Tag: Quilts of Valor

The Rooster Crows – April 1, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

Geese by the millions … well, maybe by the hundreds of thousands, had congregated in the Rutland area on Monday & Tuesday, March 28 & 29, taking a pause in their northward migration. Some of the geese, primarily those of the Giant Canada variety, were busy selecting nesting sites in the local area, while the rest, the snows, blues, brant, speckle-bellies and lesser Canadians, were foraging in preparation for the next leg of their journey up to the Arctic Ocean. Predators such as American Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks, shadowed the huge flocks of geese, picking off the weak and the crippled. The number of human predators tracking the flocks seemed to be down this year, but maybe they’re just better camouflaged than normal. Well, good luck to the hunters, and good luck to the geese. We’ll see you again this fall.

It started out as rain on the evening of Tuesday, March 29, but changed to slushy, mushy, sloppy snow sometime during the night. The forecasters had predicted 1 to 3 inches of snow from the event, and they could have been right, about halfway through the night. Chuck Anderson measured 5 inches of snow in his Weber Township farmyard, and Chuck Sundlie said that there was a good 6 inches of slush on his front yard on the southeast corner of town on Wednesday morning. According to Denny Pherson, the precipitation is welcome, as we don’t have to go too far west, south or north of Sargent County to find areas that are already suffering from the effects of drought. Custom harvesters are expecting a short crop of winter wheat this year, due to drought conditions all the way from Texas to North Dakota, says Denny.

Sargent Central students participating in League Trap Shooting this spring were selling raffle tickets in town this week, raising money to help defray expenses for clay pigeons, ammunition and other necessities. Among those working for the cause were: Tucker Wiederholt; Lucy Mahrer; and, Brody Mahrer. According to Tucker, the drawing for a cash prize of $500 will be held on Friday, April 1, and that’s not an April Fool’s Day joke, either.

Lou Ann Lee of Abercrombie ND, representing the Quilts Of Valor Foundation, presented handmade quilts to 9 local veterans of the Vietnam War in a ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 27, in the Nordland Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall. The quilts were made by a group of quilters from the Abercrombie area who are affiliated with the Quilts Of Valor Foundation. Each quilt had the veteran’s name and the date of presentation embroidered on it. Those presented with quilts were: Larry Christensen; Bill Anderson; Wallace Herman; John Hoflen; Andrew Hoflen; Boyd Jacobson, Jr.; Calvin Jacobson; Douglas Olstad; and, Douglas Spieker. The quilts were presented individually, and Ms. Lee read a brief summary of each veteran’s service as the quilt was draped over the veteran’s shoulders. Each veteran then had a chance to make a few remarks, and they all kept it short. Ms. Lee also presented emblems authorized by Congress to commemorate Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Day, March 29, to all those veterans present who had served in the U. S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War, from November of 1955 to May of 1975, regardless of where their service was. March 29, 1973, forty-nine years ago, was the date when the last U. S. combat unit left Vietnam. Following the ceremony the Rutland American Legion Auxiliary served coffee and bars for those in attendance.

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The Rooster Crows – Mar. 25, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

“Follow me,” cry the wild geese, as northward they fly; Follow me to the Arctic’s cold and the midnight sun, our journey’s end for centuries gone by. Their cries move on, and soon they’re gone, ‘til Autumn’s migrants fly, and once more their calls of “follow me” echo through the sky. This Fall, I just might heed the call, to see what I might find, and keep company with the wild geese, I’m sure that they won’t mind.

The joyous Spring song of the wild geese is one of our rewards for enduring Winter on the prairie. The annual migration of snow & blue geese began moving into Sargent County last week, with the first large flocks flying over town on Monday, March 14. The Spring conservation hunting season is underway, too, so the birds have run a gauntlet all the way from Texas to North Dakota.  Despite the liberal rules of the hunt, the population of these prolific birds seems to be holding its own. Perhaps that means that the management plan is working.

Scott Haan of this community joined a cousin, Rick Kuhn of Grand Forks, to make a 4-wheel flight to Sun City West AZ a few days back. The 2 men departed Rutland at 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 10, and arrived at the home of Rick’s father, Bob Kuhn, in Sun City West on the morning of Friday, March 11. The occasion for the trip was to help the elder Mr. Kuhn celebrate his birthday, as well as to soak up some Arizona sunshine and warm weather. Scott & Rick reversed course on Monday, March 14, and were back in Rutland on Tuesday, March 15, the Ides of March. Scott brought back a big box of tree ripened Arizona lemons that he shared with friends here. Arizona sunshine juice, wrapped in a lemon peel.

A follow-up to the story about the wild palomino stallion, Golden Sovereign, that was in last week’s column. According to Gary Thornberg, his friend, Neil Herman, had told him that his Dad, Meredith Herman, had taught his favorite riding horse to jump fences in an attempt to keep up with the rampaging Golden Sovereign when the wild stallion was running free across the prairie and through the hills south of Rutland. Meredith taught the horse so well that, even after Golden Sovereign was caught, his horse still remembered how to jump a fence, and kept practicing the skill on his own. Finally, Meredith had to sell his horse to someone with taller fences, and more time to chase a fence jumping horse. As the Old Timers used to say, “Be careful what you want. You just might get it.” 

The sun has been shining, the wind has been blowing, the snow has been melting and the water has been flowing. Finally, the One who put it there is taking it away. Rutland’s maintenance man, Scott Haan, was opening culverts on Monday, March 21, helping the water find its way to Hudson’s Bay. The 6-foot snowbanks are down to 2 feet now, and some lawns are bare. The transition from Winter to Spring is moving fast. Winter may yet attempt a comeback, but the handwriting is on the wall as far as Winter’s future is concerned. Local farmers are beginning to move equipment around, so it won’t be long until reports of the first outfit stuck in the mud are received. Then, Spring will really be here.

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