September 2023

Moving on

Is it Hoarding? I’m embarrassed to admit that I have over 32,000 photos in my computer, and I’m not even a professional photographer. Could this be a sign of hoarding? I love to sit at my desktop and watch photos scroll through from the past twenty-plus years.

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Vikings fall to Cherry in a lopsided game

The Cook County High School football team ran into a buzz saw last Friday when they traveled to Cherry, Minnesota, to play the unbeaten Cherry Tigers. The fewest points Cherry had scored in a game was 48 in their 48-12 win against Blackduck. And Blackduck's 12 points are the most any team has scored against the Tigers this year. The Tigers' biggest point total was an 80-6 win over Cass Lake-Bena 80-6.

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Matters of Record

The Cook County News-Herald publishes Matters of Record to inform the public of arraignments and dispositions of criminal cases in which the punishment exceeds $150 and/or ten days in jail and/or includes one year of supervised adult probation. It is the Cook County News-Herald’s policy that this information contains a complete record. Requests for items to be withheld will not be granted.

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Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Crust 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 graham cracker sheets) 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted 1/4 cup brown sugar packed Pumpkin filling 1 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 cup brown sugar packed 2 tsp cornstarch 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp each ground allspice & ground ginger,1/4 tsp each nutmeg & ground cloves) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 large egg Cheesecake 8 oz low-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla extract Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on the longer sides.

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Pumpkin Yogurt Shake

14 oz (1 can) pumpkin chilled 3 oz reduced-fat cream cheese 6 oz (1 container) low-fat vanilla yogurt 2 cups low-fat milk 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg 6 tsp graham cracker crumbs (optional) Place all ingredients (except graham cracker crumbs) in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and top each serving with a teaspoon of graham cracker crumbs, if desired.

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Pumpkin Pie Squares

Crust Softened butter (for the baking dish) 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 1/4 cup light brown sugar 4 tbsp butter melted 2 tbsp milk Filling 15 oz (1 can) pumpkin puree 2 large eggs beaten 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup chopped pecans Topping 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 2 tsp granulated sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon For the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 by 13‑inch baking dish with the softened butter; set aside.

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Rent A Goat

Over the years, I have rented apartments, cars, rug doctor carpet cleaners, and even power tools, but never have I ever RENTED A GOAT. Now I have 24. Thank goodness the cost is by the herd, not headcount. These critters are amazing— all shapes, sizes and colors. There is a small black and brown goat that resembles a Bernese Mountain Dog, so I call her Brynn. These goats moved in on Monday and, by Tuesday morning, had trampled a corner of the fence and were in the Hosta bed and driveway. I didn’t panic but tried to untangle them myself, unsuccessfully. The goat herder came immediately to the rescue and quickly got everyone back to work.

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