Did you go to “country school?”

Remember your first grade teacher? 

How about your fifth grade teacher?

How many teachers who you had during your grade and high school years do you remember?

Why do you suppose you remember some and not others? Was it the class they taught? How they taught it or something that brings it to mind?

Remember your first day of school? 

Did you go to kindergarten? What was your favorite class?

When did you learn to tie your shoes? Zip or button your own coat? Put your boots on the right feet?

Who was your first very best friend in school?

What did you carry in your school lunch box? What was your favorite “hot lunch” at school?

What time did school start and what time was it over?

Did you walk to school, ride or take the bus? Who was your bus driver?

What games did you play during recess and phy-ed time?

What was your favorite thing about school?

How many were in your class? How many were in your graduating class?

It is hard to believe that summer is over and that is was time for school to start again. Were your children and grandchildren ready for school to start again? Were you ready for school to start again?

The days seem to tick away faster and faster all the time. Before we know it, fall will be here. In fact, the first day of Fall is the 23rd of September.

 Fall....

The apples fall. Leaves fall. Nuts fall. Branches fall. People fall. Temperatures are falling and before we know it, snow will fall.

We’re seeing the gathering of the turkeys and geese.

Things are changing. The color of the tree leaves, soybeans, and corn ears are changing. We will soon be seeing harvesting in the fields — be it sweet corn, soybeans, field corn.

The sporting season has changed too. Then there’s the adventure of games —school competition and the “big boys” speculating, trading and thinking ahead for victories. The Vikings and football teams are already playing and the Twins will soon be done with another season.

The length of daylight seems to have changed a great deal, almost overnight, so to speak. 

Cheerleaders — kids seem to congregate and you see kids out riding bikes and doing things knowing their days will be getting shorter.

I watched the butterflies this morning hanging in clumps in the maple trees like beautiful bouquets of flowers. Evidently, they are starting to prepare for their long trip south for the winter. I watched the butterflies flying from tree to tree and wondered how long before I would no longer see them. 

Before long, we will also see folks in their motor homes as they start their journey south in hopes of missing the winter weather and enjoy the sunshine and warmth in the southern states.

Fall is such a beautiful time of year. Flowers are never prettier or brighter. It is as if they are making a last stand performance. The gardens are producing too, as if it were their last days.

The squirrels are scurrying here and there, collecting acorns for the long winter days ahead.

The store clerks are scurring too, as they are also beginning their preparations for fall. The stores are showing effects of summer supply and equipment sales and instead displaying those items needed for winter. School stock has been out for ages, but Halloween goodies and fall decorations are beginning to fill up the empty shelves where school supplies had once been displayed. The clerks are unpacking the containers of sweats and sweaters and displaying them next to the summer clothes which are now on sale.

As the world turns, seasons change. We must adapt with it. Cherish the moment...such is life.

Love every leaf, every ray of light. Loving all, you will perceive the mystery of God in all.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about events such as family or school reunions, birthdays, anniversaries, and birth or wedding announcements.

In order to read about these important things, we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us, so we can then pass it along to you. If you have news, please contact me.

Also, if our NRHEG Star Eagle readers would like to share birthdays and anniversaries of your family and friends, or you know of some that should be deleted, or names have changed, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, September 15th: Korbin Wayne, Aiden McClasky, Daniel Hemingway, Ryan Johnson, Nancy Nelson, Tyrel Peterson, Wendy Schultz, Eric Nelson, Jarred Hanson, Dorothy Reichl.

• Friday, September 16th: Evon Damon Lucas, David L. Christenson, Carmen Fetterly, Emily Laudon, Howard & Carrie Peterson, Shane & Kelly Christensen.

• Saturday, September 17th: Duane Edwardson, Karen Hemingway Core, Al Routh, Kara Ladlie, Allen Brandt, Sue Tasker, Brock David Routh, Terry & Marlys Van Kampen.

• Sunday, September 18th: Torsten Wayne, Laura Groth, Carla Scripture, Kevin Christenson, Ron Farr, Chris Larson, Becky Axmann, Laura Davis, Julia Spande, Randy & Cindy Horan, Andrea & Nick Miller, Todd & Mary Wayne, David & Malinda Hanson, Jill & Brian Wolff, Nicholas & Katie Wayne.

• Monday, September 19th: Vicki Hill Kress, Carol Anderson, David Deml, Ben Cerney, Dan Underland, Kristine Sorenson, Bill Hatch, Jennifer Johnson, Gerald Trandem, Cindy Morris Erickson, Scott & Tracy Tracy, Kelly & David Wacek, Jill & Dustin Johannsen.

• Tuesday, September 20th: Trinity Starr Wocelka, her first; Jade Hill, Tricia Wayne, Jade Hill, Tammy Beenken, Alice Simonson, Sarah Mills, Cheryl Lonning, Bruce Born, Mardelyn Thompson, Jennifer Thorn, Jason & Michelle Gordon, Irvin & Kathy Jensen.

• Wednesday, September 21st: Addie Haugen, Tiffany Shelton, Tim Sorenson, Dan Richards, Ann Hamilton, Margaret Deml, Thomas O'Conner, Pastor Richard Spande, Richard Axmann, Sherri & Chad Fritz, Jodi & Brandon Wayne, Marty & Karen Johnson.

• Thursday, September 22nd: Noah Rasmussen, Lee Nelson, Gary Jenkins, Kaleb Christensen, Diane Stollard, Kathy Underland, Doris DeNeui, Mark & Rachel Lee.

• Friday, September 23rd: Aiden James Manges, Allison Groth Muilenburg, Melissa Lonning, Sara Corenlius Routh, Kristin Hamburg, Lance Jepson, Theresa Langlie, Debra Harding, James Robertson, Doreen Jensen, Galen Montanye, Elizabeth Lageson, Mark Kasper, Robin Christensen, Leo Simonson, Judy & Tad Lunning, Dan & Lori Bell.

May your special day be filled with sunshine and smiles.