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Watch your six

Generally in life, I’m not big on looking back. Jobs, old relationships, major screw-ups and minor mistakes I try to leave in the rear-view mirror taking with me on the road ahead only the lessons learned from those experiences. There’s an old saying I’m fond of about moving forward at any juncture in life: “don’t look back, you’re not going that way.” In the outdoors, however, looking back is often a good idea, even if you’re pretty sure nothing is there. Take for instance this weekend, a beautiful warm late July stretch with light breezes and perfect conditions for ...

Old versus aging

As we all know, we get older with every minute of every day. But what has that aging process accomplished? Perhaps a walk through some history will help answer that question. During a recent visit to our local county history center, I decided to meander through the agricultural exhibit room. The items on display are amazing, and although old, they have aged well. Then, there it was! Our family grew up on a hard working farm in southwest Minnesota. We raised pigs, fed out steers, took care of a bunch of chickens and hand milked dairy cows twice a day. In the history center’s ag ...

The joy of summertime gardening

It’s summertime and the living is easy. The weather is tropical, and the sweat is flowing like lemonade into a glassful of frosty ice cubes. The corn is actively pollinating as of this writing, untold millions of plants making whoopie right out in the open where anyone can see them. This is the short-lived time of year when my entire world smells like fresh sweet corn. Not a bad thing if you ask me. Much has been made lately about the heat and humidity and how these things are amplified by so-called “corn sweat.” This is not to be confused with David Corenswet, the guy who ...

The clash between science and religion

All of us know things. Some things we saw, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled. Our senses inform us every day. Other things we were told. By a parent, a teacher, a friend, or something we read. We can’t experience everything ourselves. So, we take understanding from human beings who came before. Science grows from the many who have observed and studied. We all benefit from science to one degree or another, even if we don’t understand it. I sure don’t know the science behind air conditioning. But I’m glad to have it on a muggy July day. A series of smart people make that ...

Heavy rainfall: Does it signify worldwide climate change?

Last weekend the Marshall area experienced a deluge, a large amount of rain in a short time span. About 8 inches of rain fell late on Friday night. I slept right through it, didn’t even realize we had so much until I checked my rain gauge and noticed that it was filled past the six inch mark. I drove by Independence Park and saw that the pond was filled to capacity. I knew we had a flood. My next door neighbor told me about a friend who finished work in the late evening and tried to drive home on East Lyon St. The car got caught in water. It had to be towed to a shop and was ...

On the Porch

In 1938, Dr. A.W. Cowin opened the Cowin Hospital in the former William Gieske (Gieseke) house at the corner of Sixth and Lyon streets in Marshall. The William Gieske (Gieseke) home is on the National Register of Historic Places. Dr. Cowin came to Marshall with 13 years of general medical practice. He received his pre-medical training at the University of Minnesota and his degrees of bachelor of science and doctor of medicine at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He served his internship at the Gunderson Clinic in La Crosse. Before he received his medical training and license, he ...