Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Corn Chaff Days 2012

The kids and I missed last year's Corn Chaff Days, but we were back in Hector for the action this Saturday. The Thomberg Summer of Fun continues. We headed out in time for the parade at noon. (Mark hung back in suburbia to get some work done.)
Chad and Michelle reserved plenty of spots in their front yard. There's Shylah's mom Maggie next to the kids. We were surrounded by country neighbors, friends, and (aunt) Carol and (uncle) Loren too.


This is my HOME town of Hector. You see those bins/elevator on either side of Main
Street toward the back of the photo? In the fall when the farmers bring their grain in, the pink hull called "corn chaff" floats up and down the street, causing small drifts of the airy, annoying by-product/waste. When I googled 'corn chaff' to link to a good definition, I didn't come up with much. My own blog post and photos popped up several times.  Evidently, I am the ONLY one who writes about 'corn chaff' or our town days! The best definition I could find was "husks separated from grains"

The high school band came by. No Mikayla (cousin's kid) on the drums. She is performing in Europe with MN Music Ambassadors right now. No Mariah (cousin's kid) either. She was at JV volleyball camp.
The Twinners collected an adequate amount of candy to rot their teeth. Little friend Abby Gierke joined them. Abby is high school friend Sarah's daughter. Sarah had also returned to town for the day.
Then came Big Charlie Melberg (my Dad's cousin) and all of the tractors he has restored. His grandson Ethan is riding with him.

This is my cousin Michelle. She is driving Great Grandfather Charles's Model A, pulling a trailer with a bunch of Melberg's throwing candy. Believe it or not, Michelle and I grew up on a 4000 acre family farm, and Michelle had NEVER driven a tractor until Saturday. Michelle jokes when we picked rocks, her younger brothers (Matt and Mike) NEVER let her drive, and would point to the rocks from the air conditioned cab. (Second) Cousins Brad and Mark were also driving tractors following Michelle.
Of course we hopped on and joined the family. Here is Marly with Wil (cousin's kid), who is poised with a handful of candy!
Next we headed to the park, and I visited with old classmates, friends and neighbors.
The kids rode the pony's.

 Dean threw balls at the dunk tank to raise money for the Lutheran kids heading to the National ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans.
We all ate pie purchased from the ladies of First Lutheran Church, including my Aunt Jan.

Dean got to ride back to the farm with Big Charlie on the Model A when the park festivities wrapped. Dean is Big Charlies BIGGEST fan! Simultaneous to the tractor ride, my (second) cousin Brad's son Eric was being air lifted to HCMC. He severed part of his thumb sitting in the dunk tank right before it closed down for the day. The ambulance took him to the hospital in Olivia, where he was transported on for care. I haven't spoken to LeAnn myself since the park, but her FaceBook update indicated Eric is on the mend and will be making a return visit to the orthopedic specialist. Thank goodness, and praying for the best.

But - the day was not done. Of course not! The kids got some quality lake time with Sutton, Saxton and Sawyer (cousin's kids) at Jan and Sheldon's. The moms and dad headed into town to The Other Place for the band. Everyone had fun... possibly TOO MUCH fun. (enough said.....)

Did you follow all those cousins, second cousins, cousin's kids??? 

THANK YOU MICHELLE AND CHAD for a fun day in town.
THANK YOU JAN AND SHELDON for watching the kids and and always giving us a place to stay.
THANK YOU MATT AND SHYLAH for a night on the town.

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