Every time I go to the Star Eagle office in New Richland, I look at that empty building on Broadway that was once a theater, and I think of my dad. 

I miss my dad. He had a mind full of things he could tell you about New Richland and growing up there. He could tell us endless stories about all the places he worked at in town, and many things that were interesting to know. Granted, he talked a lot about the people who lived there then, many who were gone before my time, but it was still interesting hearing all the stories.

Like the theater, my mother’s memory of the theater was that it was where she first saw the movie "Gone With The Wind.” The movie was long and in beautiful color for "those days.” Now we can watch it on home video whenever we want to. Back in those days only one movie was available in the theaters at a time, and people would have to wait until the different movies made the circuit around the area. 

Some of the things I wish that I had been able to remember about my dad’s stories would be priceless to me today. One thing I do remember is, one day my mother had my dad talk with the people at a care center about the Armistice Day Storm. His audience was almost breathless as he spoke about his experiences during the storm. He rode his bike, with flat tires, through the storm to help a poultry farmer deal with turkeys that became frozen as a result of the storm.

One story my dad shared was a story about Rev. Walstrom. 

Rev. Walstrom would go to the movies and would sit in the back of the theater, and was often criticized for being there. Evidently people then didn't believe that was the place for a pastor to be. He said he went to see what his parishioners were seeing when they went to the theater, so he could preach about it just like pastors do yet today.

As I remember, my dad said that Rev. Walstrom had a young black man live with him for a time, as he needed a place to live. Remember this was years ago when people didn't often see a black person in our area, let alone in town. The reverend got up early every Sunday, and he and his house guest would attend church together at the Catholic church because his guest was of the Catholic faith. 

Someone once told him a story about "so and so" who wasn't in church because he had gone fishing. The good reverend said he would rather have the person out in a fishing boat thinking about God, than being in church thinking about fishing — which still holds true today.

Walstrom was a common sense "reality-type" person. His name should go down in history for the many things he did. If there are any people in our area who still remember Reverend Walstrom, I would love to hear stories and memories about this great man.

I would like to hear stories about my dad too. He was dyslexic — something nobody thought about back then, and as a result he had problems in school. Education then wasn't like it is today.

These great stories are priceless.

When I was working on my "Whatever Comes To Mind" column, I lost it off my computer, and I have learned you can't write the same story the same way the second time around. I apologize. Typing with one finger can be difficult at times – just ask Dana Standke. We don't appreciate things the way we should until something comes along and changes it. 

I have been having some difficult times of late. I spent the past week in Rochester with my mother, and experienced a number of problems with my computer. Computers are great until something goes wrong. 

I hope you have a great week.

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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 2: Harold Wayne, Leanna Burns, Deb Nelson, Luke Miller, Joyce Tufte Sorenson, Sonja Larson, Teresa Jensen, Kaleb Smith, Dwight Schewe, Greg Nelson, Matthew Halla, Genevieve Wayne, Bill & Pat Draayer, David & Shelly Mangskau, Brian & Lois Nelson

• Friday, April 3: Solvieg Sorenson, Linda Goodnature, Mikayla Moon, Joanne Christensen, Randy Kronberg, Patty Slater, Jase Dean Knudson, Kevin Born

• Saturday, April 4: Daryl Paulsen, Jena Richards Thompson, Erik Smith, Rachael Nicole Roades, Erin Elaine Peterson, Nathan Spande, Theresa Kasper, Danny Larson, Don Larson, Ann Michelle Larson, Diane & Dave Broskoff

• Sunday, April 5: LaVada Jensen, Colette Bauers, Samuel Thompson, Alyssa Haried, Brian Schultz, Duane Nelson, Mike Johnson, Gary & Sue Hunnicutt, Dale & Nancy Kelly

• Monday, April 6: Skip Cromwell, Spencer Kubat, Eric Crabtree, Duane Lembke, Dean Westrum, Andrew Haried, Paul Underland, Laurie Wayne, Paul Highum, Chris Phillips Carlson

• Tuesday, April 7: Janye Villarreal, Janice Jensen Skovera, Lou Hanson-Vu, Katie Lembke, Michael & Kari Ingvaldson, Gary & Sonya Peterson

• Wednesday, April 8: Sarah Collins, Ivy Obermoller, Dick Tracy, Nick Vreeman, Tim Stollard, Mark Hemingway, Sherri Carlson, Karen O'Byrne, Bob Donovan, David Pitcock, Alice Grosland, Dale & Vivian Dulas, Paul & Karissa Dolan

• Thursday, April 9: Becky Larson, Justin Tufte, June Lageson, Abby Paige Christopherson, Raianna Thomas, Jim Kaplan, Kiersten Knudson, Mike Nechanicky, Larry Sarver, Clarice McGrath, Tiffany Chrz, Joe & Mandy Moon

• Friday, April 10: Kimberly Luhring, Sara Bergerson, Sarah Skroch, Sophia Rose Christensen, Luke David Olson, Daniel Gould, Liz Reichl, Harold Pitcock, Arlen & Coleen Brekke, Lawrence & Dorothy Sprankle

• Saturday, April 11: Barb Marcus, Ruth Benson, Lori Dobberstein Sodeman, Jessica Dobberstein, Jacob Alan Reynolds, Dan Nelson, Darrin Thostenson, Theresa Bartsch, James Thompson

 It is your special day - take a break and celebrate!

Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day. Little things mean a lot.

As I was listening to the radio the other day, the news director told about an additive that was going to be used to get things like glue and toothpaste out of the tube faster. That news is surely going to take a lot of worry off of my mind and help me sleep better at night. With that thought in my head I recalled my days as a youth attending Hammer School north of town. It was a two-room schoolhouse that had a basement used for eating lunch and also for recess on rainy days. I remember anxiously waiting for the milk man to bring our milk for lunch each day. We had to bring our own lunches, but needed to wait for the milk before eating. I guess that was part of the nutrition program in those days. I can still smell those egg salad sandwiches that mom would pack in my lunch; they were my favorite.

The little school also had a library where not only books but art supplies were stored. Whenever there was a new art project that required colored paper and the paste that was used to hold most everything together, a couple of students were chosen to get the supplies. Now the paste (that we would call glue today) was white and kept in a large jar and the students were to use a wooden stick to put some of the paste in a smaller container for everyone to use. If you had ever gone to a country school in those days it was inevitable that sooner or later you would have your turn at fetching the art supplies and it was almost guaranteed that you would be tempted to taste that paste at least one time. It actually didn’t taste all that bad and for most of us it became a challenge to sneak a taste without getting caught by the teacher.

Things were a little different back then because it didn’t take much to entertain us. I can remember the year that the mumps were going around. Our teacher had us line up and one at a time we would come forward and eat a spear of dill pickle. This was how we were tested for mumps; if you had a sharp pain in your glands then there was a very good chance that you were coming down with them. I can still remember that feeling and the subsequent double barreled case of the mumps. Things are just a tad more sophisticated in the medical field these days. My dad never did let me forget that I had shared the mumps with him.

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Many of our state parks have some pretty good programs for folks who want to try camping and a variety of other outdoor activities for the first time.

Learn to camp, paddle and more at Minnesota state parks

Registration for I Can Camp! and other skill-building programs began March 20, the first day of spring.

People who lack the experience or equipment to go on a camping, canoeing or fishing trip should consider signing up for one of the many introductory programs offered at Minnesota state parks and trails in 2015. Reservations are now being taken for the following beginner-level programs, which start in June and continue through the end of August: 

1. I Can Camp! – Develop (or brush up on) fire-starting and camp cooking skills, and stay overnight in tents, complete with air mattresses, that sleep up to six people ($50 for one-night programs or $75 for two-night programs).

2. I Can Paddle! – Get out on the water for some guided canoeing, kayaking, sea kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding practice ($15 per boat and up).

3. I Can Climb! – Experience the thrill of rock climbing with instruction provided by trained professionals from Vertical Endeavors Guided Adventures ($10 per person).

4. I Can Mountain Bike! – Learn riding techniques and ride mountain bike trails with guides from the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Club ($25 per person).

The Minnesota state parks and trails I Can! series also includes I Can Fish! and Archery in the Parks programs, which are both free and require no reservation.

“If you’d like to create some unforgettable outdoor experiences with your kids but don’t know how to get started, the I Can! skill-building programs are designed for you,” said Erika Rivers, director of Minnesota state parks and trails. “Minnesota has amazing state parks, trails and water trails, and we want to spark interest in more families to get out and enjoy them.”

No experience is necessary for any of these programs. Instruction and essential equipment is provided. Vehicle permits ($5 for a one-day permit or $25 for a year-round permit) are required to enter Minnesota state parks and recreation areas. Registration for the I Can Camp! programs includes a one-day permit.

For more information about any of the programs—including program dates, times, locations, and minimum age requirements, visit www.mndnr.gov/ican or contact the DNR Information Center at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Register at www.mndnr.gov/reservations or call 866-857-2757 (8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, except holidays).

Until next time, it’s never too early to start planning for that family vacation or just a weekend camping trip. You can always enjoy the outdoors; whether it’s a week’s vacation, a weekend of camping or a day trip to an area park.

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.

I’m often asked, what is the difference between an assisted living community and a nursing home?

It really comes down to the degree of care you or your loved one might need. Assisted living communities can provide services to anyone who isn’t at the point where they need full around-the-clock care from a skilled nursing staff. 

Assisted living communities are places where seniors live in a healthy social environment and get help with some personal care services. But assisted living communities are not licensed to give nursing care.

In assisted living, residents have access to services such as meals, medication management, social activity, and help with the activities of daily living like bathing and dressing. Nursing homes are more like hospitals for those who are frail and need supervision around the clock.

If you are thinking about assisted living for yourself or a loved one, it’s a major decision requiring lots of due diligence. Below are 10 basic questions to get you thinking as you start to shop and compare.

1. Is the community attractive, inviting, and in a safe area close to important amenities?

2. Do the employees and residents appear happy and engaged?

3. Is this site easy to navigate, well-lit, comfortable and clean?

4. Does the site make it easy for me to talk with/interview other residents to get their insights on living there?

5. Can I see myself enjoying living here and doing the things that I enjoy most?

6. Is the staff accommodating and friendly?

7. What type of training do the staff members receive?

8. What types of amenities are available (i.e. media center, beauty/barber salon, library, exercise equipment, computer, convenience shop, deli, etc.).

9. Are dining areas convenient to the living spaces, and are there choices for dining times and menu items?

10. How much could my costs increase if I need more services?

This is just a sampling of what you need to consider as you make your decision. There are many more questions you need to ask.  For a more complete list go to Ecumen.org’s Resource section under assisted living.

After church on Sunday, March 15, Genie and I got in the HHR Chevrolet and put the cruise on as we entered I-35 southbound to our Spring Break destination with Sandy and Frank Meng at their residence in Harrison, Arkansas.

Our first night’s stay was the Comfort Inn at Bethany, Missouri. At the recommendation of the desk clerk, we ate the evening meal at the Toot Toot Restaurant in Bethany. The price was right, the food was good, and the articles on the wall were most interesting, for example, the pictorial display of the first to the last Studebaker car made.

We enjoyed breakfast the next morning at the Comfort Inn with Rob Reed of Ontario, Canada and Maureen and Julian Smischney of the Keliher, Minnesota area. Rob reminded us to drive safely and “Remember, for every one mile of freeway there are two miles of ditches.” Many years ago while visiting at Keliher, I helped put in the sidewalk at their church. (Small world, isn’t it?)

Up and away the next day, we arrived at our Harrison, Arkansas destination early that evening, staying at the Quality Inn.

We noticed a major similarity between Missouri and Arkansas housing. If you lived in town, the house had a porch facing the street. If you lived in the country, you had Black Angus cattle with a man-made pond in addition to the house with a porch.

The temperature on the way to Harrison was in the 70s with sunshine.

With the nice day, many of the chairs and rockers on the porches were occupied. Every porch resident waved when I honked the horn as we went by. Once again the friendliness of the South was very evident. (Genie and I decided to sit on the porch at the Norwegian Meng residence – sure enough, the cars honked and waved as they went by.)

Also staying at the Quality Inn was the Lake Region State College baseball team from Devils Lake, North Dakota. Per the coach, the team was very consistent. One of the team members explained the consistency as meaning their trip to play Southern teams was 0-7.

While we were at the Quality Inn, the NCAA Basketball Tournament was being played. Talk was about the Elite Eight. I checked and the reference was to Carrie, Jan, Ernie, Tiffany, Tom, Tyler, Andrew and Janie (the front desk crew at the Quality Inn).

Frank and Sandy took us to Cliff House Restaurant overlooking the Arkansas Grand Canyon. Wow! They also took us to The Diner, the local persons café where the customers know the employees as well as each other by first name.

Trivia of the one-week spring break:

Tonya has the ability to eat her cocoanut cake and part of mine even though I objected.

Two maintenance employees were prom mates in high school – now they’re married mates. Mark is only a supervisor at work while April is a CEO at home. 

Newton County, Arkansas has the county seat at Jasper. Jasper County in Iowa has the county seat at Newton.

“Minnesota Nice” is an excellent definition of the housekeeping department of the Quality Inn in Harrison, Arkansas.

The Ozark Mountains are in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Genie and I celebrated the first day of spring by going to the DQ!

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. 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. Bob says if you enjoy his column, 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.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

You're eating a hotdog!

I am.

Who eats a hot dog for breakfast?

People who like hot dogs.

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: The size of a lawn has no bearing on a man’s need for a riding mower.

The cafe chronicles

There was a quorum at the table of infinite knowledge.

Each guy made one groan when he sat down and a moan when he arose. One was celebrating making it to age 70 without really trying.

"Isn’t that snow pretty?" I said in a successful attempt at agitating the troops.

The friendly waitress said, "Before you ask, we are all out of 'What do you have?'"

Airport activities

He didn’t know where he was going or where he’d been. It didn’t matter. He hurried. A hypnotic haste. He was beside himself — a regular condition in big airports.

All my brain cells were asleep or MIA. It was 6:00, I wasn’t sure whether it was a.m. or p.m.

I found my seat on the plane. There was someone in it. He’d left the middle seat for me. I don’t like middle seats. Nobody does. A middle seat has never done anything to me, but it demands the defense of two borders.

He probably knew he was in the wrong seat. Maybe not. He gave an "Oops! I tried" smile and moved. I wanted to dislike him, but I’ve made similar mistakes. I couldn’t put a flaming bag of cow poop outside his door. I decided to ignore him.

Good neighbors can be hard to find. I recall sitting on a beach when a guy turned the volume of the seashell pressed to his ear up much too high.

I was determined to shun the fellow who’d attempted to swipe my seat until he began reading a Kurt Vonnegut book — "Hocus Pocus."

I like Vonnegut. Suddenly, I liked my neighbor. He was born to read, forced to work.

I’m a child of libraries. I’m like The New Yorker column by Dorothy Parker — The Constant Reader. I read some books electronically. I like paper better. The tactile sensation delights. I enjoy seeing others reading books. A book tells a bit about a person, like a bumper sticker.

I was crammed into an airline seat that didn’t fit me. There was coughing to the left of me and sneezing to the right. But I was OK. I had a book.

Playing catch

I threw a ball against the wall, playing catch with someone not there. I grew up alongside a gravel road. It wasn’t well traveled. When a car drove by that my father didn’t recognize, he’d ask, "Who in the world was that?" Dad said things like, "Never anger a cook," and "Nothing good happens after midnight." His greatest and most often given advice was, "No!"

Drive long and prosper

My GPS led me beside Stillwater. I drove through Minnesota and Iowa. Both states are open 24 hours a day. If I’d driven to the Rio Grande Valley, by the time I’d reached the Texas border, I’d have been halfway there.

I found myself in the part of Dallas where the traffic was energetic and endless. That part is called Dallas.

I saw a driver wearing a cowboy hat big enough to fill most of the car’s front seat. It's not against the law to Tex while driving in the Lone Star State.

A car failed to dim its lights. I wasn’t upset. I accept the faults of others whenever I’m able to see them over my gigantic pile of shortcomings.

Customer comments

John Johnson of Rochester was named after his grandfather. His parents told him that he got it because they already owned the name and it was all they could afford.

Donna Fostveidt of Waseca said her parents received baby chicks by mail. It was about the only time the mailman drove up their long driveway. The chicks were warmed in the cookstove oven. She added that by the time those spring roosters became fat enough to eat, they’d been named and it was a sin to slaughter them. I recall receiving cardboard boxes filled with holes and baby chicks from the rural carrier and at the post office. We’d put the chicks in a brooder house warmed by a heat lamp. Pecking and peeping, the chicks were precious. The brooder house was toasty, often warmer than my insulation-free bedroom.

Meeting adjourned

Things to do today. Be kind. Be kinder.

As we grow up, there are many people who offer us advice: our parents, siblings, other relatives, teachers, friends – the list goes on and on. Quite often, we fail to heed this advice; the frivolity of youth causes us to believe we always know what’s best. Then we reach an age where we start dispensing advice to younger people… and realize all those people from our younger years were right.

Not much is more gratifying than having somebody come and tell you that you were right. Many of us have had to make this admission to our parents and others from long ago. Just in case I haven’t told some people that, here are some things others were right about that I didn’t necessarily believe at the time.

My third grade teacher, Mr. Galvin, told me that writing could be fun. While I enjoyed writing, I didn’t necessarily consider it fun while I was going through school. It was another hoop to jump through, and it wasn’t very difficult for me.

I think back on that now that I enjoy writing more than I ever have. Between my column and my two novels, the most important thing is the fun. I’ve rarely done a job in my life without enjoying it, and I wouldn’t sit down to type out some ramblings every week if I didn’t like doing it. Good advice that only took me 25-30 years to figure out!

When I started at NRHEG, Mr. Nordlie told me to shut up for three years. Most of you might think that an impossible task for me! However, I took that advice, reluctantly. He said that I should stay in the background and learn by watching. If I had problems, I should ask for help. If there was something I didn’t like, I should build a bridge and get over it. Once I had established myself in my job, then I could start to test the waters if there were things I thought should change.

This was good advice. Even if it was tough for me to keep my opinions to myself those first years, I managed, and I found that I did indeed learn much through observation. There were plenty of established teachers who would help me if I had a problem and guided me through some trying times.

So many people have this early in a career, and thinking back, I realized that Mr. Nordlie’s advice probably works at many jobs. There is not always a need to come in and rock the boat immediately. There are even times when I thought something might not be working in the structure of the school, but by keeping my mouth shut, I came to realize that some of those kinks worked themselves out. Rather than insert myself into a situation, there were many of those that didn’t need any help to be resolved.

Growing up, I saw how involved my parents were in local groups. When Dad joined the school board of the Catholic schools in New Ulm, he told me that some things needed to be changed. There were times you had to step up and work hard to see that change. He thought the same thing as a member of our parish council and in other organizations.

Over the past decade or so, I’ve started to heed that advice too. There have been areas that I thought could use a fresh perspective. I’ve followed in Dad’s footsteps by becoming more involved. I joined the negotiating team for our union because I wanted more input from some of us that are right in the middle of our careers; I felt like our opinions were not being heard. When a calendar committee was formed, I was first in line to sign up. My main concern there was making up snow days, and I feel like the committee has done a good job of making adjustments to it which make sense educationally.

And that leads to advice I got from Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, when I started reading comics: With great power comes great responsibility. I thought of this recently while trying to put out fires as a negotiator and a member of the calendar committee. I have a responsibility to listen to people and take into account all opinions. I have a say in those two important areas, but my opinion is not the only one, and I have to exercise caution before jumping forward without taking into account all sides of an issue.

So to all those people: you were right! Sometimes it took a while to use, but I’m thankful I had people to tell me important advice.

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter season. That combined with vestiges of spring make this a wonderful time of the year!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is recrudescence, which means a renewed activity after a period of dormancy, as in, “The recrudescence of the grass and leaves was a welcome sight in April.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs weathered another week of cool temperatures and the ensuing hate mail. Will they abandon the Weather Eye or continue to rely on its fine forecasting capability? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny with a good chance for thunderstorms as the day wears on. Highs near 70 with lows in the mid-40’s. Thursday, mostly sunny and cooler with highs in the upper 50’s and lows around 30. Mostly sunny and cooler for Friday. Highs in the mid-40’s with lows around 30. Saturday, mostly sunny. Highs in the mid-50’s with lows in the mid-30’s.  Mostly sunny for Easter Sunday with a slight chance of an evening shower. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the low 40’s. Monday mostly cloudy with a moderate chance of a shower or thunderstorm, Highs in the upper 50’s with lows around 40. Mostly cloudy and slightly cooler for Tuesday with a slight chance of a lingering morning shower. Highs in the low 50’s with lows in the upper 30’s. The normal high for April 4th is 51 and the normal low is 31. On April 7th we see over 13 hours of daylight once again for the first time since last September 5th. The scurs are contemplating putting their snow shovel in storage. Somehow they know better. 

The Full Moon for April falls on the 4th and goes by several names. Typically it is called the Full Pink Moon for the ground phlox that are commonly some of the first spring wildflowers in the woods. It also goes by the Full Sprouting Grass Moon and the Full Egg Moon. The Ojibwe called this the Broken Snowshoe Moon and the Sioux, the Moon of Greening Grass. At the ranch we’re always hopeful it’s the Moon of Greening Grass and not just another Muddy Border Collie Moon. Always nice to wean the lambs and move the ewes to pasture as early as possible.

Potential early fieldwork conditions suffered a setback with the snow and sleet from last week. However for those who were bound and determined to fret about how dry it was getting, with the 5” of snow and sleet a couple days later, we garnered over .8” of liquid equivalent precip. Runoff was virtually nil and with Monday afternoon's warmth, lawns and pastures began to green up almost before your eyes. There is still frost in the ground in places however as Betsy’s dad pointed out. That shouldn’t come as a surprise as once the ice came off area lakes, temperatures haven’t exactly set the world on fire. Last Friday temperatures did not get above freezing and low temps that morning were a chilly 15. Brrrrr!

The birds continue their subtle spring transition. There are still plenty of woodpeckers and a pair of nuthatches is frequently seen at the feeders. Juncos persist as well, having all but disappeared earlier when the weather was warm during mid-March. Pheasants are in the garden area and use the corridor area to sneak between the CRP parcels and get to a source of water. In the wind, ducks circle the pond and have to make a few approaches on their descent to a greatly diminished water surface. It is dry from a hydrological standpoint with these shallow wetlands making that abundantly clear. Haven’t been down to the wetland to inspect the wood duck houses since they were cleaned, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see some eggs already. Unfortunately the last time eggs were found this early, the nest was abandoned and the eggs were all frozen. 

The lambs continue to grow by leaps and bounds. They were so happy to get out of the barn after being cooped up for several days. It was as if they were shot out of a cannon once the door was finally raised. The crusted snow presented a new experience for them to tear through and slide on. The frozen ground made for a fast track as well, giving them extra traction for their jumping and running. Several have mentioned they’ve stopped to watch them run. The only thing we’d request is people pull into the driveway to watch. The traffic moves at a breakneck pace sometimes on that road so it’s a lot safer. 

Gardening is in the back of my mind and every time I start considering putting in an early season crop such as radishes, it’s snowed or the ground stays frozen. That will soon change and when it does, will have enough early garden crops to plant. Probably won’t get the potatoes planted on Good Friday but it won’t be the first time. Many times one would have to shovel through the snow and use a pick axe just to get them in the frozen ground!

With the snow nearly gone, the dogs are beginning to shed in earnest. One can tell when the indoor dog hair tumbleweeds start to appear along the baseboards that it’s time to get out the brush. Once outside brushing Fudgie and Ruby out, the clumps of hair are nice for the birds that use the hair for their nests too such as the chipping sparrows. We frequently find their nests lined with combinations of wool and Fudgie fur. One thing about it, the tiny baby birds never look cold.

See you next week…real good then.

Bonita June Flemming, age 87 of rural Waldorf, died peacefully with family at her side on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

Born on February 13, 1928 in Waseca, Minnesota she was the daughter of Clement and Mary (Meyer) Hasher. Bonita was baptized March 25, 1928 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. She was later confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville on March 29, 1942.  Bonita attended country school, Trinity Lutheran School in Janesville and graduated from Janesville High School. She married Marvin Flemming on June 16, 1948 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. She was a homemaker and they lived on the farm near Waldorf where Marvin was born. She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Waldorf.

We will be having a preschool open house to register for the 2015-2016 school year on Monday, April 6 in New Richland or Thursday, April 9 in Ellendale. You can register for either site on these dates. The open house will start at 6 p.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. The registration fee will only be $20 if you attend the open house. Otherwise it will be $25 if you are registered by April 15 and do not attend the open house. After April 15 the registration fee will be $35. Registration information will be available for next year’s preschool program.  Registrations are due by April 15 to avoid the late fee. Your child will be registered on a first-come first-serve basis once we receive your registration form and fee. Classes fill up, so the sooner you get the information to us, the better your chance of getting the session you prefer.  Questions, call 507-417-2667.