Wagner fires in 33 in Gopher opener at Wells

Be there. Even for a moment. That "Hi" from Mom or Dad is sometimes enough.

Say yes as often as possible. “Yes” is a positive word, and explain why, if you can't say yes.

Let them bang on pots and pans; they like them better than expensive toys.

If they are crabby, put them in water; bathtub or a swimming pool.

If they're unlovable, love yourself and you will both get over it.

Realize how important it is to be a child. You were one once.

Go to a movie theatre in your pajamas. Share a movie or watch a show on TV, or play a game together with your children.

Read books out loud with joy. Act out the parts, or change your voice for the different characters.

Invent pleasures together. Ask what they would like to do, share with them things that you used to do when you were growing up.

Remember how really small they are. They won't stay that small forever, so it is best to love them now.

Giggle a lot. Tell funny stories, and have them tell you funny jokes.

Surprise them; play "peek-a-boo" and do little unexpected things, or share small gifts.

Say no when necessary, but not too often.

Teach feelings. Kids most often read feelings better than adults.

Heal your own "inner child." Admit to have childish feelings when you need someone to parent you.

Learn about parenting. Read books, but mostly, play it by ear, and use common sense.

Hug trees together. See if your arms will go around the trees (children), examine the bark, the leaves and the sticky sap. And talk.

Make loving safe. It is O.K. to blow kisses and wave good-bye.

Bake a cake with their special recipe.

Walk like an elephant, jump like a kangaroo, swim like a fish.

Plan to build a rocket ship, and pretend that you are going to the moon.

Imagine yourself with magic. Touch your children with your magic wand, and say, “Abra-kadabra!”

Make lots of play houses with blankets and tablecloths over card tables or clotheslines.

Let your angel fly and dance and sing and enjoy being a child.

Reveal your own dreams and ask your child about theirs.

Search out the positive; it makes for happy experiences.

Keep the gleam in your eye and the sparkle in theirs.

Mail letters to God. Let your child know that you can say prayers any time, anywhere, because God is always there.

Encourage silly. Life should not always be serious; have fun and do dumb things once in awhile.

Plant licorice in your garden or anything else just as silly, but sometimes plant for real and see it grow.

Open up. Don't keep secrets unless you have to.

Stop yelling when you are inside the house.

Express your love. A lot.

Speak kindly and quietly and they will listen.

Paint their tennis shoes, or their toe nails, fingernails, or anything fun.

Handle with care and love. Snuggle, touch a shoulder as you go by, and give compliments.

Children are miraculous! There is nothing in this world that even comes close to them. Really love a child!

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 news, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P. O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, December 6th: Sharon Johnson, Rodger Hill, Katie Marlin, Tony Jackovitch, John Lerum, John Kaplan, Sue Klemmensen, Chris & Marie Wallace, Emily & Jeffrey O'Brien, their second.

• Friday, December 7th: Katie Olson, Tracy Holland, Sam Peterson, Angela Hensrud, Wanda Schwartz, Helen Schmidt, Kara & Eric Grant, Ron & Theresa Langlie, Dawn & Eric Degan.

• Saturday, December 8th: Kathy Glynn, Teri McDonald, Jeff Schei, Tracy Haddy, James Olsen, Mike Flugum, Meghan Baumann.

• Sunday, December 9th: Carrisa Christensen, Paitan Janis Glynn, Al Paulson, Robert Robertson, Rusty Besco, Mark Ribbe, Tony Phillips, Courtney Thompson, Brian Strand, Chuck & Cynthia Crabtree, Steve & Terri Engel.

• Monday,  December 10th: Cody Dobberstein, Steve Lee, Valarie Otterson, Karla Osmundson, Art DeNeui, Philip Olsen, Scott & Melonie Crabtree.

• Tuesday, December 11th: Jane Nordhorn Allen, Justin Hove, Geoffrey Ramaker, Marty Shultz, Rick Johnson, Janice Paulsen, Beth Scripture Klucksen, Jake Thompson, Theresa Van Ravenhorst, Larry & Emily Otto.

• Wednesday, December 12th: Warren Sorenson, Torie Richards, Jean Groth, Addison Gayle Lyman, Bernard Falksen, Allen Paulson, Matthew Butler, Barbara Lageson, Judith Johnson Tetzloff, Kim Seath, Christopher Nelson, Mark & Cheryl Johnson.

May you find joy and pleasure all around you on your special day.

Here we are well into December and we’re only flirting with ice-over on most lakes. This is the time of year when a person has to use caution along with a little common sense before venturing out onto area lakes. 

I know there have already been some folks that have ventured out onto thin ice in search of those “golden” fish that they must think are lurking below a couple of inches of ice. Falling through the ice can not only result in getting wet and cold, it can be fatal. 

The experts say the fishing is the best at early ice-over, especially for perch. Personally, I feel that no matter how much I like to catch and eat fish; there isn’t any fish that is worth that risk.

The Minnesota DNR has a few simple safety tips for ice fishermen.

For new, clear ice only:

• 2" or less - STAY OFF

• 4" - Ice fishing or other activities on foot

• 5" - Snowmobile or ATV

• 8" - 12" - Car or small pickup

• 12" - 15" - Medium truck

Before heading out on ice:

1. Contact a local bait shop or lakeside resort to ask about ice conditions.

2. Check ice thickness once you get there. Temperature, snow cover, currents, springs and rough fish all affect the relative safety of ice. Ice is seldom the same thickness over a single body of water; it can be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away. Check the ice every 150 feet.

These are just some of the recommended safety guidelines for ice fishing when you do decide to venture out.

Deer hunting has all but finished for most of the hunters. However,  the archery season will continue until the end of the month. 

I have a few friends that hunt with muzzleloaders for deer. One of them said that he has seen a lot of does in the area but has yet to get a shot at that elusive buck which he is seeking. He also told me that a big part of his hunting is just about watching the wildlife.

Whenever I go out of town, I enjoy taking back roads instead of the interstate whenever possible. Although I do not hunt deer, I probably get the same rush that a hunter would get whenever I see a deer on the edge of a field or next to a grove of trees. 

The reason that I enjoy this is not so much that it is a deer, but more so that it is an animal in the wild. As more wooded land is cleared and wetlands are tiled, the habitat for this wildlife will slowly disappear. This is why Wildlife Management Areas and CRP land are such valuable resources and will assure that there will be habitat for future generations of sportsmen to enjoy. 

A few years ago, I had taken a drive out past Big Island just to relax and enjoy a late afternoon fall day. I happened to spot a fox in a field of corn that had been picked but not yet plowed under. 

I stopped along the road and watched as it was busily digging in the ground for what I assumed to be field mice which are one of a foxes’ favorite foods. Just watching that fox jump around oblivious to the fact that someone was watching was a real treat.

There is always something special about watching critters in the wild. Sitting on a lake and watching eagles soar overhead can be almost as rewarding as the fishing itself. 

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to observe otters, beavers, eagles, falcons, hawks, bears, wolves, moose, deer and even a badger. I was driving back to one of my favorite northern Minnesota lakes when this badger crossed the road ahead of me. 

It seemed as if the critter had an attitude because it took its own sweet time crossing the road and making its way into the woods. Just being able to observe all of this wildlife in its natural habitat makes me a lucky person. It is no doubt one of the greatest rewards that a person can garner from spending time in the outdoors.

Until next time, take a little time to enjoy the outdoors experience and always be safety conscious when fishing or hunting.

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

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

"I'm giving you running shoes for Christmas."

"I haven’t run since I missed the bus in the third grade."

"Don’t worry, I'm giving you the receipt, too."

I’ve learned

1. Growing up, the only chef I could name was Chef Boyardee. I still can’t name any others, but now I know they exist.

2. There’s no need to pretend to water my fake plants.

3. Listening is an art most often practiced near a TV.

The news from Hartland

Winemaker stomps maple tree in a failed effort to produce maple syrup.

City holds 2.6-block marathon for underachievers.

Leaning Tower of Pizza promises delivery within a week or the pizza is free.

Did you know?

Chickens refer to death as "crossing the road."

Cough syrup comes from sick maple trees.

Age isn't just a number. It's a word, too.

How to survive a blizzard

1. Buy four days worth of food.

2. Fill your car with gas.

3. Put the food in the car and drive to Arizona.

Ask Al

"Why do snakes shed their skins?" So their younger siblings can wear the hand-me-downs.

"What did you want to be when you got out of high school?" Under 30 years of age.

"Why is your lawn covered with welcome mats?" So the boxelder bugs can wipe their feet before coming into the house.

The funny papers

When I was a small boy, I walked to the mailbox early in the morning to get the Sunday paper, which was gigantic in those days. I carried it into the barn where my father was milking cows. Dad read the comics section to me. I marveled at the exploits of Pogo, Peanuts, Little Iodine, Beetle Bailey, Dennis the Menace, Dick Tracy, Li’l Abner, Bringing up Father (Maggie and Jiggs), Dondi, Steve Canyon, Gasoline Alley, and the others. Comics are so important that Ronald Reagan read them before he read the news. I've written for cartoonists for umpteen years and I think that’s because of my father's sharing. I love the comics.

Ringing the bells

I ring the bells for the Salvation Army each year. I cannot bring about world peace, but I can provide tintinnabulation. Volunteering is the method I use to give myself away. My wife and I womaned and manned the kettle for eight hours — from noon until eight. It was two bells for eight bells. We rang until the cat had pigs. As I watched a parade of Carhartt, Cabela’s, and Columbia coats go by, I was impressed by the kindness and generosity of people. I noticed that some folks take to shopping as if it were the nine circles of hell. Why does one person growl at a day that tickles others? Each day is a mirror. Everyone who looks into it sees a different face, but the mirror never changes. 

Memories of shopping with father

"Dad, can I have ..."

"No!"

Customer comments

I asked Gene Johnson of Albert Lea if he ate lutefisk. Gene shook his head and said, "No, I’m smarter than I look."

Rod Searle of Waseca upgraded to a cellphone with a camera. Rod told me that he hopes he doesn’t run out of film.

Cheryl McRoberts of Haines, Alaska was married for 21 years when her husband went looking for greener pastures. He still hasn’t found them. Cheryl has found greener pastures in her second husband, Bill.

Ruth Searle of Waseca puts butter, brown sugar, and cream on her oatmeal. My wife, Gail, assured Ruth, "That’s good. If the oatmeal is going to clean you out, it needs something to clean out."

Karen Daniels of Williamsport, Pennsylvania told me, "I have an answer for everyone’s problems except my own."

Nature notes

"Do birds get rabies?" No. Birds, fish, insects, lizards, snakes, and turtles don’t get rabies.

"What are the birds that fly up in front of my car on blustery winter days?" They are horned larks, Lapland longspurs, or snow buntings. The snow bunting is the easiest to recognize due to large amounts of white flashed in flight. They nest in the far north. The Lapland longspur is an arctic nester that resembles a large, dark sparrow. The female is streaked and the male has a chestnut-colored patch on the back of its head. Their darker overall color and smaller size distinguishes them within a mixed flock. Some horned larks nest here, others in the arctic. Horned larks have tawny backs, light undersides, black tails, black bibs and cheek patches, yellow throats, and tiny "horns" (feather tufts) on their heads.

Meeting adjourned

Dale Heilman of Albert Lea said, "It’s nice to be nice to the nice." Be kind.

F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely On God) of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church in rural Albert Lea sponsored a bus trip Saturday, Dec. 1 to “Christmas by the Lake” in Clear Lake, Iowa. 52 people were on the bus.

Fifteen drawings for Deal-or-No-Deal prizes were held on the bus prior to arriving in Clear Lake. Winners were Bruce Stolaas, Alice Feurhelm, Bob Hanson, Nancy Harris, James Olson, Yun Young, son Justin and daughter Jiyun, George Kastelli, Anita Wood, Betty Patterson, Harry Larkin, Dorothy Larkin, Dorothy Kirsch and Eunice Hanson. Becky Boelter said “Deal!” on getting her lost earring back.

A Christmas stocking (litter bag) was given to each person on the bus including the Great Bus Driver, Marilyn Matson. An ice scraper from the Clear Lake Chamber, plus food coupons from Dairy Queen (thanks to Pat in Waseca and Genesis in Albert Lea), Arby’s (thanks to Debbie and Mrs. Bob Hanson in Albert Lea), and KFC in Albert Lea (thanks to Guyla in Albert Lea) were in the stocking litter bag.

There were many activities on Main Street which were followed by a lighted Christmas parade at 5 p.m., and then excellent fireworks from the lakeshore. (The parade and fireworks could be viewed from the bus.)

As we left, the GPS on the bus followed a great food aroma that took us to KFC in Clear Lake for a buffet supper. Kelli, Tammi and staff treated us like hungry people arriving and stuffed people leaving. Kelli even sent leftover buffet food containers to be raffled off on the bus.

As we left, Judy Menssen led us in singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to the KFC staff.

The evening concluded with many nasal sounds on the way back to Albert Lea by 9 p.m.

The next planned F.R.O.G. activity is a Valentine’s Day party with pizza, pop, and ice cream bar, with some Norwegian Bingo on Saturday evening, Feb. 9 at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church.

The Christmas by the Lake bus trip in 2013 is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7.

At 4 p.m. Nov. 9, 2012, four miles east of Lerdal, Minn., banker Laura Worke of Albert Lea proved that persistence is worth the wait. For 14 years. at the end of the deer hunting season, Laura would say, “One more year closer to getting a buck.”

After shooting an eight-point buck, Laura was shaking so much that her dear hubby had to field dress the deer.

In response to your question: Yes, Virginia, there is a banker in Albert Lea, Minn. who faithfully reads this column.

In closing: “A Merry Christmas to All and a Good Christmas Season. Remember, Jesus is the Reason For the Season.”

———

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.

The scurs were on the right track, predicting Thursday’s rain and the weekend snow perfectly without all the drama from the Twin Cities blow combs. How will this week stack up? Starting Wednesday and Thursday, partly cloudy with highs of 35 and lows of 20 – 25. Partly cloudy becoming mostly cloudy by afternoon with a moderate chance of snow. Highs 30 – 35 and lows 20 – 25. Mostly cloudy Saturday with a moderate chance of snow possibly mixed with sleet. Highs near 30 and lows around 15. Continued mostly cloudy with a chance of light snow on Sunday. Highs 25 – 30 and lows around 20. Partly cloudy Monday through Tuesday with a slight chance of snow on Tuesday. Highs around 30 and lows near 15. The normal high for December 15th is 26 and the normal low is 9. On the 15th we will see 8 hours and 55 minutes of daylight and on the bright side, will only loss about one more minute before the days start getting longer once again. The scurs are waiting for that last minute to tick off the daylight clock before they consider thinking about and Christmas shopping. We just barely got over Thanksgiving. Patience, grasshopper.

The weather has begun to behave more like winter is setting in. The snowfall was typical of an early season system with lots of moisture per inch of snow. We were also the lucky recipients of more moisture that in all likelihood will soak into the ground as opposed to running off. How much snow did we get? Tough to tell with drizzle falling on the tail end of the snow Sunday but all told about 3” at the ranch. More importantly, it was .27” of moisture when the snow was melted down. While that doesn’t mean the drought is over, it’s more moisture than we had and means we’ve had almost as much precip in December so far as we had the entire month of November.

The snow made travelling treacherous locally as anyone who ventured out Friday night and went north and west discovered. We headed to a Christmas party west of LeCenter and were wondering how slippery it really was as we were following a pack of cars. Suddenly one of the cars ahead of us drifted out of control into the oncoming lane of traffic and luckily managed to pull out of it before anything serious happened. Case closed. Better to get there a few minutes late than a few hours late or not at all. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, the snowplows had dumped enough salt on some areas of the road to rot out cars for several years to come. Some places they had not and oddly enough, we still managed to get where we wanted to go by slowing down and taking a little extra time.

Snow is made for kids and Border Collies. One could sense the electricity in the air after church as the kids were fidgety and obviously couldn’t wait to get outside to play in it. Little did they know that more was on the way, potentially causing visions of school closings to dance in their heads. Ruby enjoyed that snow as much as any kid. Later that morning as I was grilling, I heard the sound of jaws snapping and heavy dog panting. I laughed and shook my head as I saw Ruby happily jumping and grabbing at the feather-pillow snowflakes as they fell. Might as well do like Ruby and enjoy it I guess. We’ve likely got a few more months of entertainment.

Tube Steak the ram returned from the friend near Chatfield who leases one every fall. They always come back in better condition than when they left and this time was no exception. In recent years, payment for the use of the ram has come in the form of knitted woolen wear from Gary’s own sheep. This year the item was a stocking hat made from natural-colored virgin lamb’s wool. Very soft to the touch as compared to the wool from the adult ewes and a pretty dark brown to boot. Without a doubt it will be warm although I’ll probably never know. Mrs. Cheviot claimed it for herself. Tube Steak seemed happy to be home and to celebrate, he and Sausage spent the entire day jousting in the pen, churning the bedding up so it looked more like a pigpen than a sheep’s living quarters. Boys will be boys.

We battened down the hatches on Saturday when it appeared we were in for inclement weather, closing the large east doorway on the lambing barn. It was buttoned up well with the use of the cordless drill, some plywood and other assorted scrap lumber. The corn shock was also removed from the yard and deposited in the pasture. Our flock of Cheviot ewes wasted no time attacking the bundles that were still nice and green inside. Toss in a few squash that needed to go over the fence and they were occupied much of the afternoon. They are comical to watch, first descending like vultures, digging and pawing their way through the corn stover, then going back to the barnyard to nap for a while, only to repeat the process in another half hour. Eating and napping is not a bad gig if you can get it.

I knew it was too good to last: gardening season 2013 has officially started. The first barrage of the main seed catalogs we like to peruse over the long winter months arrived and word from Souba’s greenhouse was that there were 7000 geranium and Proven Winner cuttings arriving in the next week. Making matters worse was the fact I hadn’t managed to freeze any squash yet and there are still too many carrots and winter radishes in the refrigerators. That’s still better than the news Mrs. Cheviot suddenly got telling her they’d discovered there was a “one” in front of the 7000 cuttings to transplant. At least there are not 17,000 squash in the garage to process. Once I get started, it’ll only seem like it.

See you next week…real good then.

Yes, it’s true. For three years, I was a full-fledged Gleek. 

Every week, Michelle and I would sit down and make time to watch the hit TV show Glee. We watched it from the very beginning through last season.

Why did we watch this show religiously? It certainly was not for the stellar storytelling. 

Generally, the storylines were atrocious and unbelievable. Glee was set in a school that you wouldn’t want your children anywhere near. From a clueless principal to the cheerleading coach who actually ran the school, it was set up to be part humor, part tragedy.

So why watch this piece of garbage? Simple: the music. The covers these singers performed were amazing.

I love music. It affects people in so many ways. 

When I write, I must have music playing; it helps my mind operate more smoothly. My iTunes has gone from Aerosmith to Firehouse to AC/DC while I am typing this so far.

The music on Glee generally wasn’t original, and nothing beats some of the original versions of songs by Journey, Foreigner, and Queen. Still, some things in life need updating. 

I still like listening to the first versions of the songs performed on Glee, but the choral aspect the show gave those songs added something new and fresh to the music.

Studies show that music can help students retain knowledge. If you study while listening to a particular band or song, that music will link the information in your brain. If you can get that song going in your head again during a test, you are much more likely to remember that information.

I don’t have a lot of problems with letting students listen to music while they are working in class. If it helps them focus, all the better, as long as they have their earbuds in and their neighbors can’t hear it. This also keeps students from finding the urge to whisper with their neighbors and provides the silence that others require to exert their best effort.

That’s right – to some people, dead silence is like music. Some students get distracted by music, and others can only listen to a particular style of music in order to operate efficiently. 

I’ve known people who can only listen to music without words when trying to complete a particular task. I used to listen to AC/DC while doing math, and Queen is inspirational when I’m writing.

I’ve mentioned NaNoWriMo before. (By the way, I did reach my 50,000 word count goal for November!) When I had 10th-graders who partook in that activity for class, 90% of them would listen to music every day, and the stories they came up with were amazing. Many of them told me that the music helped them get the job done.

Music programs get cut across the country. If this keeps happening, who will create the inspirational music for future generations? 

Learning to appreciate different styles of music and perhaps make some music of your own are vital skills that cross many gaps. Look at our local music programs: NRHEG has a great band program and also has singers who perform at an amazing level. I’m not a big fan of musicals, but I’ll be in the audience when they put on Bye Bye Birdie later this year.

Michelle and I may not watch Glee anymore, but I still listen to the music. We just couldn’t stand the horrible stories any longer, but the show continues to produce beautiful versions of songs we know and love.

Word of the Week: This week’s word is obscurantism, which means opposition to the spread of knowledge, as in, “The parents’ obscurantism led to them never allowing their children to watch the news or read a newspaper.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

Ardes L. Siemers, age 95, of Faribault, died Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at the Keystone Communities of Faribault. 

Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 10, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour in Faribault, with the Very Rev. James Zotalis, Rev. Henry Doyle, Deacon Bonnie Holt and the Rev. David Berggren, officiating.  Interment will be held at the Groveland Cemetery in Dundas. 

Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to services on Monday. 

Arrangements were completed by the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault.  

For online condolences and further information, please visit www.ParkerKohlFuneralHome.com