The smoke from forest fires in Canada and the Western USA have/had been so bad last week children have not been let outside for recess due to it being a hazard to their health. This is not something I remember as a child and I am wondering why it is happening today.The only explanation I have heard is that environmentalists have pushed legislation forbidding the cleaning up the floor of the forests so there is a lot more flammable tinder on the floor of the forest then there ever has been before.  If this is true it's very ironic. Maybe forest specialist Bob Crane can let us know if it it true.What I do know is that the smoke is costing me money. On days I could turn off the AC at night and open a window the smoke is so bad I don't want it in my bedroom. 09/07/2024

Interesting cartoon being the author has never had a cup of coffee in his life. I used to drink two pots a day but now a days I limit myself to six cups and usually stop at four cups.     "You get to smell it and drink it" says one or both of Joe's pet guinea pigs. Ponder that as Michael Jacobs might say.As advanced as MLS & website listings have become there is nothing that takes the place of visiting a property in person. I have seen several posts in the last few days encouraging Buyers to research the neighborhood and the community. You can do these things on line and even look down neighborhood street via Google maps BUT nothing trumps driving to the location and physically walking through the house and the neighborhood. If you have children actually visit the school they will atten... 09/05/2024

Even when life is good it's still easy to complain... especially on a Monday. My health has been improving at a rapid pace lately. The attack by a pit bull is nearly healed, the movement in my shoulder is greatly improved as has the pain. The cracked rid is hardly noticeable and best of all I can now exercise, lift weights, and use my inversion table. So what do I have to complain about? The Minot International Airport Parking lot. More accurately LAZ Parking (dis)Service. Actually this rant has as much or more to do with the City of Minot & Minot's Airport Authority. The City constantly promotes doing business with Minot Businesses but over and over they themselves don't even though many/most of the out of town services they hire could have been hired right here in Minot.Here is my bee... 08/26/2024

If there is an artist in your home there is more than likely a stack of sketchbooks in your home as well. This stack, pictured below, is just a few of Timmothy's. Tina's stack is about 10 times the amount.Timmothy's cartoon above is in today's Base newspaper, "The Northern Sentry" the official newspaper of The Minot AFB and it is intended to let the people on the AFB know that there is an extensive collection of sketchbooks at the Taube Art Museum in downtown Minot.It is my understanding that all across the USA mini-sketchbook libraries are popping up like the past decades explosion of "Little Libraries" seen in nearly every town.I remember reading about this little sketchbook library on wheels years ago (below) but I never got to see it.I have to admit I miss seeing my kids works in th... 08/16/2024

Today's strip is nearly the same as yesterday's but here the focus is on your communities ordinances in regards to burning bans. Yes there are regulations as to what you put into your firepit even if its a metal firepit purchased at your local hardware store. Minot, North Dakota has several burning ordinances, including guidelines for recreational fires and open burning: A recreational fire has a maximum fuel area of 3 feet or less, in diameter by 2 feet or less, in height. A permit issued by the Minot Fire Department is required for fires of larger size or other uses. These fires can only be held on private property with approval from everyone involved. They must be at least 25 feet away from structures, dry grass, leaves, or other combustible materials. Fires can only be made with unt... 08/15/2024

I think Timmothy must have been under the influence of Pablo Picasso when he wrote this strip. I wish I could say that our art gallery was full of Picasso originals but I only have one small plaque and it is not an original but I like it.The comic strip above is not the only one Timmothy has penned about things being "off". Of course as a comic strip artist everything you create is just a little off. Besides a Picasso influence Timmothy is even more influenced by The Far Side and Calvin & Hobbs cartoons. The two cartoons above are sold at our gallery for $5.00 each for copies and $100.00 each for the original. Once an original is purchased we retire the comic. Both the original and the copies are printed on 11" X 17" ledger paper.  08/12/2024

It can be hard to get an appointment with your doctor and then to get a second opinion in a timely fashion may seem like a very daunting task. Cemetery's are full of people who otherwise may have lived longer had they seeked out a second opinion. Good RX has some very good information on second opinions. Many communities only have one hospital to choose from (Like Minot ND) but you may be able to get a second opinion from an independent clinic (we have many). I personally benefited from a second opinion just last month in regards to a dog bite.The inspiration for this post is I lost a good friend last week who failed to get a second opinion after she went to her Dr. due to pain in her arm and slurred speech. Her Dr. dismissed her saying "I don't think it's a heart attach". Hours later s... 08/12/2024

Minot's "Out of the Darkness Community Walk" will be held September 8th 2024 at Noon starting at Oak Park.Most of us have been effected by  a suicide. Many of us have even contemplated suicide at some point of our lives. This walk raises money to help raise awareness that there is help for those considering taking their own life and that help can be free and not a financial burden.     08/10/2024

KHRT Radio was the first Christian Radio station in Minot North Dakota. Yesterday the owner of KHRT, a good friend of mine, Roy Levitt announced that the station could no longer afford to stay on the air.I have blogged about KHRT many times as I have been very involved with this radio station. I always help out with their fundraisers. I advertise exclusively on KHRT. I had a Radio program on the air for years interviewing local figures in Minot and on rare occasions I took to the airwaves when they needed me.As Realtors we ask people to shop local. We don't like people using out of state services when looking for and even purchasing Real Estate. We are local. If you are not promoting "Shop Local" then you are hurting your community and yourself.It may seem odd to you that I'd be promoti... 07/24/2024

Carly Johnson graduated with my son, Timmothy, last week from Minot State University. Both graduated with Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. At this time Carly is focused on T-shirts. I was empressed with her work as few students these days show their dedication to faith openly on a public university campus. Carly is not from an "off the wall" faith, she is a practicing Catholic girl.Yesterday we had an open house at the Titus & Philemon Art Gallery and I invited Carly to set up a display. It was a good time for all involved. Here are some pictures.Carly can help you design a T for work or fun.I also enlisted the help of another artist, Natalie, who works across the hallway from me. Natalie is a super interesting girl who is retired Air Force and is very involved working on props for a horr... 05/23/2024

For the first time in more than four decades a baby lion has been born at the Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot North Dakota.Look at the paws on this little cub. The newspaper report failed to mention if the cub is male, or female so I will let you know in a later post. I would guess that they will have a "naming" contest to generate even more interest. Here is a pick of mom and baby.Regretfully the cub had two siblings who did not survive the birthing process. 03/27/2024

While mentioning the auction is very last minute the Minot Gun Show runs March 23rd and the 24th.Exciting News!  Don't miss out on the 52nd Annual Minot Rifle & Pistol Club Spring Gun Show happening from March 22nd to March 24th! 🔫 At the North Dakota State Fair Center!Join us for a weekend packed with everything a gun enthusiast could dream of! Admission is just $5.00, and children 12 and under get in for FREE!  Plus, we've got concessions available on Saturday and Sunday to keep you fueled up for all the action! 03/22/2024

Many residents of South Central Minot are stumped at what is happening at Roosevelt Park and the Roosevelt Park Zoo.The short, unsatisfying, answer is flood mitigation. On June 22nd 2011 Minot was flooded by the worst flood in it's recorded history. I'd love to tell you the whole story as it is an amazing tale of government incompetence that involves both Canada and the USA.The wholesale slaughter of 100+ year old trees falls under flood mitigation BUT the whole/true story equally involves the Roosevelt Park Zoo (which falls under the Minot Park District).Roosevelt Park is Minot's second largest park and the only park in South Central Minot. The short story here is that Minot's South central residents are going to lose more then half of their park as once all these wonderful trees have ... 03/11/2024

I had no idea that there were so many species of pheasants, far more then the four shown above. On Friday March 15th the North Dakota chapter of Pheasants for the Future will hold their 40th Annual Banquet.The pheasant holds a special place in my heart. My earliest memory of doing something with my father was him taking me pheasant hunting when I was 5 or 6 years old. We lived in Fairmont MN, a town on the Southern boarder of MN. Corn was a huge crop and the fields were huge too. It required about eight men and a couple of dogs to walk the field in order to flush the birds out. As I look back I am pretty sure I was in the dog group as dad had me walk a couple yards ahead of him. He did arm me with a cork gun and I believed with all my heart that I might shoot a bird in the eye and bag m... 03/06/2024

I won't lay in bed and waste away Friday March 1st as it is the first day of the Minot Home Builders Home and Garden Show. I love Fridays anyway as it is date night and my wife and I meet friends for drinks and pizza.Home & Garden Show 2024:Friday, March 1st | 12:00pm – 7:00pmSaturday, March 2nd | 10:00am – 4:00pmLOCATION: North Dakota State Fair Center | Magic Place RoomThe MAB Home and Garden Show is the ultimate resource when planning your next home project in Western North Dakota. Whether you are building a new home, considering a kitchen remodel, or installing your dream outdoor living space, the MAB Home and Garden Show is the ideal venue for inspiration with over a hundred exhibits featuring landscape design, lawn and garden equipment, interior design, windows and window treatmen... 02/29/2024

I LOVE the mild winter we are having in North Dakota with several days in the 40's and even record setting days in the 50's and 60's. The only snow you will see in Minot is the remains of large piles from clearing off parking lots. While a few of us love it many who live in North Dakota are very disappointed.As you can imagine winter sports are big in North Dakota. This has been a disastrous winter for the few ski slopes we have as well as snowmobiler's, ice fishermen, skaters, and those who love to snowshoe out in remote areas.I remember a similar winter and dealers who counted on sales of snowmobiles, snow throwers, and ice fishing equipment truly struggled to make it to the next winter... if they did. 02/03/2024

My admiration for an individual act of kindness is actually for a group of individuals and not one single act either but a complete dedication 24/7 365 days a year. That group is the clergy that share, believe, and live to the best of their ability the inerrant word of God. Of course no one is perfect and I do not have the unrealistic view that pastors are any less susceptible to sin then the rest of us... in fact I am sure that the devil spends double the time trying to trip them up then he does on me and you. That thought alone makes me respect them even more.Matthew RichardRev. Dr. Matthew Richard is the pastor of  St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Minot, ND.  In 2013 he obtained a Doctor of Ministry  Degree from Concordia Seminary, St.  Louis MO.  His doctor of ministry thesis  was on e... 12/24/2023

I am sure that when Timmothy drew this cartoon strip he expected there to be a foot or more snow on the ground, after all it is December 6th and we live in Minot North Dakota.Today, December 6th 2023 we not only do not have snow on the ground but we woke up to temps in the mid 40's expecting a high today and tomorrow in the mid 50's. This is strange. We are about 30 degrees above normal for this time of year. The picture above was taken October 5th 2005.   12/06/2023

It's pretty hard to avoid the sounds of Christmas today. I've already rang the bell by the red kettle when I was also selling hot dogs for "The Horn of Plenty" and I've heard them just about everywhere I've shopped as well.  It's pretty hard to escape the Christmas music if you are downtown where my office is too.With the lighting of Minot's official Christmas tree downtown and the decorated light posts it's also looking a lot like Christmas as well.  11/27/2023

TODAYI am going back into the sales business. Not for profit but for one of my favorite non-profits, the Horn of Plenty. I will be at one of the 5 Market Place Foods stores selling Hot Dogs today and Saturday.I had to dig up this old pic of Timmothy.2023 is the 40th year that the KHRT Horn of Plenty will provide help to hurting families in a 90+ mile area around Minot by by providing food, toys and a ministry gift that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Check out the NEW Artist!Earlier this year a timid young lady came to have a document notarized while I was in the Art Gallery. I had to draw out of her that she likes creating "natural" art using earths elements. Here is a sample:There is no paint used in her work, it is all dried flowers, leaves, etc. The artist is Shayna Rodriquez a... 11/16/2023