Polka Mass and an Owl-O-Lantern

Sunday, October 26, 2014. Our Lady of Angels church had our yearly polka Mass today. I hope Nathan's Oldtime Band comes back next year.

Nathan's ... Band know their polka: and have the good sense to keep the tempo 'up.' They describe themselves as "Minnesota's youngest and most energetic polka/country band."


Before the polka Mass at Our Lady of Angels. October 26, 2014.

Halloween/All Hallows' Eve is this Friday. I'm looking forward to the trick-or-treaters.


An - owl-o-lantern? October 26, 2014.


Sunset. The sky lit up: just after I got back inside. October 26, 2014.

That sunset was mildly spectacular: right after I got inside and had the camera stowed. Oh, well: it's nice to know I've still got the old sense of timing.

"Just For Fun" Band Concert: Two More Photos

When I wrote about the last band concert of the season at Sauk Centre's school, I said I might post some more photos:

• "Band Concert, Hail, and a Soo Bahk Do Tournament"
  (May 20, 2012)

I thought these might be worth sharing:


"Just For Fun" band concert at Sauk Centre school. May 14, 2012.


"Just For Fun" band concert at Sauk Centre school. May 14, 2012.

Band Concert, Hail, and a Soo Bahk Do Tournament

Sunday, May 20, 2012. I don't have a photo of the inch-and-a-quarter-size hail that came down around 11:00 Friday night. Our Lady of Angels church's Father Statz said that he'd left his car out that night: and that in the morning it looked like someone had gone over it with a ball peen hammer.

This isn't exactly a new development: but this week I noticed that Jitters Java (jittersjavacafe.com) and Main Street Theatre (mainstreettheatremn.com) have their own websites.

I heard "Just For Fun," the last grades 6-12 band concert of the school year, Monday evening. I enjoy those concerts: partly because my son plays trombone in one of the bands, partly because I like the music. They had the usual mix of styles, from "Drum Schtick" to "The Pink Panther" and "Puttin' On the Ritz." Near the end, band members did a sort of presentation/recognition for the band director, Melissa Vorderbruggen. (I sure hope I got the name right.)


"Just For Fun" band concert at Sauk Centre school. May 14, 2012.


Presentation to the band director. May 14, 2012.

Now that temperatures are summer-like, we've got yard sales and garage sales.


Summer and yard sales: part of life here in Sauk Centre. May 18, 2012.

My wife and #3 daughter went to St. Cloud on Saturday, for a Soo Bahk Do tournament. I went along as driver and photographer This one wasn't as crowded as they usually are. Maybe the looming Memorial Day weekend has something to do with that. "Looming" isn't quite the right word.


Soo Bahk Do tournament in St. Cloud. May 19, 2012.

That's about if for this week. Unless I decide to post a few more photos of the Soo Bahk Do thing on the Sauk Centre Journal Blog.

Summer, Finally: Also Lilacs, Whirling Seeds, and a Portable Fire Pit

Sunday, June 5, 2011. Weather and the calendar are finally on the same page. It feels like summer, and has for several days.


Lilacs: I like the way they look. I understand the odor isn't everybody's favorite. Still - they're pretty. May 28, 2011.


This belongs with last week's post - 'better late than never?' Our Lady of Angels church, Memorial weekend's Sunday. May 29, 2011.


Maple (I think) seed - fun to watch. June 5, 2011.

I'm no expert, but I think that's a maple seed. They're ripe - and fun to watch as they whirl through the air. I ran into an interesting article and video about the science behind the seeds. Dandelions have been in bloom, too - colorful, and it's fun to blow seeds off the ripe heads. I think so, anyway. The things are also weeds, since they grow like, well: weeds.


Wildflower, or weed - depends partly on where they are. June 5, 2011.


A sort of raised fire pit. June 5, 2011.

My wife and #3 daughter went to a Soo Bahk Do tournament in St. Cloud today, so I walked to church this morning. On the way back, I noticed something I don't remember seeing before: a sort of raised fire pit that somebody's obviously been using to have a sort of 'sitting around the campfire' experience in their front yard. Neat!

Finally, Amy Poepping & Family, and Nick Lahr have made a music CD, Perfect Love. I understand it was recorded on Wednesday of this week - and isn't out yet. Proceeds will go to St. Paul's Church - the next parish over from Our Lady of Angles, where I go. That's an interesting variation on the usual 'bake sale' fundraiser.

Mostly Photos, and a Bank Clock That's Not There

Sunday, May 22, 2011. I'm mostly doing 'catch up' today, with some photos that could have gone with earlier entries - but didn't.


Most yard sale items go for a whole lot less than this. May 15, 2011.


Blue sky. Sunshine. Lilac flower that aren't quite out yet. May 15, 2011.


Just before the last season's last high school band concert. May 16, 2011.

These are the 'band concert' photos I mentioned last week. The auditorium wasn't 'standing room only,' but there weren't many empty seats, either.


Sauk Centre High school band concert. May 16, 2011.


Photos of a band concert miss something important, of course: the music. May 16, 2011.

My #1 daughter and I went to the afternoon showing of Thor at Mainstreet Theatre today. Good movie, by the way: in my opinion. Crossing the corner of Sinclair Lewis Avenue and Main, I noticed that the First National Bank clock looked odd.


First National Bank clock: or, rather, where the clock has been. May 22, 2011.

Taking a closer look, I noticed - there was no clock in the bank sign. No wonder it looked different. Why the clock isn't there, I don't know. As I said last month, I gotta get out more.

Another Beautiful Day: Or, Not Much to Say

Monday, May 16, 2011. Another beautiful day. I've been distracted by the clear blue sky, and a few tasks around the house.

Then, this evening, I went to the last band concert of the school year. I might even have a photo or two for Sunday's entry. Or, not. We'll see how that turns out. Folks filled the auditorium, someone at the back was making a video of the concert, and they were out of programs by the time I arrived. I enjoyed the music, anyway.

Besides: It's not all that easy to read in the dark.

Very Safe School Bus Drivers

Sunday, November 7, 2010. Halloween's over: and after almost a quarter-century of living here, I still haven't seen the inside of "Monster Manor," in the fairgrounds across from Coborn's.

The midterm election's over, too: for which I'm duly grateful. The political ads for the state and national races - - - Well, it's over, and we've got a breather before the next one. I read in the Sauk Centre Herald that we had a pretty good turnout: 68% of the registered voters, ten points higher than the state average. I've suspected that we're a tad more likely to give a rip about what happens in our community: but I'll admit to a bias.

I love it here.

Take the front page headlines of this week's paper, for example. The first thing I saw was that Sauk Centre school bus drivers were "recognized for the superior procedures" after a surprise inspection. It's nice to live in a town where good news on the front page isn't a rarity.

Also in this week's Herald: Walt Junkin has played taps at military funerals here for 54 years. There's a pretty good write-up in the paper. And in the online edition. Something I didn't know: The VFW and American Legion posts here have a mechanical bugler.

Band Concert: Late on Account of Election

Thursday, November 4, 2010. I said I'd have a little more about that band concert. Mostly, two photos:


About six minutes before 8:00 p.m., in the high school auditorium. November 2, 2010.


About 11 minutes after 8:00 p.m.: there's a reason this concert started later than they usually do. November 2, 2010.

The high school bands, grades seven through 12, had their first concert of the year this Tuesday, November 2. Which was also the day of the American midterm election. The concert started later than such things usually do, we were told, because one of the rules was that they couldn't start until after the polls closed.

As to why the concert couldn't have been scheduled on another day? I've no idea. Maybe that was the only time the auditorium was available.

Anyway: I enjoyed the concert - and the 'thank you' to admin and janitors at the end. 'Behind the scenes' folks don't get recognition all that often.

Sirens and a Band Concert

Wednesday, November 3, 2010. The emergency sirens went off today, at 1:00 p.m., right on schedule. I don't know whether to call that a tradition, a routine, or what. In practical terms, it's a good idea to test a system like that periodically: so maybe I should call it 'routine maintenance.'

Then there was last night's band concert at the high school. I'll get back to that
tomorrow.

Polka Mass!

Sunday, October 10, 2010. We had a polka Mass at Our Lady of the Angels church today. I enjoy those: particularly since we've been getting polka bands who aren't diffident about belting out the umpahs.


There's nothing that says "polka Mass" quite like having a tuba next to the piano. October 10, 2010.


We didn't quite have dancing in the aisles afterward. October 10, 2010.

This time it was Adam and the Jolly Jammers providing the music. They're a group based in St. Augusta, Minnesota. Pretty good, in my opinion: but I'll admit I'm no polka expert.

Other than that, October has been progressing, some trees are almost bare while others don't seem to have gotten the memo about autumn being here, and I've been a bit distracted.

My desk is next to the kitchen, you see: and there's been a lot of work going on there. Which has been a little distracting. I wrote about that on Friday, in my personal blog. The good news is that the job is moving along - and, I located the washer, dryer, and stove. (Saturday) Pretty soon they'll be back where they belong. I hope.

Photos, Pelicans, and a Music Fest That Wasn't

Sunday, August 15, 2010. I've lived in Sauk Centre since 1986: and never been to Diamond Point, an eatery on the north end of Sauk Lake. I'd have shown these photos Wednesday, but a storm and power outage took precedence. (August 11, 2010) I was up on Bayview Drive Monday, seeing if there was much damage from Saturday's storm - there wasn't much - and took these photos:


Diamond Point's roof and a radio mast are behind the trees. That wooden stair doesn't look like it's been used for years. August 10, 2010.


Diamond Point: and I still haven't been in there. August 9, 2010.


Not Diamond Point: Bailey's Bar is between the eatery and Saukinac Campground. August 9, 2010.


Saukinac Campground, where the Country Music Fest wasn't again this year. August 9, 2010.

By my reckoning, 2008 was the last year we had Country Music Fest up at Saukinac Campground, on the north tip of Sauk Lake. The campground is still very much there, but between free tickets going out and the cost of talent - like $225,000 for two hours of Martina McBride - the folks who run Saukinac couldn't keep the show going. (More at "Post Country Music Fest," The Sauk Centre Herald (June 8, 2010).) But, like I said, the campground is there and open for business.


Downtown Sauk Centre: flower pots, old-style street lights, and - sometimes - clear skies. August 9, 2010.

The motel down at South Main and 12th has new owners. Evy and Jim Schilling bought the place - a Guesthouse International Hotel - in February, they've had it open since at least March of this year, and replaced the palm trees with pelicans.


Guest House, South 12th near Main in Sauk Centre. That's Jim Schilling, walking along the sign. August 11, 2010.


Palms by the door have been deposed by - pelicans? I'm told that the new owners will be putting a new color paint on the place: probably when it cools down a bit. August 11, 2010.


Pelicans. Pelicans and potted plants. That's a table, some chairs and - behind the windows - the indoor poo.. August 11, 2010.

The Schillings are from Pelican Rapids - which helps explain those birds. Besides, I suppose pelicans resonate a bit better with a central Minnesota location than palm trees.

We had another storm, Friday afternoon. There weren't any watches or warnings out, but I'd been following wunderground.com's radar: and a patch of very heavy rain was headed our way. As the edge of the storm went over Sauk Centre, I heard an emergency siren go off: so the family headed for the basement. I called City Hall later. Lightning had struck one of the sirens, setting it off. (August 13, 2010)

Tree Removal and Violin Repair

Wednesday, August 4, 2010. The Stearns County Fair done for the year, stores haven't started stocking back-to-school items yet - or if they have, I missed it - and we've been having gorgeous weather. On the warm side, and humid: but from inside an air-conditioned building it looks gorgeous.

Sauk Centre's streets have a little more sunshine on the sidewalks each year. A tree across the street from my house got one of those orange bands this summer. It hasn't been looking healthy for - well, quite a long time.


Another tree marked for removal. This one was green: but not in the right places; and decay had set in. July 16, 2010.

The same outfit - Hoffman Tree Service & Stump Removal - that hauled off our old willow was back today, to remove that (picturesque?) tree.


Another tree gone: more sunshine on the grass, and more sky for me to see; but I'll miss that misshapen thing. August 4, 2010.

L. N. Kaas, on Main Street, still repairs clocks: and now he's repairing violins, too. I was over there on Monday - there's a bit of a story behind that - and took this photo:


L. N. Kaas Company: clock repair and violin shop. August 2, 2010.

L. N. Kaas's place is closed on Monday, by the way: I was there as his son-in-law, looking for a telephone that worked. There's a bit of a story about that. ("Tree Removal: We've Had Enough Excitement This Summer," Through One Dad's Eye (August 4, 2010))

High School Band Concert, and Lilacs by Lake Wobegon Trail

Wednesday, May 19, 2010. The big deal for me, so far this week, was the high school band concert, Monday night. My son's in one of the bands, you see.

This year they tried something a little different: a massed band, with all the high school bands playing at once. Someone had arranged some of the pieces so the younger members could join in. Besides the bands, there was flag-waving going on in the aisles: with the house lights on so we could see what was happening.

I'm pretty sure it's not called "flag-waving:" but you see what I mean:










Massed high school bands and banners. May 17, 2010.

The householder who set up a sort of wooden sculpture garden in his front yard, back in 2006, started another project. Here's what the place, on State Road near the school, looked like yesterday. It's unconventional - but I like what I see developing there.


Someone's doing major work on their yard<. May 18, 2010.

I walked down to Wall-Mart today, to get a printer cartridge. It was the sort of day that seems to make up for that long dreary run of rain we had. We needed the water - but day in, day out: for that long?

Oh, well. Today was bright, clear, warm, just enough wind to let you know you're outside.


Lilacs by Lake Wobegon Trail, near Ash Street. May 19, 2010.

Nice, isn't it?

There's more, including an item or two I read in the paper: but that'll all wait for Sunday.

Melting Snow, Drizzle, and a Band Concert

Wednesday, March 10, 2010. So far this week, it's been overcast, it's rained, and snow has been melting. Hordes of teenagers in cars flowed past my house around 3:00 in the afternoon all three days, and one of the neighbors has cheerful St. Patrick's Day decorations on display. Apart from that, all I know is what I read in the paper.

Like the city council voting to waive billing householders who didn't get snow cleared on schedule, from January 26^th to the 29^th. to cancel all the billing that went out to city residents for failure to remove snow within a proper time frame between Jan. 25-29. It cost the city $2,352 to have contractors do the job.

Which sounds like a lot. But if my math is right, that means that, on average, each person in Sauk Centre is going to wind up paying about 0.59¢ in extra taxes and fees, somewhere along the line. If it's spread out evenly, my household will have to cough up around $2.36. 2009 was a rough year for us, but I think we can handle that.

And, as the Sauk Centre Herald article pointed out, there was a whacking great amount of snow to move in spots, after the snowfall and drifting. Considering how much the per-citizen cost is, after you spread it out, I think the council's decision was a nice gesture: and an affordable one.


Hats off to these folks, for adding a bit of color to the neighborhood. March 7, 2010.

Another week, and it'll be St. Patrick's Day: Wednesday. Good grief, I had it on Monday, in the last entry. That goof has been fixed. If only all mistakes could be cleared up that easily.

March 8, Monday, the school bands, grades 7-12, gave a concert. It wasn't exactly SRO (Standing Room Only), but considering the weather, I think the turnout was pretty good.


I'd say 'waiting for the curtain to go up' - but they go to the side here, and the curtains are already open. March 8, 2010.

The various bands played quite a range of music: from "The Pink Panther" and "Puttin on the Ritz" to Gustav Holst's Second Suite in F for Military Band. And some pretty good jazz, too.


This was worth walking through a March drizzle: and that's saying something. March 8, 2010.

Part of an AP article on music and language was on the back of the band concert's program: More about that in "Music, Language, and Workarounds for (Some) Stroke Victims," in one of my blogs.

Santas, Snow, and a Band Concert

Wednesday, December 9, 2009. Christmas is coming. No question about it. We even have snow on the ground. Not much, but at least the grass is (almost) covered now. I've heard that the bulk of the heavy snow went well to the south and east of us.


Santa Express, now boarding in Sauk Centre. December 7, 2009.

More households have their Christmas displays up: ranging from rotating inflatable snowmen and mini-merry-go-rounds, to a few lights or a simple crèche.


A traditional Santa. Judging from those bench colors, under the window, the homeowner likes John Deere products. December 7, 2009.


One of Sauk Centre's more enthusiastic displays. December 7, 2009.


A garland, a few candy canes, and a crèche. Nice. December 7, 2009.

It looks like folks have prepared for winter: including, sometimes, laying in a supply of firewood. You can't see it too well, in the picture below, but there's quite a few cubic yards of wood piled behind and to the side of that gray shed.

One thing I like about this town is that it's still relaxed enough to let people have pickups parked in their yards, or store firewood behind a shed. Neighborhood associations and regulations banning pink flamingos or garden gnomes never made much sense to me.


This was before Tuesday's and today's snow. December 7, 2009.


Hats off to everyone who keeps things running: particularly in winter. December 7, 2009.

One more thing. The school bands put on a concert this Monday: the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grade bands, Junior High Jazz Band, Senior High Jazz Band and Senior High Band. There's more than a bit of overlap between some of those: some students had a lot of rehearsals.


At the back of the house: the camera crew. December 8, 2009.


That's my son, and the whole 7th grade band. December 8, 2009.


You weren't seeing things. Those really are corkscrew Santa hats. December 8, 2009.

I've got some pretty good photos of Christmas lights, but there's something to be said for knowing when to stop.

Goodnight!