An Indian summer is defined as any fall day of 70 degrees or better after a killing frost of 26 degrees or less.

Fall started Saturday, Sept. 22. The temp was 26 degrees or less in many area locations Sunday morning Sept. 23. The temp was in the mid-70s Monday, Sept. 24. Thus, Monday was the first day of Indian summer. Indian summer can last until the end of October, or even the first part of November!

A very special thanks to the people of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church for selecting the first day of Indian summer to host their annual Fall Soup and Pie Supper. 

Mary Ann Atchison was the chair, with Lettie Ann Anderson, Linda Anderson and Ruth Thompson, as the three co-chairs. They surrounded themselves with very good workers and the results showed it!

Workers and attendees, once again you showed in person the true meaning of Rural America. Six hundred forty-nine people purchased the meal and all of them were pleased and plan on attending next year (tentatively Monday, Sept. 23).

They came from Waseca, Meriden, Owatonna, Ellendale, Austin, Blooming Prairie, Lerdal, Albert Lea, Lansing Corners, Red Oak Grove, Wells, Matawan, Otisco, Lemond, Vista, Glenville, Gordonsville, Freeborn, Alden, Faribault, Janesville, Hope Northwood, Clear Lake Mason City, Waldorf – plus other area locations. Patrick of Golden, Colo. came from the farthest away.

There were nurses, doctors, bankers, farmers, lawyers, politicians, city government officials, both current and former Twins fans, John Deere personnel, wannabe politicians, firemen, Auxiliarians – and the list goes on and on.

For example: the chief of the Norwegian LeSueur River Tribe, Bud Tollefson, and the lovely Princess Katheryn; She Who Must Be Obeyed along with her obedient spouse Al Batt; The famous Tesch duo from Waseca, Russ and Marie; The Sommers’ spouses with their pancake-flipping husbands; Violet Hanssen and her professional KFC eater, Ed, from Glenville; Arlen, the professional house builder, and Coleen Brekke, who sells them, from Ellendale; my neighbors from Albert Lea; fellow Lions members – and the list goes on and on.

You name the town or occupation and it was represented by at least one of the 649 attendees who entered Central Freeborn Lutheran Church’s VIP entry door.

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people attending who took the time to visit the gravesite of a friend or relative.

NOTE: In putting something in print, using the name of a person, one must be sure you don’t offend. In a recent article, I didn’t verify before printing. I blew it. To you whom I offended, please accept my apology.

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. This is the Hanson’s 37th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of Wisdom: There is always room for God.