Gleanings from DeSoto

I learned the other day of the death of one of my dearest friends. Florence Herried. Although, sadly four years ago she came down with Alzheimers. It is one of the hardest things you face when someone you have known for over 50 years and all the good and wonderful times we’ve had come to a point of not being able to discuss them. However, I do thank God for all the wonderful memories of those years gone by. My sympathy and heart go out to Arland, her daughter, Rita, her husband, Fred, and the grandchildren. Funeral services were held at the God Shepherd Lutheran Church on Thursday morning with burial in Our Saviors Cemetery, Westby.

Our sympathy is extended to the families of Ardys Fude, a distant relative of ours who passed away at LaCrosse on March 10th and her siblings, Gladys Toen, Thema Bergh and Lilah Bohland. Ardys; father, Theodore Rudser, was our mother’s first cousin. You see, grandpa Hanson’s sister, Geneva, married Ole Ludser. She had been ill for quite sometime.

Today’s snowstorm sure is reminding me of the one we had on March 5 & 6th back in 1959. Earl, of course, was at work in La Crosse. When it came time for Karen to come from school, she didn’t come and with no phones, what alternative did I have but to dress up the twin boys, and go to the neighbors. She didn’t see my car, so she had gone to the neighbors like the good girl she was. The situation looked very bleak. I certainly didn’t expect to see Earl. Since I had the kids dressed and with me, I fed and watered the cattle since I didn’t expect to get down there again that evening. I felt if I didn’t get the cows milked, it would be o.k. because I certainly could not leave my three youngsters up in the house all alone. Much later in the evening here comes Earl trudging in, he walked from Highway 35. He was riding to work with Butch Schroeder. They had a hard time getting home-even having to shovel their way out on Highway 35. So, I managed to get to the barn and got those cows milked. The rest of those days were like a dream it seems. When we were hit with another 11 inches a week later, with the winds whipping the snow into 20 ft. drifts, things came to a standstill again — roads closed and blocked, no school — even stopping mail deliveries.

Beba Buckles reached her 90th birthday last week, so on March 19th relatives and friends gathered at the Redmound Community Center to help her celebrate her special day.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were horrible days last week, because the TV stations and Radio stations took away all the regular programming for basketball and basketball is all your heard. It’s fine, but they are getting way out of line with all sports, who has time to hear, to watch every minute of it. I’m glad to hear the final score. Media is being too selfish-don’t think of the other people who have other interests than sports.

Well, Mother Nature made sure all the schools got another snow day on Friday.

In the Sound Off portion of the Capitol Times, a person called in regarding all the trips our President is taking to promote his selfish goals. He or she reminded us how much it costs to put on an Air Force One trip with security, etc. and think of how far some of those expenses would go to anyone poor, or the much needed drug medicare and food programs. I think government should think before they spend like we poor citizens do.

We observed Girl Scout week March 7-12th. The training and fellowship they attain through their organizations with their competent leaders help make way for a better life for each one of those girls.

I learned the other day of the news of my second cousin-Marilyn Hanson Schultz’s death. She has been ill for quite sometime. My sympathy is extended to her husband, Gerald, and all her children and their families. Her dad, Martin was my first cousin. I never had the privilege of being with Marilyn much because in the old days, with limited transportation, not much visiting was done except to visit grandma and grandpa.

I learned today, of the death of Kenneth Heck, a neighbor of ours when we lived on Dock Ridge. I do remember very well, the hand made patchwork quilt made entirely of silk pieces that his mother, Julia Heck, gave us as a wedding gift. I always treasured that quilt and it has had its wear in the past 56 years.

I read with interest in the New Hope Methodist church’s schedule that many of your past pastors are going to be speaking. It will be like a reunion meeting.

I became a great aunt again on March 9th when Kimberly and Timothy Hatlan became parents of a boy to be named Blake Timothy. Ardis Severson became a great grandmother again. Congratulations to them all. He has a sister, Bree to welcome him home.

When I watching the Today program this morning, they had in the crowd outside, students from Mauston, WI there for some band event. Your ears usually pick up when you hear Wisconsin.

The Vernon County Aging Unity is sponsoring the Viroqua Mealsite #2 as Mealsite of the Month. I wish I could be there and I’m going to find someway, but other commitments take priority.

People in different cities protested the two year war in Iraq. Two years too many is their cry. According to data, Wisconsin’s share of the bill is around 3 billion and has cost every American household $468 so far. Just think of how much help that could be to the needy and the poor. It is something to think about everyday and how much longer?

March 20-26 was National Ag Week. We sure do need our farmers and certainly appreciate their hard work and sacrifice by putting meals on their own tables but world wide. What would the world be like without them? George Washington is considered “America’s First Farmer”. When you visit the Mount Vernon Estates, you can’t help think about George Washington lived there 45 years - growing corn, wheat, potatoes with the help of his slaves. You see evidence of all that when you visit Mount Vernon on tours. Interestingly, he never grew a crop on a piece of land twice-he rotated them - thus was the beginning of the crop rotation system. It is interesting to read how he got fertilizer from animal manure. He improved equipment if he felt it was not doing the job.

My daughter-in-law, Julie and my niece, Linda Stokke from Cedar Rapids celebrated birthdays Easter Sunday.