NRHEG School Board

By REED WALLER

Staff Writer

New Board Members

Newly elected NRHEG school Board members JoAnn Maloney, Travis Routh, and Mark Tollefson were welcomed by re-elected board chair Rick Schultz at Monday’s meeting. The new directors will begin their terms with the January meeting.

Fernbrook Mental Health

The board voted to approve going ahead with the proposed arrangement with Fernbrook Mental Health Services to provide an onsite mental health worker through the Minnesota School Mental Health Grant.

Sheena Gasner of Fernbrook gave a presentation last month explaining the arrangement, which would provide a worker at no cost or obligation to the district, except for the use of facilities.

Food shelf fundraiser Saturday

The Area Food Shelf of New Richland will holds its 4th Annual Spaghetti Supper fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in New Richland. Free will donations are encouraged as well as new, unwrapped toys for the Santa Anonymous program. All cash donations will go to the food shelf. A silent auction will include a basket with Panther clothing, a basket with homemade quilts from Trinity Lutheran and a Christmas basket with a set of plates.

Would you like to make a difference in the life of a child?  NRHEG Elementary School is looking for volunteers to work with elementary students, on a regular basis, at our school in Ellendale. Listening to a child read, helping with vocabulary words, or drilling basic math facts, as well as many other activities are all possibilities available under the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

There is something about that old red barn one can see leaving Geneva to the west. Doubtfully used and red as barns always used to be, its purposes seem to be one of nostalgia. I love it. It is a reminder of so many things it warms my heart.

Not long ago I received a story of an old barn on my computer. It stayed in my mind and conjured up thoughts of my own.

There are getting to be fewer and fewer – old barns, I mean. There is nostalgia about those old buildings. Will they someday be extinct?

I know I am inclined to comparisons but there is much to be said and compared with old barns and the farmers who once owned them. 

When I was growing up I was lucky enough to catch a little of the value of the old barn on my grandparents’ farm. Not really great in many ways; the inside was clambered together in a fashion to contain the cows and young stock. As kids, my sister and I loved the little calves and orphaned sheep we feed on bottles, especially since it was not an everyday thing, so we enjoyed it and never got tired. The cats made their home there, and came around for a hand out from those who were milking by hand. Those sharp cats would catch the stream of milk with more accuracy than a baseball player up to bat. Modern “conveniences" took over much of the milking but there were always "stripers" or nervous cows to be handled with care. 

I wish I had one of the old milking stools my Grandpa made and used in his milking days. But then there are a number of things that Grandpa made from scratch that would be treasures today. 

We can always find comparisons to "those good old days" and this is one of them. I recently went to a funeral. There were people there who had aged since I last saw them. Noticeably, the hair was thinner and touched with silver and there were a few wrinkles here and there.

Is it fair we compare people with those old barns? Many now only sit where they were "planted" so to speak, serving no great need because time has changed their original purposes. Some are storehouses and still serve in any way they can. Barns and beings may still hold artifacts no longer useful, but full of sentimental value. Some are a little creaky with "a board" lose here and there.  Some are neglected and deteriorating more than those who still get moderate repair. Their usefulness is debatable, but there is still something special about those old barns and old farmers – and their wives.

Old barns and people are alike in value and such a part of life. The shingles may be loose, the paint fading and there is an outward look of silver, but inside there is pure gold. The thought and memories and purpose they once served gives credence to them.

Next time you see an old friend and notice the changes and erosion from the years that may have caused deterioration, remember it may have increased their value, and yours. The beauty of what they contributed to life when it was needed and appreciated.

Nothing lasts forever; we only wish it would.

They were like jewels: beautiful, bright, adored and priceless. Their sparkle made life an occasion.  And then they were gone. I know it is to a better place but there is that feeling of losing something one can't retrieve. Robbed? No. But gone forever.

That is when you search the little boxes in the mind to find bits and pieces – remnants of what they were to you.

You know that as you age and they do too, there will be more! You try not to think of it. I question in my mind, would they have thought of this day as a happy day with all their friends and relatives there to honor their memory and celebrate their life? 

So often I come away from a funeral thinking how much the deceased would have loved visiting and being with so many they didn't get a chance to see too often.

Oh, there will be others who will fill the void, but never replace the jewel that was a friend, relative or just a good person. 

Beautiful, valuable, shiny too, but just not the same jewel that once decorated one’s life. New buildings are built to replace old, new people will come into our lives. Appreciate new people. Old barns and old friends will leave us and new ones will come along to enrich our lives.

Go out of your way to be good to someone today. You will discover that you can make somebody's entire day with a smile, a phone call, or whatever it is you have to share.

Don't forger our elders; they have so much to give to those who listen, but they are the ones who deserve to receive. 

— — —

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, November 20th: Chuck Pence, Howard Pence, Eric Simon, David A. Hanson, Angie Blouin Sikel, Dennis Blouin, Scott Brekke, Malinda Fennert, Alisha Waalkens, Heather Crabtree Krenke, Kristine Kelly, Rachel Nelson, Holly Mattson

• Friday, November 21st: Paul Wallace, Angie Johnson, Paul Kasper, Desirae Farr, Cheryl Harpel, Greg Schimek, Leah Leak, Leah Maddox Larson, Abby Underland, Dustin Burshem, Robin & Jan Jepson

• Saturday, November 22nd - Mallory Luhring, her 12th; Whitney McCamish, Jodell Hanson, Keven Larson, Donna Maixner, Jane Tappe, David L. Hanson, Jason Peterson, Jacki Shadden, Elzo Peterson

• Sunday, November 23rd: Amy Hunnicutt Kromminga, Lisa Holmes Rietsema, Margaret Loven, Marietta Sommers Rupe, Rick Thompson, Sara

Anderson, Joyce Ditlveson, Amanda Farr, George & Diana Ritz

• Monday, November 24th: Blaine Boverhuis, Deb Peterson Schmidt, Ellen Pearl LaFave, Heather Snow, Lisa Hunnicutt Vreeman, Bob Hanson, Rita Glynn, Abraham Ladlie, Kyle Layland, Scott & Lisa Reitsema

• Tuesday, November 25th: Scott Groth, Calista Lerum, Randy Born, Mitchel Hill, Joel Langlie, Brian Vogt, Gideon Jude Long, Daryl & Kathy Paulsen, Ken & Iva Sletten

• Wednesday, November 26th: Darlene Krohnberg, Cody Christensen, Robert Gasner, Linda Stieglbauer, Drew Vangen, Ashley Bergerson, Al & Diane Lee, Jamie & Kate Cameron

Here it is! Winter is upon us and although I wasn’t ready to greet “Old Man Winter” with open arms, I will make the best of it; that’s what we Minnesotans do. I am not a “snowbird” nor do I have any plans of ever becoming one because this is where I have chosen to live and the best part of the package, for me, is the four seasons. Although winter probably takes the most getting used to I can still find some good things to say about it.

Judging by the way it has started I am beginning to wonder if this will be another one of those years where we get just enough snow so we will have to shovel the walk pretty much every day. I know we all dread the idea of moving snow and I am on board with that, but that again is a part of what we do as Minnesotans. Driving cautiously on slick roads is one of the unwritten rules that we must adhere to and after the first snowfall of the season we must reintroduce ourselves to the art of driving on these snowy, icy roads. This is where some folks get into trouble; going too fast for the conditions is the main cause of winter time accidents. There are enough assorted media types telling us how to do things that we have been doing our whole lives so I’m not getting involved in giving out any more free advice.

In getting back to the positives of winter I have to say that the first light snowfall always brings out the kid in me, which I’m sure it might also do for a lot of folks. I always enjoy moonlit winter nights when the winds are calm and the moonlight lights up the countryside making everything seem so peaceful. There are also the little critter tracks in the freshly fallen snow that are a sign there is wildlife about. This, to me, has always been something that, upon seeing, makes me feel just a little closer to nature. As winter drags on, however, the novelty eventually wears off and shoveling snow and bundling up for the cold becomes more of a chore for many.

I have written many times about venturing out into the slough on Bridge Avenue north of town and how I always enjoyed the little tracks in the snow and trying to identify the critter that made them. Ahh, those were the days of youth when venturing out on a cold winter’s day was full of fun and adventure. I’d wear long Johns, my five-buckle overshoes, a parka, stocking cap, scarf and choppers; and to a kid getting cold was just not an option or something you would ever want to admit to your buddies. I could always tell when it was time to start heading home because my pant legs would be frozen and banging together making a “clacking” sound like a couple of pieces of wood hitting together.

It was all fun with the only downside being warming up in front of the heat register when your cold skin, which was usually a few degrees away from frostbite, and it would start to thaw out. It was like having your leg falling asleep with that prickly feeling you get when it starts coming out of it but with a burning sensation thrown in. I am sure there are quite a few folks who remember that feeling growing up.

I am not so sure there are as many kids that spend much time outdoors in the winter these days as there were when I was growing up. This is where a kid gets to use his or her imagination and have some unstructured fun. I sometimes feel that with the hectic schedule that we have in the society that we live in today our kids don’t have enough time to be kids. Too many things seem to be planned out for them and there can be such a thing as too much structure. Kids really need to have some time to themselves to spend with friends just doing kid stuff.

Hunters register 54,000 deer during first weekend

Minnesota hunters registered 54,000 deer during the first three days of firearms deer season, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Final numbers from the weekend show that the number of deer registered dropped 30,000 from 2013. So far this year, including special hunts and the archery season, hunters have harvested 67,000 deer, down from the 2013 to-date harvest of 100,000.

“Comparing this year’s harvest to harvests in previous years doesn’t necessarily reflect hunter opportunity or the number of deer on the landscape in 2014,” said Leslie McInenly, DNR big game program leader. This year’s lower harvest is by design because regulations were implemented to place more deer – particularly does – off limits to increase Minnesota’s deer population.

Until next time, break out the icy melt, snow shovels, mittens and stocking caps because it looks like winter’s here to stay.

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

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

I’ve lost weight by giving up eating breakfast.

How did you do that?

I sleep until lunch.

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: you can tell a lot about people by not keeping secrets.

The cafe chronicles

He ate food without fear, claiming to be an undiscovered genius. He complained that his second order of goulash tasted like wood. He professed to be so old that on his last birthday they gave him two cakes to provide room for all the candles. He was waiting for his long-suffering wife Elizabeth. The Beth was yet to come. 

My wife and I were enjoying a meal at the Chilkat Restaurant & Bakery in Haines, Alaska. As we waited for our food, we employed annoyance technology. Those at other tables also checked their cellphones for good news, bad news, and none of our business news.

The lady behind us was busy texting and calling. She might have been a little louder than necessary — we all are. She laughed at a text. Someone meant to tell her to enjoy her vacation, but it came out as "enjoy your bacon." Perhaps the sender was eating breakfast when he sent it. It was an appropriate text to send to someone in an eatery featuring breakfasts and BLTs. 

Her husband called the woman Georgie. My sister Georgie had died two weeks earlier. The woman told me that her real name was Georgianna and she was named after her father, George. My sister’s real name was Georgianna and she was named after our father, George.

Why men seem stupid at times

I admit to walking to the end of our driveway to get a good look at an approaching tornado. I’m not the only man who does such goofy things. A woman asked why men tempt the fates. I told her that we want to see what is going to get us. Men believe that when they get out of this life’s canoe, the first thing St. Peter will say is, "If you want to enter Heaven, you need to tell me what it was that got you?" If we can’t answer that, the questions get harder. 

Splitting firewood and axe handles

I was splitting firewood with an axe. It wasn’t an unpleasant task. My nephew Keith, a teenager at the time, offered to help. I gladly accepted because I knew that wood burns fastest when you chop it alone. I gave Keith some tips to make splitting simple. He smiled, grabbed the axe, and swung it in every way except the one I’d advised. He didn’t split any firewood that day, but he broke my new axe handle on the first swing. Sometimes, you can’t afford free help.

Happily married

I noticed that Harold Williams of Waverly, Alabama, had a bandage on his head. I asked him what had caused his injury. He said that his wife Ailene had told him to shut up. He thought she’d told him to stand up and bumped his head in the process.

Alaska accounts

I was driving a rented Mazda Tribute in Haines, Alaska, where a recent earthquake had knocked satellite TV dishes out of alignment, when I noticed that some ambitious and mischievous youth had painted over the "u" on a "BUS STOP" sign, converting it into a BS STOP.

Charlotte Olerud of Haines hired a high school student to work in her store. He was a great worker. Then, suddenly, he did no work. He’d become the owner of a smartphone.

Did you know?

According to a report from Bankrate.com, about 50 percent of Americans carry $20 or less, including nine percent who carry no cash at all. Only seven percent carry more than $100. 

Horripilation is the bristling of the hair on the skin from cold or fear. It’s goose flesh.

A 6-foot-4-inch Holstein from Illinois has been named the tallest cow in the world.

Genealogy

Was your grandmother Norwegian?

No.

Was she Swedish?

No.

Was she German?

No.

What was she?

She was my grandmother.

Talking with the Holstein

The Holstein is a retired dairy cow, so she has time to talk. I asked her why she walked so slowly.

The Holstein chewed her cud thoughtfully before saying, "Step carefully. The world is an uneven walking surface."

Nature notes

Neal Batt of Hartland asked what to plant for hummingbirds. Columbine, bee balm, cardinal flower, Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, lupine and petunia.

Meeting adjourned

Karen Berg of Cresco sent this, "Kindness is love in work clothes."

The scurs were beginning to think that someone flipped the calendar ahead a couple months. Obviously the part they received in the Kelvinator box was not meant for the Weather Eye. Will or won’t they get the wrong part again? Starting Wednesday, partly sunny with a small chance of snow. Highs near 20 and lows in the low single digits. Mostly sunny on Thursday with highs around 15 and lows near zero. Mostly sunny again for Friday only warmer. Highs near 25 and lows around 10. Partly sunny becoming cloudy on Saturday with a slight chance of overnight freezing rain. Highs in the mid-30’s and lows in the low 30’s. Sunday, mostly cloudy with a modest chance of snow and rain. Highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the upper 20’s. Mostly cloudy with a modest chance of snow on Monday. Highs around freezing and lows in the mid-teens. Tuesday, mostly sunny with a slight chance of morning flurries. Highs in the mid-20’s with lows near 10. The normal high for November 21st is 38 and the normal low is 21. On the 23rd we’ll see 9 hours and 30 minutes of daylight, the first time since back on January 21st. The scurs are hoping their new part for the Weather Eye arrives before then.

The weather took a turn for the worse last week as we saw temperatures plunge far below normal. How far? The daily highs have been below the normal lows for this time of year. In fact, the highs have been well below normal for the coldest part of winter which typically is January 8th–22nd. The normal high in that timeframe is 22 and the normal low is around 3 above. Many lakes froze over on the weekend including St. Olaf and Beaver. So far at the ranch we’ve recorded 3.8” of snow. Enough bad news. Now for the good news: The weather according to some longer range forecasts indicate a warmer than normal December. That would be a welcome respite from the November that has largely been disappointing from a temperature standpoint.

There are still those battling to get the last of their corn in the bin. As one might expect, combining in the snow is not always pretty. Viewing some of the fields, seeing the snow on husks and leaves then watching the snow covering the snouts appear, one could only imagine that plugged sieves might ensue. There were reports of some machines needing to find heated shops to thaw out. Also some reports claiming air filters were plugging with ice crystals from the fine snow. It’s just been one of those years when the fun never stops for some.

The birds at the feeders in the yard have kicked it up a notch with the extreme cold. As if on cue a male cardinal appeared after the snow began to fall Saturday. We’re blessed to see one this early and look forward to seeing more of him. Lots of woodpeckers and nuthatches focusing on higher density energy foodstuffs like sunflower seed and suet. Four fox squirrels are monopolizing the ear corn while keeping the dogs on alert. The bunnies are back as well, taking the night shift to clean up after the squirrels. And we’re seeing an occasional rooster pheasant sail through the back yard. We’ve heard them occasionally but this is the first we’ve seen of them.

At the ranch we were glad to get the sheep at the kindly neighbors’ back home on Saturday before the weather went completely in the tank. Nothing fun about getting stuck in the snow with a pickup and trailer either. Most had been there since mid-May so it was time. The ewes and ram loaded easily after some trickery on my part. Like the little fat buddies, food is a tremendous incentive when it comes to getting them to do what you want. I had the dogs at the ready ready back at the ranch but they wouldn’t be pressed into action until we came home. I must’ve been rather stealthy as the kindly neighbor came out in time to help me load up the last of the equipment. He had earlier in the week loaded up the corn screenings so the sheep and I were very grateful for all his efforts. We’ve pastured the sheep there now for at least 20 years. Seems like only yesterday. 

Getting in the yard as the snow was starting to fall more heavily, the ewes all unloaded off the trailer quickly except one of the three black ewes. As I was trying to hold the ram back I was becoming increasingly frustrated with her bleating and hesitance to follow the other eight that practically flew out of the back. Finally I was able to use the divider in the trailer as a pinch gate on the ram that was becoming annoyed with his inability to move. Finally the ewe got the hint and out the door she went. I let the ram out of the sleeper hold and proceeded to back the trailer up to the barn for his accommodations. Fudgie and Ruby were glad to see him as he rumbled off the trailer, nipping at his side to make sure he went straight into the pen. He should’ve been happy after a long stint wandering up and down the hills at the pasture. To make sure he enjoys his stay at the Cheviot Sheraton, I left a mint on his pillow. 

See you next week…real good then.

When I was young, I couldn’t handle the sight of blood. It didn’t matter if it was a movie, TV show, or in real life, I got woozy when the red stuff would appear. Mom and Dad used to joke that there went my chances of being a doctor, despite my stereotypically horrible handwriting.

While taking my coaching classes in college, I discovered something – that nausea was gone! You learn pretty quickly when you watch a video of a knee scope whether or not you can handle some of that. In addition, I encountered some pretty bloody scenes in my first aid class and knew I had gotten over the blood problem.

As a coach for 20 years now, I’ve had to deal with blood, sprains, breaks, concussions, and other medical difficulties. I always find myself in a state of calm, counting on my training to handle the situation the correct way. I even helped a young man who passed out at a Twins game a few years ago and face-planted into the seats. It was a mess, but, along with another man, we stabilized him until help could come.

However, I’ve discovered that my nausea does return in particular situations, those involving my family. Any time the kids are really sick, I struggle mentally to see them hurting. When Jayna broke her arm, I panicked and didn’t go through my normal routine that I would, forgetting even to put ice on it to reduce the swelling. When Anton had severe stomach pain, it was a long, long time to wait at home with Jayna while Michelle brought him in to the emergency room late at night.

It gets even worse when something is wrong with Michelle. I sat and thought about why it’s even worse with my wife compared to my kids. The only thing I can think of is that we are such a team and so compatible, that it’s like a part of myself is hurt if she is. When she underwent an emergency c-section to birth Anton, I was ready to tip over at any moment, but had to stand there at her side and try to stay strong.

A number of years back, she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I was a mess. She handled it much better than I did. The wave of euphoria when we saw a neurologist who told us it was a mistake was immeasurable. I looked back and was ashamed at how weak I had been.

And now we face another medical problem, one which has put me on my pins again, even if Michelle is handling it like a pro. We were trimming up the landscaping, and while squatting down and shifting to another plant, she felt a snap in her knee and was immediately in excruciating pain. After a prolonged medical process, we found out she tore her lateral meniscus and will need surgery. Meanwhile, she’s been relegated to the couch most of the time because of the pain and inability to put any weight on that leg.

Again, when it first happened, I couldn’t sink into that calm that I can with others. Heck, I can even enter that stage with myself. In college, I broke my elbow while playing basketball and took all the right steps to deal with it. No sooner did I finish recovery than I severely sprained my ankle playing basketball (You’d think I might have stayed off a court longer!) and knew exactly what to do. But when it comes to Michelle, I lose my mind.

This is all part of my wedding vows. The “in sickness and in health” part seems like an easy vow to say, but it’s not easy to see anybody you love in that much pain. I think of friends I know in our area dealing with much more severe medical issues than what we have and hope I have the same strength that I know they all do if we ever face some of those. God willing, we won’t, but if they come up, perhaps these incidents over the past years are a way of building up my ability to deal.

I know one thing: I will not run away when the going gets tough. Michelle and I have had some amazing years together, and we get stronger every hour of every day. When you have a strong relationship, even a severe knee injury is but a twinge in the big picture.

Word of the Week: This week’s word is pisher, which means a young, inexperienced person, as in, “He felt like such a pisher when all his medical training disappeared at the first sign of a problem.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

8-year-old hopes to collect, donate 150 pairs of shoes by Thanksgiving

LOFTY GOAL — Madisyn Ferguson, 8-year-old granddaughter of Blaine and Judy Lewer of New Richland, has set a goal to collect 150 pairs of shoes to donate by Thanksgiving. (Submitted photo)

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

Never underestimate the value of a child. They have feelings and empathy beyond what an adult might believe.

Little Madisyn Ferguson, 8-year-old daughter of Janda and Dwight Ferguson of Rochester, and the granddaughter of Judy and Blaine Lewer of New Richland, set a goal of collecting 150 pairs of shoes by Thanksgiving.

She set the goal, which seemed like a lot for one little girl, but she was determined. So far she has been able to collect a little more than 100 pair of shoes. Madisyn has been keeping an eye on the calendar and realizes Thanksgiving will be here before she knows it and realizes she still has some work to do to reach her goal.