A delightful handcrafted turkey in Henderson, Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
INFLATABLE MASS-PRODUCED holiday décor abounds. So when I saw an over-sized handcrafted turkey positioned outside a small town museum, I took notice. And stopped to photograph it.
The Thanksgiving scene that drew my attention near the historical society and museum in Henderson. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
I appreciate that someone took the time to create this turkey with plywood, paint and a single large bale. The turkey truly grabs your attention on the west end of Henderson, just below the hill from the Sibley County Historical Society and Museum.
Vehicles pass right by the turkey on highway 19. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
Anyone passing by on Minnesota State Highway 19, a main thoroughfare that runs right through the heart of this Minnesota River town, will certainly notice the colorful lone turkey. And, if they’re like me, they’ll even stop for photos and a closer look.
A detailed, festive message next to the turkey. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
The turkey and “Happy Thanksgiving from Henderson Minn!”, complete with red hearts dotting the “i’s” and marking the exclamation point, made me smile. And that’s a good thing. I appreciate things that make me smile.
A closeup of those colorful turkey feathers which clearly took time to cut, paint and attach to the bale. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo November 2024)
During this Thanksgiving week, I hope you find many reasons to smile as you consider all that is good and wonderful in your life—friends, family, community.. Pause to give thanks for your many blessings from food to health to shelter to freedom.
A much smaller handcrafted turkey from my collection. I bought this at a thrift store. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
And if you see a handcrafted holiday decoration like Henderson’s turkey, take notice, appreciate and give thanks for the kind-hearted soul who shared their talents and made you smile.
(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2018, used for illustration only)
A WEEK OUT FROM BILATERAL STRABISMUS eye surgery to realign my eyes, I am feeling like most people post-surgery. I want this healing and recovery process to move faster. I feel as if I’ve stalled after an initial sprint. So it goes.
In the meantime, this past weekend brought some much-needed laughter into my life. Laughter is healing. It was also the theme of Global Game Jam, a week-long world-wide game development event. My son, who lives and works half a country away in greater Boston, participated, working with three others to create the video game “Addicted to Laughter.” That followed the event theme of “Make Me Laugh.” I love that theme because we need more laughter in this world.
I’ve personally needed extra laughter in the past week during my recovery. Laughter is a good diversion when dealing with eye pain/irritation, headaches, insomnia, distorted/blurry/double vision and a brain that is working over-time to adapt to my newly-aligned eyes. Yes, side effects should lessen, but in the meantime…
Photo I took of the DVD collection
Randy and I have been binge-watching a DVD collection of Blue Collar TV sketches by comedians Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall. Some of the content is more redneck and offensive than I like. But all in all, the trio made me laugh. Kudos to Randy for choosing this when I asked him to “find something funny” to check out from our local public library. I’d rather be reading, but my ability to read for any length of time is currently limited.
A smiley face has long graced this building near Roberds Lake, rural Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
But I have read, and appreciate, the many get well cards I’ve received, including one from my cousin Diane. It’s sunny yellow with smiley face art. Simply reading the words and seeing all those printed smiley faces make me smile and laugh aloud at some of the statements (like turning cartwheels) in this “The Healing Power of the Smiley Face” themed card. And, bonus, I’ve always loved smiley faces and once had a vivid yellow smiley face bulletin board hanging in my lime green basement bedroom with candy striped carpet. Ah, sweet memories of teenage years…
“Tranquil Garden Bouquet” had me smiling broadly Thursday afternoon. (Photo credit: Randy Helbling)
I must sidetrack here for a moment to share that my dear family of three adult children, two sons-in-law and two grandchildren sent me the most stunning flowers Thursday afternoon. I cannot begin to tell you how much that bouquet and the enclosed message lifted my spirits. I felt as if a million smiley faces were floating in a thought balloon around my head.
I felt the same late Saturday afternoon after a visit from dear friends Tammy and Billie Jo. I haven’t seen Tammy in several years; she and her family moved to northwestern Minnesota. When Tammy walked in the kitchen door, we embraced in a fierce hug. And I realized just how much I’ve missed her. I nearly cried at the joy of seeing her again. And so the three of us talked and laughed and talked and laughed and talked and laughed. Laughter heals.
Me, five days after eye surgery, posing in front of Dave Angell’s photo of alligators in Africa. (Photo credit: Randy Helbling)
My grandkids often make me laugh with their observations. Isaac, 5, didn’t let Grandma down after I texted a photo to his mom, my eldest daughter Amber, on Saturday. The day prior, Amber sent an image of Isaac outside the crocodile exhibit at the Minnesota Zoo. So when Randy and I viewed an exhibit by Faribault wildlife photographer Dave Angell at the Paradise Center for the Arts Saturday morning, I knew I needed a photo of me with Angell’s photo of alligators in the wilds of Africa. (Angell’s one gifted photographer.)
Isaac was not impressed by my efforts. “Those aren’t real!” he told his mom. I read his response and laughed aloud. Laughter heals. Oh, yes, it does.
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