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Counting my blessings one-by-one

Local Columns

An old hymn tells us to “count your blessings; name them one-by-one…” Thanksgiving is coming and I’m working on my list. The late Southern politician Frank A. Clark wrote, “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” So what, specifically, am I thankful for this year? Well, the big four – family, home, faith and health ̶ certainly head the list. The loss of my bride of 42 years in early 2012 increased my appreciation of family. My two children took wonderful care of me in spite of their own ...

An early ice fishing trip

Local Columns

For many people across the Midwest who like to fish, we’re in that “in-between” season. Although open water fishing can still be very good, many anglers don’t participate in it. And there’s no ice or no safe ice yet, so we’re in between our fishing seasons. During this in between ...

Eb Griper’s prepares for a procedure

Local Columns

Eb Griper was a vision of melancholy. There he sat in the coffee shop booth ­— three-day beard, striped bib overalls and head in hands. I had never seen my cantankerous old buddy look so gloomy. “You look like you lost your last friend,” I remarked as I slipped into the opposite seat. Eb scowled and made an unintelligible grunt. “What’s wrong, old fella?” I asked. “I’ve never seen you so forlorn.” “Just came from the doctor’s office,” Eb finally volunteered. “Oh!” I was reluctant to ask but I did: “Bad news?” “Yep.” “I’m sorry, Eb. If you ...

Simply speaking and speaking simply

Local Columns

A lifelong Midwesterner, I enjoy the simple and earthy language of rural America. We generally get right to the point and use unpretentious, expressive ways to get there. Linguists ascribe titles to the various methods we employ in our communication: aphorisms, axioms, proverbs, epigrams, maxims, etc. I’m not much concerned with what they are called; I simply like the way they communicate. Many of the humble and colorful phrases we hear in rural America came across the ocean with our immigrant ancestors. Growing up in an East Frisian family, I heard a number of Low German aphorisms ...

Time for a new ice fishing rod

Local Columns

The ice fishing season gets closer every day. Many of us are going through our ice fishing equipment to see what we need or want to go fishing through the ice when the ice returns. I was looking at my ice rods and realized there were a couple of actions that needed to be added to my arsenal. ...

Has the truth finally been told?

Local Columns

It was between doctor appointments (the only kind of appointments I have anymore.) I had ducked into a coffee shop for a few minutes of mental and physical relaxation. A small, elderly woman ̶ stooped, gaunt and shabbily dressed ̶ approached my table and asked if I would buy her a cup of coffee. An easy mark when it comes to food, I bought her a cup of coffee and a bagel. Without invitation, she pulled out a chair and joined me. I sat silently while she attacked the bagel. She obviously hadn’t eaten for some time. Picking up the last crumbs from the table, she said, “In ...