Lorie Line was awesome!

If you intended to go to Lorie Line, but didn’t, I’m sorry to tell you you missed an awesome show. Wow! I don’t know what it was, but the level of performance brought tears to my eyes. She and her five-member band know how to please a crowd. I particularly loved the medley in which she asked for audience requests. She played our favorite songs without any sheet music - not just her songs, any song. It was great. Yes, and the best part was I got to meet her. She signed the article I wrote about her. Not sure what it was, but I was extremely nervous. It was definitely one of the highlights of my career so far. She even asked for an autographed copy of the ED! I told her maybe I would be famous someday! Next time she comes to the PAC, I recommend going. It’s not just boring, low key piano playing. It’s jazzed up, fun, music which incorporates trombone, guitar, sax, bass, and drums. AMAZING! Definitely one of the best Mother’s Days gifts for my mom, as well.

Late ice out makes for a tough decision during opener

With ice coming off the lakes later than usual, fisherman in northern Minnesota didn’t let a little ice get in the way of catching some fish during opener this past weekend. At least the sun was shining boys! Any interesting fishing opener stories to share? Photos courtesy of Bruce Bohnsack.

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How good are you at trivia?

I am in a daily trivia tournament with a bunch of friends and although I am not the best at it, I still enjoy playing and seeing who is in the top 5 for the day. Here are a few trivia questions I came up with, can you answer them without looking them up?

1. Today (May 11) the state of Minnesota is how old?

2. What are the five most celebrated ‘Hallmark’ holidays?

3. What is the name of the new business opened in Dassel? (front page story 4/7/08 ED)

4. Who is the points leader in NASCAR as of the May 10 race in Darlington?

5. Who was the 34th United States President? (1953-1961)

6. Mother’s Day has been celebrated for how many years?  ____ anniversary.

Good luck and enjoy your day! Roll

Consider a rain garden

A rain garden is a specially designed depression planted with flood-tolerant and water-loving perennial plants, according to the MPCA. Normally built curb-side, near a gutter downspout or in a flood-prone low spot, rain gardens soak up rain before runoff carries pollutants, such as lawn fertilizer and pet waste, to rivers and lakes.

Rain gardens come in all shapes and sizes and usually reflect their owners’ tastes. Some gardeners prefer shrub plantings, some like a well-groomed perennial flower garden, others are proud of their wild-looking Minnesota native plants.
Building your rain garden Continue reading ‘Consider a rain garden’

Mystery Photo of the Week (May 12)

mystweb.jpgThe Enterprise Dispatch web site is hosting a weekly Mystery Photo taken in the Dassel, Darwin, Cokato, or Kingston area. Those who correctly guess the identity of the photo will be added to a monthly drawing for a free subscription to the newspaper.Answers may be entered below via Blog post, e-mailed to Lynda Jensen at news@dasselcokato.com, or mailed to:Attn: Mystery Photo, Enterprise Dispatch
PO Box 969, Cokato, MN 55321
(No phone calls please).The first person to correctly guess the photo of Hojies Grill in Dassel was Martha Johnson.

Can words prevent school shootings? I don’t think so.

I recently finished reading a book by Jodi Picoult, “Nineteen Minutes.” In it, Picoult takes the reader through a school shooting, not only through the mind of the killer, but also the victims, investigators, and his parents. It was awesome. Continue reading ‘Can words prevent school shootings? I don’t think so.’

Welcome home 849th!

It was quite an awesome experience to be a part of the welcoming home of the Litchfield soldiers Wednesday. I wish I could’ve been everywhere that day. I couldn’t believe all of the people that came out to cheer them as they went through town. This is definitely something I won’t forget. Since I couldn’t be everywhere, I didn’t know what Dassel looked like or Darwin, or Litchfield for that matter. I was sure the streets would be lined with people holding flags as well, but I wasn’t there to know. Then, a co-worker of mine handed me a CD of photos taken by Darin Orr of Delano. He was in the Patriot Guard leading the bus loads of troops. The photos were awesome. I was so excited. It was like I was along for the ride too. He took photos all the way from Howard Lake to Litchfield. Some of them a bit blurry from the movement and all, but awesome none-the-less. Tears filled my eyes as the photos got closer and closer to Litchfield – my home town – to the armory. What I think is so amazing is the sense of ownership we all felt waving and welcoming these men and women home. They are ours whether you knew one or not. Just imagine how happy I was seeing them come home, I can’t imagine how their families felt upon their arrival. Welcome home 849th!

Mystery Photo of the Week (May 5)

web.jpgThe Enterprise Dispatch web site is hosting a weekly Mystery Photo taken in the Dassel, Darwin, Cokato, or Kingston area. Those who correctly guess the identity of the photo will be added to a monthly drawing for a free subscription to the newspaper.Answers may be entered below via Blog post, e-mailed to Lynda Jensen at news@dasselcokato.com, or mailed to:

Attn: Mystery Photo, Enterprise Dispatch
PO Box 969, Cokato, MN 55321
(No phone calls please).The first person to correctly guess the photo of the Old Depot Museum in Dassel was Carol Tritabaugh.

The Saints are kicking off another great season

Even if you aren’t obsessed with baseball, you’ll LOVE attending a Saints game, if you feel like venturing out for a good time at the Dassel ballpark. The facilities are very nice and every seat is a good seat. The hot dogs are awesome and the pop is cold. One note: if you have very young children, you might end up cutting out early to put them to bed.

Any ideas for Darwin’s Twine Ball Day

Last night I attended a meeting for Darwin’s Community Club. This was an effort to gain more memberships, so I signed up. This club is similar to a historical society in that it pays for and controls the Darwin Museum, but it does more than that. It also helps with community projects and Twine Ball Day. As a member of the Community Club, I also joined the Twine Ball Day committee. Just wondering, for those who attend Twine Ball Day, what would you like to see this year? Either activities or in the parade?