In the delightful company of my neighbor Bruce, moments of contemplation often greet me as I pass by his driveway. A stint of food testing at the county fair exposes my taste buds to an array of captivating dishes, prompting thoughts like “That’s a departure” or “Ideal for another palate,” yet most gratify with their scrumptiousness. A savory endeavor indeed.
Recollections harken back to my parents’ enjoyment of the “Lawrence Welk Show.” A roster of familiar faces adorned Welk’s stage, including the likes of the Champagne Lady (Alice Lon and Norma Zimmer), the enchanting Lennon Sisters, accordion virtuoso Myron Floren, deep-bass vocalist Larry Hooper, pianist Big Tiny Little Jr., gravel-voiced trumpeter Rocky Rockwell, and Algona’s own Dick Dale, a saxophonist and singer. My roots trace back to Algona through my mother. Each Saturday night, the show’s theme “Bubbles In The Wine” resonated as soap bubbles danced behind the band, causing no harm to the musicians. My gaze remained hopeful, yearning for a surprise appearance by The Rolling Stones. Did you know that the average American expends $12,914 yearly on personal healthcare? According to WalletHub’s analysis of 44 indicators encompassing cost, accessibility, and outcomes, Minnesota boasts the nation’s preeminent healthcare system, with Iowa and Rhode Island ranking second and third, respectively.
Among the streets of Fairbanks, Alaska, peculiar names like Lois Lane, Yellowsnow Road, Da Nephew Street, Da Niece Street, and At Your Own Risk Road add character. The legacy of Gibson Discount Center, renowned for “Where you buy the best for less,” originates in Abilene, Texas, having peaked with over 600 stores. Sam Walton’s franchising overture was spurned, and two independently-owned Gibson outlets persist today. Personal history unveils that my hometown was a nascent village during my youth, lacking sufficient chairs to merit the status of a “sitty.” The enchantment of witnessing fireflies alight warms my heart, as blinker usage kindles a sense of order. Both the past and the act of volunteering at the County Historical Museum hold intrinsic value. Scarcely do references to “F-Troop” arise in conversation nowadays. Not all seek whales’ majestic sightings. A voyage for whale-watching in Sitka, Alaska, exposes me to a plaintive voice yearning for an unexpected spectacle: “I want to see a cheeseburger.” Were the ceiling fan able to bear my weight, monotony would dissipate. Curiosities emerge: Do sensitive documents endure emotional hurt easily? Is a telephone directory an expansive data vulnerability? Might wombats and dung beetles harbor mutual animosity given the former’s cubic defecation and the latter’s dung-ball choreography? Did Icarus ever don sunscreen?
Natural phenomena intrigue—why do leaves invert before rain? AAA underscores that averting vehicular damage following deer collisions demands over $5,000, a figure on the rise. State Farm statistics point out the probability of a driver encountering an animal this year stands at 1 in 70 for Minnesota and 1 in 57 for Iowa. West Virginia, however, poses the highest likelihood at 1 in 35. As the gathering concludes, the resonating sentiment emerges: “Cherish the treasure of kindness within you. Learn to give unhesitatingly, to lose without remorse, to acquire without pettiness.” — George Sand.
