By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva wrestling team faced some big schools over the weekend. The Panthers held up well, winning five of six matches while wrestling on back-to-back days. 

NRHEG wrestled at Lakeville Friday, defeating Woodbury and Lakeville South while losing to Lakeville North. 

The Panthers defeated Winona, Wabasha-Kellogg and Lake City wrestling at Wabasha Saturday. 

NRHEG went 1-2 at both sites last year.

Much as we hate the cold weather we’re enduring now in Minnesota, I am old enough, but yet young enough, to remember some winters that “weren't so hot" in the past. If you feel this is an exaggeration or an "old wives' tale," I don't think so. Plenty of people still remember snowbanks that closed roads, covered telephone lines and the need for massive equipment plus human shovels to get through the roads and farmyards.

Often that caterpillar or the famous "Oshkosh" were thought to be able to go through anything, but they weren't completely successful. Modern equipment has played a big part in changing this, but there are still times Mother Nature stops everything "cold."

Or should. Such as too many cars cavorting in the ditches and medians because they couldn't see or keep things under control. Of course there is always that rush to get where one is going that seems to accelerate in times of danger.

Before I complain about "warming up the car," I try to remember what it was like in my grandfather’s day, or even in my parents' time. Now many people even have warmed front seats in their vehicles. Old-timers not only heated hot water for the car radiator but heated the oil as well. My mother remembers when her dad sometimes just "put the car up" for the winter or got it out only for special occasions. 

Horse blankets weren't just used for horses back then. They were also used in the cars in an attempt to stay warm. Did you ever see any of the old horsehair car robes? Bricks were warmed in cook stove ovens and used to keep feet from freezing, even though footgear then was "designed for winter" and was way beyond the athletic models kids wear today.

A recent news story reminded me of the fact that babies still arrive despite the weather. I heard of an incident where sleds were brought out to get the mother and child to the hospital. In one case the baby was even born on the way. It could have happened in our family, as my aunt Phyllis was stranded during a late winter snowstorm and had to "walk" up "Dr. Ertel Hill,” which was west and south of Ellendale. She was transported by makeshift sleigh to the county line where a neighbor, Orlando Thompson, was able to connect with snowplows working out from Ellendale, and she was able to get to the hospital. That was March 15, 1951, and not quite as cold as we have experienced recently. 

My middle daughter, Kimberly, was born in a storm in the spring of 1973 that necessitated the assistance of a snowplow. 

During the worst of the blizzard conditions this past weekend, it was still nothing compared to the year my nephew, Cameron, was born, 1975. The day started out warm and rainy and then changed into a "blast from the past" that would leave no ability to travel. 

My mother said God was good the year when her grandson Cameron arrived into the world. The weather on that January 8 was "like spring,” but quickly changed back to a January snowstorm. The intensity of that storm caused zero visibility conditions. My mother still wonders what she would have done if they had not been able to get to the hospital, as Cam’s birth could have been very traumatic. 

Snowmobile suits, quilts or blankets are standard equipment in our family vehicles during the winter season, on my mother’s orders. While my mother was working for Head Start she helped the kids make coffee-can survival kits for their parents. Placed in the old three-pound coffee can was a can of Sterno, candles, matches, flashlights, and hard candies. The survival kit was to be carried in the car along with a length of strong cord, to which one could tie some bright colored balloons and then put it out the window so their car could be seen. 

Of course that was before cell phones. Cell phones do have their place in automobiles under such circumstances.

They say a lit candle is enough to keep you from freezing. My cousin Jim says that even in an Eskimo igloo, a whale-oil lamp (the equivalent of a candle), will keep it above freezing.

It doesn't take long to freeze something when the temperatures drop like they sometimes do. My mother found that out this past week when she went outside for a very short amount of time. She did have gloves on, but evidently not the best as she froze the tips of three fingers so badly they blistered like balloons. 

Needless to say the ribbing that she has been getting - "Did you learn something?" or "If that had been one of us what would you have said?" just added to the pressure she was experiencing in her fingers.

Incidentally - DON'T put frozen digits in either hot or cold water to thaw. At best use mild temperature water with a little bit of white vinegar, which helps kill bacteria.

Be PREPARED. Being cold is no fun. The car may be ever so warm and toasty, but in an emergency things change quickly. And remember: stay in your car. Don't try to walk anywhere during a storm. I recall the year our family traveled to the Twin Cities area for a YMCA swim meet. We had lots of blankets in our car and used them. Unfortunately, when we got home the kids took them along with them into the house. We went on to Clarks Grove and got trapped on the off-ramp of the freeway and spent the night shivering in our car. Thank goodness, Daryl had his snowmobile suit in the car, and once daylight arrived he was able to safely walk for help. Things you don't count on happening, they do. Distance may be short in good weather, but ever so long in bad weather. 

It is important to remember to drive "on the top half of your gas tank." Experienced winter drivers keep at least half a tank of fuel in the vehicle in case they are stranded in a storm. 

When the snow flies many people remember back to that famous 'Armistice Day Snowstorm" of November 11, 1940. Weather forecasting and weather warnings were not as efficient as they are now, and the un-forecast storm killed 145 people (including 49 in Minnesota) and stranded thousands.

My hat's off in admiration to those local Methodist volunteers in Ellendale who provide an emergency location in times of need. Eighty-eight people were able to spend a safe, food filled and friendly night recently because of the efforts of a few kind hearted souls who praised God with their willingness to be of assistance during the brunt of the storm. These valiant volunteers were able to turn a traumatic situation into one of triumph and were able to meet many grateful strangers.

Thinking about winter and snow … I have pictures of my Grandpa Schember standing on snow banks in New Richland that reached over the telephone lines. We also have one of Great Aunt Emily sitting on a snow bank in my grandparents’ farm that was high as the barn. I can also remember seeing the snowdrift that had formed on the road going east out of Geneva toward the freeway (before there was a freeway) that had to be "tunneled" through because it was so large.

My Grandma Hanson used to talk about ice-skating on the pond north of the old School House in Geneva, which is where Dale and Nadine Strenge now live. She also told about sailing across Geneva Lake in ice sailboats during their noon hour from school. Needless to say the kids were late in getting back to school after such an excursion. Evidently "noon hours" were a wee bit longer than they are now.

Our Minnesota weather affects who we are. It causes us to think ahead, and avoid risk if possible. If you live in Minnesota, you have had the opportunity to experience some pretty dramatic weather. Those of us who live here learn to deal with the weather – or when to simply take precautions to avoid it.

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, Feb. 6: Jean Klocek, Carolyn Hanson, Dean Jensen, David Kelly, Martin Bartness, Colleen Borchert, Troy Haddy, Jean Clausen, Sonja Thompson, Megan Stephoni, Todd Nelson, Brooke Burns, Kay Swenson

• Friday, Feb. 7: Cheryl Cornelius, Ted Pelzl, Kelly Simon, Emma Lorraine Klemmensen, Karissa Dolan, Dorothy Katz, Joel Radjenovich, Steve & Holly Glynn

• Saturday, Feb. 8: Lainee Ann Krohn, Erin Thompson, Terry Wacek, Dennis & Cheryl Sauke

• Sunday, Feb. 9: Emily Eder, John Warnke, Donnavon Eaker, Laura (Edwards) Baudoin, Brad Lerum, Howard Goette, Kelly Lageson, Heidi Nelson, Karen Knudson, Tami Sorenson, Jay Wangsness

• Monday, Feb. 10: Brooklyn Jo Baudoin, Brett Mitchell Kubiatowicz, Greg Hagen, Abbey Jensen, Tom Wayne, Dean Reiter, Michael Glienke, Wayne Osmundson, Rachel Strand, Judy Thostenson, Peggy Talamantes, Greg Nelson, Madison Johnson, Dick & Mary Ann Ewing

• Tuesday, Feb. 11: Helyn Langlie, who will 94 this year, Megan Pence, Jet Wayne, Neil Douglas Schmidt, Donna Wilker, David Dunn, Julie Christensen, Rhonda Thompson Christensen, Steve Gallentine, Earl Cleven, Teresa Knudson Pratt, Nadine Berg

• Wednesday, Feb., 12: Gail Skroch, Joe Moon, Michael Hanson, April Van Riper, Rick Borchert, Eugene Kruckeberg, Travis Wayne, Jessie Olson, Greg Oswald, Taff & Jean Worrell, David & Carolyn Hanson

May all the good wishes that you receive on your special day bloom in your heart and bring you joy!

The weather seems to be a constant part of any conversation these days, and rightfully so. We seem to be caught in a vacuum of sorts – it’s either below zero and cold as the dickens or when it warms up, it snows. Either way, it reminds us that we are living in Minnesota and I personally wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Looking out on our back yard deck the other day, I watched as one of our resident squirrels was busily digging in the snow hoping to find some bird seed that had fallen from the feeder. My granddaughters, Emma and Ava were visiting so I called them into the room to see the squirrel. As the girls excitedly watched the bushy tailed rodent digging for food, my daughter-in-law Miranda exclaimed “that squirrel is as big as a cat” and she wasn’t exaggerating. We seem to have some pretty healthy squirrels in the neighborhood and luckily they aren’t living in my attic, garage or shed this year.

With the ”fun” winter that we have been experiencing, I would suspect there are quite a few of us that have been infected with the dreaded “cabin fever” virus. There is no sure cure for that outside of a spring thaw, but there are ways to cope with it while we suffer through the winter.

There were many times over the years when I would find myself in the sporting goods department of a local store ogling “open water” fishing lures and dreaming of sitting on a lake somewhere watching a bobber bouncing on the waves. Daydreaming is one of the most inexpensive ways to put your mind in a warm place even if your body can’t make the trip. Reading a good book about an outdoors adventure is another way that I like to put myself anywhere but in the driveway shoveling snow.

There are also various sportsmen’s shows held throughout the winter that can surely pacify you when you feel that need to see open water. There are also many outdoor festivals and fishing contests held throughout the area. Events like “The Big Freeze” which will be held in Albert Lea on February 15th, includes a Polar Plunge, Snowshoe Shuffle, Disc Golf Ice Bowl, snowmobile radar runs, skydiving, kids' winter carnival, sleigh rides, chili cook-off, Take-A-Kid Ice Fishing Geocaching, live music, and more! Most events held on Albert Lea and Fountain lakes.

There is also ice skating at local outdoor rinks, most of which have open warming houses on weekends. If you don’t have skates and have the urge to give it a try, you can go to the city arena on most Sunday nights and skate for $4, $3 if you have your own skates. That’s pretty cheap for an evening of fun entertainment.

Another fun winter outdoors activity is sledding, and how many folks don’t have a sledding memory or two from their childhood? When I look back to those winter days spent north of town, I can recall spending many a Saturday searching for that perfect hill. My neighbor, Kim Dilling, had a nice hill at his place, but it was short and had a few oak trees to maneuver around. I can remember many days dragging my Radio Flyer sled to a hill on the south side of the slough. That hill, to my surprise, is still there today, but for some reason it just doesn’t seem as big as it did when I was a kid.

As I grew older I got more mobile (driver’s license) and my sledding grounds expanded. I had gotten a toboggan for Christmas and this fueled my need for a bigger hill with more speed and thrills. The horse pasture on the Joe Juve farm had a nice long hill that was dotted with oak trees but was one that I could maneuver. We had quite a few fun sledding parties on that hill where the high school now sits.

Those were good times, simple times, of cold hands, cold wet feet, runny noses and a cup of hot chocolate topped with a marshmallow or two. Yes, maybe those fond memories of the fun of winters past are the real cure for the dreaded cabin fever.  

— — —

MUSKY TALK - The February meeting of Crossroads Chapter 54 will be Wednesday, February 12, at 7 p.m. at the Eagles Club in Owatonna. Our speaker will be John Underhill; he will report on the DNR round table plans for fisheries. This includes any proposals for musky management and musky lakes.

Also plans for our early spring musky banquet will be discussed. Our meetings are second Wednesday of every month. They include informative speakers, updates, door prizes, and raffle, and lots of musky talk. Need not be a member to attend. Bring a friend and help improve musky fishing in Southern Minnesota.

— — —

Sadly, it just doesn’t look good for some of our area lakes, which are showing signs of winter kill. I don’t really buy the quote that the DNR had in Wednesday’s Tribune about not approving the application for aerators on Pickerel Lake because the game fish would still die off and the rough fish would survive. Didn’t they kill off the lake so there would be no rough fish? If that’s how aerators really work, then what’s the point?

Until next time, stay warm and get out 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

"What did you do yesterday?"

"Not a thing."

"How come?"

"I quit while I was ahead."

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: I find no pleasure in the criticism of others. For that, I’m thankful.

I’ve learned

• That if I’m certain, I should take a second look.

• Things are more like they are right now than they have ever been.

• John Donne wrote, "No man is an island" because he’d never seen an NFL game.

An ice walk

It was a long walk on a slippery slope on a gelid evening of strong winds. Such walks always seem uphill, but this one really was. It felt good to get inside the school and walk to the gym to watch a basketball game.

I sat near O’Dean Miller of New Richland who said that his wife, Regina, had complained that he’d not dropped her off at the door before parking the car. Being a good husband, O’Dean had an excuse ready. He explained that he couldn’t have done that because she’d been driving.

Cafe chronicles

"Dirty Life and Times."

That’s the song by Warren Zevon that should have been on the radio.

"Sometimes I feel like my shadow is casting me."

It was confession day at the cafe. The crackerjack waitress had brought mashed potatoes with lakes of gravy to the table.

"How are you doing?" we asked of only those who wouldn’t tell us.

He was one of those fellows whose truck doubles as a storage shed. He admitted to releasing boxelder bugs into the school library. But like any bad criminal, he’d returned to the scene of the crime. He was caught. His punishment? It went on his permanent record. He worked at a carnival one summer, operating one of those free throw shooting games where you could win swell prizes like a miniature teddy bear. He said the rim was oblong. A basketball would have had to wear a girdle to pass through the hoop easily.

It was the verdict of The Table of Infinite Knowledge that he confess his sins to his aunt. He forgets he’s Lutheran until someone says something bad about Lutherans. His aunt is Lutheran, but she isn’t just Lutheran. She’s really Lutheran.

My neighbor

Old Man McGinty is the youngest Old Man McGinty ever.

The walls of his house hold ancient knickknack shelves bearing items with only one purpose, to collect dust.

"Gunsmoke or Bonanza?"

That was his question. A verbal password.

"Gunsmoke," I replied.

"That’s the right answer. If I had a kewpie doll, you’d win it."

Old Man McGinty told me that on Super Bowl Sunday in his church, when it came time to take the offering, the minister flipped a quarter into the air, glanced at it after it landed, and announced in the fashion of a referee, "The ushers have elected to receive."

Customer comments

• Tom Goetz of Minneapolis has officiated baseball and basketball games for years. He still does baseball, but gave up basketball. Tom said the problem was that he got a year older every year while the basketball players stayed the same age.

• Vi Kycek of Albert Lea wrote, "May all days be sunny, no matter the temperature."

• Bob Hargis of Riverton, Wyo., sent this alternative to shoveling snow, "Let ’er melt."

Did you know?

• The Healthy Hand Washing Survey conducted by Bradley Corporation, a hand-washing products manufacturer, found that 74 percent of women always wash their hands after using a public restroom compared to 60 percent of men.

• The biggest complaint of restaurant patrons is about the noise.

• The Top 5 Most Overpaid Actors according to Forbes are 1. Adam Sandler 2. Katherine Heigl 3. Reese Witherspoon 4. Nicolas Cage 5. Kevin James.

Nature notes

Debra Stolarcek of Albert Lea wondered why she saw robins in January. They weren’t harbingers of spring. My mother said a robin needs three snows on its tail before it was truly spring. Some robins get more than that, because I see them every winter. They might have migrated from the north or birds that don’t migrate. Winter robins tend to travel in flocks and over-winter in ravines and wooded areas with open water sources. Their primary foods are the leftover fruit of buckthorn, cherry, crabapple, hackberry, mountain ash, etc. A lack of food causes birds to move. Some robins might eat suet or chopped fruit at feeders. The migration of male robins north follows the 37-degree isotherm.

Meeting adjourned

One kind word can warm three winter months.

At NRHEG we are in our second year of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). It’s an effort to change the culture of our school and is being implemented by many schools across the state and country. We’ve seen some progress in the atmosphere of the school, but still have a distance to travel.

For the month of February, our focus at the secondary building is on proper behavior at events such as athletic contests, plays, concerts, and assemblies. These are lessons that cannot just be taught to our students, but to the adult population as well.

Before every home game, I ask people to remember their Panther Pride and be positive, be respectful, be responsible, and be safe. What does that mean? I’m glad you asked!

Being positive means just that. Don’t be negative about things occurring in a game or performance. Applaud good plays in a game. Give credit to a student who sings or plays a song well. Give a standing ovation when appropriate. When students do well in a play, a standing ovation is a nice touch by the crowd, acknowledging the many hours they put into practicing.

Try not to dwell on the negative. Players make mistakes on a field or court. A wrong note might be hit. Someone might forget their line. These things happen; we always have to remind ourselves that these are kids.

Officials and coaches make mistakes too. As I’ve stressed before in this column, unless you have been in that particular position at that level, keep your grumbling to a minimum. I like to say when I officiate or umpire that I miss one call a game; I just won’t tell you which one! Standing up and shouting negative things won’t change what has happened on the floor.

Being respectful goes another step. Certainly, it goes hand in hand with what I just mentioned. But it encompasses other areas as well. I’m very bothered when the pep band plays the school song and I look around and see people, especially students, sitting. Be proud of your school and be respectful of other schools when you are on the road. A school song being played means that you should rise, and if it’s your home game, clap along.

We should always be respectful of the national anthem. When “The Star-Spangled Banner” is played or sung, shut your phone off, remove your hat, stand, and be respectful of the flag. I recently had a discussion with different people about singing the anthem. Many people agree you might try singing if the band or a recording is playing it, but that you should respect a soloist and give that person the full stage.

Respect performers as well. Don’t get up and leave when your child is done performing. Be appreciative of all the kids playing or putting on a show. It’s also a good idea to avoid leaving the room unless there is an emergency as it can disrupt what is happening on stage.

Being responsible falls on both adults and students. Listen, our gym is small; there isn’t much room on the sidelines. Parents absolutely need to be responsible for their children. Don’t go tracking across the corners of the court during a game unless there is a stoppage. Know where your kids are. I don’t know how many times over the years the clock has been accidentally unplugged because kids are running around under the bleachers.

Students and adults should be responsible for their mess as well. It’s not all right to say, “Well, the janitor can clean it up.” Pick up your garbage before you leave. Our custodians do a good job, but treat your garbage at a game as you would at home; I hope you don’t dump an empty pop bottle on the ground there.

Being safe can be an offshoot of responsibility. When you or your child cut across the floor, it can impact play. A player or official could get hurt. Plus, especially in winter, you can’t help but track snow and dirt across the floor. Please wait until a stoppage of play to go in and out of the gym, and then stay off the court. I’ve actually seen a coach tell people they couldn’t walk in front of him during game play and wanted to applaud him.

All these things go hand in hand. If we all work on them together, it makes games, concerts, and performances a great experience. Show YOUR Panther Pride at the next NRHEG event you attend!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is intransigent, which means unwilling to compromise, as in, “The unruly fan was intransigent when asked to calm down and take his seat; that is, until the official threw him out of the game.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs are onto something. Seems their AMC Gremlin Weather Eye coupled with the Studebaker thermostat addition to their weather machine worked to perfection last week. What about this week? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of forenoon flurries. Highs near 5 above and lows around 15 below. Mostly sunny on Thursday with highs 5 above zero and lows near –5. Mostly sunny on Friday with highs near 10 above zero and lows around –5. Saturday, partly cloudy with highs again around 10 above zero and lows around 5 below zero. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs near 10 and lows in the upper single digits below zero. Partly cloudy on Monday with highs in the lower teens above zero and lows near zero. Warmer for Tuesday with highs in the mid-teens with slowly rising temperatures. The normal high for February 8th is 26 and the normal low is 7. After seeing their shadow, the scurs are going out on a limb and predicting spring should be here by June.

What a January for weather we had. It was one of those where despite having no single large snowfall accumulation, we wound up with above normal snowfall. Normal for January at the SROC in Waseca is 9.5”. They tallied 17.2” and here at the ranch it was 16.2”. It has been difficult to measure snow accurately so it’s amazing that our readings were that close. We also recorded measurable snowfall on 12 days at the ranch and there were 13 days at the SROC. In other words, it has been nickeling and diming us. It has also been colder than normal. The average air temperature at the SROC for January 2014 was 6.4 and the normal calculated for the period 1980–2010 is 13.2. Berry!

The LP price and supply has caught our attention. Prices more than doubled in the matter of a week and are routinely north of $4 a gallon. It has some scrambling to find supplies, then wondering if they can afford it if they do. It took a higher than normal amount of LP to dry corn this fall and as mentioned, it has been cold. There are also pipeline and terminal situations that factor into the equation. I had the opportunity to lock in LP for $1.30 a gallon back in July or August. I didn’t do it, but that was my fault. Fortunately when we remodeled seven years ago, we insulated, put in new windows and installed a dual fuel heating system. The electric bill won’t be pretty, but neither are frozen pipes. 

The pheasant population around the ranch is showing signs that it is very much still alive. Mrs. Cheviot saw two roosters and five hens on the north side of grove last Friday. On our way to church Sunday, there were close to 20 in the field on both sides of the road. Lots of them were hens, so if we can get to spring without too much snow and ice, we might have a fighting chance of seeing even more in the future. They must like some variety in their diet. The tracks from the corn feeder over to the birdfeeders are a clue. Cardinals apparently aren’t the only birds that enjoy safflower.

My brother and I were talking not long ago about what has been the toughest thing since Mom passed away. I was thinking it and then he said it: Not being able to call and talk to her on the phone. Countless times over the years when chores were done, a call was placed to catch up on her life and fill her in on ours. Frequently we’d share bird observations or talk about the dogs. One of the things I could’ve told her this past week was how proud I was of the Border Collie Fudgie we gave her then inherited after her passing.

Twice in the past week Fudgie was pressed into service, guarding the gates and keeping the sheep on their side of the fence while I cleaned the snow from their feed lot. I like leaving the gate open. Constantly getting on and off the tractor or skid loader is hard on these old joints. After a few run-ins, the sheep decided this was not a dog to mess with and did their best to avoid her. Several days earlier a few ewes had decided the electric fence in the pasture was fair game. It isn’t charged in winter and wearing their heavy wool coats, they are lousy conductors of electricity. Cruising the lot, I spied several ewes grazing on the south side of the house, in the lawn! They were until Fudgie came around the corner of the house, quickly putting them back where they belonged. 

I kept at the snow removal project, blocking the access to the pasture with a real “snow-fence” and placed a panel across another entry point. I was thinking to myself, the sheep were happy and Fudgie was happy. Everyone was happy except me. As I finished while watching Fudgie toy with the ewe flock, it was obvious they had gained her respect. For an older dog that never had much to do with sheep other than an occasional encounter while visiting, she kept them at bay like she’d been doing it all her life. What’s more, Fudgie was doing it against a nasty little group of Cheviots, one of the fastest, most cunning breeds to herd. Now, Fudgie is not a “people-person.” She’s selective about who she likes and who she doesn’t, just as her mother Lucy was. She’s also fearless and all business when it comes to working sheep, just like her mother. Thinking about it as I wired the gate shut, Fudgie had earned my respect. I had to believe that Mom and Lucy would’ve been proud too. Suddenly I was happy.

See you next week…real good then.

“The Lord takes many away, even in infancy. They were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth.” - Joseph Smith.

Our perfect angel, Emily Florence Possin, was born silently on January 29, 2014.

Emily is the daughter of Tom and Jessica Possin of New Richland. She is survived by five brothers, Jesse, Zachary, Seth, Daniel, and Levi; her paternal grandparents, James and Chris Possin of New Richland; her maternal grandparents, Reo and Merle Pratt of Apple Valley; and many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her life, though brief, was a blessing to all those around her.  We would like to thank all those who have offered their love and prayers during this time.