My father was outstanding in his field. As a farmer, he spent a lot of time in the dairy barn, but it seemed like he was always in the field. He dedicated a significant part of his life to riding our collection of farm tractors – Allis-Chalmers (orange), Farmall (red) and Oliver (green). Sometimes he’d get so busy in the field that he’d forget about eating. This didn’t go … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: Gardening – Detested by a Few, Provided for All
Consuming homegrown food was certain for farm families. It was not as common an occurrence for families living in town – until it was, until it had to be. “I hated it,” wrote Robert E. A. Lee about his boyhood agricultural chores in Spring Grove. “I still remember cutting potatoes and dropping them as seeds into the holes my brother had fashioned with his spade. And there … [Read more...]
How Do You Look When You Die?
How Do You Look When You Die? “Turn on the dancing music!” yelled my 4-year-old son. We had decided it would be fun to learn a dance move called “the running man,” which is essentially a series of marching and sliding backwards in such a way where it looks like you’re walking but you’re staying in the same place. It hurts your brain at first because your legs are moving back … [Read more...]
Who Was the First Person to Smile in a Photo?
The day had a lot of moving parts and one too many unmoving parts. Someone, who happened to be me, stubbed his toe. If I’d meant to have done that, I’d have gotten an A+ on the assignment. I was up early to avoid sloth when the leg of the bed initiated an attack and forced me to defend myself. I hadn’t put hammer to stone and created a masterpiece the day before, but I’d … [Read more...]
Nostalgia Lies and the Good Old Days
The cool air of autumn carries so many memories and feelings as it swirls through the leaves. There’s not much that can give feelings of nostalgia quite like a perfect fall day. Memories of playing in leaves, fires with marshmallows, harvest parties, wagon loads of corn, and as much apple crisp with ice cream as we can eat. But do feelings of nostalgia tell the whole … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotion – Dry Bones
By Pastor Pam Seebach Harmony, Mabel, and Newburg United Methodist Churches We had dry bones, didn’t we? For weeks on end, we saw no rain, felt no moisture, dragged about in the heat. Hope fizzled for a good crop. Our very bones were dried up and lifeless. God knows what this lack of hope does to us. God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel to give many messages to the … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: Money Creek Bricks, Caledonia Chicks, Hokah Hogs and a Green Silk Veil
Part three of a series In preparation for Houston County’s diamond anniversary (75 years) homecoming celebration in 1929, one committee produced a 48-page history pamphlet that included the information recounted here, surely drawing from extensive county histories published in 1882 and 1919. One section was devoted to the early settlement of several townships and villages. … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage – To Renew or To Make New Again
To Renew or To Make New Again Between the harvests of several crops and caring for our animals, farming brings a lot of repair work. Many things on the farm age and need a helping hand to renew them to usefulness. This summer has been no different for us. My husband has been busy renovating, or bringing back to life, a shed which formerly served as a chicken house, a … [Read more...]
If Something Bites You and There’s Nothing There — It’s Fall
It was too dark too early too soon. Pumpkin spice lurked in a dark alley where hoodies make people look like walking chrysalises. September is a handy place to start fall. Autumn means it’s not winter yet, butterfly wings are tattered and the pickleball fantasy league comes to a screeching halt. I can see the seasons change in the birds. They’re wearing their work clothing … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: Sugar Never Showed Up, Treasurer Ran Away
Part two of a series In 1861, the Houston County treasurer disappeared, and “the air was heavy with rumors. The fact that there was a defaulting treasurer spread over the county on the wings of the wind… the deficiency in the accounts of the late treasurer was found to be $3,890.00.” There were about 30 bondsmen, so the loss, if evenly divided, was not devastating for any. … [Read more...]