“Where Two Rivers Meet”: Book Launch

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I am pleased to invite you to the launch of “Where Two Rivers Meet” on Sunday afternoon, January 14th, at 1 p.m. We will meet at the United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Minnesota. Come join us for a little music, and a little talk about Clearwater history, Minnesota Main Street Women, especially, the protagonist of the new novel, the first woman of Clearwater, Abigail Camp Porter. We will share some prizes, a chance to see all my books, and of course, an opportunity to share a piece of cake.

Bucket List(s)

Up until he became sick, my husband had a list of things he wanted to do before he kicked the proverbial bucket.

  • Own and rebuild a ’57 Chevy. Done and add one more.
  • Own and work on two or three Jeeps. Done, with one to finish.
  • Climb the 14’ers in Colorado, done, and for years drive or pull one to climb the mountains in Colorado. Done.
  • Pass motorcycle riding test. Done and #1 in class
  • Buy a motorcycle, a brand-spanking-new one, but not quite good enough which led to:
  • Pre-order everything for a new Harley. Done, somehow with my blessing.
  • Lots of stuff to do remodeling a gutted house.  Elbow shattered, so what?  Use the other hand.
  • etc

I am not saying I didn’t have a list because I did too.  Most I accomplished, but one was still out of the can, visiting the last of the continental 48 states.

So we planned my bucket list entry to visit Vermont.  Incidentally, I centered on Stowe, the village I needed to research and visit because my next protagonist, her family, friends, and other Vermonters were born, raised, lived there until they came to  Minnesota–many to Clearwater— to settle.  So why Vermont?  Simply, none of our other trips connected with this delightful and beautiful state.

In addition, my husband and I have been planning our 50th, which is this December. (What an awful time to get married. My poor mother did this though with one arm held behind her back.)  This area with all of its natural beauty seemed a nice fit to start our celebration.

We also had a special tour around the town by Stowe, VT, History Society president Barbara Baraw.  She led the two of us on an extensive walk and ride throughout the village, showing us where many had lived, and where historical hotels and businesses were at one time.

No description available.Here is where Abigail Robinson Camp Porter was born in Stowe, Vermont, in 1819 on Main Street. Her father, Dr. Joseph Robinson, worked at his trade, lived with his wife Hannah Perkins Robinson and his children, all but 2 came to Minnesota.  After Abigail’s first husband, also from Stowe, died in a gold camp in Marysville, California, she took the chance to start new.  She accepted the offer from the Clearwater townsite founders to travel to Clearwater to become the hotel housekeeper. Born on Main Street in Stowe, Abigail moved to Clearwater in 1855 where she became the first of Clearwater’s Main Street Women. Her sisters and brother, as well as her father after his wife died, settled in the new village.

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The Community Church of Stowe is just that–a non-denominational church that has stood near the center of Main Street since 1863. Larger than the Clearwater United Methodist Church built by S. M. Marvin, its inside reminded me so much of my family’s gathering place on Sunday mornings.  With its split pews and red carpet as well as simple sanctuary, one can see how the New Englanders wanted something to remind them of ‘home’ when they moved west.

A bit cliche’ish but my bucket overfloweth once we traveled to Derry, New Hampshire where we stopped to visit Robert Frost’s home and farm.  You know I was an English teacher and a fast fan of Frost.  While my husband went around taking pictures of various poems, trees,  the house with an attached barn, I decided to sit on his porch and wait for inspiration. I  looked at the railing on the porch and saw one last morning-glory clinging to the vine, opened, perfect, and blue.  It was like the great bard had opened his door and said, “experience my place with all your senses.”  And as I sat, there on Frost’s little white waiting bench, I smelled apples that were past ripe and harvesting.

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As I made my way to one of the two apple trees left that Robert Frost planted, I walked carefully between fallen apples laying all over the grounds.  In”After Apple-Picking,” all those that fell from the narrator’s hand would surely go to the cider-apple heap.”

What a wonderful trip we had.  Now, after sleeping in my comfortable bed for a few nights, I can admit we had a few glitches, which I’ll write about someday. Thank goodness, we got home despite a horrid Nor-Easter pounding its way onto the east coast.

I could go on about setbacks, sidelines, disappointments, fears, and even “never agains,” of some of the best things I have added to my bucket.  Yet, the joys and lessons I have had far out way the problems I (and sometimes WE) encountered along our journey.  Isn’t that life though?  Sometimes the roads we travel are not paved with gold, but they lead us to amazing experiences.

 

Happy Fall and early Christmas events:

November 13, Becker Lutheran Church, Arts & Crafts,  9-4

November 27, Perfectly Unique Arts & Crafts, St Could Event Center, 9-3

December 11, Kimball United Methodist Church Arts and Crafts,  9-4

Millstream Market Mondays

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Come find Cindy Stupnik at the Mill Stream Art Festival in St. Joseph,MN. She is here till 9. If you can’t make it, check her out at www.cynthiafrankstupnik.com … Looking forward to book #3 in her Main Street Women series:”Where Two Rivers Meet.” If she ever stays home long enough to finish it.

It was fun, it was BUSY, it was LOUD I was there last night until 9.  I did well, met new people, sold lots, even more, sold lots of books on my webpage.  Thank you, sister Becky, for the help, posting, and taking pictures.  Oh, and did I tell you it was basically a weather-wonder weeknight?  I arrived at 3:45 and it was about 80 and then a breeze with cool air was almost constant.

So many people packed in this alley, so much talking, laughter, singing, music, and dancing.  It was wonderful! But I have to admit, it was and is difficult.

FYI: I am hard of hearing– totally deaf in my right ear–have been for as long as I can remember.  I am so happy Becky stuck around to translate for me.  Everyone was patient; THANK YOU!  But this is a situation that can be a blessing and while not a curse, a hindrance.  Like my sister always says, and I paraphrase: She’s deaf, but she can hear things she is not supposed to hear.

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I have a busy month ahead:

August 14: Sartell 10-3, at the Berneck’s/Scheels parking lot.

August 21: Buffalo 10-4, Buffalo, Minnesota–Chamber of Commerce Arts and Crafts

September 11-12: Old Creamery, Rice, MN, arts and crafts.

 

Hope to see you soon.

In Memoriam

When we were working, my husband and I took yearly summer vacations.  It turned out to be a sort of spur-of-decision where we’d head but often took off east. From Maine to the Keys, we traveled, stopping to see historic sites and breathe in the ocean air.  Anything history from Acadia National Park to Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park we explored inland and outlands, hardly a spot we did not explore up and down the coast.  Our favorites, though, are Salem and Danvers, Massachusetts, where the Salem Witch Trials took place and affected many of my own ancestors’ lives.  We have taken in many, if not most, of the Civil War historic sites and battlefields such as Gettysburg, Arlington National, Vicksburg, Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Antietam, the list goes on. We drove right into Andersonville, at the end of the day but were ushered out after a short drive, yet not before we saw Minnesota’s memorial to our men.

Many of the Around Clearwater men as well as my ancestors enlisted, fought hard, suffered, and even died for our country. 

One man I have been researching is Ellet Parcher Perkins.  In the next of my Minnesota Main Street Women series, Ellet, a cousin of hers,  accompanies my protagonist from Vermont to Minnesota when her brother-in-law writes her to come work as a hotel housekeeper in the early days of Clearwater. While this information may or not be fiction, the following isn’t.  After enlistment, he rises from corporal to captain with great honors but suffers from his wounds the rest of his life.  So many of these men fought while their wives and families took over the work at home.  The same can be said for the other wars that followed.  So much sacrifice on the battlefields and home front for our country.

This year Memorial Day, we will honor all who have suffered so much in war, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Memorial-Day (how Memorial Day was founded ) and now we include our thoughts and memories of those who fought Covid here at home.  Those who fought to keep us healthy and those who died without their loved ones surrounding them with love.

It’s been a hard year, undoubtedly, but now as we head out to celebrate Memorial Day, let’s not forget all those who have fought for us and those who have sacrificed their lives.

Have a great weekend.

Cindy

Mother’s Day observation over history and now

Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, believed the country had a duty to all national mothers to celebrate them for their oftentimes sacrificial support for their love and care.  The first known Sunday, a day of rest for God and mothers, began May 10, 1908.  Parade’s online site has an article, “What is the history of Mother’s Day”?   In 1914, Woodrow Wilson agreed with her and others and passed the bill for “Mother,” to be honored on the 2nd Sunday in May.

How did we celebrate Mother’s Day up to the time I became a mother?  When we could, we gathered at my mom’s or aunt’s table, had a picnic sometimes, but we always focused on being together and eating.  We gave Grandma, the one who started all this family for my generation, flowers for her rock garden. Her daughters help plant her favorites. The celebration was nothing super fancy, often, potluck, but laughter and happiness accompanied aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, cousins, mothers and fathers, and of course, Grandpa with Grandma, around the table.

Whether we were at the old homestead or the kid’s homes, we came together to celebrate these women’s charitable contributions to their families.  Time was set for this day, that special Sunday, and usually right after we attended church we’d either drive for another “over the river and through the woods” event or race home and get the table set for a houseful of company.

My grandmother–Ina Johnson

 

Winnie, my mother

The honoring of mothers was not given a special day or set up as a holiday by the government during my novels’ timeframes.  Maude’s and Jennie’s mothers in my Minnesota Main Street Women’s series were already dead by the time the days of focused respect came about. So many of my extended family members are out of the area. Getting together with cousins and their children won’t take place since we don’t have our mothers telling us what to do or insisting on TRADITION. I guess that is why we gather at weddings and funerals if we can to celebrate our familiness.

It is now the next generation’s turn, not mine anymore.  Lives have become so busy, it is hard to get together period.  And last year? Last year was the year of Zoom, phone calls, and lovely cards.  We cannot fix that.  Yet, our longing to be together was with us for the remaining 364  days.  Let’s try to make up for lost time, remember mothers, grandmothers, aunts–all the women in your lives–by giving them a special moment carved out of busy, busy lives.  We women have a lot of loving to do yet.

Bringing Minnesota Main Street Women to the League of Women Voters–St. Cloud

I had a wonderful time last night presenting strong Main Street Women to the group of men and women at the Marriott.  I was well-received, thanked profusely, honored, and congratulated for my presentation.  Again, thank you, League of Women Voters. Thank you, Pat Fillmore, for bringing me to your  group of people who are still persisting in the fight for equality.

I want to thank my sister, Becky Frank, for helping me.  She hauled, decorated the table, took pictures, took money and much more–supporting me in this endeavor.

 

Becky’s display of my all my books.
I am being introduced to the crowd.

The crowd filled the speaker’s room and it was varied–men and women.  Here are a few highlights from the grand evening

Here I am presenting Women Awakening.

I sold lots of books as well.  So it was a good night all around. The weather even cooperated.  It sounds like we have more on the way this week and into the end of Feb.

Hope to see some of you again soon.

Cindy