Senior breaks record, wins three events in invitational

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

Apparently, nobody talked to Carlie Wagner about peaking too early in the track and field season. Perhaps nobody needed to.

The senior was in midseason — if not postseason — form at the NRHEG Invitational last Thursday, setting a school record and winning three events as the Panthers took second in their only home meet of the season.

“The girls did a fantastic job tonight,” said NRHEG coach Duey Ferber. “It was a total team effort.”

But Wagner was the standout.

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

It wasn’t exactly softball weather, but there’s a reason NRHEG girl athletes have a reputation for being tough.

They didn’t care.

The Panthers took care of business on a very chilly afternoon at Waterville May 15, blanking the Buccaneers 8-0.

Jade Schultz didn’t give the home team many scoring chances, allowing four hits while striking out 10 and walking one in the seven-inning shutout.

It looked as if the NRHEG baseball team would walk out of Blue Earth with a win Tuesday, April 15.

It slipped away in the late innings.

Leading 5-3, the Panthers committed a couple errors in the bottom of the fourth to allow the Buccaneers to score twice and tie it. The home team added a run in the fifth for a 6-5 decision.

Maybe it is being surrounded by snow, ice and cold weather too long, or it could be the bright and lengthening rays of sun that make appearances, often fooling us as to actual temperatures. Has spring arrived, or not?

The cat sitting on my mother’s front porch rail, getting an imaginary tan, paired up with the calendar that says it is mid-April, helps me. It is getting to be that time of the year when one can think of gardens, flower seeds, outings and doing things just for fun. 

My mother says, "I plant them for the kids," but I think that it is still the kid in her. She can't resist trying that old trick that my grandmother used to do. Years ago there weren't places to buy plants around every corner so women started "cuttings" and planting seeds in soup cans on their window ledges.

Recently she helped the grandkids see what they could grow. She now has ever so many little plastic cups in her big windows to the south. Now don't laugh, she has the "stub end" of celery that is putting out delicate, green leaves, some garlic and onions that sprout fast and long. She also has the top part of some carrots planted that really look like fern, which reminds me of the year she had one that grew to bucket size.

The sweet potatoes they planted didn't sprout. I think they are treated so they don't, but she always has to try, and of course she always has some petite little Chia plants that delight the kids because they come up so fast. I think somewhere in her stash she still has a clay head with lines to fill with seed to grow green hair, but it is still fun just having a little pot of tiny green plants. Yes, they are edible, whether dry seeds or grown, green as grass.

Do you think it is time to get ready to plant a garden like our grandmothers and mothers use to?  Even my mother has quit (except for tomatoes and peppers) because it is so easy to pick them up at the market. She no longer has the hassle of cultivating, pulling weeds and dealing with all those mosquitoes one has in a big garden. 

I do admire those who still grow their own and can the produce besides. Is there anything fresher than those fruits and vegetables you grow yourself? I was watching a news cast recently where they were talking about planting "school gardens" to not only teach the growing process, but encourage children to eat nutritious vegetables and fruits. Sounds like a good idea to me!

Almost like finding Easter eggs as they discover that first little radish or cucumber or tiny baby carrots, just like in Mr. McGregor's garden.

I remember the late Bud and Nadine Berg, of Clarks Grove, who planted a garden and gave spare seeds to the kids, who planted them in their sandbox. Guess who had the nicest and most productive garden? The kids.

I didn't know seeds would grow so well in sand, but evidently enough dirt made its way into the sand, and the mixture produced exceptionally well.

Heirloom seeds are available to borrow. You save seeds from your garden to give back to the seed banks. Why heirloom seeds? Because they are still the "real thing"; not maintained by manipulation that is supposed to make them better or more productive. 

Ask a master gardener and they will tell you they are different and the taste will be worth the effort. 

Glen Hanson, who lived in Geneva for a great number of years, always planted potatoes on Good Friday. One year the cold or snow was too prohibitive and he took a ribbing, "Now what are you going to do?"

He found some five-gallon pails and planted some potatoes so he could brag about his "new" potatoes for the 4th of July.

My neighbor, Solvieg Sorenson, would take one of the top prizes for her garden and she still cans the extra produce. Old habits that some consider work, to others, can be fun.

I noticed Everett Jensen, from Clarks Grove, had some neat garden boxes last year that he had built in his yard. Made me green with envy. His were not as high as I would need, but those raised garden beds were not only attractive, they looked like the "clear deal." I have learned that it is surprising what one can do "sitting on the ground," as I often do.

I think of all the good stuff we send with the garbage truck that we could mulch for good soil. I thought that my mother was a little daffy when she would save eggshells, coffee grounds, banana peels, vegetable peelings and mulched leaves that crowded the backyard, but the results were amazing and no artificial fertilizer. Of course, she also had the privilege of using lake water and shoreline "seaweed" etc. to add to the mix.

Makes you wonder if we were eating and drinking the right stuff or should we go back to nature.

My Uncle Paul always saved his lawn clippings and used them between the rows in his garden.  Surprising how it kept the ground moist and warm but free of pesky weeds. His garden plot grew up to raise garden dimensions in the process. More produce than he needed? There was always someone who was happy to share, in particular the elderly who could no longer garden. I recall he planted cabbage while it was still cold in the spring, but the cabbage grew and was always early, crisp and tasty. When he was a kid, my mother says he was more apt to shy away from gardening, but as an adult it was a very productive and healthy hobby that benefited many.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us. Also if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me. 

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share 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, April 24th: Keralyn & Bill Powers, Madison Kae Wagner, Marnie Ray Wagner, Dak Sorenson,  Marilyn Cuden, Audrey Paulson, Lowell Wichmann, Scott Brandt, Kara Vangen

• Friday, April 25th: Ed Deml, Nicole Langlie La Tourneau, Nicole Nielson, Evie Toft, Christine Davidson, Jeff Kunkel, Janice Morreim, Stan Reichl

• Saturday, April 26th: Jim Arends, Lester Casterton, Teresa Deml Sisler, Beverly Harpel, Jean Larson, Pat Motl, Ashley Bangert, Mary Peterson, Pat Pichner, Steve & Judy Christensen, Bob & Gerry Flim, Allan & Darline Jensen

• Sunday, April 27th: Brian Schember, Norma Robertson, Heidi & Christopher Olson

• Monday, April 28th: Martin Rossing, Rodney Peterson, Mildred Flugum, Jamie Cameron, Jean & Chuck Groth

• Tuesday, April 29th: Derek Anthony Kubicek, his 7th; Jane Brocker, Roberta Dettman, Angie Hall, Mitchell Jensen, Pat & Linda Goodnature, Jennifer & Steve Schultz

• Wednesday, April 30th: Nancy Williams, Jeff Misgen, Paul Moen, Dawn Cooper, Kevin Cooper, Jonathon Lein, Karey Dufresne, Judah Ashton, Jonathon Lein, Rick & Melonie Miller

God bless you and have a great day!

Birthdays and anniversaries are for reflecting...dreaming...enjoying...Have a wonderful day!

I have spoken with a few folks this week who have said the trout fishing over east was actually pretty good. This is still a good option for anyone who has that “fishing itch” that really needs to be scratched. I have also heard reports folks were catching some nice crappie and sunfish in Edgewater Bay just before ice-out. This news was enough to stoke the fire in my fishing furnace and make me feel like all is not lost when it comes to fishing area lakes. I have also heard reports of many dead game fish lining the shores of Madison Lake. I can truthfully say I have never heard of that particular lake ever freezing out before.

With the promise of warmer weather being dangled in front of our noses like the proverbial carrot, I am optimistic the fishing and camping season is just around the corner.

I know of some folks who have just gotten interested in camping in the past couple of years. When my wife Jean and I were first married we would get together with some friends and go camping not only on the three summer holidays, but for a week of vacation at a time. We went up north with a group of friends quite a few times and we also made it to the Ozarks and the Black Hills.

While we were in the Black Hills we stayed at Custer State Park and I of course, never leave home without my fishing gear so I had a little fishing plan in place. With the purchase of a 24-hour license, we were able to fish for trout in Stockade Lake. We managed to catch a lot of nice trout that day and finished the day with a meal of trout cooked on the grill. There were also some nice largemouth bass in the lake and we also managed to land a few of them.  The boys from time to time will bring up the incident where I had laid my fishing pole down to help take a fish off someone’s hook when a fish grabbed my bait and started dragging my pole into the water. They thought it was just hilarious when old dad was scrambling and diving on his belly to catch the pole just before it disappeared into the lake. Comedy act aside, I would definitely recommend taking at least one family vacation to the Black Hills. Camping and family vacations are great memory makers and those memories can be revisited as often as you like.

We Minnesotans are lucky we have so many state parks with campgrounds we can enjoy almost any time of year. There are also many National Forest campgrounds scattered around the northern part of our great state that we have available to us. The cost of camping at these campgrounds is very reasonable and I just can’t think of a better way to experience the Great Minnesota Outdoors.

Minnesota state parks offer first-time camping experiences for families

People who have never pitched a tent or cooked over a fire — or who have forgotten how — can practice these and other outdoor skills when they sign up for one of the 24 “I Can Camp!” programs offered this summer at state parks and recreation areas.

The first programs take place Saturday, June 7, at Nerstrand Big Woods and Wild River state parks, both within an hour of the Twin Cities.

“Camping is fun, and it’s a longstanding Minnesota tradition,” said Eric Pelto, who coordinates the “I Can Camp!” programs for the Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division.

All camping equipment is provided (including tents, air mattresses and cook stoves) at these beginner-level programs. Participants need only bring their own food and bedding (sleeping bags or blankets and pillows).

“Our ‘I Can Camp!’ instructors will be on hand to help families with everything from tent set-up to meal preparation,” Pelto said. “They’ll also try to make sure everyone has fun by providing opportunities to try geocaching, digital photography and other activities.”

One-night workshops ($40 for up to six people in a tent) are scheduled on most Saturdays in June, July and August. Eight two-night workshops ($60 for up to six people in a tent) are also available for families who want a more complete weekend camping experience.

Reservations are required and can be made online or by phone, www.mndnr.gov/reservations, or 866-857-2757, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, excluding holidays.

These programs are made possible with support from the Parks and Trails Fund, created after voters approved the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in November 2008. The Parks and Trails Fund receives 14.25 percent of the sales tax revenue and may only be spent to support parks and trails of regional or statewide significance.

Find more information, including dates and locations online or contact the DNR Information Center at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 651-296-6157, or 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Until next time enjoy the more spring-like weather and make some plans for spending some time in our great Minnesota outdoors.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today. 

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

Here’s a photo of the chicken coop I built.

Why does your chicken coop have two doors?

Because if it had four, it’d be a chicken sedan.

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: flowers become photogenic no matter where they are planted.

I wonder

Do penguins worry about identity theft?

Were sports team mascots born with big heads?

Do turtles lead shelltered lives?

The café chronicles

He didn't give advice. He gave warnings. He was a VHS and cassette tape kind of guy. He believed a basketball team should lose a point for each free throw missed. He allowed that he might have watched too much football last season just as his wife, what's-her-name, thought. He claimed it was better to be a fat man in the cemetery than a thin guy in a stew. He grumbled that "Amen" is the only part of a prayer that everyone knows. Last year, he went to a big city for a family Easter celebration. He said, "If you have a chance to go there, go somewhere else."

Easter is the time when elders lose fillings while eating Peeps.

I recall Easter dinners at my boyhood home fondly. The secret ingredient to those Easter meals was Mom.

My history

"How many of you would like to go to heaven?" asked my Sunday school teacher.

Everyone raised his or her a-few-years-old hands except me.

I got the look.

I explained, "I can't go. My mother told me to come right home after Sunday school."

I could see that being a Sunday School teacher wasn’t in my future.

I looked through Grandma Batt's eyeglasses one day. Wow! Everything was blurry and distorted. I could see the future through those glasses. I knew that I'd be wearing glasses one day.

Hartland history

Marlin (Moon) Schroader and Joe Skophammer are legends around Hartland. Joe owned the local bank, Farmers State Bank, and Moon was a partner in Arlo & Moon’s. Arlo & Moon’s was a gas station that not only sold gas and tires, but also did auto repairs, dispensed wisdom, and was a meeting place for the village’s male elders.

One day the phone rang at Arlo & Moon’s. Moon answered it. The caller identified himself as Joe Skophammer and said that he wanted to have the oil changed in his car. For one reason or another, Moon thought that it was one of his buddies playing a prank. They did that.

Moon told the caller that he could change his own blankety-blank oil. There was an uncomfortable silence on the line. It was then that Moon realized, it was indeed Joe Skophammer calling.

Burma-Shave

Keith Porter of Albert Lea told me that the first Burma-Shave signs were between Albert Lea and Clarks Grove in 1925.

Allan Odell had boards cut into 36-inch lengths and lettered. The original signs didn’t rhyme. Typically, four consecutive signs read, "Shave the modern way. Fine for the skin. Druggists have it. Burma-Shave." After erecting a dozen sets, orders poured in as people asked druggists about the shaving cream they’d seen mentioned on signs.

Customer comments

Roger Lonning of Albert Lea said the only skill needed to be a Minnesotan is the ability to say, "Uffda" and "You betcha." Roger was born in Thor, Iowa. He’s still Thor about that. Roger said that when I visit Iowa, it lowers the state’s average IQ. He was right.

Peggy Swenson of Albert Lee told me that Earl Jacobsen of Albert Lea wore a new suit to a funeral. He told all those who commented on his new duds, "Take a good look. The next time I wear this, you'll see only the front."

Joyce Tabor of Askov asked, "If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?"

Diane Boelter of New Richland retired. She asked her doctor if she was getting shorter. Her physician said that as long as her feet touched the ground, she wasn’t dwindling.

I bought shoes from the Red Wing Shoe Store in Alden. I favored discounted shoes classified as "seconds" due to minor flaws or irregularities. Joel Stensrud of Alden added that once shoes are worn, they become seconds. 

Nature notes

"If I handle a baby bird, will its parents detect my scent and abandon it?" It's a myth that parent birds abandon young that have been touched by humans. It's safe to return a fallen nestling to its nest or carry a fledgling to a safer place.

Meeting adjourned

Kindness is wisdom.

This week’s column I call “Hopscotch,” in that it jumps all over the place.

I hope Easter was a time of importance in your household as it was in ours. “He is Risen, He is Risen, Indeed.” Hallelujah!

Sometimes the smallest part of the big picture can be one of the most important parts of that picture. For example: we had a contest at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church to guess when the 10-foot snow bank on the west side of the parking lot would be completely gone. (The winner received a Dairy Queen ice cream cake.) The smaller the snow bank, the more the fun, fellowship and talk about the contest. There was talk of adding snow, taking away snow, watering the snow down, all to help one’s chances of winning. The day prior to the snow being gone, Pastor Matt Griggs called one of the contest chairs to inform him at high noon there was very little snow left. That night, members of the Zumba class checked after class at dark and there was a very, very small amount of snow left. One of the class members (Kris Amarosa) ended up a very, very small amount of snow away from a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. We are all hoping that the winner (auctioneer Orville Johnson, with the winning date – the next day – of April 11) will be a sharing, caring person with a certain special lady.

On one of my morning walks, I walked by the skate park at Fountain Lake in Albert Lea. I now know that all my fellow ice fishers don’t remove all their litter; in fact it looked like big hunks of wooden debris were left on the ice. 1-800-652-9093 (TIP) was the next call I made.

We have a pair of red-tailed hawks in our neighborhood area in Albert Lea. I think they have young, as I see then dining out quite often. They like to carry away entrée meals of either snow birds or sparrows.

Central Freeborn Lutheran Church Ladies are sponsoring a bus trip on Sunday, June 22 to the Church Basement Ladies’ musical “The Last Potluck Supper.”

The cost is $51 per person (in advance – no refunds) with the coach bus leaving from behind Slumberland in Albert Lea at 11 a.m. There are center-section reserved seats at the 2 p.m. performance. Buffet supper at KFC in Owatonna is included if the 56-passenger bus is full. Call Genie at 507-788-8655 for reservations.

Something for my fellow older generation (over plenty-nine) to think about:

“’Tis not a problem to forget and leave something – ‘tis a problem when you can’t remember where you left it.” Speaking from experience, this is most certainly true.

———

Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard our sump pump go off for the first time this spring. That was a good sign the frost was coming out and spring was on the way. However, it brought to the fore an anxiety I’ve had since 2004: flooding.

Perhaps you remember 2004. Twice that year we got a so-called Century Rain, the type of daylong downpour that allegedly only happens once every hundred years. Twelve inches of rain helped to find problems in my drainage system and a re-decorated basement. Twice. I shiver just thinking about wading through inches of water, trying to salvage items and drag wet carpet up the stairs.

We put in a system from American Waterworks that worked fabulously. I was finally getting over my fear of flooding every time a heavy rain occurred. I could sleep at night when the sump pump would run. Then 2010 happened. While much of New Richland was dealing with issues much bigger than mine, I was in my basement again, trying to fend off the encroaching waters again.

American Waterworks came and improved their system free of charge, and Michelle always reminds me that it’s a good thing to hear the sump pump; that means it’s working! Still, when I hear it run, that generally means a night of little sleep.

This is an anxiety of mine that has been difficult to overcome. As I travel through life, I realize this is pretty common. Many people have something that sets them off and brings fear to their lives. This goes beyond a fear of something, like my wife’s dislike of spiders. This type of anxiety can bring on physical problems instead of just having your spouse go kill the spider.

Sometimes I think these anxieties help make us more human. I used to think nothing would really bother me much. Sure, I didn’t really like scary or gory movies, but it wasn’t something that kept me up at night or had me worrying when I glanced out the window like this flooding thing does.

I’ve written a bit before about speech anxiety, having seen more kids have a difficult time standing in front of their peers for two minutes. We made it through our first round of speeches this year without tears or breakdowns, but I think there were some that were close. Again, this is a natural anxiety to have, and many kids have overcome it over the years and become comfortable enough to not let it bother them as much.

So how do you overcome an anxiety? There are certainly many different solutions. The kids with speech anxiety often find that the very act of speaking helps decrease the anxiety, and the more they do it, the more comfortable they become. There are little tricks we work on with eye contact, since that’s usually what sets them off.

My anxiety with flooding was nearly gone, merely through attrition. We had gone so many years with hearing the sump pump and not flooding that I had finally relaxed. Hopefully this will work again, although I still have a few years to go at this rate.

Jayna had some anxiety issues after the tornados a few years ago, as I’m sure many people did. Any time she heard the wind howl or the thunder crash down or the skies open up, it was assured she’d be sleeping with us or on the couch. This also has decreased with the years, and she’s fine with it now.

Some people have such strong anxieties that they see a therapist and/or use some prescription drugs. Too many folks view this as a weakness, but the simple fact is life without that anxiety must be so worth some sacrifices.

I’ve got some anxieties I’ve been working on for many years and can’t seem to get over. Whenever it’s game day for a team I coach in basketball, my stomach is in knots. I can’t eat anything after lunch if it’s a game after school or much at all during a tournament day. It’s hard to even brush my teeth because of the gag reflex. The funny thing is this only has ever happened for basketball; in 13 years of coaching baseball, I never once experienced that!

I’m not sure what causes this anxiety, especially since it’s so specific. I’ve tried all kinds of things to relax more on game day, but I’ve also talked to a lot of other coaches at all levels who face the same challenge. It’s clearly not something that just goes away with time like the public speaking anxiety does.

It’s good to self-evaluate and search for solutions. The next time you feel anxious, remind yourself that it’s perfectly normal and think about ways to overcome. Ask for help. Talk to a friend or family member. We might never be anxiety free, but we can find sunlight through the rain clouds if we look enough!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is hypocorism, which means the practice of giving pet names, as in, “The father found that his hypocorism with his kids helped reduce their anxiety in stressful situations.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs were concerned that the Weather Eye had reverted to a Kelvinator after last week’s dismal weather performance. Sunday afternoon helped make it all better despite the morning rain. Can we build on it or are we back in the vegetable crisper? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a good chance for showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid-50’s and low in the upper 40’s. Continued cloudy for Thursday with a good chance for daytime thundershowers. Highs near 60 and lows in the lower 40’s. Mostly cloudy for Friday with a slight chance of a shower. Highs in the low 50’s and lows in the mid-30’s. Mostly sunny for Saturday with a slight chance of a rain or snow shower. Highs near 50 and lows in the mid-30’s. Mostly cloudy Sunday with a slight chance of rain and snow. Highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the upper 20’s. Mostly cloudy for both Monday and Tuesday with highs in the lower 50’s and lows in the mid-30’s. The normal high for this Arbor Day, April 25th is 62 and the normal low is 40. On the 27th, we will see over 14 hours of daylight for the first time since last August 14th.  The scurs will be planting more trees in hopes of warding off more of Old Man Winter’s chilly breath.

Last week was a disappointment for those chomping at the bit to do fieldwork. We need to bear in mind that while planting corn in mid-April does occur in SC MN, it is the exception and not the rule. .43” of precipitation was deposited on the 17th at the ranch. Cool, cloudy weather and some snow pellets the morning of the 18th served to add insult to injury. With more rain promised, the .87” of rain from Monday morning’s thundershowers at the ranch likely meant the end of fieldwork east of Bugtussle for the week. West of town where only .2” - .3” fell, it still allowed a glimmer of hope. It is still plenty early yet to get optimum yields though and while it doesn’t make it any easier to be patient, there are few alternatives as we approach late April. The ground was frozen at the surface three mornings in a row last week and reports of hard frost at the 2’ – 3’ depth making tiling impossible are still common, even after the rain. That’s a clue.

It has finally appeared to show some signs of wanting to be spring however. Seeing white pelicans lazily looping their way north on Saturday afternoon was an omen. The brief shower Easter morning coupled with the warm late afternoon temperatures greened the pasture and lawn up. The heavier rain Monday morning brought night crawlers to the surface and onto the blacktop. The frost has to be out in areas where this is happening. The night crawlers and angleworms we’re familiar with are not native to this part of the world and were brought here by European settlers, probably more by accident than by design. Any native earthworms were believed to have been eliminated by the prolonged cold of glaciation. They don’t survive being frozen and typically overwinter below the frost. 

One could see a distinct change in the Dubya’s winter rye as well. The grass in the lawn has me believing it’s time to ready my fleet of mowers once again. Odds are I can get one of the three to run. There’s probably enough grass in the main pasture now to support the light grazing pressure from 10 ewes. Of course if the truck comes to haul them away then we should be able to wean some lambs off soon from the loafing barn. The lambs have grown quickly and some are well past the magic 8 week weaning age. That and they’re starting to get stuck in the creep panel!

Does rain on Easter Sunday mean rain for seven straight Sundays? Odds are pretty slim for that happening, although it did just that in 1965, causing flooding and poor cropping conditions. Sunday afternoon made one see and hear only the positive signs that spring was trying to make an entrance. While grilling dinner I listened to the chorus frogs becoming increasing louder as the temperature rose. I’d wondered earlier if the frozen pond had dampened their spirits or at very least, chilled them. Obviously not. I heard a rooster pheasant crowing, quacking mallards in flight, meadowlarks singing and tree swallows excitedly announcing their arrival as they circled the recently cleaned nesting boxes. In the early evening we decided it was time to open the windows in the house for the first time in ages. Outside the window near where I perch to write, a male cardinal was singing his spring song. He moved around as cardinals will do while the song remained the same: Absolutely beautiful.

The rhubarb has finally made it above ground so we can see it from the house. In 2012 we actually had rhubarb pie for Easter dinner. The plants were huge in 2013 and even though it was used somewhat sparingly, it was a welcome treat to have rhubarb sauce in the refrigerator. Around the yard it continues to appear that the fruit trees are all in good shape with the possible exception of the peach tree. If the tree doesn’t make it, the cold, brutal winter may have thwarted my chances to become SC MN’s largest peach producer. I’d really have to eat a lot and grow about 8” taller though to catch Betsy’s dad I’m afraid. A-Rod’s not doing much. Maybe I should call him and get some pointers.

See you next week…real good then.

John L. Wenzel, age 73, of Kerrick, passed away on April 19, 2014 at Mercy Medical Center, Moose Lake, Minnesota.

John Leroy Wenzel was born on July 15, 1941 to John and Genevieve (Brisbane) Wenzel in Waseca, MN and lived on a farm near New Richland, MN. When he was young he moved with his family to Onamia, and attended both the Onamia School, then Mora High School, where he graduated in 1959.