Oak Ridge Senior Community, Hastings

Hastings is only a short drive from our home, and we looked forward to doing my Farm Heritage Program for the residents. It's a really nice facility that offers a variety of care choices, including independent living, assisted living care, and facilities for folks who need more care.

My Farm Heritage Program included my projecting and discussing pictures from the past in my Prologue, realistic illustrations and events from my books, and my story, A Farm Country Picnic, which contains the episode where the Watkins salesman helps the family round up the herd of cattle that have escaped into the neighbor's cornfield.

After my one-hour program, Ann Krauth, Activities Director (left), and Emily Renfrew (right) chat with me as I sign a few books. Thanks to all who purchased books. I hope they are enjoyed and passed on down through many generations of your family.

Nancy and I want to thank the residents at Oak Ridge for being such a great audience. We especially thank Ann Krauth for arranging our visit to Oak Ridge, and, along with Dorothy Endersby, for providing a nice welcome.  Thanks to Gordon Hanson for helping us set up and for attending the sound system. And a special thanks to all who stopped by after the show to express their kind comments about  my program and share their farm stories, including Mr. Christie, Mr. Dempsey, Mrs. Renfrew, and several others.

Nancy and I had fun at Oak Ridge and we hope to return soon.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson

Redwood Falls Public Library

We arrive really early for our program at Redwood Falls, which gives us plenty of time to meet Robin and Angie, both of whom helped arrange our visit to the library. We set up our equipment and spend some time looking around.

The library is an attractive, modern structure with plenty of room for books, people, and decorations.

Nancy set up a table for our books in a large community room.

In the back of the room workers made ice cream which they served to everyone after my presentation.

Lonnie Leske visited with us before the program and after the program she introduced us to her son, Steven Leske, who has recently written and illustrated several children's books, including the one I purchased from him called Wind Turbines.  The book is a soft cover book that explains wind turbines and uses pictures to convey what they do. The book doesn't try to sort out every detail, but it makes the topic interesting and fun. It has a short glossary at the end.

After my show I get to sign some books and Nancy and I share some stories with people.

We thank Robin Osland for inviting us to do a program during their city's Christmas by Candlelight Celebration, and we thank Angie for helping to arrange the details.

Photographs by Nancy A. Fredrickson