All Hallows Day is not as celebrated in this country as much as Halloween (All Hallows Eve). Tomorrow will be All Souls’ Day. We spent yesterday getting ready to go visiting today.

Our first stop was to visit Bucka. The snow is gone but the wind made it feel as if it were in the 20s.

Persephone and Nate joined us this year.

We made Bucka cookies and coffee. Summa told the story of how they met and how she chased him until he caught her. Nate hadn’t heard that one. It made him cry (or maybe that was the wind).

Klink and Harriette are still in Grantsburg. The Kozy wasn’t open, so no fried cheese curds for Harriette to steal. We had a good chat about how they met and courted. Harriette was such a cutie. My niece Valarie reminds me a lot of her.

Here’s to all those Thanksgivings we spent together!

Marcella and Bun got rice crispy bars and orange nectar. She loved anything with marshmallows. He skied well into his 80s. Even though they built their lives in Grantsburg, they came home to Cushing to lay to rest.

Here’s to another strong union and great stories!

We finished our tour with Cleone and Ralph. Cleone loved to go fishing and Ralph loved Cleone. Michael would bring them bread and cookies when they lived in Elk River, as I would often need to go there to visit clients at the Sherburne County Jail.

We returned home to lift a beer to my brother John. We had beans and rice and more stories. Today, All Souls Day, seems more somber and empty. It is good to spend time telling tales and remembering those who shared so much of their lives and love.

We need more time to create those stories with the next generation.