Sorted by date Results 251 - 264 of 264
I try to stay on the positive side of things but today’s situations make it difficult. We’ve all heard the old saying, “April showers brings May flowers,” well I’m still waiting on those April showers and the calendar is saying that there is only another week and a few days before May arrives. Without hardly any rain during this month, it makes one wonder if all of the May flowers will show. Weather forecasts do not hold out much promise for the April rains either. Farmers are busy planting corn, and soon vegetable gardens will all be plante...
This Easter will be like none other for people trying to “social distance,” during the COVID-19 epidemic. Easter usually is enjoyed by all communities hosting Easter Egg Hunts, where the children take their baskets and sacks, running here and there trying to find the hidden candy--filled eggs. Newly purchased Easter outfits are worn for the special Easter Sunday church services. Sunrise services are attended and people marvel at the glorious sun rise that occurs in the Eastern sky. Easter breakfasts will likely not be enjoyed as a con...
A 100-year-old landmark barn is no more. On Saturday, the octagonal built Judy Barn was disposed of. It will no longer be a landmark for travelers making their way along Highway 36. For Jewell County residents, it was a historical landmark that reminded them of another time. Located between Mankato and Montrose, this barn was rich in local history and the history of four generations of the Judy family. It all began with Alexander Judy. He was raised in Missouri but longed to become a cowboy and...
Looking for things to do while remaining mostly at home, following the Coronavirus distancing requirements, I found myself going through old family photos. This stirred lots of memories made as a child. One photo was of a sister and me looking pretty sickly, standing outside on the sidewalk, dressed in our nightgowns, house slippers and house coats with dark circles under our eyes. The photo was marked on the backside by our mother, “Gloria and Glenna recovering from the Asiatic Flu, 1958.” I remember that event in my life. Never have I fel...
The country roads are pretty quiet these days with only a few farmers checking on livestock and doing chores. These days of the coronavirus warnings and status reports have made most of us decide to become “home bound” to try to stay away from the virus. Some are using the term “shut ins” but that word does not suit me. I’ll use the term “social distancing.” We have been forced into making decisions since the virus first entered into our neighboring states, counties and towns. Government warnings seem to change every day if not every hour. Not...
Happy first day of spring! Though as this is being written, the weather doesn’t seem to be spring like at all, but the calendar is telling us that it officially has arrived. My thoughts are about my flower beds coming to life, making Easter plans, and yes, even spring cleaning and possibly doing some re-decorating in a room or two. As the new decorating magazine arrives in the mail, I eagerly search the pages to see all the latest ideas. Then one idea is viewed and quickly taken off my list of possibilities. It seems wallpapering is coming b...
Hey, you out there buying all the toilet paper rolls, wearing face masks and filling your shelves with bottles of hand sanitizers, let’s not panic! The news media is broadcasting moment by moment reports of the latest Coronavirus happenings. Maps of the U.S. are showing which states have reported positive Coronavirus testing results. These media maps are as confusing as the ones showing the 2020 election survey findings. The recent stock market drop was first blamed on the Coronavirus but now declining oil prices are also being blamed. T...
Today as I write this column, we are celebrating Presidents’ Day. In earlier years George Washington’s Day and Abraham Lincoln’s Day were celebrated on separate days in February. Students would learn all about these two presidents on their designated days. Interesting history lessons were shared about America during their presidency. Grade school students colored the portraits of these presidents and they were placed above the school’s chalk board for all to admire. Most schools had large portraits of Washington and Lincoln hanging on a wall...
After attending a musical concert called “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” it made me go back to a more care free time in my life. I may be giving away my age but as the three women belted out songs like “Be My Baby,” “Twist And Shout.” “My Boyfriend’s Back,” and “Soldier Boy,” I found my lips moving as they sang. I knew every word to those songs. The women performers were the appropriate age to remember those songs when they were popular. They danced around in their poodle full skirts with pink can-cans, pink collared blouses, bobby socks and, of c...
Since Kansas and Nebraska officially consider the “windy month” a month away, it’s time to get your kites ready to fly. Recently I attended a kite flying festival. It was amazing to see all shapes and sizes of kites flying high into the blue sky. There were kites flown just for display. They included kites shaped like octopus and fish of all kinds and in all colors. There were kites of patriotic design moving in a circular motion. There were giant kites and kites that were smaller. There were kite competitions and demonstrations, in singl...
Just about every loyal and dedicated Kansas City Chief’s fan is anxiously waiting for Super Bowl Sunday to arrive. I’m proud to admit that I too am one of those Chief fans. During the fall and well into the winter months, Chief fans have been cheering them on through every NFL game they have played. The amazing quarterback, Mahomes, twisted and threw the football to the receivers leaving all the sports announcers and fans amazed. Fans worried and shot up prayers when Mahomes was injured having to sit out a few of the mid season games. Tha...
Taking “Road trips” have always been looked forward to. Once in a while I can talk my farmer husband into getting into the pickup or car and heading out for a fun day, seeing different scenery and exploring. The road trips are usually not so far from home. The trip can be taken in a day or even a half a day. Maybe the trip is to visit friendswho live in a neighboring county or to see a certain sight someone has told us about. It can also be just driving around the farmland checking on crops, livestock and fences. Since we are both int...
The subject given to create a story at a Writer’s Club meeting was “What is the oldest thing you have and why do you still have it?” For me it is an old and cherished quilt. It is nothing like today’s quilts which are made using brightly colored material in artistic patterns and mostly stitched using a quilting machine. This quilt is made with muted colors that have been softened with age. The tiny squares are of aged cotton. Some were cut from cotton patterned flour sacks. The stitches that connects the squares together are short and expertl...
I’m always sad when the time comes for the Christmas trees and other Christmas decorations to come down. It’s a job I put off as long as possible but my husband begins to drop hints that lead me to believe he’s ready for the decorations to be stored away. Putting away the decorations is never as much fun as taking the decorations out of the containers and putting them into place. It usually takes me two days to take it all down and get the pieces stored away. I know we are in the second week of January but some things just can’t be done aw...
