By Bill Anderson

Mother Nature has been supplying all of the cold, snow, wind and ice we ever wanted, and more. Tuesday, November 13, registered the lowest temperature of the season, so far, at -1, but that won’t even register on the discomfort scale in a few weeks. Right now, here in Sargent County, we have a bin-busting soybean crop and the most bountiful corn crop in history in the process of being harvested. From cold to corn, we have everything in abundance in North Dakota. You sure can’t beat that!

Roger Pearson and Mac Pherson report that the siege of cold weather has put ice on all of the local lakes and sloughs which had been producing fish a few weeks ago, putting an end to both fishing from a boat and fishing from shore. Mac estimated that the ice on Sprague Lake could be as thick as 4 inches on Tuesday, November 13, which some ice fishing enthusiasts claim is thick enough to walk on. Mac, however, is a little more cautious, preferring at least 6 inches of ice before he ventures out. Roger has no illusions at all about his ability to walk on water, even if it is frozen, and prefers to wait for warm weather and open water, so he can catch his fish while both feet are firmly planted on dry land.

Although it is hard to believe, there are those who choose to abandon their opportunity to enjoy the excitement of winter in North Dakota in exchange for the monotony of a hum-drum winter season full of warm and sunny days in Arizona. Curt & Renee Larson hit the road for the sunny south on Wednesday, November 7, the day after the mid-term election, letting the “red wave” that swept North Dakota carry them south until they met the “blue wave” that swept through Arizona, heading in the opposite direction. With red waves from the north and blue waves from the south, this might be the year for sand surfing in Arizona. Curt sent the following report of the first Sargent County breakfast for the season on Monday, November 12: “The first Sargent County gathering for the 2018-19 winter season was held at the Golden Corral in Mesa on Monday, November 12, 2018. Even though many Sargent County residents have not yet arrived in Arizona, those present had fun getting reacquainted. Present this month were: Al Ciota and Clarice Ordahl; Orvis and Alphie Pearson; Gwen Young; Harold Young; Vincent Young; DuWayne Minnaert; Marlys Stevens; Larry and Peggy Swanson; and, Curt and Renee Larson. We gather at Golden Corral, 1868 N. Power Rd., Mesa, AZ on the second Monday of each month, November-April. The suggested time is 9:00am, although some come earlier, others a little later. Any new winter visitors from the Sargent County communities are more than welcome to attend…even you if you are here a few days, a few weeks or a few months. Weather here has been in the upper 70’s recently, a welcome relief for summer residents who said this past summer was one of the hottest on record and one of the wettest during their “monsoon” season. In fact, it’s a little cool right now for those of us who were expecting mid to upper 80’s. We enjoyed finding out what each of us had done this past summer. Some had significant birthday parties; others traveled to Washington state and back to North Dakota. The Larsons won the award for travelling the furthest. They spent a week on a Viking cruise on the Rhine River, visited former exchange students in Germany and Norway, visited cousins in Norway and did some genealogy research in Sweden. We wonder why the summer went by so fast. Well, that’s the news from sunny Arizona. I hope to see more here next month at our gathering, which will be on Monday, December 10. Until then, keep smiling! Curt.” Thanks to Curt for the report, and best wishes to all of our friends and family members who are winter refugees in Arizona. See you in the Spring, if not before.

The North Dakota Deer Season, the one that allows the use of rifles, opened on Friday, November 9. The adverse weather conditions had few deer, or deer hunters, moving, but a few reports of hunter success have been received. Bill Huckell reportedly shot a large buck while he and Keith “Skeeter” Hoistad were hunting in the Badlands of western North Dakota; and, Darwin Brakke bagged a trophy whitetail buck 3 miles east of Rutland.  Mike Kulzer reports that his son, Jeff, bagged a 4-point buck at his farm near Washburn, while Mike and his daughter, Amber, have been hunting near Rutland. Mike was thinking about giving up on his stand southeast of town in favor of one that he has near Buffalo Lake. He figures that his chances are no better at either stand, but a change of scenery might be nice. The season is open until sundown on Sunday, November 25, so there is still plenty of time to find the “Tirty Point Buck” wandering out of a corn field or tree belt.

Due to Veterans Day observances and school activities, the November meeting of the Rutland Community Club has been rescheduled to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 19, in the Rutland Town Hall. Check the Rutland web site for additional updates. Topics on the agenda include Santa Claus Day and the community play.

Veterans Day, November 11, fell on a Sunday this year, and whenever a national holiday such as Veterans Day or Independence Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday preceding or the Monday following is a holiday, too, at least for government workers. This year, local veterans were honored with 3 separate observances: a program presented at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8, by the students, faculty and staff of the Sargent Central School at the Sargent Central Activities Center in Forman; a county-wide observance and program that began at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 11, at the Sargent County Veterans Memorial Monument on the Courthouse grounds in Forman, and concluded with a program and lunch prepared by the ladies of the Forman American Legion Auxiliary at the Forman City Hall; and, a Veterans Day Soup & Sandwich Supper prepared by the ladies of the Rutland American Legion Auxiliary at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, November 12, at the Nordland Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Rutland. The following report on the Veterans Day Soup & Sandwich Supper in Rutland was received from Carolyn Christensen, a member of the Rutland American Legion Auxiliary: “It might have been a sparse crowd for the Veteran’s Supper, but it was a night of good food and good fellowship for those in attendance. The total was about 20, including spouses/significant others and the Auxiliary members who served the supper. There were four delicious soups, three different kinds of sandwiches and four different types of bars. Most everyone sampled a little of everything and everyone said that the food was excellent. Food was sent home with several people so they could enjoy it again at another meal. People also enjoyed being able to visit with people they don’t usually get to see. As usual, the veterans voted on the Poppy posters that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5^th graders had made. For Class I, which is the 2nd and 3rd grade, Hudson Bergh received first place, Hadley Bladow received second place and Eli Olson received third place. In Class II, which is 4th and 5th grade, Logan Bopp received first place, Jayda Bopp received second place and Mikayla Nelson received third place. The first-place winners will receive $15 from the Auxiliary while the second and third place winners will receive $10 and $5 respectively. All other participants will receive $1. We are happy to see the participation in the Poppy Poster contest increase each year. All of the posters will be on display in the Rutland Town Hall on Memorial Day. We also drew for the beautiful, patriotic quilt made by Kathleen Brakke and donated to the Auxiliary for a fundraiser. The winner is Dennis McLaen of Rutland. Kathleen has made these wonderful quilts for several years for our Auxiliary to use as a fundraiser and we greatly appreciate her generosity.” Thanks to Carolyn for the report, and to the Legion Auxiliary for all that they do in the community. For many years Veterans Day had become just another shopping day. Those in Sargent County who have taken the time and extended the effort to once again make the holiday a meaningful observance deserve the commendations and thanks of their fellow citizens.

Claire Brakke was visiting at the Jesse & Marcia Brakke home over the Veterans Day weekend. Claire has completed her studies in Occupational Therapy at the University of North Dakota and is now preparing to take the test next month to become a Certified Occupational Therapist. She has been interviewing with prospective employers, but states that she may decide to continue her studies and earn a Master’s Degree prior to leaping into the job market. She plans to be back in Rutland for Thanksgiving at Grandma’s house.

Paul Anderson returned to Rutland on the evening of Saturday, November 10, after spending a week in Punkin Center AZ, hunting quail with a group of friends who have been getting together for the past 45 years. The core members of the group, which included: Rutland native Paul Anderson; Cayuga native Don Isensee; Cavalier native Rodger Kemp; Cavalier native Lynn Hartje; Elgin native Bart Thompson; and, the late Dean Olson, a native of Argusville ND; were all fraternity brothers in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, back in the 1960’s. This year, the group, including some sons and other friends, numbered 13. The late Orv O’Neil, a native of Cogswell, was also a regular at the November hunt until his death in 2016. The Arizona Hunt Club is already making plans for the next gathering in Punkin Center during the first full week of November 2019. Paul reports that it was sunny and 80 above last Saturday, when he and Don Isensee boarded the airplane in Phoenix for their flight back home, and that the temperature was 13 above and he had to put his pickup in 4-wheel drive to get out of the airport parking lot when he arrived in Fargo. It sure is good to get home!

Workers from Strege Construction of Wyndmere completed the placement of forms for the basement walls at The Old Parsonage, 217 First Street, on Friday, November 9, and poured cement in those forms on Monday, November 12. The forms are made of a structural grade of styrofoam that will be a permanent part of the foundation and will provide insulation both inside and outside the basement walls. On Wednesday, November 14, the floor was being poured, after insulation and pipes for floor heat had been installed the day before. Wednesday’s temperature was in the mid-40’s, 20 degrees warmer than any day in the previous week, making for better working conditions. According to John Buskohl, general contractor on the renovation/remodeling project, the next step will be the installation of a bearing wall in the new basement that will support the east end of The Old Parsonage when it is moved onto the new foundation. John expects that Schmidt Moving will have the old house on the new foundation sometime within the next 2 weeks, as soon as the concrete in the foundation has sufficiently cured. After that, the floor joists, stud walls and roof trusses for the addition on the east side of the original structure will be installed, and the addition enclosed. John says that he anticipates that the house will be ready for occupancy before Christmas – Christmas of 2019, that is.

Meanwhile, on the national scene, something strange is happening in Florida. That State’s Governor, Rick Scott, a Republican who is leading in the vote count for U.S. Senate, is alleging fraud in the voting and vote counting. The Governor is the State’s chief election official, and appoints the Secretary of State, the State’s administrator of elections. No one, including the Secretary of State, one of the Governor’s henchmen, State law enforcement, local law enforcement and a couple of judges, has been able to find any fraud on the part of Gov. Scott’s Democratic opponent, incumbent U.S. Senator Bill Nelson. So, how is it that the only guy who seems to think he knows anything about vote fraud in the Florida election is the guy who is in charge of elections and is leading in the vote count? Maybe the Governor has caught himself stealing his own election. Well, it would be upsetting to fabricate a stolen election that once it is stolen, won’t stay stolen. The President is in his corner, though, one con man helping another. As of Friday, November 16, there are 94 weeks down and 114 to go until January 20, 2021, and isn’t that nice? Maybe by then we’ll find out who got caught with his fingers in the ballot box.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week. For additional information about what’s going on in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com, and stop by to take a look at the Rutland Facebook page, too. Don’t forget to patronize your local Post Office and remember to keep the pressure on the U. S. Postal Service and the North Dakota Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE! Later.