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Every day a few minutes after we posted the daily lunch special on Facebook, the phone would ring. Caller ID would announce, "Call from Cole Drug," and we would answer the phone by saying, "Hi, Paul!" He would usually order the special, but we knew if he wasn't impressed with the special, he would order a Rustler roast beef sandwich. We would have it ready at 12:30, because it took him a couple minutes to walk from Cole Drug to the Crazy Peak Boutique. Like clockwork, he came through the door every day at 12:32 p.m. almost...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: Lord, You watched two gals enjoying a quiet time in the park. A young fellow stopped and asked: “Are YOU Miss Sue?” Sue smiled and nodded her head. He continued: “I’ve been looking forward to seeing you for a long time, mainly to tell you that you were the best teacher I ever had in School.” Sue looked speechless, but before she spoke, he smiled, “Do you remember once in Middle School, there was some peanut butter spread on the bottom of the slide and some kids, sliding down, got dirty.” Miss...
I would like to share more information on the Rowley family. To follow up, I said Mr. Rowley's first times of teaching was the day after Labor Day in 1920. Now a little bit about Ruby! Ruby Johnson was born on June 16, 1903 at Ridgway, Missouri. Her background was of German immigrants and Ruby lived on a farm, I think. Mr. Rowley and Ruby were married August 10, 1929. She was hired to teach in Ekalaka August of 1926. Two additions to the family came forth: On September 27,...
I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas filled with feasting as part of the celebration. Even though intermittent fasting and the Mediterranean Diet seem to be the rage in diets right now, I hope you will enjoy this little Christmas rhyme I wrote about the Keto Diet. As a special Christmas treat this year, my recipes are contributions from the “Western Ag Reporter” (WAR) staff as they join me in wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas! Special Bulletin From Santa —by Susan Metcalf 'Twas the month before Chris...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, the old is everlastingly new as we anticipate the celebration of Christmas once again. Through that special event, Your gift of Your only begotten Son from heaven, happened over 2000 years ago, it is unendingly a pristine, a new treasured, message each year. Thank You, Lord, for the Christmas story in Luke, chapter two, where the angel said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” CHRISTMAS MESSAGE - (Luke...
Every year I find myself in the same predicament as I look down the barrel of the Christmas gun. Every year, it is as though Christmas sneaks up on me out of the blue. So with just days left before Christmas, I am in my usual pre-Christmas panic caused mostly by procrastination! I started off the month with the best of intentions, as I made several batches of my favorite fudge, but I made them too early, and we have eaten or given it away already. No problem! All I have to do is go to bed 15 minutes later each night to whip...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, the hustle and bustle of getting ready for Christmas, like preparing for guests and gifts, singing and visiting – it’s all getting a little bit exhausting for all of us, old or young. Generally speaking, that’s probably not what You meant how Christmas should be, right, Lord? One needs to stop a minute, get things into perspective, then prioritize and get a few things in order. While we’re at it, how about savoring life just a little bit. Here are some LifeSavers we all might lik...
Positive Influenza cases have arrived in Carter County | It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine. High Dose and Regular flu vaccines are available. Call to schedule an appointment or with questions, (406) 775-6332. Radar item for parents of school aged kiddos | Smiles Across Montana will be returning to Ekalaka in January. This preventative oral care opportunity is open to all school aged children whether attending home school, country school, or Ekalaka Elementary. Keep watch for more details to come. Check us out also o...
My last article about "Mister Rowley" started at his birth, followed by his education and teaching positions. In 1925 he learned of an opening of the principalship of the schools in Ekalaka, Montana - he applied and was accepted. From "Shifting Scenes Vol. II:" "The Ekalaka Grade School was located just south of the Carter County High School which in 1925 was in the building now occupied by the Farmers' Union. The grade school was a two story frame building with two...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know Lord, sometimes when one gives a gift, one gets ‘something’ back. We recall a paper rose given to a dear Aunty quite a long time ago. No matter when or what was given to her, she always sent/gave a ‘thank you’ note; occasionally mentioning Galatians 5:13, emphasizing the latter part of the verse “…but through love, serve one another[1].” Aunty knew the word ‘serve’ could mean many things, for example: wait on, minister to, care for, help and assist’ even to perform. We all have many opportu...
Since I am retiring from my County Superintendent of Schools job at the end of this month, I am trying to clean out file cabinets and computer files. Some days I don't get a lot accomplished, because it is like taking a 41 year trip down memory lane in my career as an educator, and there are a lot of things to read and reminisce about. One of the treasures that I found was this essay that my daughter Brooke wrote for a college "sense of place" essay in an advanced composition class. My father, Glen Roberts, died right after C...
Next weekend, we will again be cooking for the Sons of Norway Christmas party. Although I have been doing it for several years, I still feel like a poser when I am cooking Norwegian food for a traditional dinner. Although it has not been confirmed by Ancestry.com, I have not one drop of Norwegian blood flowing through my veins even though I have lived in a Norwegian community for the past 41 years. When I was first hired to cook for the annual Norwegian Christmas party, several years ago, Carol O'Dell, the chief organizer,...
It’s been a long time since I have written an article for the Eagle, but a short time ago I was going through the “Shifting Scenes” books and came upon a very interesting family. It starts in Volume II on page 746. The names were William and Ruby Rowley. There are three or four pages about them. One of my first thoughts was that every student used the name “Mister Rowley” — he may have been called Bill at Lions Club meetings but never by any student. In my opinion, he was the greatest teacher Carter County High School has...
Contest Highlights Carter County Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention Program recently sponsored a door decorating contest at Ekalaka Public Schools for the second year. This year the theme was “The Great American Smokeout.” The Great American Smokeout is an initiative by the American Cancer Society. Thousands of people mark November 17th as the date to make a plan and start living life smoke free. The local event allows the students to be creative while learning about the harmful effects of tobacco and about programs that...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know Lord, friends stop occasionally and tell interesting stories about their lives. A gal, we’ll call her Jill, stopped a while ago, mentioned how lovely the Autumn’s Leaves were, some falling, some still attached to their branches. She giggled, mentioning that her Aunt Jane, who lives a WAYS away, had told her that in her small town, she’d noticed a playground by a school with a high fence around it. Both of us thought that fence might prevent deer from hopping over; we giggled…like WHAT woul...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, when someone says, “Remember when…” that phrase stirs up all kinds of feelings of warmth and happiness; all five senses seem to partake in the memories. There’s just something about recollecting the past that feels good. We each have a particular yearning to bring back moments in time, moments when life seemed simpler, like remembering that our Dad whistled or hummed while he worked. Reminiscing about Mom, we can almost smell the yeasty scent of homemade bread and hear her hum or sing...
Every year right before Thanksgiving back when I was teaching English, I would ask all of my junior high students to write poems entitled, "I Am Thankful For..." I always modeled a few lines of an example poem for them, so with a very straight face I would write, "My two delightful children, Bret and Brooke." This line was easier to write without smirking if neither of them had been in the sheriff's report or the principal's office in the past week. Recently I was moaning about my failures as a parent/grandparent to my...
We have been enjoying a beautiful fall, but suddenly Mother Nature decided to turn on us with prolonged snow and cold these last couple weeks. We old timers well remember the horrible winter of 1978-79 which followed a really nice fall right up until November 9, 1978 when winter hit and did not leave until March 1979. As I sit in my warm house by the fireplace, I remember one particular hunting camp experience when winter hit with a vengeance before we were ready in the backcountry. Diary of a Hunting Camp Cook: Day #1: It...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: A brand-new day, full week ahead, Birthdays most every day! Each one of you, we hope the best for Happy Jolly Day. Most are our friends, and Aunties, three! Some cousins mixed in too. All are good cooks, desserts they loved, Aunt ‘K’ made the best stew! Two Aunties left in the 60’s, some cousins flew off too. But we’re still here, God has a plan, we still have work to do. Some twins were born,though miles away – their favorite fruit, a peach! And several guys also showed up – and once these two did...
We shipped our calves this week, which generated lots of material for a humor column because funny stuff happens when you combine a bunch of cattle and horses and cowboys and elk hunters and things that break down at inopportune times. But, somehow, when I sat down to write, another topic weighed in heavier. A look at the calendar reminded me that Veteran's Day is Friday, and my thoughts turned to veterans. One of those people we can always count on to help us work cattle is Casey Talkington, who did two tours in the sand....
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, some years ago, author, Bill Crowder, shared some interesting things about helping ourselves, stating that when we put You first, Lord, we know that You look beyond the surface things of our lives to what really matters. Quoting him: “Recently I saw a television ad for a restaurant chain that made a dramatic claim. At those restaurants, the ad said you would “Help Yourself to Happiness,” Wouldn’t it be nice if a helping of potatoes or meat or pasta or desert would be all that was...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: November snow may come real soon, there’s still work to be done. Friends and neighbors have helped a lot, bit more ‘fore change of SUN[1]! Did you get snow, or is it gone? Winter is on its way! Some rain could fall, it’s needed here. Twould make a lovely day. It’s time to bring the cows back home – they ate the pasture clean. They sure do like their summer time – now brown where once was green. Harvest is done and hay hauled in, prepared for winter time. A rancher’s work is very hard. Yoo Hoo!...
I receive many submissions from readers, and I love to share them. However, in my 27 plus years of writing this column, I believe this is the funniest piece about shipping cattle any reader has ever sent me. Thanks, Tom Ogle of Paris, Illinois for making me laugh out loud! “MONTANA FLAT TIRES AND RATTLESNAKES by Tom Ogle On October 3, 2015 my dream of becoming "Tom Selleck in Montana" quickly became "Tom Ogle, just make it back to Paris Illinois.” I had flim-flammed a stay at a real working ranch through a friend of a cou...
There are many extraordinary people living in Melstone, Montana (population 126) including Sage Newman, who has a commanding lead in the 2022 PRCA Saddle bronc standings and J.R. Vezain, who has inspired millions with his mission entitled "Will To Walk" following the tragic bareback, bronc riding accident that paralyzed him in 2018. Another iconic Melstone resident, whom many readers have met in his 90 years as a beloved Melstone resident, Eric “Bud” Hjelvik joined the Lord and his wife Betty Lou on October 20, 2022. Bud was...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, IF we paid attention to things that go on around us, we might see some amazing things; just sharing a moment near the Post Office: A little girl walked fast across the parking lot, then stopped as a breeze got frisky; three trees nearby gave a shower of leaves. She started dancing and singing; “Grandma! The breeze – it’s tossing golden leaves, they’re sticking to my sleeves,” She stopped as the breeze stopped, then fell down a golden leaf onto her hand. “Grandma! I think the Ang...
