Love of Country, Within Reason (and a Big Nutcracker)
“People gather for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Verne the Patriot in Luverne, Minn.” (AP Photo/Sarah Raza (July 18, 2026)) " A Minnesota town now boasts the world's tallest nutcracker " Sarah Raza, AP (July 18, 2026) "Crossing the open farmland of southwestern Minnesota, you'll encounter an otherworldly sight: a massive head with a beard, mustache and red-striped top hat looming over the horizon. Pull into the small town of Luverne and the figure — a nearly 66-foot (20-meter) tall nutcracker, decked out like Uncle Sam — comes into full view...." I've never been to Luverne, Minnesota, and will probably never go there. But I've seen other oversize statues in my home state: Rothsay's prairie chicken, Alexandria's viking, Paul Bunyan in Bemidji, Belgrade's crow, and "Pelican Pete: World's Largest Pelican" in Pelican Rapids. One of these days I may talk about roadside attractions in the Midwest. But not today.... More at...