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Living in a rural community can’t be beat! Volunteering and helping out one another is a regular occurence here. Recently a fund raiser was held in my hometown for its rural fire department, who along with many other area fire departments came together to battle a fast moving wildfire that happened a couple of months ago, causing much damage. Hours and several days and nights were spent not only fighting the fire but making sure the fire stayed out. Many volunteers came together to hold this fund raiser. Donations were made in funds, food a...
It’s time to get after those invading noxious weeds we farmers have to fight year after year on our land. Though the musk thistles are the worst, if the thistles are treated and taken care of, their numbers can be kept at bay. But it takes a lot of time, money and effort. After listening to my farmer-husband visit with other farmers, the problems in our pastures lately include spreading locust trees, hedge trees, and of course, the ever growing and increasing cedar trees. One farmer friend joked when out spraying the locust trees, he always h...
The historical Beeler House, Mankato, has recently undergone a lot of restoration and unique updating. This 120 year old Queen Anne Victorian House was one of the several historic houses featured during the 150th Year Mankato Celebration held on Memorial Weekend. Located on Commercial Street, this unique house is thought to be built by L.C. Beeler, a farmer from the Ionia area. He was the son of the well known early pioneer farmer-stockman, Fredrick Beeler. He lived in the house until the...
As schools are now out for the summer months, it’s not only the students who get a vacation from their studies,it’s also the teachers who get a well deserved vacation. As we have two granddaughters currently studying to become teachers, it brings back memories of the important roles teachers have influencing the youth. I had many wonderful teachers throughout my school years, those who recognized my interests and pushed me into furthering those interests. In courses where I showed a weakness, the teachers worked with me and gave needed enc...
The weekend in this area was filled with celebrations and memorials. Visitors and residents in this area could certainly be kept busy and no one could say they were bored. The annual Vestey Day event was held in Superior and was filled with activities, programs, tours, music, food and a parade. As usual, this celebration did not let the attendees down. The weather was ideal and people of all ages filled the town. In the neighboring town of Mankato, a year ago plans were made on how best to carry out the town’s 150th anniversary during the b...
Will the peonies be ready for Memorial Day? That is the question asked at this time every year. My mother, mother-in-law and grandmothers always looked forward to seeing the lovely peony flowers out in their soft and bright pink colors every Memorial Day, decorating the gravesites at the local cemeteries. I’ve inherited that same thought when my family’s gravesites are visited. At my last visit, the peonies were budded. A quick estimate was made when they would open. With the lack of winter and early spring moisture, the peony plants rem...
It is beautiful, breathtaking and a sight to behold, all around these Country Roads. With the colder temperatures, high winds and dry weather behind us, spring finally takes the stage in all of its glory. Maybe this sounds wordy but how else can it be described? Maybe it’s being over stated, but for this country woman, it is certainly breathtaking. What a difference a few inches of rain, added to the warming sunshine and God’s touch can make. We went from a world that was sound asleep in the winter mode, coming out and rewarding us with spr...
May 8 should have been celebrated across the United States, but that date wasn’t recognized. There were no parades, memorials or celebrations held. Some people may not have even remembered or made aware of the importance of that date, the way lately some people are trying to erase our country’s history. V-E Day was 77 years ago on May 8, 1945. It was on that day when the WWII surrender of the German Nazi war machine was celebrated in the United States and all across Europe, including Great Britain. The long war in Europe had finally come to...
As I checked May birthday and anniversary dates of my relatives and friends in my Days To Remember book, it brought me almost to tears. I’ve had this special book of such recordings for about 57 years. Many of those that are recorded have left this earth either recently or years ago. I asked myself why didn’t I mark them out of my special book when they died, but as I check the dates and names out as the months arrive, it makes me recall all those who meant so much to me. One of those that had a May birthday listed in my book was a dear fri...
I hope everyone found great bargains at the local city wide garage-yard sales. I knew of two in this area; Jewell and Superior. It seems about every town has their city wide sales at one time or another. With the climbing inflation, taking advantage of shopping at these sales is a plus, and for the seller, it’s good to find a buyer for the items no longer needed at their house or shop. For the true garage-yard sale shopper, the day calls for getting up early in the morning and getting on the hunting trail to find the sought after items b...
It’s time to start getting outside digging and clearing flower beds and preparing the garden for planting. Flower bulb catalogs are reviewed and visits to the local greenhouses and landscaping businesses are planned. But we need warmer temperatures and the most important weather element rain is needed very badly. With a week left in April, only a sprinkle or two of rain have been received this month. What ever happened to April showers? If there are no April showers, will there by any May flowers? It’s been so dry and windy there have been ter...
Where will Easter Sunday find you? I’ve heard that Easter is the one Sunday where the church pews are filled more than any other Sunday of the year. I grew up hunting for Easter Eggs on Saturday and going to church on Easter Sunday, as well as attending church almost every other Sunday, but Easter Sunday held special memories for me. Mother went all out for her three daughters in seeing we had new Easter outfits. She would get out the J.C. Penney’s catalog to find us the perfect frilly dress with a big bow in the back. A little hat was ordered...
Again it was proven how our small town, rural communities come together when needed. A wildfire began northwest of my hometown of Burr Oak last week and quickly spread thanks to the lack of moisture and the strong winds. The hometown fire department quickly answered the call. As the fire continued to spread northward, more than 16 fire departments were called in to help. As the word spread about the fire, farmers from miles away and locally came driving their tractors and disks to work the ground to save homes, buildings and other properties....
Today, this columnist is giving everyone a “heads up” by warning to watch out for the pranksters and jokers and don’t be “fooled” tomorrow (Friday). It’s April Fool’s Day! It’s been an annual custom on this day to play practical jokes on each other, trying to fool someone into thinking what is said is the truth but really it’s not. After the jokester says his story, and the unsuspecting listener falls for the story as being true, the jokester then has the pleasure of shouting “April Fool!” I must admit many times I have fallen for an untrue...
Guys like to look back and reminisce about the hot fast cars of their past years, wishing they had kept them or could somehow get them back. I’ve heard over and over, “I sure wish I hadn’t sold that car.” If they could only turn back the pages of time. I clearly remember the 60s when Muscle Cars were what every teenager or young man longed to have. For many, a Muscle Car has to be American. The most important part was it had to have a hot, big V8 engine under it’s hood. According to the Auto Express, the top Muscle Cars of the 60s were the...
While taking a winter trip in Texas, we made a stop in a favorite town called Fredericksburg. Every time we go to Texas, it is a stop we make. It’s in the Texas Hill Country and is known for it’s big and small ranches, peach and pecan groves, cowboy attire and friendly people. It was founded by Germans. This is carried out within the town by food, clean streets, tidy and well kept houses and in their ancestor’s customs. Western music plays at the eating establishments, daytime and night time. We aren’t the only outsiders who have been drawn t...
Who still hangs out their clothes to dry on the clothesline? I’m talking about the clotheslines outdoors, not on stands in the bathroom or basement. I remember when about every household had a three line wire clothes line where all the washed clothes were hung out to dry. I used a clothes line when my sons were young. I enjoyed going outside and hanging our family laundry on the clothesline. The cloth diapers were sanitized as they blew dry in the sunshine. There was nothing like bringing freshly dried bed sheets in and smelling the crisp fresh...
Any ideas for winter meals? Most of the time it seems like the same menu pattern at our home is often overly repeated. There are the soups, casseroles and stews. There are roasts, noodles, beans and cornbread. These meals are repeated and repeated. This especially is a problem when there are only two to fix for. Thankfully my husband does not mind eating leftovers. Some people enjoy grilling on their grills even throughout the winter, so there is that option. We enjoy eating breakfast items for lunch and even supper. There is nothing like...
Have you heard of Pickleball? It is fast becoming a popular game, played and enjoyed by young and old. When we travel south to Texas during the winter months, Pickleball has gained popularity, especially by those over the age of 55. When we first started going to the Texas RV park resort, there was only one court where Pickleball was played. Now there are four inside courts and they are usually all busy. Lessons are held and there are those eager to learn the sport. It is a cross between tennis, badminton and ping pong. It has a paddle similar...
I can’t understand when someone says music doesn’t mean much to them. Music has been a must in my life. I believe it was instilled in me before I was born. My mother loved country music. Her favorite singer through the years was Ernest Tubbs. She would listen to his singing on the radio show, The Grand Ole Opry. Her favorite song to sing to me as a baby was “Sioux City Sue.” It was made popular by Gene Autry in 1946. My father, who also loved music, often sang with his brothers forming a quartet in their early years. One of my father...
Where is the snow we had years ago? It seems when we do get snow, it is described as being a “dusting” of snow. I remember as a young child having it snow for days. Finally when it quit, my sister and I would run outside in our snowsuits, gloves, and snow boots to make our snow creations of forts, snow angels, and the ever creative snowmen and his family. The drifts were so high the country roads were blocked for at least a couple of days. That meant no school. When the Oak Creek School doors opened again, there was lots of snow on the gro...
Where is the snow we had years ago? It seems when we do get snow, it is described as being a “dusting” of snow. I remember as a young child having it snow for days. Finally when it quit, my sister and I would run outside in our snowsuits, gloves, and snow boots to make our snow creations of forts, snow angels, and the ever creative snowmen and his family. The drifts were so high the country roads were blocked for at least a couple of days. That meant no school. When the Oak Creek School doors opened again, there was lots of snow on the gro...
There are some creatures God created that I often wonder why? Mice are one of those creations. To me, they have no purpose except to be an unwanted rodent. There are those lovable cartoon character mice such as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse but they never won me over. There is even the hero cartoon mouse, Mighty Mouse, but a mouse could never be a hero in my thinking. I never felt sorry for the children’s song characters, Three Blind Mice, and I approved of their demise. There is even a computer “mouse” but I never could figure out why. Living...
Holidays bring back memories of my parents and grandparents, and how much they are missed. So many wonderful Christmas’ with my parents and the two sets of grandparents. We were blessed that my sisters and our children lived within close distance so we usually all celebrated together. My grandparents weren’t so blessed to be close to all their children and grandchildren, but most of those who lived within 50 miles made a point to gather together. Fellowship with my many cousins was a blessing and created memories I will never forget. How I wis...
The countryside is in winter resting mode. The tree branches are bare allowing views over the creek bank into the neighboring field. The grasslands have turned from a rich green to a dry brown and tan. The only green that can be noted are the cold green early blades of the planted wheat in the fields. Cattle are being moved to the home lots to winter or taken to pasture in brown, harvested corn and milo fields. The only survival plants in some of the no-till fields are cover crops that were planted to help save soil moisture. The wild flowers...
