and books by Minnesota authors) and some nonfiction. I’m at the library often, perusing the shelves, pausing sometimes to look at the displays created by library staff.
An overview of the display. Additional info can be found on printed sheets on the right exterior side of the shelving unit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
The current artsy “Don’t judge a book by its COVER. Judge it by its EDGES!” creation remains up until the end of August. Once a month library staff changes out the book nook display located between the front check out and information desks.
Other times you might find books there featuring topics like winter, gardening, Halloween, sports, poetry and much more, whatever staff decides to showcase each month. And right now it’s the colorful sprayed edges of book pages, displayed like a mini art exhibit on three coved library shelves.
Signage on an ice cream shop in Kerkhoven in west-central Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
SUMMER AND ICE CREAM pair like grilled cheese and tomato soup, pizza and beer, Minnesota and snow. There’s no denying the seasonal craving for ice cream when the heat and humidity crank up.
I find myself reaching more often than I should into the freezer for ice cream. Lately I’ve dished up a creamy blueberry cheesecake flavor. Yum. I almost hesitate to admit that I currently have four cartons of ice cream and one of fro-yo in my freezer after stocking up during a recent sale.
“The Betty,” a mint Oreo-flavored treat, my favorite menu item at The S’Cream in Owatonna. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Home stash aside, I also enjoy ice cream when I’m out and about. Never mind that it costs far more than a serving at home. But ice cream served from some mom-and-pop shop tastes so much better, like a carefree summer day. Yum.
Signage directs ice cream lovers to The Blast in downtown Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Nearby Owatonna is home to The S’Cream and The Blast (also in Northfield). I’ve been to both, which are always summertime busy. Apparently I’m not the only one who can’t bypass a homegrown ice cream shop.
Sweets Ice Cream in Kerkhoven. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Recently while on the road to a family celebration in far western Minnesota, my husband, Randy, and I happened upon an ice cream shop in Kerkhoven, population around 800. Sweets Ice Cream sits along U.S. Highway 12 in this Swift County community. It’s an ideal spot for an ice cream shop, drawing passing motorists in.
Key lime pie ice cream from Sweets in Kerkhoven. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
When I saw Sweets Ice Cream, housed in a former gas station, I immediately wanted to photograph the business. I loved the old building and its repurposed use. So we pulled into town, parked on a side street and I headed toward the ice cream shop to photograph it.
Randy orders from Sweets Ice Cream in Kerkhoven. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
That was the plan, or at least my plan. Randy had other ideas. He figured it wouldn’t be too nice to simply snap photos and then leave without buying ice cream. He was right. So we each ordered a single scoop dish of ice cream. The portion size was so generous that we should have ordered one bowl to share. Oh, well. As some say, “Ice cream melts in your tummy.”
A generous serving of maple nut ice cream from Sweets in Kerkhoven. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Randy got maple nut per the recommendation of another customer who was returning home to Benson after visiting a friend in a Willmar care center. He always treats himself to ice cream, always maple nut, after those visits. I ordered key lime pie ice cream. Yum to both and the engaging conversation we had with our new-found friend.
Dairy Delite in downtown Lakeville. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
Some 130 miles east of Kerkhoven in Lakeville, a south metro suburb, another long-time local ice cream shop has drawn my photographic interest. That’s Dairy Delite in the downtown area.
Ice cream art at Dairy Delite, Lakeville. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
This place has character with its unique building design, blue and pink color, and ice cream art. There’s no mistaking the structure for anything but an ice cream shop.
A portion of the menu at Dairy Delite in Lakeville. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)
I’ve not yet ordered ice cream here. But I should.
Sue’s Drive In, located in Pierz. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Then there’s Sue’s Drive In, located in Pierz in central Minnesota. Two years ago Randy and I stopped for an ice cream treat before attending his 50th Healy High School class reunion. The drive in serves a full menu of fast food, not just ice cream.
A raspberry sundae from The Blast in Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Once again the vintage look and the small town Americana appeal of this roadside business drew my photographic interest. And the ice cream, of course. On-the-road ice cream always tastes especially delicious, decidedly better than ice cream pulled from my freezer.
TELL ME: Do you have a favorite homegrown ice cream shop? Let’s hear.
Construction materials piled in our side yard before a re-siding project began. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
THIS PROGRAMMING MESSAGE is targeted at you, my readers, and also at bloggers I follow.
You’ll see minimal posts and comments from me over the next week. I have family arriving today from Boston and from eastern Wisconsin tomorrow. I intend to spend my time with them, not writing.
This shows the back of our garage and a portion of our house with the two layers of siding removed. We are replacing the hail-damaged aluminum siding with LP Smartside. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Secondly, we are in the midst of a major house re-siding project which I’ve termed “The Nightmare on Willow Street.” What started as seemingly routine work to replace hail-damaged siding turned nightmarish upon the discovery of rotted wood on the driveway side of the house.
This necessitates bringing in specialized professionals to replace rotted wood, including rotted studs. Yes, it’s that bad.
I’m thankful this was found so the structural integrity of that side of our nearly 100-year-old house can be reinstated. But, as you may guess, this will cost mega money. Thankfully homeowner’s insurance has covered the re-siding and re-shingling of our house due to hail damage. We’re uncertain whether the additional work will be covered.
I’ve cried. I’ve lost sleep. I’ve raged. And I’ve tried really hard to feel thankful for this unexpected discovery before the situation got worse. It’s not easy to stay positive. There’s a lot of work ahead. I don’t even want to consider the final cost if more issues are found.
Randy and I are thankful for the team at Bloomington-based Minnesota Precision Construction, our general contractor for our siding and roofing projects. They have been responsive, caring and compassionate through everything. I ask a question, raise a concern and get immediate answers from people I trust. Yes, they are an out-of-town company. But, with all the hail damage caused by a mid-April storm, local contractors can’t possibly handle all the jobs in and around Faribault. We vetted the company before we went with them and have been pleased thus far with their professionalism, workmanship and compassionate response.
So, that, my readers, is what’s happening in my life right now. As I type this Tuesday morning, the construction workers are working to re-side the front of our house. They will have to wait until the framers finish to continue on the north and west sides. Framers arrive Monday. The parts of the house and garage with new siding look stunning.
This shows the nearly completed back side of our house. You can see a corner of the garage on the left. The door leads into our kitchen. And the other side includes our bathroom and bedroom. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo August 2026)
My adult kids protested initially that we would no longer live in “the green house.” The new siding is gray and will have a black batten board gable accent on the front. They were joking, of course. But when I’ve referred to our house location, I’ve always described it as “the green house on the corner with black shutters” or as “the Swanson house,” referencing the previous owners.
I think now, after 42 years of ownership and a color change from green to gray, we can officially term our home “the Helbling house.”
“Bring Some to Share” by Lili Lennox pops color onto the side of Midtown Plaza in downtown Willmar. The mural reflects the cultural diversity of Willmar celebrated through food and community. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
PAGE THROUGH ANY MINNESOTA church cookbook, and you’ll find countless recipes for hotdish.
Leaving a gathering at the Kerkhoven Civic Center with a crockpot. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo June 2026)
Plate up at a Minnesota potluck and you’ll find countless crockpots, cake pans and glass bakeware brimming with hotdish.
Hotdish, a mixture of meat (usually hamburger); vegetables; pasta, rice or tater tots; a binding agent (often a can of cream soup); and sometimes cheddar cheese, is a Minnesota staple. We love our hotdishes, not casseroles, here in the North Star state.
Hotdishes brought to a recent family reunion, including Tater Tot Hotdish in the upper right corner. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Tater Tot Hotdish is our signature hotdish. Our unofficial state hotdish. The Minnesota Congressional delegation even holds an annual hotdish contest in Washington D.C. Politics are set aside all in the name of a friendly cooking competition among legislators.
In my community, a Hotdish Showdown and sampling are part of the annual Faribault Flannel Formal celebrating all things flannel in the deep of winter.
I seldom make hotdish, with the exception of Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish. But whenever I’m at a potluck, I’ll scoop up whatever creative concoctions cooks prepare.
Bars brought to the Kletscher family reunion. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Recently I attended my family reunion, an annual gathering of the descendants of Henry and Ida Kletscher. We arrived with our crockpots, our cake pans, our bowls, laying out a buffet of hotdishes, baked beans, salads, bars, desserts and more.
Hotdishes and other hot food prepared for the Kletscher reunion. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Laura, who raises beef with her husband, my cousin Greg, brought Beef Stroganoff. Mark brought the best baked beans, so delicious I had two helpings. David, as he always does, brought sauerkraut, a nod to our German heritage. And someone brought Tater Tot Hotdish.
A mandarin orange salad and fresh cucumbers served at the family reunion potluck. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I ate more than I should have. But, hey, how could I not sample the goodness my extended family prepared in their kitchens?
Days before the reunion, the topic of hotdish surfaced at a funeral. No, hotdish was not served as it often is at Minnesota post-funeral luncheons. Rather, hotdish recipes were featured in a family cookbook compiled by my former neighbor, Jan, then displayed at her funeral.
My neighbor Jan’s Tater Tot Hotdish recipe from her personal cookbook. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
G-Jan, as she was known to her grandchildren, with the help of her daughters, pulled together favorite recipes to print and place in a small binder for family. Her recipe box was also displayed. Among those recipes, hotdish. Goulash. Italian Hotdish. And then the “KIDS LOVE IT,” Jan noted, Tatertot (sic) Hotdish.
The Belview Bar & Grill promoted the day’s specials, including Tater Tot Hotdish. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
No food truly says “Minnesota” more than hotdish. We take pride in this dish referred to as a “casserole” in other parts of the country. “Hotdish” sounds less stuffy, more down-home, a word that fits Minnesotans. Especially when you toss in tater tots.
Signs direct peach purchasers to the parking lot. A street by the church is under construction, necessitating the signage. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Boxes of stacked peaches awaited pick-up in the basement during the annual peach sale benefiting the congregation’s youth. They’d sold 560 boxes delivered from family-owned Noland Orchards in Colorado.
The peaches come from Noland Orchards in Colorado. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
“People love Colorado peaches,” said Ane Mentz, church administrator. And they must given the sale of seven pallets, or 11,200 pounds, of the stone fruit, if you’re counting. That’s the max First English could order and they sold out of the 20-pound pre-ordered boxes.
My husband, Randy, arrives to pick up the 10 pounds of peaches he ordered. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Buyers included the piemakers at Trinity Lutheran Church, blocks away from First English. The volunteers will make homemade pies from 10 boxes of peaches purchased during the sale.
Another buyer, a home brewer, bought 20 boxes of peaches to craft beer. He’s been buying for years, upping the quantity each season, said Mentz.
And, in the past, a local restaurant ordered peaches to create menu items.
First English handed out information about peaches to customers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
First English sells the 20-pound boxes for $38 or half a box for $19, a substantial reduction from the going fruit truck rate of $60, according to Mentz. The church keeps the price lower, she said, because they want to offer fresh fruit and healthy food to people “without breaking the bank.”
For some 20 summers, this congregation has been selling Colorado peaches, which usually arrive in early August. This year the peaches came early, Mentz said, due to a short winter and early blooms.
Buyers arrive to pick up peaches in the lower level of First English. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Buyers arrived Tuesday to pay for and pick up their peaches from youth and other volunteers. Youth ages three to seniors in high school bank their money for upcoming church-sanctioned activities like mission and camping trips.
Phoebe Sanchez helped with peach pick-up on Tuesday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Phoebe Sanchez, who helps with Sunday School and who was assisting at the peach pick-up, recently returned from a church trip to Montana. That’s just a skip of a state away from Colorado and Noland Orchards, source of all those fresh peaches in the basement of First English.
I’ve had physical and occupational therapy at Courage Kenny in Faribault multiple times, most recently in 2023. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2026)
FOR SIX MONTHS in 2023, once a week, my husband, Randy, drove me across the bridge to therapy at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Faribault for vestibular rehab therapy. Without that intense weekly therapy, I doubt I would have reclaimed my ability to function in daily life.
Early in that year, I developed debilitating neurological symptoms following a virus, likely COVID, although I never tested positive for it. There was no other explanation for my sensory overload issues which kept me unable to handle light, motion, sound, anything really entering my brain.
I stayed inside the house, curtains drawn, shutting out sensory input. I couldn’t tolerate watching TV. I couldn’t read. I could hardly handle a phone call or conversation. I felt anxious, overstimulated by even the smallest external stimuli. I barely ate because of hyper-sensitive taste buds. I lost weight. I couldn’t tolerate toothpaste. I couldn’t sleep. I struggled to maintain. Managing daily living seemed nearly impossible. Basically, I was confined to my house, unable to function outside of it.
And then my family doctor, Dr. Todd Sykora of Allina Health in Faribault, referred me to Allina’s Courage Kenny. Sykora had seen me multiple times, determined to find a way to help me. I’d gone through a battery of tests to rule out causes like a brain tumor. I’ll always feel grateful for my doctor’s genuine care and compassion, for not giving up and for admitting that he didn’t have the answers. He eventually suggested vestibular rehab therapy to treat my long COVID.
That therapy would put me on the road back to good health. I was ready to try anything at that point.
Some of the exercises I did in vestibular rehab therapy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Enter Courage Kenny therapist Ryan Iverson, who’s trained in vestibular rehab therapy. From the get-go, Iverson assured me he could help. He validated my traumatic brain injury type symptoms. And then we set to work at those weekly sessions with homework exercises assigned each week. I worked hard, experienced some setbacks, but, eventually graduated after six months. I’d reclaimed my life.
Today I am doing well, although minor sensory issues linger. But now I know how to cope, how to manage. I am living my life, doing the things I love, being with people, out and about. And I owe that to my Allina Health primary care doctor and my vestibular rehab therapist. If not for this great local care, I would still be struggling.
This sign on the Allina Health Faribault campus directs patients and visitors to the hospital, pharmacy and clinic. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I share all of this again three years later because the Allina Health system, which serves Minnesota and western Wisconsin with 12 hospitals, 60 primary care clinics, 20 urgent care centers and more than 100 specialty care clinics, has signed an agreement with California-based Sutter Health to buy Allina. And that affects me given I get my care through Allina.
From 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, the Minnesota State Attorney General’s office will host a listening session in Faribault on that proposed acquisition. I’ll be there. You can attend also, but only if you pre-register. And, if you wish to speak, you must complete a form in advance. Only then will you be notified of the community forum location.
This is an important meeting. Important because this is about healthcare. Local healthcare. I’m thankful I could get my vestibular rehab therapy in Faribault. I can’t imagine traveling out of town once a week for six months to access care. It would have been difficult and draining for me, taxing for my brain. Plus, the time and travel expense would have added to an already challenging situation.
I don’t know what will happen if Sutter assumes ownership of Allina Health in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. I expect this acquisition will happen. But I hope safeguards are put in place to continue services, to keep clinics and hospitals open, to protect the jobs of 27,000 employees.
There’s a lot at stake here for any community served by Allina Health.
Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The trio would be impressed by our local library, which actively promotes gardening via programming, a seed library, an organic learning garden, bee lawn, pollinator habitat and native prairie plantings. Plus, the current children’s summer reading program, “Plant a Seed, Read/Planta una semilla, lee,” themes to seeds.
Three informational panels comprise the Seedswomen exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Credit info is featured at the bottom of the panels. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Lippincott, White and Prior focus the three-panel exhibit crafted from information in the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Andersen Horticultural Library.
Jessie Prior marketed herself as a “flower seed specialist.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
My love of libraries, reading, learning, flowers and vegetables drew me to the exhibit. I’d never heard of the three enterprising women who became successful in their field on a national scale. Prior, who started Prior Seed Company in 1895 at age eighteen, called herself a “flower seed specialist.”
Among the many flowers growing on library grounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Lippincott labeled herself as “The Pioneer Seedwoman of America,” operating Lippincott Flower Seeds in partnership with family. She made a point of hiring women.
Colorful artwork promotes Emma White’s company, Choice Flower Seeds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Likewise, White’s Choice Flower Seeds tapped into women, specifically female artists, to create catalog covers. She marketed to women with Sunbonnet Babies and Brownies (elf-like creatures) artwork. The previous owner of the seed company enthusiastically endorsed his successor, telling customers White deserved their business and trust.
Each of the three panels is packed with information and illustrations. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Each woman, in her own way, made her mark in the seed-selling business. Yet, together they shared the commonality of women entering business during a time when most businesses were run by men. I expect these businesswomen had to work hard to prove themselves, to distinguish themselves, to compete and succeed.
Seeds in Buckham’s seed library come from Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
And succeed they did. Prior won a bronze medal in the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair for the pansies she grew. White, especially active in the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, became the first to guarantee packet size rather than seed numbers. Lippincott set herself apart by arranging catalog seed offerings alphabetically. In many other ways these women promoted and grew their Minneapolis-based seed companies.
“Why Local Seed Matters” posted on a library wall. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
In the competitive world of seed-selling, the three most assuredly understood the importance of standing out. Whether through colorful, eye-catching catalogs (Lippincott), creative writing and pansy growing competitions (White) or becoming an accomplished grower of sweet peas (Prior), the three seedswomen showed business savvy.
Creativity in encouraging reading, a woodcarving, “Story Time,” by world-renowned carver Ivan Whillock of Faribault hangs in Buckham Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
All were decidedly creative in marketing through their colorful catalogs, growing guides, leaflets and books. They shared their gardening knowledge, which likely helped grow a loyal customer base. These women were business smart. And they were strong. Those are among my take-aways from the traveling exhibit.
Posters hang throughout the library promoting the seed-themed summer reading program for kids. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The log for the summer reading program at Buckham. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Seed-themed, gardening and other related books on display at the library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
After I read the information on the panels, I entered Buckham library, thinking about Lippincott, White and Prior. I pictured them opening the drawers of an old library card catalog, now holding seed packets. I envisioned them paging through the seed and gardening books on display. And I imagined them enthusiastically encouraging kids to participate in the “Plant a Seed, Read” summer reading program.
Community members can harvest vegetables from the library’s organic learning garden. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Stepping outdoors, I saw them admiring the many flowers flourishing around the library. And they may have, like me, pulled ruby red rhubarb from the organic learning garden.
The rhubarb crisp I made with exceptionally red rhubarb from the library garden. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Afterwards, I would have welcomed my new friends, Carrie, Emma and Jessie, to my home blocks from the library. Over plates of tangy rhubarb crisp, I would thank these seedswomen for their pioneering efforts as strong, innovative and creative businesswomen. And, if they were willing, I would put them to work in my tangled mess of flower gardens.
Signage directs patients, visitors and others to various sites on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
ACCESS TO LOCAL HEALTHCARE ranks high on my list of necessities. I expect it does for almost everyone, especially seniors like me.
This building on the Faribault campus houses the clinic and urgent care. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I appreciate that I can go across town to see my family doctor, specialists and other medical professionals in our local clinics and hospital.
As someone who grew up in rural southwestern Minnesota with only a few doctors to serve the entire county decades ago, I deeply value living in a city with multiple clinics, a hospital, numerous therapists and more. I value local.
This sign directs patients to some of the services provided on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The Minnesota State Attorney General’s office is hosting the meeting to lay out details about the proposal and to get public input. It’s a process required by state law.
I care enough about local healthcare to attend. I need to learn more, to begin to understand what this could mean for me, my family and others in my community and area. Locally, Allina owns the hospital, a general clinic, specialty clinics and a sports rehab/therapy center. I’ve been a patient at these clinics, gone to therapy, used the emergency room and been hospitalized many times locally. Likewise family members have accessed Allina health services.
This shows the entrance to the hospital, left, and the space linking the clinic to the hospital. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I don’t know much about the proposed acquisition, only that I grow concerned when ownership is assumed by an out-of-state nonprofit that is massive in size. My local hospital was once community-owned, until it became part of the Allina system in 2015.
Much-needed improvements were made to the surgical and emergency departments by Allina Health. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Allina invested in the former District One Hospital with improvements to the emergency and surgical departments and more. But recently we lost our birthing center and hospital pediatric care. That’s a loss to parents and families who must now travel out of town to have their babies and get hospital care for their kids.
Talk of change always sparks questions. And it should. I encourage anyone who cares about the future of healthcare in Faribault to attend Wednesday’s public forum. This offers an opportunity to listen and to be heard.
More specialty care on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. This is located across the street from the main clinic and hospital. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
However, there are some guidelines. To even attend, and that includes media, you must register in advance online. It’s not difficult to do. But requiring online registration could easily discourage people, especially those without computer access or skills, from attending. Then, the location of the hearing in Faribault will not be disclosed until 48 hours before the meeting.
If you wish to speak at the forum, you must also register in advance. That requirement seems more reasonable. Still, it’s another obstacle.
No matter, please, if you live in the Faribault area, make attending the community forum on the proposed acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health a priority on Wednesday evening. Come. Listen. Learn. Become informed. Be seen. And let your voice be heard if you choose to speak.
UPDATE, Sunday, July 26: Please click here to complete a survey by Sam Temple, a Faribault resident, documentary filmmaker, local historian, candidate for Rice County commissioner and more. Temple plans to share concerns and stories at the July 29 forum. You can complete his survey, “Share Your Allina Story,” anonymously if you wish.
Chocolate chip cookies (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
THE OTHER MORNING, after I finished baking a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I stepped outside into an ideal summer day. The temp hovered around 70 degrees with a sky that transitioned from sunny to cloudy and back. Freshly-laundered sheets and towels hung on my backyard clothesline. All was good in my world.
But it was about to become better. Not because anything extraordinary happened. Rather a decision I made to pick a bouquet of flowers flipped my day into a feel-good, generous day.
I grabbed a clippers from the garage, headed to my messy front yard flowerbeds and started cutting phlox. The purple, pink and white flowers run rampant among equally untamed ferns anchored by hydrangea.
As I clipped and gathered, I breathed in the strong perfume scent of these flowers that some may consider weeds—only if they are unwanted—but which I love. They are, simply put, lovely.
Once I had a sizable clutch of phlox, I started back to the house. And then I saw her, the young woman walking down the sidewalk towards me. In that moment, I decided my fresh floral bouquet would be hers. I asked if she was heading home soon. She was.
I extended the flowers to the 20-something, told her I wanted her to have the bouquet. I advised her that the phlox were delicate, might last a few days. She thanked me, smiled the most beautiful smile and said she would put the flowers in water as soon as she got home.
A kindness rock found in Montgomery, MN. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Our interaction, our conversation, was brief. Yet, it was deeply meaningful. To be able to give something to a stranger, to extend kindness, uplifted me. I hope the young woman felt likewise.
I watched my new acquaintance walk away with her flowers, then went back to clipping phlox. I gathered a bouquet for myself, all the while thinking about the importance of kindness, even small, spur-of-the-moment acts of kindness that can flip a day for the giver as much as the recipient.
TELL ME: Please share your kindness stories. I’d like to hear how you’ve either given or received kindness recently.
Identifying signage for some of the property owners along Horseshoe Lake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
FOR MANY MINNESOTANS, going Up North to the lake cabin for a week in the summer is a time-honored tradition. They go to the same mom-and-pop, or luxury, resort. Stay at the family cabin. Or camp at a private campground or state park.
Mission Tavern, a local gathering spot just south of the cabin. We have not been here. Yet. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
They fish. Swim. Boat. Hike. They dine out and shop and play hard. It’s all part of the experience.
The northwoods cabin where we stay each summer. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Seven years ago, I finally joined this Minnesota summer-time phenomenon when a sister-in-law and brother-in-law purchased lake property and opened the on-site cabin to family. Every summer since, Randy and I have headed to Horseshoe Lake south of Crosslake in the Brainerd lakes area for a week-long get-away.
A warm welcome banners a business in Garrison, on the way to the cabin. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I’ve grown to know and love this region of north central Minnesota, decidedly different than southern Minnesota. Here woods and pristine lakes define the landscape. Narrow tree-lined gravel roads trail into the woods. Personalized signs identify cabin locations. Boats, bait and beer are common refrains.
The sun rises over Horseshoe Lake in Crow Wing County during a previous visit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
For those of us who come here to vacation, this place provides a respite from everyday life, a peaceful place to plant ourselves for a bit. Lounging lakeside. Dining lakeside. Drinking coffee as the sun rises over the lake. Reading lakeside.
Loons in Horseshoe Lake south of Crosslake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Here the unique call of loons carries across the water. Here rods bend as weighty fish take bait. Here the sun sets on a campfire complete with s’mores. Here time has no clock.
Grandpa and grandchildren follow the pine-edged driveway in one of my favorite cabin photos. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
And for me, cabin life means, above all, being with family. Our eldest daughter, her husband and their two elementary-aged children join us for several days. I love sleeping under the same roof, the grandkids in a loft, the adults in two bedrooms.
We gather around the campfire for s’mores and stories. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
I love gathering around the same table for meals. Grilled pork chops, burgers, hot dogs, veggies and, one evening, take-out pizza. I brought banana bread and chocolate chip cookies from home to share. And this stay we picked up a made-from-scratch-daily Grandma Bettie Jane’s blackberry/peach pie from Schaefer’s Foods in Nisswa to celebrate the son-in-law’s birthday.
Grandpa fishes with the kids. This year they each reeled in sizeable bass, which were released. Another lunker fish snapped the line. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
I love playing games. Some numbers game dreamed up by math whiz Isaac, 7, who seemed determined to stump Grandma. Or BUILDZI, a tabletop game challenging players to stack uniquely-shaped blocks into a tower. No bumping the table, please. And when the grandkids left and quiet settled in, Randy and I played Yahtzee.
Copper Cats Escape Games in Brainerd offers three escape rooms rated by level of difficulty. The one available happened to be the easiest of the trio, perfect for newbies. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
But before everyone left, when extreme heat confined us to the indoors, the daughter suggested booking an escape room at Copper Cat Escape Games in Brainerd. I’ve always wanted to try this mystery endeavor. And so we did, looking for, solving and following clues to unlock locks, eventually leading us to Granny’s secret recipe. There was no sitting in a rocking chair for this Grandma. I was in the thick of the action, good at finding, not so good at deciphering. It was a whole lot of fun, earning a top rating from me.
Moonrise over Horseshoe Lake near Crosslake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Not so easy, though, was sifting through sand searching for a small plastic toy dinosaur that Izzy, 10, found in the lake, buried on the beach and then couldn’t find. Our efforts turned up nothing. But this search is now the stuff of family stories.
The Andersons have been making memories on Horseshoe Lake in the Brainerd lakes area since 1968. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Up North at the cabin is about sharing stories, about connecting, about making memories and about understanding that, above all, family matters most.
TELL ME: Do you get away with your family to a special place each year? I’d like to hear. I should note here that I would love to have all of my family—the son and his girlfriend from Boston and the second daughter and her husband and our other grandson from Madison, WI.—together with us at the cabin. Maybe some day…
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
A bouquet of kindness July 23, 2026
Tags: act of kindness, commentary, Faribault, floral bouquet, flowers, kindness, Minnesota, phlox, stories
THE OTHER MORNING, after I finished baking a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I stepped outside into an ideal summer day. The temp hovered around 70 degrees with a sky that transitioned from sunny to cloudy and back. Freshly-laundered sheets and towels hung on my backyard clothesline. All was good in my world.
But it was about to become better. Not because anything extraordinary happened. Rather a decision I made to pick a bouquet of flowers flipped my day into a feel-good, generous day.
I grabbed a clippers from the garage, headed to my messy front yard flowerbeds and started cutting phlox. The purple, pink and white flowers run rampant among equally untamed ferns anchored by hydrangea.
As I clipped and gathered, I breathed in the strong perfume scent of these flowers that some may consider weeds—only if they are unwanted—but which I love. They are, simply put, lovely.
Once I had a sizable clutch of phlox, I started back to the house. And then I saw her, the young woman walking down the sidewalk towards me. In that moment, I decided my fresh floral bouquet would be hers. I asked if she was heading home soon. She was.
I extended the flowers to the 20-something, told her I wanted her to have the bouquet. I advised her that the phlox were delicate, might last a few days. She thanked me, smiled the most beautiful smile and said she would put the flowers in water as soon as she got home.
Our interaction, our conversation, was brief. Yet, it was deeply meaningful. To be able to give something to a stranger, to extend kindness, uplifted me. I hope the young woman felt likewise.
I watched my new acquaintance walk away with her flowers, then went back to clipping phlox. I gathered a bouquet for myself, all the while thinking about the importance of kindness, even small, spur-of-the-moment acts of kindness that can flip a day for the giver as much as the recipient.
TELL ME: Please share your kindness stories. I’d like to hear how you’ve either given or received kindness recently.
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling