Late Lester Prairie TD dooms Panthers, 21-14

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

NEW RICHLAND – The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva boys’ cross country team had its best showing of the season in front of the home crowd. Unfortunately, it did not turn out the same for the girls. 

Mike Weber’s cross country teams made their lone home appearance of the season, hosting their annual Panther Invitational at Riverview Golf Course Sept. 17. 

The Panther boys finished third in the eight-team field, improving their overall record to 17-41 this season. 

The NRHEG girls had some individual bests, but could not escape last place in the eight-team field. The Panther girls slipped to 2-20 overall. 

I have a close relationship with my aunt Helyn, who is a very special lady. I have nothing but admiration for who she is and what she has contributed to both her family and community. She has beauty, personality and the ability to know and grow with the times.

She could dance, drive a motorcycle, ride a horse, fly a plane, and was named Minnesota Flying Farmers' Queen. I believe she could do anything she set her mind to, or do anything asked of her. She has dignity, courage, love for life and everyone in it.

And she is unfortunate enough to have macular degeneration. 

I can't even imagine how terrible it must be to live with 24 hours per day of diminished vision. Not to be able to see, and to have to rely on one's other senses to do ordinary things we take for granted, would be devastating. 

She, however, seems to take it in her stride and never complains.

Why do I mention this? During a recent visit with my mother to the eye doctor, I had to ask, "What can one do that might help prevent or slow the progression of age related macular degeneration?" 

The doctor said he was glad I asked, and gave me a list of foods that play an important part in having healthy eyes. 

Interesting enough, the list sounded like a pretty good description for all around good health. It largely centers around the produce section, and the fish and meat areas. Or, as they say, "Shop the outside rim of the grocery store." (The stuff you don't need is usually in the middle of the store.)

The top 10 "Eye-Healthy Vegetables" are kale, collards, peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, green peas, pumpkin, carrots and Swiss chard. The top 10 "Eye-Healthy Fruits" are peaches, blueberries, oranges/tangerines, mangoes, tomatoes, papayas, cantaloupe/honeydew, and avocados. These foods are known to supply nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Sources of other important nutrients for eye health include foods rich in zinc, which are Alaskan king crab, lamb, bulgar, lean beef, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, pork, dark meat poultry, whole wheat or buckwheat flour, and pumpkin seeds. While the top 10 “Omega-3 Foods" are salmon, herring, tuna, rainbow trout, sardines, flaxseed, English walnuts, canola oil and roasted soybeans.

Do you remember when you would go shopping for things you needed from the store, and didn't worry about the things you thought you needed? 

Once upon a time you didn't need to be a scientist to read the ingredient labels of products! Well, actually there probably wasn't much of an ingredient label on the products because it wasn't necessary. Things were what they were. Now the ingredients go on and on, and probably don't tell you what really is important to know, or are in words that send you to the dictionary or Google™ to find out what it means. 

There seems to be a plan to do less labeling. BIG MISTAKE. We need to know what we are eating to make good choices. Too many things sneak through the cracks of deception as it is. Correct labeling makes it easier to find non-GMO, grass fed animals and sugar contents among other things. "Organic" labeling isn't enough.

Another thing which comes to mind is sensible economy in shopping. There are many old fashioned products that are cheaper, safer, and more effective to use than many expensive products on the market today. 

For example, vinegar is still a good window cleaner. It is also a good deodorant, and a good fruit and vegetable cleanser. WASH EVERYTHING. I use one part vinegar to 10 parts water. Lemon juice has a number of uses too, and hydrogen peroxide is less caustic than chlorine.

There is also good nutrition news. There has been a change in childhood obesity. Minnesota has been named as one of the states where the rate has dropped. Some of the things mentioned pertain to the food vouchers given to low-income families. The program has been eliminating juice from infant food packages and is providing less saturated fat, as well as making it easier to buy fruits and vegetables.

Another thought comes to mind: I've heard that cancer loves sugar. True or not, it makes it easier to resist food that contains a lot of sweetener, which isn't always listed as sugar but can go by many other names. (There are well over 50. If you have a computer, check it out.) I can't believe that sucrose is in so many containers, especially at care centers. Sucrose is a SUGAR and many people are diabetic or pre-diabetic. Anything ending is "ose" is a sugar. Most of the ones you will find in food are frutose, glucose, galactose, lactose, maltose, dextrose and arabinose.

Anything ending in "itol" is a sugar alcohol. Most sugar alcohols aren't easily digested. Xylitol, mannitol, and others can have laxative effects if you eat too much of them. This list just goes to show you that you really have to read your labels carefully. If you have a computer it is well worth your time to check out the information.

Honey is also 100 percent sugar but our bodies use it differently. 

Stevia is a 100-percent-natural zero calorie sweetener which is sometimes blended with dextrose (a natural ingredient) because it is naturally sweeter than sugar. This helps create the perfect balance of sweeteners making it easier to pour and measure. It is suitable for people with diabetes. Call toll free - 1-800-611-7434 or write to Stevia in the Raw Consumer Inquiry Department, 2 Cumberland St., Brooklyn, NY 11205 USA.

For recipes, tips and more on all-natural, zero calorie, naturally gluten free food, go to INTHERAW.com.

Children are smarter than we think and explaining the "sweet situation" goes deeper than we realize.

Stop introducing "pop" in the first place and start diluting fruit juices with water. It really helps the "sweet addiction."

Another explanation for less childhood obesity may be the increase in breastfeeding. Researchers are finding that kids raised on mother’s milk tend to have lower obesity rates. It is known that preschool children who are overweight or obese are five more times likely to be heavy as adults, which means they have a higher risk of chronic health problems.

Eat as though your life depends on it. IT DOES! 

— — —

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, Sept. 26: Becky Tindal, Tammy Beenken, Lori Klemmensen Suchanek, Marc Horan, Verdel Humberg, Virginia Miller, James Henry Neidermeier, Connie Menefee Calderon, Lee Johnson, Marty & Lee Nelson.

• Friday, Sept. 27: Layla Grace Schultz, Judy Christensen, Naomi Wangsness, Mary Wayne, Gail Farr Christenson, Sara Holmes Wencl, Steve Lageson, Kristin Paulsen Zinke, Jacob Tasker, Chris Ritz, Katie Cameron, Eleanor Rodriguez, Carl Shadden, Daniel Van Kampen, Donna Mae McCamish, Kristin Severson, Lud Borchert, Jocelyn & Jason Heyer.

• Saturday, Sept. 28: Madeline Schei, Kylie Lembke, Denise Hagen Olson, Mary Kasper Therneau, Mitch Vangen, Taff Worrell, Haley Mattson DuBois, Bunny Jepson, Miranda & Isiah Payton, Jerry & Ginger Thompson, Bill & Sharon Vavra, Jill & Todd Kubicek.

• Sunday, Sept. 29: Inez Shaunce, Norrine Jensen, Gail Kaplan, Annette Flugum, Millie Flugum, Ellen Pence, Jenna Quimby, Kevin Klemmensen, Linda Schmidt, Fran Ladlie, Ron & Donna Sletten, Jason & Tara DeWight, Dave & Donna Maixner.

• Monday, Sept. 30: Chloe Walterman, Dean Hunt, Elmer & Joan Vanden Heuvel, Gilbert & Harriet Larson, Todd & Cheryl Utpadel, Amy & Shannon Vander Syde, Aaron & Jean Klemmensen, Tiffany & Luke Mueller, Kelly & Joshua Warke.

• Tuesday, Oct. 1: Kaeli Wayne, Ana Renee Larson, Lois Plunkett, Larry Crabtree, Vince Bergdale, Brian Flor, Melinda Milan, Renae Thompson Weatherley, Lisa Lembke, Carl & Brenda Shadden, Barbara & William Conly.

• Wednesday, Oct. 2: Laurie Jensen, Taya Richards, Amanda Hullopeter, Makayla Vangen, David Lembke, Christopher Bergerson, Adrian Jensen, Andrea Zamora, Wilma Ditlevson, Dawn Hanna, Chuck & LuAnn Hanson, Amy & Alex Kromminga, Brooke & Tim Krohn, Brody & Katie Richards, Bob & Kathy Hanson.

Wishing you a day of fond memories and new beginnings.

Over the past few years there have been occasions when I have been able to spend time alone at our cabin in the north woods. There are special moments when there is nothing better than to be able to take a step back and observe the wonders of nature first hand. One such instance occurred on my last visit to the cabin.

As I ventured out into the woods in early morning I paused as I noticed the sunlight shining through the trees was magnifying the brilliance of a spider web. It was then I realized how simple yet complex nature’s beings really are. I cannot even begin to imagine the time it took to make such an intricate piece of nature. The astounding thing about it is that it is just another day at the office for the spider and a part of its plan to put food on the table.

If a person pauses and looks at nature from a little different perspective it can almost be overwhelming. Take for example a beaver lodge; a beaver spends its whole life making a home for it to raise its family and keep them safe from predators. Another water related critter is the muskrat, which builds its houses on ponds for the same reason. Some of us may think the muskrat houses are built primarily for us to make predictions for the upcoming winter. I think the old saying goes like this: if the houses are close to shore it will be a mild winter, but if they are farther towards the middle it will be a harsh winter. Acorns are another sign, when there are more acorns falling early it is said there will be a hard winter. In all reality if you want to predict the upcoming season, you always have a 50/50 chance of being right.

There is a lake just down the road from our cabin that I fish quite frequently. Over the years I have seen otters playing in the lily pads while eagles and osprey soared in the sky above. Along the eastern shoreline there is an eagle’s nest in one of the old dead trees. Call it coincidence or superstition if you like, but it always seemed like whenever that resident eagle would perch on a certain dead tree in my favorite bay, we would catch fish. It almost seemed like a sign from old Mother Nature herself saying this is where you must fish. I know there was probably nothing to it (or was there?) but I have always taken it as a good sign, which meant we were destined to have good luck that day.

I don’t consider myself a superstitious person, but being a fisherman I do certain things by habit that may seem strange to the average person. No, I don’t spit on the hook or any of that scientific stuff, but I do have a natural sequence with which I select a lure to entice fish. I usually start with a lure that I have a “gut feeling” about. I will pick one that feels just right for the conditions and usually in the course of a day, depending on its effectiveness, I will stick with it. I always have a couple of “old dependable” lures that I don’t break out until I really need them. These are lures that have been tried and proven to catch fish. Now this is where you may ask; why not start with them? In my mind the answer is quite simple: if you start with your best stuff and it doesn’t work, then you can psyche yourself out and get the feeling that nothing you do will catch fish. Call it superstition if you want, but I always want the feeling I haven’t tipped my hand yet and still have that trump card in case I need it.

One thing I enjoy about being up north in the fall is the Aurora Borealis, or northern lights. That spectacular sight can be seen from the deck of our cabin, which faces due north. This is just another of the wonders nature provides for our viewing pleasure while visiting the north woods.

You don’t have to be in the north woods to enjoy one of nature’s best displays of natural beauty. The colors of autumn will be coming to light shortly and the natural beauty of this area is surely a sight to enjoy. There is nothing more relaxing than taking a leisurely fall drive and enjoying the colorful countryside. We have plenty to enjoy right here in our area and all of the lakes that we have available to us only serve to amplify the beauty of fall. 

The waterfowl season opened on Saturday the 21st of September. Remember to have a life jacket along when in a boat and more importantly, wear it! Hunt safe and enjoy the moment.

Until next time, this is a great time for hunting and fishing but most of all its fun to just get out and enjoy the natural beauty of 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

"My teacher told us that everything has a purpose."

"What do we get from skunks?"

"As far away as possible."

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: "detour" means, "enjoy the scenery."

I’ve learned

• Cellphones should charge as we walk.

• If you can't say anything nice about someone, mumble.

• No garden has only flowers,

Hartland phone booth

The phone booth in Hartland was important. Big business deals and forbidden meetings were arranged without family members overhearing. When I was a boy, I called the phone booth the "statue." That was because when locals called someone on it, they’d say, "Hello. Statue?"

We had only one telephone at home, a giant contraption featuring a rotary dial, which filled a living room wall. Privacy wasn’t a given. Family members were forced to listen to one side of a conversation just as anyone within hearing of a cellphone user is forced to today. If I talked too long on our home phone, my mother handed me a couple of saltine crackers. It’s hard to talk when eating those crackers. When the crackers were passed out, it was time to shut up and hang up.

Those thrilling days of yesteryear

My uncle said, "The Beatles," and shook his head forlornly.

I’m sure he’d have liked to have said more about the Fab Four, but he was in mixed company. For you see, my uncle was a tonsorial artist, a barber.

"There are only three times in a woman’s life when she gets her name in the newspaper," said a woman, waiting for a teenage son to have his locks shorn. "Once when she is born, once when she gets married, and once when she dies. And she can read only one of them."

My neighbor

Old Man McGinty believes that failing memory is nature’s way of making sure that we get enough exercise as we age. He leaves the house. Then walks back in to get something he’d forgotten. He repeats this several times before actually leaving.

He filled his car with gas. The pump told him to insert his credit card and then remove it quickly. He tried a few times without success. The screen on the gas pump flashed, "Please pay inside. You are old." I asked Old Man McGinty, the youngest Old Man McGinty ever, if he wanted to join me at a function on a Saturday six months in the future. He said that he was busy that day. He hadn’t consulted a calendar, so I asked him what he had going on that day.

"A funeral," he replied.

"A funeral?" I asked, "How can you know that so far in advance?"

"Simple," said Old Man McGinty, "When you’re my age, you attend a funeral every Saturday.

Cafe chronicles

The sign said, "Please do not feed the employees."

Another claimed that the mashed potatoes came with a lifetime guarantee.

I ordered a dish carrying the restaurant owner’s name. I figured if he was willing to put his name on it, it must be good.

A tablemate complained about everything. He’s a moan about town. It doesn’t do much good to complain. People either don’t care to hear your grievances or they’re elated that you have complaints. Another diner had blood pressure medication in one hand and a saltshaker in the other. He eats one egg a week and plans for days as to how he’d have it prepared. He has a dog that shares his first name. The dog had been named before he obtained it. However, he’d never forgotten its name even once.

My wife and I ate at the Village Inn, the local home of fine dining. We were joined by friends, Rod and Ruth Searle of Waseca, in enjoying a delicious repast. Ruth’s sister from Fairfax, Virginia, joined us. There was work being done on the water lines in the city, so the friendly waitress informed us that the water was going to be turned off and if anyone needed to use the restroom, they’d better hurry. Our new friend from Virginia hustled to the restroom. As she rushed past Larry Nelson, owner of L & D Ag, he said, "Welcome to Hartland."

Nature notes

A yellow jacket nest can be hidden inside a dense bush, alongside a stump, buried in the ground with only a small, hard-to-see entrance hole, or located inside a wall or ceiling void of a building. These wasps commonly build nests in rodent burrows.

Meeting adjourned

When it comes to being kind, avoid moderation.

Labor Day morning, September 2, Genie an I left from Albert Lea for our annual one-week stay at Arrowhead Lodge in the Big Horn Mountains above Sheridan, Wyoming. (We travel on Labor Day because there aren’t any road construction employees that day.) Our first time doing this was 1973 – thus this is our 40th anniversary.

The HHR Chevrolet pulled into Mitchell, S.D. to look at the new corn theme on the outside of the Corn Palace, for our first major stop. This year’s theme is “Celebrations” in honor of major U.S. holidays.

We were very fortunate to be helped at the County Fair Food Store in Mitchell by the most helpful and friendliest person in the Mitchell, S.D. area. Sue, you are great.

Our stop for the night was the Super 8 Motel in Wall, S.D. The evening meal at Wall Drug, plus saying, “Hi” to T. Rex in the Wall Drug back yard, is a must. According to a small sign, T. Rex eats every 12 minutes, completely devouring every 12th person – and the 11th person just left!

At the Super 8 we met four young ladies between the ages of one and eight from Sterling Heights, Mich. Moriah, Scarlet, Jane and Isabel could most certainly move to Minnesota and instantly qualify for our expression, “Minnesota Nice.” It may take their Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, and Grandpa’s brother a few days, but I’m sure they would also qualify.

Tuesday morning we were on our way, and, 815 miles from Albert Lea, we arrived at Arrowhead Lodge that evening.

After hugs and handshakes from Yuki, Karen, Clay, Chad and Richard, Richard checked us into our favorite Rustic Cabin #3.

Wednesday was a day of rest to let our bodies get used to the 7,700 ft. elevation. The change in elevation can do funny things, like potato chip type bags will swell and pop. I lost most of a tube of toothpaste, as when I opened it, it went everywhere but on my toothbrush!

We did a lot of sightseeing and observing of the area wildlife. Mule deer, moose, elk, Arkansans, and a questionable outfitter named “Al” were our favorite observings.

Rustic Cabin #15 had a banner across the front: “Mule Deer Capital of Arkansas.” Three of the four occupants were successful, as each one got a very nice buck mule deer with huge antlers. The fourth guy didn’t want to chance getting a deer so he didn’t buy a Wyoming license. 

Their significant others figured each hunter spent about $1,000, with $40 paid instantly as interest and the balance of $40 monthly for the next 24 months. The Friendly Banker put the loan through as a stay-at-home loan, thus a tax deduction, even though the funds were spent on a three-day outing to Branson, Mo.

I’m sitting on the porch of Rustic Cabin #3 feeding the chipmunks, squirrels and mountain jays. A man comes walking by, spots my “Beaver Lake, Ellendale, Minnesota” T-shirt, and stops. He tells me the biggest fish he ever caught was a 10-pound northern at Beaver Lake. Small world – Jim Palmer, graduate of Albert Lea High School – isn’t it!!

———

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.

First, an item of business from last week to clarify. I’ve mentioned how much I enjoy the fact that so many former students read this column online from wherever they are. Last week, one of them, Matt Bartsch, sent me a thoughtful message regarding my comments on photos on Facebook of drinking. He talked about businesses wanting to see people who are social and enjoy being with other people and that those pictures often convey that. Matt’s astute observation leads to this clarification: pictures of falling-down drunkenness or references to drug use would be bad things. If you’re of age, and there’s a picture of you out with friends enjoying a beverage, there’s nothing wrong with that. Thanks, Matt, for opening my eyes to that!

Also, by the time you read this, my daughter Jayna will have turned 12. It’s amazing how quickly our kids grow up, and I’m very proud of the young lady she is turning into. Happy birthday!

This past week, Michelle and I watched the season premiere of Survivor, now in its 27th iteration. We’ve seen every episode of one of the first (unreal) reality shows! Maybe it’s the competition, maybe it’s the personalities, but we faithfully watch people on an island battling nature and each other for a chance at a million dollars.

So what does your resident waffle flipper watch when he’s not busy writing columns or correcting papers? I’m glad you asked! Other than Survivor, there are a number of other shows I’m excited about this season.

We’ll miss The Office, but a new show is on Thursdays called The Crazy Ones, with Robin Williams. I’ve always loved his zaniness, though my faith in new sitcoms is not very high. It seems tough lately to come up with something funny that doesn’t have to degrade every character to get a laugh.

I’m a super hero freak and have enjoyed all the Marvel Comics movies, so it’s no surprise to anyone that I’m highly anticipating Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. It may not have super heroes every episode, but it should be good fun to explore the inner workings of the Marvel Universe with Agent Coulson and company. Along with that, I started watching Arrow on the CW last year and really wanted to NOT like it. I have never been a big Green Arrow fan in DC Comics, but this show managed to keep me coming back every week based on good subplots and also not taking itself too seriously.

Speaking of shows I didn’t want to like last year, there was also Elementary, a modern day version of Sherlock Holmes set in New York. After watching the latest BBC version of a 21st century Holmes, I figured nothing could measure up. I was wrong; while the CBS show is not to the level of its counterpart across the ocean, it is great fun to watch Holmes and a female Watson solve crimes CSI style. This might be the returning show I’m most looking forward to.

Michelle and I have also been watching the newest version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, an improv show that’s had many different versions. If you’ve never seen an episode, do yourself a favor and tune in or find an old episode online somewhere. You’re guaranteed to laugh at some point!

There are also plenty of cartoons that my son Anton and I watch together, including Teen Titans Go, Avengers Assemble, Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of SMASH, Beware the Batman, Legends of Chima, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s great fun to pass on my love of cartoons to him!

Thanks to Senora Olson at school, we’ve been watching Modern Family and enjoying the exploits of this non-traditional group of people. I still struggle to see Ed O’Neill as anyone other than the famed Al Bundy though! But here’s the point. Sometimes a small suggestion by someone leads you to discover something wonderful, and Modern Family is something we might not have watched except for Senora’s suggestion.

There you have it! I’m not sure when I’ll have the time to watch all of these, but that’s what my DVR is for. If you ever run across a great show, let me know. I might wait until summer to watch it, but I’ll always take a look at something different. And hopefully, you might have found something new to try from my list!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is plutolatry, which is excessive devotion to wealth, as in, “The online player developed plutolatry while playing Farmville, before realizing none of those coins counted in the real world.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs had a near miss locally with predicted rain that didn’t happen. Fortunately the weather remaining cool helped us make the most of the previous rainfall. Will we see more rains or are we about to become the Gobi Desert? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the mid 70s and lows in the mid 50s. Thursday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 70s and lows in the lower 60s. Partly sunny becoming cloudy by evening with a modest chance of showers and thunderstorms as the day wears on. Highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 50s. Mostly cloudy on Saturday with a good chance of showers or a thunderstorm. Highs near 65 and lows in the upper 40s. Sunday through Tuesday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low to mid 40s. On September 26th we slip back to less than 12 hours of daylight and sun sets before 7 o’clock on the 29th. The normal high for September 30th is 67 and the normal low is 43. The scurs will need to ready the kerosene lanterns and the wireless for the longer nights ahead.

A trip north revealed rapidly changing crop conditions all the way to the Canadian border. Very little evidence of any corn harvest aside from the odd field here and there that had been chopped for silage. North of Blackduck, corn had been frosted so there was likely some silage harvest in their future if the cattle in the area were any indication. Soybean fields were turning and dropping leaves, but none of what I saw were harvestable yet. Still a lot of road ditch hay being baled, but for the most part alfalfa fields had probably been harvested for the last time this season. The large herds of cattle between Bemidji and International Falls contrasted nicely against the large expanses of pasture. It won’t be long though and some of those round bales will be pressed into service.  

The trip north started out a little shaky as the weather turned ugly north of the Twin Cities somewhere south of Buffalo. Hail and heavy downpour made me wonder if we were going to make it to our rendezvous point in Bemidji. Luckily the pickup and I escaped unscathed and we continued our march north. A large truck loaded with red potatoes near Cushing crossed the road in front of me, reminding of those days long ago working for the U on test plots near Becker on spuds. We got to the initial meeting spot in good shape, had a burger at Slim’s in Bemidji, then worked our way to International Falls where we had some of the world renowned pizza at the Border Bar. Luckily there was plenty left for later snacking. 

Thanks to my little fat buddy, part of this was written at his cabin on scenic Warner Lake near Atikokan in Ontario, Canada. It was a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of Bugtussle. Long overdue and left the impression that it needs to occur with greater frequency. The passport was broken in properly and my little fat buddy was the consummate host. I was able to catch some smallmouth, something I hadn’t done since my college days fishing in the Mississippi in downtown Minneapolis. There’s a story in that, but we’ll let that slide in this edition. It was also an opportunity to use a wood burning sauna. I was still a single lad just out of college at my bachelor pad on the Finish Reservation east of Rolla when that last occurred.

Smallmouth fishing was slow and there were only 8 – 10 caught. Luckily I’ve long since become a catch-and-release guy, if for no other reason other that it’s fun to catch them and return them so someone else can enjoy them. It was also great fun to see the flora and fauna that northwest Ontario affords. The blueberries were long gone, but the bushes served as a reminder of what had been. Some of the maples were turning, allowing for pockets of beautiful color to accent the otherwise still green largely coniferous landscape. Loons were still present and there were numerous birds moving through, including robins and warblers. The hummingbirds were probably done for the season, although we thought we caught a fleeting glimpse but couldn’t be sure. 

Canada is still one of my favorite places. I learned how to drive tractor on a Co-Op E3, basically a Canadian Cockshutt 30 painted pumpkin orange. I first travelled to Canada when my Uncle Basil took my sister and my cousins on a trek across Canada to Alaska in the early 1970s. When I was a North Dakota resident just out of college, we’d often cross the border at the St. John and go to Winkie’s, then a popular Chinese restaurant in Killarney, Manitoba. It’s been too long getting back to Canada and the fact the area we were in was so peaceful and quiet makes me anxious to go back soon. Without worrying about customer phone calls or answering e-mails, I found I slept like a rock when I crawled inside that sleeping bag.

Back home again and Mrs. Cheviot had kept the home fires burning while I was away. The dogs were both glad to see me, with Ruby in particular coming unwound. The lawn had greened up since the rain, meaning there may be one more mowing in my future. The pasture had greened up appreciably too, so the ewes looked fat and sassy against a green backdrop as opposed to the drab brown one before I left. The hummingbirds weren’t present on Monday night, but when the feeders were cleaned and refilled Tuesday a.m., it didn’t take long for them to reappear. Sooner or later though they’ll be gone and we’ll have only colder temperatures to look forward to. Oh goody.

See you next week…real good then.

Remembering the life of Vivan J. Roesler…

Funeral services for Vivian J. Roesler, 92, of New Richland, will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 3, 2013 at Vista Evangelical Covenant Church, New Richland. The Reverend Steve Thompson will officiate. Interment will be in Vista Covenant Cemetery.

Visitation will be one hour before services at the church. Friedrich Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Vivian died on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at New Richland Care Center.