Yearning for civility: It begins at home

August 11, 2026

I always thought I had good parents. They didn’t have a lot of money, they didn’t dote on me, tell me I was beautiful or perfect. They taught me how to try, they encouraged me to study and they taught me how to work. They made me want to be a good person. They were good because they cared enough to teach us basic values at home. They were busy people, my father was a very small farmer, barely making enough to pay the bills. We lived on 40 acres. I was told more than once that no one could survive on that. But we did. My dad worked hard. He was a responsible man and I was very ...

Old enough to be friendly… and safe

August 10, 2026

Our nation’s FIFA World Cup visitors returned home with glowing reports on their visit to the United States. Fans from Great Britain, Europe, Korea and other regions bragged about America’s natural beauty, stadium sizes, portion sizes and free refills on soft drinks. Many were amazed at the friendliness of the American people. I tend to take these things for granted, of course, but I am pleased that our visitors felt they had been treated with warm hospitality. I grew up surrounded by friendliness and warm conversation. Most members of my family knew few strangers and ...

The workings of an idle mind

August 5, 2026

It was so hot the other day I saw a funeral procession pull through a Dairy Queen. Okay, that’s an exaggeration but it was really hot. When it gets this hot, I stay inside as much as possible and this often results in too little to occupy my mind. This leads to an idle mind and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. And that’s when I begin thinking weird thoughts. Why, for instance, does time accelerate as time remaining diminishes? When I was a kid and had an entire life ahead of me, birthdays seemed to be 10 years apart. Now that I’m older and acknowledge ...

Different looks for more fish

August 4, 2026

When it comes to fishing, there’s always a new lure or technique to try. For the past couple of years, I’ve been reading about “urchin” baits. Urchins are multi-tentacled baits that look odd, but a friend told me that he had been using an urchin bait called a Tumbleweed with outstanding success. He says that “if you put that Tumbleweed near a bass, they’re probably going to eat it.” These strange looking urchins reminded me of odd presentations that will at times put fish in the boat better than traditional presentations. Following are some of those “odd” ...

Viewpoints: A stronger community begins when we listen

July 31, 2026

I recently attended an out of state family wedding. It was a joyful experience, spending time with family I rarely see, and truly celebrating a great union. I felt fortunate to see so much love in one place at one time. But I also felt fortunate because we were talking face to face. To attend the event required traveling and I was fortunate to travel with my niece, Suzanne, who teaches vocal music in South Sioux City, Nebraska. We had a large amount of time together, to talk about teaching, family, and changes in our world. To me this was a great gift. Our life experiences ...

An 8-year-old boy still lives

July 27, 2026

Country Roads Column for week of July 27, 2026 Seventy years ago many Iowa elementary classrooms displayed bright yellow cards appropriately called “dental cards.” The cards bore the signatures of dentists confirming that the student named thereon had visited said dentist and the condition of his or her teeth was duly approved. Most years the Huisman kids did not have a dental card pinned to the wall. Our parents took their six children to the dentist when the need arose but preventative dental care was not in the family budget. The first dentist visit I can remember occurred ...