Ellendale City Council

By SCOTT GROTH

Contributing Writer

The Ellendale City Council met on Thursday, October 27 with Mayor Engel, Councilmen Helland, Reiter, Goebel and Groth present. Also in attendance were Nic Zimprich, Cindy Goebel, Maintenance Supervisor Roger Swearingen, Clerk Louks, City Attorney Phil Kohl, and Wes Brown from Bolton Menk.

The public hearing on the proposed assessments was called to order at 7 p.m. by Mayor Engel. Engel introduced Brown, from Bolton & Menk. Brown went through the handouts he had prepared for the evening. Brown noted the project did come in slightly under the estimated cost. Brown continued by telling everyone the hearing is a chance for the property owner to comment on the fairness of the assessment and/or notify the council of any possible errors. 

Brown showed everyone the average assessment was right around $3685. Brown said property owners can pay in full with no interest within 30 days of the assessment hearing, or the amount can be added to the property taxes for 15 years with an interest rate of 5.5%. Engel then asked for questions or comments from the council. Being none, Engel asked if the audience had comments. Zimprich wanted to make sure about the payment in full with no interest if paid within the 30 days. The public hearing was then closed.

JONAH PROPHECY — Bart Armstrong, Executive Director of the Jonah Prophesy organization, delivered an educational lecture in Ellendale Oct. 23. (Star Eagle photo by Carol Jolly)

By CAROL JOLLY

Staff Writer

"Unpeeling the onion" is what Bart Armstrong, Executive Director of the Jonah Prophecy organization, was hoping to achieve by providing a compilation of historical truths laid out by our founding fathers at an educational lecture in Ellendale at the Refuge Sunday evening, October 23.

"The battle to restore our nation back to the principles of faith upon which we were founded is imperative," Armstrong declared. "Our nation cannot continue to neglect the word of God, and survive."

Armstrong proceeded to direct attendees’ attention to his interpretation of evidence. In 1844, our nation's leaders defined the direction they believed to be in the best interest of Americans’ morality. 

"Why not the Bible, and especially the New Testament, be read as a divine revelation in the school, its general precedents expounded?” said Armstrong. “And, its glorious principles of morality uncalculated? Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly, or so perfectly as from The New Testament? The Supreme Court unanimously agreed that the school should teach the Bible. The purest principles of morality are to be  taught. Where are they found? Whoever searches for them must go to the source from which a Christian man derives his faith, the Bible."

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is again asking for your help to improve conditions for future hunters and hunting in general by donating your harvested deer, moose, elk or mule deer hides.

The Southern Gateway Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association has “Hides for Habitat” boxes at the following locations: Tom’s Taxidermy – Clarks Grove, Nick’s Meats – Hayward, The Short Stop Station – Glenville, Conger Meats – Conger,  Jeff Miller – West of Mansfield, Craig’s Taxidermy – Freeborn, Nielsen’s Conoco – Harland, Morgan’s Locker – New Richland, Steve’s Meats – Ellendale, Geneva Automotive – Geneva, and the Bend in the Road Bar – Manchester.  In Albert Lea we have boxes at the former Norby’s Gas Station, entrance of the Freeborn County Fairgrounds, Karl’s Car Quest Auto Parts, and Hart Brothers Weaponry.  There are other hide collection boxes around our area, but the benefit only goes to the owner of the box.

We urge you to put your hides in the boxes marked “Hides for Habitat.”  Our Southern Gateway Chapter sent 12 young future hunters to ‘Forkhorn Camp’ this past year, your hides help fund this project.  Again, we have no use for heads, legs or plastic bags, so please don’t put them in our boxes.  We wish you a successful hunt and thank you in advance for your support and your hides.  We also would like to thank the businesses for their assistance in allowing us to put our boxes on their property.

In Austin, in regards to the number of inches that are legal for curbside parking (24), how legal is it to drive with parking lights on?

Do doctors still give candy suckers to kids for being good when we all know sugar is a useless, even not a good, ingredient?

Why do employers often pick people who wear eyeglasses when hiring over non-spectacle counterparts?

Four ounces of orange juice will make your stomach more acidic, which will double your ability to absorb iron from whole wheat grains.

Antihistamines can make you 55 percent fatter. Things like Allegra and Claritin can trigger overeating and fat breakdown.

Preheating your air popper will give you best results. Kernels kept in the freezer generally pop fluffier with less "old maids." If you want to get rid of old maids, put the popcorn in a paper bag, cut a small hole in the corner of the bottom and duds should all fall out.

Cookie dough refrigerated for about 30 minutes is easier to work with. Dipping a teaspoon in milk or olive oil will glide the cookies to the pan with ease. Using your hands, lightly grease your plastic gloves with olive oil or water.

Cover cut apple slices with apple juice and refrigerate for about one half hour. They won't turn brown and the juice will make them crunchier and tastier.

By increasing your white fruit (apples and pears) and vegetable consumption by 2.5 grams, most people will see a 9 percent reduction in their risk of stroke.

On average, an apple weighs 120 grams, meaning for every apple you eat, you average closer to a 10 percent less chance of having a stroke. Though further research is needed to verify the researchers’ work, if these edible white parts can reduce the risk of developing stokes by 52 percent, pass the apples please.

People who make a habit of smiling outlive those who smile less, according to Wayne State University. It prompts the release of good brain chemicals and gives you an upbeat feeling.

Exercise increases blood circulation, sending more oxygen to all body cells, which helps prevent the DNA mutations that can occur as you age.

You'll likely live 10 to 20 years longer if you walk at least three times a week.

A good friend calmly said, in regards to problems, "It will all come out in the wash." He was mostly right. It just takes patience.

My grandma said, "It’s always good for something." A blow on the shin and a visit to the doctor showed my mother she needed a pacemaker. A knee implant that went bad signaled my dad’s heart attack in the hospital.

Your waistline shouldn't be more than half of your height. Models used to wear a tape around their middle to remind them that if it got too tight, they needed to slim down. Belly fat can shrink by eating foods like oatmeal, green tea, blueberries, and using weights.

Most recipe books usually call for buying a pound of turkey per person. Actually, with so many other good things to eat, half of the amount should do the trick unless you like lots of leftovers.

Canned vegetables contain BPA (Biesphanol), a chemical that has been linked to cancer. Experts are now advising people to use vegetables found in glass or frozen containers.

Experts are also now saying that plastic containers have ingredients that deteriorate and become detrimental to your health.

Why do they say, “Don't refill a plastic bottle because it can leach into the contents?” What about the tons of bottles already filled and for any amount of time?

Why do they put more cotton in the pill bottles than pills? They could save half the space, yet cartons or bags that hold instruments of importance are jammed in so little space it is a struggle to pack it up every time.

Pizza can be made by any imagination of the mind. Why not try a different combination the next time you are going to eat pizza? Try it. You'll like it.

I wonder how many people see beyond peanut butter to the other nut butters available? Actually, after so many years of eating peanut butter, it almost all tastes the same. The kind you like is best.

Never heat food in plastic in a microwave. The majority of containers are not safe when they are exposed to heat.

It has also been said 3,000 mg a day of conjugated linabeic acid (CLA), which is a fat found in beef, lamb, cheese and whole milk, can help shed seven pounds of belly fat in three months. It shuts down the enzyme that keeps stubborn fat cells full.

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you as they are able.

Blinking is the way your body lubricates the eye so the more you blink, the better it is for your eyes. It is a natural way of protecting your vision.

We always know we should prepare for winter, but we seldom do until the weather is cold, windy and miserable. If you've room by the back door, find something that will just hold scarves, gloves and mittens. It will save a lot of time looking for them when you are getting ready to go out the door.

Do we buy toys for the kids or for our own pleasure? Price isn't always the winner. Sometimes tiny things are more precious in value.

Every little girl wants to be a princess. I wonder if she would really want to be one if she knew what it entails? Only a certain exceptional individual could really thrive, be happy and comfortable in the whirlwind life of the famous. Yes, there would be pluses, but one must also consider the negatives.

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about the local happenings and family events such as family and school reunions, birthday and anniversary celebrations, 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, so we can then pass along the news to you.  If you have news to share, please contact me.

Also, if our NRHEG Star Eagle readers would like to share birthdays and anniversaries of your family and friends, or you know of some that should be deleted, or names have changed, 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.

• Thursday, November 3rd: Nakayla Joy Butler, Preston Dean Shaunce, his 2nd; Brian Muri, Paula Degan Conroy, Jennifer Misgen, Lois Conklin, Tim Hanson, Aaron Sargent, Sydney McCamish, Quinn Sebastian Briedenbach, Angie & Josh Lair.

• Friday, November 4th: Jeff Carlson, Brant Hemingway, Stuart Vangen, Grant Neitzell, Scott Anderson, Andrew Farr.

• Saturday, November 5th: Faith Jennie Tweeten, Preslie Jean Tweeten, Hope Ann Tweeten, Alyssa Hagen, Kerri Newgard d'Eustachip, David Wayne, Mavis Langlie, Chad Braaten, Allison Hanson, Allison Jensen, Skyla Kundtson.

• Sunday, November 6th: Brody Richards, Makota Grahm Misgen, Mary Ann Lund, Dylan Paul Moen, Jon Beck, David Hagen, Doug Klemmensen, Lauren Jo Draayer, Chad Ayers, Toni Roberts, Taylor Roberts, Ed & Fern Possin, Kellie & Ryan Benning.

  Monday, November 7th: Solveig Adelaine Mattson, her 2nd birthday; Ava Leigh Wangsness, her third birthday; Alymra Seath, Jolee Johnson, Travis Diederrich, Linda Dobberstein, Scott Olson, Mark Sundwall.

• Tuesday, November 8th: Sydney Larson, Andrew Jensen, Brian Hughes, Burton Nelson.

• Wednesday, November 9th: Phyllis Hagen, Tami Lund Wacek, Scott Coxworth, Jon Aronson, Kent Kruckeburg, Cindy Gould, Tim Westrum, Christopher Jepson.

• Thursday, November 10th: Keith McDonald, Eric Anderson, Russell Reistad, Tomm Richards, Jennifer Zimprich, Jessica Kasper, Andrew Olson, Jessica (Johnson) & Dan Rebelein, Stan & Liz Reichl, Everett & Diane Jensen.

• Friday, November 11th: Jason Tracy, Kate Laudon, Agnes Christensen, Ione Hagen, Dale Hunt, Paula Swearingen, Jennifer Jacobs, Dawn Diemer, Rachel Gould, Dave & Linda Brandt, Amanda Schimdt, Tory Lee Christensen.

Make your special day a day you'll never forget, filled with smiles, good cheer, and laughter!

Last week, I spent a few days up north closing up the cabin and spending time with Brian, my oldest son and his three boys Trevor, Taylor and Grant. This is a favorite time of the year for them because they love to hunt. They get to spend a lot of time on our little lake hunting waterfowl.

Each morning, Brian and the boys awoke before sunrise and took the boat across the lake to set out decoys and find cover to hunt from. As they were getting into their blinds, they had an unexpected visitor, the resident beaver that was going across the lake with a tree branch in tow. When the beaver spotted them, it dropped the branch and immediately headed towards them. As he approached, he started chattering and began slapping his tail on the water in what I can only imagine was a scolding for being in his area.

That same morning, Trevor had shot the first duck of the trip which dropped into the middle of the lake. As they were getting into the boat to head back and pick up the duck, an eagle swooped down out of the trees as if it were going to pick it up. It soon turned away and headed back into the trees along the shore. This had to be quite a sight to behold. Seeing wildlife in its natural environment is something we are just fortunate enough to experience quite often.

The next afternoon, the boys went down to the shore to put out some decoys and sit and watch for ducks to land in front of our dock. While they were sitting there, Brian and I had walked down the driveway and were looking at some dead trees that we felt needed to be taken down. On the way back up the driveway, we heard some ruckus in the woods near us.

Just then, two deer came out of the woods, jumped over a fire pit we had put in and ran right in front of us into the woods on the other side of the driveway. It was a big doe and a yearling. They were definitely close to us when they crossed the driveway. A short time later, Taylor came running up the hill and asked if we had seen those two deer. 

He quickly told us that he and Trevor were by the lake when he looked up and the two deer were standing right behind them watching them. He said they stood there for a few seconds staring at each other and then the deer took off up the hill. For those of us that love the outdoors, it just kept getting better.

The last two afternoons that we spent at the cabin, I took Brian and Trevor a couple of miles south of our place and dropped them off at one of the many trails that wind through the national forest land. They worked their way back in search of grouse. Trevor did manage to bag one on the first day. He actually ended up getting it right on the edge of our property. The second day was not as good because they discovered that another group of hunters had walked the same trail just before them.

There were a lot of grouse hunters in the area that week and from some of the reports I’ve heard, the hunting was pretty good. There are so many forest service trails that can be walked by the general public, which make an excellent area to hunt for grouse.

On our last full day, we decided to drive to a few different lakes that we’d never visited before, which were pretty far off the beaten path. This is something that Brian and I both enjoy doing whenever we are up there. I usually reserve this time for days that are windy or rainy, but this day was sunny, a little breezy and just a beautiful day to explore new territories. 

We always throw our ultra lights in the truck just to see if there are any fish willing to bite a hook cast from shore. Most of the lakes we visited had forest service campsites and hunting trails that we could walk. We scared up some grouse at one such site and of course Trevor had his gun along to see if he could get a shot. This was a special time that I really enjoyed spending with Brian and the boys.

The last morning, the hunters once again ventured across the lake to try their luck. This the first time that they went duckless, but they did get visited by our resident beaver once again. Brian said that he didn’t think the beaver had spotted them this time, as he swam so close to where Trevor was sitting that he could have probably jumped on its back.

Although I didn’t get in much fishing, the time spent at the cabin with the family was priceless. Experiencing all that wildlife in those few short days was indeed something to write about. This to me is what spending time in the north woods is all about. As we were driving back from one of the many lakes we visited that last day, I told Brian how hard it is to visualize how much wilderness actually exists in this part of our great state.

We put feed in the feeders on the first day and with the season winding down, birds began appearing right away. Usually it takes about a day before they discover there is “FREE” food just there for the taking. There were chickadees and juncos, a pair of downy woodpeckers and occasionally a pair of blue jays would pay a visit. I sure enjoy watching the birds come to the feeders. It’s always fun to see how many different species there are.

You don’t have to be a hunter or a fisherman or have a lot of money to enjoy the natural wonders that exist in our state. Just taking a drive in the country in our area is an experience that always warms me inside and makes me feel that life is indeed pretty darned good. When I was in the service I would from time to time look out across the landscape and see something that would peak my interest. I always wondered what was there or what it would be like to be there. This made me appreciate the freedoms that we enjoy in this country to go where we want when we want, just to see what’s beyond the next horizon.

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

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

“I thought wisdom came with age.”

“You’re not becoming wiser?”

“No, as I get older, all I become is more tired.”

“Don’t worry, you can’t get much older.”

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: how hard is it to put a shopping cart in a cart corral? 

The heat is on

Many farmers didn’t run a grain dryer this year. Quite a savings in fuel costs. I’m happy for them, but I expect the costs to heat my home will rise because the providers didn’t sell enough fuel during harvest. If the farmers had encountered a year where everything needed drying, my prices would be higher because the farmers used too much.

A float and a flight

It was a pretty day. The landscape had just begun to show signs of fading to a brown. I was on the Pelican Breeze, a lovely boat that tours Albert Lea Lake. I hosted a group of cancer survivors. I brought two cliff swallows that I had retrieved from the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Anita Hendrickson of Albert Lea raised lots of money during the Relay For Life and was chosen to release the swallows. Anita opened the cage. The cliff swallows took flight without hesitation. They knew that each moment is precious. So did the people on that boat.

The angry harvest

One year, thanks to things (mechanical breakdowns, bad weather, etc.) conspiring to delay the corn harvest, we were left with a couple of acres covered in knee-deep snow. My father decided that we would harvest it. He plowed paths in the snow surrounding the standing corn, providing a road for a wagon within throwing distance of the field. My job was to pull the ears from the cornstalks, remove the husks, and toss the ears into the wagon. It sounded simple enough. Even I should have been able to do it. The problem was that I had never picked corn by hand, as those of earlier generations had done so well. I’d been to husking bees and was impressed by the men, who seemed ancient, who picked corn by hand with a speed and deftness that matched the athletic talents of any Minnesota Twin. The corn was wet and the ears refused to snap off the plant as I had hoped. They needed twisting and tugging before they reluctantly parted company with the stalk. It was cold. I was standing in snow. I threw some ears over the wagon, requiring me to step in more snow in order to locate the ears that had disappeared into the white stuff. I got the corn picked, but it was an angry harvest.

The theft

He had a nice office in a one-story building. It wasn’t fancy, but it suited him. He’d been there long enough to have things just the way he wanted them. He kept a small folding scissors on his desk. It was one of the best purchases he’d ever made. It’s amazing how often a fellow needs a scissors. He grew to depend upon that scissors, held in a small recess in the base of his desk lamp. It fit as if it belonged there. It was important that it be kept in the same place. He knew where it was and the scissors would be there when he needed it.

He took a deserved vacation — a week in Grand Marais.

When he returned to his office, he struggled to get back into the groove. His scissors was gone. He looked everywhere for the scissors. It was nowhere to be found.

He determined that someone had stolen his scissors. He ran the likely suspects through his mind.

The young man who maintained the coffee machine walked by. He looked guilty. He walked guilty. He was guilty.

“Where are my scissors?” said the man in an unfriendly way.

The guilty young man kept on walking.

The man was so upset, he grabbed the telephone book to call the police. The directory fell open to the part of the yellow pages showing stores selling suitcases. He’d bought a new suitcase before his vacation. It opened to that page because there was a small folding scissors bookmarking it.

The young man walked by the office again.

The man watched him. The young man looked and walked like an innocent man.

I know hymn

At the funeral of Helene Ingeborg Eastvold, Ron Bartness told me, “Times like this remind us how important neighbors are.”

Kent Otterman and Corky Modene sang “I Come to the Garden Alone.”

“I come to the garden alone. While the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear falling on my ear. The Son of God discloses.”

I have heard that hymn a hundred times at a hundred funerals, yet it never fails to bring a tear to my eye. I miss Helene. She brought a smile with her.

Meeting adjourned

“Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.” --Annie Lennox

Genie and I left Beaver Lake Monday morning, October 3, in our HHR Chevrolet on a SKI vacation. (Destination- the Green Mountains about Huntington, Vermont.) For those of you wondering, you don’t have to be skiers to go on a Spending Kids Inheritance (SKI) vacation.

Our first night (Monday) we stayed at Bad River Lodge, Odanah, Wisconsin. It is a First Nation facility with a motel, casino, IGA grocery store, Cenex gas station and post office. The next morning was a great morning for Genie. She got a big hug from an elder of two nations, me, a Norwegian elder, and Norm, a First Nation elder. 

Norm is our age, also a Navy veteran, one great guy that we have known for several years. I keep telling him there should be a minority person on his tribal council and being an old Norwegian of a minority in the U. S., I would qualify. No luck so far!

Our second night, we stayed at the Comfort Inn, Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. We stopped for lunch at Mt. Shasta, Michigamme, Michigan where a movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Lee Remick was filmed fifty plus years ago. (I can’t remember the title.)

The third night, we stayed at Valois Motel and Restaurant (right on the river bordering Quebec) in Mattawa, Ontario, Canada. We crossed into the U. S. at Cornwall, New York, paying $3.25. (The fee was $3 to get into Canada.)

We stayed at the Days Inn of Colchester, Vermont one night and then began our house and critter sitting the next day for Dan and Laurie while they were gone. They came back Tuesday, October 18 from birding in Trinidad. We enjoyed 1372 miles of full fall colors.

We moved back into the Days Inn of Colchester, leaving there Monday, October 24 for our 1372 mile drive back to Albert Lea. (Our Beaver Lake cabin water was shut off October 15.) Employees Melissa, Korina, Missy, Kaitlyn, Laurie, Anita and James most certainly would be welcome in Minnesota as they all had the qualification of “Minnesota Nice.”

We enjoyed our week of eating, goofing off, eating, site seeing, eating, their house selling, eating and eating with Dan and Laurie after their return from Trinidad.

While house-critter sitting, we did many things:

We attended the Community Church in Huntington. How many of you can say “We attended a church service with Superman in full costume, cape and all?” We can, as he was there one Sunday.

We met Trish (Genie’s cousin also originally of the Juhl clan of Clear Lake, Iowa) and her hubby Rene’ of West Springfield, Mass. in Lebanon for a late Sunday lunch and renewing their good old days. (Lebanon is a city in New Hampshire.)

A must in Burlington, we strolled each side of Church Street. (A big church is at one end.) I hiked, crawled to the top of Camel’s Hump, a two and a half mile each way endurance climb. It only took six hours round trip, beginning just outside of Huntington.

In the town of Huntington is a one of a kind business named Beaudry’s Store with everything from gas to groceries to questionable local stories. They advertise as “Best Under the Hump.”

The following was told to me by a resident of Rounds Road (where Dan and Laurie live):

“My name is Buddy, I am almost 49. My life has not been the most enjoyable. I suffered some very tough times until I took my current position of adult nanny. (Taking care of adults.) Gail and Dean are the adults. Gail and Dean both received prayer shawls from the knitters of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church of Albert Lea, MN. Gail had heart problems and Dean had cancer. I did the best I could, but Gail passed away in September of 2010. Dean, with my help, has been receiving very good reports on his check-ups.”

Readers, I feel I must clarify the above true story. Buddy is a good-sized yeller dog, almost seven (49 human) years old. Buddy, thanks for sharing your story with readers of this column. 

— — —

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 36th 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 keep predicting relatively dry conditions and with this kind of accuracy, it makes them want to buy some lottery tickets. Will their luck hold another week? Starting Wednesday, cloudy with a good chance of rain. Highs of 40 - 45 and lows of 25. Mostly clear on Thursday with highs reaching 45 and lows dropping to 30. Mostly sunny and warmer for Friday with highs of 50 and lows around 40. Another slight chance of rain for Saturday with cloudy skies, highs of 50 and lows near 35. Mostly clear on Sunday and Monday with highs reaching 45 - 50 and lows around 30. Mostly sunny Tuesday with highs of 45 – 50 and lows near 30. We slip below 10 hours of daylight on November 7th. Incidentally the normal high for November 7th is 46 and the normal low is 27. The sun will set before 6 p.m. on November 5th and through the wonders of government intervention in our personal lives, it will magically set at 4:58 p.m. the following day. Then, after rising at 7:59 a.m. on the 8th, it will rise at 7 a.m. on the 9th. The scurs will be hiding their Halloween booty to avoid paying capital gains while waiting to set their clocks back at 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. It’s a long time yet until Thanksgiving.

Yes it’s time once again to set those clocks back and put the time change folly to bed for yet another year. Our bodies will respond in kind to having an extra hour to play with, generally positive and exactly the opposite of how they respond when we are shorted an hour in the spring. The data are quite clear on this point. With more and more research indicating that sleep is more important in a healthy lifestyle than was once thought, it is time for our elected officials to quit messing with the clocks and our health. Someday someone is going to look back and say to themselves, “Hey, he was right.” That is if they ever have time enough to stop diddling around text messaging, Tweeting and playing on Facebook to read it.

Fall harvest should be all but complete in this area by the time it reaches the press on Wednesday. Yes there may be a few who aren’t completely done but there isn’t any award for being done first. The worst thing about people being done this early is they have a lot of free time on their hands. That free time can be a dangerous thing when it comes to recreational tillage. Working these dry fields down this fall could lead to dust storms of the Great Depression proportions if we’re not careful. Leaving them in a somewhat roughened state may not only help stop soil from blowing it may also catch more snow, something that could become more important if we don’t start getting precipitation soon to replenish our stored soil moisture before winter. Speaking of precipitation, in the SROC’s final installment of their Crop Weather Update for the season, it was noted that this has been the driest August-September-October period since they began keeping records in 1915 at 2.22 inches. At Bugtussle in the official Mall for Men rain gauge, we fared slightly better at 2.3 inches. At the ranch, we tallied a whopping 2.53 inches for the same timeframe. We must be living right. 

The pockets of color remained through much of last week although when the thermometer dropped to 25 at the ranch on the morning of the 29th, things began changing more rapidly. Some of the green leaves still on the trees were suddenly in a free-fall and the sheep of course were loving that. The pin oak and northern red oak leaves went from a deep red to a dull red in a matter of a day. It won’t be long and the leaves on the red oak will fall off and the leaves on the pin oak will be a rusty brown, hanging on until spring. The Autumn Blaze maples around town added some late color to the boulevards of Bugtussle even though they too were starting to fall on Saturday, making those who are obsessed with their lawns perhaps a bit perturbed. Even some of the hard maples that stay green then brown when it freezes then lose their leaves are showing some color this fall. What an odd year it has been. 

We sold a ram that we weren’t sorry to see go on Saturday. Weighing in at around 250 lbs., he was a big, muscular, brute as Cheviot rams go with a penchant for jumping over panels and getting into places he didn’t belong when penned up. He had an attitude and wasn’t real pleasant to deal with when it came shearing time either. Knowing he was a pain to handle, we had limited his escape routes and had a stout wooden panel he’d think twice about jumping over ready to move in behind him in the alleyway. When we opened the pen he came out in a hurry as I grabbed the panel. He decided to suddenly turn on me and wouldn’t have thought twice about trying to flatten me with the panel on top. About that time 30 lbs. worth of Ruby had crawled under the trailer and sprang into action. Diverting his attention, she got in behind the bruiser and drove him toward the trailer. This allowed me to move expeditiously with the gate, severely limiting his options. In the trailer he went as we looked at each other in disbelief when Mrs. Cheviot slammed the door behind him. We expected to be winded after chasing this ram around the yard for a half hour. Instead we were ahead of schedule and able to enjoy a breather thanks to the little dog’s bravery. Maybe that dog food and treat expense is worth it after all.

See you next week…real good then.

The funeral service for Helene Ingeborg Eastvold of Hartland, Minn., will be 10 a.m. Saturday, October 29, 2011, at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church, Hartland, Minn. Reverend Dennis Frank will officiate. Interment will be in the Hartland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at Bonnerup Funeral Service Albert Lea and one hour before the service at the church.

Helene died Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at the Good Samaritan Center.  She was 93 years old.