Category Archives: 2023

2023, animals, Family, Farming Update, Nature, pets, Theatre, Uncategorized

Crisis

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Today’s Farming Update comes from Ben

“Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s day-to-day living that wears you out.” – Anton Chekhov

Sometimes near the end of the day, Kelly and I hug, and sigh, and comment on the plain, old, day to day living. And then we go do something else that needs to be done for the day.

This weekend the Rochester Repertory Theater opens their 40th Season. There’s a celebration planned. Preparations for that have kept us busy for a while. Of course, there’s a committee and some people handled food, some set up lobby displays, Kelly found and organized old photos of shows and people. I mounted a TV in the lobby and some other misc things. It’s been really fun to go back through these old photos. I started at the Rep when I was 20. It was 1984. Of the four founders: Thom, Kim, and Michael had gone to college together. They brought in Jeanne, whom Michael knew, and the Rep was off and running. I came along shortly after that when I worked a show with Michael at another theater, and he invited me to help out at the Rep. Thom was one of my mentors. I learned a lot from him. Kim is the philosophical one. I learned a lot from him too.

Especially at that age! Do you remember all the stuff you did then? With the whole wide world open in front of you?? We did some crazy stuff. From the banner over Broadway, to the all night cast parties, to the floats in parades, and the acquisition of lumber. They are great memories.

We’ve all been there; young and broke and you did what you had to do to survive. It’s where I ‘courted’ Kelly. I had met her at the Rochester Civic Theater, but I got her to work on a show at the Rep. That way I knew where she’d be every night. (Another fun fact; the Rep was performing at the college that summer, in Hill Theater, where I now work. We joke we courted in the parking lot.)

But that fact we made it forty years. Wow. It wasn’t always easy, and there was talk of closing the doors a few times. Our Treasurer, Mark, had more than a few sleepless nights. It will be fun to catch up with people and visit with people we haven’t seen in 30 years. I was in some shows, as well as working backstage. When the guys gave me a key to the building, little did they know what they were getting in me. But I thought I was pretty hot stuff to get a key! I named calves after everyone. In those days before photoshop, I would make two copies and would cut out the calf photo and stick it on a photo of their theater office.

This was me in the show “Loot!”

Some of the neighbor’s cows came to visit one day. Our regular rental cows are about ready to go back home, so the guys are letting them come into the barn yard and will haul them out one of these days. So, when I saw a cow there, I wasn’t too surprised. But Kelly said it was an unusual coloring. It was an Oreo cow and I know we don’t have one of them in the pasture. Been a while since I had to chase a cow. At least it wasn’t midnight in a cornfield and chasing cows by sound. Been there done that and it’s a miserable experience. These two cows were already in the yard, so we just had to lock them in the pole barn, and call the neighbor, and he showed up with his trailer and one went in easy while the other one had to make 3 trips around the pen and scatter us a few times before she went in. I told them I didn’t miss chasing cows.

One morning as I made a sandwich for work, the bread drawer became too much even for me. I keep a supply of twist ties in there; never know when you might need one. But the crumbs, the excessive supply of twist ties (seriously, when’s the last time I used one??) and the package of tortilla shells that expired in June. Sigh. Cleaned it all out, vacuumed it, And, it made me happy. Sometimes we just hit our limit. Sometimes it’s the little things.

Picked up a stray dog for the township. She’s a sweetheart. I don’t know if we’re keeping her yet. Our existing dogs aren’t sure yet. Especially the chickens aren’t sure. No collar and haven’t found any missing dogs matching her description. I’ve told the deputies we have her. We’ll see. You’ll know if she’s still here next week.

Oh. The Farm update. A lot of neighbors are going on soybeans. Mine are still turning color and starting to lose some leaves. The rye is growing, along with the oats left in the field, (header photo) but at least it looks pretty good. The corn. It’s odd how there will be green plants right next to dried out plants. I’m not sure what’s up with that. Different maturity seed in the bag?

Fall is here. We’ll be completing the circle soon.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR YOUTH?

2023, Automotive, education, Family, Technology

Turning….

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Over the weekend I was driving in the left lane on 66th when a white car pulled in front of me.  I was started to grumble my usual sarcastic “Thanks for signaling” when I noticed the driver had his left arm sticking straight out of his window.  After a bit I thought maybe he was signaling his turn but that seemed so ancient of a gesture that I was sure I was wrong.  Then he signaled again with his arm when he moved over into the left-turn lane. 

His brake lights were working fine so I don’t know if his turn lights don’t or if he just likes the breeze on his arm on a lovely day.  What I do know is that using your arm for a turn signal, while it was taught routinely when I was a kid, is not taught now.  YA had no idea what I was talking about when I asked her.

Do you have air-conditioning in your car?  Or do you prefer opening the windows to get the breeze?

2023, Gatherings, Music, Uncategorized

Rock On

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The association that sponsored the conference I attended last week rented the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Friday night. We had dinner there and then had the place to ourselves. We spent most of our time in the ground floor exhibit rooms that featured the pioneers of Rock and Roll.

The gift shop was open, of course, and I got Grandson a children’s book about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, billed as “The Woman Who Invented Rock and Roll”. They had a lot of her memorabilia in the exhibits. The clothes on exhibit were fascinating. I never imagined Elvis and Keith Richards to be such small men. I also find it interesting that all these things were kept for posterity. Who would have thought to save all that clothes over the years?

What museums have you visited lately? Who are your favorite early Rock and Roll artists?

2023, Gatherings, Uncategorized, work

Do Over

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The North Dakota Legislature had unpleasant news last week from the State Supreme Court. It seems that during this last legislative session they tried to squeeze into the budget bill too many non-budget things which is contrary to State Law. The State Supreme Court negated the whole budget bill, so the legislature has to come back in special session and redo the budget bill.

One point of contention in the bill was the provision that more members of the legislature would sit on the committee overseeing the State Employee Retirement Plans. I guess they had some issue with them. State Employees in this State are maligned as lazy no-goods, which is pretty disheartening given how hard we work for lower pay than we would receive in the private sector. I know this attitude is prevalent in many States. I have worked for the State for almost 25 years, and my coworkers are dedicated and hard working. I don’t really feel sorry for the legislature. They should have done the work right the first time.

When have you had to start over from scratch on some work or project? Who are the government employees you appreciate the most?

2023, Gatherings, Travel, Uncategorized

Picking Up Where We Left Off

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When we were in Cleveland last week, a dear graduate school friend drove two and a half hours from her home in western Ohio to see us. We met in the mid-afternoon on Thursday, talked and talked, had dinner at a wonderful Portuguese restaurant, went back to the hotel, and talked for several more hours.

I offered to get her a room at the hotel so she wouldn’t have to drive back that evening, but she said she was used to day trips to Cleveland, and had to get back to do a medical treatment to one of her cats. She drove back home safely.

It had been 35 years since we had seen one another. We had only kept in contact with Christmas cards. Our friend commented that it seemed like we had just seen one another yesterday. Our conversation was mainly about the present, with only a few references to the past. It was delightful and heart warming. We promised not to wait another 35 years before we met again

Who are the people you can just start up with after a long time not seeing? What do you think makes for a good friendship?

2023, Gatherings, History, Media, Uncategorized

Balloon Disaster

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We had a lovely time in Cleveland, OH, last week. The conference I attended was actually interesting. We also met up with a dear graduate school friend who lives in Ohio. She is originally from Newfoundland, participates in competitive ballroom dancing, and lives with 16 cats.

Cleveland was nice, and we could see the lake and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame from our hotel. Cleveland has had its struggles, though. It is sometimes referred to as the mistake by the lake. The Cuyahoga River caught fire here years ago. Nothing beats the balloon disaster, though.

In 1986, the Cleveland United Way proposed a fundraiser by trying to beat the world record for the number of helium balloons released at one time. Disney held the record. The United Way released 1.4 million helium balloons not far from where our hotel stands. They used substandard helium, the winds were uncooperative, and the balloons didn’t float very high and then came to earth. Balloons covered the roadways and the lake. Roads were obscured and people crashed their cars. Two fishermen who went missing in the lake couldn’t be located because of all the balloons. They drowned. Horses ate the balloons and also died. The United Way had to pay millions in damages. The Guinness Book of World Records stopped measuring balloon releases.

Any good disaster stories? What are your favorite disaster movies? How many cats is too many?

2023, animals, Automotive, Family, Farming Update, Travel

Road Trip

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The weekend Farm Report comes to us from Ben.

I took tires down to Millville MN last Saturday morning, then over to Plainview for parts.

A few days later, went back to Millville to pick up the tires.  Millville is the location of Appel Tire; they’ve been fixing our farm tires, and replacing car or truck tires, since I was a kid. I’m not sure why or when dad started using them, it’s one of those family-owned business we like to support, and we have always used them.

If you’re in a hurry, it’s a bit of a drive; about 25 minutes from our place. But all country roads and usually not much traffic. And there’s about 3 ways to get there so it satisfies my desire for a different route each way. 

One of the routes is a bit out of my way, but when it works, it’s worth the trip. Wabasha County Rd 11 goes off Hiway 63, through the village of Hammond,

where it picks up the Zumbro River,

and follows that to Millville.  I go in the shop doors of Appel Service, (the doors are always open unless it’s winter), I talk to the guys working on cars, and then into the office. Joe is working today. It’s his grandfather that started the business in 1948. 

Around the corner is Whiskey Dicks, and further on, the Stumble In, but that’s only open for breakfast and it used to be owned by a guy named Jim, who helped on the farm when my folks went to Europe for a three week vacation when I was 16 years old. They’d never been out of the country before–especially not for three weeks– and I’d never run the farm alone for 3 weeks!  Whisky Dicks used to be the Lucky 7 and they had grape pop, but not anymore. 

If you’re in a hurry, Appel’s will fix your tires while you wait. At least some of the of the lunch crowd have vehicles at Appel’s and the rest are locals. I was gonna just do a cheeseburger and fries, but the special was a chicken sandwich. Millville is way down in a valley along the river; looks like an offshoot of the driftless area. Cell service is non-existent, so that’s nice over lunch. A slice of butter toffee cake for the road and to share with Kelly. The sandwich and the fries were fresh out of the fryer and so hot I had to let them sit a while before eating. I admired the flour sacks and burlap seed bags stapled to the ceiling. A pool table took up the middle of the main room. I didn’t get over to the bar area. And the bathroom mirror made me look real good.

I made a loop around the cemetery on my way out of town, said Hello to some of the dead relatives and thought about them. Millville also has a gun shop that I’ve only been in once when I bought a shotgun at an auction. 

Forty years ago, when I was measuring grain bins and fields for the ASCS Office, I’d drive a few of these roads. Driving to Millville that day I went past Larry’s place. He sold Pioneer seed and he had the first Cellular phone I had seen. Hooked to his truck and the lights flashed and horn honked when it rang, and he’d run back to the truck to answer. He was a lot of fun to work with. I drove past another place where I measured the grain in some bins, mixed up the numbers on a measurement, and the boss had to go back out there and verify. That’s just up the road from the place dad bought a lousy snow blower, and across the road from the guy everyone knew was a lousy farmer and how junky his place was and still is. Not too far from the place where the ladder fell over after I got inside the grain bin. I was able to get out and jump down. Forty years younger remember.

Closer to home is Norms, where I watched him pull a tractor stuck in 18” of mud with his pickup truck. Norm taught me how to drive a grain truck, too. “Drive this to Viola, kid.”

Crops are maturing. Been raining most of the week it seems. Rye is growing. We got 9 guineas, which is a surprise because we’ve only had 7 for a long time. Two must have been on nests. No word on the other chicks this week. One of the June pullets we ordered turned out to be a rooster. I’ve said sexing male or female chicks isn’t a perfect science. And they all look the same for 4 months. And now they’re in puberty and his voice is changing and he’s still learning how to crow. Imagine trying to figure out HOW to crow and your voice cracking at the same time. That’s what he sounds like.

Kelly thinks she’s spotted him. I haven’t yet.

Whats the worst sound you’ve heard?  Best?

2023, Food, Uncategorized

Jono’s Marinade

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I like to stay connected to people from my home town through the local newspaper and social media. I had to giggle the other day after seeing a Facebook post about a guy I went to high-school with. Jono was a couple of years older than I, but we were in band together and he lived just down the street from me. He was always a lively and fun loving person in high school. I was sad to learn he had died, but had left a lasting memorial to himself with a very interesting headstone on his grave.

I gather Jono was very proud of that recipe. Jono was from a pretty devout Roman Catholic family and is buried in the Catholic cemetery in Luverne. I can’t imagine what the local priest thinks about that headstone. I have yet to try the marinade, but the ingredients look good. Most of my favorite recipes would be too long to carve into a headstone. Maybe I could have the titles of my favorite books of all time carved there instead. That would mean, though, that I would have to do some funeral planning, something I have yet to do.

What would you want people to remember most about you? Have you done any funeral preplanning? What is your favorite kind of whiskey?

2023, Family, home, work

Plumbing – a Draining Job!

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The first phase of the bathroom project finished up yesterday afternoon.  While it was the most anxious-making for me, it was also the shortest.  The plumbing part.  Now comes the long part – the contractor putting the bathroom back together again. 

Plumbing went really well.  Really only two issues: having to go next door to use the neighbor’s bathroom and the dog.  The toilet usage problem is fixed, as I also had them fix the toilet in our bathroom basement, so from here on in, I don’t have to go next door.  The dog issue will be easier from here on in as well.  The contractor won’t be traipsing in and out and in and out as much as the plumbers.  (At one point on Monday, there were six of them in the house at once!)  Poor pup was just beside herself with all the coming and going.  From here on out,  I can keep Guinevere upstairs, in either my bedroom or my studio, out of sightline of the contractor.

I made cookies for the plumbers yesterday… they were working like Trojans and I was sitting on the sofa watching videos about Australian vets… it seemed only fair I should provide some sustenance.  This is normal for me to do beverages or little snacks for folks working at my house.  The plumbers were both shocked and it actually took me a bit to convince them that I really made the cookies for them.  Apparently this is a rare occurrence for them.  YA laughed when I told her that I had to practically force them to eat the cookies.  “They just don’t know you” she said, “they’ll probably fight over you the next time somebody needs to come out.”

What vegetables to plumbers hate most?

2023, Family, Media, TV

R.I.P. David McCallum

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When I was a kid, we had a tv but we weren’t a big tv-watching family.  Except for Sunday night.  From 6-7 was Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, then from 7-8 was Bonanza and then 8-9 was the special treat – The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  Normally that kind of show wasn’t something my folks encouraged, especially since it wasn’t over until 9 p.m.!  Looking back I’m sure this was more for my father than for us kids, but since I benefited from it, I never questioned it.

David McCallum played Illya Kuryakin, an agent for U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement).  The show was written primarily for Robert Vaughn who was a bigger star, but millions of starry-eyed pre-teens and teens made David into a popular star.  The producers promoted him to co-star pretty quickly.  I had a massive crush on him – I didn’t even realize until years later that he was Scottish, not Russian.  I’ve re-watched all of the episodes over the years and David did a pretty credible job with the Russian accent.

I always enjoyed seeing him in some role or other, especially when he played the bad guy.  I’m not a big NCIS fan so didn’t seem him in that role but I knew he was there.  Good looking to the end.

I think I’ll have to look up The Man from U.N.C.L.E. to see if I can watch it online… would be fun to see him again in what I think of as his signature role.  (Feel free to disagree with me if you want.)

Do you have any favorite spy movies/novels?