Carver, Minnesota

As a boy of eight or nine, coming to Carver for a family trip to visit Grandpa, the aunts, uncles, and cousins felt as close to visiting a foreign country as I could imagine.  There was the Minnesota accent with its Swedish-like rising and falling pitch; Grandpa's mix of German and English words when he spoke; Great Uncle Herman’s barber shop that also sold fishing supplies; the bar that an eight year old could walk into to buy a candy bar; life on the farm, fishing on the lakes, and a family member everywhere I turned that made me feel like I belonged here.  I still have that same feeling.

The house where my grandfather lived before he passed away.  He lived here with my Aunt Margaret.  Aunt Margaret had a huge heart and a tiny little Pomeranian puppy, a perfect combination for any boy.

The yard of the house was huge to me as a child.  It’s still a fair size property even as an adult.  It was quite the place to explore.  I remember family fish fry’s in this backyard, with Aunt Margaret manning a cast iron skillet that must have been at least eighteen inches in diameter or more.  Oil would be boiling with little “sunny,” or sunfish, filets dusted in flour frying to perfection.  It’s still one of my favorite food/family memories.

Great Uncle Herman's barber shop was through the door at the corner of this building.  The building was conveniently located across the street from Aunt Margaret's house, perfect for wandering over to buy purple plastic worms, whether you needed them or not.

My Uncle Dick owned this gas station.  The annual Steamboat Days parade rolled along this street with my Uncle Mac driving one of his model A cars in the procession.  I still see those parades whenever I look up this street.