CAPITOLETTER

June 10, 2024

There was a tiny shower of rain near Tie Creek on Sunday morning. The multitude of grasshoppers at least calmed down a little, and the morning was very cool.

Last week, Ronda Cordell took time out to go to the Quilt Show in Buffalo. There were many outstanding quilted items filling the Rec Center, and a good lunch, also. Last Monday, Mindy Yates and Kendall Shepherd came to Ronda’s to do bull testing. It’s always a question as to how those critters will be, to bring in and have in the corral. Diane Wear, Gene Secrest Clint Zolnoski and Ronda, easily managed the job, and those bovine guys behaved quite perfectly this year.

On the first of June, Ronda drove to Ekalaka to check out a few of the garage sales, and eat a burger on main street. Clint was just leaving the field to head to Belle Fourche, as she came home. He’s ‘batched it’ for a few days, because Denise, Darby and Abby had joined Tommi Glines, and children, on a sight-seeing trip to Arizona. Last Sunday, Brayden Secrest and Diane Wear came to help Clint and Ronda brand the last group of calves. Ronda went to Ekalaka, the next day, for the Dahl Health Fair, and for voting. On Wednesday, Diane met Ronda at Highway 323, to ride along to Belle Fourche and Spearfish. Cudley got acquainted at Belle Fourche Vet Clinic for her shot, while they went to Spearfish for lunch, and to Walmart. This Thursday, Clint went for meat, before he and his family headed to Shadehill, to enjoy a few days boating and camping with other family and friends. Ronda had supper at Saloon Number Three, on Friday. This Sunday, Jim and Sallye Swedberg came to Ronda’s for lunch and a visit. They are up from Texas spending time at the Ranch.

Erma Albert had a busy Wednesday, visiting doctors. Her chiropractor appointment was first. Then she had physical therapy. Then she went back to the chiropractor again, for another session. Next was off to the Clinic for a cortizone shot in her knee. Hope all those things helped.

On Friday, she and Dick went to the Senior Center for the taco dinner. Erma stayed to play cards in the afternoon, but didn’t win a thing. On Sunday they both went to church at the Catholic Church, and stayed for the pot luck lunch afterward, to celebrate Father Brian’s thirty-sixth anniversary from seminary graduation. Some visitors from Bison came to help celebrate the occasion.

On Monday, Alvin and Marlee Cordell went to Belle Fourche, where they got to see a double-header baseball game with Gillette. Grandson, Gavin Pearson, was playing on the Belle Fourche team. It was a beautiful evening for baseball. On Tuesday, Alvin and Marlee voted in Camp Crook. Matt and Keith Hendrickson spent some time doing dirt work for Alvin, this week, and finished on Saturday. Alvin went to Ekalaka, on Friday morning, for a weed meeting. Cade Pearson spent the week at the ranch helping Marlee. On Saturday, they went back to Spearfish to watch Gavin play another two days of baseball.

Bruce and Lynn Gustafson made a trip to the Hills, on Tuesday, for a dentist’s appointment. It was great to have a little rain early on Sunday, but it was only a tiny shower. They went to church at Little Missouri, in the morning.

Doug and Julia Davis planned branding on Sunday. Of course there was a little rain, so they hurried to get the cattle in the shed. There was a second short shower, but it didn’t produce a measurable amount. Doug had been to a church council meeting at the Little Missouri Church, on Wednesday evening. On Sunday, they had lots of help for branding. Jake, Callie, Kellan and Keaton Davis came out to the ranch. Darin, Mattie, and Mackenzie Buck, Aislinn and baby, Rex, came, and Ty Moncur and John Hanson came, too. Aislinn and Rex helped Julia in the house, while the others worked outside.

Ernie, Rachel and Tommy Melum have been finishing up some summer work with cattle, this week. On Friday and Saturday, the ladies of their church, and other home-school parents, took a trip to Rapid City, where many people gathered at the Fair Grounds for a school exchange. Many people could sell home-school books and supplies that they no longer needed, and buy things for the coming years. It was a great idea and interesting event.

Dawn and Dorothy Padden made a trip to Rapid City, on Monday, for shopping. On Tuesday, they went to Ekalaka to vote. On Friday, Dorothy went in to Camp Crook to Laurie Elmore’s house for a Diligent Doers special meeting. That evening, Kelly and Spring Padden came out to help Dorothy put her garden out. The grasshoppers are so bad, that they decided to use big pots on the high deck, and she now has her tomato plants out in the big pots. Dawn had a hair appointment in Buffalo, that day, and she brought home patio paving stones from the hardware. The pallet stacks were so heavy that she decided to add air to the tires before heading home. On Sunday, BJ and the girls came to the Stuart place, to help Dawn get the pond ready for their Fourth of July gathering. It was so nice out there, that Dawn thought of just camping out all summer.

Karen Odell began her new physical therapy program on Monday. It uses the ‘Built From Broken’ guidebook, with scheduled work and rest times. She went in to the post office and Wolffy’s in Camp Crook, on Tuesday, and visited with Martin Rolph and the Sheriff Wyatt. She got a little painting done this week, and trimmed lots of grass.

On Wednesday evening, Tyler and Tate Wolff came to replace a tire on Karen’s mower, and to admire some really cute little kittens. After that, she got lots of mowing done. Karen assembled a new wagon with big wheels for hauling in groceries. She transplanted her garden to bigger pots, still hoping for the demise of the grasshoppers. She had physical therapy again on Thursday. Joyce Larrimore from Gomer, Ohio, called on Saturday, and Karen enjoyed learning about old friends there. Joyce is the secretary for the Welsh Museum, there.

On Sunday, Karen practiced piano and went to church online in Marietta, Georgia. Then she watched some wonderful gospel music on YouTube. Karen had texted with all her kids this week, and talked to a high school classmate in Ohio.

Remember, if you think like a skunk, there are many intuitive people who will somehow get ‘wind of it’.