Albert Lea Magazine May/June 2014

ALBERT LEA MAGAZINE

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EXTRAORDINARY

MAY/JUNE 2014

Backyards Business Attire

Swing

for the modern woman

VOL. 2 NO. 3

MAY/JUNE 2014

Cool cats cut rugs at coffee shop

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EDITOR’S NOTE

You gotta get dirty to be clean

Tim Engstrom, Editor

Got ideas?

We at Albert Lea Magazine want to hear what you think, and we need your brightest ideas for coming issues. Favorite musicians? Finest artists? Goofiest pranksters? Best storytellers? Local nightlife? We are open-minded. We are heading into our warm months, which should bring out how visually appealing Albert Lea is. Call Tim Engstrom at 379-3433. Feel free to pen a letter, too. Our address is on the right.

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One of the best places in the house is actually outside. The backyard — yes, it’s one word these days — is like another room. It’s where we soak up sun, grill and even celebrate. And decorating the room requires a green thumb, not merely an eye for color and space.

The editor of this magazine is not a green thumb. It’s not because I lack knowledge. I was in FFA. I have major farm ties in my family. I have planted trees, bushes, grass and garden crops successfully. I even enjoy cooking with fresh veggies. It’s just that yard work isn’t a thrill for me. Mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes, weeding the garden, these things are chores.

But you know what? When completed, when you are sitting there, in the yard, with a beer, holding a spatula by the grill and the kids are playing in the grass and neighbors are walking by, those chores sure seem worth it.

After winters that last from November to April, Albert Lea loves the long days of the warm months.

The farther north on the globe you are, the longer the summer days stretch. We love our backyards, whether by the lake or by the channel or by the back of the garage. Some people set up water gardens with koi fish. Many folks enjoy placing birdfeeders for their fine feathered friends. Other people plant apple trees and enjoy succulent snacks right off the branch. Some like to keep the backyard wide and grassy, with room to throw a football or kick a soccer ball. Some people develop their backyards to a degree that the “yard” part of the word seems out of place.

In this issue we explore many of the backyards of Albert Lea. We can find tips and tricks for own yards right here in town from our neighbors.

But that’s not all. At every turn, downtown Albert Lea seems to be picking up these days with something new. The latest craze is swing dancing at Prairie Wind Coffee. Who knew? Cool cats and able grables are cutting rugs. Meet these copasetic scufflers and check out a glossary of swing dance terms.

Makeovers, recipes, columns, pictures of you, it’s all in here. Come on in. Or, because we are talking about backyards, should I say come on out? Just walk right through the house.

Publisher Crystal Miller Editorial Editor Tim Engstrom Contributing Writers Angie Barker Brandi Hagen Colleen Harrison Tony Hill Tiffany Krupke Kelli Lageson Carol Lang Jennifer Levisen Emily Schmidt Sarah Stultz Jennifer Vogt-Erickson Contributing Photographers Tim Engstrom Brandi Hagen Colleen Harrison Jennfier Levisen Erin Murtaugh Art Art Director Kathy Johnson Graphic Designers Kristin Overland Colby Hansen Susan Downey Sales & Promotion Sales Representatives Catherine Buboltz Michele Beyer Renee Citsay Clay Culbertson Angie Hoffman MAY/JUNE 2014 Volume 2, Number 3 Editorial correspondence: Editor, Albert Lea Magazine, 808 W. Front St. Albert Lea, MN 56007.

Online: albertleamagazine.com or facebook.com/ albertleamagazine © 2014 All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without written permission.

For comments, suggestions or story ideas call 507-379-3433.

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To subscribe, call 507-379-3422.

Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce • 2580 Bridge Ave • (507) 373-3938 • www.albertlea.org Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau • 102 W. Clark St. • (507) 373-2316 • www.albertleatourism.org Albert Lea Economic Development Agency • 2610 Y.H. Hanson Ave • (507) 373-3930 • www.growalbertlea.com

Business clothes for spring ’Tis the season for attire that gets away from the drab of winter and shows the colors that modern women prefer.

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6 extraordinary backyards Step out the back door and into the other living room, the one families and friends gather in during the warm months in Minnesota.

SWing dancing is back The downtown coffee shop is not just offering gourmet java. It’s also a place to jump, jive and wail.

features

on the cover

ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

George Gonzalez

2310/2320 East Main Albert Lea, MN 1-800-423-6663 • 507-373-1438 www.davesyverson.com Stop in and experience the difference with our non-commissioned sales team.

contents

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26 36 Seen

8 Figure skating show

62 In every issue

20 things you didn’t know you wanted

12 Tigers’ roar

50 dietitian’s digest

14 A taste of heritage

52 Book review

16 La boheme

56 Ask the expert

18 Weddings & engagements

57 Scrapbook 58 final word

Departments

62 Events calendar

24 Dazzle: business attire 26 Move: acupuncturist 30 savor: rhubarb bread 32 savor: food & drink 34 create: good lawn art 6 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

On the cover: Meet Tracy Brenegan, who appears in front of the place she works, Mayo Clinic Health System.

Read about her on Page 25.

The cover photo was taken by our own Colleen Harrison.

“What’s fun about this place is we meet a ton of people from pretty much all over.”

— Nicole Thompson, Page 32

Plan a weekend trip today!

SEEN | Figure Skating Show

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The Albert Lea Figure Skating Club put on its 53rd annual show March 22 and 23 at Albert Lea City Arena. This year’s show was entitled “Home on the Rink.” (1) The opening number performs during the Albert Lea Figure Skating Club’s 53rd annual show, Home on the Rink. (2) Katie Bradley and her mom, Carol Linde.

(3) Christy Crom and her mom, Linda. (4) Kailey Christensen and her mom, Kiki.

(5) Charley Fleek and her mom, Dawn. (6) Skaters from the opening number.

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Seen | Tigers’ Roar

Meet the writers Angie Barker Angie is an avid book reader who lives in Albert Lea with her husband, Josh, and son, Auslund.

Tim Engstrom Tim enjoys bike rides with sons Forrest and Jasper. He and his wife live in Albert Lea. Brandi Hagen Brandi, our former photographer, lives in Glenville with her boyfriend, Nick.

Colleen Harrison Colleen hails from Ohio and went to college in Pittsburgh. She joined the staff in March.

Tony Hill Tony is the retail manager at Hill’s Gardens and is a key part of a family-owned business.

Kathy Johnson Kathy teaches fitness classes at the YMCA and lives near Emmons with her husband and son.

Tiffany Krupke Tiffany like puppies, watching TV and spending time with her fiancé Andrew.

Kelli Lageson A former editor of this publication, Kelli now works in Owatonna and resides in Clarks Grove.

Carol Lang Carol lives in Albert Lea not far from the Albert Lea Tribune. She is a green thumb.

Jennifer Levisen Jennifer enjoys jogging around Fountain Lake.

She and her husband, Jens, have a son.

Crystal Miller Crystal enjoys growing flowers. She and her husband have two children, Lauren and Jacob.

Emily Schmidt Emily is a registered dietitian with Mayo Clinic who enjoys writing about healthy eating.

Sarah Stultz Sarah enjoys gardening. She and her husband have two children, Sophie and Landon.

Jennifer Vogt-Erickson Jennifer is a stay-at-home mother. She and her husband, Jeshua, have two kids, Axel and Trixie.

Sophomore Abby Sencio performs “Radioactive” during a rehearsal for Tigers’ Roar at Albert Lea High School. Sencio sings vocals and plays the bass drum during the number, while sophomore Ashlee Whebbe accompanies her on the guitar.

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SEEN | Tigers’ Roar

2 The annual Tigers’ Roar talent show took place March 13, 14 and 15 at Albert Lea High School. (1) Schafer Overgaard, Tyler Vandenheuvel, Emma Tewes and Cammy Tewes (2) Hannah Reese, Carissa Blizzard and Greta Hagen (3) Heather Wirkus (4) Tianna Abrego, Syne Barr, Maddy Fjermestad, Kade Wiemerslage, Lawrence Pederson, Tanner Shaft and Luke Sundblad (5) Regin Reyes (6) Heather Wirkus (7) Abby Sencio and Ashlee Whebbe

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SEEN | A Taste of Heritage

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The fifth annual A Taste of Heritage took place April 5 at Northbridge Mall. The festival included displays about at least a dozen countries, activities for children and entertainment. (1) A Karen dancer from St. Paul performs at A Taste of Heritage in the center court of Northbridge Mall (2) Deb and Arnie Ziskovsky of the Domaci Czech Folk Dancers (3) Becky Lohse, Miriam Brockhaus and Grant Lohse (4) Carmen Bueno, Nati Galvan, Juan Bueno, Jazmin Bueno, Josie Peralta, Nallely Bueno and Lilly Peralta (5) Sapana and Shrawan Jha and their son, Pranav (6) Karen dancers from St. Paul

We will protect the things important to you.

Alexis Olson

Brenda Madson

Susan Korn

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SEEN | La Boheme

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2 The New York Metropolitan Opera’s “La Boheme” was shown live in high definition on a wide screen on the stage of the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center on April 5. (1) Carol Bertelson, Debra Linnes and Evelyn Egland (2) Sue Jorgensen in her “Bohemian outfit” (3) Carol Wolter and Joyce Nixon (4) Bob Nixon, Rose Hood and Carol Hedalen (5) Barb and Paul Rehmke (6) Jerry and Marilyn Chafee (7) Sara and Leo Aeikens (8) Judy Bangh, John Bangh and Nancy Wright

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may/june 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 17

SEEN | Weddings & Engagements

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1 (1) Andrew Dyrdal and Rachel Rhodes (2) Carol Follmuth and Russel Vandell (3) Jenna Vogelsang and Tyler Hegwood (4) Katelyn Hoium and Cody Rush (5) Holly Larson and Darren Beenken (6) Haley Yost and Kaden Becker (7) Travis Klatt and Dr. Ly Dinh (8) Michelle Learn and Jeremy Harmer

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may/june 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 19

DAZZLE | Things

Things

You

Go flashy for seasonal flair

By Crystal Miller Photos by Colleen Harrison

The height of fashion for spring 2014 is showing off your eclectic side. You don’t necessarily need a large collection of items to be eclectic, but you definitely need a few conversational pieces. Check out these show stoppers to give your fashion a boost for this spring.

Didn’t Know

You Wanted

A rose by any other name would make a great ring Never has there been a flower that could represent strength and delicacy so evenly.

This silver-plated rose ring shows every curve of every petal and is a three-quarter inch in diameter. While traditionally used with broaches in gold, the rose has expanded into rings made with silver plating.

Herberger’s, Albert Lea. $50

Show off a little Paris fashion Make any day eclectic with this lightweight magazine clutch. Ready for daily use or for party time. The size is 4.75 by 12 by 2 inches with a 48-inch detachable chain strap. The faux leather buckle embellishment is a magnetic closure.

Leuthold’s, Albert Lea. $18 Every ensemble can use a pop of color The rule for adding a pop of color is simple: a color different from or contrasting to the other colors. This beaded bracelet features a mix of beads with a strong balance of a yellow/green color. It’s a perfect pair for any color other than the same.

Betsy Schroeder via Albert Lea Art Center, Albert Lea. $18 20 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

Eclectic fashion has high function It’s bright, fun, hip and young. This cotton patchwork sling bag is ready to go everywhere. The size is 15 by 12 by 3 inch and includes an inside pocket. This bag has a zip and button closure. All patchwork bags are handmade. Slight variations in color and design will reflect its unique origin.

Trail’s Travel Center, Albert Lea. $20

Wooden it be nice to have a matching scarf Pairing eclectic items is made easy when this clutch and scarf are sold together. You can never go wrong with a bold scarf and this novelty birch wood clutch. The clutch is 4.25 by 7.75 by 1.75 inches with an elastic closure and is lightweight. Enjoy the red (showing grain) or add your own flair using your favorite craft.

Trail’s Travel Center, Albert Lea. $18

Comfy eclectic Hip, comfortable and high quality T-shirts can have an eclectic flair. A single graphic turns these T-shirts into fashion. They pair well with jeans on a casual day or a blazer for stepping it up.

Made of 100 percent rayon and are longer in the back.

Etc. Tanning & Clothing Boutique, Albert Lea. $30 each

may/june 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 21

Quality Kitchen Supplies

Commercial, Industrial & Residential Bakeware, cookware, fun gadgets & more!

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See us at the Freeborn, Olmsted, Mower, Filmore & Winona County Fairs!

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DAZZLE | Attire

Styling by Angie Hoffman Photos by Colleen Harrison

Business clothes for the modern woman

Upside-down top, $59 at Leuthold’s. Brown top, $46 Leuthold’s.

Brown leggings, $40 at Leuthold’s. Necklace and earring set, $40 at Leuthold’s. Coral heels

by Madden Girl, available at Herberger’s.

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Gray dress, $62 at Leuthold’s. Gray leggings, $40 at Leuthold’s.

Necklace and earring set, $25 at Leuthold’s. Clutch, $28 at Leuthold’s.

Teal heels by Bandolino, available at Herberger’s.

Sheer poncho, $44 at Leuthold’s. White tank top $39 at Leuthold’s. Gray leggings, $40 at Leuthold’s.

Necklace and earring set $25 at Leuthold’s.

Top, $64 at Leuthold’s. Skirt, $69 at Leuthold’s. Necklace and earring set, $16 at Leuthold’s.

Coral dress by A. Byer, $64 at Herberger’s.

Sheer cardigan by Eyeshadow Clothing, $36 at Herberger’s.

White necklace, $48 at Herberger’s.

Meet the models!

Brooke Jacobson (on the left) works as a graphic designer for Minnesota Corrugated Box and lives in Albert Lea with her husband, Jeremy, son, Charlie, and daughter, Nora.

Her interests include interior design, do-it-yourself home projects, cooking, being outdoors and spending time with family. When asked what was her favorite part about modeling, she replied, “It was fun accessorizing the looks.

I don’t always take the time to do that myself, so it was fun to see how it really made the outfit pop.”

Tracy Brenegan (on the right) lives in Albert Lea with her husband, Tim, daughter, Leighton, and golden retriever, Daisy. She spends her days working as a medical coder for Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and, in her free time, enjoys reading, cooking, going for walks and spending time with family and friends. Despite being under the weather at the time, Tracy enjoyed the entire modeling experience, saying it was something out of the ordinary and fun trying on all the looks with her friend, Brooke.

Sheer top, $48 at Leuthold’s.

Blue tank top, $16 at Leuthold’s. Pants, $85 at Leuthold’s. Scarf, $24 at Leuthold’s. Heels by Madden Girl, available at Herberger’s.

MOVE | Acupuncturist

By Brandi Hagen

She believes in needles

Herbs like moxa can be placed on the ends of the needles during acupuncture.

What one Albert Lea business owner saw at 13 years old led her down a career path in acupuncture.

Cierra Anderson, 27, saw her horse get acupuncture to help with a short striding issue.

“I never heard of it before, but I was amazed with the results she got with one treatment,” Anderson said.

Her horse had the problem for about six years, and with one treatment, the horse moved almost normal for a period of time. The dream of becoming an acupuncturist didn’t begin quite then, though.

“It’s been a long journey,” Anderson said.

First she wanted to go into pharmacy and then she switched to chiropractic.

While she was in her first trimester of chiropractic school in Bloomington, she discovered acupuncture again.

“It was in the same building,” Anderson said. “I always had an interest so I tried it for a week, and I loved it. I loved the medicine so I stayed.”

Anderson went through a three-year program, worked for two chiropractors and in April of last year opened her business, Healing Focus Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine LLC in Albert Lea. She sees about 10 patients a week and hopes to see more. She estimated a quarter of the people she sees have experienced acupuncture.

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“The other three-quarters have heard what it’s good for, but there’s still a lot of curiosity,” Anderson said.

On the first visit to Anderson, a client is required to fill out an intake form that tells about his or her health history. Then Anderson reviews it and discusses with them their main concerns.

Then Anderson checks the person’s pulse.

“There are 20 subtle differences in a pulse that we look for,” Anderson said.

The pulse can tell Anderson what other questions she should be asking about how her client is feeling. She said she also will look at their tongue.

“That kind of gives me an idea of what’s going on internally,” Anderson said.

After that, the client gets comfortable on the treatment table, and Anderson begins inserting needles. She inserts between 15 and 30 one-time use needles that are the size of a human hair or a cat’s whisker.

“They’re really tiny and virtually painless,” Anderson said. “It’s nothing like getting an injection.”

The needles stay in place for about 20 minutes — the length of time it takes the blood to circulate through the body once.

“A lot of people feel very relaxed and about half of them fall asleep in that time,” Anderson said.

After the needles are removed Anderson discusses with the client whether they want to do any self care at home with herbs.

Herbs are something that Cierra Anderson of Healing Focus gives her cousin, Lacey Krinkie, acupuncture.

can also be done during acupuncture.

One herb, for example, that Anderson has used is moxa. The herb is placed on the top of the needle and lit on fire.

To help with people’s curiosity or ease the worry about acupuncture, Anderson runs a special.

“The idea of having needles put into you in kind of scary,” Anderson said. “I offer them a taste of what acupuncture is like. Not a big time commitment, not a big price commitment. I chat with them about what it does, what it feels like and let them see the needles and just show them that it doesn’t hurt at all.”

“I hate needles myself,” Anderson said.

“But I can handle acupuncture.”

4Page 28

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MOVE | Acupuncturist

By Brandi Hagen

Continued from Page 26

In her classes at Northwestern Health Sciences University, Anderson and her classmates had to do acupuncture on each other.

“And I actually sought care myself for menstrual issues, which made me more of a believer in acupuncture,” Anderson said.

To become certified in acupuncture and herbs, Anderson had to see more than 1,000 patients and put in more than 3,000 clinic hours. She also had to pass three board exams after graduation and apply for a license with the Minnesota Medical Board.

And, even now that she has her own business, the education hasn’t stopped.

She is required to take continuing education classes and she still does a lot of research.

Even though it’s been less than a year since she opened, Anderson has a 20-year goal in mind.

“For Albert Lea, my dream would be to open a complementary alternative medicine clinic,” Anderson said.

That clinic would include chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, life coaching and a nurse practitioner.

“I worked in an integrated clinic in the Cities, and I just liked how it worked,” Anderson said. “I liked the modality of everyone working together with a common goal of helping people.”

Healing Focus Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine LLC is in suite No. 7 in the

Let’s get physical!

Jessica Bakken Bakken has been a runner for a few years. She enjoys running on the trail along Fountain Lake. She starts from her home on East Richway Drive and runs about a half mile to the trail around the lake.

She runs on her breaks from work. If she wants to run longer, she also runs at Bancroft Bay Park.

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Professional Building, 216 E. Main St., Albert Lea. Anderson is potentially relocating the business to a larger space in the former American Red Cross building in April.

“It’s exciting,” Anderson said. “This has always been a temporary start, like a cozy, startup place. This new location seems to be more permanent.”

Healing Focus Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday through Sunday. It can be reached at 369-4654.

Other services offered • Facial rejuvenation • Food therapy • Herbal consult • Cupping • Auricular acupuncture • Electroacupuncture

Herbs are placed on needles with the proper tools.

Snow, sleet or rain, these runners are out and about. Around the lake, through town and in all conditions, they push themselves to work harder and to run faster. These Albert Lea runners shared their favorite routes. — Tiffany Krupke

Steve Rothmeier Rothmeier has been running since 2011. From his home on High Street, he runs along Fountain Lake around to Mayo Clinic Health System. When he is in training, he runs from his house to the Blazing Star Trail, to Myre-Big Island State Park and back to his home. He stops to refuel and then runs around Fountain Lake.

Steve Merfeld Merfeld has been running for about 30 years. He often runs at noon from the Albert Lea Family Y with his friend, Dennis Deiser. He goes west on Main Street. From there, he heads north on Lake Chapeau Drive to the City Arena. He takes a few residential streets, depending on his mood, then runs back to the Y.

Dennis Dieser Dieser, a runner since 1987, got started because of Merfeld and a few others. When he isn’t running with friends, he takes a few different routes. He enjoys running from Mayo Clinic Health System and around Fountain Lake. He is training for the Med City Marathon in Rochester on May 25. In February, he qualified to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon.

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SAVOR | Food & Drink

Jennifer Levisen lives and works in Albert Lea. She enjoys finding new recipes to share with her family.

Photo by Jennifer Levisen

Something to be said for rhubarb bread We get ridiculously excited about rhubarb at my house. The red stalks and big green leaves herald in warmer weather and a delicious lineup of pies, coffee cakes, crisps, breads and jams, which get gobbled up faster than you can shout, well, “rhubarb!”

A favorite treat of my husband’s growing up was rhubarb bread, and he stumbled across this recipe last year.

Needless to say, when we have rhubarb this recipe is on heavy rotation! Enjoy!

Rhubarb Bread Ingredients • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar • 2/3 cup cooking oil • 1 cup sour cream • 1 egg • 1 tsp. vanilla • 2 1/2 cups flour • 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. salt • 1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb Topping • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 tbsp. melted butter • 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix first five ingredients until well blended.

3. Mix baking soda and salt with flour and add to first mixture.

4. Add diced rhubarb.

5. Pour into two loaf pans that are greased and lined with wax paper.

6. Top with topping mixture.

7. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes up clean.

8. Let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes.

9. Turn out onto cooling rack and let cool one hour before serving.

Tip • We rarely make it to the one-hour mark before slicing into the bread!

• Some rhubarb bread recipes say the topping is optional. I didn’t say it with this recipe. Use the topping. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!

• The recipe makes two loaves. My husband and son like to each claim a loaf as their own, but I’ve caught on to their tricky ways and wrap one up for our neighbors as soon as it’s cool enough!

30 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

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MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 31

SAVOR | Food & Drink

By Tim Engstrom

Skol Tavern finds a whiskey niche

Skol Tavern Assistant Manager Nicole Thompson plops a shot of raspberry liqueur into a Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy beer to create a raspberry boiler. Behind her are some of the bar’s wide selection of whiskeys.

All set for the farmers market?

The Albert Lea Farmers Market opens at the Northbridge Mall parking lot May 7. Here are the vendors: Judy and Pat Abrego

Skol Tavern at Trail’s Travel Center is kind of like an airport bar.

“What’s fun about this place is we meet a ton of people from pretty much all over,” said Assistant Manager Nicole Thompson.

There are truckers, travelers and locals, and all three make fast friends.

But the place is priding itself on its whiskey selection — 50 kinds. Manager Ken Fluth has researched the region and says Skol Tavern has the largest selection of whiskey in southern Minnesota.

“There’s no way anybody has that many choices,” he said.

The most expensive are two bourbons, Booker’s and Baker’s, each at $10 a shot.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked runs $9.50 a shot. Some are as low as $3.50.

Reliable Canadian whiskey Crown Royal is $5.50. However, the bar offers a second shot for a dollar. Fluth says most people go for the two-shot deal.

When Skol Tavern opened last year, it offered a variety of drinks to meet anyone’s tastes. Now that the managers know the customers, the menu is targeted to them, Fluth said. Whiskey won out.

Bonnie Ashpole Robert Baley Jan Bernau Patty Billat Kathleen Bleckeberg Barbara Clark Bonnie and Dean Davidson Dustin Demmer Sheryl Ehlke

The Classic Domestic beer and a shot of Jack Daniels.

The Bloody Boiler ZingZang Bloody Mary mix served with a shot of Absolut vodka.

Raspberry Boiler A lemon shandy

Patty Floyd Wayne and Verlys Huntley Dan and Patty Jacobs Doug and Shanda Meyer Karl Milliron Gwen Nelson Kim Olson/ Grandma’s Gourmet Stephanie Passingham

Voted Best Liquor Store!

32 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

He worries not about the truckers or travelers drinking and driving. Many stay in sleeping compartments or at nearby hotels. Sometimes truckers who arrive Friday or Saturday cannot deliver their load in the Twin Cities until Monday morning. Truckers lose careers for drunken driving, but they are allowed to unwind after a long haul, just like anyone else after work. Fluth’s main concern is with locals who want to drive home. More and more locals, he said, are finding Skol Tavern’s mix of company enjoyable.

He does want to dispel a rumor that the bar has a two-drink limit. It never had one, either.

But it does have a new drink menu, specializing in boilermakers. The raspberry boiler will quench any summertime thirst. beer with a shot of raspberry liqueur.

The Caribbean Boiler A pineapple shandy beer with a shot of peach schnapps.

The Morning Joe Guinness Stout with chocolate liqueur.

Lance Perkins Gloria Schreiber Joe Schreiber Phyllis Ulland Conley and Erin Vanderploeg James VanRiper Leng Vang Doug Yotter/Shelly Pater

1617 W. Main St. • Albert Lea 507-379-2364

MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 33

CREATE | Art

By Tony Hill

What makes for good lawn art?

W

hen it comes to ornamental yard décor, choices can be overwhelming.

First, determine which styles you like to help narrow the selection. From whimsical gnomes

and fairies to classical columns and angels, think of items that reflect a hobby or pastime, such as fishing, motorcycles or birdwatching.

Many purely decorative choices are available. One of the most popular is gazing globes. The round, bright colored balls in the yard or garden are an easy way to add a colorful focal point within your landscape. Glass globes are most common. Steel globes are also available and more durable. Many different stand choices are available, in heights to suit any setting.

Movement also draws the eye as well as color. To add both, consider spinners — a popular lawn art feature item available in muted metal tones or bright colors.

Also, garden flags add color and movement and come in a variety of sizes and ways to display them. Add one to your walkway to greet guests. Change it out with each passing season.

There are ways to utilize lawn art functionally if you shop right. Consider birding products and rain gauges. With so many decorative birdfeeders and birdhouses on the market today, it’s easy to decorate and care for wild birds at the same time. Add a bird bath to complete your birding haven. There are several styles, colors and materials in feeders, baths and houses. Rain gauges can be an excellent way to track the rainfall and compare meteorologists report. These come in several designs. Make sure to place it in an open area, free from foliar coverage so rain can easily enter the gauge.

Whatever brings you joy when you look out your windows or while you are outside on a splendid summer day, that’s what you want in your yard and garden.

Tony Hill is the retail manager at Hill’s Gardens, 2512 W. Main St., Albert Lea.

Hill’s Gardens retail manager Tony Hill offers lawn decorations not found anywhere else in the city.

Jennifer Ordalen speaks her mind

By Brandi Hagen

Q: How long have you been interested in music?

A: Since I was about 3 years old. There’s so many people I have had help from and have helped inspire me.

Q: Are you only a vocal musician?

A: I like to play violin, piano, guitar, and I’m learning to play the ukulele.

Q: How many songs have you recorded?

A: I have 12 on my album. Over the years I’ve probably recorded over 150. To be clear, they aren’t mine, I’m just the artist.

Q: Do you think about being a singer and songwriter?

A: I’m not comfortable with that. I do 34 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

that for myself, but I’m not comfortable.

I’ll leave that to the others who have a knack for it. Everyone tries to be a singer and songwriter. I’m OK only being a singer. What a sad place it would be if there was all these writers who had this music they couldn’t share with others. I’ll be their vehicle if they’ll be mine.

Q: Tell me about your album?

A: My first album, “Cracks in the Concrete,” was such an awesome experience. A really bad experience led into a really good one. I was working on another album with some other people and through them I ended up meeting my producer, Steve Cropper, and some major musicians. I was invited to Nashville and I took the chance. My parents and I went. I started that in the summer of 2008. I

Musician Jennifer Ordalen practices a song in her home.

released it in the spring of 2010.

Q: What genre does it fall into?

A: They don’t really know where to put me, which is kind of strange because I think it’s pretty cut and dry. I think I sound country. If you talk to anybody in the northern half, they will say, “Yep, country.” You take me to Nashville and they say, “You are not country.” They put me in the adult alternative category.

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MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 35

6

ExtraorDINARY

Backyards Go enjoy the living room of the outdoors.

Story by Kelli Lageson Photos by Brandi Hagen and Erin Murtaugh

36 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

Judy and Tom Jensen kick back and relax in the backyard of their Clarks Grove area home.

MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 37

Trish

and

Corky Stanley

Park Avenue, Albert Lea Trish is a hairdresser for her home business Salon 625. Corky is a plastics injection molder at Rofshus Precision Machine.

Trish enjoys sitting on her upper deck because it reminds her of being in a tree house. She said her husband designed and built almost everything in their backyard. A large deck comes off the home and leads down to another seating area and hot tub. Then more steps lead to a large seating area around a fire pit.

Follow the steps down farther and it leads to the dock, where there is another table and chairs.

What does Trish like the most? “Just being outside; it’s the place to be in summer,” Trish said.

Ann

and

Scott Goodmanson

Crestview Road, Albert Lea Ann worked 20 years as a special education para educator at Albert Lea schools and now is retired. Scott is a pharmacist at Hy-Vee. Custom Concrete did the cement work, and Garden Diva Design Studio designed the landscaping. They did the planting themselves. They built the pergola

38 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

themselves on top of some of the cement work.

Some of her favorite features include the clematis when it’s blooming, the lilys and the hydrangea on the front lawn. She even has a birdbath that she created using sand and a large rhubarb leaf as the mold before pouring concrete. Ann is a member of the Shades of Jade Garden Club.

Bill

and

Kay Hay

Bay Oaks Drive, Albert Lea Both are retired.

They designed the area, but had outside help with the work. Kay chose the rugs, pillows and other accents for the deck. They bought furniture in California and had it shipped home.

Bill’s favorite feature is the deck where he can sit and read the newspaper in the morning and watch the sun come up over the lake. Kay enjoys the same spot and to watch boaters go by.

Texas Coleslaw Because he loved me,

This recipe is a light and refreshing alternative to a traditional salad, featuring lime juice and cilantro that add extra-fresh flavor.

He did the dishes, Rubbed my feet, Surprised me with tulips, Took me to musicals even though he didn’t like them, Carried my bags while I did the shopping, Held my hand.

He died of cancer four years ago.

Because he loved me,

I can stay in our home.

I can be here for our children.

I can afford to pay for their college education.

I can worry about the other things in life besides money.

He still loves me. And he still shows it.

Ingredients Roma Tomatoes, seeded, fresh, 3/8” diced Black Beans, canned, rinsed Roasted Sweet Corn Jalapenos, grilled, seeded, chopped Cilantro, chopped Coleslaw Mix Classic Gourmet Real Mayonnaise Lime Juice, fresh Cumin, ground Garlic, fresh, chopped Coriander, ground

Measure 2 oz.

3 oz.

4 oz.

2 ea.

2 ea.

1/2 c.

1 c.

2 oz.

1/4 tsp.

1 tsp.

1/4 tsp.

METHODS: (1) Combine all ingredients and mix well

Nancy Vanderwaerdt, Agent, LUTCF, FSS 505 Bridge Avenue, Albert Lea 377-0227 www.nancyvw.net

919 E. 14th St., Albert Lea, MN 56007 • 373-2431 For more recipes, visit our website: www.venturafoods.com Albert Lea Magazine will continue to reward our Facebook friends with lavish gifts. Be sure to look for our Facebook page and click LIKE. Thanks for your comments on our wall.

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MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 41

Brad

and

Tempest Arends

South Lane, Albert Lea Brad and Tempest live here with their three daughters, Amanda, 24, Abbey, 21, and Emily, 19.

Brad is the CEO of Alliance Benefit Group and calls Tempest the CEO of their home.

When they bought the home in 2002

they did a big addition because they said they wanted the house to look like it belonged on the lake. Some of the work was done professionally, but Brad planted all the plants and foliage himself because he finds it fun and therapeutic.

Their favorite feature is the outdoor gathering place with a table and another area in front of an outdoor fireplace.

Matt

and

Paula Twedt

Lloyd Place, Albert Lea Matt is a financial adviser at Twedt Financial Services in Lake Mills, Iowa.

Paula is a special education teacher with the Albert Lea School District.

Garden Diva did the design. Matt did the physical work and bought the supplies from Plaza Landscaping. It is a corner house, so a mound with plants on it takes the attention of passing motorists away from their backyard. The stone fireplace is the centerpiece; neighbors come over for evenings by the fire.

Judy

and

Tom Jensen

750th Avenue, Clarks Grove Judy and Tom live here with their son, Sam, and their dog, Maverick. Judy works at Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services, and Tom is director of court services for Freeborn County.

Their entire outdoor space was done by Tom. Judy said Tom is creative and has a good eye for landscaping. He built the outdoor grill and bar,

Adirondack chairs, the deck and built-in fire pit. Judy’s parents live next door, and Tom found boulders from an old barn that was built in the 1800s. He used those boulders in their landscaping.

Tom’s favorite thing to do outside is grill mediterranean pizza, and Judy’s favorite feature is the handmade Adirondack chairs because they’re so comfortable. AL

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Swing

Story and photos by Colleen Harrison

dancing is making a comeback in Albert Lea.

Couple Joy Wiersma and Patrick Hanson dance during the March Swing Night at Prairie Wind Coffee in downtown Albert Lea.

MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 47

O

They jump, jive and wail at Prairie Wind Coffee

Swing-era glossary

nce a month, or every third Saturday, Prairie Wind Coffee hosts a night of swing dancing for all ages and levels of expertise. The coffee shop, at 211 S. Broadway Ave., has hosted the dance nights since last summer.

The coffee shop is owned by the Hanson family. Patrick Hanson first came up with the idea of hosting a swing night after becoming interested in swing dancing about three years ago. Hanson got into dancing through friends and would go up to Social Dance Studio in Minneapolis.

“You get to be creative, make your own moves and change them when you want. … I just like dancing. It’s social, you get to meet new people.”

Hanson offers lessons throughout the swing nights and encourages newcomers to come to the event. “I make shy people dance,” he said. “I was really bad starting off and didn’t have the best teacher. … It’s a lot easier than it looks.”

Hanson’s usual dance partner is his girlfriend, Joy Wiersma. Wiersma’s newer to swing dancing, having started a few months ago thanks to Hanson. She said it’s not nearly as hard as it seems, “Especially if you find a good partner.”

Hanson said there is a mix of regulars and newcomers at each event, and some nights they’ve had as many as 50 people.

Some of his regulars are siblings Erik, 15, and Chloe, 16, who he usually dances with and gives lessons to.

Two relatively new dancers are Tanya Weckwerth of Austin and Peter Szymanski of Alden. The March swing dancing night marked Weckwerth’s second time at the event and Szymanski’s third.

“I like it a lot. I love dancing, and I never really get the opportunity,” says Weckwerth.

Szymanski has a lot of fun at the dancing events as well, and likes that they’re an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.

The dance nights start around 8 p.m. and go as late as midnight. There’s a $3 door fee that covers water and coffee.

Airbags: lungs Apron: bartender Banter: pretty girl Barkers: pair of shoes Benders: knees, elbows Birdwood: cigarette Blinkers: eyes Bounce: jumpy rhythm Brighty: intelligent Brush: mustache Bug: a problem Butterfly: pretty girl Buzz: to kiss Cabbage: money Canary: girl singer Cat: jive musicians Cave: house Chew: to talk Chick: young girl Choker: tie or collar Clambake: jive session College: jail Cooler: jail cell Cop: to get, take Copasetic: fine Dig: to understand Dog: mediocre Dome: head Drape: suit Drink: body of water Drip: undesirable person Drumsticks: nice legs Easy: financially secure Expense: baby Eye: detective Fall: to be convicted Fanny: rear end Feelers: fingers Filly: young female Finagle: to manipulate Flippers: ears Freebie: no charge Gams: legs Gander: to examine Gasper: cigarette Gatemouth: gossiper Gims: eyes Goola: piano Grabbers: hands Graduate: to end jail Gravy: excess Groovy: super Groundpads: feet Gutbox: piano Hambone: trombone Handcuffed: married Handle: large nose Hardware: jewelry Headache: wife Heater: cigar Hep: cool to the scene Hideaways: pockets Hides: drums Hightail: to leave Hinges: elbows Hocks: feet Homey: person from your hometown Hoop: ring Hop: big dance Humdinger: with class or ability Hunk: stalwart male Husk: undress Iceberg: unemotional woman

48 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

Tanya Weckwerth dances with Peter Szymanski during Swing Night at Prairie Wind Coffee.

Erik Hanson catches sister Chloe while swing dancing.

Patrick Hanson spins Joy Wiersma around during the March Swing Night at Prairie Wind Coffee in Albert Lea.

From the 1946 Hepcat’s Jive Talk Dictionary Index: face Ivories: piano keys Jam: improvise in jazz Jive: form of U.S. slang Jug: bottle of liquor Kicks: pair of shoes Kill: to fascinate Killer: hair grease Knob: homely face Knock: punch Lamb: pushover Lamps: eyes Leaky: talks too much Legit: real Lugs: big ears Make: win affection of opposite sex Map: face Messy: extraordinary Mikes: ears Moocher: person who sponges money Moola: money Moss: hair Mouse: pocket Mud: coffee Murder: to perfect Name: popular band Needle: soft drink Nodbox: bedroom Noggin: head Oats: enthusiasm Oil: flattery Oiled: drunken Package: girl Pad: bed or apartment Pail: stomach Paws: hands Pickers: fingers Pigeon: pretty girl Pies: eyes Pillars: legs Platter: record Pooped: exhausted Pretzel: French horn Puss: face Razzberry: to ridicule Razzmatazz: to very much ridicule Righteous: perfect Rugcutter: jive dancer Schmaltz: sentimental Schnozz: nose Scratch: folding money Scuffler: dancer Sharp: a good look Sheet: newspaper Shutters: eyelids Sing: to confess Skate: to get away with Snazzy: stylish Spouting: to talk a lot Square: unromantic, hard-working person Stems: legs Stompers: shoes Stretcher: neck Stud: man Thinkbox: brain Threads: wardrobe Ticker: heart Toothpick: sharp knife Truck: to go Tumble: to dance Twosome: lovers Wolf: stalker of women

an outdoor retreat See us for Flowers Trees Shrubs Pottery

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377-2372 www.shgardencenter.com Open Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat 8-4

VISIT OUR SHOWROOM 3532 Hwy 63 South • Rochester, MN 55904 MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 49

By Emily Schmidt | DIETITIAN’S DIGEST

Albert Lea resident Emily Schmidt is a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. She grew up in Rose Creek and enjoys cooking, reading and spending time outdoors with family.

Heart healthy food is on the grill

Grilling food outdoors is a wonderful joy of summertime. I would bet many Minnesotans especially appreciate barbecuing because though our summer days are long our summer season is short. Of course, grilling your food outdoors during the winter is very possible; it just happens to be much more pleasant when the weather is warm and sunny.

While the traditional barbecue foods — 50 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

hamburgers, steak, brats and hot dogs — may make your belly happy, the same can’t be said for your heart.

Take a look at the average barbecue meal. I’m thinking a hamburger and hot dog — because, sometimes, how can you choose? — complete with all of the fixings: potato salad, chips, baked beans and tasty beverages. You tend to see a lot of saturated fat (the artery-clogging type), carbohydrates, sodium and calories.

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with these foods — everything in moderation after all — but if you’re the type of person who is grilling nearly all of their summer meals outdoors, it might be a good idea to switch things up.

For instance, perhaps one night grill the traditional hamburger meal, but the next experiment with grilling fish and some vegetable kabobs. If you have heart disease, diabetes, obesity or other health conditions, your body will thank you. If you don’t have any of these conditions,

you’re taking a great step in preventing them from happening.

Here are some tips based on recommendations from the American Heart Association for a healthier spin on outdoor grilling: • Try your hand at grilling fish. Fish contains unsaturated fat, the kind that your heart prefers, and many types are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon, trout and herring are some of the best sources of omega-3s. Get creative with seasoning: try basil, dry mustard, lemon juice, oregano, thyme or a combination of various herbs and spices.

• Go for skinless chicken breasts. This is another great way to cut back on saturated fat. Experiment with garlic, rosemary, parsley, tarragon or other herbs and spices or simply go with some good-old barbecue sauce. Try making burgers with ground turkey or chicken, and add some diced onions to the meat for extra flavor.

4Grilling, Page 60

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Next to Walmart Visit us online at: www.KayNailsandSpa.com MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 51

Book review by Angie Barker | CONSTANT READER

Albert Lea resident Angie Barker is an avid reader and has a degree in English literature from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Email her at zoller@ hotmail.com.

Trouble found in Lake Elmo When I was a kid I thought my backyard was magic. Not like I can fly with pixie dust and happy thoughts, but in an I’m-going-to-Disneyland-sort-oflocation-specific magic. My backyard had everything a kid could wish for: A Big Bird swing set that actually had a giant Big Bird you could ride, a basketball court and a swimming pool.

I wasn’t rich. Let’s get that out of the way. These weren’t objects used to signify wealth but function. They got us kids out of the house and kept us within earshot.

The swimming pool was above ground, and as a kid I didn’t understand things like insurance and curb appeal. The only thing a pool meant to me was “cannonball.” And the basketball court was actually a dog kennel the old owners had partially taken down. The concrete was a patchwork of sawed-off rusty pipes and bent fencing. We put a layer of safety 52 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

cement over the top and slapped a hoop on one end. That’s just solid parenting right there. The swing set I have zero defense for. It was straight baller, and living on a corner lot the exposure drew its fair share of neighborhood kids. Big Bird became my popularity wingman.

Backyards usually invoke a Norman Rockwell image of barbecues and a game of catch while a golden retriever frolics in the foreground. Hot dogs and baseball are the icons of America and a backyard will provide you some of each. A backyard is a patch of ownership. A place to plant our flags and declare, “This land is mine, and I shall plant my hopes and dreams within its American soil.” These are the reasons we feel violated, affronted and scared when the media tells us horrible things are happening right in our own backyards. Author Scott E. Newton uses this defensive position in his novel,

“Duane Digs a Hole,” as a way to nudge the reader awake.

Duane Peerson is an average guy living in Lake Elmo who wants to dig a hole in his backyard. He has no motive beyond wanting to dig and spend time with his kids out of doors. Pretty soon all the neighborhood kids want to dig for treasure, and Duane has a yard full of pirates every weekend. It’s cute stuff that’s straightforward and heartwarming. It’s also not that oddball of behavior for Minnesota as one might think. Search epic backyard videos and a Cologne dad pops up who built a 45-second sledding hill in his backyard. Truth is stranger than fiction. It’s more epic that’s for sure.

The first part of the novel is the sentimental Rockwell painting mentioned earlier that primes the reader to relate to Duane and his family. The second part is 4Book, Page 61

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410 Bridge Avenue, Albert Lea 507.373.1486 www.bensfloral.com MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 53

Discover a healthier you this summer!

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ask the expert| Carol Hegel Lang

Carol Hegel Lang is an Albert Lea resident and a local green thumb.

What are the best plants for southern Minnesota gardens?

What plants do well in our Zone 4 southern Minnesota gardens? I am asked this frequently.

In shady gardens most people think that you will be greatly limited to plant choices, and to a certain degree that is correct because there are more foliage plants than blooming plants for these type of gardens.

The most common would be hosta, which is great for shady locations, but we also have astilbe that comes in several colors. We have lots of different ferns that do very well in shady locations to add height and texture. Coral bells come in a variety of colors, and they are attractive to hummingbirds.

If you are fortunate enough to have full sun, the possibilities are endless with 56 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

peonies being one of the hardiest plants with gorgeous flowers. Daylilies perform best in full sun and come in many colors and are easy to care for. The entire lily family of Asiatic, oriental, tiger and trumpet are great for color and fragrance and multiply nicely.

For me, you just can’t have a garden without the tall garden phlox to add color and fragrance as well as they attract both butterflies and hummingbirds.

The new colors of echinacea (coneflowers) have exploded in the past couple of years and really give your gardens a wow factor. With all the new hydrangeas on the market, you can find one to fit any size garden, and the flower heads last through the winter. Rudbeckia, salvia, sedums, achillea, liatris,

hollyhocks and Joe-pye weed are must haves in the garden and all are hardy in our climate of cold weather.

If you are growing annuals cosmos, marigolds, geraniums, angelonia, calibrachoa, coleus (both for sun and shade), nasturtiums, zinnia and dahlias would be good choices either to plant in containers or in the ground.

My bulb recommendations are tulips, daffodils, allium and hyacinth that survive our cold winters and brighten up our spring gardens. Cannas are beautiful in the late summer garden but do need to be lifted in the fall and stored indoors over the winter.

Don’t forget to add climbers like clematis and honeysuckle to the garden.

The more things change ‌ Photos courtesy of the Freeborn County Historical Museum

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MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 57

FINAL WORD | By Jennifer Vogt-Erickson

Jennifer Vogt-Erickson taught social studies in Albert Lea for more than six years before staying home to raise children. She lives with her husband, Jeshua, and their two young children, Trixie and Axel. She wrangles toddlers by day and writes by night.

Years of gaining lost in a moment My husband and son took advantage of the deep snow this past winter to stomp pathways and engineer numerous tunnels through our yard. At the dining room table, while sipping hot chocolate, they drew elaborate pictures of multilevel underground hideouts together.

When I was young, my family lived in a Victorian-style farmhouse built in the early 1900s. It had many stories attached to it, including some of the blue-tinged variety from its turn as a roadhouse. The tale that especially seized our imagination was of a gambling man burying a sum of ill-gotten gains somewhere in the yard and never returning for it.

With fortune on our minds, my sisters and I borrowed a shovel and made our first foray into treasure hunting. Our initially enthusiastic assault on the lawn proved that digging up turf is hard, so we moved a few paces south to the gravel driveway where excavation was 58 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

easier. Channeling the zeal of 49ers, we pockmarked the driveway with small holes that failed to yield anything but interesting rocks, which were treasure enough for us.

To the northwest of the house, I hunted for four-leaf specimens in a small field my dad planted with clover. One sunny morning, I spied a strange, shiny object winking among the green leaves.

Hoping my potentially ancient find would astound the archaeology world, I disinterred it and ran to my dad with the prize. He wiped it off and surmised it was a radiator cap from a Model T Ford.

A Tin Lizzie part wasn’t the Iron Age artifact I had wished for, but it would’ve probably been at least 60 years old at the time. That was plenty old-fashioned in my estimation.

More adventures awaited in our grandparents’ farmyard in North Dakota, where my sisters and I roamed like urchins with our band of six cousins. We

climbed atop the old outhouse to pick chokecherries, roller-skated across the cool cement floor of the quonset, chased garter snakes and raided our grandma’s prolific raspberry and strawberry patches.

We turned the shelterbelt into our hideout and used secret passwords and escape trails to allude the adults, who feigned befuddlement. My aunt Crystal lured us out briefly with green branches she had stripped with a jackknife to make bows and arrows. Our grandpa’s sister, Sigrid Gjellstad Johansson, a world champion archer, had taught her how to make them. Who could resist checking for another Artemis or Orion in our midst?

At other times we favored the machinery graveyard filled with rusty iron and rotting wood. We sat on the seats of bygone equipment marooned in tall grass and pretended to bust sod in big curling chunks like our homesteading ancestors did. We added the putt-putt 4Final word, Page 61

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Grilling Continued from Page 50

• Choose your cuts of meat wisely. For the healthiest cuts of red meat or pork, look for the words “loin,” “sirloin” or “round.” Instead of “prime” for beef, look for “choice” or “select.” Keep in mind that the American Heart Association also recommends no more than six ounces of meat or fish daily. That’s about the size of two decks of cards for the entire day.

• Use a rack, so that the fat drips away from the meat.

Besides using the above tips, also take the MyPlate guidelines into consideration when planning your barbecues. MyPlate, 60 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

a nutrition guideline from the United States Department of Agriculture, recommends one-quarter of your plate as your protein source, one-quarter a starch or whole grain, and the other half fruits and non-starchy vegetables. A threeounce chicken breast, one-cup portion of grilled potatoes, a generous portion of grilled asparagus, and a dessert of grilled pineapple would be a perfect example.

Get creative with grilling fruits and vegetables — they are low-calorie, highfiber and antioxidant-rich choices that will bring your meal a few notches up in health.

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Final word

Book

Continued from Page 58

Continued from Page 52

sound of mechanization, even though our implements were clearly from the horse-drawn era.

Down in the Souris River Valley a few miles away, our second cousins on the original Gjellstad homestead had a backyard view of the old log cabin our great-great-grandfather Ivar built. Its two rooms and dirt floors had accommodated 11 people early on. We weren’t allowed to play in it for safety reasons, but my grandpa’s younger brother cleaned it up for a centennial family reunion in the early ’80s.

As we peered through the empty window frames during the festivities, I thought of my mother’s story about her great-grandma Sissel hanging burlap in the openings until she and Ivar saved enough money to buy glass windows.

Ivar drove his horses and wagon 100 miles east to Devil’s Lake, the train terminus, to get them. Sissel polished and enjoyed the new windows for one day before an afternoon hailstorm brewed on the hot plains and broke them all. She cleaned up the mess and rehung the burlap sacks.

Those fractured windows must have been a tough loss, but she had been through worse things, including burying three children in a Norwegian churchyard.

The windows, though, were much more tangible to me at the time. I put my hands on the rough-hewn ledge from which Sissel once had cleared glass shards and imagined her disconsolation.

From her story I learned a person has to keep going, whatever arises, for as long as one lives. What we take years to save and to tend, we may lose in one stroke.

In the end, the best and most enduring treasure we have is the memories stored inside us, like spending a Sunday afternoon drawing plans for a top-secret underground backyard hideout with someone we cherish.

In memory of her aunt and godmother, Crystal Conrad, 1945-2014.

something totally different and I have to say new, at least to me, unlike anything I have read before. It reads like fanfiction from a Berkley grad philosopher (which Newton is) who wants to validate the ideals of the 1960s failed counterculture revolution. His message is peace and redemption in the United States. His ideas are radical: like cutting the military budget by 90 percent, using B-52 bombers to drop billions of dollars on major cities around the world and putting women in the driver’s seat of his flower powered bus. Delicious.

The crazier the novel got the louder I found myself cheering.

Gloria Alfred, aka Gloria Allred, helps Lake Elmo secede from the Union. Um, OK. Jane La Fond, aka Jane Fonda,

becomes Queen of the Hmong community and helps overthrow the Laos government. Why not? Obama shows up to help Duane dig his hole and drink PBR on the deck. At this point, Obama drinking PBR while trying to solve a major crisis is the most plausible thing that’s happened.

Newton interweaves truth and fiction so often that I began to feel like Peeta Mellark. My Kindle is filled with notes asking “real or not real”? Either way Newton has the reader questioning and, the ultimate objective, doing some digging of their own.

As Duane drives shovel after shovel into his backyard he metaphorically reveals the layers of American history.

These are the things that are really going on in our own backyards and while some would prefer to keep them buried and forgotten others may find this novel’s excavation refreshing. Can you dig it?

MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 61

events calendar

Albert Lea Farmers Market

When: 4-6 p.m. May 14 Where: Northbridge Mall parking lot Cost: free More info: Vendors begin setting up at the usual location for the first time of the season, and that always attracts a largerthen-usual crowd. The market is open the same hours every Wednesday until late September and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

Land Between the Lakes Duathlon When: 9 a.m. May 18 Where: Edgewater Park Cost: free to spectate, participation fee ranges from $29 to $65 More info: The Albert Lea Noon Kiwanis Club is organizing what used to be a triathlon. This year, the swimming portion has been dropped. The duathlon has a two-mile run, then a 14-mile bike ride, then a 3.1-mile run.

Boys and girls alike fish during the annual Take a Kid Fishing Day.

‘Lend Me

a

Tenor’

When: 7:30 p.m. May 1-3, 7-10, 2 p.m.

May 4 Where: Albert Lea Performing Arts Center Cost: $15 adults, $10 students More info: This comedy directed by Steve Kinney is about a world-famous tenor ready to perform “Othello” at the Cleveland Opera Company. Through a series of mishaps, he receives a double dose of tranquilizers, causing the house manager to believe he is dead and setting off a madcap chain of hilarious events. If you like or dislike opera, you probably will love this performance.

62 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

Freeborn County Bike-A-Thon When: 6 a.m. May 3 Where: Start at warming house at Sibley Elementary School Cost: donation More info: The weather forecast looks much better than it did in snowy early May of 2013, knock on wood. Proceeds from this bike ride go to the American Cancer Society. Some ride the 10 miles to Glenville and call it good. Others go for the full 100-mile ride around Freeborn County.

Y-Not Golf Tournament When: tee time 12:30, May 19 Where: Wedgewood Cove Golf Club Cost: $100 per person, $400 per team More info: This four-person, best-shot tournament raises money for the Albert Lea Family Y’s youth fund, which provides financial assistance for families and children to join the Y, sponsors Youth in Government activities, bolsters sports training programs, gets kids into swimming lessons, helps out with day camp and many other activities. The goal of the fund drive this year is $125,000, with a goal of $40,000 from the golf tournament.

‘White

on

White’

When: 1-3 p.m. May 18 Where: Albert Lea Art Center Cost: free More info: Remember “50 Shades of Red” back in February? This time, the Art Center presents a white-colored exhibit in coordination. The exhibit runs all month.

In addition, the Art Center is hosting a play called “Art” at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center on May 23 and 24.

Take

a

Kid Fishing

When: 9 a.m.-noon June 7 Where: Edgewater Park Cost: free More info: The Fountain Lake Sportsmen’s Club hand out kiddie fishing poles and prizes each year on the first Saturday of June, when children 16 and younger can fish without a license.

Activities take place on or near the fishing pier.

Richie Lee & the Fabulous 50s When: 7:30 p.m. June 14 Where: Marion Ross Performing Arts Center Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at door More info: Eddie Cochran Weekend seems like it will be bigger than ever in 2014, with the closing of Broadway for family activities, a nighttime race called the UV Splash Dash and the traditional car cruise and show. But the big act rock ’n’ roll fans won’t want to miss is Iowa’s own Richie Lee. Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly will be there in spirit.

The Albert Lea Farmers Market sells many varieties of tasty garden vegetables.

Vintage Style Show When: 9:30 a.m.-noon June 28 Where: Bethany Hall of First Lutheran Church Cost: $15 More info: This brunch is a style show and a fundraiser for the Freeborn County Historical Museum. Women model vintage clothing on stage. Tickets sell out every year. Pick them up at the MerryGo-Round Shoppe.

Freeborn County Bike-A-Thon riders Don Munden of Albert Lea, in blue, and Jon Christenson of Freeborn, in yellow, talk at the fire hall in Glenville.

Zack Sherman completes a rotation as he splashes into the water of Morin Lake during Morin Lake Days.

Morin Lake Days When: June 20-22 Where: Alden Cost: free More info: The American Legion holds its popular street dance on Saturday night that weekend. There is a free family movie at the school on Friday night. A 5K fun run takes place Saturday morning.

The weekend also features a fishing contest, kids activities, medallion hunt, a car cruise and fireworks.

MAY/JUNE 2014 | ALBERT LEA | 63

INSIDE ALBERT LEA MAGAZINE

behind the scenes We had to go back to the medical center to perfect the photo for the cover. This time, we brought the big guns, Editor Tim Engstrom. In the end, the shoot benefited from a windy day.

Always keeping communication open is the key to a great magazine.

When covering the new drink menu at Skol Tavern, Tim Engstrom was forced at swordpoint to don a horned Viking helmet with braids by the tavern’s assistant manager, Nicole Thompson. OK, not really.

He volunteered after some coaxing.

Brooke and Tracy have been friends for a while. It was easy for them to have natural and fun-looking conversations.

Albert Lea Magazine stylist Angie Hoffman assists on a photo shoot by holding the elevator doors open. It’s not always a glamorous job!

In the next issue:

What inspires Heather Benda and other local women to achieve success?

Like the Albert Lea Magazine page on Facebook for insider info, unseen photos and prizes!

64 | ALBERT LEA | MAY/JUNE 2014

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