Here’s a question for regular readers. Do you remember when you graduated? Did all the things happen as you thought or hoped they would? 

Lately, I’ve reflected on my own aspirations and goals from the time I graduated, and how they may be different from today’s graduate.

It is graduation. What a beautiful, exciting day. One wonders if these young people are putting away their adolescence to become young adults and if they realize what a change this will make in their lives.

Oh, I am not saying they will or need to forego some of the simple pleasures of childhood, or the fun and joy of being with others their own age, but in graduating from high school, they have turned that corner where everyone expects them to become more.

More responsibility falls upon their shoulders. They are expected to do more, perhaps to make more money, to change our troubled world into something more. We expect them to be better, more intelligent, more capable of tasks, more capable of leading the world. The knowledge they possess will be multiplied and filed away for future use.

From this point on, there are decisions they must make, decisions only they can make, decisions that may affect the rest of their lives. Should they continue their education in college? Trade school? Get a job? Join the military? Where will they live? Where will the money come from? They may be unsure of what direction they should take, but the decision is suddenly theirs to make.

In a sense, the real education they will now receive is how to become an adult, to join their parents, grandparents and other citizens in making the world work. It is a whole new ball game. The pitcher, catcher and fielders aren't the same.

They may not know what to expect or what is expected of them, but they are now “in the game.” They'll lose some friends along the way as each go in different directions. Their circle of friends will change as well as their outlook on life. They may even look at things in an entirely different way.

My mother has always said that from the day you start school, you will go to school or work for the rest of your life, and education never ends (nor should it). Time alone will dictate if they need to learn new things or how to do things differently. 

There are those who know what they want to do and step easily on the road leading in that direction. For others there will be choices, detours and questions that will guide their lifestyle.

Each class of graduates is forced to confront issues that probably never crossed their minds before. They are now forced to developing an understanding of how the world turns, not the tightly controlled and protected world of high school. They must continue to learn respect and tolerance of many cultures and lifestyles that may not coincide with their own, and which ones they should tolerate or accept, and which ones require the strength to secure their own rights. 

They must develop a sense of self, who they are today, what they want to be, and what they are willing to do to achieve their goals. Pastor Jim Arends told the class of 1988 that when people said they would pray for them, they had better take those prayers because they were going to need them, a statement that is still true today.

High school graduates are lucky indeed if they are mature enough to know what they want to accomplish and have a plan to do so. They should also recognize that the best-laid plans are subject to change. 

About half of college students end up changing their major areas of study. Several years after graduation, many will not be working in the areas they studied in school. Unlike their parents and grandparents, today’s high school grads will likely change vocations several times in their careers.

This may sound daunting, but it is the new reality. My wish would be for the graduate to learn to take one step at a time, to keep an open mind, to enjoy life and be thankful for whatever life offers. Never give up on real friendships. Be yourself. Do your best. Love your neighbor. Love the world. Listen to sound advice. Don't be too proud to accept help, but also help others if needed. Care for your health. Eat good food. Exercise, and anyone with intelligence knows the effects of drugs, alcohol and smoking. Know there is a Supreme Being who will help you direct your life. 

This advice is not new. It’s been out there for a couple of thousand years and stood the test of time.

Recognize you will be spending more time at your job than with your family. If you have a job that you enjoy, that is a winner. If you have a job you don't like, work at it until you find one you do like. Be true to your friends. Trust your ability. Be proud of your achievements. Live a good life, you only get one, make the most of it. You've worked this hard, so don't waste it on frivolous pastimes. Ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?”

Graduates, whatever the future may lead, may you always have the wisdom and strength to follow your dreams, the courage and ambition to meet new challenges, and may you know the happiness and pride that come with success!

Follow your dreams, high school graduate! Never feel that success may be too hard a climb. The very highest peaks are reached one step at a time!

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, mailto: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, May 24th: David Christensen, Merlyn Swearingen, Marlyn Swearingen, Nina Widlund, Reta Draayer.

• Friday, May 25th: Dakota Matthew Kath, his 7th: Riley Dean Disher, his 5th; Jack Harpel, Jackie Johnson Miller, Jim Pichner, Cara Christensen, Valerie Peterson, Richard Fetterly, Bill Nechanicky, Rick Miller, Deb Parks, Paul Reese, Troy & Kelly Utpadel, Dave & Barbara Van Gorkom.

• Saturday, May 26th: Jeff Wayne, Roger Wangsness, Natalie Hanson, Jim Cummins, Jennifer Beaber, Jeremy Beaber, Melissa Redmon, Karey (Kalakian) & Chris Shearman.

• Sunday, May 27th: Eileen Bergland, Lisa Hanson, Steve Jepson, Shane Callahan, Stacy Wobschall, Rev. Beaber, Theresa Kasper, Rick Loven, Carolee Broitzman George, Tracy Marcus, Lisa Hanson, Steve Jepson, Michael Butler, Steve & Karen Quam, Megan & Joel Cooper.

• Monday, May 28th: Sara Beth Carlson, her 2nd; Lily Lee Olson, her 2nd; Madalyn Kehne, Madison Catherine Knudson, Susan Schmidt, Marie Fowler, Rick & Jenny Loberg, Gerritt & Kathy Molenaar.

• Tuesday, May 29th: Brent Peterson, Deb Farr, Odean Otterson, Gene Pederson, Mark Butler, Ross Lein, Colin Quimby, Rod & Sandi Serdahl, John & Susan Oolman, Lily & Jerry Neitzel.

• Wednesday, May 30th: Payton Allen Misgen, Daniel Larson, Molly Hanson, Chuck Crabtree, Shirley Nelson, Julie & Toby Oquist.

May your special day blossom with many reasons to smile!

This past week, I was able to spend a few days up at the cabin. My friend Mark went along with me and our plan was to get in some early season fishing. 

Earlier this spring, he had helped me do some work on the inside of the cabin, but the weather was so bad that we had no chance to fish. I felt bad about him not getting to fish so I had hoped to make this our priority.

I hadn’t brought my big boat up to the cabin yet so we would have to fish out of my little 12-ft. Lund with a 5.5 hp Evinrude. The next day upon arrival at the cabin, we set out for an area lake in search of some walleye and northern. I have fished that lake many times so I knew its structure fairly well. 

I started out by trolling the shoreline watching the weed edges on this clear lake, as I had no depth finder. I soon got the same feeling that I used to get years ago when I fished Spider Lake without a locator. This awesome feeling  reminded me that I always seemed to catch my share of fish. 

Fishing ”old school” was like going back to my youth fishing with my Uncle Ben. Trolling the shoreline in that little boat was indeed like those days when Uncle Ben would tell me about fishing. Those little fishing tips, I have used my whole life and they still hold true today.

On this particular day, I had decided to try what had worked for me in past years on this lake; a black jig head with a black and yellow Swirltail twister tipped with a fathead minnow. I trolled the weed line which was comprised of last year’s pencil reeds and underwater weeds that were just starting to grow. 

In about four hours, I boated three northern and about ten bass, which had to be released immediately because the season wasn’t to open for another week. I caught one bass that measured 21-inches and was a real “hawg” in bass fishing language and, of course, I had forgotten the camera.

But, I had a witness so the fish can’t grow any larger when I retell the story. I actually landed this fish while using my ultralight in search of crappies. That was really a blast. 

Mark landed a bass and northern with numerous sunnies and some small crappies. We were doing only catch and release unless we found some nice crappie or a walleye or two. The larger crappies were pretty hard to find in some of the lakes we fished this week, but when we fished our little lake, there was plenty of action to be had from both sunnies and crappies. 

Although there were a lot of fish to be caught, for the most part the size was small. I believe the fishing is ahead of schedule in our little lake, probably because it is a shallow lake and they tend to warm up faster than the deeper lakes.

The next day, we headed to another favorite of mine, a little lake called Maple, and we fished it the same way, just trolling the shoreline. This time, Mark boated six northern and one walleye while I caught and released 19 northern, all in a three hour span. 

I couldn’t keep the northerns off my black and yellow twister again and although they weren’t monster pike, it sure was a fun afternoon. It was also fun just remembering the many hours I would spend fishing Spider or Big Sand Lakes with no fish locator, just trolling the shoreline or fishing the weed edges. 

Whenever I would catch a walleye I marked the spot by finding a particular spot along the shoreline. I would then line it up with another to try and pinpoint the “hot spot.” 

I can remember fishing with my wife Jean and the two boys on Big Sand. I would just line up with the point on the north end of the lake and a brown cabin farther down the shoreline. Then I’d coordinate this with a spot on shore like a fallen tree. I’d guess you could say that was my version of a GPS.

Yes, in those days catching fish was always a challenge but that was just part of the fun. It was always a good feeling when I’d put the kids and their mom on fish and come back to the camper with a nice stringer. I guess it took fishing from that little boat to remind me how much fun fishing can be when you are using just the basics that I had learned over the years. 

I really feel that simple is better when it comes to most types of fishing. And, I look forward to  fish alone or with one person in that little boat. My son Brian and I have actually fished from that boat in late fall for the last couple of years. We have created fun memories that I will always cherish.

Until next time, take a little time to relax and enjoy a little fishing; it’s a great way to experience the outdoors. Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club meeting

"I finally got my credit card balance down."

"You paid it off?"

"No, but I got it down to where I can afford to make the minimum payment."

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: some things bother me for no reason other than they bother me.

I’ve learned

1. That even if I do nothing, something will happen.

2. If a name can be mispronounced, it will be.

3. To err is human. To blame it on somebody else is political.

Those thrilling days of yesteryear

I had a scraped knee.

When I was a small boy, I always had a scraped knee. That was the way I rolled. The only way I could have scraped more knees would have been to have three knees.

When I had a scraped knee, my mother fetched a small brown bottle with a glass dropper. It was Merthiolate. This tincture was battery acid on fire. It colored the skin an odd reddish-brown color that youngsters wore as a badge of honor for surviving a cleansing by Merthiolate. It was up for debate as to whether the stuff was a remedy or a punishment.

Mother applied the nasty solution to my damaged flesh while saying, "This will help."

She said it so calmly that I almost forgot my injury. Almost.

An instant of silence was followed by my bloodcurdling screams.

My mother added, "That means it’s working."

Tale of the telemarketer

I don’t respond to telephone solicitation from strangers, but telemarketers refuse to give up on me. A cheerful professional fundraiser called me the recently. I thanked him for calling. There was no reason to be impolite. Before he could get into his pitch of asking for money, I asked him for a donation for a building recently erected at our county fairgrounds. I’d barely begun to extol the virtues of the new building when the man hung up on me. Go figure.

Vin Scully and the low fuel light

I listened to the Los Angeles Dodgers play baseball. I’m not a fan of the Dodgers. I’m a fan of the team’s play-by-play announcer, Vin Scully. He says things like, "Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is listed as day-to-day. Aren't we all?" Scully provides a simplistic description of the game accompanied by delightful stories. Scully has been a broadcaster for 63 years. He could read a menu and make it riveting. I listened to Scully until the low fuel indicator light came on in my car and I stopped for gas.

My wife accuses me of not filling the gas tank of my car until the low fuel warning light is glowing like the setting sun. She accuses me of that only because it's true. I have reason for my actions. I picture a man in the auto plant whose entire job it is to make sure that each low fuel light works as it should. I respect that man's work. I want him to keep his job. I care.

Pyramids

I’ve been to Israel. That’s the closest I’ve come to visiting Egypt. I would love to see a pyramid. The nearest I’ve come to seeing a pyramid was while I lived next door to a family of Great Danes. Half of them were named Marmaduke and the other half Scooby-Doo. They were free-range dogs and of a size ample enough that my young son called them deer. The big canines used my lawn as a restroom. They didn’t do much resting, preferring to spend their time fertilizing the grass, dandelions, clover, and plantain. I understood the dogs’ actions. Everyone has to go. Their leavings were large — the closest things to a pyramid I’ve ever seen. The dogs were gifted.

Nature notes

A dust devil is a whirlwind of air into which dust and debris are caught up, making it visible. Most dust devils are 10 to 50 feet in diameter and usually don’t extend more than 100 feet into the air. They are generally seen during relatively dry conditions, when sunlight provides strong heating of the surface and winds are light. Dust devils form when hot air near the surface rises quickly through a small pocket of cooler, low-pressure air above it. If conditions are right, the air rotates.

Eastern screech owls eat large insects like moths, grasshoppers, and small rodents like mice. They eat songbirds, including starlings, but the starling regularly displaces the owl from nesting sites.

Pelican Breeze

Please cruise Albert Lea Lake with me on June 2, July 7, or August 25. Call 377-4370.

Meeting adjourned

A kind word is natural and chemical-free.

Many thanks again to the Ellendale-Geneva Sportsmen’s Club for furnishing the dock at the landing at Beaver Lake. The original one was installed in 1994. Once again, thanks.

It is now official. In the Governor’s Opening (for walleye fishing in the Great State of Minnesota) Governor Dayton and I tied for the number of walleyes caught. He didn’t catch any!

Attention, if you’re going fishing: Noodling in Minnesota is illegal. The sunnies and crappies at Beaver Lake are hard to keep off your hook when fishing. No problem if you’re not fishing!

It’s sad to say, but my vote doesn’t count as much as it used to. I used to go to both of my deceased grandfathers’ places of voting, identify myself as my grandfather, and they would check it out in their book that I voted. Now, I have to furnish proper identification, thus my previous three votes are only one.

My former employer (AAL) merged with Lutheran Brotherhood to form Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent was named as one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” for 2012. I wonder if my retiring helped them get that award.

So, I can only answer the land line phone when I’m at home. I can’t send or received pictures on my land line. It has to be plugged in to work. These are just some of the reasons I was going to switch to a cell phone. I hung tough, but gave up and Genie and I now each have a cell phone and no land line.

Attention Mustang car owners: Sturgis, S.D. now has a Mustang car rally after the Harley Motorcycle Rally. The numbers are growing rapidly, with about 7,000 participating in 2011.

Genie and I attended the High School Graduation party for Tammi Hendrickson at a farm site just west of Hartland in 1986. Genie and I attended the High School Graduation party for Jacob Staloch at a farm site just west of Hartland in 2012. Same farm site both times! Both mom and son were beaming with joy in 2012 (Grandma Sharon beamed the most of all three). How many of you readers attended both parties?

When you’re on I-35 leaving Ellendale and headed for Owatonna, you will see a sign with the word “Hope” on it. If you don’t turn off, you are then “beyond Hope.” That is a good comparison of my feelings for the Twins. At the beginning of the baseball season I had “Hope.” Now the Twins are “beyond Hope.”

I have many good memories of the great little town of Hope. My Irish grandparents (McFarland) farmed just east of Hope on the Straight River, where I caught a lot of Northerns. Grandpa taught me how to enjoy a glass of tap beer with salt at the Hope Tavern  at age 14!

The following two paragraphs reveal the Best True Fishing Story so far this season at Beaver Lake. 

I stopped to talk to two fishermen on my early morning walk around Beaver Lake, just as they were putting their boat on the trailer. They told me fishing was very slow, and one guy said he left an unattended line out in the lake by a dock on the north side. 

I remarked that this was illegal. He laughed and said he wasn’t worried about any fine. They were in fact trolling and had laid his rod and reel on the back seat to pour a cup of coffee. The hook snagged something and the rod and reel fell in the lake. Thus, to his way of looking at it, an unattended line in the bottom of Beaver Lake!

— — —

Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 37th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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 couldn’t miss last week as it rained just at the mere mention of precipitation. Will our rainy stretch continue? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny becoming partly cloudy with a fair chance of some evening showers. Highs near 60 and lows around 50. Mostly cloudy on Thursday with a continued chance of showers. Highs again around 60 and lows dropping to 45. Friday, partly cloudy and starting a warming trend with a slight chance of showers. Highs of 65 and lows of 50. Saturday, partly cloudy with a slight chance of a shower. Highs of 70 and lows of 55. Partly cloudy and much warmer on Sunday and Monday with a continued slight chance of a shower. Highs 80 – 85 and lows around 65. Tuesday should be mostly sunny with a high of 85 and lows near 55. The normal high for June 1st is 75 and the normal low is 54. The scurs will be checking to see who monkeyed with the thermostat and that the calendar says that it really is May and not March.

There are many astronomical events coming at us this week. First, the Full Moon for the month falls on the 4th, being known as the Full Strawberry Moon. Both the Sioux and Ojibwe were in agreement on this one and it’s no wonder. The wild strawberries, while small, are tasty morsels for young and old to enjoy and savor. We will have another partial eclipse of the moon on the 4th as well. The only problem is the moon will be setting as it is going on, similar to the last one. The eclipse will start about 3:46 a.m. and the moon will set at 5:40 a.m.  The most exciting and unusual event involves the transit of Venus across the face of the sun on June 5th. Just as we mentioned before, it is never a good idea to look directly at the sun so it will probably be most safely viewed on TV. The transit will begin at 5:04 p.m. and will be halfway across the sun by 8:26 p.m. just before sunset. The thing that makes this event so unique is the fact it will not happen again until 2117. If you miss it, better mark your calendars. For more information go to: www.astro.umn.edu/venustransit.

More rainfall in the last week at the ranch and all over the greater Bugtussle area. We tallied 3.08” at the ranch and other places were showing similar amounts. Prior to the rains were strong winds gusting to over 40 mph that were responsible for windblown soil capable of causing crop damage. The jury is still out on a few of these fields although most are recovering. Even though the rains were spread over the course of five days, the common denominator with most of the rainfall has been the intensity with which it has fallen. It has caused more gully erosion and will make these fields rough to traverse once they become dry enough. Something that has been surprising however is the slow pace of the wetlands to become fully recharged. The wetland here at the ranch still is not at full capacity despite the nearly 6 inches of precipitation that has fallen in May.

Around the ranch it’s been interesting to watch the new babies of all sorts as they make their appearance. There are four young fox squirrels content to clean up under the birdfeeders. They of course drive Ruby crazy as they play on her turf and she goes after them with a vengeance, exploding through the door once it’s opened a crack. The kestrels in the wetland continue to develop rapidly. After being little fuzz balls a week ago, they’ve already grown the brown feathers typical of young kestrels on their backs. As fast as they’re growing, one can see Ma and Pa Kestrel nearby most of the time. They almost have to be in order to keep that tribe fed. 

At the kindly neighbor’s, I’ve been greeted by a killdeer feigning injury every night when stopping on my way home to check the ewes there. Couldn’t figure out where the babies might be that she was trying to protect until I almost stepped in the nest. Tucked in the large crushed rock, the coloration of the eggs made it almost undetectable. I marked it with a small piece of orange plastic so we didn’t step in it. Later in the weekend I was trimming under the fences at the kindly neighbor’s and checking on bluebird nesting boxes as I went along. The nesting box that has hosted bluebirds for many years was occupied by a house sparrow nest, which I quickly dispatched. Two other nesting boxes contained tree swallows, which are always welcome, especially when the biting flies and mosquitoes are out. The last house I came to had been unoccupied last year so I was pleasantly surprised to peer inside and see a female bluebird on the nest staring up at me. I thought about photographing her but slowly closed the lid and latched it instead. They had come back again just as they always had and I didn’t want to do anything that might make them change their minds. 

The garden, lawn and weeds also continue to grow, well, like weeds! On Memorial Day it had been a while since the last mowing due to dry conditions so the bromegrass (June grass for you old-timers) was heading out making the lawn look more like a poor excuse for a hayfield. There needs to be some serious time spent soon in the carrot and beet patch as the weeds are threatening to take over. The beets in particular are a little thin so they need all the help they can get. Six flats of vine crop transplants were planted Sunday in the mud after the Saturday downpour. They were fortunate to be watered in with the overnight showers in the wee hours of Monday morning. Even after a windy Memorial Day, they looked none the worse for wear, showing no signs of moisture stress. As wet as the soil is and with cooler temps forecast in the near term, they should be in good shape. Now all that’s left to plant are some sweet corn, cukes, tomatoes and string beans. Oh and one hill of zucchini. Should be several years’ supply right there.

See you next week…real good then.

Ellendale City Council

By SCOTT GROTH

Contributing Writer

The Ellendale City Council met Thursday May 10, with Mayor Engel and all council members present. Also attending the meeting and on the agenda were Bunny Johnson, Al Knudson, Donovan Eaker, Clerk Louks, Gwen Reiss, and Roger Swearingen, maintenance. 

The agenda was amended due to the absence of Wes Brown, Bolten & Menk, and passed as amended.

Johnson was recognized first by the council. She was concerned about the water line connection next to her home. Johnson would like to finish her landscaping this year and does not want to have something dug up because of a water leak. Steve Louks said that he felt the line would be done this summer. Johnson was O.K. with that answer.

The council reviewed a citation from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry-OSHA. The citation was given to workers for an excavation project not protected from a cave-in situation. The situation was made right while the officers were present. The city was cited a fine of $1050. The city was offered a lesser fine if it did not contest the penalty. Motion was made to pay the reduced fine of $735 and not contest the issue. It passed. The council talked about setting up some OSHA safety programs.

Geneva City Council

By RACHEL RIETSEMA

Staff Writer

On May 8, Mayor Steve Bailey called Geneva's monthly city council meeting to order promptly at 7 p.m.

Next, Andy Bernau, a representative from Hill, Larson, Walth and Benda, P.A., walked the council through Geneva’s audit report step by step. Bernau noted the city doesn’t have any collateral for their investments in cash and CDs, beyond the $250,000 mark. He advised them to look into the matter.

Next, the council was made aware of a new state statute involving contracts budgeted over the $25,000 mark. In the future, he encouraged all members to consider the state-purchasing venture. Or in other words, they must always obtain a project bid from the state before contacting local businesses.

Track teams 2nd, 6th in conference

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

It was a record-setting day for the NRHEG track and field teams in the 2012 Gopher Conference Meet at Blooming Prairie Tuesday, May 15.

Carlie Wagner and T.J. Schiltz — both sophomores — broke their own school records while winning two events apiece.

Wagner cleared 5 feet, 6 inches in the high jump, good for not only a school but a conference record as well. She also won the 200 meters in 26.59 seconds.

Schiltz continued to excel in the distance events, winning the 1600 in 4:37.08 to break his school record set a week earlier. He won the 3200 with a time of 10:13.65.

The NRHEG girls finished second with 120.5 points. USC/AC won with 196. Others: WEM 97, Loyola/Cleveland 89, Medford 76, JWP 52, Bethlehem Academy 28.5, Blooming Prairie 28.5.