Cousin Dion

 My cousin Dion died on November 9th 2025.   He was a bachelor and is survived by his siblings.  He was the first born to my Uncle Butch and Aunt Kay in 1962.  I remember when he was born. 

The Celebration of Life was this past week.   I sent a card as it was impossible for us to go.   He was a very quiet unassuming Christian man. 

Dion

Tim, Keith, Dion, Kenny and Dwight....old photo from 1987.

For the family history; Dion was my Mom's nephew.   There were 42 of us cousins counting me (I am the oldest).  Sadly four have died...Linda in 2020, Dean in 2021, Diane in 2024 and now Dion in 2025.  So 38 remain.  

Far Side

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.  But if I live.  I can do more fruitful work for Christ.  So I really don't know which is better.  I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.  Philippians 1: 21-23

Delphiniums

 My Mom used to grow some really tall Delphiniums. She put a wire cage around them to keep them upright. 

They were very pretty.  My Dad used to drag the water hose over there and then rest in that chair. 

Years ago there was an elderly lady that lived along the West Shell Lake Road that had a huge planting of Delphiniums in all colors...it was very impressive this time of year....now when you go by that place it is just a sandy parking spot.  I never stopped there but always slowed down to see the flowers. 

My cousin Geraldine had some really pretty plantings of Delphiniums along her deck at her old place. 

Minnesota weather:  High was 81F or 28C Low was 61F or 17C eh!

We had brats, sweetcorn and raspberries for supper. 

Far Guy felt good enough to visit with a couple of former co workers. 

Far Side

Sunny

 I finished the Sunny Yellow cheerful baby blanket.  It joins a green one waiting for a baby.  The yarn is Baby Bee from Hobby Lobby called Snugs and Kisses...I believe I used 4 skeins. 

I have not replaced this project yet..although there is yarn waiting in the wings for the next baby blanket...maybe two.

I am TRYING to work on an old mosaic crochet project that has been languishing around for a long time.  

We still have warmer than normal weather but it may freeze this weekend...so there is Minnesota for ya. 

My baby brother's bride, Beth and I went to Cousins lunch yesterday.   Nice to see the gals! 

Supper was Naan bread pizza and fruit.  

Sunny warm weather 90 F or 33 C eh...gale force winds all day and we are so dry they have issued Red Flag warnings for most of Minnesota.    There are fires North and East of us ...one of Far Guy's Classmates lost his home to a wildfire over the weekend. 

Far Side

Christmas 1965

 In December of 1965 we went on a family vacation to see my Dad's relatives; our Aunt Anna, Uncle Stanley and their children Clark and Leann in Ontario California. 

 My parents took turns driving straight through to Utah.  My other baby brother napped on a blanket in the floor boards of the front seat, my baby brother and I slept in the back seat.

I recall being impressed with Salt Lake City and the Provo Utah area where we stayed in a Motel...the first Motel I had ever stayed in. Our Mom had packed food to eat along the way...we did not eat in restaurants.  At the California border we sat at some picnic tables and ate what fruit we had because it was not allowed into California.

Leann, Carey ( my baby brother), Jody ( my other baby brother), Clark and me

We had lutefisk at Sylvia and Gusty home ( Uncle Stanley's parents), luckily there was also roast pork, potatoes and gravy!  

We went to a Candlelight Church Service on Christmas Eve.  The day after Christmas we went to Disneyland. After we left California we headed toward Houston Texas and stopped at Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and someplace that had reptile gardens (I was scared nearly to death). 

Leann and Aunt Anna.

It was a good trip, the only family vacation that I can recall. 

Far Side 

Cousins

Some of my cousins on my Dad's side of the family gathered yesterday for lunch. Seven showed up;  Geraldine, Hilda, Wilma, Georgianna, Evelyn and Chuckie.  It was a nice visit.  Better than visiting at a funeral....plus we were at the place that has the wonderful Sour Cream and Raisin Pie! 

I had a few old photos to share with the gals. 

This is an old photo from1994.  In the photo is Far Guy's Mother, me and my cousin Kathy.  That is Mary Ann's head of dark hair, she is a sister to several of my Aunts.  We gathered for a quilting bee to work on our 25th anniversary quilt.  Many of the relatives embroidered a quilt square and they were all included in two double quilts.  The photo was taken at my parents home on the lake downstairs in their large family room.

My cousin Kathy was missed yesterday....she always like the gatherings.  Perhaps the gathering she is having in heaven is much better!  In 30 years every one in the photo has died...except me. 

The quilts have never been used...they are like new.  

Far Side

Cousin Kathy

 My Cousin Kathy died on October 11th.  We attended the visitation at the funeral home, the funeral was the next day the same day as Paige's wedding.  

Kathy was one of my favorite cousins, she printed family scrapbooks and cookbooks. She was very interested in family history and stories and was always up for any cousin adventure!  Before Kathy had her stroke she and cousin Geraldine would get together and could visit a day away seeing as many relatives as they could in a day.  

Aunt Eleanor with Mary Jane, Leonard with Mike, Uncle Oscar with Kathy and Ronnie.

This is a photo that my Mom took in 1953.  Everyone in the photo is gone now except for the two youngest...Mary Jane and Mike. 

 Leonard died October 23, 1958 in a hunting accident age 15

Ronnie died May 16,  2022 age 75

Kathy died  October 11, 2024  age 75

Kathy's Dad Oscar and my Dad were brothers. 

I will miss my cousin Kathy, her smile, laugh and her hugs.  She gave the best hugs. 

Far Side

Here is the newspaper article about my cousin Leonard's death.

Quilting

 I do not sew tiny pieces of material together to make quilts.  My Mother was a quilter and many of my cousins are and my sister in law is. 

We gathered on the weekend of my Mother's first birthday in heaven.  Last year Mom quilted with the gals on her birthday weekend. 

Cousin Wilma's quilt pieces.

Cousin Geraldine's quilt pieces.

My sister in law (my baby brothers bride) was putting together a quilt that she and my Mom started together.  

Everyone made some progress on their projects...my cousin Art's wife Bonnie was cross stitching, cousin LeAnn was playing with watercolor on cards and cousin Cora was doing some embroidery.  

We had more good food for lunch and supper and great conversations:)
 

Busy Days

 Friday was a busy day.  I cleaned the bathroom, did a few loads of towels etc, straightened up a bit and then went to my baby brother and his brides home for a quilting /crafting day.  There I had good visits with a couple of my cousins...got to give them hugs and support when we learned of our cousin Kathy's death.  So sad...she never really recovered from the stroke that she had years ago and slipped further and further away every day.  Kathy gave the best hugs...we will all miss her.   It doesn't seem real that she is no longer with us. 

I spoiled Baxter and Smudge...I tell ya Smudge is pretty cute!

I worked on some crochet scrubbies...I sell them at a shop in Grand Forks ND.  Everyone else there was sewing...they are all working on quilts...maybe I will take some photos as I will head over there today with my camera and some wild rice soup that I have ready to go together right away in the morning and some sauerkraut and sausages that we will have for lunch.  

Yesterday we had chili and a wonderful cabbage salad, sourdough bread and cookies!

Far Side

I have 45 ( I make it 46) cousins on my Dad's side of the family.  Kathy is the 9th to die. Kathy was 75 years old she was just 16 days shy of her 76th birthday. 

Sad News and Good News

 Last week was a week.  It began with my cousin Diane who lived in Alaska her Memorial Service was live on Facebook.   She was 68 years old. She died after heart bypass surgery.  Her Mother and my Mother were sisters. 

This past Saturday was my second cousin Patsy's funeral, she died from a tick bite that went to a bacterial infection and then septic...she was three months younger than me...her  Father and My Grandfather were brothers.  She spent the entire summer on hospice. I sent a card I did not attend the funeral.

Then Little Elvis died on Friday...that hit me hard.  He and I had a special connection. He loved me unconditionally. 

Friday was also a bit of good news, my second biopsy came back with clear edges!  Thank goodness I don't have to have more surgery on my face!   AND all of my eye tests came back okay, the Doc says my eyes show normal aging.  I also learned that I have an appointment with a different Rheumatologist...but not until April of 2025...this is after waiting two months for a referral and being accepted by their Rheumatology Department.  I am doing my PT exercises and I believe it is making a difference...I have PT appointments starting October 10th. My stitches in my face come out on Thursday this week. It is a medical appointment week ...we have six appointments....it is what we do. 

So the good news outweighs the bad I am not on hospice, I am not dead, I don't have to have more surgery on my face, I can see reasonably well and we can make it by ourselves to appointments...and we still have some dogs to love...Sadie, Baxter and Smudge.  

Far Side

So it goes

 We are only assured of the here and now...today...not tomorrow. 

Like I said so it goes.  

I have a cousin who has lived in Alaska for many years.  She died recently, she was 68 years old.  She had bypass surgery and was released from the hospital, was in the car ready to go home when she said "something was not right" her husband took her into the ER immediately and she died shortly after.   

I am happy that I mailed her two packets of old photos of her family...she sent me some very nice thank you cards.   She loved her life and family in Alaska.

Old photo taken about 1959...me, my baby brother and our cousin Diane.  ( Her mom and my mom were sisters)

Far Side

To the Post Office

 Sunday afternoon we put our Christmas letter inside the Christmas Cards and we sealed them all up.  Monday I went to buy stamps, the cards had so much fru fru that they were heavy and needed more postage. 

I bought one post office out of extra postage stamps and had to go to another post office to buy the rest of them...attach them and send them off in the mail.

I can cross a couple of things off my list.  I also mailed my far away cousins old photos of their family members.  Yes it would have been fun to visit my cousins in Tennessee,  Kansas, Alaska and Florida...but that was not happening. 

My brothers have picked up their old photos, my sister still has a box full here. 

I figured I was all done with that project WHEN my baby brother announced that he found another box or two of photographs while searching for some sewing material for Mom in her storage unit. He said I will be busy next Summer.

Seems like that movie Ground Hog Day except with me and photographs. 

Far Side

Another visit

 My cousin Dale stopped by to pick up the photos of his parents and siblings.  We had a good visit.  He is thinking about retiring next summer, he says he needs some quality fishing time and will build a shouse not far from us.  ( A shouse is a shop/house combination that is becoming quite popular.)  He has a bunch of old farm tractors to work on in retirement. 

Brothers; My Dad on the left and Dales Dad on the right.  Filling the silo on the farm where I grew up September 1952.

Far Side

Visiting

 I lined up some deliveries to relatives.  Old Photographs that my Mom had saved over the years.   I started at one of my Dad's second cousins Hazel, then my Aunt Sharon, my cousin Danny (I met his dog Mick),  then lunch with my Aunt Judy, off to catch my cousin Holly's husband and son, and finally I ventured to my Uncle Al's.  It was a nice day to be out and about.  49 F or 10 C eh!  

When my Aunt Judy asked me to lunch, I asked her to "keep it simple"  Well...we had grilled ham and cheese on homemade sourdough bread, pickles, strawberries, grapes and then peach pie for dessert....with about the best pie crust I have ever tasted...musta been the lard:)  She is all alone now after my Uncle Dennis died a number of years ago so she gets a bit lonely. 

My Uncle Al was in fine form, he is feeling better after some Nuclear Chemo treatments.  He was seven years old when I was born...and the chief baby rocker for his  brother and sister and me....my Mom lived with her parents when my Dad went to Korea...and there were three babies in the house.  My Grandmother had twins two months after I was born and she was 40 years old. 

Lots of diapers on the cloths line with three babies in the house. 

Far Side

  

Old Quilting Bee Photos

 I had a bunch of old photos to take to Mom for her to look at.  We got them kinda sorted out.  

If you were married 25 years "The Aunts" used to send out instructions for a cotton quilt square with embroidery on it that included your name.   Then they would get together and sew the top together and have a quilting bee. 

This was my parents quilt, Mom said they got it when they were married about 35 years...because they had lots of catching up to do when they started the project.

The "Quilting Bee" was held at my cousin Art and Kathy's home on the lake. 

Mom still has her quilt, I packed it at her apartment and it went to storage. 

You can see the squares were all different pastel colors of cotton material....each design unique. 

Far Guy and I have two quilts...two double size quilts because by the time our anniversary rolled around I had many cousins participating!

It was a great family tradition.  Many thanks to the Aunts that started the tradition! 

Far Side

Parties and Baxter

 We had two parties this weekend.  Saturday was Mason (Great Nephew who lives next door) High School Graduation Party.  We got to visit with a number of neighbors that we don't see often. Pulled Pork, buns, baked beans, potato salad, chips and cake were served buffet style. 

Sunday we celebrated my cousin Geraldine's 75th Birthday.  More food was served; ham on buns, potato salad,  pasta salad, fruit, pickles and many different kinds of desserts. Her children gifted her plane tickets to Finland in September...boy was she surprised!   It is a girls trip with her daughters going along and a daughter in law. 

Needless to say we didn't cook for ourselves this weekend! 

Sunday Baxter's family deserted him so he spent some time with me.  He listens to me much better when my baby brother and his bride are not around!  (Just like a little kid.)

Baxter and Lilac blooms! 

Far Side

And so it goes

 My Cousin Petie died this week.  She lived in the Cities but would come North every once in a while...she had an awesome sense of humor.  She was 78 years old and would have been 79 if she had lived 13 more days.  Her father and my father were brothers. 

When my cousins used to get together at Christmas time, Petie always made an effort to be there.  She was always ready with hugs and smiles.  

On my Fathers side of the family I have many cousins.  Last year Ronnie died and in the years before that... Cousins Mark, Lyle, Rosemarie, Leonard and baby Randall.  There are 46 of us Cousins and now 7 are gone.  

My cousin Petie on the left, a photo taken with her sisters...  photo taken about 1949. 

1 Corinthians 2:9  But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 

Far Side

A Sewing Day

 Jen and I joined a few of my cousins, my sister,  my sisters in law and my Mom for a day of sewing at my baby brothers lake place. The food was fantastic...soups and fruit and many desserts....gluten free and otherwise.  There were four Gluten Free people there...Jen, my cousin Geraldine, my sister and my other baby brother. 

Nearly everyone there was a quilter.  Cousins Geraldine and Wilma helped my Mom get ready to sew a couple of quilts.   I crocheted on a couple of projects...my sister and I helped Mom catch up on writing thank you cards.   

Mom is grieving and has lost her interest in sewing, we were hoping that the sewing days would help her through the process a bit.  

Cousin Geraldine

There were many sewing tables and machines set up in the porch. 

 Jen sewing.

I ironed some pieces for my Mom and for Jen...that is as close as I want to get to quilting!

Far Side

Church History

History

The Crow Wing Apostolic Lutheran Church of French Lake (also known as the Riverside Church) was decided to be built at the annual meeting of the Cokato Apostolic Lutheran church on January 6, 1885, as an annex to the Cokato congregation.  The reason for this decision was that many families had moved into the French Lake and Albion area, necessitating a meeting house nearer home than the Cokato church.  Transportation being horse and buggy in those days.

A special meeting was held at French Lake September 26, 1885, how to raise the necessary funds.  It was decided to send out collectors to each member of both the French Lake and Cokato areas.

Nels Nelson donated 1/2 acre of land for the church site, and at that same meeting a committee of three men ( Jacob Ojanpera, Esaias Kostani and Matti Mukkala) were designated to arrange for the laying of the foundation of the church building.  The construction work was done mainly by the French Lake congregation.  The church was completed in 1887.

Those performing ministerial duties were the same for the Cokato church, namely; Isak Barberg, Caleb and Jacob Wuollet and William Lahtinen, until his death in the sinking of the Titanic.  Various other men have served both the French Lake and Cokato congregations since that time.

The church was actively used until the 1950’s when it was decided to discontinue using it, due to better model of transportation, which made possible for all remaining members to attend the Cokato church.  

Charter Members listed include my Great Grandfather Isaac Yliniemi.

Another bit of history; My cousin Geraldine had surgery this past week and praise God she made it through the surgery and is doing well. 

She wrote: It was a LEFT POSTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY ANEURYSM Dr. Copelad [at Abbott Northwestern ] says it was a very high risk brain aneurysm due to the size and location and the fact that I'm almost 100% Finish in Heritage. The treatment was ENDOVASCULAR EMBOLIZATION This treats the aneurysm from the inside of the blood vessels and is minimally invasive.

This may be hereditary on the Yliniemi side.

Far Side

A Bible

 My Cousin Leann gave me a Bible that she found when going through her Mom's belongings... it belonged to my Uncle Hugo. 

Uncle Hugo's name is in the front cover and his Honorable Discharge Papers are inside along with an  Itasca Mantrap membership paper.  I scanned the discharge papers and put them up at Find A Grave. 

I also showed the Bible and papers to my Dad.

My Uncle had no children of his own.  However he and my Aunt  Mia (she was married before)  raised a grandson.  It was a really sad situation...there was a tragic death in the family from which the parents never recovered enough to care for a baby.  So he was raised by his Grandparents who he viewed as his Mother and Father.  They loved him very much.  

Since the grandson has an unusual name I was able to locate him.  I found his email and his home address.  When the email went unanswered I sent a letter.  Soon after that we were able to connect. 

The Bible is in Finnish. 

As it turns out he is a very successful Law Enforcement Officer, has four children and two grandchildren. 

So it all has a good ending...the Bible was mailed on Monday.   

For some reason the Bible sitting on my desk really bothered me...I was so happy to mail it...it was like something was telling me to hurry along! 

Far Side

A little rain

 We got a little rain on Friday morning when the cold front went through.    Not much rain...enough to make the lawn chairs wet.  It was a nice day with a high around 80 F.  My baby brother brought over a visiting cousin from Missouri... Karl and his wife Peggy.  Karl was one of the twin ring bearers in our wedding.   It has been many years since we have seen him....now he has kids in College and his hair is grey!! 

I took my Dad to Bingo on Thursday night...we did not Bingo but we had fun anyway.  Dad is getting a bit unsteady on his feet.  We made it there and back without incident.  Dad had fallen in the bathroom just before I picked him up for Bingo....he said he fell on the soft rug so it wasn't too bad.   My Mother managed to help him up. 

Far Guy and I put the tomatoes cages up around the growing tomato plants.  The plants have a few flowers! 

We had BLT's for supper, I like my T on the side.  

Splendor report:  I won one!  Far Guy 4 me 2.

Far Side

Centaurea Montana and an unknown Butterfly