WORTHINGTON — As I flipped the calendar to July on Monday morning, I was reminded that it’s been a while since I’ve written a column. I think the last time I provided an update to readers, I was looking forward to a niece and nephew graduating from high school, and another nephew getting married on our family farm. I’m happy to report the diplomas were signed (there was never a doubt!) and the wedding was an absolutely beautiful sight — even though it rained before and after the ceremony and a tornado watch went into effect for Nobles County just seven minutes before the outdoor occasion.
A couple of days before the wedding, a large wooden arch, straw bales and vintage wooden planks were brought in and set up on the hill in our back pasture. From the planks, wedding guests were treated to a view overlooking the Peterson Wildlife Management Area and the Ocheyedan River. When I took the four-wheeler out back to check on the progress that evening, I caught a glimpse of a yard-long garter snake and screamed to my heart’s content.
My brother and the groom-to-be were not impressed. A night later, during the rehearsal, I was told there were lots of “baby” snakes hanging around by the straw bales, and I was even more determined to show up to the wedding in jeans and knee-high, polka-dotted rain boots (no sense buying a more fashionable pair when I had perfectly good boots on a shelf in my garage!) ADVERTISEMENT In the end, I did wear jeans to the wedding but left the .
