by Jule Kucera | Jan 9, 2022 | Blog
My great-grandfather, Emil F. Folda, was born in 1866 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and was brought to a sod house near Heun, Nebraska, as a toddler. The family relocated to take advantage of the Homestead Act and soil with fewer rocks. His mother died when he was 12; at...
by Jule Kucera | Jan 2, 2022 | Blog
Audio: Shocked by a Catholic I grew up without religion. I don’t know if that’s the continuing influence of my great-grandfather or my parent’s active choice. We had a Christmas tree with presents, and chocolate bunnies for Easter, but I never knew the basis for those...
by Jule Kucera | Dec 26, 2021 | Blog
Audio: Two Days Before Thanksgiving When I first heard this story from my father, the news came during the Thanksgiving meal. But according to his grandfather’s journal, the news came two days before, on Tuesday. My great-grandfather was Emil (pronounced EM-ee-ill)...
by Jule Kucera | Dec 23, 2021 | Blog
I hope I’m not interrupting, since this is a Thursday. On my walk this morning—cold with brilliant sun—I had an idea and if I wait until Sunday, it could be too late. Earlier this week, my psychologist friend asked how I was feeling about seeing my mother. I said it...
by Jule Kucera | Dec 19, 2021 | Blog
Audio: The Sins of the Parents Back when I was in the fundamentalist Christian church, I read the Bible a lot. It was a status symbol to have a bible showing signs of wear from heavy reading. Covers that fell off were replaced with a slab of thick leather. Center...
