By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

December 21 marked the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year around here.

It was definitely dark for the NRHEG girls’ basketball team.

The Panthers, playing without Gretchen Ramaker, who’s out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, traveled to St. Peter for a nonconference contest and lost for the first time in six games, 49-39.

“Defensively, we played well,” said Panthers coach Onika Peterson. “We kept them from driving and really plugged up the lane. They hit big outside shots and we didn’t.”

In 2008 the Lessard-SAMS bill was voted on and passed by the citizens of our great state. The Outdoor Heritage Fund was part of that Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. Over the years a few groups with special interests have, in some way, tried to divert funding from the outdoor legacy part of the amendment to different areas that are already covered in the amendment. I had a chance to sit down and talk to Bob Lessard, who the bill was named after, and Gary Leaf of Sportsmen for Change, who was instrumental in getting the amendment passed. At that time they were concerned about a legislator from the Twin Cities who was trying to change the interpretation of the bill in order to channel some of the Outdoor Heritage Fund money into the parks fund to improve a Minneapolis area park. Leaf said that this will be an ongoing thing that we need to watch closely so that it doesn’t end up like the Minnesota State Lottery. The lottery profits were originally supposed to go towards natural resources and the environment but in the end over half of the money goes into the general fund. This obviously didn’t work the way that it was intended to, but thanks to folks like Gary Leaf and Kevin Auslund of Sportsmen Take Action, Minnesota sportsmen are being made aware of any attempt to divert the Outdoor Heritage Fund.

The Minnesota DNR’s designation of new WMA land is proof the Outdoor Heritage Fund is being put to good use.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently designated an additional 2,067 acres of newly acquired land as part of 22 existing and new WMAs spread across 19 counties. In total, there are about 1,500 WMAs located in 86 of the 87 counties in Minnesota.

“These WMA lands provide important habitat for game and nongame wildlife species,” said Ed Boggess, DNR Fish and Wildlife Division director. “Enhancing our system of public land strengthens habitat, as well as our Minnesota outdoors tradition by making sure everyone has access regardless of a person’s connections or how much property they own.”

Conservation groups including Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and The Nature Conservancy, and individuals, who partner with the DNR, played a major role in helping to acquire and protect these new WMA lands.

“We are thankful for the work of these groups and individuals for helping current and future generations continue to enjoy these lands,” Boggess said.

Priority has been placed on enhancing contiguous parcels of WMA land to provide important, high-quality habitat. As public land, it can be managed for the long term and allow fish and wildlife populations to cope with changing environmental conditions.

Funding

Of the 2,067 new acres of WMA land, 1,297 acres were paid for with funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council and approved by the state Legislature. The Outdoor Heritage Fund is one of several created by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment to the constitution in 2008.

In addition to Legacy funds, other major funding sources were the $6.50 surcharge on each small game hunting license sold, and the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Critical Habitat Matching Program that equally matches private donations of cash or lands. The RIM matching dollars came from the sale of the critical habitat license plates. The $30 per year charge for each of these colorful plates generates over $3 million a year that can be used to equally match private donations.

The RIM matching dollars are used to acquire or develop critical habitat in the state. To see plate designs and information on ordering them, visit the license plates page. Those looking to find existing public hunting, fishing and trail access can use the DNR Recreation Compass feature online or can purchase DNR Public Recreation Information Maps available from the DNR gift shop, Minnesota’s Bookstore or several sporting goods and map stores around the state.

The maps may also be purchased online. These newly dedicated WMA lands will be posted and developed over the spring and summer months next year and will be fully ready for the 2016 hunting season. The newly designated WMA lands will be added to the Recreation Compass and the PRIM maps in the future.

For more information about WMAs, visit the wildlife management area page.

A few folks are trying open water fishing and having good results but some others not so much. I do believe that pretty much can be said about the sport of fishing under any circumstance. Thanks to my grandson Trevor I was able to enjoy a meal of fresh walleye this past week. I have also heard of a few folks who have been getting quite creative in their fishing like drilling holes in the thin ice while sitting on a fishing pier or venturing out a few feet from shore on paper thin ice in search of fish.

Until next time, be careful when you do decide the ice is thick enough to venture out because with the weather we have been experiencing ice safety will be nothing but unpredictable.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers, especially during the holidays. They are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

It is for the birds.

My nephew Kade wanted to have a dog in the house but was told no, as it was felt the dog would be hazardous for people who don’t see well and have difficulties getting around at times, so he had to settle for something else to keep him company.

His grandma had birds at one time and his great grandma did too. Granted, they were canaries, finches or parakeets as there weren’t too many exotic birds around back then.

Kade acquired two love birds, which originated from the Phoenix, Arizona area, which coincidently is where Kade’s mother now lives. One came from a lady who didn’t want to part with it but needed to. The second bird was a gift from his stepfather, Mike, who thought the bird needed a friend. Needless to say, he spent big bucks at a local pet store for the mate. They were soul mates from the start. The love birds now have four eggs in their cozy little home and Kade is anxiously awaiting to see if they bear “fruit.”

Kade also found a couple more birds that sing duets together. A gentlemen who discovered he was allergic to his birds offered them to Kade. Ricky, the cockatiel, is about 15 years old, has lost his sight, but remains quite active. Georgie, the colorful little Parentles, which is related to the love birds, had originally come all the way from Florida. The bird is like a clown at a circus, always ready to entertain.

Having these birds in the house brings back happy memories of Grandma’s birds who sang so sweetly. Be careful though. Petting these birds can bring on “pecking” with beaks as tough and sharp as a pliers.

That made for four new residents in the Schember household. Kade later learned that a lady from Faribault no long wanted her parakeet, so “Peep” has also joined the family. My dad would have said, “We need to build a grain elevator to feed all of these darn birds,” but he isn’t here. Kade does figure to stop at five – maybe!

Needless to say, they provide a variety of music from all the chirping. The birds also perform acrobatic stunts until it is time to put the cover over their cages at night.

Whoever said, “You dirty bird,” knew what he was talking about as these birds shed feathers and throw seeds from their cages which needs to be vacuumed up every night. Kade can’t resist “clucking” a little bird talk every time he passes by their cages.

Somewhere in my mother’s collection of unique items, Kade found a clock that used to “chirp” on the hour. A fresh new battery got the birds back singing happy songs again. The clock sings every hour on the hour so there are many birds singing in the house.

Supposedly the birds were going eliminate the desire for a dog, which they did, but Kade was recently called upon to find a dog for his friend Teresa. Kade learned there was a dog available in Iowa so he went on a four-hour trip to pick up Daisy Mae, a registered beagle. The dog’s new master, who had lost his previous dog to old age, fell in love with Daisy Mae and they became the best of friends. John of course had to buy his new “kid” some toys for Christmas, but Daisy Mae likes the gift of the loving arms of her master around her best.

Meanwhile, Grandma Carole says, “No alligator or pythons please.” Enough is enough!

— — —

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that 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.

Also, if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me.

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

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, December 31st: New Year’s Eve!  Bailey Joy Ihrke, Bree Olivia Ihrke, Larry Paulsen, Dean Pospesel, Lynne Flor, Brent Wiersma, Brent Worrell, Isabelle Wayne, Dorothy & Adrian Kilian, Greg & Cindy Oswald, Larry & Elaine Howell

• Friday, January 1st: Happy New Year!  Ross Aronson, Jerry Seath, Larry Schwartz, Amanda Beach, Lois & Duane Aitchison

• Saturday, January 2nd: Grace Jolie Wangen, Brian Bedney, Jay Crabtree, Mark Dobberstein, David Lageson, Brenda Wayne, Aaron Nelson, John & Lorraine Lent, Kelsey (Wayne) & Matt Duncomb

• Sunday, January 3rd: Jerret Utpadel, Andrea Avery, Stan Nelson

• Monday, January 4th: Sophie Elizabeth Stork, Kelsey Christensen, Delphine Pence, Jeff Cornelius, Dennis Hill, Monty Mrotz, Jeremy Nelson, Corey Johnson, John Butler

• Tuesday, January 5th: Olivia Pauline Christopherson, Devon Mark Born, Pat Simon King, Warren Kelly, Randy Paulson, Jay Neitzel, Amy Kasper, Nash Petranek, Melinda & Ray Talamantes

• Wednesday, January 6th: Mallory Anna Schlinger, Marianne Christensen, Kevin Jensen, Tammy Busho, Todd Nelson

• Thursday, January 7th: Rodney Peterson, Gary Ayers, Stacy Jensen Pirkl, Karina Thompson

• Friday, January 8th: (Elvis Presley) Cameron Schember, Mike Marcus, Terry Pelzl, Dan Reese, David Jensen, Ryan Benning, Jennifer Rechtzigel, Brandon Borchert, John & Melissa Marlin

• Saturday, January 9th: Melinda Hanson Talamanates, Lisa Dunn Wayne, Mark Lee, Adam Deml, Jay Wangsness, Steve Vanden Heuvel, Becky Wayne Clark, Larry Jensen, Allen Dobberstein, Allan Swearingen, Dan & Lavonne Nelson

With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, and grow richer in spirit. May the year ahead be filled with new discoveries!

Echoes From the Loafers' Club Meeting

Sarah is mad at me.

Why?

Because I mispronounced her name. I called her Sara.

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: Having a cold means that you no longer need worry about catching one. Anyone with a toothbrush has no excuse for having nothing to do.

Shopping for an appetite

I’d warned everyone to get out of the way of the flying pigs. I’d just finished my Christmas shopping. The store should have put up bleachers and charged admission. And the experts had said that it couldn’t be finished before the day before Christmas. "Ha!" I say to them, collectively and individually. I’d finished corralling gifts in a shopping cart with a wobbly wheel in a busy store where amidst the proclamations of bonhomie such as, "I haven’t seen you since the last time," a frazzled employee had grumbled, "Doesn’t anyone have a home they could go to?"

A plumber had been ahead of me in the checkout line. I complained to him about the leak in my wallet. The cashier asked whether I wanted paper or plastic. I needed to consult the manual. Sometimes a fellow forgets which one he should get. I have 414 cloth shopping bags that I’d left in my car. They stay in pristine condition when they go unused.

Shopping builds an appetite. I entered a cafe and noticed a sign saying that the special was, "Hamburger and a shake $5."

That sounded as if it were meant for me. I’d considered fruitcake, but I’d be eating too much fruitcake over the holidays. I admit it, I like fruitcake. I am what I eat. In a landmark decision, I ordered the special.

The hamburger was OK, but the handshake could have been firmer.

Now that the Christmas tree is out of a job

I learn something every Christmas. This year, I discovered that some turkey and some mistletoe make for a bad sandwich.

A mourning dove spent Christmas Day in the platform feeder attached to a window of our house. It’s not a rare bird, nor is it being on a feeder an odd thing. Still, it’s a miracle. The dove was my mother’s favorite bird. I miss her. Seeing her empty chair at Christmas still causes an ache after all these years. I became a bit misty-eyed. That’s not an uncommon occurrence. Since I first became a grandfather, I’ve started crying at the movie theater. Usually, it’s when I pay for the tickets. This was different. The dove on the feeder brought back wonderful memories. Lovely memories are miracles.

A friend told me of a button being mysteriously sewn back onto his shirt on the day of his wedding anniversary. He didn’t do it and his wife had died eight months earlier.

My mother-in-law is the last of the generation not only of her family, but of her late husband's as well. Her sister Alice died in May. Her sons found gifts that Alice had wrapped and tagged. One of them was for my mother-in-law. This Christmas, my mother-in-law received a Christmas gift from a late sister. The gift wasn’t alone. It came with an avalanche of pleasant memories. 

Those thrilling days of yesteryear

He spent all day Sunday dreading Monday. He chewed gum while writing, "I will not chew gum in class" 100 times on the blackboard.

He didn’t like school, there was no doubt of that. But I'm convinced that he liked his teacher. So did I. We all did.

Each year, I gave my grade school teacher a Christmas gift. It was typically something handcrafted or baked by my mother and wrapped in festive paper. It wasn't an attempt at influence peddling. I didn’t imagine that it would help me get better grades. I didn’t want to be a brown-noser. I wanted my teacher to know that she was loved and appreciated. The teacher never failed to send a thank-you note.

Nature notes

"How can I keep squirrels off my bird feeders?" The squirrels assume that the feeders are squirrel feeders. Baffles, usually metal or plastic domes or saucer-shaped disks, placed above and below pole feeders make it difficult for squirrels to cling to, climb over or gnaw through. Most commercial feeders that are touted as squirrel-proof are merely squirrel-resistant. They do help save food for the birds, but can be expensive.

Meeting adjourned

Be kind or be quiet.

One of my (many) grammatical pet peeves is when I see something advertised as the “1st Annual” event. That’s impossible. It can’t be annual until it’s happened more than once. You might plan on continuing it, but until that actually happens, the first time should be the inaugural event.

Last year at this time, I had my inaugural “best of” list for 2014. So it’s with great anticipation that I present to you the “2nd Annual Best of List” for this waffle-flipper!

Best movie of 2015: I don’t go to the theater often. When I do, it’s likely super heroes or sci-fi, so you won’t see any Academy Award winning entries on this list. There were some outstanding flicks I witnessed on the big screen. Ant-Man was a fun frolic into the lighter side of super heroes. I thought I would get annoyed at 90 minutes of Minions, but their foray into movie stardom was quite excellent and not overwhelming.

Still, and you probably figured this was coming, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the best movie I saw this year. I won’t give away any spoilers if you haven’t seen it yet (What are you waiting for?), but it was everything I hoped it would be. There were many nostalgic nods to the original trilogy while at the same time updating some elements for a more modern audience. People in the theater seemed to genuinely appreciate a movie that was so anticipated that it had to be really, really good to avoid being hammered by fans. Mission accomplished!

Best book of 2015: I read a lot of books this year. A lot.

A year ago, I read a book called Red Rising, the first in a trilogy about civilization on Mars. I thought it was good enough to look forward to the sequel.

That came this past year, a book called Golden Son. Many times, the second book in a trilogy will simply be a set-up for the final entry, but this book had so many twists and turns and changed the expected courses of so many characters that it has left me champing at the bit for the final book, Morning Star, to come out in 2016.

However, it was another second book in a trilogy that took top honors for me this year. Invasion of the Tearling did the same as Pierce Brown’s book mentioned above; it did more than just set up the upcoming last book. The Tearling trilogy finds a dystopian future where most of civilization has collapsed less than 100 years from now. What has survived in a far-off land more resembles medieval times, though with a bit of sorcery thrown in. You really begin to care about the characters and remain on the edge of your seat while reading. Hopefully the finale pays off with more surprises and continued character development.

Best TV show of 2015: I watch too much TV. Last year I gave this award to the new show The Flash. That super hero show continues to be amazing this year, but it doesn’t quite get the top nod.

A little bit of an asterisk before I give the award: I have the current season of Fargo all recorded on the DVR, and according to Duey Ferber I’ll be blown away when I get to it. Hopefully that’s in the cards soon!

The award this year goes to a show that many of you might not even be aware exists, The Goldbergs. This ABC comedy follows a family during the 1980s and is so in my wheelhouse that there are times I feel like I am the main character. That was my era, so references to Transformers, New Kids on the Block, and Karate Kid turn back the clock to the greatest decade. Part of that is the inclusion of music from that era, and we all know ‘80s music rules!

Best sporting event of 2015: I’ve seen plenty of sporting events this past year, but there was nothing I witnessed live that I can say was so amazing that it would match with winning state championships or All-Star baseball festivities like last year.

In the running was certainly my final season of coaching my daughter’s basketball team. Five years with that group has left plenty of good memories, and last season was no exception. It’s been even more fun watching from the sideline this year as they’ve thrived under their new coach.

The World Series was so much fun to see, even if it kept me up way past my bedtime. The Kansas City Royals played great team baseball and deserved to win the title, mainly because they played the game the right way.

With that in mind, I have to say that visiting Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City to watch those Royals play was my highlight. Even though the home team lost, that experience was amazing. It was very cool when we were standing in line for the concession stand as the National Anthem began, and everyone just stopped to pay their respects, even the employees. That, along with the great atmosphere in the stadium and the free tour of the Royals Hall of Fame, made for a great night.

I hope you had many great moments and things to enjoy in 2015. May your new year be happy and bright and bring even better memories for 2016!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is quoz, which means an odd person or thing, as in, “The reader thought the columnist quite the quoz with his choices for favorite items of 2015.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs got their Christmas shopping done, saw the sun and got a white Christmas all in the same week. This led them to believe the Weather Eye is a relevant forecasting aid. Will we see a warm start to the New Year or will we revert to the real January? Starting Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow. Highs in the low 20’s with lows in the lower double digits above zero. New Year’s Eve Day, mostly cloudy and colder with highs in the mid-teens and lows in the mid-single digits above zero. Mostly sunny and slightly warmer New Year’s Day with highs in the upper teens and lows in the mid-single digits. Saturday, mostly sunny and warmer with highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the mid-teens. Partly cloudy on Sunday with highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the mid-teens. Monday, partly cloudy with highs in the mid-20’s and lows near 10. Partly cloudy skies for Tuesday with highs in the mid-20’s and lows in the low teens. The normal high for January 1st is 23 and the normal low is 5. The scurs are certain their resolution to start their resolutions when they’re darn good and ready should be attainable.

More snow fell this past week although more of the precip was actually rain than snow. This has been an unusual December from that respect and at the ranch has been above normal as compared to the precip norms at the SROC in Waseca. Precip for December there is normally 1.48” and so far we have recorded 2.4” with some snowfall likely not added until after this writing meets the early deadline. Soils have largely frozen once again since then however so unless we see a thaw in the near future, not much of what falls this week will wind up in the soil, at least not for a while.

The snow was welcome by those who like having the landscape look like winter for Christmas. It is interesting however in places that have never seen snow how they relate to our notion that a winter wonderland is part of what makes it Christmas. On Christmas Eve Day I made a run to get some groceries. When I got back to the truck with my purchases, thanks to the snow, the door on the truck was iced up. Struggling to get it open I dropped the milk jug which split wide open, splashing the contents all over the nerf bar and my shoes. Seem to be attracting a lot interest from area cats wherever I go lately. Can’t cry over spilt milk as they say. It was just nice not to have to move the snow out of the way. Cleaning snow out of driveways and feedlots is highly overrated.

The recent snow has increased the activity of the creatures frequenting the yard, particularly the birds. A large rooster pheasant likely of the Little Jerry lineage was a frequent visitor over the weekend. Juncos are back as are a couple goldfinches. The woodpecker group consisting of downies, hairies and red-bellied has been keeping the suet feeders busy. Chickadees and nuthatches are regulars at the sunflower feeders. The leghorn-sized blue jays have returned too. Not sure where they hail from but they are huge, almost closing the ports on the squirrel-proof birdfeeder. And speaking of the squirrels, the fox squirrels have eaten so much ear corn that they are nearly round.

There have been a few days when sunflower seed consumption has been noticeably lower, making me curious as to why. Two consecutive days while we were at home, I spied first a Cooper’s hawk and the next day a smaller model, likely a sharp-shinned hawk. It was fascinating to watch them harass the sparrows as they attempted to conceal themselves deeper in the brushy cover. Was hoping they’d get one of them to fly out of there as hawks are like lightning.

With the weather terrorists telling us that the landscape will be once again plunged into another winter snowfall apocalypse, it was time to batten down the hatches just in case. Moving everything around so that snow removal is a possibility is a place to start. Since the winter thus far has been less than snowy, putting the chains on the tractor needed to happen. It’s a pain in the butt but if you plan on moving snow with a loader on ice, it’s almost a necessity. In the meantime, Fudgie and Ruby helped as I backed the empty gravity box into the feedlot. The ewes looked momentarily at the gate, then decided that discretion was the better part of valor. With one Border Collie inside the opening and the other looking menacing on the other side of the fence, it was simply not worth it.

Seed catalogs continue to arrive in the mail almost weekly. Not sure just what to order yet but there are several items that are automatics. We are sweet squash lovers and the Mooregold and buttercup varieties are our favorites. A wide variety of gourds for decorating are always included. Each year it seems there are new types that have a unique shape and color that are fun to try. Best of all, gourds are pretty tough, prolific and easy to grow. Indian corn too is another “must have”. Simple to grow and if the striped gophers can be held at bay, the colorful results are still like opening a Christmas present.

Mrs. Cheviot unfortunately wound up with a bout of stomach flu for Christmas. Of course she had the doggies to help pick up the slack so all was not lost. Most of the time she was miserable but there was little to do other than keep her comfortable. By Sunday she was back online again. Must be due to the wonderful care she received. Ruby and Fudgie should’ve taken up nursing.

See you next week…real good then.

Geneva Cancer Auction starts January 8

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

A new year is upon us. It is time to look ahead with the prospect of a whole year to look forward to. Can we, or should we look back at the year just ending?

Like looking in a rear-view mirror, it is important to look twice before backing up to be sure there is nothing in the way. You can look back, but there is nothing to be done about mistakes made except to learn from them. It is time to look at all good things that 2015 gave us.

We all have much to offer, much to give, and deserve to receive in return. We’ve heard it many times: “Live each day as if it were your last,” but did you ever consider living each day of life for someone you love? Count your blessings; name them, one by one.

SMART Transit will come to NR Wednesday and for scheduled rides

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

History will be made Saturday, Jan. 2 as Waseca County introduces public transportion.

Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit announced earlier this year it would expand services — currently provided in Steele, Freeborn and Mower County — to Waseca County as part of a Minnesota Department of Transportation initiative that aims to improve access and service in greater Minnesota.

The Waseca County Demand Response Bus/Van will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with local service in New Richland on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and in Janesville on Mondays from 10:30-12:30. Demand Response is a county-wide service where people can schedule rides. Cost is $2.50 for county-wide trips and $2 for in-town service. To schedule your ride, call 1-855-762-7821.

Glenn Christian Felsheim, 86, of LaCrosse, Wis., passed away peacefully Dec. 24, 2015, at the Bethany St. Joseph Health Care Center.

He was born Mar 11, 1929 to Christian and Angela Felsheim. He married Katharine Matthews Dec 26, 1960, in La Crosse. He enjoyed gardening. Glenn is survived by his wife; 10 grandchildren and nine children. Glenn is preceded in death by one son; parents; two brothers; and three sisters.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 30, at the St Joseph the Workman Cathedral, 530 Main St., La Crosse. Celebrant will be Msgr. Charles Stoetzel. Coulee Region Cremation Group is assisting the family.

Bonnie Jane Sax, age 74, of Garrison, died at the St. Cloud Hospital on December 25, 2015. She was born on April 25, 1941 in Ellendale, MN to Charles and Oriet (Demmer) Ribbe. Bonnie married Robert Sax on October 4, 1973 in Minneapolis. She was formerly from Coon Rapids, retiring to Garrison in 1998. She was a former Carlson Company Employee. Bonnie was a member of Light of the Cross Lutheran Church in Garrison.