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It was a perfect sunny morning at the Burr Oak Cemetery to hold the annual Memorial Day Service and to view the 131 American Flags that make up the Avenue of Flags in honor of the deceased local veterans. The Emory Clemons Unit 263, American Legion served as the guards, and marched in presenting the colors, near the cemetery's Memorial Monument, at the west side of the cemetery. Members of the Emory Clemons Unit 263 Auxiliary stood near the Memorial Monument. Six of the Auxiliary Junior...
Memorial Day will soon be here. It is a day of remembering and honoring those that are no longer with us as we visit cemeteries and memorial statues. Flowers and flags are left at grave sites of soldiers and veterans who died, and at the grave sites of loved ones including family members, and friends we still think of and remember. Fond memories as a youngster, of my parents taking my sisters and me to visit cemeteries where some of our ancestors were buried. As we all stood looking at each grave stone, my father would tell us what he...
It’s been a rule that I don’t start planting flowers until after Mother’s Day, so this week is like being at a traffic light and all of a sudden the light switches to green. You take off and there is no holding back. After looking at what’s missing in the flower beds, and what’s needed in the containers, it means there has to be trips to favorite garden centers and greenhouses. Recently something was shared on social media that fit. “Be safe on the roads out there! My car just slid into the garden center again! No true flower gardener ca...
Some may not remember the importance that May 8 has for this country, but hopefully some will remember and be ever so thankful. It was a different time for the United States of America 78 years ago. WWII had been going on since Sept. 1, 1939, with Nazi Germany invading and taking over several counties, killing, looting and causing atrocities. On Dec. 7, 1941, the United States entered WWII after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Young men from the farming communities, men in the cities and some women left their homes and families to serve...
I admire those who are great in sewing and thread- creating talent. There are those who create such precious, colorful and well designed quilts. There are those who do beautiful crochet projects and some who can knit treasured creations. I have even had a mother show me leather creations her granddaughter creates. The daughter does custom sewing. Her mother showed me photos of the beautiful wedding and prom gowns she has made. I do admire my friends and relatives who can whip up stylish clothing items. An almost lost art form of stitchery is...
Watching television has gotten complicated. The price of cable and satellite connections continues to go up so some people are looking for something good but at a better price. There are other choices that may be cheaper they say, that I don’t understand. Alternatives include Hulu, Sling, YouTube, TV Live and Philo. Terms are used such as “streaming,” using “apps”in order to get hooked up....I have no idea what those terms mean. Would I be able to figure them out and learn how to connect with them on my television? What are the odds of having...
So it’s a guessing time right now for farmers, ranchers and gardeners. It’s been mostly dry, lacking in rains, along with recent warmer temperatures and high winds. It’s time for farmers to begin to plant corn. Some have started planting and some are waiting until more rain is received. Some farmers have done their research and found that some varieties of soybean seeds can be planted before the corn seeds. They are proceeding to plant those soybean varieties. Some farmers are trying to get bales that were left in the fields and along the f...
There was a country western song a while back called “I was raised on Country Sunshine.” That’s the way I was raised. Born a country farm girl, I liked the simple things in life. The playgrounds were adventure trips down into the pasture, where there were pond waters, ditches, forts in trees that had fallen down and catching the crawdads in a vegetable can. Rides were taken on horses. There was no bigger thrill then getting chased by a rooster or a hog. Walking on the dirt driveway after a spring rain, barefooted into the mud and feeling it ris...
Easter will be celebrated Sunday. This whole week is filled with observing the days before the Savior’s Resurrection. There is the Passover, Lenten, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday, then the Sunrise Services and the Easter Celebration Services that are planned and held in churches this area and beyond on Sunday. It is said that Easter Sunday, the church attendance almost doubles. Easter memories for me mostly concern the Easter Sundays of my childhood. Getting up that morning and finding the prepared Easter baskets by our bedsides. Also, d...
It seems the last weekend of March and its weather is leading us towards an April Fools joke. The calendar tells us March 20 was the first day of Spring. We were ready for the weather to change from winter to spring. The green blades of wheat are beginning to be seen as the country landscape has barely begun to turn from gray and browns to a light green. Last Saturday, the weather reports led us to believe that there would be a 70 percent to 90 percent chance of rain headed our way. Because it is so dry here, we were hoping the reports were...
Recently I saw a copy of the poem “Swing” by the writer, Robert Lewis Stevenson. It brought many thoughts and memories. I’m sure every mother has read this poem to her children and if not mothers need to. It goes like this--- How do you like to go up in the swing Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it is the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside-- Till I look down on the garden green, Down on the roof so brown-- Up in the air I...
Today’s youth do not remember having to use an “outhouse,” a “privy,” or “necessaries” as bathroom toilets. Today’s bathroom facilities are of course all indoors and designed for warmth, comfort and style. Today’s bathrooms have stools with self-closing lids and water saving devices installed. There are walk- in showers designed with colored tile back drops, pulsing shower heads and sometimes the floors are even heated for that warmth comfort. My memories go back to having no choice of what toilet facilities to use but the small wooden buil...
Within six months, two aunts have left the Heskett family. Both will always be cherished but the one who recently died was for many of us nieces and nephews, like a mother we didn’t have with us anymore and someone we knew we could turn to. For me, she was all that but mostly she was like the big sister I never had. For many of us, she was the one who we knew we could turn to that would listen to what we had to say. We could tell her anything and trust that in her reply, she would remain calm and understand. She was our encourager, in s...
There are animals such as bears, chipmunks and groundhogs that hibernate throughout the winter in a warm, cozy spot. Some manage to store away food needed to eat throughout their stay. Like the migrating birds do to avoid the colder winter months, my husband and I in years past have traveled south during the hardest winter months. However, this this winter we remained hibernated, so to speak, in our warm and cozy farmhouse. Mostly our hibernating consisted of sitting in front of a burning fireplace reading a book, putting together a puzzle or...
There is a saying “Behind every great man is a great woman.” I’m sure every farm wife in America would agree with that statement. Though the saying was made in the 19th century, it rings true in today’s society as well as long before the 19th century. As we think of President George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22, thoughts of his great lady go toward the first First Lady Martha (Dandridge) Curtis-Washington. She was married to her first husband, Mr. Curtis, when she was 18 years old. She was ahead of her time, as unlike most girls of that t...
The 2023 February calendar marks the 20th as Presidents’ Day. For several years this federal holiday has caused some confusion. What ever happened to Lincoln and Washington’s birthdays that used to be marked on the February calendars? For my generation Feb. 12, was marked as the birthday of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln’s birth. It was celebrated by many. Though it was never considered a federal holiday, many states observed it as a state holiday. Some states still observe it. According to history information, Lincoln’s birthday was obs...
For all those hunting for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, there is less than a week to accomplish this task. What once began years and years ago as a simple, thoughtful card gifting, expressing one’s love and thoughts for others, has gotten blown out of proportion. Valentine gifts today are sometimes diamond jewelry, heart-shaped containers filled with chocolate candy or a dozen red roses. Remembering my the childhood years attending classes in a one-room schoolhouse, Valentine’s Day preparation began at least two weeks before. Classes made...
They say snowflakes do not look alike. Recently our area received a lot of snow with some spots reporting 4” to to 10” making for a lot of snowflakes and a lot of needed moisture. The snow came down so perfectly and rare for this area. It was a slow, heavy snowfall without wind to blow it off the cropland and into the ditches and roadways. It remained in the fields and grasslands where it will do some much needed good. It reminded me of winter snows years ago that came fairly regular. While attending the country school, Oak Creek, there wer...
Happy Birthday, Kansas, on your 162nd year! Proud to say that you are the only state I’ve ever lived in and wouldn’t change that for anything. Kansas is smack dab in the middle of the United States. Some say it’s boring driving through Kansas on the interstate roadways but it really isn’t. Yes, there are acres and acres of rolling plains, but there are also the Monument Rock formations made of limestone rocks, and the grassy rolling hills termed the Flint Hills. There are the many lakes, creeks and rivers over the state. Trees once were no...
The story of Kansas as it became a state of the United States of America is much like a page out of today's conflicts, voting controversies and hardships. Kansas had its start as property of France. In 1903, a treaty was made with President Thomas Jefferson to purchase the Louisiana Territory from France. This included Kansas lands. Kansas had been named after the Kansas River, that in turn had been named after the Native America Tribe of Kansas, meaning, "people of the wind." Jefferson decided...
It seems like every day is named a special day of recognition. Sometimes the day observes several events. Monday was not only the celebration of Martin Luther King Day but somehow it is termed to be of all things, the most depressing day in January. Another term was “the saddest day of the year,” which falls on the third Monday in January. You may ask who established this “saddest day of the year.” Well it was created by a Welsh psychologist. It’s terrible to tie a person’s negative sad, depressing emotions to a certain day. The reason given fo...
It may be called being “old school” in these times but many people my age have thoughts, wishes and memories that would be labeled “old school” by several of the younger generation. What happened with sending out hand written thank you cards when a gift is sent to an individual or a couple? In most of today’s society that isn’t done anymore.Instead quick and easy text messages are sent, but sometimes no acknowledgement is received. It leaves the person giving the gift wondering if it was ever received or if it was appreciated. An email thank...
I just finished watching the 133rd Tournament of Roses Parade on our wide screen television and, as usual, it didn’t disappoint me. I enjoy the bright colors and all the flowers and natural nuts, rice, grasses and plants incorporated into the floats. Of course, the bands marching in time playing wonderful music is a hit. The horses ridden with the riders dressed in their finest and some in military or official uniforms looked great. My mother, always loving horses, used to say the cameras were never left long enough showing the horse and riders...
Just when I got used to writing 2022, it is about to change and I’ll have to start remembering it is 2023. It seems the years keep coming and going faster and faster. I’ve been through the growing and prosperous years of the 1950s as America grew in population and manufacturing as the WWII soldiers came marching homeward. Things were so different back then. Yes, I’ll admit I was one of those Baby Boomers. It’s hard to believe but a brand new 1955 Bel Air Chevy cost about $2,000. In 1950, a nine-room modern house in Massachusetts would cost ab...
The stores are bursting with Christmas decorations, gifts and delicious holiday menu options. Whenever I walk into such a store, it takes control to remain on point with my Christmas shopping list in hand to find only the things needed. It is hard though with so many items to see and imagine gifting or decorating our home with. In all the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, we should remain focused on the true “Reason For The Season,” the birth of our Lord Jesus. My thoughts turn back to the simple Christmas programs at my home cou...
