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This week, from the position I had taken while on the outlook for Nuckolls County Fair photos, I was able to observe a young family and their horses. I'm not a good judge of youngsters ages but the youngest was in a stroller and I guess the others were spaced a year or two apart. The parents and their stair-step youngsters left the rig and horses and perhaps went to the food stand or to register the youngsters for the kids' rodeo. One horse in particular was not pleased to be left alone, It was...
“Stupid, smart people . . .” I heard this phrase for the first time maybe a year or so ago. It took me a while to understand what was meant by it. A national radio commentator used it every so often and I had to listen closely to understand just what he meant. To understand what is meant a person has to realize that there are many very well educated people around the earth and they do well for themselves and others. Quite often we give these people respect and understanding as they are often “experts” in their field of learning. They are som...
I read this on Facebook today, “Dear, whatever doesn’t kill me, I’m strong enough now. Thanks.” That hit home this past week and I’m pooped! It’s been one dramatic crisis after another. I’ve started answering the phone with “Now what?” instead of “Hello.” I wish I could go into more detail, but trust me, it would give you a migraine, and that’s a burden I must bear on my own. All I can say is the kids are happy and healthy. The husband is happy-ish, which is normal. I’m still kicking around, obviously, LOL. There is a roof over our heads, food...
At my hometown celebration of our country’s 246th birthday, there was a wonderful draw of people family and friends. Stories were told as everyone visited with one another, and memories shared. In a small rural community most everyone knows everyone. Often you know or knew their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. All come together to eat, visit and watch the fireworks. A great way to celebrate the 4th of July. The many kinds of homemade ice cream served were a hit. There is nothing like enjoying a bowl of homemade ice cream on a hot s...
America was settled by adventurous, hard work people willing to leave home and venture out with the hope and dream of success, prosperity and a better life in a new land. Monday we celebrated the Declaration of Independence which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The document states the residents of the 13 colonies were no longer subject and subordinate to the monarch of England, King George the III, and were now united, free and independent states. The Continental Congress voted to approve our independence on Jul...
Red Hair . . . To be specific, “Naturally Redheads” the headline read. I was perusing the Sunday newspaper yesterday when a headline caught my eye. It read: “Natural redheads may need more anesthesia.” A person may not guess that from what little hair I have left was at one time . . . red. However, it was, and I’ve survived many years not knowing for sure if that was a good thing, or a bad thing. And, never read much about the positive, or negative, effects of living with red hair. The headline caught my attention and several things caught my...
Happy birthday, Merica! I hope everyone made it through the holiday with all their fingers and toes intact. We did not do a lot of fireworks this year. In fact, I had the kids help in the yard this weekend to earn money to purchase said fire hazards, and they chose not to spend it all at the fireworks stand. I was impressed. We have a full house this week. Our Omaha boys are down to visit and will be here for 10 days. I may not survive; that’s a lot of dishes and laundry. It amazes me how many bowls and cups a family of five can go through i...
It's Kansas wheat harvest time in this area. As I write, whirling combine reels can be heard off in the distance, a neighbor is cutting wheat from one of his fields. That's all it will take in this rural neighborhood. When the sounds of wheat harvest starting is heard, other area farmers get the itch to start their combines. Though in this area, wheat harvest isn't what it used to be years ago. Most of the farmers have diverted their crop interests from wheat to all fall crops. Around the area...
Friday morning, as I sat on a street barricade and observed the preparations for the Project BOOM ribbon cutting, I tried to visualize what the street looked like a century ago. As I looked west on Eighth Street and south on National Street, I thought of my family’s activities in the area. Before 1930 my grandparents called four houses in that part of town “home.” Their first house in that section was near the intersection of Eighth and North Park. In more recent times it was removed to make way for the construction of the current bridge over L...
The week that was . . . People of different political beliefs have been busy since the end of last week trying to convince other people (or maybe just venting anger or joy) that last week was a week that will be remembered for a long time. I’m guessing that almost everyone by now knows that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) reversed a 49 year old decision concerning what liberals called a “Right” to an abortion for all women. In 1973 the SCOTUS found a right in the U. S. Constitution for women to have an abortion, regar...
Roe v Wade is all anyone seems to be talking about right now. There seems to be no blurred line on this topic; you are either for or against abortion. It is my understanding that the decision to allow or not allow abortion will now be left to the individual states. Before I give my personal opinion on the subject, I want to make one thing clear; I am not for or against abortion. I have never had to make a choice between myself or my unborn child. I would like to think I would never choose to end the life of my child, but without actually being...
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...
A friend’s story shared on a social media site reminded me of my grandmother. My mother regularly drove an automobile. She used a special skill my father taught her to get through the water holes that separated our house on Blauvelt’s Hill and Superior. A Republican River flood had washed out the north approach to stateline bridge which served the “new” highway opened a handful of years earlier. With the new road closed, highway traffic was diverted over the former route we called “the old highway,” In the 1920s, Superior businessmen paved a po...
I keep getting reminders that I’m most likely included in that category of people that some call “old.” Others, kinder I suppose, might use the word “senior” rather than old. Whatever group I’m in, that’s OK, I’ll go with it. Maybe that’s the reason I enjoyed the following little bit of humor I came across just last week. The following was a list of “Things I am no longer interested in: 1: Driving at night. 2: Driving in the winter. 3: Getting on a scale. 4: Arguing with idiots. 5: Being “fashionable.” 6: Going to the gym. 7: Wearing clothes...
I’m so excited! We are going to visit Robert at Fort Riley this weekend. I have no idea what we will do, but I told him not to plan anything too extravagant since the traveling and hotel room have more than broken my summer budget. LOL! He said something about going to the lake. That sounded nice and relaxing to me. It’s not supposed to be quite as hot, but there is a chance of thunderstorms. I hope that changes and we have clear skies. Jacob’s ship date was moved up, so he will leave for basic training in late August instead of Septe...
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...
Twice while I was a student attending Kansas State University I had jobs helping with camps designed for high school students. My primary task during the day was working with the advanced photography students. At night I helped supervise a residence hall. There were various camps scheduled between the end of the spring semester and the beginning of summer school. The dormitories I worked in housed the high school scholars participating in the journalism and FFA camps. I had little contact with the FFA members but a news release about this...
I’m going to include a little bit this week about weeds . . . Not your normal garden type weeds or your corn field type noxious weed. This is about a native tree that many have lately considered “an invasive, non-desirable and problematic tree.” An interesting consideration is that the determination that the Eastern Red Cedar Tree has become a “Noxious Weed” comes from a publication of Panhandle Research Integration for Discovery Education. Maybe “Noxious” isn’t quite an accurate notation, but in this publication it’s a plant that should be tr...
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...
Recycling has been a buzz word for several years. This month the Trailblazer Resource Conservation District is holding electronics recycling events in the district’s multi-county areas. Tire collection events are also scheduled. Many communities have centers where materials are collected for recycling. Long before recycling was a buzz word, my family was into recycling only we didn’t know to call it such. We called it “salvage.” Perhaps the word recycling hadn’t been coined. I don’t know when the Blauvelts began salvaging but it was before...
Q: How does the Bible line up with science? A: The tension between current church doctrines, modern scientific perspectives and the timeless truths of Scripture is an ongoing challenge for anyone searching for Truth in this world. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that the perspectives of scientists are drawn from interpretations of the natural world, while students of Scripture begin with Truths drawn from God’s Word. Both approaches are legitimate. When conflicts occur, great care and patience must be exercised to determine whether s...
I got plates on the scooter, and I’m getting better at corners. I haven’t run anyone over yet, so I’d say I’m doing well. Not quite ready for a Harley yet, but I’m making progress. LOL! Jacob made it home safely from his dad’s house, and he has “enjoyed” navigating the details of purchasing an out-of-state vehicle and dealing with crazy insurance companies. Today he gets to register it, so he is just about broke. LOL. I’ve gotten a lot of flack for making him purchase his own insurance. I’m not sure why. It is his truck, and he is graduated...
What a relief . . . . These past few months I was afraid the world was coming to an end. Considering the senseless carnage from all of the ‘shootings’, the confusion of letting men compete in college sports as women; watching one of the larger nations (Russia) wage war on its neighbor (Ukraine) . . . what is a person supposed to think . . . or do? Finally, we got the answers we need. They came from no less a person than our current president (ole man Joe, or something like that). And, from that college age guy who likes to dress up like a girl...
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...
This writer was among the few who took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Cowboy Museum when it was open during the festival. The museum displays the private collection of Steve Werner, an 80-year-old Superior resident who inherited the collecting bug from his grandmother. When I signed the guest book, best estimates put me at about visitor number 50. In the company of Jim and Mel Rempe, our tour guide was the collector, Mr. Werner. And what a superb guide he was. As he showed us around, we were not only looking at stuff, we were...
