Author Edna Thayer at Tacy House Sept. 26

A reception and book signing will be held for Edna Thayer, author of "Feisty Lydia," from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. at Tacy's house, 332 Center St., Mankato.

More on "Feisty Lydia"

"Feisty Lydia" is the personal story of a woman born in 1925 in Neuotting, Germany. Her remarkable spirit helped her to survive a premature birth, the Great Depression, death-defying experiences, the Nazi regime, and war in her home town and country. The story continues when this German war bride journeyed with her young son Johnny aboard an American troop ship to America in 1948, to join her husband John. Read how Lydia used her feisty and optimistic personality to overcome the struggles of life in a new country and to create her Elysian Fields, a place of joy and tranquility, in the city of Elysian, Minnesota. Sprinkled with glimpses of history to provide the setting, the biography of Lydia is created from personal interviews with Lydia, her family, and friends.

Guitarist Pat Donohue Performs Eclectic Mix

Grammy-winning fingerstyle guitarist Pat Donohue will be appearing on Tuesday, October 6 at 7 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran College's Trinity Chapel. Pat has earned national recognition for his mastery of acoustic fingerstyle guitar, which he exhibits weekly as the guitarist for the Guys All Star Shoe Band on Garrison Keillor's radio program "A Prairie Home Companion."

Tickets will be $8 for adults and $5 for children, students (K-college), and seniors (55+) and will be available at the door beginning at 6 p.m. the night of the performance.

Good Thunder Reading Series and MSU Department of Music feature Phil Bryant and Carolyn Wilkins

Minnesota State University Mankato's Good Thunder Reading Series, in co-sponsorship with the MSU Department of Music, will continue its fall-semester programming when it hosts St. Peter poet Philip Bryant and Boston jazz pianist Carolyn Wilkins in a day-long residency on Thursday, October 8.

Bryant and Wilkins will meet with individuals in the morning and be interviewed later in the day on KMSU-FM. At 3 p.m. in the Centennial Student Union Ostrander Auditorium, the two will lead a discussion and take questions on the topic of their poetry-jazz collaboration, "A Stompin' Suite," which brings together a poem sequence by Bryant with original compositions by Wilkins. At 7:30 p.m. in the E.J. Halling Recital Hall of the Performing Arts Center, the two will perform "A Stompin' Suite." The afternoon event is free and open to the public. For the evening performance only, admission is $9 for students and $12 for others.

Wine and cheese lovers' must attend event

What goes better with local wine than local cheese?  “Say Cheese! Savor the Wine” is a wine and cheese tasting experience brought to you by Morgan Creek Vineyards and the St. Peter Food  Co-op as part of the Annual Great Grape Stomp on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

“Say Cheese!  Savor the Wine” is a tasting experience that fosters food and wine education and entertainment. Attendees will walk away from the affair with a better understanding of wine, cheese, and the art of pairing the two. 

The event will be held twice on Saturday, October 3rd, with one session at 1:30 p.m. and another at 3:30 p.m.  Cost for this special event is $25 and includes gate admission, a wine tent tasting pass, “Say Cheese! Savor the Wine” tasting experience, a souvenir wine glass, and an opportunity to vote in the People’s Choice Awards. Only a limited number of tickets are available for this unrivaled experience and can be purchased at either Morgan Creek Vineyards or the St. Peter Food Co-op.

Call for artists: Waseca Art Center seeking art work

The Waseca Art Center is accepting artists work for possible inclusion in its December exhibit from December 4 through December 31. For more information contact Pat Beckmann, Director, at 507.835.1701.

Good Thunder Reading Series announces 2009-2010 season

Minnesota State University, Mankato's Good Thunder Reading Series 2009-2010 season.

Minnesota Prairie Roots blog launches

Midwest Mix Magazine blogger and writer Audrey Kletscher Helbling recently launched her own blog, Minnesota Prairie Roots, at mnprairieroots.wordpress.com. Helbling takes readers with her on journeys through Southern Minnesota and beyond. She shares her personal experiences with wit and wisdom and her colorful words imprint readers' minds with the many places she's been and the things she's done. Check out her blog for a new perspective of Minnesota.