Tag: Lariat Bar

The Rooster Crows – April 6, 2023

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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. 

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The Rooster Crows – Mar. 17, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

 Winter’s winds can blow and blow, bringing in mountains of ice and snow. Winter’s wild, wooly, and rough as a saw, but it can’t beat Rutland – We’re hanging on til the thaw! Winter storms during the last week of February and the first 2 weeks of March have been the worst 3 weeks of the winter for delays, postponements and cancellations, so far. Since Ash Wednesday on February 22, half of Nordland Lutheran Church’s Lenten and Sunday services in Rutland have had to be cancelled because of impassable roads and impossible driving conditions. In Rutland, the continuous process of removing several inches of new snow, along with newly formed snowdrifts, from the City’s streets each day has left each City block looking like a snow fortress, with parapet walls of packed snow several feet high lining the sides of the streets, and huge piles of snow, resembling the towers and turrets of ancient castles, at each street corner. Caution is advised when crossing any intersection in Rutland these days. Well, this coming Monday, March 20, brings with it the First Day of Spring, and the possibility that Winter’s mighty fortresses may soon be vanquished by a fresh supply of high-powered sunshine. Time (especially Daylight Savings Time) is on our side, and victory in this battle is all but assured.

Saint Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17, in Rutland will be observed with the traditional Irish dinner of boiled potatoes, corned beef & cabbage being served at The Lariat Bar. True sons & daughters of Ireland will want their traditional Irish banquet to be served with a traditional Irish beverage, a pint of Guinness, a dark, stout beer that is made from Irish barley, hops, water and a specific strain of ale yeast that has been used since Arthur Guinness first made the beverage in his brewery at St. James’ Gate, Dublin, back in 1759.  Dublin was also the original home of Jameson Irish Whiskey, a beverage that is also frequently consumed on St. Patrick’s Day in toasts to St. Patrick; to the Irish people; to their history as poets, dreamers, schemers and fierce fighters; and, to their fondness for strong drink and lost causes. So, if you’re feeling lonesome for the Auld Sod of the Emerald Isle this Friday, whether your last name is O’Brien, O’Johnson or O’Kaczinski, stop in at The Lariat Bar in Rutland for a traditional dinner of corned beef & cabbage and the beverages that go with it. You will be entitled to “The Luck Of The Irish,” for the remainder of the year.

City Auditor Deb Banish reports that it was Rutland’s Mayor, Mike Mahrer, who made the temporary repairs to the Rutland Town Hall’s kitchen entrance door. A permanent fix is still being sought, but, for now, Mayor Mike has saved the day.

Birthday cake was on the menu during the morning coffee session at the Rutland Senior’s Center on Monday, March 13. The cake, this month made by Joanne Harris, was in honor of those morning round table regulars with March birthdays, including: Debbie Banish; Kurt Breker; and, Jim Lunneborg. The honorees were treated to a large slice of cake, a hot cup of coffee and a virtuoso performance of “The Happy Birthday Song,” emphatically sung by those present.

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The Rooster Crows – Feb. 3, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

Button up that overcoat! Baby, it’s cold outside. Saturday, Sunday & Monday, January 28 through the 30th, showed North Dakota what winter could be like if it wasn’t for global warming. Sub-zero temperatures for daily highs, and sub-sub-zero double digit low temperatures for each morning. Monday morning, January 30, had the lowest thermometer reading at -24. It might have been colder, but the thermometer didn’t go any lower than that. Starting with Tuesday, January 31, the daily high peaked above the Zero mark, even though the morning low stood at 10 below. It’s still going to be cold on Ground Hog’s Day, Thursday, February 2, but by this weekend the weather gurus are predicting a warmup, all the way into the mid-30’s by Saturday, February 4. 

January’s cold didn’t stop local residents from enjoying some arctic fun. More than fifty snowmobiles and approximately 100 riders, passengers and 4-WD pickup drivers stopped at The Lariat Bar in Rutland on the evening of Saturday, January 21. The event was a Poker Run, and Rutland was the last stop. The trip had begun in Wyndmere, then went west, through Delamere, Milnor and Gwinner, then south to Forman, and then east to Rutland. Just for fun, some riders continued east to Cayuga, Geneseo and Lidgerwood, before arriving back at Wyndmere. They had the staff at the Lariat hustling for drinks & food, and a good time was enjoyed by all.

Hal Nelson, a die-hard Minnesota Twins baseball fan, drove to Minneapolis on Friday, January 27, with the intention of attending the Twins’ mid-winter “Meet The Team” event on Saturday, January 28. Unfortunately for Hal, his brother-in-law, Alan Wilke, who had planned to accompany him, fell ill on Saturday morning, and Hal decided to forego exposing the Twins 2023 lineup to whatever illness had felled Alan. Hal must have been immune to the bug that ailed Alan because he didn’t get it.  Despite not getting to meet the Twins’ lineup, Hal said that he still had a good weekend visiting with his sisters, Becky Wilke & Tammy Tipton, and their families. Hal said that the Twins apparently did not miss him, as he did not receive any calls or text messages from the Twin’s Front Office inquiring about his absence. Hal usually purchases an autographed team baseball at the mid-winter event, but so far at least, the spot reserved for the 2023 ball on his display shelf is still vacant.

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The Rooster Crows – Dec. 9, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

Three inches of new snow on Tuesday, December 6. Three degrees below Zero on the morning of Wednesday, December 7, the 81st anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Was this a repeat of that dastardly sneak attack, this time pulled off by Mother Nature? Predictions for next week, 13 inches of new snow, will have us looking back at this week with nostalgia. Well, we’ve survived sneak attacks and tough winters before this one, and we’ll still be around when Spring arrives, too. 

Ms. Maggie Ness, representing the Alzheimer’s Association’s Fargo office, accompanied Morgan Biss of Ransom-Sargent Senior Services, Lisbon, to the Rutland Seniors’ Center on Wednesday, November 30, where she spoke to the Rutland Seniors about The Basics of Dementia & Alzheimer’s. Her presentation included a discussion of risk factors that make the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s more likely. One week later the members of the Rutland Senior Citizens group still remembered Ms. Ness’s name and the topic of her presentation, so, things are looking good at the Rutland Seniors’ Center. Anyone who has questions for Ms. Ness may contact her at 701-356-2085, Extension 8639.

The members of the Board of Managers of Rutland Improvement d/b/a The Lariat Bar LLC met at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 1, at The Lariat Bar in Rutland. Members Present were: Paul Anderson; Michael Wyum; Patty Woytassek; Rob Wyum; and, Katie McLaen; Also present was Manager Sue Kaehler. It was reported that all liquor and sales tax licenses have been obtained and are ready to be displayed as required by law. The Tobacco license has been applied for but has not yet been received.  Insurance policies covering the structure, furniture, equipment, and premises business operations has been obtained. The liquor liability insurance application has been submitted & is awaiting approval. All inventory has been ordered, and most items have been delivered. The Board decided to replace the refrigerator in the kitchen. It was reported that the new dishwasher has been delivered and is ready for installation. Installation of the Point Of Sale (POS) equipment and programming is proceeding slower than anticipated. This has been holding up getting the bar opened for business. All staff members: bartenders; waitresses; and cooks; have been hired and must be trained in the operation of the POS system before opening, otherwise the old-fashioned system known as “CASH” may have to be used. The menu and pricing have been completed and have been sent to the designer for layout & printing. Payroll will be done using QuickBooks and has been set up. Rutland Improvement has retained the services of a CPA, and the company’s Treasurer, Mike Wyum, will be working closely with Manager Sue Kaehler and the CPA to make sure that the train stays on track. Painting, except for the west wall, has been completed. A wallpaper border remains to be added in the hallway. Lights in the kitchen and hallway will be switched to new LED fixtures. The Brenco Company of Fargo has power scrubbed the floors, but they have not yet been resealed. The Aramark Co. has been contacted to get a quote for rugs with Rutland logos imprinted on them. The price quoted was $17.50 per rug every 2 weeks. A quote for rugs without logos is also being obtained. Security cameras for the exterior and interior of the Bar have been ordered and are expected to be installed by the opening date. The tentative opening date is December 10th depending on when the Point Of Sale System is fully installed & operational. Check Rutland’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com or the Rutland Facebook page for definite information on Opening Day for The Lariat Bar.

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The Rooster Crows – Dec. 2, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

The four day Veterans Day weekend, from November 10th through the 13th, gave us rain, cold, ice, snow and slush, bringing down power lines, wrecking trees, damaging buildings and making traffic of any kind, pedestrian or vehicular, hazardous. The four day Thanksgiving weekend gave us sunshine, temperatures into the upper 40’s, and altogether pleasant conditions that raised spirits, melted snow, removed ice, and greatly improved conditions for travel and other activities. The Almighty giveth and the Almighty taketh away, in this case that turned out to be a mighty good deal. By Wednesday, November 30, conditions were back to winter, with a temperature of 9 above and a 25 mph northwest wind, but at least the ice and snow were gone, for a little while, anyway. Sometimes old guys wear their long woolies; Sometimes they wear the ones filled with down; sometimes they’re all in the laundry; then those old guys are the talk of the town.

A few years ago, the City of Rutland installed a speed limit sign with a flashing light on it along County Road #10/First Street, on the south side of town, in an attempt to slow down the traffic entering Rutland from the south. The sign is now missing, as is its flashing light. Anyone with information about the present location of the missing sign is asked to contact the City of Rutland at 724-3081. Traffic signs are expensive, and they are installed for the protection of the public. Some folks think that it is humorous to remove or deface traffic signs. Several years ago, someone thought that it would be fun to steal a STOP sign from the intersection of County Road #14 and ND Highway #11 at Geneseo. Shortly after the sign had been removed, a person unfamiliar with the area drove through Geneseo from the south and, as there was no sign, did not stop at the intersection. The driver’s vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer rig in the center of the intersection. The driver was killed and her car was demolished. This was not humorous to any of the parties involved. If you have any information about Rutland’s missing speed limit sign, please see to it that the sign is returned so no one will have to carry a tragedy on their conscience for the rest of their life.

Paul Anderson travelled on Delta Airlines to Phoenix AZ on Tuesday, November 22, to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with his Mother-In-Law, Etha Quinlan of Sun City West, his daughter, Betsy, from Las Vegas NV, and his daughter, Katy, and her family from Seattle WA. Present at Etha’s home in Sun City for Thanksgiving Dinner were: Etha Quinlan; Paul Anderson; Betsy Anderson; Josh & Katy Elfering; Rhys Elfering; and, Arlo Elfering. Betsy, Josh, Katy and the kids all headed for home on Friday, November 25, and Paul arrived back in Fargo on the11:00 p.m. flight from Minneapolis on Sunday, November27.

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The Rooster Crows – Nov. 25, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

To the list of things to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving weekend, add sunshine and temperatures above the freezing mark. After putting up with snow covered ice for 2 weeks, we are ready to be done with Winter and all of its 4 letter gifts: cold; wind; snow; and, a 3 letter trinket, ice. Even though the first day of Winter is still a month in the future, it will be a relief to have the Sun take away its opening salvo. Sunshine and high temperatures in the mid to upper 30’s pushing to the end of November is certainly a blessing worthy of a sincere “Thank You!” to the one providing those conditions.

Work on The Lariat Bar, getting it ready for opening day, is progressing at a steady pace according to Patty Woytassek, a member of the Board of Directors, and the point contact person between the Board and Manager Sue Kaehler. Patty reports that some unexpected glitches have delayed the bar’s projected opening from December 1 to December 8. The Lariat’s work force of bartenders, waiters & waitresses, cooks and helpers has, for the most part, been hired, and is chomping at the bit to start meeting, greeting and serving customers. To the list of those who were workers at The Lariat Bar last week, the names of Janice Christensen, Denny Pherson, Jerry Woytassek, Nick McLaen, Dennis McLaen, Trent Nelson, Mike Nadler, Calvin Jacobson and Zach Jacobson have to be added. Janice, who had the building constructed back in 2009, was providing technical advice to those making modifications and connecting essential equipment; Denny was the “Go-Fer,” running for parts, supplies and, when necessary, lunch; Jerry & Nick were toting & hauling; Dennis delivered a new safe, although it is not clear whether or not he stocked its shelves; Calvin & Zach were servicing the cooler behind the bar; Trent was installing a new service window between the main barroom and the back room; and, Mike had been called in to move the electric line that was discovered to be in the center of the new service window. Patty also reports that a new, commercial, dishwasher has been acquired from the Brenco Co. of Fargo. Brenco will also be coming in to power scrub the floors and apply sealant prior to Opening Day. According to Patty, the Lariat has been an exciting place for the past few weeks, with vendors, suppliers, workers, and sidewalk supervisors coming and going. She says that, as much as possible, supplies will be obtained locally. Arrangements are being made to obtain most groceries through Central Grocery of Forman; potatoes will be supplied by Heimbuch Potato Farm of Cogswell; and, some meats, including Mark Wyum’s favorite hot dogs, will be acquired from Fairmount Meat Locker of Fairmount. Keep your eyes & ears open for any changes in the Opening Day schedule, but Sue & Patty are pretty confident that December 8th will be the date.

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