Oyen Lodge residents celebrate Thanksgiving and seasonal traditions

By Dianne Spath

Hello everyone.

I hope everyone had a chance to check out the Harvest Moon on Oct. 5 and 6. It was bright and beautiful. The Harvest Moon is named for the agricultural harvest, as farmers historically had several evenings of bright moonlight after sunset to help them complete their harvests.

This is the season of harvest wrap-up, garden and yard cleanups, and tree trimming. It has been a little chilly at night, so the furnaces have been turned on to take the chill off inside. The fish at the Lodge have been brought in from the pond and placed in their tanks for the winter.

Monday morning started with exercises, followed by a one-on-one Scrabble game. In the afternoon, there were bingo games. Tuesday had no activities, as Dianne was attending a course that day.

On Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon, the vaccination clinic was at the Lodge so staff and residents could get their COVID-19 and flu shots. In the afternoon, residents played shuffleboard.

Thursday morning included exercises, followed by a visit from ATB Financial from 10 to 11 a.m., allowing residents to do their banking. Residents then enjoyed a trip to the Empress Café (now called Red Fork) for lunch, followed by dinner, visiting, and a tour of the countryside. In the afternoon, residents played Phase 10.

Happy birthday to Kevin Navato on Oct. 9.

Friday morning featured horse races, with horse #3, Lazy, taking the top spot. In the afternoon, there was bingo.

Happy birthday to Mel Schaefer on Oct. 10, and to Roger Brausen on Oct. 13.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed a long weekend with family and friends. Thanksgiving is a harvest festival when people give thanks for the blessings of the past year. It is a holiday for families to gather, express gratitude, share a meal, and spend time together.

“I have a lot to be thankful for. I am healthy, happy, and I am loved.” —Reba McEntire

Have a great week, everyone!