My oldest brother lives in Reno and usually visits once a year during the summer. A couple of months ago, I sent him my summer schedule showing a hectic pace that seemed reasonable in e-mail but seems daunting as we live it. There is always so much going on, but we live a very busy lifestyle which can be fun but exhausting. Last week, I spent 3 days in Coeur d'Alene, one day in the office back in Boise, and then 4 days in Sun Valley attending the Governor's Cup. Heather and Ethan joined me in Sun Valley, and it was fun though the weather turned cold and rainy on the one day I had free time to bike ride with Ethan. As a result, the walls of our tiny studio condo started to close in on us. This weekend, we're off to New Meadows with Heather's sisters for the weekend followed next weekend by what I hope will be a relatively uneventful 4th of July holiday. Then, my 30th class reunion is upon us followed by our annual "We really will get rid of everything we don't need this time" garage sale which is followed by a work event for four days in McCall. Is it August yet?
The massive wave of Norwegian immigration to Minnesota from the 1850s through the early 20th century wasn't a casual choice; it was an escape from crushing land scarcity and economic desperation. My ancestors, the Dunhams, arrived in 1851 and built a life in Otter Tail County in Minnesota. My great-great-grandfather, Jens Christian Dunham, didn’t just survive—he thrived. He served in the Minnesota legislature as a Republican from 1888 to 1890 and later became a staunch advocate for President Teddy Roosevelt. He was the literal embodiment of the American Dream: an immigrant who fled poverty to become a lawmaker in his new home. Fast forward a century, and a new wave of immigrants—this time from Somalia—is following that exact same blueprint. Like the Norwegians before them, they fled hardship to build a future in Minnesota, and many have run for office to serve the state that welcomed them. Yet, the political rhetoric surrounding these two groups couldn't be more polarized. Don...
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