Kubiatowicz, Erickson, Peterson advance to state wrestling tourney

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

BLUE EARTH – The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva wrestling team had three individuals survive a rugged Section 2A Tournament to earn state tournament trips Saturday.

The tourney, which was reduced from two days to one day because of the weather, was held in Blue Earth. 

Dillon Kubiatowicz at 113-pounds, Cordell Peterson at 120-pounds and Todd Erickson at 220-pounds will get to continue their seasons at this week’s Minnesota Class A State Tournament. 

“I was really proud of our wrestlers. When it turned into a one-day event it became even more difficult to qualify for state,” said NRHEG coach Shawn Larson. “Our guys competed as well as they have all year and that’s why we had success.”

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

NEW RICHLAND – The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team unleashed its offensive firepower before the home-town fans. 

The Panthers topped the 90-point mark for the fifth time this season, blasting Tri-City United 94-37 in New Richland Feb. 18.

The victory was the 24th without a loss this season for the defending state champs, who are ranked first in the state. NRHEG has won 54 consecutive games without a loss. 

The TCU Titans fell to 8-15 this season. 

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 and often fool us as to actual temperatures. But we are starting to believe that spring will come. The cat sits on the porch rail at my mother’s getting an imaginary tan. The calendar says it is mid-February, and it is getting to be that time of year when one can think of gardens and flowers and "cuttings" and things just for fun.

My mother says she plants things for the grandkids, but I think it’s still the kid in her. She can't resist that old trick of Grandma’s of letting the kids see what can grow. She has little plastic cups sitting on the counter by her big south windows. 

Now don't laugh, she has a stub of celery that is putting out little green leaves, some garlic and onions that sprout fast and long. She also has the top part of some carrots that really look like fern almost, remembering the year we had one that grew to bucket size. 

The sweet potatoes didn't sprout. She thinks they might be treated so they don't, but she always has to try. And of course she always has some petite chia plants that delight the grandkids because they come up so fast. I think somewhere she still has a clay head with lines to fill with seed to grow green hair. But it is just as fun having a little pot of the tiny green plants – and yes, they are edible, whether dry seeds or green as grass.

Do you think it’s time to start your garden like our mothers and grandmothers used to? Even my mother has quit planting a garden (except for tomatoes and peppers) because it is easy to pick them up at the market. We don't have to go through the cultivating, weeding, watering and fighting the mosquitoes to have a big garden. 

I do admire those who still grow their own fruits and vegetables and then can the produce besides. Is there anything fresher than those you grow yourself? 

I was watching the newscast the other night on television and they were talking about planting "school gardens.” It not only taught the kids the growing process but it encourages children to eat nutritious vegetables and fruits. It’s 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.

Years ago there weren't so many places to buy plants, so women started their cuttings and seeds in soup cans and set them on the window ledge, where they could get sunshine and light.

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

It is almost that time of year when one can start those little seeds to grow plants to set out in the spring. 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 manipulation, which is suppose to make them better or more productive. Ask a master gardener and they will tell you different and the taste will be worth the effort.

Glen Hanson, who used to live in Geneva, always planted his potatoes on Good Friday. Always! One year the cold or snow was too prohibitive and he took a ribbing. His friends said, "Now what are you going to do?" when he thought he was going to be able to plant potatoes in the cold ground. He found some five-gallon pails and planted some potatoes in them 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 think of as work, can be fun to others.

Once again my thoughts go back to Everett Jensen. He had some neat garden boxes he had built in his yard. Made me green with envy. His were not as high as I would need but those raised beds were not only attractive but looked like fun. (Over the years I have learned it is surprising what one can do sitting on the ground. Also, working while sitting on the ground has its advantages. It can really give you a different outlook on things.) 

I think of all the good stuff we send with the garbage truck that we could mulch for good soil. I thought my mother was a little crazy when she used to save egg shells, coffee grounds, banana peels, vegetable peelings and mulched leaves that crowded the back yard. 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. Made one wonder if we were eating and drinking the right stuff or should we go back to nature.

My uncle Paul always saved his lawn clipping and used them between the rows in his garden. Surprising how it kept the ground moist and warm but weed free. His garden plot “grew up” to raise good dimensions in the process. 

More produce then he needed? If so, there was always someone who was happy to share. In particular he remembered the elderly who could no longer garden. I recall he planted cabbage while it was still cold in the spring. The cabbage grew and was always early, crisp and tasty.

Maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself, but thinking about working in the garden sure beats shoveling snow! After all, this is supposed to be "Whatever Comes To Mind!" Call me a dreamer, but that is where my thoughts took me today.

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. 

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like included, 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.

This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:

• Thursday, Feb. 27: Steve Pence, Jean Anderson, Garry Nordhorn, Doris Rasmussen, Journey Churchill-Malcolm, Erik Cooper, John Olson, Jayden Dakota Tonkins, Nancy Ingvaldson, Daryl Van Ravenhorst

• Friday, Feb. 28: Troy Utpadel, Neil Pence, Jackie Miller, Steve Engel, Dan Nesdahl, Bennett Dobberstein, Atom Oquist, Sharese Lehmberg, John Marlin, Gerry Flim, Michelle Nelson, Michael Nelson, Tyler Titus, Tiffany Mischke, Michael Coy, Jim and Diane Butler

• Saturday, March 1: Dan Nelson, Arlen Brekke, Chet Alan Hansen, Jordon Cook, Rick Loberg, Sara Ihrke, Duane Reichl, Nicole Farr, Emily Ayers, Paula and Richard Conroy

• Sunday, March 2: Willard Christenson, Wilfred Christenson, Laurie Jensen, Angie Hagen Rasmussen, Joanne Kaiser, Roger Langlie, Casey Lyman, Abner Smith, Alexis Elizabeth Klocek, Ronnie and Marcia Hutchins, Paul and Kathy Underland

• Monday, March 3: Jeff Lageson, John Crabtree, Valerie Tobiason Quiring, Maurine Larson, Frank Thompson, Bill Draayer, Terri Jensen, Darlene Christensen, Charlie Hanson, Jessica Tufte, Terri Miles, David Underland, Darren and Christine Hanson, Angie and Jeff Rasmussen, Nicole and Nathan Milender

• Tuesday, March 4: Dawn David, Teresa Hove, Larry Spear, Julia Elizabeth Neitzel

• Wednesday, March 5: Dayna Schember, Nicole Ella Schultz, Tim Toft, Vickie Haberman, Steve Van Ravenhorst, Declan Dean O'Brien (his 2nd)

• Thursday, March 6: Valerie Schember, Aaron Reese, Larry Reese, Dawn Dulas, Lynda Maddox Norland, Wade Wacholz, Ryan Schimek, Marlene Peterson, Lillian Weaver, Jami Ann and Travis Marzolf

• Friday, March 7: Jace John Goslee, his 8th; Marlee Diane Dutton, her 10th; Jake Ortiz, Emily Horan, David Otterson, Chuck Hagen, Lorna Reistad, Kenneth Peterson, Lance Cummins, Peggy Evenson and Rose Myhre

• Saturday, March 8: Derek Alan Lee, Janice Olson Paulson, Greg Nelson, Carla Paulsen Haugen, Melissa Trindad, Kathy and Mike Plunkett, Stephanie and Tom Pulley

Wishing you quiet moments of beauty on your special day! 

There are many things to think about while anticipating the coming of the “big blizzard,” but the National Weather Service has come up with another one. It seems that they have been naming winter storms (mostly when they affect the Eastern states) which tells me that they have too much time on their hands. As I patiently await the onset of the blizzard I am trying to think of a fitting name for it. A few of the names that come to mind are Ole, Sven and Lars and, for the sake of gender equity, Lena and Olga could be thrown into the mix. Looking back a few years (quite a few) to when I was in school, it seems like there were a lot more winter storms but there were less school closings. I can remember listening to the radio and hearing that school was still on and buses would be running on plowed roads only. I can also never recall closings being announced a day ahead of time, but the media services we have available today make that information more readily available. I don’t think folks today suffer from “chicken little” syndrome, but with that information they are just more cautious.

The DNR has issued the following news release pertaining to winter kill which may be of interest to many area fishermen.

Cold weather causing winterkill on some southern Minnesota lakes

An especially cold winter is showing its effects around some southern Minnesota shallow lakes and ponds with dead or dying fish. In most cases it is the result of a normal process known as “winterkill,” according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Shallow lakes in southern Minnesota with an average depth of less than six feet are most susceptible.

Winterkill conditions are created when sunlight is unable to penetrate the ice, and oxygen levels in the water drop, said Craig Soupir, Waterville area fisheries supervisor. Fish may be unable to survive in these low oxygen conditions. “Lack of sunlight limits oxygen production in some aquatic plants and at the same time, decomposing aquatic plant matter causes a drop in oxygen,” Soupir said. “When this process occurs under ice cover it can cause fish to become stressed and, if severe enough, to suffocate.”

Winterkill is a natural process that can actually benefit a lake. In lakes with high numbers of carp, for example, periodic winterkill can thin out their numbers and create a void in the fish community. This void is often is followed by improved water clarity, increased aquatic vegetation and a re-introduction of native game fish species.

Soupir said populations of game fish can sometimes rebound quite dramatically in years following winterkill. Increased production from existing fish, rapid growth of stocked fish and improved survival of young fish can all contribute to a lake that can quickly become productive to anglers.

It is not unusual for lakes in Southern Minnesota to experience some winterkill on an annual basis. However, the severity of winterkill varies greatly depending on factors such as snow depth and length of time snow covers the ice, lake depths, water inflows and the rate at which oxygen drops over time. Most often, winterkill events on these shallow basins are partial and rarely do all fish in a lake die.

“Fish can become trapped in an area of the lake with low oxygen, causing a partial winterkill,” Soupir said. “This doesn’t mean the entire lake has winterkilled.” Many times, schools of fish find refuge in other areas of a lake with sufficient oxygen levels to survive. Just because one part of a lake shows signs of winterkill, does not automatically mean the entire lake has winterkilled.

The fishery in some lakes known as “boom and bust” lakes is specifically managed around winterkill. These shallow lakes typically have high survival rates of stocked fish, which grow rapidly and provide quick turnaround for anglers. These lakes rely on frequent winterkills, which may happen every four or five, years, to reset the lake and allow the fish population to achieve its boom times of quality-sized fish.

While some larger and deeper lakes in southern Minnesota have installed aeration systems to reduce the probability of winterkill effects, aerated lakes are still susceptible to winterkill. Attempts to aerate very shallow lakes often do not work well for maintaining a fishery.

Some species of fish are more vulnerable to winterkill than others, Soupir said. Trout require the most oxygen and start to stress at oxygen levels below 5.0 parts per million (ppm). Bluegill and largemouth bass are moderately sensitive to lower oxygen levels. Walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, carp and crappie species have intermediate tolerances and have been shown to survive winters with oxygen levels down to about 1.0 ppm for long periods of time. Bullheads and fathead minnows are the most tolerant of low oxygen and are the last to survive.

“We don’t usually see winterkill until oxygen levels fall well below 1.0 ppm for several days throughout a lake,” Soupir said.

He added that in the late winter, species such as northern pike have a tendency to seek open water areas as an impulse to their early migratory spawning run to shallow water or flooded inlets.

Anyone observing dead or struggling fish should report their findings to the local DNR fisheries office. Note the species and approximate numbers and sizes of each kind of fish. The information will help the DNR identify which lakes experienced winterkill and the extent in conjunction with ice-out netting assessments and observations. Follow-up stocking of fish may ensue, if consistent with DNR lake-specific management plans.

For more information, contact a DNR area fisheries office.

Until next time, stay warm and get out when you can and enjoy a little Minnesota winter fun.

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

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

“Man, I love salt. I put it on almost everything I eat.”

“You know, eating that much salt is a slow death.”

“That’s OK, I’m in no hurry.”

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: There is no good weather or bad weather. There is only weather.

The news from Hartland

• The blizzard of Oz hits the Emerald City.

• High school band member is suspended for an act of cymbal disobedience.

• Local business makes bandstands by removing the chairs.

The cafe chronicles

A group of widowers and bachelors meet each morning for coffee. They call themselves the ROMEOs, Real Old Men Eating Out.

The "Eating Out" is a misnomer. All they do is drink decaffeinated coffee.

The waitress had made it her life’s goal to sell food to one of the ROMEOs.

They teased her by asking what the specials were and if the pie was from this century, but they ordered nothing but coffee.

"What is the soup du jour?" asked one of the Romeos.

The waitress perked up. No ROMEO had ever asked her that before.

"Why, it's bean soup," she replied.

"I don't care what it has been," said the ROMEO. "What is it now?"

Maybe not to the nines, but he was dressed at least to the fives

The high school basketball coach wore a suit and tie to the game. He had not dressed up like that for a game before. His team, firmly entrenched near the bottom of the conference, was playing the undefeated conference leader.

When asked why he’d donned the dandy duds, he replied, "I dress up when I go to a funeral."

His team lost, but played well.

Maybe it was the suit.

Winter weary

It was stupid cold. I rejoiced that the temperature wasn’t in Celsius. I was hunkered down somewhere in Minnesota. Everywhere looks similar in a blizzard. Someone had flipped winter’s "on" switch and forgot to turn it off. We are filled to the brim with snow, cold, ice, and wind.

We have the winter Olympics here every year. Only we call it getting out of the driveway.

It has been a long winter. I can tell. My snow shovel is bent from me leaning on it.

A customer of this column sent this written by The Bard of Sherman Avenue, "Below zero or snowing? Not likely, he's going."

I enjoy aphorisms. An aphorism is a short pithy saying expressing a general truth. Yogi Berra is as famous for his goofy aphorisms as he is for being a baseball player. Yogi said, "I really didn't say the things I said."

Mark Twain is credited for offering fresh words of essential wisdom long after his death. It’s highly unlikely that Albert Einstein ever said, "Compound interest is man’s greatest invention" or "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax," two statements credited to him.

There are many aphorisms about winter. Few are printable.

We have developed a winter-take-all attitude. There is a 50-50 chance that winter will end early. It either will or it won’t.

A thankless job

I watched workmen erect a new stop sign. Someone, a car or snowplow, had knocked the old one down.

They have a thankless job. They put up stops signs that people ignore whenever possible.

The only feedback they receive is when someone clips off one of their works.

Nature notes

"How do ducks' feet keep from freezing in open water this time of the year?" Waterfowl have a heat exchange system in their legs. It’s a specialized circulatory system designed to reduce heat loss through the feet when in cold water. The arteries and veins in the legs lie in contact with each other and function as a countercurrent heat exchange system to retain heat. It reminds me of the gurgling radiator in my junior high study hall. Arterial blood reaching the feet is cooled and venous blood reaching the core is warmed. A duck may further decrease heat loss by reducing the amount of blood flow to their feet at low temperatures by constricting the blood vessels in its feet. The core temperature of a duck standing on ice may be 104 degrees F, but its feet may be only slightly above freezing.

Meeting adjourned

"Every time you do a good deed, you shine the light a little farther into the dark. And the thing is, when you're gone, that light is going to keep shining on, pushing the shadows back."--Charles de Lint.

Genie took me to The Old Mill Restaurant in Austin for my same double-digit birthday dinner in January. The food was excellent, followed by a birthday sundae with two spoons. Our server, Shawn, most certainly knows how to make dining out a pleasure.

Auctioneer Orville Johnson, who is younger, and I agreed to sponsor the Coffee Hour at church with a birthday cake and other goodies in honor of our birthdays. Our plans were for naught, as everything was canceled that day (Sunday, January 26) due to a winter storm.

Many small towns roll up the carpet every Sunday evening. Ellendale, Minn. rolled out the carpet Sunday evening, Jan. 26. 88 people accepted the invitation to stay overnight at the Ellendale United Methodist Church. They were escorted to the church by locals plus the Minnesota Highway Patrol, giving directions to the church. Local volunteers prepared a hot meal for all, including a late snack of popcorn. Monday morning the local volunteers were back in the kitchen with a rural type breakfast served to all. Where did the food come from? It came from Lerberg’s, that’s where. All 88 people left Monday morning knowing what rural America is all about during a blizzard.

Question asked by Ellendale residents on the street in Ellendale, Minn. on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014: “My Mayor can see his shadow; can yours?” The newly erected sign on the wall behind the Mayor’s plush soft recliner in city chambers reads:

Roger

Is his name

Chasing Shadows

Is his game

He came into this world October 30, 1938. He left this world Jan. 31, 2014. Raymond H. Thompson.

I first met Ray in 1989. He was an AAL agent and a Navy veteran, and so was I. As members of the AAL fishing team we fished, played cribbage, and went casino-ing once in May on soft water and once a year on hard water, usually at Leech Lake, beginning in 1990. Our last soft water fishing was in May of 2013. Hard water fishing for 2014 was scheduled at Leech Lake, but we had to cancel due to the snow and slush on the ice. Even though Ray was diagnosed with colon and lung cancer in 2010, he enjoyed three more years with the AAL fishing team.

A Celebration of Life for Ray was held Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014 at Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Frederic, Wisc. It was truly an upbeat occasion. Granddaughter Amy Thompson sang “Amazing Grace.” His obituary was read by daughter-in-law Annette Thompson. Son Scott Thompson gave his eulogy and then invited all to speak about Ray if they so desired.

And speak they did. Fellow Lions, fellow businessmen, Sunday school students, church members, neighbors, Confirmation students, people he had driven to the V.A. in Minneapolis, plus others. The last speaker was an old Navy vet who concluded by “God” speaking in Navy language: “Ray, you old fart, I have called you and you are mine.”

Wife Carol, ‘twas then I got the feeling that Hubby Ray is in a place provided for him while waiting for you.

After the homily given by Pastor Paul Peterson, we sang “Here I Am, Lord” as we headed for food and fellowship in the church basement, celebrating the life of Ray Thompson.

Thanks be to God.

———

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.

Back in October, I mined my notes of items my students have written over the years that made me chuckle. I think I already have enough for another column.

Last weekend, I sat down to read and correct my 7th graders’ essays on drugs and alcohol. I’ve had my students write an essay on this topic for many years. For one, it’s a viable topic, and the more students know about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, the better off they are. Another reason to write on this topic is it is a good opportunity to work on research and mixing facts with opinions in a persuasive essay.

My head starts to hurt sometimes when reading essays. My dad once told me, “Measure twice, cut once.” In other words, spend a little extra time on a project and you won’t have to do it all over again. As part of my refined grading program this year, any assignment that doesn’t meet a standard needs to be redone, and many of my students are having to redo assignments, including this one.

And here’s one of the fiends that leads to bad proofreading: auto-correct.

I advised my students at the start of the year to go on their iPads and shut the auto-correct off. It’s not only a sign of laziness by letting your device finish your word for you, but it’s also quite often wrong. All you have to do is Google “auto-correct failures” and you’ll be laughing for hours at the horribly embarrassing texts that people have sent to each other.

I now (not so proudly) present to you auto-correct (and other basic) failures, as seen on 7th grade essays.

“Tabasco is a natural substance, just like marijuana.” If I knew I could grow tabasco on my own, I’d never have to get it in the store!

“Pear pressure leads to more drug use.” Those darn fruits are always putting pressure on me too!

“I wouldn’t take heroin or drink too munch alcohol.” If you’re munching your alcohol, it’s either been out in the cold too long or there’s something seriously wrong with it.

“People that smoke regally are most likely to die.” I guess if you smoke without the throne or crown, it’s not as bad for you.

“Marijuana also can be helpful for people that have enthusiasm.” I’m still trying to figure out which word the student meant to use instead of enthusiasm, but I suppose it’s a factual statement since marijuana does tend to help people relax.

“People can relax by getting a message.” I’m not sure; I’ve gotten many messages that didn’t help me relax.

“People who participate in heroine abuse can get in trouble.” I would say so; if you’re abusing Wonder Woman or other female heroes, that will lead to trouble.

“122.1% of teenagers use drugs.” If I have to explain the impossibility of that statement, you may want to revisit your math class.

“47 billion Americans have tried drugs.” If we have that many people in America, how many is China up to now?

And now my favorite: “Drinking can do a lot of bad things, so use it!”

That last one isn’t an auto-correct failure, but it helps to emphasize what I try to tell my students. After you’re finished typing, you’re not really finished. Read your essay or story again. Read it out loud. That’s the best way to catch those silly mistakes and to avoid sending the wrong message.

We’re always in such a hurry that many people rarely check over an email or a text before sending it; I’m guilty at times too. However, I’m discovering more and more that if I take just a moment to look things over, I keep from sending something that could be taken the wrong way.

Live your writing life in the slow lane. If you move too fast, you may find yourself in a future column!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is skulduggery, which means trickery, as in, “The teacher wondered if there was skullduggery afoot when he read an essay that couldn’t possibly have been written by the student in question.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

Apparently, the scurs still have the winter Studebaker thermostat in the Weather Eye. Will they get the right one before March 1? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper teens and lows near 10 below zero. Mostly sunny on Thursday with highs slightly below zero and lows near -20. Friday, a slight chance of snow. Partly sunny and warmer if you can call it that. Highs in the lower single digits above zero and lows around 10 below. Saturday March 1st, partly sunny with a slight chance of an evening snow shower. Highs once again just slightly below zero and lows near 10 below. Sunday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of daytime snow. Highs near 5 above and lows in the middle single digits below zero. Monday, another slight chance for snow. Mostly cloudy with highs near 10 above and lows near 5 above. Mostly sunny and warmer on Tuesday with highs getting back to near 20 above and lows in the lower teens above zero. The normal high for March 1st is 33 and the normal low is 16. The sun will set after 6 p.m. once again on February 28th. The scurs are banking on all that extra daylight to warm temperatures.

Thursday’s blizzard deposited plenty of precipitation as measured at the ranch. There was roughly a quarter inch of rain that fell in the a.m. along with 8.2” of snow. Melted down the wet slop was equivalent to .87” of water. For the month we stand at about 16.2 of snow at the ranch and 1.79” of precip in liquid form. It’s well above the long-term 9” average as recorded at the SROC and makes one wonder what March will do once it decides to warm up. The 30-day and 90-day temperature outlook from NOAA are indicating better than even chances of colder than normal conditions. For precip, even chances of above or below normal precip are predicted. Not going out on a limb with that one.

Last week’s blizzard brought back memories of some of the storms of old, although the winds had pretty much subsided by late Friday morning so one could begin digging out. It didn’t do a lot of good in some cases as plows wouldn’t show up until almost 6 p.m. Friday evening. Afterwards the roads were a fright as the heavy, wet snow made for a rutted surface and would pull a vehicle suddenly from side to side. Top this off with some people who were driving about 20 and some who seemed to think the speed limit was too slow as well as some like me who figured 40 would get me there in one piece. It’s amazing there aren’t more accidents than there are some days.

One always wonders what storms such as these will do to our feathered friends. At the ranch it seems to make them more actively seek the supplemental food we provide for them. The pheasants in particular numbered 20 on Saturday morning. It even pushed some chickadees our direction for the first time in several months. The day before the storm horned larks were commonplace along the roadsides. Surprisingly enough the robins were still in evidence Friday morning with one male gobbling down crabapples from the Indian Magic tree.

The alien has struck once again at the ranch. Coughing fits, chills, aches and pains have been the order of the day. Of course enough sleep is being lost already due to the annual event known as lambing season. It’s not bad if you can sit still under a blanket and shiver. Unfortunately it’s tough to get much done that way. It has served as a wonderful appetite suppressant though. Difficult to find food one is interested in making it lucky to have consumed all of those holiday goodies 

Lambing season is roughly half over and but it has been a battle. We’ve had some tough luck with lambs born dead and ewes not milking to their capability. The cold weather hasn’t helped. This all adds up to some bottle lambs. Bottle lambs seem to be very popular with visitors at the ranch. I must admit they are cute if you don’t have to head out there 4 or 5 times a day to feed them. However when the milk replacer is purchased and it’s your behind out there the novelty wears off pretty fast. That and seldom do bottle lambs ever amount to much. Lambs simply do much better when Mother Nature works as it’s supposed to as opposed to human meddling. A lot of things like that in life one finds.

The dogs seem to understand. They appear to know when we’re not feeling well and tend to stay quiet. Yet they’re the first there when a ewe decides to walk through an open gate or it’s time to move ewes with lambs to their loafing area. The natural instinct and non-vocalized communication of the dogs as they move the sheep with their eye contact and posturing is uncanny. It sure makes our lives a little easier. Now, if they just had opposable thumbs we could probably stay in the house.

See you next week…real good then.

Funeral services for Gerald M. Petsinger  of Ellendale, MN, were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 22, 2014 at the All Saints Catholic Church in New Richland, MN. Father Willington officiated. Military honors were accorded by the New Richland Area Veterans Groups.

Gerald died on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at his home in rural Ellendale, MN. He was 71 years of age.

He was born October 11, 1942 in Redwood Falls, MN, the son of Vernon and Catherine (Kerby) Petsinger. He graduated from high school in Morton, MN. Gerald served in the US Army National Guard and Reserve and was united in marriage to Isabelle Liebl on October 10, 1964 at St Andrew’s Catholic Church in Fairfax, MN.