The weather was the talk of the Christmas season this year 2023 – second only to that little feller in a manger.
The area record high was 52 degrees on Christmas Eve and 53 degrees on Christmas Day. The high temps for this time of the year created lots of unusual things - for example.
1. No ice skating, snowmobiling or cross-country skiing.
2. No local ice fishing.
3. No snow shoveling.
4. No heavy bundling of clothes to stay warm.
5. Night crawlers were out and about. (I found a fat one on our driveway Christmas Day.
6. Ducks and geese are common in picked corn and soybean fields.
7. Chipmunks are out and about.
8. Robins have been seen and heard doing their spring-time song.
9. There is green grass, even a few dandelions in sheltered areas.
10. The most unusual is no snow!!
11. There is no frost in the ground.
I don’t know why, but I decided to see if I couldn’t find a bad public school Christmas program at a school in Minnesota.
Yes, I failed as they were all excellent.
The most unusual was the program at the Northwest Angle of Minnesota. It was performed in front of a packed house by all four of the students (2 third graders, a sixth grader, a fourth-grade girl playing Santa Claus.)
For your info this school is at the northernmost point of the continental U.S.
We have a snow guessing contest each year at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, Rural Albert Lea. In the spring the contest is when all the snow will be gone from the west side parking lot. In the fall when will the first snow of an inch or more cover the west side parking lot. The contest winner is given a brand new $20.00 bill. Bev Indrelie was the good guesser in the spring of 2023. Every guesser for the fall guessed before Christmas Eve. With no snow, no winner!!
If you’re like me and don’t like the freeway driving when heading north, look at the following:
Get on Highway 14 at either Owatonna or Waseca and follow it to New Ulm. (The road is now open.) Follow Highway 15 to St. Cloud. At St. Cloud, go north on Highway 10 or north on Freeway 94. It maybe a little longer or a little shorter than taking the Freeway thru Minneapolis. (In my opinion this route is a lot easier on both the driver and passenger.)
Short Shorts:
A. Something to think about: “You’re not as young as you used to be, but you’re not as old as you will be!!”
B. In following the Vikings, I’m sure of one thing: If the Vikings can hold the other team to zero points in a game, the Vikings might win in overtime.
C. January 23rd I will be adding another candle to last year’s birthday cake. How old will I be? Follow the math for the answer: The year now is __ subtract 24 Subtract 13, Subtract 1900. Double check your math to be sure you didn’t get 97!!
D. Let us know you’re coming to the F.R.O.G. “Norwegian Bingo Valentine’s Party” Saturday evening February 3rd starting at 6 p.m. at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, rural Albert Lea. RSVP to Hansons at 373-8655 or Indrelies at 826-3267.
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. 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 New York. Bob says if you enjoy his column, 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.