Thursday, October 31, 2013
We're waiting.......
It is Halloween night....we're waiting to receive some pictures of your spooky kids....or adults!!!
Yes, there are pumpkins down in Florida as well.....
Seems everyone had the same thing on their minds this past weekend as they visited pumpkin patches, corn mazes or apple orchards...and down in Florida, the Majhess kids showed their Minnesota farm roots on this tractor while visiting Bedners Farm for a pumpkin festival near Boynton Beach. Great-grandpa Korkowski would be proud!!
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| Andrew, Ellie and Joseph Majhess
And, don't forget, it's Halloween and we'll be looking for pictures of your costumes for this year!!
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Wednesday, October 30, 2013
And, in Minnesota, it was the pumpkin patch and apple orchard.....
Last weekend, during a couple day visit down in Rochester, we visited the Northwoods Orchard out near Byron Minnesota. The day was sunny but it was definitely crisp....nothing that a cup of hot apple cider or a grilled hot dog couldn't cure! After a tractor ride thru the orchard, a trip walking thru the corn maze, and some food, it was time to snap some pictures of our visit there.
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| Evan measures up.... |
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| ...while Isaac hammed it up a bit... |
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| ...and lastly, Abby took her turn. |
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| Grandpa Cliff and the young'uns |
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| Isaac and Evan holding their choices of the strangest gourds |
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
A postscript to the corn chowder recipe....
It's always great to get feedback, and this morning it came from Faye down in the sunny (and warm!) Villages. She said they made the soup last night, and evidently Ron liked it enough to have three bowls, rating it a 10+. We like that!!
A suggestion was made that maybe we could share some of our favorite recipes, especially now that we're all indoors a lot more (maybe not in Florida) and have more time in the kitchen. And, since there are lots of 'empty' days in the weeks ahead, it would be great to have 'fillers'. So, if you want to share a great recipe, send it my way. Most of you have my email address so just go ahead and send me what you have. In this family, we should have no shortage of good eatin'.....
A suggestion was made that maybe we could share some of our favorite recipes, especially now that we're all indoors a lot more (maybe not in Florida) and have more time in the kitchen. And, since there are lots of 'empty' days in the weeks ahead, it would be great to have 'fillers'. So, if you want to share a great recipe, send it my way. Most of you have my email address so just go ahead and send me what you have. In this family, we should have no shortage of good eatin'.....
A-maze-ing in Texas....
No matter if you live in Texas or Minnesota, there seems to be a corn maze (or several) to test your navigating skills....so Staci and Jim Korkowski gave it a whirl on a recent visit to the P-6 Farms near Montgomery Texas. No word from them as to whether these pictures were taken prior to the trek thru the maze, or if they're still trying to find their way out!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Celebrations x 4......
All sorts of partying going on for today...two birthdays and two anniversaries! Birthdays today are for: Tom Evenson (#49) and Sue Korkowski (Ron's) who's 46.
Sue
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| Tom Evenson |
Sue
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| Sue Korkowski |
And, for anniversaries....Ben and Deanna O'Donnell are celebrating their 7th anniversary, while Nate and Andrea (Magnuson) Zuidema are celebrating #13.
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| Deanna and Ben |
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| Andrea and Nate |
Sunday, October 27, 2013
A great fall meal....corn chowder
It's been a long time since we've had a newly made recipe on here, but after picking several off my Pinterest site...and making sure the ingredients are all on hand...this recipe was made on a rainy and cold afternoon last weekend. And, it was a WINNER! In Cliff's words, it was worth 11 stars on a 10 star scale....hmmmm!
A couple of things I did differently...I did not use a crock pot but simply a large Dutch oven on the stove. It cooked slowly for about an hour and a half on low. And, I did not use the full strength half and half but rather the fat-free half and half. There are NO seasonings added to the recipe as the salt from the ham will more than make up for it. It is delicious! I'll be posting some of the other recipes to be tried....if they meet our approval :)
A couple of things I did differently...I did not use a crock pot but simply a large Dutch oven on the stove. It cooked slowly for about an hour and a half on low. And, I did not use the full strength half and half but rather the fat-free half and half. There are NO seasonings added to the recipe as the salt from the ham will more than make up for it. It is delicious! I'll be posting some of the other recipes to be tried....if they meet our approval :)
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Checking on the babies....
A couple of pictures to see how the newest babies in the family are doing these days. Little Stella is now home with her mama and daddy, Jewel & Steve, and the rest of the family (her three big brothers). It looks like she's doing very well, thank you very much....
and up north, Auntie Jackie checked in to see how Alexander (Alex) Pfeifer and mom Jean were doing.....
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| Jean Pfeifer, baby Alex, and Jackie Hanson |
Friday, October 25, 2013
Wedding memories....
Time for Tom & Caroline Korkowski to bring out the wedding album and think about their wedding day 27 years ago. The little town of Linton ND is probably still recovering from the 'invasion' of the Korkowski family! So, throw back a little bit of that 'yep, yep' tonight in honor of the couple.....happy anniversary, Tom & Caroline :)
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Feliz aniversário, Deize!
Okay, that's as much Portuguese as I know for today's birthday girl, but what I do know is that Deize Korkowski (#44) is celebrating her birthday today. Wishing you a wonderful birthday, Deize...have a great day!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
On the Vikings sidelines.....
A few weeks back, the following article appeared in The Catholic Spirit, the newspaper for the MSP diocese. I thought those who don't receive that paper (or have someone to alert them to it), you may enjoy reading what it has to say. We are all set to 'wave' at him next Sunday night at the Green Bay Packers game!
For Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, the daily schedule is packed. Each week of the football season is filled with team meetings, practices, workouts and weight training. Even meals with teammates are scheduled for appointed times. For players serious about their spiritual life — like Walsh, who grew up Catholic and attended Mass regularly with his family — it can be hard to find time to pray and nurture a spiritual life. So, when he was drafted by the Vikings last season, he didn’t expect to see a guy wearing a Roman collar on the sidelines with the team during games. For the past 11 years, Father Michael Van Sloun, pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata, has been helping Catholic players, like Walsh, as well as coaches and other team staff members to keep their lives focused despite the pressures of the NFL. He helps them, he says, to “be men of God.” One of two chaplains, Father Van Sloun’s primary jobs is to preside at Mass on Saturdays before Sunday games.“I didn’t expect this to be the case in the NFL,” Walsh said. “The fact that they basically bring Mass to you is just awesome.”
Even though their time is at a premium, several players and coaches gather for Mass on Saturday evenings. The arrangement is ideal, not only because of the time constraints, but because players and coaches don’t have to worry about being recognized by autograph seekers in the pews. “This allows them to worship without distraction,” Father Van Sloun said. He also knows that players and coaches have a lot on their minds when there’s a game coming up. He said he tries to keep hold of their attention by talking about things relevant to their lives, but he doesn’t talk too much about football.“They’re getting sports every minute,” Father Van Sloun said. “I want to let the Scriptures speak their full power. And Scripture speaks to every facet of life all the time anyway, so it doesn’t end up being a problem.” Walsh said Father Van Sloun is very good at relating the Gospel to the lives of the players. “In his homily last week, Father Mike talked about not making rash decisions and not keeping promises that are evil,” said Walsh, who like other professional athletes faces numerous temptations that come with the high-profile lifestyle. “What I can offer to them is prayer and helping them to be good people,” Father Van Sloun said. “Everybody needs that, but pro athletes really need it, and one of the things that I talk to them about is that they live in this world swirling with temptation. When you have money, fame and opportunity, the chances to misstep are tremendous and the scrutiny on that is tremendous as well. If I can help people stay on the right track, that’s a great blessing. ”Father Van Sloun is also available for anyone in the organization — players, coaches or staff — who might need someone to talk to. “Father Mike is more than a priest to our players — he’s a friend to them as well, and that means a lot,” said head coach Leslie Frazier. “Sometimes, things can be overwhelming in this business, with the pressure to succeed and perform, and to have Father Mike available for our players to sit down and talk to him about very intimate subjects and things that pertain to them . . . it helps our football team. ”It’s important to the team’s management to have the services of a chaplain as part of its program. “We are very fortunate to have a priest that is accessible, especially with the time constraints that we have,” said Rick Spielman, the team’s general manager. “People in this organization know that if they have issues, we really try to have the support staff around.”That support staff also includes player programs staff members, the legal department and medical staff.
During games, Father Van Sloun takes his place on the sideline, standing inside a white line between the 30- and 31-yard lines. From there, he sees what happens on the field and on the bench. But, he also hopes that people see him.“The fact that the Vikings would have a priest stand with the team on the sideline is a remarkable thing,” he said. “Most people don’t know who I am, but everybody recognizes the Roman collar. When people see the priest and wonder what he’s doing there, they are immediately led to see that spiritual values are important to the organization. So, it’s the witness value of me standing on the sideline.” He gets to enjoy the game, too. He hangs out with “the doctors,” the team medical staff who are there in case of an injury. And, occasionally, he’ll get a text from a parishioner in the stands. He tells them that if they text, he’ll wave from the field. Father Van Sloun has been into sports his whole life. He was a runner and played basketball in high school and went on to coach basketball and cross country at Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minn. His career as a chaplain began in 2002, when Breck Spinner, then Vikings head of on-field operations, got married. Spinner’s fiancé Laurie played basketball in college and is in the University of St. Thomas Hall of Fame. They went to Father Van Sloun for marriage preparation, and the conversations often moved to basketball. Then, when former coach Mike Tice took over the team, he asked Spinner if he knew a priest who liked sports who could serve as team chaplain. Spinner knew that Father Van Sloun would jump at the chance. Father Van Sloun said he likes that his job allows him to be with the team and make a difference in the players’ lives. “If these guys can live good and holy lives and give a good example, the amount of people that they’re able to touch is remarkable,” he said. “So being able to offer something to people that are in that public of a venue and help them in that venue when they’re under that kind of scrutiny, that’s a blessing for them, and for all of us, really.”
For Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, the daily schedule is packed. Each week of the football season is filled with team meetings, practices, workouts and weight training. Even meals with teammates are scheduled for appointed times. For players serious about their spiritual life — like Walsh, who grew up Catholic and attended Mass regularly with his family — it can be hard to find time to pray and nurture a spiritual life. So, when he was drafted by the Vikings last season, he didn’t expect to see a guy wearing a Roman collar on the sidelines with the team during games. For the past 11 years, Father Michael Van Sloun, pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata, has been helping Catholic players, like Walsh, as well as coaches and other team staff members to keep their lives focused despite the pressures of the NFL. He helps them, he says, to “be men of God.” One of two chaplains, Father Van Sloun’s primary jobs is to preside at Mass on Saturdays before Sunday games.“I didn’t expect this to be the case in the NFL,” Walsh said. “The fact that they basically bring Mass to you is just awesome.”
Even though their time is at a premium, several players and coaches gather for Mass on Saturday evenings. The arrangement is ideal, not only because of the time constraints, but because players and coaches don’t have to worry about being recognized by autograph seekers in the pews. “This allows them to worship without distraction,” Father Van Sloun said. He also knows that players and coaches have a lot on their minds when there’s a game coming up. He said he tries to keep hold of their attention by talking about things relevant to their lives, but he doesn’t talk too much about football.“They’re getting sports every minute,” Father Van Sloun said. “I want to let the Scriptures speak their full power. And Scripture speaks to every facet of life all the time anyway, so it doesn’t end up being a problem.” Walsh said Father Van Sloun is very good at relating the Gospel to the lives of the players. “In his homily last week, Father Mike talked about not making rash decisions and not keeping promises that are evil,” said Walsh, who like other professional athletes faces numerous temptations that come with the high-profile lifestyle. “What I can offer to them is prayer and helping them to be good people,” Father Van Sloun said. “Everybody needs that, but pro athletes really need it, and one of the things that I talk to them about is that they live in this world swirling with temptation. When you have money, fame and opportunity, the chances to misstep are tremendous and the scrutiny on that is tremendous as well. If I can help people stay on the right track, that’s a great blessing. ”Father Van Sloun is also available for anyone in the organization — players, coaches or staff — who might need someone to talk to. “Father Mike is more than a priest to our players — he’s a friend to them as well, and that means a lot,” said head coach Leslie Frazier. “Sometimes, things can be overwhelming in this business, with the pressure to succeed and perform, and to have Father Mike available for our players to sit down and talk to him about very intimate subjects and things that pertain to them . . . it helps our football team. ”It’s important to the team’s management to have the services of a chaplain as part of its program. “We are very fortunate to have a priest that is accessible, especially with the time constraints that we have,” said Rick Spielman, the team’s general manager. “People in this organization know that if they have issues, we really try to have the support staff around.”That support staff also includes player programs staff members, the legal department and medical staff.
During games, Father Van Sloun takes his place on the sideline, standing inside a white line between the 30- and 31-yard lines. From there, he sees what happens on the field and on the bench. But, he also hopes that people see him.“The fact that the Vikings would have a priest stand with the team on the sideline is a remarkable thing,” he said. “Most people don’t know who I am, but everybody recognizes the Roman collar. When people see the priest and wonder what he’s doing there, they are immediately led to see that spiritual values are important to the organization. So, it’s the witness value of me standing on the sideline.” He gets to enjoy the game, too. He hangs out with “the doctors,” the team medical staff who are there in case of an injury. And, occasionally, he’ll get a text from a parishioner in the stands. He tells them that if they text, he’ll wave from the field. Father Van Sloun has been into sports his whole life. He was a runner and played basketball in high school and went on to coach basketball and cross country at Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minn. His career as a chaplain began in 2002, when Breck Spinner, then Vikings head of on-field operations, got married. Spinner’s fiancé Laurie played basketball in college and is in the University of St. Thomas Hall of Fame. They went to Father Van Sloun for marriage preparation, and the conversations often moved to basketball. Then, when former coach Mike Tice took over the team, he asked Spinner if he knew a priest who liked sports who could serve as team chaplain. Spinner knew that Father Van Sloun would jump at the chance. Father Van Sloun said he likes that his job allows him to be with the team and make a difference in the players’ lives. “If these guys can live good and holy lives and give a good example, the amount of people that they’re able to touch is remarkable,” he said. “So being able to offer something to people that are in that public of a venue and help them in that venue when they’re under that kind of scrutiny, that’s a blessing for them, and for all of us, really.”
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Causes for celebration.....
Two celebrations today....the first is Sr. Cordelia Korkowski's feast day, an important day in her life......
and it's a birthday for Jackie Korkowski Hanson (#34).
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| Sr. Cordy in the early days...then Sr. Padua |
Monday, October 21, 2013
Some of the family traits continue on.....
Genetics are hard to understand, but we know them when we see them! And, in some cases, the frizzy, curly hair of great-grandma Grace is alive and well with several of the youngsters in the family, as is the red hair that's been sprinkled in each generation. It was pretty apparent in these recent pictures of grandkids...Ellie Grace Majhess (even her name implies connections) and Isaac Oxentenko.
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| No, that's NOT from my side of the family....we only have stick-straight! |
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| Again, red hair is NOT on my side of the family tree either |
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Two more birthdays.....
It's another double dipper day for birthdays....Staci Korkowski (Tom & Caroline) is 25 today, while Mark Korkowski turns from double nickles to #56. Happy birthday, Staci and Mark.....try and stay warm!!
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Here's what you had to say then....
Some oldies but goodies from the 'archives' of the 50th anniversary......the memories of life growing up on the farm from the 13 children. We'll run them over a couple of days so if you don't see yours today, check back tomorrow....
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Birthday presents today.....
We have a birthday to mention today....it's time for Melissa (Korkowski) Murray to celebrate birthday #37! Here's to a wonderful day of good food, family and friends...happy birthday, Melissa!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Another October anniversary.....
It was nine (9) years ago today that Nate and Edith Korkowski celebrated with family and friends on their wedding day. It may have been gray and chilly outside, but inside, it was nothing but a good time. Happy anniversary, Nate and Edith.....enjoy memories of your special day!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
A day in the vineyard......
What is better than to sit at the table at the end of the day and drink wine with friends, or substitutes for friends?
~ James Joyce
Last Saturday, on a very cool and rainy day, a large group of friends and family traveled out to Burr Vineyards to help Florian Ledermann and his family with the grape harvesting. A similar group had met up on Thursday, when it was SO MUCH nicer and drier, but with a determination to wade thru (literally!) the work, we set off with grape blades and buckets in hand. There was hardly a person there who had done this before, but it really was quite simple with that handy-dandy blade. We started at 10 AM, broke for lunch at 11:30 and finished eight very LONG rows of vines just hanging with fruit about 2:30. That's when the bottles of wine from last year's harvest came out, along with pizzas cooked in the outdoor brick oven, and what a good time we had! Yes, we were wet and cold, but after some of that delicious wine and food, it was all worth the effort. Here's a walk thru the vineyard without a drop of rain on your head.....
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| A thing of simple beauty... |
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| Cliff's pail...how many were there like that??? |
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| A closeup of the huge bins getting full |
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| Even 90 y/o Sr. Patrice was clipping grapes.... |
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| Beautiful! |
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| All in a day's work.... |
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| Sign at the entrance |
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| You have arrived if you see this sign! |
Monday, October 14, 2013
Double the fun....
Another two-fer today.....birthday greetings go out to Sean Inman (Doug & Dawn O'Donnell Inman) who has reached double digits (#10) and to Faye Magnuson (#68), who reached that milestone some time ago!
And, in case you have forgotten....it's also Christopher Columbus Day, as well as Thanksgiving Day in Canada (in nod to our Canadian family member).
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