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Some more of my pseudo-sonnets for my class of 1974 in the old white high school building, for this week. I haven’t gotten bogged down yet within writer’s block gumbo. When you write what you know, or at least what you think you know, the words flow like augered wheat. Memory lane, seems mostly overgrown, Not as if jackpine thick, but still obscured, But I’m winding my way, kicking pine cones, My heart lifts inches, beats far from austere. Kelly one of a kind, some glad, they groaned, Keith, utilitarian — he procured, Lynette...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, occasionally one reads something that needs to be shared. Such is the case with an article by Dr. A. Purnell Bailer from his column, ‘Bread of Life,’ which he wrote February 10, 1970. Quoting from that writing: “In 1934 Reinhold Niebuhr used a pulpit prayer of which a friend asked for and kept a copy, ‘O God, give us serenity to accept what cannot be changed, courage to change what should be changed, and wisdom to distinguish the one from the other[1].’” “The prayer has been quoted...
Part II or Barnett’s Blue Bike Broke Badly Five more from seventy four, my thoughts, I’m trying to retrieve from my account, Some old coins covered thick in dust and fraught, My memory rabbit hole caved, no doubt. But enough cream rises it seems, for plots, Or words to form in either, springs the fount, John on monkey bars now unsafe for tots, I raced Jack in a sprint, Coach stopwatch count. Chip dribbles to the right and then set shot, Barnett’s blue bike breaks, though fairly stout, Saxophone reed in mouth and music dots,...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, a rancher friend recently shared an interesting article which had been printed in 1966, noting that the author was unknown. Since it’s about calving time around in these parts; we all know that ranchers are very busy right now as they work hard tending to their cattle –cattle need special care during calving time. Ranchers make sure there is adequate hay for feed and water to drink, so, this might just be a tad bit interesting to ranchers since this article was written way back then;...
by Susan Metcalf This year we spent most of the high school basketball season huddled around our television watching the games on the NFHS app because of Covid restrictions. Now that restrictions have been lifted, we find ourselves in the bleachers every Saturday for elementary intramural basketball, because we would never miss a game of kindergarten basketball. Where else can you watch your grandson celebrate an assist with a breakdance move that would have made Issei swoon? (No, I do not know who Issei is, but I do know...
The following is my first of five poems of twenty-eight I’ll write for all members of my Carter County High School class of 1974. I’m writing in alphabetical order. One must write when the faculties still exist. The poems are entirely from my memory, and I take all credit or criticism for which I might incur. I would include the “Class Prophecy” which I found online, but talk about snarky. Hence, I will not include it. ‘Pseudo-Sonnets’ For My Class of 1974 I will write, of class of seventy four, Alphabetical, twenty eigh...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, March is a glorious month, actually, it’s one of the most beautiful times of the year. This year it arrived as a lamb. Thank You, Lord. All we need do is look out our windows and see snow drifts melting away. Not only that, there is a smell of SPRING in the air. Several friends discovered their crocuses and hyacinths are just about ready to bloom! IN Montana? That is about to happen with daffodils and tulips also. Spring is arriving in all its glory of color and scents which rem...
My favorite holiday of the year is Dr. Seuss's birthday, which was March 2. Yes, Theodor Seuss Geisel would have been 117 years old this week. He and his 60 plus books have inspired young readers since 1937 when “To Think I Saw It All on Mulberry Street” was published. There have been attempts to cancel Dr. Seuss by calling him racist, sexist, and every other “ist” imaginable, but his wit and wisdom have survived for generations of children to enjoy, and I hope that we can keep his legacy of freedom of expression alive d...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: The days slip by as ‘time’ flies on, it’s wintertime and cold. Just thinking ‘bout some cute stories that our dear friends have told. Pictures do fly across our mind, when we were kids, years back; we crossed pastures on way to school; our lunch was what Mom packed. AWAY back then in olden days, ‘we’ had a Prairie School. No modern ‘things’, like gas for light; nor ‘air’ to keep us cool! At recess time we five children had whooping hollering day; in class we read, did math, spelling, and sometim...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, it was entertaining and enjoyable checking out a ‘saved’ article about having fun. Sharing with others, we did have to chuckle as sure enough, some of what we read already was ‘us’! So, thought we’d share some ‘secrets’ [author unknown]: ~Your kids are becoming you – but your grandchildren are perfect. ~Going out is good, but coming home is even a whole lot better. ~You forget names, but that’s OK because other folks forgot they even knew you! ~You realize you’re never going...
As I look outside today and think about the last couple of days of below zero temperatures, I am reminded that sometimes it is not so bad to have a job where I can work indoors with the heat on. It also makes me think of all our livestock and hardworking agricultural producers that are out in the weather all the time, and what they need to be able to thrive in these conditions. When winter comes our livestock should have a nice thick winter coat to keep them warm, but that does not mean they can’t get cold. The breaking p...
I always marvel at the connections I make with people from around the country and the world through writing a humor/recipe column. One day while sitting in my County Superintendent's office, I received a call from Don Williams of Eugene, Oregon. He was researching his relative, Violet Widdecombe, who taught in Sweet Grass County decades ago. After several conversations and emails, we have become e-pals. He was particularly interested in my recent column on Virgil Gust,...
Winter has been fairly kind to us up until this past weekend when we suddenly plunged into the deep freeze. We do not start calving until mid-March, but my heart goes out to the people who are calving and lambing in this cold snowy weather. It reminded me of this great poem that I believe Wes Sargent wrote back in his senior year in high school in 2007. Wes is now all grown up, and he and his wife Lydia are ranching out in the big country northeast of Big Timber, Montana raising cows and their two children. Besides raising...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, reading Proverbs 17:22: “A merry heart doeth good like medicine,” was a reminder of long ago when several of us gathered over at C.B.’s house. [Just for fun, initials were used instead of names.]. C.B. was getting up in years, so J.L. would invite several friends over; she may or may not bring cookies. C.B. always had tea or coffee ready for whoever was coming. K.D., housekeeper for C.B., was usually there to ‘help’ with a treat. Once seated around the small kitchen table, C.B....
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, a couple weeks ago we heard about two acquaintances who had earlier this year, slipped and fallen, injuring their shoulder and back. Thankfully, their church families frequently contacted those two gals, asking for updates, extending offers to help them out and always lifted them up in prayer. Also, thankfully, both gals had near-by family to help out with trips to the doctor, they or their friends could buzz up town to pick up medicines for them or groceries. Neighbors and friends al...
Each month, the “Western Ag Reporter” is going to highlight a front page "feel good story" to remind readers that although times are tough in agriculture, there is a sunny side. I think the only reason farmers and ranchers remain in agriculture is because they are always able to look on the sunny side--even if they have to look really hard. I can think of many such examples around our outfit. For example, the other day when we were pushing cows into the corral to preg test them, one high headed cow smelled a rat and cut bac...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, sometimes one runs across an article that reminds us of days gone by, how You ‘surround’ us with Your unfailing love. Sharing the article and Bible verse with a friend, Del, to her that also brought back memories of quilts from when she was a kid. Her Mom loved to quilt as did others in their neighborhood. She excitedly told that neighbor lady, ‘Jane’, made quilts not only for her children, but she also made a special quilt for each one of her grandchildren. Del was privileged one day...
After a few hours in office, Joe Biden has signed executive orders that have angered Canada, diabetics, users of epipens, oil and gas workers, Keystone Pipeline workers, union laborers working on the border wall, Border Patrol, ranchers on our southern border, and he disrespected the National Guard whom he housed in parking garages. Rather than promoting unity, these orders and actions have fueled another four year war amongst a divided nation. The situation is far from laughable, but it does remind me of an old Norwegian...
With our economy reeling from shutdowns, it is suddenly fashionable and necessary to be frugal. I grew up frugal, because my parents were 40 years old when they got around to having me, so they were children during the Great Depression. We rinsed out Saran Wrap, recycled wrapping paper, and repurposed everything. When I went off to college, I felt I was pretty well versed in frugality. However, my roommate was the undisputed Queen of Frugality. I can honestly say I could not have drawn a better roommate than Maureen Johnson...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, some names that new babes are given makes one wonder, how on earth did the parents come up with that name. Did they ever even think to check the meaning of the name? It’s been said that even if unknown, the babe/child will grow into and live up to their name. Our daddy sure lived up to his name; he was ‘STRONG AS AN EAGLE’ and ‘BRAVE’. Mom was the ‘GRACEFUL ONE’. The source of a neighbor’s name is Hebrew and means ‘CHRIST LOVE’. It fit him. Another neighbor’s name meant ‘GRACE AND M...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, as a child, I can imagine that any one of us just loved it when our Mom would read to us. We would sit on Mama’s lap and listen to every word. As she read, we would examine the details of every picture and wait eagerly to hear what was on the next page. Did any of us ever think about the idea that our lives also tell a story? In every situation – good, bad, or indifferent – people around us are watching and listening to the story we are telling. Our story is communicated not only th...
Editor’s note: The following poem was written and submitted by Erwin Curry, former Carter County resident. It was everything to me: A delight of discovery, A sign of seasons turning, A source of entertainment, A refuge from sadness, A solitude for thought. Boxelder Creek, my dependable Boxelder. Cottontails, beaver, rattlesnakes, Mink tracks, deer tracks - raccoons. Tall cottonwoods, fluff afloat, Magpies in the morning. Licorice smell from the wild. Boxelder, my dependable Boxelder. Life can be chaotic. My first eighteen y...
As 2021 rolls in, we look back on 2020 with horrified hindsight and look forward with hopefulness to a good 2021. As I sit here reflecting on the pandemic of 2020, my mind wandered back to Y2K. Remember Y2K? We thought the computers would not recognize 2000 because the dates were formatted in two digit numbers. We were convinced that we would wake up on January 1, 2000 in the Dark Ages. We anticipated power outages, data loss, and the end of society as we had come to know it. Everyone bought a generator, stored up food and wa...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: “God of the years that lie behind us, Lord of the years that stretch before, Weaver of all the ties that bind us, Keeper and King of the open door: Grant us hope and courage glowing Whiter and pure as the stars above: Grant us faith in a full stream flowing, From the heights of Your eternal love. Out of the ruins of doubt and sorrows, Out of the aches and pain and tears, Help us to fashion a new tomorrow, Free form the anguish of blighting fears. All through the season of sowing and reaping, All thr...
Technically, I am retired. Granted, I have a couple part-time jobs that occupy my leisure time, but 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 hours left before Christmas, I am in my usual pre-Christmas panic caused mostly by procrastination! 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...
