River Valley Woman February 2020

She Knew She Had a Choice

She Chose OrthoEdge for Joint Replacement Surgery.

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She got quality care close to home. The OrthoEdge Joint Replacement Program features two of the most experienced orthopaedic care providers in the area, The Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic and River’s Edge Hospital.

• 3,000 successful hip, knee and other orthopaedic surgeries

• 245 years of combined orthopaedic surgery experience

• 1 of 13 hospitals in the nation accredited as a hip and knee replacement center of excellence

Getting the care you deserve and trust, close to home, makes OrthoEdge the right choice for joint replacement surgery.

Learn more at OrthoEdgeMN.com

Recognized for Being the Best!

River’s Edge Hospital has been recognized as a DNV GL Healthcare certifi ed Orthopaedic Center of Excellence for:

• Hip & Knee Replacement

• Shoulder Surgery

• Spine Surgery

Plus, River’s Edge Hospital is top rated for patient experience!

BY EILEEN MADSEN Editor

us in a very hairy situation. Something we feel compelled to shed light on.

River Valley Woman is sending a Valentine to our furry friends. Judging by our Facebook poll, we adore our pets. And it’s not just puppy love. We are crazy for cats, wild about horses, bonkers for bunnies, and have a soft spot for everything in between.

A soft spot is what our cover feature, president of Mending Spirits Animal Rescue, Kristy Olson, has with her mission to help animals, as well as a literally soft spot for critters to cozy up in while they await adoption. She, along with a group of caring volunteers, rescues everything from dogs and cats, to rabbits, hedgehogs and farm animals that reside in over-crowded shelters, impounds, or unhealthy or unsafe situations, and place them in foster homes. We heart Kristy!

Giving the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society a new leash on life, so to speak, is organization president Susan Kroon. While we might tell Fluffy or Fido

“no, no,” that is not a word that Kroon pays mind to. At least when it comes to raising the funds she wanted for BENCHS Riverside Pet Shelter. After being told she was barking up the wrong tree for attaining financing for the new shelter, she and the folks at BENCHS turned to the community with determination, and after only two years—yes, yes, success!

We all know there are dog people and there are cat people, and at times we fight like them over which makes the better pet. Additionally, our own personalities can

reflect the animal we have the affinity for. I am most definitely a cat person and want each one I see on the Pet Finder website. I think cats get a bum rap, and that is usually by dog people who view them as standoffish. While I see some dogs as being the canine equivalent of a close talker desperate to be my new BFF, or on the flipside, eyeing me up as an Alpo substitute. Felines aren’t standoffish; they are simply considering what you can do to enhance their lives and find you lacking.

I know that Julie Marvets of Furball Farm Pet Sanctuary can relate, as she is fine being known as the “crazy cat lady.” Some kitties may have to scratch and claw their way to the top, but those behavioral issues can be a deal breaker in many households. That’s where Marvets and the Furball volunteers come in, along with her area humane societies, vet clinics, etc. housing these fiery felines in their “catatorium”…sometimes short term, sometimes forever.

It’s a dog’s life for Finley and his owner Linda Wiesner. She and therapy dog, Finley, are local celebrities with the area care center residents whom they visit as part of Puppy Love Therapy Dogs and Caring Canines of Mankato. A refugee from Chicago, he also participates in AKC rallies and pet safety training at area schools. Who’s a good boy?

Do you sometimes feel like a hamster on a wheel, getting nowhere in a hurry? Maybe you need a little horseplay at Pinewood Stable. Equating potato chips to her love of all things equine, owner Linda Hilligoss, who is also an investigator with the Minnesota Racing Commission, couldn’t stop at having just one horse. Currently, her menagerie includes a herd of horses and ponies, a cat and dog, and a donkey thrown in for good measure. Kids and adults can saddle up and ride for fun, or for health.

So, sit—pull up a patch of sun— this issue is a treat.

By RUTH KLOSSNER

PHOTOS BY ALICE HQ PHOTOGRAPHY AND RUTH KLOSSNER

resident, Foster Coordinator, Intake, Behaviorist, and Vetting Manager.

Those are all titles that Kristy Olson holds at Mending Spirits Animal Rescue in Mankato.

While she may have the titles, Olson can’t do it alone. She relies on a big group of volunteers—numbering in the hundreds. There are application processers, medical staff, an adoption coordinator, an adoption team, a home visit team, foster providers, a transportation team, and more.

Three women—Angie Kimes, Stacy Doust, and Dr. Nancy Swedin—are deeply involved in multiple areas to assist Olson. Kimes and Doust are among approximately 60 people who provide foster homes.

MSAR began six years ago when a group of people who recognized the need came together.

They work together with the theme, “The bridge between, for an animal in need. Never alone and forever in a home.”

Mending Spirits is totally foster care—believing that animals do better outside of a kennel setting, in loving foster homes where they can be worked with on a one-on-one basis.

“Animals do much better—they thrive in a home. We rescue them from shelters that are loud, crowded, uncomfortable, and a source of disease. Shelters may not be as sanitary as homes,” Olson said.

Without the overhead of a shelter—and with an all-volunteer staff—MSAR is more efficient and can direct all funding to the animals.

Olson explained, “We don’t want the overhead. We prefer that the money goes to the animals, not to overhead.”

Doust added, “Everyone with Mending Spirits is here because

they want to help animals.”

Many MSAR volunteers are in the Mankato area—but some come from as far away as the Twin Cities metro. With their help, Mending Spirits has adopted out over 2,000 animals in six years. Those numbers include dogs, cats, hedgehogs, chinchillas, ferrets, hamsters, an iguana, and farm animals— ducks, guinea fowl, chickens, potbelly pigs.

“We take any small animal that could be a pet—and that we have a foster home available for. Anything but wildlife—we refer them to other agencies,” Olson said.

She added, “Everybody has their little niche where they can provide custom care. Not everyone can take a seven-foot python. We do have a guy who will take potbelly pigs in a rural area. He’s already taken three.”

The oldest animal that the group has rescued was a 23-yearold parrot, the largest a 145-pound dog, and the smallest a gerbil. The smallest born in care was a three-ounce Chihuahua puppy. The oldest now in care is a 16-year-old cat.

MSAR typically gets animals from animal impound, local and surrounding shelters, high kill facilities, puppy mills, owner surrenders, cruelty cases, and strays—then places them in foster homes with the goal of placing them into well-paired, permanent homes.

The staff learns of animals in need through animal advocates, social media, local impounds, and owner surrenders. The biggest reasons for owner surrender are moving and behavioral issues (dogs) and strays and overpopulation (cats).

"Because of those reasons, we try to eliminate those problems through education,” Olson said. “We have a behaviorist, a professional trainer, to help keep people and their pets together." 

 She also noted, “We parallel people with animal traits. We don’t want to see a family with a baby and a two-year-old, living in a small apartment, adopt a kennel dog. We have standards of placement—they have to be suitable for the conditions. The whole goal in rescue is not to re-do it. Our job is to make sure it’s a forever home.”

Animals stay in foster care with MSAR until the right home is found. Usually that’s weeks or months, but it could be a year or longer.

“Our return rates are very low,” Doust said.

“It’s about four percent,” Olson verified. “That means that about 96 percent of our placements are successful.”

MSAR’s animals are provided spay or neuter surgery, distemper, and rabies vaccination and boosters, deworming, heartworm tests and treatment if needed, microchip implant, FIV and FeLV tests and treatment if needed, monthly heartworm and flea/ tick preventatives, dental care if needed, orthopedic surgery and aftercare if needed, illness and injury care, food, treats, and supplements, access to free training, and supplies for the fosters (food, crates, bedding, toys, leashes, collars, kitty litter, etc.).

MSAR has developed several additional programs to ensure success. A Pet Behavior Library is available, as well as access to professional training and behavioral staff at no cost to its alumni.

On average, nearly 50 percent of the MSAR intakes are special needs. Special needs animals often require a little extra time, love, and energy. They take a certain commitment, especially financially, as they may need extensive medical care or other supportive services. Special needs animals may have a physical disability, have a chronic or terminal illness, are recovering from a serious injury, are elderly and/or require hospice care at home, or have an emotional and/or behavioral problem.

MSAR also started a new program, Healing Heroes, in 2019. A professional trainer is onboard to custom train rescued dogs to become trained service dogs for veterans in need. Kathryn Smith is a professional trainer and is also a member of the St Paul Police Department. She custom trains service dogs rescued by 

Kristy grew up in the Mankato area but moved around a lot as a child—switching schools eight times while growing up! She graduated from Mankato East High School, then from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling and Ethnic Studies.

Olson has been a licensed Family Child Care Provider for 22 years. Prior to that, she worked with disabled adults and supervised them in the workplace, plus provided enrichment and rehabilitative/ therapeutic activities.

Kristy is a single mom and has never been married. Her daughter Autumn is 24 years old.

Olson said, “I deeply admire her and the wise, noble, beautiful woman she has become. She also assists in rescue by providing advocacy and actively fosters animals.”

Kristy currently owns two mixed-breed dogs, Ricky and Czar—both rescued just before they were to be euthanized. Growing up, she owned many animals—ranging from small animals and reptiles to cats and all breeds of dogs.

“My love for animals began when I was a baby. My first dog and I bonded so deeply, we were inseparable. I spent a lot of time in nature and developed a love and appreciation for all walks of life. As a child, my dad would take me to see many different types of animals, both domestic and wild,” Olson said.

She went on, “I remember meeting an eight-foot python as a little girl and the first thing I did was give him a big kiss as he snuggled in on my shoulders. I remember feeding deer as a little girl and sharing my ice cream cone with them. And, every winter my dad and I would go feed the geese. Every animal I met touched my heart and the connections we made impacted me in such a loving way.”

Kristy rescued her first animal—a Chihuahua—when she was 13 years old. She had her while growing up and the dog passed away in 2004, at the age of 14.

“During my lifetime, animals have always come on my path and I have never turned away from helping them. I became a strong advocate and—for many years—I would find animals that needed rescue placement and secured them into surrounding rescues. I encouraged people to foster animals in need with foster-based orgs. I provided support and behavioral training to pet owners who were struggling with challenging behaviors. I also advocated for securing quality lowcost vet care, too,” Olson said.

Kristy has also rescued wildlife—rescuing a hummingbird in 2017 and another in 2018. In the summer of 2019, she hand-fed some of the beautiful hummingbirds that visit her every year—capturing it on video and in photos.

Eventually, things fell in place for Olson.

“Before I knew it, I was running a 100 percent volunteer-based nonprofit animal rescue fueled by incredible people who do this because they care and share this same love with animals. Not a single one of us is paid. It’s pretty incredible that we have an organization that can facilitate a common compassion to help animals in need, while we provide community support in many other areas, too. Besides being a mom, this is one of the best parts of my life,” Olson summed up.

The December 23 Trivia Night at Mankato Brewery featured four rounds of trivia questions. One was dog-related, one was cat-related, one was questions about the other animals MSAR has in its care (parrots, rabbits, chinchilla, etc.), and one was Christmas movie pets.

Here are a few of the questions:

How many breeds of dogs are there worldwide?

400

What is the largest breed of dog?

Old English Mastiff

How old was the oldest recorded dog?

Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who lived to be 29

What is a group of kittens called?

A kindle

What is a female cat called?

A queen

What is the technical name for a fur ball?

A bezoar

Is it hard to foster?

No! MSR provides medical care, food, kennels. You just add love.

Everyone with Mending Spirits is here because they want to help animals.

 MSAR for veterans in need. Five trained dogs have gone out so far.

“We take the animals nobody wants,” Kristy said, with Angie adding, “and we love them.”

MSAR hosts an adoption event on the second Saturday of every month at Pet Expo in Mankato. Quarterly microchip clinics are also held—usually on the same day as an adoption event.

It takes a lot of dollars to keep MSAR running. While adoption fees cover part of the cost, Mending Spirits’ volunteers work hard to raise additional funding. Quarterly bake sales at Pet Expo raise some funds, as well as donation nights at local restaurants. MSAR is also seeking corporate funding.

“Pet Expo is a big supporter of our program. It makes donations bi-monthly, at least, hosts photo events, our adoption events, and provides just about anything we ask for,” Olson said. “They asked us to decorate a giving tree to collect things for animals in our care over the holidays. It was a nice way for people to give back things that our animals can use— and people were very generous.”

The Mankato Brewery also pitched in, hosting a Give Back Monday trivia night right before Christmas—and will hold four Barks and Brews Wednesdays in June, with two benefitting MSAR and two benefitting the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society.

To learn more about Mending Spirits, to volunteer to help, or to learn about animals that are available, go to www. mendingspirits.org or contact Kristy at kristy.mendingspirits@ gmail.com. RVW

Mending Spirits volunteers, from left: Angie Kimes holding Chim, Stacy Doust, and Kristy Olson holding Tay. Chim, a six-year-old Dachshund mix, and Tay, a one-year-old mixed breed, were both injured and are paralyzed in their rear quarters. They use “scoot bags” when they’re not in doggie wheelchairs.

By MARY LEWIS

Kathy Schelin and Julie Marvets of Furball Farm Pet Sanctuary with some of their furry friends.

ulie Marvets jokingly refers to herself as a “crazy cat lady,” but if giving homeless cats a retirement community is crazy, she’s okay with that.

Julie started the Furball Farm Pet Sanctuary in Faribault three years ago. The sanctuary is for cats that have behavioral issues, but are otherwise healthy. Some of the cats are eventually rehabilitated and find forever homes, but the majority will live out their lives at Furball Farm.

After serving her country in the military, Julie became a veterinary technician. Veterinary technicians are educated in the care and handling of animals, the basic principles of normal and abnormal life processes, and in many laboratory and clinical procedures. Her education makes her uniquely qualified to run Furball Farm.

Furball Farm Pet Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization that takes in healthy cats that are deemed “not adoptable” due to behavioral issues. Julie fostered for many years for Last Hope (a pet rescue in Farmington) and realized there weren’t many options for those less desirable cats. She and her husband bought a hobby farm in Faribault and decided to start a sanctuary.

She has 44 volunteers and six officers on the Board of Directors.

Furball Farm became teammates with the rescues, animal controls, humane societies, and veterinary clinics within the state of Minnesota, taking in their “non-adoptable cats.” When they could rehabilitate some, they would swap them out.

The Marvets have been raising money for two years to build a facility that is especially designed for these very special cats and finally have the green light to start. The new sanctuary will have isolation rooms, a bathroom, kitchen/laundry room, and a large “Catatorium” that will be bigger than what exists now and will feature cat walks, ledges, platforms and two stories of windows—because cats love windows.

“We love the feeling we get when we help find a sanctuary cat a forever, loving, permanent home—even if our sanctuary is their home.” Julie said.

Behavioral issues can be anything from not using a litter box consistently to developmental problems. One of the cats has cerebral palsy. Some of the cats suffer from anxiety.

When cats have anxiety, they are given Gabapentin to help them transition into the new environment. Gabapentin is an

inexpensive medication originally developed to control seizures in humans. It is also used to control neuropathic pain in humans, dogs, and cats. While it is not labeled for use for anxiety, it is increasingly used for that purpose in human and veterinary medicine. Kathy Schelin, Julie’s co-director, makes a special soup for the cats. The soup is made up of canned food, water, L-Lysine, and pure pumpkin. L-lysine is an amino acid, a pure organic compound that is used as a supplement for humans, canines, and felines. It cannot be synthesized in the body and must be gained through food and supplements. L-lysine has long been administered by veterinarians as a mode of prevention and treatment of feline herpesvirus, also known as FHV-1. The “soup” allows them to treat cats that are can’t be handled with dewormer and antibiotics. It’s called group treating.

When asked why Julie provides a home for unadoptable cats, she answers, “Because I love cats. People seem to think cats are disposable and I do not. I take discarded healthy cats and—if I can earn their trust and help them become pet material—it’s frosting on the cake and we adopt them out. Otherwise I am their forever faithful and loving home.”

Providing a home for many cats is hard work and costs money.

Julie said, “We go through 200 pounds of dry food per week. And we use ten to twelve 40-pound pails of clumping litter per week.” She doesn’t do it alone. Volunteers donate their time to visit the cats and help with manual labor. Moving tubs of cat litter and bags and boxes of cat food requires strong backs. Julie noted that 85 percent of her volunteers are either nurses or vet techs.

Cats are social creatures and—even if they don’t want to be touched—they do appreciate company. Clients from group homes come to visit the sanctuary. The cats enjoy the attention, and the clients get to interact with the cats. It’s an opportunity for them to visit with animals, as most group homes don’t allow pets.

Julie welcomes visitors to Furball Farm. For more information, go to Facebook.

Furball Farm suffered a minor catastrophe in November. After a major snowfall, their “catio” (a patio for the cats to spend time outdoors) collapsed from the weight of the heavy snow. Once good weather returns, they will re-build it. In the meantime, the cats live in a heated five-stall garage, with lots of cozy cat beds, places to climb, windows to sun in, and well-attended litter boxes.

Furball Farm also has fundraisers a few 

There are over 500 million domestic cats in the world.

Cats and humans have been associated for nearly 10,000 years.

Cats conserve energy by sleeping for an average of 13 to 14 hours a day.

A group of cats is called a clowder, a male cat is called a tom, a female cat is called a molly or queen, and young cats are called kittens.

A group of kittens born to one mama cat is called a kindle.

Cats purr when they’re content, but they also purr when they’re sick, stressed, hurt, or giving birth.

Cats have powerful night vision, allowing them to see at light levels six times lower than what a human needs to see.

On average, cats live about 12 to 15 years.

Cats spend a large amount of time licking their coats to keep them clean.

Feral cats are often seen as pests and threats to native animals.

 times a year. Julie’s husband owns a couple of local Carbone’s restaurants, and they hold fundraisers there. Julie also sets up fundraising campaigns online.

Julie’s organization serves an important purpose. Stray cats can become a real problem in populated areas. According to the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals):

Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. It estimates that the number of dogs and cats entering U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 7.2 million in 2011. The biggest decline was in dogs (from 3.9 million to 3.3 million).

Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats). The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners.

Approximately 3.2 million shelter animals are adopted each

year (1.6 million dogs and 1.6 million cats).

About 710,000 animals that enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 620,000 are dogs and only 90,000 are cats.

According to the ASPCA’s National Rehoming Survey, pet problems are the most common reason that owners rehome their pet, accounting for 42% of rehomed cats. Pet problems were defined as problematic behaviors, aggressive behaviors, growing larger than expected, or health problems owners couldn’t handle. RVW

The APPA (American Pet Products Association) shared these statistics from their 2015-2016 report: Approximately 35% of all households in the United States have a cat.

Approximately 46% of cat owners learned about their pet through word of mouth.

31% of cats are obtained from an animal shelter or humane society.

About 27% of cats are acquired as strays, down from 35% in 2012.

Kathy and Julie mix up some “cat soup.”

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miles abound when Linda Wiesner and Finley visit care centers. You see, Finley is a therapy dog, specially trained to interact with people in wheelchairs, using crutches, or limited in their mobility.

Working with others from Puppy Love Therapy Dogs or Caring Canines of Mankato, Linda and Finley visit nursing homes and assisted living centers in New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, and Mankato.

While they usually make the visits in a group, the pair made a solo visit to greet residents at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm during the holidays. Residents greeted them with “Oh, it’s Finley” and “It’s so good to see you.”

For many, having a dog in their midst reminds them

of the pets they had in childhood—or later in life. One resident still has her own dog, though family members now care for it.

The Puppy Love Therapy Dogs do more than greet visitors. They perform commands to music, show off their tricks and skills, and play a dice game (“Which trick do you want him to do?). Of course, there’s lots of time for petting, too.

“The important part is to let people feel and touch,” Wiesner said. Handlers carry or control the dogs and do not let them sit on people’s laps, however.

The dogs that visit care centers are all certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, and covered by insurance through that group. 

Story & Photos By RUTH KLOSSNER

 To be certified, both the dog and its owner are checked out. The dog must be at least one year old and observed and tested for its suitability with people, comfortable around walkers, crutches, etc. The dog must also be current on it shots, etc.

Finley’s life as a therapy dog now is far different than the first months of his life. Finley was found on the streets of Chicago—with a broken leg—more than five years ago. After being impounded, he was brought to Minnesota through the One of a Kind Pet Rescue in Kenyon—just at the right time.

It was September 2014 and Linda Wiesner had lost her therapy dog, Bailey, two months earlier.

“I was looking for another dog. His picture spoke to me. I applied, they checked my references, they did a home check and a meet and greet with his foster mom in Elysian. She said I could adopt him,” Wiesner explained.

“I wanted a rescue with the possibility of being a therapy dog. It took work to get him to that point,” Wiesner admitted. “He was scared of other dogs, noises, and more. It took the whole neighborhood to make him the dog he is now.”

The support of Linda’s neighborhood is reflected in Finley’s official name, adopted for his participation in AKC Rally events—“Finley of South Washington.”

Wiesner took Finley to obedience classes where he first “shook and was scared of everything.” From there, she entered him in weekly Rally Classes at Mankato.

“His confidence grew so much through Rally,” she said. “He became more and more comfortable around things and being around other dogs.”

At Rally classes at the Key City Kennel Club, Linda and Finley work with two to seven other dogs.

“Rally is a sport that demonstrates that the dog and the handler are able to perform the commands/signs on the course. Dogs are able to compete, earn qualifying scores, and titles through the AKC,” Wiesner explained. “It’s through the American Kennel Club.”

She went on, “Finley is not registered because he’s not a purebred, but he can compete as an AKC Canine Partner. For that, he needed an official name, hence ‘Finley of South Washington.”

Although Linda isn’t sure what breed Finley is, a DNA test suggested that he’s a mix of Bichon, Lhasa Apso, Miniature Poodle, Miniature Pinscher, and Mixed Breed.

So far, Finley has received his Rally Novice and Rally Intermediate titles, both while working on a leash. He’s now working on his Rally Advanced title and has completed two of three legs of that.

Working with the Puppy Love Therapy group, Linda and Finley also do pet safety training for second graders at St. Anthony Catholic and St. Paul’s Lutheran Schools in New Ulm, as well as at Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial. They introduce the dogs to the students, show a video on how to approach dogs and how to identify the signs of dogs being friendly/unfriendly, and have the students practice skills of how to pet a dog. They also have the kids practice being rocks and trees to protect themselves from an aggressive dog.

All the work is done by volunteers who enjoy sharing their dogs with others. RVW

Linda Wiesner grew up in Shakopee with three sisters. Her parents still live there. After graduating from the College of Saint Teresa in Winona, Wiesner came right to New Ulm and began what’s now a 40-year teaching career at New Ulm Area Catholic Schools.

She teaches fifth and sixth-grade math and fifth-grade social studies in the St. Anthony Building and has also coached eighth-grade volleyball since she arrived.

Of her work, Wiesner said, “I have been teaching for so many years that some of my students are the children of my former students. My favorite thing about being a teacher is that “AhHa” moment! This might take place when a student sees the relevance of a math skill to daily life or finally understands a skill after much instruction and practice.”

In her free time, Linda enjoys scrapbooking, crafty things, taking Finley for walks, camping, gardening, and making dog visits—which she tries to do once or twice a week.

Attracting BIRDS to Your Landscape

Gardening and bird-watching are an easy pairing. Over the last few summers in our house, I’ve been thrilled to see cardinals, goldfinches, and hummingbirds on a regular basis. I never suspected that birds would give me so much pleasure, even though my mom and my extended family members are all avid birders.

I’d love to have even more birds in my yard, but I’m not a huge fan of messy bird feeders. (We already battle the squirrels enough as it is.) I started researching this column by looking for shrubs and trees that serve as food sources for birds, hoping that I could learn to lure more of them into my yard. But even my preliminary research taught me that attracting birds to your landscape isn’t as simple as planting specific plants. Birds need comprehensive habitats, not just an isolated food source — which might help explain why some people struggle to attract birds to their yards even with many well-stocked bird feeders.

Throughout the year, but especially in the winter, birds need access to food, water, and shelter. An ideal bird-friendly yard will provide all of these amenities, even in the dead cold of February. Bird baths are easy to install and maintain, and they can serve as decorative elements in the landscape. Consider adding a heater or bubbler to keep the water from freezing. If you live by an open water source, you’ll only need to supply water in the coldest months.

Birds need sources of shelter to protect them from wind, precipitation, and predators such as hawks or cats. In the spring, you might be lucky enough to have birds build their nests and lay their eggs in whatever shelter you’ve provided. Evergreen trees and shrubs are perfect for year-round shelter. Ornamental grasses and deciduous shrubs with dense or horizontal branching will also attract birds seeking cover or nesting spots.

Some birds will also seek shelter in brush piles or decaying logs and tree trunks. If your yard is small, you probably won’t want to take up space with piles of branches and rotting timber. However, in larger landscapes it

should be easy to tuck a brush pile or two into a hidden back corner. (After all, you have to do something with your tree and shrub trimmings!) If you ever need to remove a tree from your yard, consider leaving a portion of the trunk standing; insects feeding on the decomposing wood will be a great food source for scavenging woodpeckers and other birds that eat bugs.

With water and shelter taken care of, you can focus on plantings that will help feed your feathered guests. Seeds, berries, and nuts are obvious food sources. For example, oak, hickory, and hazelnut trees provide nuts for blue jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. Coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and globe thistle seeds are popular with various finches, especially the flashy American goldfinch. Many native grasses also have seeds that are edible for birds. Big and little bluestem are two of my favorite native grasses.

Most trees and shrubs with berries will be popular with at least one bird species. Viburnum, plum, sumac, serviceberry, crabapple, dogwood, virginia creeper, showy mountain ash, elderberry, and chokeberry reliably produce fruits each year. My garden has a gray dogwood tree (Cornus racemosa) that has beautiful white berries in late-summer. Within a month or so, the branches are picked clean — over ninety-eight bird species will feed on gray dogwood berries!

Trees, shrubs, and perennials that attract native leaf-eating insects are highly desirable for birds, as well. Insects, especially in the larval stage, are a major food source for young birds as they’re developing. Some trees, such as white oak, red maple, and white pine, are hosts to hundreds of larval insects. Planting these trees in your landscape will help your local mama birds feed their babies.

Planting diverse species (especially native ones) is always the best approach for attracting and supporting wildlife. Yards with many plant species — and with both herbaceous and woody materials — will be the most successful.

LAURA SCHWARZ New Ulm native, Minneapolis-based horticulturist and writer

REMODELING PROJECT

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR

Outside of the home itself, remodeling is typically one of the largest investments you can make as a homeowner. While some projects can be tempting to tackle yourself, many larger-scale projects may require hiring a qualified professional.

Because remodeling your home is a big undertaking, it’s important to take steps to ensure the professional you hire to perform the work is qualified to complete it to the highest standards of quality and integrity.

Consider these tips from the experts at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry to help you make an informed decision when hiring a remodeling contractor.

Get Recommendations

One of the best ways to find qualified, professional help is through word-of-mouth referrals. Ask your relatives, friends, neighbors or coworkers – particularly if they’ve recently renovated their own homes – if they have any previous experience with companies they would recommend. Also consider searching online for reviews of companies in your area.

Stay Local

It’s often best to consider established local remodeling companies first, as they are typically more compelled to perform high-quality work, which allows their businesses to thrive and remain in the community. Local professionals are also likely to know permit requirements and building codes in your city or county, which can change from year to year.

Follow Your Design Aesthetic

Whether your home features a mid-century modern, contemporary or farmhouse design style, it’s critical to choose a remodeler who is knowledgeable in the construction and design of the style of your home. Additionally, a company that specializes in remodeling kitchens may not be suited for a bathroom or bedroom project.

Ask for Licenses and Insurance

Many states, but not all, require contractors to be licensed, bonded and insured. Ask for copies of licenses and insurance certificates for any remodelers you’re considering to make sure they’re current. Most states also require contractors to carry worker’s compensation, property damage and personal liability insurance for their crews. Contact your state or local licensing agencies to ensure the contractor meets the minimum requirements.

Check References

Once you’ve narrowed your list of potential contractors, ask for a list of references you can contact and a portfolio of work. A typical reference list includes 10 or more jobs with dates as well as the customer’s name, address and phone number, and a portfolio should also contain at least 10 projects with photos of the space before work began, during the project and after completion. If possible, also consider visiting a current job site to see first-hand how the contractor operates.

Search for Violations or Complaints

Because you can’t always rely on a portfolio or references, it’s important to also check with your local consumer affairs office or the Better Business Bureau to ensure there are no complaints on record for the contractors you’re considering, which may help further narrow your list.

Compare Apples to Apples

While a number of different factors goes into every remodeling project, be sure all contractors you solicit bids from are using the same scope and quality of work requirements. Discuss any significant variations in price or timelines and be wary of any substantially lower estimates. Find more tips for selecting a contractor at remodelingdoneright.com.

A kitchen serves as command-central of most homes, so it’s also one of the first rooms homeowners choose when it’s time to make upgrades. When approaching your kitchen remodel, it’s important to keep your family’s lifestyle at the forefront of your planning to create a space that fits the way you like to live.

Get the most livable space and enjoyment out of a kitchen remodel with these tips from the experts at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry:

Make purposeful changes. A desire to bring your kitchen’s style up to date is plenty of motivation for a renovation, but to get maximum benefit from your new space, spend time considering what functional improvements you can make, too. Do you need more cabinets for storage? Is there enough counter space for meal prep? Does the overall layout suit your family’s needs? Even if you chose the original layout and floorplan, chances are good that over time you’ve found a few things you’d change given the chance to do it again.

Consider physical space. If yours is a family that cooks together, or if guests tend to congregate in the kitchen when you’re entertaining, a renovation is the perfect time to make adjustments that accommodate more bodies in the kitchen. You might want more work zones for multiple cooks or an island or peninsula set away from the high-traffic zone for guests more interested in snacking and chatting than getting hands-on. Evaluate your shopping style. You may be in the habit of doing your grocery shopping to fit your available space. However, with a larger refrigerator and more pantry space, your shopping habits could change, allowing you to become a bulk shopper or at least increase the time between shopping trips.

Be realistic about mealtime. If your family’s activities have everyone eating at different times, you may benefit from a feature like a warming drawer that keeps dinner warm until each family member makes it home for a meal. Think about features that would make the table space more practical, such as task lighting so kids can tackle homework at the table or convenient access to power for laptops.

Choose appliances with care. It’s easy to get carried away with all of the design elements that go into a kitchen renovation, but at the end of the day, remember the appliances are the true centerpiece of the space. Be sure to leave room in the budget to select the best appliances for your needs so you have all the functions, features and space to make using your new kitchen as enjoyable as possible.

Think into the future. A kitchen renovation can be a costly venture, so it’s a good idea to project years down the road as you consider your needs. Are there features that would enhance the safety if a baby (that soon will become an inquisitive toddler) joins the family? Are there elderly family members that may benefit from a lower or higher work station down the road?

Find more expert tips to inform your renovation planning at RemodelingDoneRight.com.

QMy sister just had a heart attack. She’s only 53 and is a marathon runner! How could this happen?

AHeart disease kills more women than men, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. It affects women of all ages. It should be noted that for younger women, the combination of smoking and oral contraceptive use increases risks of heart disease by 20%. Risks increase with age and—combined with over-eating and a sedentary lifestyle—this can lead to clogged arteries later in life.

No one is immune to heart disease. Even ultra-marathon-running-superyogis isn’t without risk. Factors including family history, cholesterol, eating habits, and smoking can offset other healthy habits. The American Heart Association recommends getting your cholesterol checked by age 20, or earlier if you have a family history of heart disease, and keep an eye on your blood pressure as well.

Symptoms of a heart attack can present differently in women than in men, and 64% of women who die suddenly from a cardiac event had no previous symptoms. Women are more likely to experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain. Other symptoms women should look for include dizziness, fainting, extreme fatigue, or pain in the chest or upper abdomen.

Some aspects of prevention are within your control, and some are not. Behavioral modifications that you can control include managing diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising 20 minutes daily, increasing your plant-based consumption, decreasing or abstaining from alcohol, not smoking, meditating for stress management, and practicing mindfulness. Factors out of your control include your family history and genetics that may contribute to having high cholesterol. Talk to your provider about your personal risk so they can design a care plan that is appropriate for you. Have a beautiful day!

CORINNE JORDAN, MD, FACS General Surgery Physicians Group of New Ulm

When you’re considering new approaches to healthy living –whether eliminating or adding habits to improve your daily life –beginning with your home is an optimal choice.

Your living environment has a strong influence on your life, and it’s worth evaluating how you can make updates that create a positive space for you and all that the new year will bring. Consider these ideas to refresh your home and simplify your housecleaning routine so you can spend more time focusing on your goals this year.

Start by Decluttering

It’s practically impossible to get excited about a fresh start when you’re surrounding by last year’s junk. Make decluttering and purging unnecessary items a top priority for your refresh. Clear counters and tables to create more inviting surfaces and force yourself to assess which items are worth keeping. Get rid of items you don’t need by donating, selling or disposing them. Tackle piles of things you’ve carelessly tossed aside and find (or create) purposeful places for them to belong.

Simplify Your Laundry Routine

Whether it’s the frustration of having no clean laundry or never-ending baskets filled with clothes that need folding, laundry is an area where nearly every home can use a refresh. Start with the basics to make laundry easy and quick. A streamlined laundry system starts with the right tools for the job, such as all Mighty Pacs, which are available in several varieties with different benefits and contain single doses of detergent that release while inside your machine, so you can simply toss one in and start the load. If you have sensitive skin, try all Free Clear, the No. 1 recommended detergent brand by dermatologists, allergists and pediatricians for sensitive skin. It’s gentle and works through tough stains fast.

Create a Fitness Space

One way to stay committed to a new workout regimen is to create a place where you enjoy spending time. Even if you don’t have a room to dedicate to fitness, you can make a fitness corner feel more intentional and less like an afterthought with some simple changes. If possible, locate your fitness area near a window so you can soak up the energy of natural light. Clear away unnecessary items and make room for the equipment or floor space you need. Add inspiring posters or make frames to hold your current workout guide. Add storage for hand weights, resistance bands and other small equipment to create your own home gym.

Reconfigure Your Furniture

A full-fledged renovation may not be in the cards (or budget), but you can give your living space a quick facelift by simply rearranging the furniture. Beyond simple aesthetic changes, think about how you can make better use of natural light and improve traffic patterns. You might also eliminate extra pieces if the space feels overcrowded or consider borrowing functional items that add storage or seating from other rooms in the house.

Add Greenery

The middle of winter may not seem like an ideal time to hone your green thumb, but adding a few plants can make your home feel more inviting and chase away the cold weather blues. Plants can also help serve as a natural air purifying system; they absorb carbon dioxide to help stimulate their growth and are believed to absorb a host of other airborne pollutants.

For more ideas to simplify your routine this year, visit all-laundry.com.

By MICHAEL LAGERQUIST

usan Kroon is not the kind of person who takes your doubts as her certainties. She takes them as challenges and sets about proving you wrong.

Such was the case in 2007 when, as a new member of the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society (BENCHS) board of directors, she was told they wouldn’t get financing for a new pet shelter. She had never participated in a capital campaign before, so she went about learning how to do it. She and two others hired a consultant, listened to the advice, and—within two years—attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new BENCHS Riverside Pet Shelter at 1250 North River Drive in Mankato.

She recounts that meeting when they set about building a new shelter.

“I sat down with a couple of powers-that-be in Mankato, some financial minds,” she said of starting the capital campaign. “I did our business plan and the whole song and dance, and they looked at me and said, ‘Can’t do it.’ ”

She doesn’t fault the “financial minds” for their statement. It was 2007, the national economy was heading toward a big recession, and they had people to look out for. But Kroon and the folks at BENCHS had animals to look out for, so they couldn’t take that no as a final answer. They knew they had a great cause and great supporters, so they started telling of the need for a new pet shelter, putting behind them a failed capital campaign that brought in just $13,000. Their new goal? $1.2 million.

“We made it clear how urgent it was. [The shelter at that time] wasn’t a building anybody should have been in,” she said of the former shelter on Madison Avenue. “As a matter of fact, if I went in for more than a 15-minute meeting, it would tip off asthma that I didn’t even have before I got there.”

The BENCHS capital campaign raised more than $600,000 by December 2008, when site preparation work began. They moved in in February 2010 with a small debt but paid that off in two years.

2020 will bring physical changes to BENCHS

Now, with the 10-year anniversary of the February 2010 opening of the new shelter just around the corner, the BENCHS board—under the direction of president Kroon—is embarking on the next chapter of their story. A series of building renovations will be complemented by attaining the level of a high-quality, high-volume (HQHV) shelter, which will include becoming a regional site for spaying and neutering dogs and cats. Without this surgery, animals cannot be adopted out of the shelter, and those delays reduce the number of adoptions that take place. For the record, BENCHS currently adopts out more than 1,100 animals annually. While 2020 will be a challenge, Kroon admitted, their past success—combined with “fans” who have supported them on every endeavor—along with some grants, have them convinced that it will be successful.

Physical changes to the building will begin by expanding the intake area, which is a tight space for welcoming new dogs. Second, the surgical suite, named Elin’s Surgical Suite, will be renovated to enable HQHV surgery. Finally, the pet kitchen will be remodeled with new cabinets and other materials that will hold up better to the room’s heavy use.

A veterinarian, Dr. Jenny Mountin, will be at the shelter one day a week for surgery and two other days for routine treatment, which will reduce stress on the animals and decrease their time at the shelter awaiting adoption. It will also reduce costs because symptoms can be spotted early, oftentimes by volunteers who can take the animal down the hall rather than across town for treatment.

Improvements in care being expanded

In conversation about these past events, as well as everyday operations, Kroon comes off as an expert. She admits she was just an average pet owner before joining the board at the urging of outgoing board member Walt Anderson, and that she has learned a lot since then. Her past life as a Dale Carnegie trainer also comes through in her enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and persuasive information sharing.

Day-to-day operations at the Riverside Shelter are handled by new Executive Director Andrew Burk and Shelter Manager Laurel Viera. A crew of about a dozen part-time staff is enhanced by volunteers who love animals and follow strict guidelines and policies that guarantee the best treatment for animals awaiting their forever homes.

“We want the animals happy and healthy because then they can go home,” Kroon said. “Everything that gets in the way of them going home, we see that as a concern. In the shelter world, there is an acronym called ‘LOS,’ Length of Stay. You want your average length of stay to be as short as possible because that means they come in, you take care of them, you send them home.”

Longer stays also result in more stress for the animals, which can create situations where adoption is made more difficult, she said. For dogs, the shelter experience will be enhanced through the implementation of aspects of the Dog Enrichment Program. Among the activities currently taking place is having different people walk dogs so they interact with and become used to interacting with more people.

This socialization helps reduce the excitement often exhibited by dogs when people approach the kennels, according to Kroon. This excitement, in turn, can turn off people who may choose the dog in the kennel who sits and looks at them quietly when they enter. In addition, at least once a day, a volunteer will enter, drop a piece of kibble and talk to the dogs. This reinforces the idea that people are good and, again, reduces stress.

“The shelter programs that do this have the activity level of their kennels dropdown. There’s not the barking. Right 

 now, what our dogs are conditioned to be that when we come in we’re going to let them out or take them for a walk,” Kroon said. “So that enhances their showing to make them more adoptable. And that, of course, is our goal.”

It’s all thanks to the community

“There’s nothing that I, the board, or anybody could have done in this community to get where we are now, had we not had the enormous support we do in this region,” Kroon said. “We are so blessed by our fans. Our backers are phenomenal.”

Kroon stressed that BENCHS is a no-kill shelter, meaning people can feel safe taking a stray to them or surrendered animals that someone can no longer adequately care for. Because Minnesota has a very low kill rate among sheltered animals, and because Texas has a very high rate—75 percent of animals brought to shelters there are euthanized—agreements are in place to bring southern animals here. These agreements make an expansion of the operating room more urgent. But that’s a position with which Kroon and her BENCHS board are familiar.

The annual budget at Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society is about $500,000, Kroon said, and a very small

portion of that is covered by adoption fees. In fact, the fee charged doesn’t come close to covering actual costs, which could include spaying or neutering, vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, and, in some rare cases, cancer treatment or amputation of infected limbs. BENCHS does what is needed for recovery, sometimes seeking special funds through social media appeals and lots of fundraisers.

“This community supports us, they love us. That’s the only reason we can do what we do,” Kroon said. “When I’m out talking, that’s the message I want people to know. Thank you! We can’t thank you enough, because we have requests and needs and they’re met.”

After successfully building the shelter 10 years ago— after being told they couldn’t—she admits that nothing sounds impossible.

“At a shelter, you have to break it down by what you can do. But I have a skewed concept of that because I was told we couldn’t build this building,” she said.

“Looks like we did it,” she whispered. RVW

Animal care technician Emily Braaten, board president Susan Kroon, and board member Kristin Dauk

Travel is a large part of many people’s lives, and more and more are taking their pets on their adventures with them. Traveling can be stressful on pets, so it is important to take all the necessary steps to make it as stress-free as possible for them.

To prepare for the vacation, the first order of business is to select the perfect destination. There are pet-friendly hotels in all kinds of wonderful destinations—Myrtle Beach, Cape Cod, the Oregon Coast, Napa Valley or the gulf coasts of Florida and Texas.

Some characteristics of pet-friendly hotels include designer, in-room beds, pet-friendly dining menus, and great outdoor walking trails and dog parks. For example, The Mandarin Oriental hotel in Atlanta caters to pets with welcome cookies, a doggie bed, water bowl, dental kit and even a handful of play toys. The W Hotel chain is also noted for being pet-friendly, with their hotel in Ft. Lauderdale offering amenities galore including a DogGone-It package, with a balcony and “tinkle turf pad,” as well as a specialty pet menu, treats and toys, and doggy supplies in the room.

The first place to begin to prepare for your adventure is with your veterinarian. It is imperative to make sure your pet is healthy, and that rabies and all other vaccinations are current and will not expire while on your trip. It is also recommended to have your pet microchipped, but if you do so, do before the rabies vaccination is given. Make sure to have proof of vaccinations with you. If you are travelling internationally, you will be required to have a health certificate obtained from your veterinarian upon entrance into the country. It is important to note that some of the requirements take a lot of time, so start preparing well in advance of your trip.

Not only is it important that your pet is healthy, but you will also need to

know the rules and regulations of the airlines, and lodging that you will be utilizing for your trip. Each airline has its own set of rules for pet travel, such as whether it can travel with you in the cabin, checked baggage or in manifest cargo. In addition, each hotel will also have a set of rules if they allow pets. Make sure to contact them well in advance, too.

If you are traveling internationally, it is imperative to know the export and import requirements when taking a pet in and out of the country. You can find requirements for your destination country on the APHIS USDA Pet Travel website www.aphis.gov under pet travel. At www.aphis.usda.gov you are able to choose your destination country from a drop-down menu and click on requirements.

And lastly, to be sure you have a great experience, practice with your pet. For example, if you are driving to your destination, start out by taking them on a drive. Progressively take longer drives and be sure to reward them with treats. If you are traveling by air where they will need to be crated, start getting them familiar and comfortable with their crate. Make sure you have a comfortable one and you may also want to put a small piece of clothing inside the crate, so they have your scent with them. Do not give them a full meal before the trip as it may cause them stomach upset. If rewarding with treats, only give small bites.

Make a checklist to be sure you have everything covered before traveling with your pet. Be aware of any extra fees for health certificate endorsements, or any other tests. And be sure you bring their favorite toys and treats, to limit the effects of the new environment.

But most of all, be ready to enjoy your travel and your time with your pets. Never be afraid to try new things and venture away from the normal. There is so much world out there just waiting for you and your pet to enjoy.

JANA HUSE Travelooza Mankato

BY TAYLOR BOETTCHER

ocated just minutes outside of St. Peter is a gorgeous 20-acre farm, filled to the brim with animals and activity.

The proud owners of Pinewood Stable, Linda Hilligoss and husband Dan, have their hands full. Not counting human inhabitants, Pinewood is home to a large variety of furry friends. One dog, one barn cat, a herd of horses and ponies, and even a donkey populate the acreage—and Linda knows there’s always room for expansion.

“I rode horses quite a lot as a kid, but then had to grow up and do grownup things like go to school, and then work for a living. After I got married and we started having kids, we moved to the country and my husband caved to my cajoling and agreed to get a horse…or two…or ten. They’re like potato chips. You can’t have just one,” she explained. Having horses on the farm quickly became a family affair.

Linda Hilligoss (right) with her daughter Beth, (left).

“Eventually, we all had horses and made some incredible memories going camping with them, trail riding in the mountains and forests, or watching the kids compete in 4H and WSCA horse shows. We’re now on the next generation and my granddaughter Natalie—age eight—just graduated from a pony to her first horse,” Linda said.

Passing her passion for equine animals on to the younger generation was something Linda discovered almost on accident.

“Originally, our property was just for our personal use with our own horses. As a teenager, my daughter Beth was working part-time at another stable, giving lessons and helping with camps. A few years later, someone asked her if she would give them riding lessons. She agreed and the word spread. Soon, she had many requests and—in an attempt to help her organize and schedule lessons—I became involved. It continued to grow and, eventually, my husband and I purchased some adjacent property and I established Pinewood Stable. I never dreamed it would grow into this. The whole family soon became involved. Our daughter Kelly also gives lessons and works at the horse camps. My husband Dan and son Peter both help tremendously in horse care and feeding, building, fencing, and anything else that needs to be done. However, on days where absolutely nothing is going right, I still blame Beth.”

No matter who gets the blame, no one can dispute that Pinewood Stable has been a success. The services Pinewood offers to horse lovers of all ages have only grown with time.

“We offer private and group riding lessons for both children and adults. We

also offer group events like Girl or Boy Scout troop meetings, private workrelated staff meetings, and horse clinics. Our biggest events are our horse camps, which we offer through the Mankato YMCA, St. Peter Recreation & Leisure, or our own Pinewood Stable horse camp,” Hilligoss said.

Linda and her family perform a balancing act throughout the year, keeping an even divide of hard work and education, and just plain fun.

“One of our most popular events is our Pinewood Stable birthday party. We host the party at the stable for up to 10 kids—with horses or ponies—and provide space, tables, and chairs for your gathering. Or we will take our ponies to your house for your birthday party or special event. This coming summer we will also have a unicorn—yes, unicorns are real—who will come to your house for your child’s birthday party or we can host your child’s unicorn theme birthday party at Pinewood Stable. Beth has also been working with an experienced photographer to offer professional photographs of children with the unicorn.”

“This year our very creative riding instructors will also offer some great social events. We will have a Women’s Night, and a special group event offering for college students, along with other events,” Linda said.

Pinewood also offers horse boarding. Between their acreage and adjacent leased property, the total pasture is approximately 24 acres and can offer their borders unique amenities. A 120 by 200-foot outdoor sand arena, a 100 by 300-foot grass arena, a 70-foot round pen, and—coming this spring—a 60 by 104-foot indoor riding arena. 

Not only the matriarch of Pinewood Stables, Linda Hilligoss also holds down a demanding full-time job. An investigator with the Minnesota Racing Commission, Linda spends a large chunk of her time striving to maintain the integrity and horse health related to racing in Minnesota.

“In Minnesota, we have several agencies that overlap in the regulation of animal racing and gambling. We regulate everything to do with horse racing in Minnesota. Thoroughbred racing—which most people are the most familiar with—and harness racing, where the driver’s sit in a cart behind the horse, are the two main types we interact with. We regulate every aspect. Because the public is using their money to bet on the races, we do our absolute best to keep it honest and keep the integrity.

“Our two main focuses are the health of the athlete, which in this case is the horse, and the even playing field on the racetrack. Making sure it’s done fairly and making sure that one horse-jockey team doesn’t have an advantage over another,” Hilligoss said.

She continued, “We’re responsible for licensing everyone that comes into the card rooms, minus the public. Vendors, pit bosses, food and beverage suppliers, anyone who has access to the backside of the card room require thorough screening. When I say, we license them, I mean that we conduct backgrounds on every single one of the individuals on the back end. There are certain criteria that, if they fail to meet, they do not get a license. That’s how strict and heavily regulated the races are.”

The favorite parts of Linda’s day job are when she gets to interact with the athletes.

“Of course, I’m a horse person, and these thoroughbreds are just absolutely incredible athletes,” She said. “They’re just beautiful, and they’re so well cared for. I walk back there, and the barns are cleaner than mine, and that’s saying something since I’m kind of picky with mine.”

Maintaining a fair system and making sure the animals are healthy and happy is a combination that can’t be beat.

 Linda has learned that a great herd requires a team effort. Running multiple horse camps and events throughout the warm months takes some serious elbow grease.

“What makes us truly unique is our staff,” Hilligoss said. “The riding instructors and wranglers here are the best and you can see how dedicated they are to their students and the horses. I really enjoy watching the bonds of trust and friendship develop between them and the students who come here for lessons. At horse camp, the instructors and wranglers make camp such a positive experience for the campers that many return year after year.”

She continued, “Another thing that sets us apart from other stables are our horses. At Pinewood Stable, safety always comes first, and our horses are selected and constantly monitored for their ability and fitness as lesson horses. We never put a frightened child on a horse or pony, and we adhere to a strict guideline of the age of a child relative to the size of a pony or horse. We have horses and ponies ranging in size from very small to very big.”

With 10 horses or ponies to choose from, each has individual qualities that make it easy to match with the perfect rider.

“Just like people, horses have unique personalities and temperaments. They have individual likes and dislikes and get into squabbles, just like a family of teenaged siblings. I am also convinced that they know how to push each other’s buttons, too,” Linda explained.

Linda and her group of trainers also offer therapy rides to benefit the community. They have been contracted by counties all over Southern Minnesota. With both physical and emotional benefits, therapy rides improve sensory and motor skills in people of any age.

Each change in season brings its own activities to Pinewood.

“Winters are quieter overall, but the horses’ needs are greater. Good quality hay, protective shelter, and clean, unfrozen water are absolutely essential every day. All horses are checked daily. Depending on the temperature, our horses, as well as boarders’ horses, are blanketed for extra warmth. In late spring, summer and early fall, the horses are on pasture but are still checked daily with their needs taken care of. In the spring, we start working with the lesson horses to get them in shape for camps and lessons, and to remind them that—just like everyone else on the farm—they do have a job,” Hilligoss said.

While Linda’s life is anything but quiet, there comes a certain calm from working closely with your favorite creatures.

“I have always loved horses and I have always loved working with kids. What better job is there to have than one that combines both? My favorite part is interacting with the kids each morning at camp before they go off to their different stations. I love the positive energy that only comes from kids and horses,” Hilligoss summed up. RVW

WOMEN’S HEART HEALTH

Heart disease is a serious health risk for all women. In fact, more women than men die from heart disease each year. While some risk factors such as age and family history cannot be changed, other often preventable risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can usually be managed successfully. Medications are sometimes necessary to control these conditions. However, lifestyle changes are the cornerstone for reducing the risk of heart disease and can sometimes eliminate those preventable risk factors without the need for medication.

Tips for a healthier heart from your Hy-Vee pharmacist:

• Add flax or chia seeds to your diet. Both flax and chia seeds are high in heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

• Check your blood pressure. You can have your blood pressure

checked at any time at your Hy-Vee pharmacy by a pharmacist, registered dietitian or by using the blood pressure machine.

• Know your cholesterol numbers. Make an appointment with your Hy-Vee pharmacist or Registered Dietitian to have your cholesterol checked. The cost is $45. It only takes 15 minutes and you receive your results immediately instead of waiting for them to be mailed to you!

• Avoid fad diets and supplements. Before starting a fad diet or supplement, discuss it with your health care provider or Hy-Vee pharmacist.

You don’t have to be one of the one in four American women who die from heart disease. We are here to help you control your risk of getting heart disease. Start now!

UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

HDL Cholesterol:

HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein and it is your “happy” or good cholesterol. The higher your HDL number, the better.

Normal range: Men: > 40 mg/dl and Women: > 50 mg/dl. People with high HDL are at low risk for heart disease and people with low HDL are at a higher risk.

What makes HDL so good?: this friendly scavenger cruises your bloodstream and removes harmful bad cholesterol from where it doesn’t belong and carries it to the liver where it is broken down and removed from your body.

What can I do if my HDL is low? If your HDL is low, you can take several steps to boost your levels.

• Exercise: start small, 10 minutes of physical activity a day can make a big difference. Then work up to the recommended 30 to 60 minutes a day of aerobic activity. Walk, bike, run, swim, etc.

• Quit Smoking: tobacco use lowers HDL

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Increase healthy dietary fat: monounsaturated fat from foods like olives, olive oil, nut and canola oil, as well as omega-3 fats from salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, lake trout, chia seeds and flax seeds.

• Avoid trans fats

• Limit processed carbohydrates and sugars

LDL Cholesterol:

LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein and it is your “lousy” or bad cholesterol. The lower the number the better. Normal range: The goal is less than 130mg/dl for most people and less that 100mg/dl for anyone with diabetes. What makes LDL so bad? LDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol that puts your heart at risk. LDL cholesterol can build up on the walls of your blood vessels, this build-up is called plaque. As plaque builds up, it causes your blood vessels to narrow, blocking blood flow, which can cause angina (chest pain) or a heart attack.

What can I do if my LDL is high?

• Make healthy eating choices: eat 3 or more servings of foods rich in soluble fiber daily (oatmeal, oat bran, barley, beans, flaxseed, chia seed, apples, pears, bananas, oranges, strawberries, blackberries, prunes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, green beans and edamame). Switch to whole grains (whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, etc.). Use psyllium, found in some fiber supplements such as Metamucil, as an easy way to boost the soluble fiber in your diet.

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Get regular physical activity: make physical activity a part of each day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away, walk to the store, go for a bike ride with your family, play outside, and take a brisk walk during breaks.

• Quit smoking: talk to your doctor about ways to help you quit

• Limit alcohol

Triglycerides:

When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells and can be released later by hormones to use for energy between meals. Regularly eating more calories than you burn causes your triglycerides to be high.

Normal range: less than 150 mg/dl.

What makes triglycerides so bad? High triglycerides may contribute to hardening of your arteries or thickening of your artery walls, which increases your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease.

What can I do if my triglycerides are high? Healthy lifestyle choices are key.

• Exercise regularly

• Limit processed carbohydrates and sugar

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Choose healthier fats

• Limit alcohol

• Quit smoking

Total Cholesterol:

Total cholesterol is your HDL and LDL cholesterol added together plus 20 percent of your triglyceride level.

Normal range: less than 200 mg/dl.

What can I do if my total cholesterol is high? Focus on lowering your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raise your HDL cholesterol.

Holly Ellison, RD, LD Riverfront Hy-Vee Dietitian 507.625.1107 | HEllison@hy-vee.com

By RUTH KLOSSNER

PHOTOS BY RUTH KLOSSNER AND ROGER RYBERG

hen Roger and Carol Ryberg decided to build on a lot adjacent to where they had previously lived in New Ulm, they had one thought in mind—to bring the outside inside. With the expertise of architect Kelly Davis of SALA Architects of Stillwater, the Rybergs accomplished that goal.

The Rybergs learned of Davis’ work when he was featured as the Architect of Distinction in the March 2006 issue of Midwest Home. They were inspired by Davis’ emphasis on simplicity, light-filled interiors, and built-ins—and his preponderance to the ideas of Frank Lloyd Wright. 

Roger and Carol Ryberg

A view from the dining room to the living room shows the red slanted ceiling that goes from 7’2” over the stairway to 15’ at the windows. The beam extends the length of the house—from the screened-in porch off to the left, all the way through the bedroom, off to the right.

 “We wanted a small house,” Roger stated.

In response to that statement, Carol drew attention to books she studied to provide insight to achieve that—The Not So Big Life, The Not so Big House, and Not so Big Solution, all by Sarah Susanka.

The Rybergs’ house on Indian Point is built on the edge of a ravine overlooking Flandrau State Park. Of that, Roger quipped, “I claim to have a 600 acre back yard with a pool. A creek in the bottom of the ravine drains from the college.”

In addition to simplicity and small size, the Rybergs had several other requests.

“Carol wanted a front porch. Kelly designed a terrace that is the neighborhood gathering point,” Roger said. 

Looking from the living room over the stairwell, to the entryway. Fresh, clean lines are evident everywhere.

Pictured in summer, the Roger and Carol Ryberg home at Indian Point in New Ulm is built on the edge of a ravine, overlooking Flandrau State Park. The front terrace is the gathering place for the neighborhood according to the Rybergs.

Looking from

room to the bedroom.

The sunlight at different times of the day—and in different seasons—creates patterns on the walls.

The master bath has double vanities— and a skylight. A pocket door can be closed between the two vanities.

Pictured in fall, with all the windows, the seasons come inside, and are reflected in the rooms. Notice the cantilever over the bed that seems to lower the ceiling, as well as the one-armed ceiling fan. Like the “away room” next door, the bedroom is walled off with glass at the top of the wall.

The master bath features both a tub and a shower—along with glass block windows.

 And, Carol commented, “The best part of our house is the neighborhood. We have the best neighbors.”

“We also wanted a screened porch. Kelly designed it so that the roof goes right over it,” Roger said.

Since they’ll soon reach their 80s, the Rybergs wanted everything on one floor—but did finish off the lower level with two bedrooms and a family room. The basement has a heated floor, with red epoxy over concrete. The main floor bathroom and the garage also have heated floors.

The use of red is evident in other places—including the main floor ceiling.

“I don’t know how many red ceilings you’ll see elsewhere—that’s another Frank Lloyd Wright influence,” Roger stated. 

Just off the front entryway—and barely noticeable—are a coat closet, half bath, and the laundry room that has a counter for Carol’s sewing machine.

Like other rooms in the home, the dining room reflects the Frank Lloyd Wright influence in its furniture, especially the chairs and table. The far wall has a bar and cabinets. The door opens to the screened porch.

Architect Kelly Davis makes use of every available space and included a wall of shelves in the stairwell to the lower level.

The kitchen island has a cantilever with lights. All the woodwork throughout the house is finished in cherry.

The “away room” between the living room and master bedroom is both an office and a nap room. Although the room appears to be open to the rooms on either side, it is enclosed by glass above the wall, extending to the ceiling. The fireplace is double-sided, with the opposite side in the living room. It features stone from Artstone in New Ulm. Built in bookshelves are another feature of the room.

Although the galley kitchen isn’t very large, it provides everything that the Rybergs need. The kitchen countertop is fired granite.

 With Davis’ design, the Rybergs turned to local builders John Grejtak and Larry Wilfahrt for the construction. “They built our first house [next door] in 1990, then they built this one in 2007,” Roger said. Roger retired just a year after the house was built, having sold his company, Windings, to his employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The Rybergs had purchased the company in

1983, after Roger had worked for 3M for 18 years.

Carol retired from Brown County Public Health in 2014, after 30 years as a public health nurse.

Roger and Carol have two daughters who both live in Maine—so they spend a lot of time there. In addition, they spend time in Arizona each winter. RVW

The Rybergs dog, Bella, blends into the furniture but enjoys being the center of attention.

The living room features a double-sided fireplace that also opens to the “away room” behind the wall, a painting from Arizona, an Eames lounge chair (right) along with barrel chairs and table at left that reflect the design of the home.

A screened porch was one of Carol’s requests when the Rybergs planned their new house. A large deck all around provides plenty of space for grilling—or for friends to gather.

A sectional couch that’s “very Frank Lloyd Wright” fills much of the lower level family room. The TV wall is the back of the bookcase in the adjoining office.

The entryway brings the outdoors inside. The floor tile is the same as that on the terrace outside, the bench flows right through to the outside, and the lights above are the same inside and out. A Frank Lloyd Wright designed night light sits on the counter.

The cantilevered deck off the living room gives a good view of the valley below—and a place for the Rybergs to feed and watch wildlife. Carol’s question of how to wash the large windows was answered with arbors for her to stand on to do the job.

One of the things my friend and co-worker, Andrea, regularly says about her beloved dog, Chula, is that she makes her ‘heart burst.’ “It’s such a good feeling,” Andrea explained to me. “I can feel it in my chest—I love her so much.”

Any parent to a companion animal can say something similarly endearing, but with Andrea and Chula, there is a palpable affection anybody else in the room would hopefully feel as well.

Chula, roughly nine years old now, with a sleek coat of black fur, stoic, knowing brown eyes, and tall, pointy ears that could only be described as looking like those of a bat, is a ‘mystery dog.’ When somebody asks what kind of dog Chula is, Andrea has no answer—Chula was, at one time, a wild stray from Costa Rica, and the journey she took from there to Minnesota, as well as their first few years together, make a fascinating, and at times, tumultuous story.

The beginning of Chula’s story, and her trip to America, is also the beginning of a budding relationship between Andrea, and her partner at that time, Alyson.

They had met two months prior, on a research trip to Honduras; Andrea was in her final year of undergrad at the University of Minnesota Duluth, and Alyson was in a Ph.D. program.

“Alyson went to Costa Rica, which was one of the field sites for her Ph.D. It was in a national park, and Chula, months earlier, had wandered onto the park grounds,” said Andrea. The park rangers were not pleased about this, but the graduate students more or less stepped in and saved her, feeding her and allowing her to hang out in their camp.

When the grad students originally found Chula, she was emaciated and had very clearly been physically abused.

“She was very scared of brooms, and certain men,” Andrea recalled.

When Alyson returned to Costa Rica to finish her research, she became concerned about what would become of Chula after the graduate students left; she started looking for a local family that might take her in but was unable to find one. As Andrea recalls, Alyson then looked for somebody in America that would take Chula into their home—she was willing to pay whatever it took to get her there.

After some internal deliberation, Andrea said she’d take Chula, despite the concerns and reservations that come from the idea of bringing a wild dog into her life, and an originally unsupportive response from her parents—“I told them, and they were like ‘NO, you’re not getting a dog!’”

Getting Chula out of Costa Rica turned into quite the endeavor—spayed shortly before departure, Chula ripped out her stitches the night before her flight to America; one of the students traveling with Alyson had previous experience as a field nurse, and stitched Chula back up, without anesthetic; and at the airport, upon trying to leave Costa Rica, more and more fees were being added on for taking her out of the country.

After originally arriving in Texas, Chula was shuttled to Minneapolis, where Andrea met her for the first time, and after an unpleasant encounter with a

A Pet and a Purpose Something Wild…

KEVIN KREIN Northfield Writer, Blogger and Podcaster

squirrel, she began wondering what she had gotten herself into. There was also an early, ill-fated attempt at bringing Chula to work at an outdoor research plot. “She ran around and didn’t listen to me; I had her on a leash, tied up, but then she chewed through that within 15 minutes and started digging in the pots of the experiment,” Andrea said, with the next six months having her questioning her decision.

After graduating from college, Andrea relocated to Minneapolis and moved in with Alyson. The two considered taking Chula to obedience classes for her aggression issues towards other animals and strangers, but after a move to the country a year and a half later they decided it wasn’t needed.

Reflecting on the last seven years with Chula, Andrea said it sounds cliche, but life with the mystery dog has taught her patience. “She taught me how to care for another being, even when it’s difficult.”

She also disagrees with the idea that dogs have unconditional love for the human in their lives, and added people who adopt any companion animals—wild, or otherwise, should have realistic expectations.

“Any relationship, with any being, is about the effort you put in—meeting needs, things like that,” she said. “And I feel like Chula has been a good lesson in that. You shouldn’t expect animals to be perfectly trained, and you need to keep in mind their history, and any potential traumas they’ve faced. They can only do the best under their own special circumstances.”

“If you have patience and understanding, like in any relationship, and show up every day to be there and engage, what evolves is beautiful,” she added. “I wish I had this perspective when Chula first came into my life, but this is part of what she’s taught me.”

Last spring, Andrea and Alyson’s seven-year relationship ended, and Andrea, along with Chula, found themselves in a long, difficult time of transition.

“I feel like she gave me a purpose,” Andrea said. “Chula has been there for me during some of the hardest times of my life. She’s been my only constant for over seven years, and I owe her so much.”

 Emma: My pup Dotty was born on Christmas Eve thirteen years ago. She is the best Christmas gift a girl could ever ask for.

 Katie: My cat Heaven 18 yrs old. A surprise after I lost everything in a house fire. Sweet boy’s been there through the years, good and bad.

 Betsy: Grateful for Lucy. She gives so much and takes so little.

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 Stephanie: We rescued Honey 10 years ago and she hasn’t stopped smiling yet!

READER PET STORIES

 Cali: Our 4-year-old golden retriever Buddy and our 4 year old daughter have a pretty special bond.

See more Pet Stories on River Valley Woman Facebook page!

 Deb: Cats are my favorite (dogs like me, but I always tell them I like cats better!) My favorite cat is whatever cat is the current occupant. Now it is our pretty kitty, Morgan.

 Kelly: My favorite picture of my 13 year old cat Toby, found 9 years ago as a stray, by a dumpster in Jordan. He joined my house shortly after and has been a good lap cat ever since. He enjoys catching bunnies and loves electric blankets.

 Our goldendoodle Grace! She is gentle, kind, and brings joy to everyone’s lives. We hope to have her as a working service dog in years to come.

 Renae: Gus, a raccoon we rescued and released. His family was hit by a car. Best pet as a kid ever, well, and our dog Sam.

 Tjode: Gizmo. Best little Yorkie. Since I’m a travel nurse he comes with me everywhere I go. He goes to the gym, groceries, shopping, road trips etc. He’s always super happy when I come home after a long 13 hour shift at work and never fails to cheer me up by throwing toys at me. He doesn’t leave my side and is an awesome traveling companion.

When people talk about the personalities of dogs and cats, they frequently use words such as calculating, clever, patient, loyal, aloof, friendly, loving, silly, distant, obedient, protective, smart, trainable. When you read these words do you feel some belong almost exclusively to cats and some to dogs? We do have a tendency to notice differences between the two most popular pets in the world – but they have a similarity we should focus on more: trainability.

Did you know that dogs can learn an entire chain of individual behaviors all linked together? For instance, you can teach your dog to go open the refrigerator for you (open), take out the beverage of your choice (find), politely close the refrigerator door (close) and then bring you your drink (fetch). It’s a pretty cool trick: “Go get me a beer”…and your dog does! Did you know cats can learn to perform tricks such as come when called and retrieve objects on cue, just like dogs can? They are not impossible to train, as many people feel they are; they are just impossible to train if you use aversive methods. Try putting a choke chain on a cat and forcing it to “come!” Hmmm…I think we can all imagine the results – Band-Aids – and a cat that doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore. But if you start a short distance away from your cat, wave a tasty treat in the air, then click a clicker when the cat starts toward it and give the cat the treat…you are at the very beginning of teaching your cat to come when called. Persist and expand, and you have a trained cat!

Unlike dogs, cats aren’t quite fully domesticated. Recent research has found some fascinating evidence that dogs were likely domesticated by people, but cats kind of domesticated themselves. Being with us is optional from a cat’s point of view. Cat Species: “As long as it works in our favor, we’ll stick around.” Dog Species: “I need these guys!” Funny, how we all know a choke chain won’t work to train a cat, but every pet store in town sells them to use with dogs. (Dogs and cats need to have a long talk.)

Domesticated fully or only partially, both cats and dogs can learn amazing behaviors. You might enjoy having a retrieving cat, or a dog who works as

PATRICIA LINEHAN, PH.D., CPDT-KA Owner, True Connections Canine Academy

a bartender but doesn’t expect monetary tips. What makes both behaviors possible to train? Positive reinforcement techniques. There are “tips” involved, of course, for performing the desired behaviors, but the tips are yummy treats or playing with toys. The better the “tips”, the better the timing in giving your pet the “tips” (right as they produce the behavior you want), and the less you use a barrage of “no, no, no” – the faster they will learn what you DO want, and then do more of that for you. It really is rather simple. That is simple - not easy. Our human habits are in the way. We are an impatient species.

If you overcome your impatience and do take on the task of learning how to use positive reinforcement techniques to train your cat or dog, I can almost guarantee the knowledge and skill will improve your human relationships. Why? Because humans respond normally to learning theory also. But being impatient, so often we try to “fix” or “improve” people by telling them what they are doing wrong so they can stop it. Many people, with the best of intentions, tell their spouses or children or co-workers what they are doing wrong every day. It is the only way they try to change others’ behaviors. (How has this worked for you so far? Probably not so well.) When criticizing is used to excess some people bristle just like cats and move away (emotionally, if not in space). Like dogs, some people tuck their tails between their legs and put up with it, but their personalities change, the light dims in their eyes, and they quit being as playful as they once were.

There is a better way to help people as well as pets: notice when they are doing something right and give a positive reinforcement they feel good about. Reward the behaviors you would like to see more and you will likely get more of those behaviors happening.

Of course, it isn’t as simple as this. Humans are quite a more complex animal than dogs or cats. But the fact is we respond to positive reinforcement of behaviors also, and none of us like choke chains. Try zeroing in on behaviors you want more of. Reinforce them. The results may surprise you!

“My husband, Ben, & I are huge foodies and love to try new foods while being adventurous when cooking. We try new restaurants whenever possible, too. We recently attended a chef’s seven-course tasting at Cameo in Rochester, with friends. It was delicious. A true masterpiece of a chef’s work of art. I would highly recommend making reservations and indulge!

"Ben is actually more daring than me. He will walk up and scan the meat and seafood counters at grocery stores. He then asks staff questions on his curiosity towards a seafood preparation or meat selection. My recent favorite dish he came home to cook was mussels. He was determined to cook them on the grill this summer. Did you know mussels must be alive to cook? Who knew?”

About:

We are Ben and Kim Daschner and we have an amazing daughter named Violet who is five and loves to fish with her daddy and loves to dance like her momma. We have lived in Eagle Lake since 2011. Kim owns Dasch Salon in Eagle Lake, and Ben is self-employed as a building contractor and owns Daschner Construction.

What got you interested in cooking?

Kim: My father was always cooking in the kitchen and I learned so much from him, and watching my parents cook together. Ben also witnessed the same growing up with his own parents, he also grew up in his uncle’s meat shop and learned to butcher at a young age. A bigger appreciation for the cuts of meat and the process it takes. I also worked in various restaurants as a young adult. Working in that industry gives you an appreciation of the operations and teamwork of being in the service industry.

What is your favorite thing to cook?

Ben and I will try cooking anything. I enjoy cooking with a variety of pastas and using whole foods like squashes, vegetables from our garden, fresh fruits, truffles, oils, balsamic glazes, and herbs. Ben selects more cuts of meats and seafoods to experiment with. He loves picking things that are uncommon or new at the meat counter/seafefood area.

Any foods you absolutely won’t eat?

Kim once made a manicotti pasta dish w/ blue cheese—it wasn’t good— so we steer away from that combo. Ha. Our motto is that we will try everything once. From deer heart to cow tongue. How do you really know what a delicacy is if you don’t try. Ben and I love going out to dinner and indulging. We recently went to Pittsburgh Blu in Edina and ordered oodles of oysters—it really depends on our mood and what we are craving.

Do you watch cooking shows? If so, what tops your list?

Ben watches more of the cooking shows on his hunting channels—there are so many ways to cook wild game in a skillet. I generally watch Hell’s

Kitchen, Rachel Ray, or Top Chef. This isn’t a show, but I recently bought Joanna Gaines first cookbook. It’s an absolute MUST if you love home cooking using fresh whole ingredients, and the recipes are pretty simple. Would you say you are a breakfast, lunch or supper person?

I mean, breakfast for bacon. Lunch for a cheeseburger. Or a scrumptious pasta for dinner. Can we say all three? But if we had to choose, probably dinner. We enjoy sitting around the table with our daughter in the evening, and having her help in the kitchen is the best. She grabs her stool and steps in to action. She usually helps Ben and I prep. Her favorite is helping make cakes for our desert. She loves being in the kitchen with us. Who would you most like to have a meal with, living or dead and what would you serve?

This one was hard to answer... there are many foodie idols to admire in television, and some have produced cook books. To be completely honest, it would be Donnie Veigel, owner of Veigels Kaiserhoff in New Ulm. He passed away a few years ago at the age of 91. Kim had worked for the restaurant for years and we are great friends w/ the family. Our wish would be to sit around the table with an array of food like the krautballs, lobster and a perfectly aged steak, (like we often did w/ Donnie and his wife Jan) and laugh with great conversation. Some of the best memories Kim has as a teenager are the Veigel family trying freshly cooked scallops or being in the kitchen prepping their iconic Ray’s salad. Now that we are older and have become well-rounded with food tasting, there would be so many questions I’d love to ask him about being a restaurateur. Like how did they prep food in 1938 (when they opened) for serving? What was his favorite dish to prepare? What did he consider a delicacy and what did he not like? What was his favorite part of being a restaurant owner? I can speak for most when I say we miss Donnie, but the love for food will always live on when you have worked for a company such as The Kaiserhoff and had known someone like Donnie.

by Blue Skye Mercantile

This month, we are sharing a simple and delicious recipe with you to make with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day instead of fighting the restaurant crowds. This works great as an antipasti or as the main course alongside a pasta or roasted veggie mix. Stop into the mercantile for the Italian Herb Olive Oil, which is a real treat to have on hand in your pantry anyway! Buon appetito!

- Lisa and Karina

Italian Baked Shrimp

 30 jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined

 3 tablespoons lemon juice

 1/2 cup Italian Herb Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 400º

 3/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley

 2 pinches salt

 1-2 dashes pepper

In a blender or food processor add the lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper and blend until ingredients are well mixed and parsley is finely chopped.

Place the shrimp single layer on a cookie sheet, drizzle with sauce and cover with parchment paper (keeps the shrimp from drying) and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or shrimp are cooked. Serve Immediately and Enjoy!

Hydrator vs. Moisturizer: What’s the difference?

EMILY GIDDINGS, RN Giddie Skin Medspa, Mankato MN Certified Aesthetic Injector

Skin is composed of 64% water, so hydration and moisture are kind of a big deal when it comes to skincare. But a supersized jug of water won’t necessarily get you the healthy skin you’re looking for—you may need a hydrator, a moisturizer, or both.

The words hydrator and moisturizer are often used interchangeably, yet they aren’t the same. In fact, a person could have dehydrated but moisturized skin, or hydrated but dry skin. Understanding the difference between these two products can help you target your skin’s specific needs.

Let’s start with hydrators. These products help bring water to the skin cell itself. This doesn’t just improve appearances; it also increases your skin’s ability to absorb moisture and nutrients. Dehydrated cells equal lackluster skin. Hydrated cells equal healthy, radiant skin. You know which to choose.

Now let’s talk about moisturizers. Once your skin is hydrated, you can apply a moisturizer to help lock in hydration. The oils in moisturizers prevent water from evaporating off your beautifully hydrated skin to keep it smooth and soft.

How do I know what my skin needs?

If hydrators increase your skin’s water content and moisturizers seal that moisture into your skin, which do you need?

Increasing fine lines and wrinkles or a dull lackluster complexion indicate you’re likely dealing with parched, dehydrated cells. So start with hydration. The easiest way to do that is to drink enough water. If that first step doesn’t get you the radiant skin you’re looking for, you may need to add a topical hydrator. (But don’t stop drinking that water!)

Hydrators are usually serums, and some of the best include hyaluronic acid. These fun little molecules are also naturally produced by our bodies and hold up to 1000 times their weight in water. Since we produce less hyaluronic acid as we age, an extra boost of hyaluronic acid from a quality hydrator is just the ticket to help plump skin cells and reduce the visibility

of fine lines. As you shop for hydrators, look for products that also include glycerin, propylene glycol, or urea to get the best hydration possible.

Now, what if you’re completely hydrated and are experiencing dry, flaky skin? This could be a sign that you need a moisturizer because your skin isn’t locking in its hydration. Hydration makes our skin soft, but it won’t stay that way if there is no oil to protect it from evaporating. Moisturizers are key here.

Selecting the right moisturizer can seem overwhelming when there are so many varieties, but with some trial and error, you can find your perfect match. First, consider your skin type. Sensitive skin may respond better to a hypoallergenic moisturizer. Oily skin will likely prefer a lighter, oil-free product. Dry skin responds best to a richer moisturizer with ingredients like shea or cocoa butter, ceramides, or dimethicone. And remember—what works for you in the drier winter months may not be what your skin needs during the humid dog days of summer. With some patience (and flexibility) you can find exactly what works best for your skin.

What if I have acne-prone or oily skin?

Toners and cleansers can strip the skin of its natural oils and reduce hydration. This can cause your skin to compensate by producing even more oil to protect itself. Consequently, the wrong toner or cleanser used on your skin may cause your skin to become even more oily and congested, so make sure you are choosing something gentle with these products.

If you find yourself caught in this cycle, your skin likely needs hydration and a new cleanser. Begin your routine with a gentle cleanser that is milky or creamy in texture and consider adding a hydrating serum to your routine. You’ll probably love the results.

So, the next time you’re looking to improve your health and appearance, consider hydrators and moisturizers. Adding these simple products to your skincare routine may just help you fall in love with your skin.

C&S Supply has a great in-stock selection of quality uniforms & footwear. Special orders also available at no extra charge. We also carry medical accessories.

Hot flashes, sleep disturbances, night sweats, mood swings, irregular or heavy periods. Its all part of the menopause transition known as perimenopause. Blame it on the lack of hormones!

Perimenopause begins four years before a woman’s last period when the ovaries begin to produce less estrogen. Menopause is complete when a woman hasn’t had a period for 12 months.

Although the median age of menopause is 51, women can experience menopause between ages 40 and 60. After menopause, symptoms lessen. All told, women may deal with symptoms for about five years.

If these symptoms are severe or disrupting your life, talk with your gynecologist or primary care provider about treatments that can make this transition go more smoothly. Here are some tips to help you thrive during this time.

Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Hormonal replacement therapy works well for sleep disturbances, hot flashes, night sweats, and joint pain. It can be started when women begin to develop symptoms. For women still having regular periods, an oral contraceptive may be used. Another option is Premphase, a medication that combines estrogen and progestin. Progestin is necessary to help reduce the risk of uterine cancer. For women who have had a hysterectomy, estrogen alone may be used. Hormone replacement therapy is also available as patches. Our goal is to keep women on HRT at the lowest dose for the shortest period of time possible.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) class work very well. Common medications include citalopram and

escitalopram. When these drugs are used to treat menopausal symptoms, the response is rapid compared to the wait time associated with treating depression.

Physical activity

Estrogen plays a major role in the female body. When the production of estrogen declines, women can lose lean muscle mass, gain fat, and lose bone density. Estrogen even affects physical balance. Physical activity is more important than ever. To preserve bone mass, regular weight-bearing—walking, running, weight lifting, strength training—is recommended. Shoot for 30 minutes, five days a week of moderate exercise such as walking or 75 minutes a week of more intense exercise such as running. In addition, all aerobic activities including walking, swimming, and biking help women maintain core strength, improve balance and minimize falls.

To promote bone health after menopause, increase daily calcium intake to 1200 milligrams per day, which can be in vitamins or food rich in calcium. Women should take 800 IU of vitamin D supplements to absorb the calcium.

Use Caution with Alternative therapies

Black cohosh is an herbal supplement commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms. There is no evidence black cohosh works better than a placebo. Phytoestrogens are plant-based estrogens found in a variety of foods including soy. They are also present in many dietary supplements marketed as a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy. Phytoestrogens can increase the risk of uterine cancer. In addition, herbal supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

SCOTT BARNACLE, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mankato Clinic

There is no doubt that pets have taken the U.S. by storm. They have taken over the Internet and department stores and we host birthday parties and even puppy reveal parties. Dogs and cats are owned by millions of people. In fact, there are now more pet-owning households in the United States (70%) than homes with children. Ninety percent of pet owners consider their pets as family and because of this, last year’s popular baby names will be this year’s popular pet names.

Top female Top male Top female Top male dog names: dog names: cat names: at names:

serotonin, social life, and activity. With all of the benefits, it’s not shocking that 50 percent of college students own a pet. A quick Internet search can show which campuses allow them in campus dorm rooms. We look to pets to help us recover from PTSD, phobias, personality disorders, and even heartbreak. We have also seen an explosion of people seeking doctor’s notes to allow them to purchase/adopt a pet for emotional support.

Although pets are good for our health, they most certainly aren’t cheap. The New York Times states that the average American spends more than $1,600 per year on a dog and roughly $1,100 a year on cats. In 2018, $72.1 billion dollars was spent on pets.

With pets being such a big part of our lives, we tend to miss them when we age and move into nursing homes or assisted living. A large majority of these homes allow furry visitors and have noticed that their residents are happier and calmer towards staff after spending time with animals. A study at Purdue University showed that having a pet around increased survival rates after a heart attack.

Millennials have just replaced baby boomers for the number one pet-owning generation and surveys have shown that 82 percent of millennials see “pet parenting” as preparing them for having children in the future. Despite our fast-paced and busy lives these days, we don’t let a day (let alone hours) go by without being on our cell phones. But—when surveyed—65 percent of millennials would rather give up their phone for an entire week over separation from their beloved pet!

Technology has also changed the way we view relationships, and when surveyed 42 percent of millennials would rather cuddle with their snuggly pet than a romantic loved one. No wonder we are having children at older ages than previous generations!

Extensive research shows that pets can be good for our health. They have been shown to decrease blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, stress, anxiety, and depression. They can increase

It’s no secret that pet pictures run the Internet. Grumpy cat had 2.4 million followers on Instagram alone. When surveyed, 65 percent of pet owners post their pets on social media. They admit that at least two times a week, they will post something about their pet. Thirty-three percent say they post more about their pet than about their human family member. For some people, posting on their social media page isn’t enough, so one of six people have created a social media profile for their pet. Fifty percent of those people say their pet gets more “likes” than their own personal page. There is no doubt that we love our pets, but look at how much they do for us. Dogs have served since the days of war and continue to help us in many aspects of life. They are used by police, inmates, the mentally challenged, the impaired, search and rescue, bomb squads, drug searches, and so on. They aim to please and are easily trained. Cats have been used for rodent control. Cats keep us on our toes and as we beg for their attention, we are entertained by the simplicity of their lives. A pet provides us with love. They pass no judgment, they listen and they comfort. Pets may not be our whole lives, but they do sure make our lives whole.

1. Bella 1. Charlie 1. Luna 1. Charlie

2. Luna 2. Max 2. Bella 2. Simba 3. Ruby 3. Archie 3. Coco 3. Oscar

NICOLE LUECK, CVT Minnesota Valley Pet Hospital

Homemade Cat Toy

Guess what makes a great cat toy? Baby socks! Simply pick little socks that have been outgrown or lost a mate. Fill with a jingle bell and/or catnip. Tie tight with a strip of fleece or other soft fabric. As with all pet toys, watch your pet closely for safety.

Homemade Pet-Safe Cleaners

Baking soda is odor absorbent and a mild abrasive. Sprinkle it on carpet to absorb odors before you vacuum. Use it to scrub counters, stovetops, sinks, drains, and even pet dishes to get rid of the grime. Just rinse well with water when done.

Homemade Dog Toy

Use old t-shirts to make a free dog chew toy. Simply cut into 2-3 inch strips that are about 4 feet long (cut the t-shirt around/width-wise), then knot on one end. Pull tight with a four-way knot pattern, and repeat the process until the chew is about 10 inches long. You can Google it to get the very simple knot process that pulls the fabric very tight. You can always braid, but it won’t be as tight. As with all pet toys, watch your pet closely for safety.

Vinegar mixed with warm water makes a great pet safe cleaner for washing floors and other surfaces. Mix vinegar with a little dish soap and hot water to work on carpet spots. Vinegar and water also makes a great glass cleaner.

BY CINDY HAUGLAND tidytightwads.com

Simple Homemade Dog Treats

Use a combination of pumpkin puree, whole-wheat flour, and peanut butter for a thick dough. Use your cookie cutters to make fun shapes or simply cut into squares with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes, until crunchy. Store in the freezer and take out a few at a time.

Keep Pets Cool in the Summer

Don’t throw away the old baby pool, or pick one up for free from a friend who is discarding theirs. Dogs love an opportunity to cool off in the shade and play in some water.

Create a cold ice-lick for your dog to use outside in the heat of the summer. Use any container to freeze icy doggie treats such as water, mixed with beef broth, dog safe veggies or fruit, or dog treats. They can lick, stay cool, and be entertained. Be sure to avoid foods that are not safe for dogs such as onions, grapes, chocolate, etc.

Pet-Safe Weed Killer Recipe

Are you fighting weeds in your landscaping, around the house or yard, or along your lake shoreline? It may be tempting to use a harsh chemical, but why not try something that is cheaper and safer for kids, pets, and the environment? We have had good luck with this homemade weed killer recipe. Give it a try!

Homemade Weed Killer Recipe

1 gallon vinegar

1 c salt

1 tablespoon dish soap

Mix together and spray on weeds.

(Check with city, state, and county environmental laws before putting anything into the lake or on a shoreline.)

This time of year can be hard to know how to dress. We aren’t in the depths of winter, but it isn’t quite spring either. Brighten up the gray, chilly days by adding color, layering for warmth as needed, and topping it off with trendy accessories. Whether you are staying home, going to work, or heading out on a late winter vacation, these looks are versatile and lively!

Be a jean genie in these blues with just the right amount of distress.

Go mod and on trend with a versatile graphic necklace.

Gentle cream knit sweater distressed skinny jeans looks springy while keeping

Brighten up the day in a red polka dot blouse and cool, cool black.

Yeti tumbler looks nifty and keeps your sips hot or cold on the go or at your desk.

Nifty and unique earrings have classic style with trendy texture.

Kick it in gear. Rain, shine or snow, the Hunter boot is the perfect choice.

A new wave of fashion fun with rock band inspired tops.

BY LOGAN STANKEY SCHEELS Clothing Expert Mankato

Totally tote everything in this no nonsense, but all style Fossil bag.

Rock a funky T-shirt, military look booties and cinch waist pants. Keep a soft, warm, layer at the ready.

A vested interest in eyepopping color. Perfect for a Valentine’s Day walk.

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT LISTED

E-mail Ruth Klossner at cowladyruth@gmail.com by the 10th of the month. Listings are generally for events that are free to the public, or are fundraisers. Listings will be published as space allows and at the discretion of the editor.

Fri, Feb 7

• Dance Party Reunion—A Salute to Buddy Holly and Friends, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault, 7:30 pm. Info: 507332-7372 or info@paradisecenterforthearts.org.

Sat, Feb 8

• New Ulm Medical Center Foundation Gala—A Vision of Generosity, Event Center, 301 20th St S, New Ulm, 4:30-10 pm. Info: sara.schauer@allina.com

• Maid Rites at American Legion, 13 S Minnesota, New Ulm, 10 am ‘til gone. Info: 507-354-4016 or AmericanLegionPost132@ gmail.com.

• Faribault Flannel Formal, Faribault, 5-10 pm. Info: kelly@ faribaultmn.org

• Vendor & Craft Event, Island Cultural Centre, 640 Dogwood Ave, Bird Island. Info: Facebook.

• Prairie Piecemakers Quilt Guild Bargello Class & Mtg, St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 201 N State St, New Ulm, 9 am-4 pm. Info: pabhaala@sleepyeyetel.net

• Candlelight Event, Fort Ridgely State Park, 72404 Co Rd 30, Fairfax, 5-8 pm. Info: 507-4267840.

• Roaring 20’s 20th Anniversary Party, Community Center, Springfield, 5-12 pm. Info & tickets: 507-723-3517.

• Animal Tracks & Signs, Treaty Site History Center, 1851 N Minnesota Ave, St Peter, 11 am12 pm. Info: 507-934-2160 or museum@nchsmn.org.

Fri, Feb 14

• Valentine’s Day Dance, Golden Bubble, Wells, 7 pm-12 am. Info: Facebook or goldenbubblemn@gmail.com.

• Valentine’s Dinner, Indian Island Winery, 18018 631st Ave, Janesville. Info & cost: eventbrite.com/e/81805168461.

GO. BE. DO. CON NECT.

Fri-Sun, Feb 14-16

• MLC Large Grade School Basketball Tourney, Martin Luther College Gym, 1995 Luther Ct, New Ulm & MVL Gym, 45638 561st Ave, New Ulm. Info: danellsj@mlc-wels.edu or mlcwels.edu/tournament/.

Sat, Feb 15

• All Craft Fair, Roadhaus, 514 Main St, Henderson, 10 am-3 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Minnesota Candlelight Event, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson, 6-8:30 pm. Info: 507-357-8580 or info@neycenter.org

• Starpower Show Choir, High School, 1650 Community Dr, Waconia. Info: 952-442-0670.

• Gustavus Choir Home Concert, Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, 7:30 pm. Info: mara@gustavus.edu.

• Wind Symphony Concert, Martin Luther College Chapel of the Christ, 1995 Luther Ct, New Ulm, 3 pm. Info: mlc-wels.edu/ music/ensembles/wind-symphony/ or wurstemb@mlcwels.edu.

• Le Sueur County Fair Gala, American Legion Post 108, 97 S Park Ave, Le Center, 4:30-10 pm. Info: 612-203-4553.

• Janesville Fireman’s Dance, The Purple Goose Eatery and Saloon, 228 N Main St, Janesville, 8:30-12:30 pm. Info: Facebook.

Sun, Feb 16

• Fields of Grace Homes for Haiti Spaghetti Fundraising Dinner, Lafayette Community Center, 11 am-2 pm. Info: 507-276-6450 or webster371@gmail.com.

• Gustavus Symphony Orchestra & Jazz Ensemble Home Concert, Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, 1:30 pm. Info: mara@gustavus.edu

Thurs, Feb 20

• Mingle With A Purpose— Heels and All, Event Center, 301 20th St S, New Ulm, 5-9 pm. Info: 507-233-4300 or chamber@newulm.com.

• Lifelong Learner Lunch— Solar System, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature Center Ln, Henderson,

12-1:30 pm. Info & registration: 507-357-8580 or info@neycenter.org

Fri, Feb 21

• Winter Ball 2020, State Street Theater, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 7 pm. Info: statestreettheater@ gmail.com or statestreetnewulm.org.

• Twin Kennedy Concert, Red Rock Center for the Arts, 222 E Blue Earth Ave, Fairmont, 7 pm. Info: 507-235-9262 or redrockcenter@frontiernet.net.

Fri-Sun, Feb 21-23

• MLC Small Grade School Basketball Tourney, Martin Luther College Gym, 1995 Luther Ct, New Ulm & MVL Gym, 45638 561st Ave, New Ulm. Info: danellsj@mlc-wels.edu or mlcwels.edu/tournament/.

• MLC Winter Play ‘The Mouse That Roared,’ Martin Luther College Auditorium, 1995 Luther Ct, New Ulm, 7:30 pm Fri & Sat, 2 pm Sun. Info: mlc-wels. edu/forum/ or laabser@mlcwels.edu.

Sat, Feb 22

• 2nd Annual Arctic Plunge, Minnesota St, 214 N Minnesota St, New Ulm. Info: 507-354-2185 or newulm.com.

• Fasching Festival ‘A German Mardi Gras,’ Best Western Plus, 2101 S Broadway St, New Ulm, 2-8 pm.

• Snowshoe Adventure Hike, Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169, 10-11 am. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott.kudelka@state.mn.us

• Family Snowshoeing, Ney Nature Center, 28238 Nature

Center Ln, Henderson, 1-2:30 pm. Info & registration: 507357-8580 or info@neycenter. org

• Baby & Kids Expo, Mankato Event Center, 9 am-1 pm. Info: eventsandexpos.com.

Sun, Feb 23

• Sibley County Drift Dodgers Snowmobile Club Radar Run & Vintage Show/Ride, Lake Titlow, Park Dr, Gaylord, 8 am.

• Mankato Bridal Show, Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato, 11 am-2 pm. Info: Facebook.

Tues, Feb 25

• Beer & Hymns, Main Street Sports Bar, Hutchinson, 6-8 pm. Info: riverofhopehutchinson.org.

Fri, Feb 28

• New Ulm Girls Fastpitch Fish Fry, Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, 11 am-7 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Knights of Columbus 33rd Annual Fish Fry, McLeod Co Fairgrounds, 11:30 am-7 pm. Info: 320-587-6507.

Sat., Feb 29

• LEEP’s Luau Karaoke Party, Wow!Zone, Mankato, 7-10 pm. Info: 507-387-5122.

• Lafayette Ambulance Steak/ Crab Fundraiser, Dave’s Place, 700 Main Ave, Lafayette, 5-9 pm. Info: Facebook.

• Waconia Wine Leep, Wineries, Waconia. Info: 952-442-5812.

Sat-Sun, Feb. 29-Mar 1

• New Ulm Figure Skating Club Ice Show ‘Legends & Divas,’

Civic Center, New Ulm. Info: Facebook.

Sun, Mar 1

• Lions Dad’s Belgian Waffle Brunch, Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, 7:30 am-12:30 pm. Info & advance tickets: LionsClubofNewUlm.org, 354-8940, or 612-501-2719.

• Marshyl Wenninger Benefit, UFC Berdan Center, 705 E 4th St, Winthrop, 10 am-2 pm. Info: teresa. wenninger@ufcmn.com

Thurs, Mar 5

• Fat Thursday Rib Feast, Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, 3-7 pm. Info: 507-354-2022 or newulmturnerclub@gmail.com

Fri, Mar 6

• Björling Music Festival—Jazz Jamboree Concert, Björling Recital Hall, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, 7:30 pm. Info: mara@gustavus.edu.

Fri-Sat, Mar 6-7

• Farm-City Hub Club’s 39th Annual Farm Show, Civic Center, 1212 N Franklin St, New Ulm, 1-8 pm Fri, 10 am-5 pm Sat. Info: 507-354-8524 or farmcityhubclub.net.

• Mankato MOPS Spring Crafting Retreat Fundraiser, Hosanna Lutheran Church, Mankato. Info & registration: mops-spring-retreat.cheddarup.com or mopsmankato@gmail.com.

Sat, Mar 7

• Schell’s Bock Fest, Brewery, 1860 Schell Rd, New Ulm, 11 am-4:30 pm. Info: 507-354-5528.

• New Ulm Bird & Small Animal Swap & Sale Day, Brown Co Fairgrounds, New Ulm, 8 am-noon. Info: 507-375-4716 or 507-3546448.

• Farm & Home Show, High School, 1400 17th St., Windom, 9 am-3 pm. Info: 507-831-2752.

• Miss Sleepy Eye Coronation, Event Center, Sleepy Eye. Info: misssleepyeye@gmail.com.

Sun, Mar 8

• Coppélia comic ballet presented by Mankato Ballet, State Street Theater Co, 1 N State St, New Ulm, 2 pm. Info: statestreettheater@gmail.com or statestreetnewulm.org.

Mon, Mar 9

• Björling Music Festival Honor Choir Finale Concert, Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, 6:30 pm. Info: mara@gustavus.edu.

Sat, Mar 14

• Maple Syrup Demonstration, Minneopa State Park, 5 mi W of Mankato off Hwy 68/169, 10-11 am. Info: 507-384-8890 or scott. kudelka@state.mn.us

Sat-Sun, Mar 14-15

• New Ulm Trade Fair and Living History Event, Turner Hall, 102 S State St, New Ulm, 9 am-5pm Sat, 9 am-3 pm Sun. Info: NewUlmTradeFair.com, 651-247-4733 or memery@newulmtradefair.com.

Sun, Mar 15

• LCS PROS Pulled Pork & Live/ Silent Auction, Lafayette Public Charter School, 351 6th St, Lafayette, 11 am-3 pm. Info: Facebook.

Tues, Mar 17

• St. Patrick’s Day Parade, 3rd S Minnesota, New Ulm, 5 pm.

MINGLE WITH A PURPOSE

HEELS AND ALL

guest speaker Rebecca Undem

The New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to these Women’s Networking Events

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Living B.I.G. in the Life You’re In Friday, February 21, 2020

Living Your B.I.G. Life (using the B.I.G. framework in your life) For tickets call 507-233-4300 or visit newulm.com

FARM SHOW

FebruaryMust

HAVES

1. Women's KUT from the Kloth Catherine Boyfriend Jean

Distressed and tough yet extremely on trend, this is a pair of jeans that can add flare to any outfit. Cut from cotton with a touch of spandex, these jeans can be worn all day without losing their shape. Get yours today at Scheels. Scheels River Hills Mall 1850 Adams St. Mankato, MN 56001 507.386.7767 scheels.com

2. Obagi Hydrate Luxe, Moisture Rich Cream

We know that our body and mind requires a good night’s sleep to restore energy, but did you know that sleep is essential for our skin, too? Obagi Hydrate Luxe is designed to work in tandem with your skin's natural function to hydrate and replenish your complexion. You can dream easy tonight knowing that just as the product’s name suggests, this luxuriously rich face cream reduces water loss and holds water on the surface of your skin and has gradual moisture delivery which retains water and continuously releases active moisturizing compounds within the skin giving your skin what it needs to leave your skin looking and feeling replenished.

Giddie Skin

530 N Riverfront Dr. Suite 130 Mankato, MN 56001 507.381.7723 giddieskin.com

3. Tranquility Candle from [Comfort Zone]

Aromatic relaxing candle with floral notes, sweet orange and cedarwood. 55+ hours of burn time. Fréy Salon & Spa

429 S Minnesota Ave. St. Peter, MN 56082 507.934.7399

4. Woofwash Pet Cleansing Products

These naturally derived soap-free cleansers are gentle enough for frequent use. Select from a variety of nourishing scents and formulas that offer healing and restorative properties. These products are parabenfree and sulfate-free, designed to pamper your pet. Varieties include but not limited to soothing oatmeal, puppy pure, and herbal. Stop into Pet Expo today to shop our entire line.

Pet Expo

1800 Adams St. Mankato, MN 56003 507.625.2505 petexpomankato.com

5. Roanley Console Sofa Table

Make a cool, contemporary statement with this console sofa table. Sporting diamondcarved cabinet door fronts with great dimension, this designer piece is an inspired choice for an entryway, dining room or living space. Combination of distressed white wood and black metal is so striking. Rooms and Rest Furniture and Mattress 1760 Madison Ave. Mankato, MN 56001 1704 North State St. New Ulm, MN 56073 roomsandrest.com

6. Sonicare Platinum

Get your must have Sonicare Flexcare Platinum electric toothbrush from North Mankato Family Dentistry. Smart brushing technology removes 10x more plaque making healthier gums in 2 weeks vs manual toothbrush. Special pricing at $130 with this premium model. No need to be a patient to get yours today! North Mankato Family Dentistry

1400 Lookout Dr. North Mankato, MN 56003 507.625.CARE (2273) mankatodentist.com

3.

8.

2.

7. Salt Sisters Seasoning & Dip Packets

Exclusive to the Mankato area at Blue Skye Mercantile, Salt Sisters Seasoning Packets are the quick and easy way to add flavor to your recipes. Mix the Southwest Ranch Dip mix with sour cream and/ or cream cheese for a quick and easy party dip, or the Heavenly Horseradish Dip Mix with butter for a delicious bread topping. We also have a variety of salts and rubs for meats, fish, or recipes you want to spice up with a little something different. There are so many possibilities, stop in to check it all out for yourself! Blue Skye Mercantile 237 Belgrade Ave. North Mankato MN 56003 507.779.7076

blueskyemercantile.com

8. Love your Body

this Valentine's Day Basin brings the relaxation of a spa to your home. With a refreshing line of sweetly scented bath bombs, scrubs and soaps that will help relieve your daily stresses. Scents range from Serenity or Electric lemonade and even Florida Sunshine, something to fit every mood. You can find Basin products at your Mankato Hy-Vee’s.

Hy-Vee Hilltop

2010 Adams St. Mankato, MN 56001

507.625.9070

Hy-Vee Riverfront

410 S. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001

507.625.1107

9. Healthy, Vibrant

Rejuvenated Skin

Skin Essentials offers DERMALINFUSION®, an advanced skin-resurfacing treatment that simultaneously exfoliates, extracts and infuses skin with condition-specific serums for an all-inclusive treatment in one step to improve skin health, function and appearance with no downtime. Call Skin Essentials and schedule a free consultation to discover if DERMALINFUSION is right for you.

Skin Essentials, Mankato Clinic

1400 Madison Ave. Suite 400A

Madison East Center Mankato, MN 56001

507.625.6599

skinessentialsmankato.com

10. Create Harmony Allure Transitional Shades magically transition natural light into the best light of your life. You'll delight in the nearly endless variety of light control and viewing options at every level. Close your Allure Transitional shades to create the privacy you desire or transition your shades to enjoy exceptional view-through while gently filtering harsh daylight. Blinds & More Window Coverings & Decor 507.380.5019 blindsandmore.org

11. Calm Forest Hand Painted Canvas Hand painted forest scene on canvas showcases a watercolor style with soft sage green, yellow and gray tones and a silver gallery frame. Due to the handcrafted nature of this artwork, each piece may have subtle differences.

Nordaas American Homes 10091 State Hwy 22 Minnesota Lake, MN 56068 800-658-7076 nordaashomes.com

12. Relax. Renew. Repeat. Promote total calm and peaceful relaxation. Improve sleep, eliminate fatigue and jet lag, alleviate stress and energize your entire body. All it takes is 60 Minutes of Float Therapy. All new at Body Concepts. Call to schedule your appointment today!

Body Concepts LLC 1615 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001

13. The Sleek Belt A MUST HAVE for every wardrobe! Our Sleek Belts are a customer favorite 4 years running. This brilliant invention allows women to wear a belt with absolutely NO lines, buckles or seams. Truly SLEEK. They come in Champagne and Black and are sized 0/2, 4/6, 8/19, 12/14, 16/18, 20/22. These are the best fashion invention in years! Only $19.95. Bella Nova Boutique 521 N. Riverfront Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 507.779.7444

14. Scrubs, Medical Supplies & Accessories

Shop our large selection of medical equipment and supplies including stethoscopes, compression stockings, scrubs, scissors and more! C&S Supply has a great in-stock selection of quality uniforms & footwear. Special orders also available at no extra charge.

13.

C&S Supply 1951 N. Riverfront Drive, Mankato, MN 507.387.1171 or 800.879.1938 108187

129557 11.

12.

February is Heart Health Awareness month, so now is a great time to complete a status check on one of the most important organs in your body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every four deaths in the United States is due to heart disease. It continues to be the leading cause of death for both men and women. That’s more than 647,000 people each year! Take time to consider the following information and tips to ensure you’re making efforts to keep your heart as healthy as can be.

Prevention

Start making basic lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of heart disease and subsequent issues. These strategies benefit other areas of your life as well, so you’re actually doing your entire body a favor by focusing on heart health.

• Avoid tobacco. If you currently smoke, chew tobacco, vape, or use other tobacco products, quit right away — your health care team can help. If you don’t smoke now, keep it that way.

• Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Heavy alcohol use is detrimental to your heart health. Although some research indicates moderate consumption of certain alcoholic beverages may have positive health effects, limiting your intake to a maximum of one drink per day or abstaining from alcohol altogether is best.

• Be active. Try to do aerobic exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes a day, three to five times per week. Work your way up to 150 minutes of cardio each week. Get your heart rate up by a simple activity like walking at a brisk pace. Your daily movement doesn’t need to be overly strenuous.

• Maintain a healthy weight. Like your checkbook, your weight is a matter of deposits and withdrawals. You need to exercise regularly

EASY TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEART HEALTH

and lower portion sizes and calorie intake at meals to lose weight or maintain a healthy size. Simply put, to lose weight you must burn more calories than you consume.

• Eat a nutritious diet. Healthy and fresh food choices — such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes — lower your risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as well as make you feel better than when you eat processed and junk food.

• Control your risk factors. Get physical examinations or checkups at least yearly. Doing so will help you monitor health conditions and allow your provider to examine you for high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol and diabetes. If you have these conditions, talk to your health care team about medicines and lifestyle changes to help you control them, which will lower your risk for heart disease.

Family history

While neglecting the aforementioned prevention tips poses major risk factors, family history — although uncontrollable — can be problematic. This makes staying on top of heart health increasingly important. A family history of heart disease puts you at an elevated risk, and you’re even more susceptible if a male family member developed heart disease before age 55 or a female family member developed heart disease before age 65.

Complications of heart disease

Heart disease can result in significant complications and death. Complications include heart failure, heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, peripheral artery disease and sudden cardiac arrest.

Use this information to put your heart at the forefront of your wellness improvement plan. If you have questions or concerns, contact your primary care provider. And if you’re experiencing a heart emergency, call 911 immediately.

NITI R. AGGARWAL, M.D., Cardiologist Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato

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