In my humble opinion - by Deb Bently

Deb can’t help observing that hyacinths, like this one currently blooming in her flower garden, are a hundred flowers working together to look like one.

Managing to sit still and take in the flowers

I’m trying something new: sitting still. I had a bunion removed from my left foot last Friday. As I write this, I have not yet seen the results, because my instructions are to leave the voluminous wrappings in place until my first post-operative visit, three days in the future. When I...

Deb’s brother fishing on the lake near Deb’s cabin. The 10-foot-tall line of fog makes him invisible from eye level.

Enjoying sun, snow at the cabin

I spent a couple days at my family’s cabin near Park Rapids this past weekend. Though the cabin was its familiar self–simple, comfortable, and embedded in a natural setting–many elements of the trip made me feel as if I was on an alien planet. Once my brother and I got north of Motley...

'You're in the right place'

The weather on Saturday was chilly, and the cloud cover seemed especially thick. Fortunately, my plans did not include much, or frankly any time outdoors, so I proceeded with the errands and destinations of the day, essentially ignoring the weather. After all, it was neither threatening nor...

BALANCE IF THE GODS - Balance Rock in Colorado’s Garden of the Gods, a place Deb visited while in Colorado Springs.

Reminders of our amazing planet

It’s something we all know, but only seldom take time to think about: we are one country but we all live wildly diverse lives based on the place we reside. We Minnesotans pride ourselves on our ruggedness (or is it stubbornness?) because we stay here despite our harsh winters. Many of us, I...

Deb’s room at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado features a chandelier.

Blue-collar industry, black tie image

When you read this, I will already be home, but as I am writing it, I am at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, and feeling a bit out of my element–although not in a completely bad way. My husband John and I are here for the National Air Duct Cleaners’ Association (NADCA) annual...

CRAFTSMAN - Native American Mark Pederson is among the group of people who demonstrate stone working techniques at the National Monument located near the town of Pipestone.

Visiting Pipestone

My travels took me to Pipestone this week, and I was deeply grateful. I had never before visited the national monument located there: the extent of my knowledge was that a special type of stone is found there that is the preferred raw material for “peace” pipes made by Native Americans...

The emergence of this hyacinth and many other plants along the south wall of her house has Deb Bently soliloquizing about spring.

This particular leaflet is less than an inch tall, but already has a shape similar to an opening flower bud.

The flowers have broken ground

I happened to look down, and there they were. The daffodils, tulips and hyacinths along the front wall of my house have broken ground and are declaring to the world that life goes on. They’re only about an inch tall, but they have shown year after year that, once they’re above ground...

Appreciate the meaning of home

Every snowfall spawns its own stories, and what they’re like depends entirely on who you happen to talk to. I had an obligation in Morton on Saturday morning. If “Morton” doesn’t mean much to you, I was headed to a teacher gathering being held in the conference rooms at the hotel associated...

ROBIN FILES - A photo Deb found among her files while looking through them to find appealing images for an acquaintance.

Going through file photos

I was recently asked whether I have any “file photos” of some parks and public attractions in the Waseca area. It would not have worked to go take new photos at this time because the pictures were meant to depict the area as it looks in summer. I take a lot of pictures, both for the sake of...

Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas congratulated Abel Hernandez, 6, after it was announced Abel had won the lifetime fishing license offered at the fishing contest held on St. Olaf Lake near New Richland on Saturday, Feb. 14.

Network of caring in the community

I would like to take a few minutes to acknowledge some good things and the people doing them. Let me begin by saying how fortunate I feel to be part of a small town community. I acknowledge we are not all angels, but an amazing number of the people I interact with have the good of others as...