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Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, while living through this special Memorial season this week, it is a season that we hold dear to our hearts, pondering on the precious memories of those who have departed. If our heart aches, it is more for us than for them. With each heartache, each memory, we may tell ourselves with determination, that this is the last, that here is the logical point for the past to grow quiet. But – no known logic works on the worst of facts, when we think about the death of someone we have lov...
In honor of National Beef Month, I have decided to rerun a branding etiquette column since I have had numerous requests to repeat it. One of the nicest compliments I have received is when readers have told me they have this column posted on their refrigerator or they have shared it with some of their branding crew. Sadly, as the population has become more removed from agriculture, there are many misconceptions about branding. Rather than being a gathering of neighbors to work together to get a big job done, it is often...
Edna tells of her early years of teaching school in North Dakota, later in Montana in the Ridgeway area and then to the O'Fallon Creek school. She listed most of the students. The winter of 1935-36 was really cold, more than six weeks below zero and deep snow. Not one student was late or absent in all that time (referring to the O'Fallon Creek school). There were no "yellow school busses" running at that time! Now I will quote Edna on her marriage to Bud and her description...
To many of us, Memorial Day has become a long holiday weekend that marks the beginning of the summer season, but I hope that at some moment during the weekend, everyone will take the time to think of the sacrifices our service men and women have made and continue to make so that we can enjoy the freedoms we take for granted and also to remember loved ones who have left us. This is an amazing true story that underscores the gratitude we need to remember to express to those who have served or who are serving! It happened every...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, sometimes while plodding, walking heavily, through a day/time/or a problem, we truly need some wisdom; occasionally we come across some interesting material. A friend shared a special ‘secret’ about the word ASKing which means Asking, Seeking, Knocking. She said that she had found her answer while checking out Proverbs 2 where she read: “If one listens and obeys the Lord’s instructions, the Lord will give wisdom and good sense.” That verse just blessed her and has helped her through m...
As we head into week 7 of crisis homeschooling, we have been informed by school officials that we will not be returning to school this spring. We know that finishing out the year is our responsibility as parents or grandparents, and no one is coming to our rescue. My teacher colleagues tell me that approximately one quarter of their students are struggling with getting work completed. I think we need to spin that positively by celebrating the fact that 75% of our students are doing well under extremely difficult conditions,...
COVID-19 is high on everyone’s radar, and there continues to be zero cases in Carter County. However, we have to remember there are other diseases out there which we must be aware of and protect ourselves, like tick-borne diseases. Because Spring is here, and so are ticks! I have already found five on my puppy... There are many species of ticks in Montana that are capable of transmitting a variety of viral, bacterial, and parasitic illnesses to humans and other mammals, like pet dogs. However, you can reduce your risk of b...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: Isn’t it interesting, Lord, to note that the word ‘household’ can be defined as an “occupied dwelling that has its own entrance - and a kitchen?” These views are gleaned from “Its Own Entrance and a Kitchen,” by Richard G. Champion, as follows: ‘One ponders over “households” with fragmented families multiplying. Households are for eating and sleeping, among other things. A bedroom isn’t really necessary as one could sleep in a chair or on the floor in the kitchen. ‘A door, yes, to go in and to go o...
I have written about “Bud” Asbury, including some information on his parents (Elmo & Bessie), his education, graduation from Carter County High School in 1928 and a small amount on his love for ranching, riding bucking horses and bulldogging. The short article in “Shifting Scenes” about Bud mentions nothing about his marriage to Edna, but there is a lot of information on her family, where they lived, her education, teaching time, and yes, her marriage to Bud and some of their life on the Asbury Ranch. Let’s share her artic...
Sunday is Mother's Day, so I would like to wish all mothers a special day. Those of us who have lost our mothers realize how time spent with our mothers is more valuable than any other gift we could give or be given. I have never written a column that has been requested for reprint more than this column I wrote about my mother and our journey through Alzheimer's together. My mother, Florence Roberts, has been gone for 11 years, but sadly Alzheimer's Disease stole her from me several years before that. Every year on Mother's...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, dear Lord, on Mother’s Day, we all have ‘thoughts’ of Moms. As we grew up, we’d ask advice, she’d help us through our qualms. On this fine day, we’re thinking back when we were kids back home; for us young girls, how fun it was when our long hair she’d comb. The ranch was home when we were small; its comfort soothed our soul. Our Mama sang the Sun awake, then shook the grates, and added coal. Our bedroom was two rooms away; Mom’s song caused us to stir. We’d hear milk pails, Daddy set do...
I was looking at a memory on Facebook this morning where I had promised to write a story for the Eagle about people I had known in Carter County and those that I had met since then on Facebook. I have never written that story and really don't remember exactly what tack that I was going to take in it but I will try. Spending my whole twelve years of school in Ekalaka, of course I knew the kids that I went to school with. It would be boring to just go from one to another, saying something about them, so I will just hit a few...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, everyone knows that You answer prayers, but few realize that You are apt to give one of three answers. We all expect Your answer to be a resounding “Yes!” – and preferable answered yesterday. We take You for granted, merrily going on with our lives, thinking things will forever go our way. We sometimes chose not to hear Your “No.” Then we sulk and pout instead of searching out where we asked awry. We fail to discover Your perfect will for us. When Your answer is “Wait,” we...
I was released from the Army in March, 1959. I worked around town, Miles City, for several months in various jobs. After working several months in these less than memorable jobs, I went to work for Jim and Bettylou Thulesen on their ranch out by Powderville. I think that I went to work for them just after Christmas in 1960. Jim had a project that he wanted my help on. He had a hay stacker called a Farmhand. To use it you had to tie up a tractor. So he bought a truck frame, turned the gears around and mounted this hay stacker...
I am pretty sure that everyone has grown weary of trying to find humor in a pandemic. However, since the whole world is in a state of virus-induced depression, I think we need good belly laughs now more than ever. One of the best laughs I have had begs the question: "Why did the chicken cross the road?" Its original author has long since been lost in cyberspace, but I chose to abridge it in order to alienate people of all political persuasions while inducing some chuckles. Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? -author unknown:...
These are the times that try our souls. Isolation, face masks, drugs and diseases that are difficult to pronounce, let alone understand. Take heart. There's a world out there that proceeds without us. A place where winter stubbornly exits stage left, while spring occasionally lifts its head but seems too shy to take command. A place of beauty we should try to visit. As the calendar approaches May, red-winged blackbirds and Western meadowlarks are staking out their breeding...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, old stories might be ancient, but – this still happens every so often. This is how it was told: One day, a man went to visit a church; he got there early so he parked his car and got out. Then another car pulled up near him and that guy got out and said, “I always park there! You took my place!” This actually happened: a visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, “That’s my seat! You took my pla...
In my search for another article I came upon a couple of interesting families in “Shifting Scenes,” and after reading some of these family histories, I have decided to share. This couple each has their own article with information about their parents, origin, families and ranch life. Upon reading, I realized how activities and life have changed from that time until now. The couple was Harold “Bud” Asbury and his wife Edna Asbury. I will introduce Bud to you with information about his life mostly here in Carter County....
As we head into our sixth week of Covid-19 school closure, I am pretty sure a lot of parents are praying that schools will reopen sooner rather than later. Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up the first week of May, and I have a hunch there is a whole lot more appreciation for teachers now than there has been in the recent past. Here in our home school as the weather warms up, we are shifting a bit from home crisis schooling to trade schooling. Last week, we took field trips to the barn to clean calving pens, and we did a l...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, it was interesting when a friend shared that the dictionary defines Easter as a Christian festival which celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Easter, Sunday brought to mind a myriad of images, one of which was the singing of lovely Easter anthems. A book on Hymns elucidates the following pertaining to one favorite hymn: “In the Garden” (written March 1912 by C. Austin Miles) allows the singer to share the experience of Mary Magdalene, as she met Jesus outside the tomb on Easter morn...
Here in our calving commune on Lower Deer Creek, we are going into our fifth week of social distancing or sheltering in place. 102 years ago, the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, the deadliest in history, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide (about one-third of the planet’s population) and killed an estimated 20 million to 50 million victims, including over 675,000 Americans. It primarily infected young, healthy adults. My husband's Grandpa, Hoell, contracted the Spanish flu, which kept him from going to World W...
My memories article this time will be a little different as I will write about several individuals who I knew, played sports with, or who brought back memories of years ago. The past articles in the Eagle about "Carter County Greats" was great, informative and I agree. Those people triggered names of individuals that I would like to share with you, including the Eagle article about George Yelloweyes. I remember when I was a basketball referee and he came with the Miles City...
No one alive now will ever forget the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 when we all stayed home to fight an invisible enemy. As I write this, we are not sure whether we are effectively flattening the curve, but most people seem to be trying to follow the CDC guidelines. As an educator of 39 years, I find myself struggling with the part of sheltering I am supposedly professionally prepared for, which is homeschooling. There is a reason for public school, and it is that home schooling is too hard. I am tasked with homeschooling my...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: On a hillside near the city, a grove of olives grew, Gethsemane means ‘oil press’ – its nuance Jesus knew. This Garden Grove, a place of prayer – a happening there one night, near the press for oil – the press of sin, OUR sins on Christ, not light. So – what happened in that garden – where heavy weights press oil? Affliction and anxiety, to us they are a foil. The first man, Adam, by his choice disjoined[1] God by his sin. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, forgives us from within. He knew He was the...
Even though Covid-19 is a very serious topic, I feel that my job description as a cooking/humor columnist is an essential service in coping with this crisis. I think since everyone is sheltered in place in Montana and much of the nation, we need good recipes and a chuckle now more than ever. Since most of the workforce is working from home or not working, I know there are a lot of people who have their grown children and grandchildren moving home to be with them during this crisis. If there is a windfall to this, it is...
