Happiness is found in little things and we need to celebrate all that is good in our lives.

We need to take each day and celebrate our dreams and aspirations. 

If you've got a dream, believe in it!

If you've got talent, recognize it! 

Use your determination. Tap into it!  hy wait for good things to happen when you can make them happen now? 

Give your future a makeover and you will have an amazing future ahead of you.

Let spring renew you too!

Let spring bring out the best in you. This is the time to look at yourself in a whole new light, to take a cue from Mother Nature and allow yourself to bloom. 

That dream you set aside or tried to talk yourself out of is still there, ready for you to flip the switch. And  no matter how crazy life gets, the best time is always right now. Why postpone happiness?

Our dreams can be blueprints for a beautiful future. 

There is much to celebrate about you. Why worry about mistakes you make, missteps you take or "flaws" you may have? Everyone has slight imperfections. They just show the world we're one-of-a-kind originals, not copies, and the list of what makes you likeable and loveable is always growing.

People who live their dreams take  themselves seriously and take charge. They look ahead more than they look back. They choose hope over self-doubt, and they know deep down, that they have what it takes to succeed.

You know what really matters. Go for it.

You will succeed in many ways. Just as there is no limit to the number of stars in the sky, there is no limit on what you can accomplish - especially with all you bring to any opportunity.

You have greatness in you.

You're right on time for success. 

You haven't missed the boat, waited too long, tried to hard or done anything wrong. Every ounce of effort you've poured into your dreams has prepared you for this moment, the moment when everything will come together.

Happiness isn't a reward you have to work for, wait for or simply wish for. And it is not something to put yourself last in line for.

Expect the best from each day and you won't be disappointed.

You don't have to be rich, lucky or connected for your dreams to come true. You don't even have to be the absolute best at anything. Real success only has two main ingredients: hope and determination, which means you're already on your way. We need to seek out opportunities to strengthen our talents and natural abilities.

 Some of the best paths in life are completely unexpected and 100% free.

Strength doesn't always look like we expect it to and believing in someone is the best gift we can give.

We have the power to make positive changes. Why talk yourself out of success when you can talk yourself into it?

Follow your dreams, not your doubts.

Worrying isn't worth it. It is true that life will present you with challenges - both big and small - but you can meet them all. Paths may have obstacles, too, but you can find a way around them. And setbacks, they can save you time to reflect, recharge and rest your inner GPS; go chart a new route to your dreams.

Challenges make you more confident than before.

When you put hope in charge, good things can happen.

Expect more from life, and you'll get it.

The future can bring you great things. You have everything you need to succeed. You 're tougher than any trouble, able to outsmart any problem and more than equal to any challenge. 

And when there is an obstacle in your path, you can find a way around it. Positive thinking is more powerful than you think.

Life is a stream of gifts. Some just appear, without ribbons or bows. Others need to be unwrapped. Still others take a little while to notice.  But they keep coming, some too many to count. Look ahead with optimism. There is so much to look forward to!

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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, April 16th: Eddie & Arlene Miller, their 63rd; Terry & Cindy Vaith, their 31st

• Friday, April 17th: Mike Nesdahl, Suzanne Marcus Cory, Matthew Olson, Diane Van Riper, Kathy Paulsen, Bethany & Terry Mikesell, Jerry & Mary Peterson

• Saturday, April 18th: Ellen Hanson, Marge Leak, Peggy Wallerich, Tim Stollard, Tom Kaphers, Rebecca Lyn Peterson, her 13th; Brian Olson, Danielle Zamora, Levi Michael Den Herder, his 9th

• Sunday, April 19th: Elizabeth Rose Wallace, her 8th; Cody James Reistad, his 9th; Aaron Utpadel, James Bremmer, Jaxon Branstad, his 134h; Kaden Shaw Tonlinson, his 11th

• Monday, April 20th: Jacob Dau, his 8th; Sara Elizabeth Hemingway, her 13th; Steve Mumm, Brenda Sorenson, Kathy Haberman, Jennie Korsbon, Paul & Jennifer Wayne

• Tuesday, April 21st: Helen Pierce, Michael Foster, Veronica Graif, Adrian Kilian, Marilyn Reistad, Elmer Vanden Heuvel

• Wednesday, April 22nd: Noah Lowell Swearingen, his 11th; Rollie Johnson, David Purdy, Gregory Swearingen, Stacy Thostenson Harold, James Van Riper, Marilyne Dodge, Mike & Sarah Collins, Rodger & Sue Hill

• Thursday, April 23rd: Dan McElfresh, Jayne Miller, Buffy Bergland, Alan Edwardson, Jackie Johnson Miller

• Friday, April 24th: Keralyn & Bill Powers, Madison Kae Wagner, Marnie Ray Wagner, Dak Sorenson, Marilyn Cuden, Audrey Paulson, Lowell Wichmann, Scott Brandt, Kara Vangen

May the year ahead bring you a world of pleasures.

This past week we have received some much needed rain, which is good news for the state’s lakes, rivers and streams. A lack of significant snowfall this winter has made this rain even more welcome and even with the recent rainfall we have not yet been removed from the drought category.

Last week I mentioned my bird feeders and the problem that I have with squirrels and blackbirds. The other day I decided to purchase some safflower seeds which is supposed to be a deterrent to blackbirds. It is said that they do not like them. Shortly after filling the feeder I witnessed blackbirds and starlings flocking (pun intended) to partake in a meal. It appeared to me that they had not gotten the memo about them not liking said seeds. I did not watch the feeder that closely the remainder of the day and I have not seen any of those particular birds revisiting it so maybe they figured it out.

As the 2015 fishing opener draws closer I am getting that urge to wet a line. I can envision myself catching a nice mess of perch or crappie so I will have to make that reality and give it a try. Looking back over the years the middle of April has been pretty productive for crappie if you can find them. I do remember one particular year in the late ‘70s when they were biting like mad below the dam. Now I’m not talking 8-inchers, but real slabs. This only lasted about a week at the most but the bite was fantastic while it lasted. Another good place that used to produce was that shallow bay on the west end of Edgewater by old Highway 13.

Yes the shore fishing for crappies was pretty darned good a few years ago and I don’t see why it wouldn’t be again. It’s really all about being in the right place at the right time, which is actually what fishing is all about in the first place.

In 1971, the spring after my wife and I were married, we, along with some of our friends, would fish the creek that runs into the west end of Edgewater Bay. One of our group would stop and buy some minnows right after work and we’d meet at “our spot” hoping that someone hadn’t beaten us to it. The crappie fishing was fantastic and we would usually limit out within a couple of hours. It was fun and cheap entertainment for a bunch of young folks who loved to fish. The crappies weren’t slabs by any stretch of the imagination, but they were eaters and mighty tasty to boot.

The best fishing usually lasted for about two weeks and then tapered off. I worked Saturdays at that time and had a day off during the week. On that day off I would get up early and head to that spot to try my luck; first for crappies and, as the morning moved on, I’d cast for northern. It wasn’t as productive as it had been early on, but I still managed to catch a crappie or two and an occasional pike. It was all good and I couldn’t think of a better way to start off the day. Where did I put my crappie rod anyway?

Mille Lacs walleye limit to 1; night muskie and bow fishing allowed

Mille Lacs Lake anglers will be able to keep one walleye 19 to 21 inches long or one over 28 inches when fishing opens on Saturday, May 9, and an extended night fishing closure will again be in effect beginning the Monday after the opener, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.

The restrictive walleye regulations are necessary to keep walleye harvest within the lake’s established safe harvest level.

“The new regulations reflect our commitment to improve the walleye fishery as quickly as possible and stay within the state’s 1837 Treaty safe harvest allocation yet continue to provide walleye angling opportunities,” said Don Pereira, fisheries chief for the DNR.

The 2015 regulations for Mille Lacs Lake are:

Walleye – Limit of one and the fish must be 19 to 21 inches long or longer than 28 inches. Night closure from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. May 11 to Dec. 1.

Northern pike – Limit of 10. One fish may be longer than 30 inches only if two fish shorter than 30 inches are caught on the same trip and in possession.

Bass – Limit of six smallmouth and largemouth bass in combination. Only one smallmouth bass may be longer than 18 inches.

Mille Lacs’ 2015 walleye safe harvest level was reduced from 60,000 to 40,000 pounds in 2015 so more fish potentially survive and spawn to improve the walleye population. State anglers can harvest up to 28,600 pounds of walleye. The eight Chippewa bands with 1837 Treaty harvest rights can harvest up to 11,400 pounds of walleye.

Last year, Mille Lacs anglers could keep two walleye 18- to 20-inches long or one longer than 28 inches.

A night fishing closure, enforced from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., will begin Monday, May 11, and extend to Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Until next time, it’s a great time to do a little early season crappie fishing and enjoy the outdoors at the same time.

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

You’ll never guess why my nephew Gnarly bought his house.

For the spiral staircase?

It doesn't have one.

The price?

No.

The taxes?

Nope.

The school?

I say nay.

I give up. Why did he buy the house?

The cellphone reception there is excellent.

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: Many great historical events have happened next door to souvenir shops.

The cafe chronicles

A study found that the average American eats food from a restaurant 191 times per year and much of that is takeout.

This was one of those times. Sans takeout.

The gentlemen seated around the table of infinite knowledge offered more snoose and commentary than news and commentary. Few of them knew that a suntan could extend above the elbow. The table is an odd place where a man finds glee in meeting his deductible.

When you greeted one, he took it from there. He was generous with his conversations. He said that the seasons are getting farther together. I know what he meant. I think. His wife, who he considered an important part of his marriage, was mad at him because he’d mistaken the gravy for a bowl of soup and had eaten it all. He shared the tale of his late bachelor uncle who had lived and worked in Chicago. He was paid after work on Saturdays. Every payday, on his way home, he stopped to buy two cigars for a nickel, a quart of beer and a hunk of Limburger cheese. He took the goodies home and enjoyed them in his room. This habit might have been the reason he remained unmarried.

"There aren’t any salt and pepper shakers on the table," complained one loafer.

"We don’t have any salt and pepper shakers," replied the waitress. "We have salt and pepper holders. You have to do your own shaking."

First Communion

Friends suffered a devastating house fire. The good news was that everyone escaped uninjured. This calamity caused me to want to ask this question. Other than living things, what would you grab first if your house were on fire? 

I attended my granddaughter Hadley's first Communion recently. The little lady was lovely in her 42-year-old dress. The same dress had been worn by her sister, her cousins, her aunts and her mother for their first Communions. There might be someone in that family who’d save that dress forthwith in case of a fire.

I looked at this beautiful child and was mystified how she could have reached her age so quickly. Then Hadley asked me, "What do you call a rabbit with lice?" Her answer, "Bugs Bunny." I felt better.

Hadley enjoyed the entire celebration. She was flawless and not unhappy to receive gifts for doing her part. She can’t wait to see what she’ll get for her second Communion.

Annie and her main squeeze

He was told by his grandmother to never fall in love with a woman who spits or whistles, particularly on a day when there was a funeral in town. This made him overly cautious when it came to romance, even though he liked whistling. Despite this, he did fall in stride with Annie. As far as he knew, she was a non-whistling non-spitter.

Each week, he took Annie to a movie. They had several movie theaters to select from. She picked the film one week, he chose what they'd see the next.

One night, the weather was so pleasant as they left the theater that they walked a bit slower than normal. Winter had hurried their passages to his car and they enjoyed a leisurely stroll. They had been pleased with the movie. By the time it had begun showing at the little theater, it had already become a classic everywhere else.

"We’ve been going together for a long time," said Annie, attempting to match his stride. "It’s been 20 years."

"I do believe you’re right."

"Neither of us is getting any younger," added Annie.

"I can’t argue with you there."

"Don’t you think we should consider getting married?" asked Annie.

"Probably, but who would have us?"

Nature notes

Mallard pairs form long before the spring breeding season. Pairing takes place in the fall, but courtship can be seen in winter. Only the female incubates the eggs and cares for the ducklings.

Meeting adjourned

Be kind. There are people who would love to have your bad days.

We managed to get our snow in Thursday night, so the scurs were glad to get that out of the way. Are we done with snow or will the Weather Eye from the Gremlin be pressed into service once again? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny. Highs in the mid-60’s with lows in the low 40’s. Thursday, partly sunny with a slight chance of a morning shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the mid-60’s with lows in the low 40’s. Mostly sunny on Friday with highs in the mid-60’s with lows around 40. Saturday, sunny with the start of a cooling trend as well as a slight chance of an overnight shower or thunderstorm. Highs near 60 with lows around 40. Partly sunny Sunday with a modest chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the mid-50’s with lows near 40. Monday, mostly cloudy with a modest chance of a shower or thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the low 40’s. Mostly sunny Tuesday with highs in the upper 50’s and lows in the low 40’s. The normal high for April 20th is 59 and the normal low is 37. The sun will rise at 6:30 a.m. on the 16th and will set after 8p.m. on the 18th, about the same time as this past August 25th. The scurs patio furniture will take up residence soon beside the ceement pond.

Midweek rainfall was the story this past week with amounts varying from around an inch to over 1.5”. At the ranch we recorded 1.66 from the 8th – 10th and at the Mall for Men it was closer to 1.25”. An overnight encore of .15” and .1” respectively Sunday night dampened plans for tearing into fieldwork ahead of schedule. Up until this past weekend, soil temperatures were anything but warm, averaging in the mid-40’s at the 2” depth as measured at the SROC. It is easy to remember fondly the years when we’ve had an early start but fooling ourselves into thinking this is now the new norm is where we set ourselves up for disappointment. It will be ready when it’s ready, not some preconceived notion of when we think it ought to be. Keeping that in mind should help save much snarling and gnashing of teeth if things don’t come up perfectly.

There are other indicators too that while we’ve warmed up, it still hasn’t moved things like the lawns and trees ahead of schedule just yet. On the 9th, the snowfall knocked the signal out on our satellite receiver when it accumulated on the dish, looking like it was covered with mashed potatoes. And, some of the shallow wetlands have recovered to respectable levels. Back in early March in our wetland, there was no water where one of the wood duck bungalows is placed. A Saturday trip to check on wood duck house occupancy revealed it was once again in the water. In fact it was to the point that taking one more step would’ve meant water going over the top of my knee boots. We have recorded over 3” of precip with snow and rain at the ranch since that time. With primarily cool conditions, it has accumulated. No wood ducks yet but there was a pair that flew by the kitchen window Monday morning.

Other occurrences this past week included the radishes starting to emerge on the 10th, 10 days after planting. Peas followed three days later. A brown thrasher serenaded us during morning chores Monday and the first tree swallows of the season were spotted at lunchtime. The male cardinal spends time singing between the Dubya’s, neighbor David’s and our place. Suspect they’re nesting at neighbor David’s as he has the best cover in his windbreak. And the chorus frogs finally got it cranked up as only they can do. Warm temperatures over the weekend were to their liking. When heading out to feed the last of the bottle lambs Sunday night, the southwest wind was carrying frogs’ shrieking up the hill and into the yard. The buildings block the sound but when there are no obstructions between you and the pond, the noise that thousands of tiny frogs can make is incredible.

Saturday was a great day to finally remove the tree wrap from 30 odd trees. As usual there was ample Border Collie help as the spiral wrap was unwound from each of the small trees. Even better for Fudgie and Ruby was the preparation of the lawnmowers for the season’s mowing. With the truck sitting outside, opening the garage door can mean only one thing to these two dogs: Get inside as fast as possible, growl ferociously and bite those lawnmower tires! To take it one step further, when both mowers are started, moved outdoors, and left running the dogs are just beside themselves. While I was at it, I discovered another Border Collie quirk. Ruby just hates to get sprayed with the air hose. Accidentally nailed her with it while cleaning the deck off and she came unglued, not much different than when the garden hose is sprayed. Auntie Mar Mar once accused us of having Ruby just for entertainment purposes. Well, if the shoe fits I guess…

See you next week…real good then.

Here’s a question I hear often: What do the teachers do on the days they work without students in the building? The refrain I often hear is that we must sit around drinking coffee and eating donuts, adding up final grades, and not much else.

Au contraire! First, I despise coffee, and our wellness committee would frown on chomping down on donuts. Is there some fraternizing on workshop days? Absolutely. Those days give us a chance to sometimes touch base with other staff members we don’t see often in the hectic world in which we work. However, those meetings usually wend toward education and comparing notes on what’s going on. It’s nice to know what other teachers are doing in their classrooms because you can at times find connections to your own teaching. Working across curriculums benefits students as they see the threads from many classes and how all these seemingly unimportant ideas are related and important in life.

Workshop days are different depending on what time of year it is. Prior to school starting in the fall, rooms need to be put back together. That means arranging desks and seating charts, putting up bulletin boards and other decorations on the walls and doors, and sorting through the requisitions we received over the summer. There’s the excitement of a new year and new groups of students, which helps get all the preparatory work done. Trust me on this – most teachers spend a lot more time in school in August than they are required to. We all want everything to start smoothly, and there are many details to reach the perfection we hope to achieve on the first day of school and beyond.

As we reach the end of each quarter, there are indeed grades to finalize. I have learned over the years to try to avoid big assignments or tests right at the end. I’d rather not feel rushed on workshop day to finish those corrections and all the final grades. Plus, with my philosophy on giving students second chances to show improvement, I want them to have some time for that.

For instance, my 7th graders finished a paper on the last day of 3rd quarter. It would have driven me mad to correct all those stories in a day. Plus, there was a clear sign of re-teaching needed. I told them I would put it on the 4th quarter grade, and some have already taken advantage of redoing the work – they’re learning!

Workshop days sometimes involve meetings of different committees since it’s a time when everyone is available. It’s rare to have a whole staff meeting, though that can happen if there’s something important. There are planning sessions among teachers who teach similar classes. Mrs. Rudau and I both teach sections of 8th grade English. We’re able to touch base to see if we’re staying on the same page. I have special education kids who mainstream with my class, so planning ahead with their teachers is vital. These quarterly days help that run smoothly.

I don’t like to plan too far ahead. During the winter, it seems if I plan more than a week out, the weather terrorists strike and mess with the schedule. Other things pop up throughout the year that make planning too far out useless. However, when we get to the end of 3rd quarter, it’s time to take a hard look at where we are and how much of our curriculum is left. Do we have time for everything? Can we make adjustments?

Let me make this clear. While I have a curriculum I should follow, I’ve never ever completed everything. I refuse to just cover material. If I don’t have time to teach the concept thoroughly, I really try to avoid it or mix it with another, easier idea. I always remember American History in high school, when we spent three days on World War II and then a week on the remainder of the 20th century. How much do you think we got out of that? If we’d spent that entire time on WWII, we would’ve been better off, since we’d really have the impact of that war driven home.

And we won’t even get into all the paperwork special education teachers try to catch up on! I know how convoluted my desk looks by the end of a quarter and all the time I spend catching up on paperwork I have to do, but their task is much taller! Elementary teachers also have more planning and collaborating because there are 3-4 of them teaching the same grade, not including organizing with the specialists and others who help keep that school running smoothly.

There you go! Outside of lunch, there’s not as much downtime as you think. There are moments where I just sit at my desk and decompress for a bit. Then I look down at my to-do list and get back to it. Workshops – time off from students? Yes. Time off, period? No way.

Word of the Week: This week’s word is perambulate, which means to walk about or roam, as in, “The teacher found that perambulating a bit through the empty halls helped focus his mind on the quarter to come.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

Keith S. Edgar, 76, of Sparta, Wis., died Sunday, April 12, 2015 at his home. He was born on November 6, 1938 in Sanborn, MN to Bruce E. and Helen D. (Powers) Edgar.  He grew up in Sanborn and graduated from New Richland High School in June of 1956.

Keith enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Kodiak, Alaska. Upon his discharge after six years. He then attended Mankato State for two years and drove grain truck for his father. He traveled building Coast to Coast Hardware Stores all over the U.S. He then returned to finish his schooling at Mankato State with an Industrial Arts Degree.  He worked construction while he was in college. He went into trucking after school and he loved it, he retired from it because of health reasons.

Join in the fight against cancer.

We need you to help us raise $70,000 for cancer research and patient programs.

A kickoff open house for the 2015 Waseca County Relay for life is Tuesday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Faith United Church in Waseca.

Special guest speaker is Joel Born. Learn where your money goes, learn how 68% of cancers are preventable.

On average 100 people in Waseca County are diagnosed with cancer each year. We need you to help us finish the fight against cancer.

Questions call 507-225-1006.

Bridges and kindergarten orientation meetings have been scheduled by NRHEG Schools.

Bridges (Pre-Kindergarten) orientation is Monday, April 20 at 4:45 p.m. in the Music Room at NRHEG Elementary in Ellendale. This is intended as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten for 5-year-olds.

Kindgarten orientation is Monday, April 27 at 4:45 p.m. in the Music Room at NRHEG Elementary in Ellendale.

NRHEG students excel at regional competition

REGIONAL CHAMPIONS — Pre-Calculus students from NRHEG High School captured the championship trophy at the regional TrigStar competition March 13. Front from left: Alyssa Esplan, Abby Christopherson, Eli Lutgens, Torrie Stencel, Corrie Powell, Sophia Fischer. Row two: Kayann Wibben, Anna Lundberg, Jamie Beckstrand, Nicole Edon, Jessica Nafe, Sandra Quezada, Katharine Lewer, Jenny Stoesz. Back: Whittney McCamish, Jorey Fischer, Colton Hagen, Tyler Schlaak, Emily Eder, Andy Schutrop, Cole Ignazewski, Dustin Sonnek. (Submitted photo)

On Friday, March 13, 21 Pre-Calculus students from NRHEG High School competed at the regional TrigStar competition at South Central College in North Mankato. TrigStar is a national trigonometry competition and scholarship program for high school students. It is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) and designed to encourage students to pursue a career in surveying. The regional competition was sponsored by Chapter One of the Minnesota Society of Professional Surveyors (MSPS) out of Mankato.

The competition consists of an hour-long exam that is scored both on accuracy and speed. There are four questions, ranging from basic trigonometry questions to a very complex surveying question. The students from NRHEG have been studying trigonometry in Pre-Calculus second semester, and were well prepared by practicing previous years’ exams that are made available for students.