The scurs were a day off on the drenching we got on Monday, but it’s like horseshoes and hand grenades. Close is all that counts that far out. Will they hone the Weather Eye in tighter or will they continue to languish in mediocrity? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny with a good chance for evening thundershowers. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows around 60. Partly sunny with a slight chance of an overnight shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the low 60’s. Friday, partly sunny with a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the upper 50’s. Mostly sunny Saturday with a slight chance for showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the low 60’s. Sunday, partly sunny with a modest chance for daytime showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the low 60’s. Mostly sunny on Monday with highs in the upper 70’s and lows in the low 60’s. Tuesday, partly cloudy with a good chance of overnight showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70’s with lows in the low 60’s. The normal high for July 1st is 82 and the normal low is 61. We will have already lost 3 minutes of daylight since the summer solstice by then. The scurs don’t care so long as they get to change their clocks back in November.

The Full Moon will also fall on July 1st with the most common name being the Full Buck Moon, aptly named as the buck deer begin developing their antlers during this time. It also goes by the Full Thunder Moon for the numerous thunderstorms often common this time of year. It also goes by the Full Hay Moon. Somehow the two are not synonymous. The Ojibwe knew this as the Full Raspberry Moon for the abundant wild raspberries ripening in July. The Sioux were also fruit lovers, calling this the Moon When the Wild Cherries are Ripe. Not a lot of fruit at the ranch just yet but it’s only a matter of time. The rate it’s going this year, it could be the Full Lawnmower Moon.

It has indeed been difficult to make hay recently. When the forecast is for rain every other day and it’s right to boot, there’s not much reason to even try. Corn growth this past week took us into the V9–V10 stage with the color on most fields achieving that dark green everyone likes to see. Soybeans were V4–V5 with some of the earlier planted fields starting to show an occasional bloom. Right on schedule. The heavy rains did us no favors with most coming off some earlier rainfall events feeling fortunate. Now? Not so much. Nitrogen deficiencies may start to show, especially if we don’t get the spigot turned off or at least turned down.

Lawn mowing has been equally frustrating. Letting it go much more than four or five days is asking for trouble, especially when there’s as much white clover in the windbreak as we have. I don’t spray so the bee people should be happy. However, I don’t see the bee people coming around to help clean out the bottom of the mower deck when it gets gummed up. Without doing that about once per round the mower does a pretty mediocre job of mowing. Mowing it more than once very couple weeks doesn’t hurt either, when Mother Nature and my schedule allow it anyway.

The recent storm added more chores to Mr. Cheviot’s already burgeoning pile. The ash tree that shaded the livestock trailer decided to have a come apart so the chainsaw was pressed into service. Not that I didn’t get a lot of help and supervision. There are always gawkers who slow way down. They like work. It fascinates them. They could sit and watch it for hours. There are also Fudgie and Ruby who are on top of things, watching to see that a branch or two doesn’t move out of their jurisdiction. Ruby also added another quirk to her already long list. Running the chainsaw kicks out lots sawdust behind you. When I glanced back to see where she was, I saw the small red and white Border Collie snapping at the sawdust stream. Could only shake my head. What some dogs won’t do for entertainment. 

Mrs. Cheviot’s recent run in with a customer who was convinced farmers were evil doers hell bent on destroying the bird population should perhaps make a trip to the ranch or our kindly neighbor’s sometime. There are more birds now than ever and like many farmers, we have spent a lot of time providing habitat for them. Robins start singing at 4:36 a.m. and by 5, they must be off putting on the feed bag or looking for food for their second brood of youngsters. The bluebirds at the kindly neighbors’ have fledged and they’re working on their second brood. We have at least two different wrens singing in the background. There are dickcissels singing in the pasture and chipping sparrows singing in our windbreak. The common yellowthroats toss in their two cents occasionally from the plum thicket. The orioles appear to be bringing their young to the feeders just as they have for many moons now. They’re also starting to come on their own, more bumbling and curious than their parents who eat and run a lot this time of year. The brown thrasher tosses in an occasional guitar rift hidden someplace deep in the nannyberries. And last but not least, a rooster pheasant (likely one of Little Jerry’s contemporaries) crows from different points on the landscape as he makes his appointed rounds.

Went to the Back to the Fifties car show again last week with Vista’s noted Swedish astronomers and some other local characters. It was a blast riding up there in the Swede’s ’58 Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop. Once on the State Fairgrounds, symbols of Detroit’s former opulence (and South Bend Indiana’s: Studebaker was manufactured there, not in Detroit) were on display. Also bumped into my little fat buddy from Bemidji with whom we shared some libations and quality time. Couldn’t help thinking of my dad while we there though as he would’ve turned 100 this past Sunday. Dad was a Buick guy and one of my favorite cars he had was the ’57 Buick. Not as much chrome or massive perhaps as the ’58 my brother once had, but equally as impressive. The interior was fascinating and with those red ball hubcaps it drew attention to a 4-year old when Dad washed it. The salmon color contrasted with the cream colored underline made the car unique and I only remember seeing a few like it. The reawakened memory implanted from that era is probably what stirred my passion for old cars. Among the 10,000 or so old cars go round and round, didn’t see many ’57 Buicks Sunday but they were there, just as I’m sure Dad was. Thanks Dad. 

See you next week…real good then.

 “Did I ever tell you about that guy? You know, that guy that made everyone laugh, who always had a joke to tell, and always told the best stories?”

His name was Ronald H. Clausen. “Ronnie” was born on April 26, 1939 to Herbert and Evelyn (Krueger) Clausen in Mankato, MN. He was raised in the Pemberton area, where he attended school. As he was going into his senior year of high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps in 1958, where he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. He served until his honorable discharge in 1961. 

Ronald married the love of his life, Lois (Brandvold) on July 9, 1960, at the LeSueur River Lutheran Church in New Richland. “Smartest thing I’ve ever done” he would say. The couple was blessed with 54 years of marriage. “Love Ya Much,” one Clausen would say to the other. This saying was eventually carried on by their children and grandchildren.

Dinneen, Schumacher depart NRHEG schools — for different reasons

By MARK DOMEIER

Contributing Writer

School districts undergo change on a yearly basis. However, it’s rare that a school will have to replace an entire department. NRHEG faces that task this year as Georgia Dinneen and Sandy Schumacher have both left, though for different reasons, and administration now has to find new members for the business department.

After seven years at NRHEG, Schumacher has accepted a job in Waseca teaching the same types of classes: computer skills, personal finance, etc. This decision was “based strictly on geography,” commented Schumacher, since she lives in Waseca, where her children attend school.

Dinneen, on the other hand, has entered the world of retirement. After working in the business world for a number of years, she subbed for a time before teaching at NRHEG for the past 19 years. She said it was a difficult decision because she still enjoys her job, and the students often make her day. “They are the reason educators go to work every day,” said Dinneen. “We have such a good group of students at NRHEG, and that’s because of the good community we live in.”

NRHEG School Board

By REED WALLER

Staff Writer

The final item added to Monday’s NRHEG school board meeting agenda was “Approve the Formation of an Acting Superintendent Search Committee.”

Earlier, the board had approved the resignations of Secondary Administrative Assistant Michelle Mulder, paraprofessional Nikki Schiell, Speech Pathologist Amanda Scharfe, Sandy Schumacher, and Dr. Dennis Goodwin, all with gratitude.

Goodwin had tendered his resignation Friday evening.

“I contacted the Minnesota School Board Association this morning,” Chairman Rick Schultz told the board, “and they suggested the option of hiring an interim superintendent for a term of one  year, and then conducting the search for a permanent replacement around Dec. 2015-Jan. 2016.

Remembering the life of O’Dean L. Miller….

Funeral Services for O’Dean L. Miller of New Richland will be held Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 2 p.m. at  St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, in New Richland. The Reverend Scott Williams will officiate. Interment will be in St. Peter Cemetery. Military honors accorded by New Richland Veteran’s Organization. Visitation will be from 4–7 p.m. on Tuesday at Bonnerup-Friedrich Funeral Home in New Richland, and one hour before the service at the church.

O’Dean died on Friday, June 19, 2015 at Seasons Hospice in Rochester at the age of 77.

O’Dean Lorenz Miller was born to Lorenz and Leila (Krueger) Miller on September 3, 1937, in Byron Township on the home place, a century farm, where he lived his entire life.

He graduated from New Richland High School with the class of 1955.

An evening of primarily piano but also accordion and guitar music, plus some singing, will be presented by the students of Shirley Groskreutz, from Waldorf, on June 28, 6:30 p.m. at Vista Covenant Church, rural New Richland.

Students from the Waldorf area are Sophia, Aubrey and Raquel Fische, Ben and Anna Groskreutz, Jack and Sam Olsen, Shanna Stenzel, George Roesler, Courtney Terhark, and Juliette and Elijah Arenas. From Mapleton are Taylor and Jordan Thompson.

New Richland area students are Grace, Elizabeth, Eli and Isaac Nelson, Benjamin and Betsy Schoenrock, Chris Stenzel, and Autumn Thompson.

Waseca area students are Jordane and Kala Koaba. From Janesville is Kelly Koplen. Alumni students Tyler and Ryan Priebe will also perform. The public is welcome to attend.

Several records were broken at NRHEG grade 3-5 track and field day this year. Results by grade and gender:

3rd Grade Boys

• 100 meters – 1. Graden Karl, 16.78; 2. Parker Bunn; 3. Sam Olson; 4. Dylan Flemming

• 200 — 1. George Roesler, 33.47, new record; 2. Daxter Lee; 3. William Tuttle; 4. Payton Loverink

• 400 — 1. George Roesler, 1:19.83, new record; 2. Daxter Lee; 3. Graden Karl; 4. William Tuttle

• 50 hurdles — 1. Graden Karl, 9.46, new record; 2. Sam Olson; 3. Dylan Flemming; 4. Jackson Chrz

• Long jump — 1. Parker Bunn, 10-7 ½; 2. William Tuttle; 3. Trey Hackett; 4. Brian Possin

• Softball throw — 1. George Roesler, 102-2, new record; 2. Daxter Lee; 3. Gavin Briggs; 4. Clay Routh

Father’s Day is fast approaching.  It is a day that has been developed to honor all fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and father figures who have influenced a person’s life.

Sonora Smart Dodd knew that a special day had been set aside to celebrate mothers and she told her pastor that she thought that fathers should also have a special day set aside to honor them. Sonora knew first hand how important fathers were as her father had raised her and her five brothers and sisters as a single parent. 

Sonora’s pastor agreed that fathers' should also be honored just as mothers are during the month of May and he delivered his first Father’s Day sermon June 19 at the local YMCA. That day was later designated as the first official Father’s Day.

Fathers Day has gone on to be celebrated worldwide to recognize the contribution that fathers, and father figures, have made to the lives of children. Although it is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide, many countries observe this special day for fathers on the third Sunday in June. Many people make a special effort to do something special for their fathers and have developed their own family traditions. Many people visit their fathers on this day that is set aside to honor them and enjoy special dinners or events together. Some call them on the telephone while others give cards or gifts such as clothing or sporting attire or equipment, favorite foods, electronic gadgets, or household tools.

Young children get excited with the thought of Father’s Day approaching and many make special cards or draw pictures, most often of things or events they have shared with their fathers. Older children enjoy taking their dads to baseball games, fishing trips, golfing, or car shows, just to name a few, spending time together on Father’s Day.

There was a time when women had to, or wanted to, have a career of their own. With it came the change of child care that involved men more than it once did. It isn't strange to see a father and child shopping for groceries, enjoying dinner together, or watching or participaing in an activity or sport. That's good because the relationship between a father and his children and a mother and her children have different ramifications. They learn and do things different under the care of their parents because men and women are different and the interests they pass on are too. Dads have become just as efficient in changing a diaper, feeding and burping a child or talking to that little one. It is heartwarming to see. If Mom is pleased with a child’s accomplishments, with Dad, it is double good.

As children grow they see their father was more than just their dad, he was an individual, with hopes and dreams and aspirations. They also learn their father made sacrifices so they might have opportunities and that they took on the burden of worry so that their children might be carefree. Fathers love their children enough to be firm when needed, so that their children might be spared a bad experience. They also put aside their own dreams so their children might be able to realize dreams of their own.

All this, and more, fathers have done so that their children might be happy, fulfilled and loved. I hope children thank their fathers for the love they were given and for the times they were there for them as they were growing up. I also hope that their fathers know their children will try to be there for them should they ever need them.

I know that I came to know my father in some very special ways over the years and really enjoyed the things we were able to share and do together. I miss those special times we shared.

The best gifts that life offers cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Happy Father’s Day, one and all!

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. 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 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.

This week’s birthdays and anniversaries include:

• Thursday, June 18th: Kendel Marie Klocek, (2014) Keturah Katherine Mae Gassmann, Brett Hagen, Dennis O'Neil, Dave Lieberg, Marie Dobberstein, Marvin Enzenauer, Bonnie Nelson, Krysti Cameron, Margo & Milton Wayne, Wayne & Diane Jensen, Greg & Linda Pavek, Brad & Tammy Thompson, Kathy (Barnett) & Chad Peterson, Amy & Brady Jensen, (2011)

• Friday, June 19th: John Jerome Olson, Josephine Ann Olson, Julie (Vanden Heuvel) & Dale Horihan, Ellen (Johnson) & Mark Johnson, Al & Carol Schultz, Julie & Chad Cornelius, Guy & Tracy Cromwell, Fred & DeLoyce Schmidt, Melissa & Scott Anderson, Tammy & Jeff Busho, Rich & Susan Hanson, Cesar & Heather Rosas, Ashlie Pence, Johnathan David Schewe, Maryann Stone, Jean Pelzl, Theresa Kasper, Monty Spurr, Erica Van Kampen, Tracy Cromwell, Erica McClaskey, and LaVerne Calverly

• Saturday, June 20th: Adelyn Grace Quaintance, Jean Ahlstrom, Kari Vanden Heuvel, Christopher Wayne, Patti (Stadheim) Bell, Chris Jensen, Alan Schmidt, Dianne Jensen, Madison Renae DenHerder, Mike & Kirra Hanson and Rick & Karla Kelly 

• Sunday, June 21st: Shirley & Greg Tennant, Dorothy Kilian, Terry Van Kampen, Robyn Schmidt Beckler, Harmony Mattson Anderson, Greg Ramaker, Jay Ditlevson, Teri Jahnke and Haley Katherine Meiners

• Monday, June 22nd: Jessie Cleven, Marilyne Donahue, Travis Broskoff, Bruce Hunter, Barbara Haberman, Cheryl Peterson, Becca Schei, Mark & Sharon Sorenson, Chris & Linda (Harding) Newgard and Dale & Suzanne Boverhuis Jr.

• Tuesday, June 23rd: Ralph & Alyce Randall, Carlie (Thompson) & Joseph Sevcik, Greg Bartsch, Ann Farr, Amanda Wacek, Rhonda Reichl, Rebecca Schei, Alley Mae Hammett and Avery Ella Hammett

• Wednesday, June 24th: Rhyan Rebecca Fritz, LuAnn Hanson, Gordon Hanson, Joel Butler, Andy Sommers, Mary Harty, Sheryl Berg, Rick A. Miller, Julie (Krieg) & Brian Hove, Valerie (Tobiason) & Scott Quiring, Stephanie (Morris) & Brad Hendrickson and Danielle (Cook) & Travis Johnson

• Thursday, June 25th: Paul & Deb Wallace, Brad & Jannell Tufte, David & Lori Lembke, James & Mardelyn Thompson, Boyd & Jeanene Reese, Brady Nelson, Rachel Lerum, Michael Bell, Hugh O'Byrne, Brady Nelson Heimer, Marilyn Nelson and Boyd Reese

• Friday, June 26th: Michelle Marie Leeman, Marissa Ann Leeman, Brock Nelson, Tony Muri, Richard Holmes, Michelle Davidson, Tiffany Olson, Ray Jepson, Pennie Ladlie, Tristan & Michael Ingvaldson, Chuck & Ann Southworth and Tom & Wilma Arbogast

Hope you have a day filled with things that make you smile and that the year ahead will be filled with new discoveries.

It doesn’t seem like we’ve really had a spring like I remember having when I was a kid. Maybe time clouds the memory or it may be that as a kid I took more time to notice things like the first crop of dandelions, the smell of blooming lilac bushes or the appearance of tad poles in the “crick.” The spring thaw which usually happened in March was followed by April showers and by May things were greening up quite nicely. I guess in a perfect world that is the general order of things, but each year nature seems to put a little different spin on the beginning of each season.

Looking back to those days of growing up north of town I can remember the excitement of the last day of school. The first order of business was going to Earl Peterson’s barber shop on the north side for my summer haircut. Then my mom would take me to JC Penney’s for a pair of tennis shoes which were to last me the whole summer. That usually wasn’t a problem because this kid wasn’t really partial to wearing shoes in the summertime. Going barefoot wasn’t without its difficulties. While getting accustomed to the first few days of summer I would inevitably end up stubbing my big toe on the sidewalk in front of our house. There is nothing like the feeling of stepping on a honey bee or discovering what the neighbor dog had left in the lawn after its last visit.

After the initial formalities were taken care of I was free to do what a kid does in the summer. Going down to the “bridge” under which the “crick” flowed between Bancroft Bay and Goose Lake was usually one of the first things I did. I do believe every kid that lived within walking or biking distance of that slough considered it their own personal stomping grounds. I would spend hours exploring the vast slough, which never came without a wet pant leg or a tennis shoe full of mud and slough water to show for it.

As spring turned to summer we would watch for the first tadpole to sprout legs and eventually evolve into a frog. How awesome was that? We could observe nature at work and see the end result. Red winged blackbirds would build their nests in the cattails so I always watched to see how many I could spot. I have always loved hearing the call of a red winged blackbird; whenever I’d hear the first one of the season it meant spring was here and summer was not far behind.

Hanging out at the bridge pretty much took up the first part of summer, but as the weather warmed and the water level went down I wouldn’t frequent the bridge quite as much. Summer usually meant we could play outside later and that meant playing games such as Tag, Kick the Can and Anti-I-Over. Cowboys & Indians and Cops & Robbers were also games we played and the object of the game was to go hide and then sneak up on someone and go “bang,” at which the person shot would fall down. There was always that kid who hated being caught so when shot said person would yell “you missed” and keep on playing. The game never really ended until we grew tired of it and moved on to something else or got called in for the night. I know that this game would not go over very well in today’s society, but I believe our generation turned out pretty darned good.

At least once every summer I would talk a couple of my friends into camping out in the backyard. My mother would give me a couple of old flannel sheets which I hung over the clothesline. I would anchor the bottom with whatever heavy objects I could find while putting the other sheet down on the ground for a floor and “voila,” I had a tent. Unfortunately the ends were open so the tent we played in all day in anticipation of sleeping in that night would eventually fill up with mosquitoes, June bugs and lightning bugs. After we had taken turns visiting the inside of my house to use the bathroom or get a drink of water we would usually end up camping out on the living room floor. I believe I tried doing this many times while growing up, but usually with the same result.

I never had a real tent when I was a kid but, I had always wanted one. My first “real job” was delivering the Minneapolis Star & Tribune for Lawrence McGill. Looking back, I started the first paper route for the Minneapolis paper in that part of town. They had contests for getting the most subscriptions and during that time I was able to win a lot of prizes. You could pick your prize depending how many points you had. Over time I acquired a sleeping bag, kerosene lantern, canteen and a first aid kit that contained a bottle of 6.12 and a most important snake bite kit. I was ready to camp now and if I happened to get bitten by one of those venomous garter snakes, I had the answer.

Although I never had the opportunity as a youth to go camping in the north woods, which was my childhood dream, I eventually realized that dream as an adult. Today I might be an old guy on the outside, but on the inside I’m still that kid who yearns to spend at least one or two nights tenting by a lake.

Until next time, summer is here so grab the fishing poles, bait and mosquito spray and head to the lake to enjoy the great Minnesota outdoors.

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