![\"Farm\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/Farm.jpeg\")
<\/a>Barney’s Jersey Farm<\/p><\/div>\n
Pardon me if I seem a little jet-lagged, but last week my travels took me back in time to southern Minnesota<\/strong>.\u00a0 It\u2019s not that southern Minnesota is behind the times, far from it, it\u2019s just that the mid-west, and particularly Minnesota and particularly this family, embodies good old mid-western values that we on the coasts just don\u2019t see much of anymore.\u00a0 It was refreshing to be surrounded by people who fervently hang on to the importance of family. The occasion was the 90th<\/sup> birthday<\/strong> of Warren Barnes<\/strong>, my father-in-law, who admitted that he wasn\u2019t going to be 90 until December, but December is not a time to ask people to come to Minnesota \u2013 that\u2019s \u2018hibernating\u2019 season.\u00a0 So the party was held last week, when according to Warren he was \u201cprettin\u2019ear 90\u201d.<\/p>\n While it was Warren\u2019s birthday celebration, it was really a tribute to both Warren and wife, Phyllis<\/strong>, who is a young 87, for the wonderful life they\u2019ve led and the incredible families that were created out of their marriage in 1945. The birthday celebration was held on Saturday in Rochester<\/strong>,\u00a0MN<\/strong>, but the preliminary activities on Friday took us south on a tour of the Barnes\u2019 hometown, Canton, MN. \u00a0<\/strong>The photos below show 1)<\/strong> the parking lot of the Canton Coffee Shop;<\/strong>\u00a0yes it is still a one-horse town,\u00a02)<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0a farmer driving the ‘company car’ through\u00a0Lanesboro<\/strong>, and 3)<\/strong> traffic at Amish<\/strong> rush hour.\u00a0 We visited the old family spread and one could still barely make out the words \u2018Barney\u2019s Jersey Farm\u2019<\/strong> on the side of the barn.<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0 Cobb Residence<\/p><\/div>\n That evening, dinner was at the bucolic residence of Gene & Denise Cobb<\/strong> (granddaughter); he a 25-year IBM<\/strong>er and she a math whiz teaching \u2018Advance Placement\u2019 classes at the local high school. \u00a0They bought 5 acres in the beautiful rolling hills outside of Rochester and built a house, planted fruit trees and a garden with almost every conceivable vegetable known to man, and some not known, at least to this man \u2013 like salsify<\/strong>; then added some chickens and goats and cats and a dog and probably by the time you’re reading this, who knows what species of flora and fauna have taken up residence?<\/p>\n The Barnes Trio – back in the day<\/p><\/div>\n The Barnes Trio (Dale, Linda, Starlet) – reunited<\/p><\/div>\n Warren and Phyllis\u2019s three children, Starlet (Barnes) Brummer, Dale Barnes and Linda (Barnes) Sparrow<\/strong> formed \u2018The Barnes Trio\u2019 and started singing together back on the farm when they were all in grade school; they were good enough to be sponsored by Purina Dog Chow and they performed all over the state from talent shows to county fairs.\u00a0 This evening they sang \u2018Daddy\u2019s Hands<\/strong>\u2019<\/i> to a very emotional crowd, particularly the guest of honor.<\/p>\n Phyllis & Warren Barnes<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Warren and Phyllis have truly been \u2018prairie home companions\u2019 for the last 68 years<\/strong> \u2013 a remarkable couple and a remarkable family.\u00a0 Their response to all the festivities? \u201cThis has been the best day of our lives\u201d<\/strong>.\u00a0 Considering the number of good days in their collective lives, that’s \u00a0saying quite a lot. \u00a0Well-deserved!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow Pardon me if I seem a little jet-lagged, but last week my travels took me back in time to southern Minnesota.\u00a0 It\u2019s not that southern Minnesota is behind the times, far from it, it\u2019s just that the … read more<\/a>\u00a0 2. \u00a0\u00a0 3.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The birthday event on Saturday mystically transported us to Lake Wobegon <\/i><\/strong>from \u2018A Prairie Home Companion\u2019<\/strong>. \u00a0<\/i>For those unfamiliar, A Prairie Home Companion<\/i> is a radio program originating out of Minnesota that started in 1974 hosted by Garrison Keillor<\/strong> and featuring a variety of musical and comedic entertainment that typifies the mid-west.\u00a0 The show can still be heard every Saturday on public radio. \u00a0Warren and Phyllis\u2019s children, grand children and great grand children as well as in-laws and friends spoke and performed various acts from playing musical instruments, to singing and dancing, to a game of \u2018Jeopardy\u2019 based on the life and times of Warren.\u00a0 But the emotional highlight of the event was the reuniting of \u2018The Barnes Trio\u2019<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>