Opinion

With the weekend of graduations past us, I’m left reflecting (and feeling old). Not only reflecting on my own graduates childhood years leading up to this point, but on the years working in journalism in this area.

The artists have spoken, and their proposals are in – last Friday at midnight, the submission window for folks hoping to become Granite Falls’s 2022 Community Artist in Residence officially closed. We’ve got a stack of applications to read, and couldn’t be more excited to meet our applicants, then discover what they propose to do here this fall. After all Selection Committee members have evaluated the artists, we’ll decide on our finalists; later this month, we’ll interview them, and the Advisory Board / Selection Committee – a panel of volunteers from around the community -- will choose the one who’s the best fit for this unique crowd-funded rural residency.

We are learning more details about the severe thunderstorms that hit Minnesota on Memorial Day in parts of western and northern Minnesota. Celeste Edenloff, from the Echo Press, and I toured the storm damage in the city of Forada with Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach, along with Sen.

Music has always been a part of my life. I remember long car rides when my father would often begin singing. Perhaps it was to help him stay awake, or perhaps to quiet his four children! Regardless, we would always be serenaded with songs like “On Top of Old Smoky” or Eddie Arnold’s “Cattle Call.”

In the cooler months, Uncle Tony is a staple around the house. Uncle Tony’s usually up at dawn, sipping coffee, enjoying the sunrise, reading the paper. Then you might not see Uncle Tony until the evening. More often than not, Uncle Tony skips happy hour and dinner altogether, emerging to read to the kids, and helping with bath time. On the weekend Uncle Tony might cozy up for a movie. But Uncle Tony is not a fan of the warmer weather. One of the first unofficial signs of summer is./ when it heats up outside and Uncle Tony goes to the basement until fall.

As I write my column this week, I’m surrounded by boxes of graduation decorations, photographs, graduation caps and gowns, and all other kinds of necessary items to host a party for my graduate. We didn’t hold a graduation party for my oldest, as he was off to basic training the summer of his junior year, and off to advanced training directly at the end of senior year.

Summer is back: this Thursday June 2nd from 5-8pm, the Makers Market will return to the riverside! I’m writing this not only as an announcement to you but as a reminder to myself, since it seems I’m always forgetting that it’s the first Thursday and I should head downtown to buy some art.

2022 Seniors . . . Well, here you are about to graduate. I’m sure you’re pinching yourself at the prospect of reaching your goal of the last 12 years. I think of you all as caterpillars. You’re about to leave your cocoons; your high school and homes, to emerge as butterflies and fly away to your futures.