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What a fantastic fall weekend we had. We had the opportunity to attend a friend’s wedding at Panola Gardens in Lindstrom. If you have never been out to Panola Gardens, you should stop in there sometime. It is an absolutely beautiful setting for a wedding. If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, I would suggest looking into this place. The owners, Gary and Mary Norton, have built the perfect wedding spot for a spring, summer or fall wedding.

The earthquake that devastated Pakistan last week was enormous. The numbers are not finalized, but it is believed that around 30,000 are believed to be perished. There is an astounding 2.5 million people who are now without a home or shelter. Maybe it’s just me, but do these natural disasters seem to be occurring more frequently these days? It seems every week we hear about some country being destroyed by this or that. If you compare Katrina to the earthquake in Pakistan, the death toll is not even close. Thirty thousand people for a country of that size is massive. We can only hope that there was one particular person (who seems to like hiding in caves and causing terror throughout the world) that hopefully is included in the 30,000.

It seems every time you turn on the television these days we are being told of a possible epidemic taking over our country. This time it is the (excuse my spelling) avian flu. I have absolutely no problem with informing the public about certain potential illnesses, but to lead the national newscasts with that story for a couple of weeks? Being part of the media myself, I cannot get on board with the scare tactics that these television news and some newspapers feel is the only way to inform us. We, as a society, are partly to blame for accepting this jumping from one scare to another. It’s no wonder our country has one of the highest rates of depression in the world. Why wouldn’t we? Every time we turn on the TV we learn of another virus or strain that is going to wipe out our country.

On a totally different note––have you driven around or near the St. Croix Riverway lately? The colors are breathtaking. This weekend take your family out on a easy-going drive in the car and enjoy all this wonderful color Mother Nature has given us. Maybe stop at a local cafe and enjoy some good food while you are out. Fall is my favorite time of the year and we have some of the best viewing in the state.

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