Kale has become pretty popular the past couple of years, no longer just a fad or something found strictly in vegan establishments. It’s making frequent appearance in many restaurants and is being found at more and dinner tables across America. In fact, in some circles, it enjoys celebrity status. And there is good reason. Not only is kale readily available and cheap, …
No one has done more to create the easy-care modern roses you now find in so many gardens than Canadians breeders. Unless gardeners were ready to battle subzero cold and hot and humid summers, they were just out of luck. A modern rose is any cultivar introduced since the advent of the hybrid tea in 1867. Only a few, however, combined hardy …
The summer of 2015 is going to be one to remember for gardeners and grillers alike. Abundant rain and sunshine have resulted in bumper crops for a lot of people in the Northland, many of whom are fond of cooking outdoors. While many associate grilling mainly with meat, there’s a growing number of food aficionados who know that the veggies …
Grand Forks does things a little differently sometimes. For example, instead of buildings, it names “lift stations” after people like Marilyn Hagerty and Dave Barry. A new tradition now, perhaps. Last night, the alley that runs behind Sanders 1907 restaurant was renamed “Kim Holmes Alley of Love.” To me, it seems like just yesterday that Kim rolled into town on …
As a college broadcasting instructor, it’s my responsibility to give each of my students an update on his or her performance about halfway through each semester. The report is designed to praise students for their positive achievements, offer suggestions on how they might improve in other areas and, maybe most importantly, catch any trouble spots before it’s too late. While …
Even if your green thumb is really the finger of death, don’t worry. If nothing else, you can grow daylillies that not only thrive but will be the talk of the neighborhood! Daylillies grow spectacularly even with neglect. They have few insect or disease problems. One of their only drawback is that they have to be divided often, which means you …
I got up early so I wouldn’t miss any of the commentary of “Breakfast at Wimbledon” in preparation for the matchup between the two greats, Novak Djokovic (No. 1 Seed) and Roger Federer (No. 2 Seed.) I have been cheering for Roger Federer throughout the tournament despite friends telling me “he’s over the hill,”, “past his prime” and “on his …
Some gardeners will tell you that the first picking of vegetables from their gardens is the best. I don’t really subscribe to that thought, though it’s hard to beat the initial home-grown radishes or tomatoes of the summer. But I can understand how people might feel that way. There is a certain amount of excitement associated with gathering garden bounty for the first …
CBS said it, so it must be true: Donald Trump now leads the rest of the dozen-odd Republicans who’ve announced their presidential ambitions. And I do mean “dozen-odd.” An implied horde of Americans on the political right are vigorously bobbing their heads as he expounds, pounding the bar and invoking the time-honored rebel blessing, “an honest man who really speaks …
Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons captured these closeup shots of the common loon Thursday night in northern Minnesota. The bird was adopted as the official state bird of Minnesota in 1961. They are known for their cries, wails and yodels — their eerie, echoing calls are a distinctive feature of Minnesota’s northern lakes.
Sadly, we have lost a longtime friend who resided in downtown Grand Forks – above my office. Many of you know him as Swanie — Steve Swanberg grew up in East Grand Forks, Minn., and was the last of seven children. Steve touched the lives of many people. He passed away on June 27. There will be a memorial gathering to honor the …
The last battle of World War II was fought 70 years ago next month, but for tens of thousands of American servicemen — and women — the battles continued at home. Only then, the soldiers didn’t have their buddies next to them in the foxhole. This war — waged with horrible memories, nightmares and survivor’s guilt — had to be fought …
Spectacular sunsets are the norm in the Northland, as evidenced by these stunning images captured Tuesday by Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons.
Like a couple of million other people who have preordered the “new” Harper Lee novel “Go Set A Watchman,” I’ve been eagerly awaiting the book’s publication date next week. A couple of million is no exaggeration, by the way. It is the biggest preorder ever for HarperCollins. It’s being hyped as the biggest publishing event in several years. “Go Set a …
There aren’t many places that have better fishing than Alaska. Anyone who lives there or has visited will tell you so. And if you have traveled there and been fortunate enough to experience casting a hook and line into either one of the state’s plentiful rivers or into the ocean, you’ve may have brought home a bounty of fish that would be …
It’s hard to beat the scenery this time of the year — or any time for that matter —in northern Minnesota. Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons proved that with these magnificent images he captured while on a family vacation over the Fourth of July week on Turtle Lake, north of Bemidji, Minn.
The name for the beloved iris is very fitting. In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow. This is one perennial flower that comes in just about every color in the rainbow. No other flower can make that claim. The iris family is large. There are 11 different divisions of iris from the noble bearded to Siberian and water …
Think tanks and activists have been warning about rising tensions between our society’s “haves” and “have-nots” — the aristocratic 1 percent, with their glossy grasp on privilege, versus all the rest of us. But when the local populace finally rose up in revolt in the week before Independence Day, who could have dreamed what would spur Fargo’s downtrodden to threaten …
Here are a few spectacular photos from Alexandria, Va., photographer Jeff Olson’s recent trip home to North Dakota. They are a canola field near northeast of McKenzie,N.D., two of a Missouri River sunset through the smoky skies north of Double Ditch Indian Village, the result of Canadian forest fires, and a yellowheaded-blackbird in cattail slough northeast of McKenzie.
Anyone who lives in North Dakota and northern Minnesota — and even other parts of the U.S. — may have noticed a hazy sky the past few days? It’s been caused by smoke from dozens of large Canadian wildfires. It has produced some spectacularly colored sunrises and sunsets as well as some pretty moon shots. Photographer Russ captured these images over …
I’m going to Hettinger, N.D.,my hometown, today. Class reunion. A chance to see many old friends. But I’d rather be in Chicago. Let me tell you why. Just about exactly 20 years ago, on the morning of July 8, 1995, I was sitting under the Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Memorial in St. Louis, reading the St, Louis Post-Dispatch and …
What food do you most associate with a Fourth of July celebration? If asked, many people probably would say burgers or hot dogs or something else that’s cooked on the grill. Or perhaps corn on the cob or watermelon. And don’t forget about potato salad. Me? It’s baked beans, baby! In my book, no Independence Day get-together would be complete without some …
Fair pay — what a concept President Obama launches his quest to make the case that the federal government should require employers to pay overtime to all salaried workers who earn less than $50,000 per year. http://www.startribune.com/obama-s-overtime-proposal-becomes-new-flashpoint-in-america-s-slow-wage-comeback/311352151/ Why we like Netflix is quite simple For better or worse, Americans love to zone out and watch TV. Working 60 hours a …
I have been quiet for quite a while. Online at least. Every once in a while, I like to pull back from posting or commenting on hot-button issues on the Internet just to watch people’s behavior. By doing this, I get a sense of what the most common arguments are, which of them seems to have the most staying power …
Fred Rogers and I had known each other for three years by that day in the fall of 1998 when I learned that my brother, Steve, had been diagnosed with lung cancer. My first call was to my wife, my second to the children’s television icon at his home in Pittsburgh. It was his wife, Joanne, who answered that day, and …
The Minnesota strawberry season is just around the corner, so dig out the recipes. But you have to enjoy them as soon as they appear; they don’t last long. Strawberries have such a delicate flavor that they are best eaten right when picked. Some people use a bit of sugar and drizzle cream for that old favorite. A fresh strawberry pie …
The air was electric Saturday at the Tri-City Northstar’s Midwest Premier Football League game at Cushman Field in Grand Forks. Electric, as in lighting and storms all around. But that didn’t dampen the fun for the young fans. After a weather delay, the Northstars defeated Bismarck Wolves 29-0.
Alexandria, Va., photographer Jeff Olson returned to his home state of North Dakota recently and captured these shots in the capital city Bismarck.
Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons took in the Fargo RedHawks American Association pro baseball game against the St. Paul Saints on Friday night at Newman Field in Fargo. Fargo made a great comeback to tie the game 9-9 but lost 10-9 in extra innings. The game was followed by a great fireworks show. It was a great summer night in North …
Last March, I wrote here about my friends Harley and Peggy Stahlecker, from my hometown of Crookston, Minn. Both had lost older brothers in World War II. Another brother of Harley’s, Milton Stahlecker, survived combat in the Pacific but came back a changed man. When we talked this spring, neither Peggy or Harley had yet read my new novel, “Every …
Welcome to Dog Terror Week. As fireworks sales commence in North Dakota, families who are blessed with dog companions can be divided into two camps: those whose pooches can accompany them to the picnics and Fourth of July festivities with nary a qualm … and the rest of us, who celebrate America’s independence with our quaking hounds drooling under the …
Over the past couple of years, I have written several times about the decline in North Dakota’s wildlife population since the Bakken Boom began. It may just be a coincidence that numbers of game species (deer, sage grouse, bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope, to name a few) have been decimated at the same time as the big oil boom took …
Once there were a ton of them, television variety shows. Shows like “The Dean Martin Show” and “The Andy Williams Show” with big names and big production numbers. Then, suddenly, they were gone. It was almost as if television executives had all gotten together to set the price of gasoline or something. Much is riding on a new television variety show …
No Midwest garden would be complete without a rhubarb patch. Add to that a nice bed of strawberries, and you have the makings for some wonderful desserts. We are fortunate enough to have both. A stand of rhubarb was growing next to the garage when Therese bought our house about 25 years ago. And four years ago, I bought a bunch …
Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons captured the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) at their best Monday night. The spectacular show could be seen across almost the entire North American continent, with people from New England, Minnesota, Iowa and the Dakotas posting magnificent photos on social media of the illuminated sky. Scientists say the phenomenon can be attributed to a perfect storm of space …
The peonies have put on a picture-perfect show this past spring. Cooler temperatures, adequate rainfall and a lack of blustery winds at blooming made for wonderful memories of those magnificent flowers. If you don’t have peonies in your garden, consider adding some this fall. They require little care and can stay in the same location for a half-century or longer. …
My husband, Arnie Bigbee and I went downtown today — my first trip on light rail — it felt like being on vacation in a different city seeing the sights from the train. Then, we went to the amazing new Star Tribune offices with Chihuly glass bowls behind glass cases to take in the discussion about the dining scene with …
Not only is Nick Offerman one of my favorite actors and television talk show guests. Now, it turns out he has become one of my favorite humorists. Some people are just good at everything. (Oh, how I hate people who are good at everything.) His latest book, “Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America’s Gutsiest Troublemakers,” is part of my …
Americans have lost confidence in just about everything The USA, Americans say, basically sucks right now. The latest Gallup Poll says Americans over the past two years have lost confidence in, well — name it: Congress (8 percent); the presidency (33 percent); Supreme Court (32 percent); big friggin banks (“institutions” that made $4 billion charging customers for money transactions … 28 …
There are a lot of ways a family can stretch its budget. That’s important these days when salaries aren’t keeping up with the cost of living increases, and benefits to lower income families are being tightened at every turn. For example, one can clip coupons or grab them online for deals at the grocery store. Coupons are like free money to be used …
Cruise the Coolest Maps of Minnesota’s water ever made Blogger David Montgomery presents on twincities.com a few maps that capture Minnesota’s water in the Land of 10,000 lakes — or is it 28,176 distinct wetlands, ponds and lakes? And don’t forget to checkout the state’s flowing water, including rivers and 3,768 unnamed streams and 2,032 unnamed creeks — not including drainage ditches …
For some, writing is a passion. For professionals, it’s a job. When you invest your entire career in churning out words, your Muse devolves rather quickly from an inspiration into a math problem. Eventually, you come to take what you’ve written entirely for granted. It’s all about the kind of output that a dismissive BBC documentary on the digital age recently …
With Father’s Day coming up Sunday (June 21), you may want to take dear old Dad on a trip to see the showy lady’s slipper, the state flower of Minnesota. Named the state flower in the early 1900s, the lady’s slipper is unique in that it is a member of the orchid family. In fact, the showy lady’s slipper is the …
There’s no doubt that the cuisines of most countries are influenced by those of others. These days, when the culinary tastes of two or more cultures are combined, it is called fusion cooking. In this country, that is no more evident than in Tex-Mex food, which is a combination of Southwestern U.S. and Mexican cuisines. Another example of fusion cooking …