By Bill Anderson

Well, we got shoveled out from last week’s snowstorm just in time to welcome this week’s blizzard. The snow started falling at the rate of about an inch per hour around 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 4, and kept up a steady pace all day. Most of us have been fed up with the snow, ice, cold, wind and the other accouterments of Winter for 3 or 4 months now, but dedicated snow removal experts like Rutland’s Jim & Shari Brown and Larry Christensen are made of sterner stuff and find the prospect of taking on the worst that Winter can offer armed only with a snow shovel to be an exhilarating challenge. They have kept their assigned territories free of ice and snow since early November, and they’re not about to give up now. About the only thing that could keep them from battling Winter would be a plane ticket to Aruba, Miami Beach, Puerto Vallarta or some other tropical paradise where the only ice is in the drinks, and a snow shovel is thought to be a long-handled pizza pan. Larry, Jim & Shari don’t have to worry about losing their jobs, though, as more snow is forecast for this coming December. According to the weather experts on TV & radio, there is no snow in the short term forecast after this weekend, though, and the temperatures are predicted to be up in the upper 30’s to mid-40’s. Not exactly Spring, but at least Spring-like. We do like Spring – we do, we do, we do! Please don’t take it away.

Paul Kiefer used his fish measuring ruler to try to figure out how much snow had been received in Cayuga by the morning of Wednesday, April 5, and came up with approximately 9 inches. Jesse Brakke estimated that 12 inches of snow had been dumped on his farmstead along ND Highway #11, between Rutland & Cayuga, and Kyle Mahrer estimated that 9 inches of new snow had been acquired by Rutland as of 9:30 a.m. on April 5. There’s more snow, and more wind, to come, though, and it may be necessary to revise these numbers prior to next week. It’s bound to end one of these days.

The Old Timers used to say that Spring would not arrive until Easter arrived, and that an early Easter meant an early Spring and a late Easter meant a late Spring. Those Old Timers weren’t always right, but they sure hit the nail on the head this year. Easter is on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox, and this year that Sunday is this weekend, April 9. Holy Week services in the Havana Trinity, Rutland Nordland & Forman Trinity (TNT) Parish are scheduled as follows: Maundy Thursday Pot-Luck Dinner Service at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Forman; Good Friday Service at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Havana; Easter Sunday Sunrise Service at 7:00 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, April 9, at Nordland Lutheran Church in Rutland, followed by fellowship, coffee & rolls in the Nordland Fellowship Hall; Easter Sunday Service at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Forman; and, Easter Sunday Service at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Havana. Check the TNT Parish internet site for any changes which may be necessitated by drifting snow, soggy roads, or high water. Easter Sunday Worship Service is also scheduled to be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, at Sts. Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church in Cayuga. 

The Rutland Community Club invites children of all ages to participate in the community’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 8, at the Rutland Town Hall. Every egg has a prize, and there will be 2 Grand Prizes, new bicycles, donated by the Volunteer Firemen of the Rutland-Cayuga Fire Department. The ladies of the American Legion Auxiliary will be serving lunch, and they know what they’re doing, so don’t miss it!

Cliff & Janet Kiefer departed from this area on Friday, March 10, bound for Sarasota FL and the home of Janet’s aunt, Millie Schleckeway. Millie is now 90 years old, and recently moved from her home at Clear Lake SD to the home of her son at Sarasota. They spent a week in Florida, then headed west along the Gulf Coast to Austin TX to the home of Janet’s sister and brother-in-law, DeeAnn & Steve Paulson. They also visited their son, Andy Kiefer, his wife, Karen, and their children near Dallas TX. They arrived back home on Monday, March 26. Diane Smith and Delores Lysne took over Janet’s meal preparation duties at the Rutland Seniors’ Center during her absence.

The children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Delores “PeeWee” (Evenson) Breker of this community honored her with a 91^st Birthday Party in the Rutland Town Hall on the afternoon of Saturday, April 1. The actual date of PeeWee’s birth was Saturday, April 2, 1932. Children present included: Steve Breker of West Fargo ND; Jeff & Jody Breker of Tewaukon Township; Joe & Dawn (Breker) Moore of Arthur ND; and Shane & Carla Breker of Tewaukon Township. A niece, Janet (Breker) Kiefer of Cayuga, attended the party and reports that the Hall was full of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, too numerous and active to count. Stephen Ricksecker & his daughter, Nicole, drove out from Los Angeles CA to attend the party, as well. Stephen is a nephew of PeeWee and her late husband, Ralph Breker, who lived and worked with the Brekers on their farm during his high school years and graduated as a member of the RHS & SCHS Class of ’65.  Steph & Nicole stayed at the Coteau des Prairies Lodge during their Rutland visit. PeeWee’s many friends in the Rutland community extend best wishes to her and her family on the occasion of her 91^st birthday and wish her many more years ahead as the family’s Matriarch.

Friends & well-wishers gathered in the back room of The Lariat Bar to help Delores Lysne celebrate her 75^th birthday on the evening of Saturday, April 1. Approximately 45 of Delores’ friends and co-workers were on hand to sing “Happy Birthday” and extend best wishes to her on the occasion of this milestone anniversary. That ain’t no April Fool’s joke, neither!

Rutland native Judie (Anderson-Seavert) Grohs reports that she and her husband, Steve Grohs, arrived back at their home on the shores of Lake Traverse, near Rosholt SD, during the first week in March, after spending the months of November through February at their winter roost on the Texas Gulf Coast, in Port Aransas TX. They found that their home had been buried in snow, but, with the help of good neighbors, managed to dig their way in. Judie said that it was imperative for her to get back home because she had a new Great-Granddaughter, Blair Jade Watson, waiting for her at Wahpeton. Blair was born on February 10, 2023, to Brevin Watson and Hannah Theel at Sanford Hospital in Fargo. According to the proud Great-Grandma, Blair weighed in at 8 pounds, even, and stood 20 inches tall in her bare feet on arrival. Blair’s Dad, Brevin Watson, is the son of Judie’s daughter, Stephanie (Seavert) Watson. Among Blair’s Paternal Great-Great-Grandparents are the late Rudolph & Edna Anderson of Rutland. Blair makes her home with her parents in Wahpeton. It is expected that Judie will have Blair rolling lefse and making sandkaker with the Rutland ladies in short order.

Judy Silseth reports that she has been able to get in and out of her Weber Township farmyard so far this winter, but that County Road #5 going west to ND Highway #32 is like a tunnel. Judy said that her son, James, also known as JJ, recently moved in with her because his farmstead north of Havana was completely covered by snow. JJ’s house and pickup were buried, Judy said, and he was finally unable to get in or out even with the aid of a tractor and loader. He plans to stay at Judy’s home until conditions improve.

Rev. Julie Johnson enjoyed dinner at the Rutland Seniors’ Center on Monday, April 3, with her brother, Trent Nelson of Forman, and a niece, Trent’s daughter, Josephine “Josie” Nelson of Grand Forks ND, as her guests. Josie is a student at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, pursuing a degree in mathematics. Her intention is to become a high school teacher following graduation in 2024. Josie also serves her country as a member of the U. S. Army Reserve, currently assigned to duties at the Army Reserve Unit in Aberdeen SD. Trent is well known throughout this area as an active construction contractor. Rev. Johnson serves as the Pastor of the TNT Parish which consists of the Trinity Lutheran Congregation in Forman, the Nordland Lutheran Congregation in Rutland and the Trinity Lutheran Congregation in Havana.

Paul Anderson of this community, vacationing at his winter roost in Sun City West AZ, called on Tuesday, April 4, to report that the temperature was only in the 60’s and the wind was blowing too hard for a good game of golf. The late Clayton McLaen of this community would have responded to that complaint with, “I have been around the world 7 times, and yours is undoubtedly the saddest story I have ever heard.” Clayton would have had other responses that would have covered Paul’s complaint, too, but the one quoted can be repeated in mixed company. 

Meanwhile, on the national scene, former President Donald Trump was arraigned pursuant to a 34 count indictment in the State of New York on Tuesday, April 4. The former President said that he was shocked that such a thing could happen. Well, why wouldn’t he be shocked? Up to this point, he has never been held accountable to anyone for anything, and he thought that everything would continue on like that forever. Well, too bad, Donald! A lifetime of lying, deceiving, cheating, scheming, stealing, philandering and being an all-around sleaze has finally caught up with you. In Mr. Trump’s defense, although a Grand Jury of 23 of his fellow Americans has found that there is sufficient evidence to charge him with 34 counts of lying to conceal criminal activity, he is still innocent until proven guilty. It is now up to the Manhattan D.A. to prove the allegations contained in the indictment by proof beyond a reasonable doubt, and it is a lot harder to prove allegations than it is to make them. Mr. Trump should know that, too, as he has made many a false allegation against opponents without being able to prove any of them. Additional criminal charges against Mr. Trump are currently pending in Georgia and in the District of Columbia. He will have plenty to whine about before he is arraigned on those charges. Poor Donald! As the late Clayton McLaen would have said, “I have been around the world 7 times … !”

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 take a look at the Rutland Facebook page while you’re at it, 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.