Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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The flies are biting. A sure sign of harvest. For a while now, those who garden have been harvesting the abundance of their work. And many of them have been busy canning and freezing a colorful array of vegetables. All the while I was growing up, we had a huge garden. The first session of canning was sweet peas and green beans. Dad always planted about four rows of peas because he knew my brother and I would raid them as soon as there were some to eat straight off the vine. Tomatoes were far from safe from me. When the tomatoes were ripe and...
Last week a storm that produced large hail stones caused a large amount of damage to crops that were not far from being harvested. As I read of lost revenue for farmers, I thought back to a storm on July 5, 1976. Our crops looked so good. We estimated that the wheat on the land we rented would yield close to 60 bushels to the acre. I remember my mother-in-law saying, " It sure looks like a great crop, but you don't have it until it's in the bin." Truer words were never spoken. We didn't harvest nearly 60 bushels to the acre. Because of a bad st... Full story
Over the past few weeks many people I’ve spoken with have congratulated me on the award I won in the state newspaper contest – first place in Division 2 for Best Column Writing. And I’ve received several lovely notes of congratulations. I deeply appreciate all the kind words I’ve received. They’ve uplifted me and given me memories I will always treasure. And that brings a whole host of thoughts on kindness. Several months ago, I saw a funny “thinking of you” card. I purchased it, penned a short note inside, and sent it off to a friend. A few... Full story
There are many sounds to summer. But by far the one that always brings a smile and sets off memories is that of children playing. School coming to an end in the spring was the sounding bell for a summer filled with fun. While it was daylight, the hours were filled with rollerskating, riding bikes and swimming. Young girls could be found playing jacks or hopscotch or jumping rope. The boys would congregate to play baseball or basketball on the school grounds. Of course, moms always had chores their children needed to do, but once the chores... Full story
What we who live here consider ordinary in our day-to-day lives is seen from a totally different perspective by those who visit friends and family. During harvest one year, a young man who lived in a large city visited us. One night, he called his girlfriend and I overheard him say, “They have the biggest lawnmowers here you ever saw!” His description of a combine brought a smile as I thought to him harvesting the wheat probably did look like someone cutting a lawn. A friend of mine, Rita, lived in Chicago. She called to say she wanted to com...
Last week we went to Boulder, Mont., to visit family and friends. On the entire 800-mile round trip, I was constantly amazed at the beauty in the state of Montana. The whole way there, we saw pastures and crops that were emerald green. Every once in a while we’d spot antelope racing across a field. On a drive to Whitehall, we noticed a whitetail doe nestled next to her fawn. An energetic chipmunk darted from rock to rock, searching for what only it knew it was looking for. Seeing monstrous rocks balanced on top of each other made a person w...
For a while now there’s been a commercial on television with a little boy saying his dad doesn’t wear a cape or can beam heat rays from his eyes or have super strength – but that his Dad is just “super.” Just as I was blessed having two moms, so was I blessed having two dads. My father began working in a coal mine at the age of 11. His job was to lead the mule that pulled cars loaded with coal out of the mine. The mules were blind because they lived their entire live underground. Dad said he received 25 cents every two weeks from his paycheck....
Last week, as I was driving to the post office, I noticed two little boys splashing through rain puddles. They were laughing as they kicked the water into the air. Watching their joy as they stomped their feet in the water, two very distinct memories surfaced. It was Sunday morning. My mother had dressed me all in white – dress, socks, shoes, gloves, hat. She gave me strict orders to sit on a chair while she got my brother ready for church. As I sat on that hard wooden chair, the smell of wet grass drifted through the window. It had rained h... Full story
Daisies, roses, petunias, pansies – the list is long. Beautiful flowers in many a greenhouse are just waiting to be taken home, where they will be put into planters and pots and flower beds to add a brilliant splash of color to yards. Not to be outdone in beauty are the wildflowers that are found along roadsides and on the prairie. Soon bright yellow sweetpeas will be seen all through pastures and in ditches. And bluebells will add their fragrance to the air. There's something healing about planting flowers. Something that brings joy and e...
Do you remember the days before convenience foods and delis? Of course, that means no McDonald's, A&W or other drive-thru quick stops either. I started wondering the other day just what past generations did for convenience meals. The only thing I could come up with was maybe the hot dog and/or Spam. If you do remember those bygone days, you will acknowlege just how far convenience foods have come over the years and just how simple and, yes, good they have gotten. Not that they hold a candle to homecooking. Gwen welcomes your memories at... Full story
This weekend is a major one because of Sunday - Mother's Day. Plans have been in the making for a good while. I'm thinking of what to buy for that special lady or how to make the day a memorable one. I remember my mother telling me and my brother, "I know you are going to give me a present for Mother's Day, but please don't give me any more dishes or pots or pans." What we did give her that year is lost in time, but I do know we listened to her. Mom, the youngest of five children in her family, was 6½ years old when her mother died. Her dad,...
