The Crow's Nest - July 21, 2016
Whew! What a summer we have had so far! Needless to say, it has been a very wet one. As of late it also has been a stormy summer. A couple of nights ago stormy weather came down from Canada and swept through the Red River Valley. The city of Mountain had a huge amount of damage with downed trees and wounded buildings. They hold their annual August the Deuce in just a few days, so I know cleanup is of the essence. Golf ball size hail fell around the Crystal area and crops were hurt badly.
At this time we are vacationing at Horseshoe Lake near Brainerd. Around 2 am this morning a huge storm came through this area. 70 mile an hour straight winds blew many trees and power lines down. I watched huge, tall pine trees just sway in the wind. I was scared, but in awe all at once. During our morning walk we saw many, many big trees toppled over and power lines on the road. The sound of chainsaws started about 6 am as permanent home dwellers were out clearing pathways to the main road.
Well, the fields are really starting to turn an amber color. Gardens are producing those wonderful fresh vegetables and there is an abundance of juneberries and raspberries just waiting to be picked. Edinburg (and other places) seem like nirvana at this time of the year – a place of perfect peace!! It is so much fun to indulge in a fresh garden carrot or eat a pea right in the garden. It is wonderful.
The firemen held their annual Rib Fest this past Saturday. Once again it was a huge success despite a heavy rainfall. The ribs were made by the grill masters in the park, but the diners went to the Community Center to enjoy eating them along with all the fixings. I understand that 600 pounds of ribs were cooked. I am sure there were anywhere from 300 to 400 people in attendance. Citizens State Bank was a sponsor of the event and they provided watermelon for everyone.
During the event, the fire department recognized long time members: LeRoy Pederson for 60 years of service and Bob Halldorson and Dale Gemmill for 55 years of service. The Park Board also recognized LeRoy for his many, many years as a member of the board. A tree is being planted in the park in honor of LeRoy’s years of committed dedication to the park as well as the community. He is greatly deserving of the recognition. The Class of 1966 also took in the Rib Fest as part of their 50th class reunion.
The older we get, the more fun it is to reminisce about the “old” days. Last week Bennie Langerud told how as a young boy his mom would put him on the train in Crystal and he would ride to Grafton where his aunt would meet the train so he could visit his Grandmother. What was fun to hear was how the conductor used to stop the train along the way at a shelterbelt and then proceed to go over and pick plums before finishing the trip to Grafton. Wouldn’t that pace of travel be a fun experience today? I think it would.
Our local “man who does everything”, Harold Flom, had a bad accident last week. He was using his band saw when his hand slipped and he really cut his hand starting at the thumb. Dr. Johnson put many stitches in and now Harold is healing. I get shivers when I think about it.
Sympathy to the family members of Gaylen Troftgruben. Gaylen, 75, passed away a couple of weeks ago. He lived in Casper, WY. I remember when Gaylen lived in Edinburg with his dad and mom, Sonny and Pearl. Gaylen was buried at Odalen.
Take care, have a good week and we will talk later. And, a special happy 70th birthday to brother David Monson.
