“The Good Old Days” -By Tom Kuehne

Memories (4)

This past week I had the pleasure of spending some time in conversation with one of my older clients who is still farming as a full time occupation. He is in his late 80's and does his own cooking and housekeeping after his wife passed last year. He heats the home with an outside wood burner and this year, due to the cool weather, the usual amount of firewood didn't last through the heating season and he had to take the 4 wheel drive tractor to the woods, so he could wade through crotch deep snow to get some additional firewood. Great exercise!

When the prices for coyote hides were good during the 1940's, he harvested a fair number of coyotes. One hunt was especially memorable. He saw where a coyote had made tracks in the snow crossing the road, so he decided to follow the tracks. He followed for most of the day until the tracks went into a grassy, low area, He kept going around the area and the coyote kept moving to stay away. After a while the coyote became too exhausted to go any further and he was able to shoot the coyote. This happened in Nebraska, where you can see the horizon 20 miles away and walk there simply by walking across a couple of line fences.

The usual way to gather cut hay years ago was to use a team of horses and a dump rake. For those that aren't sure what a dump rake is, it is a steel wheeled machine with curved irons that gathers the cut hay so that the operator would trip the rake to dump its load in a fairly neat row across the field. This raking required a lot of walking by the horses and they might from time to time stop. Slapping lines and words of encouragement sometimes didn't get them to move, so if Pa wasn't watching, encouraging words and a couple of shots from a BB gun sometimes were more effective. The rake had a metal seat, which traditionally was broken so that when going over bumps and gopher piles the rake would bounce around enough to catch some skin on your bottom end and create immediate pain and an appearance of bruising. What a pain in the butt! Our dump rake had a bad habit of banging the teeth back up against your seat after the hay had been dumped. No problem keeping awake raking hay.

One of the primary subjects of conversation lately is how much snow is coming and when it will stop. Somehow this winter gives the feeling that it is much longer than we have grown accustomed to. We are beginning to notice some noises that are telling us that spring is almost here. There are a few robins making robin noises. The sandhill cranes have been announcing their arrival for a couple of weeks, but for those of us that are not accustomed to their diet, we are wondering what they are eating. Their typical diet of ground hugging worms and amphibians are still sleeping in the frozen areas and not exposing themselves to the sand hill's banquet. Although in limited numbers, waterfowl are now able to find water where ice had previously sealed it up. Hey, spring is here, we just have to look for it.

Since my Mother's birthday was during the first few days in April, I remember her telling the story about when she was a little girl, they took the team and wagon to go to someone's home. While the team was traveling on the road, the snow was deep enough to continually cause the horses to drag their bellies in the snow. This was in new snow, but a few days later, it had shrunk to a depth of just over her ankles.

Get ready for the next subject of conversation, the excess moisture caused by the snow melt.

For feedback or story ideas, email Tom at tom@swanvilleinsurance.com.

If you need help with Health or Life Insurance or for Senior Health Solutions Contact: Tom Kuehne 320-360-0343

Community Chorus Offers Opportunity to Showcase Musical Talent

The Grey Eagle Community Chorus will host a spring music event and is looking for participants. Anyone who would like to showcase his or her musical talent is encouraged to sign up. The event is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, April 16 in the afternoon at the Grey Eagle United Methodist Church.

Participation is open to vocalist and instrumentalist. If you sing, sign up as a soloist, or ensemble group: duet, trio, quartet,

Easter Buffet

Greenwald, MN 320-987-3100

Hours: 9:30 AM-1 AM • 7 Days a Week

Owners: Jeff & Wanda Ahrens & Kyle Leiser www.GreenwaldPubMN.com

11977 County 47, Grey Eagle etc. If you play an instrument, sign up as a soloist or a combination of instruments. The chorus has a couple of excellent piano accompanists who will be available. The Grey Eagle Handbell Choir will be a part of the program as well.

To sign up for participation in the event contact either Robert Kutter at 320-4915604 or bkutter@meltel.net; or Carol Duke at 386-466-4380 or cduke@meltel.net.

The deadline for signing up is April 10.

Friday Night Lent Specials

• Shrimp Tacos $13.95

• Garlic and Chili Grilled Prawns $14.95

• Honey Dijon Arctic Char $19.95

• ALL YOU CAN EAT FISH (BAR) $14.95

• Lobster Roll $16.95

Saturdays & Sundays

Bloody Mary w/Burger Special $13

Loaded Bloody Mary's $10

HAPPY HOUR: Wed.-Fri.: 4-6 PM

Dining Room: Fri.-Sat.: 4-8 PM, Sun.: 9 AM-1 PM

Corner Pub & Grill Freeport, MN • 320-836-2120

Friday Lent Special

Dine

4 Pc. Fish Dinner with JoJo's $9.50

Lunch Specials: 11 AM-1 PM

Fri., Apr. 7: Fish Burger or Cheeseburger w/Fries or Cream of Potato Soup

Mon., Apr. 10: Creamy Potato & Ham Soup w/Ham Sandwich

Tues., Apr. 11: Baked Chicken Dinner

Wed., Apr. 12: Chicken Tender Melt w/Steak Fries

Thurs., Apr. 13: Hamburger Steak Dinner

Fri., Apr. 14: Cheeseburger w/Chili or Fries

BAR SPECIALS: 4-9 PM

Wednesdays: Build Your Own Burger Basket starting at $6.50

Thursdays: Rib Basket $8.50

Chicken & Ribs $13 1/4 Broasted Chicken Basket $8.50

KARAOKE Friday Nights 8-10 PM

OPEN FOR

Easter Brunch

SUN., APRIL 9

Upstairs Only 9 AM-2 PM Call for Reservations.

• Bar: Wed.-Fri.: 4 PM-Close, Sat.-Sun.: 11 AM-Close

HAPPY HOUR:

Mon.-Wed.: 4:30-6:30 PM...$3.00

Thursday: All Day/Night...$2.50

COOKS WANTED Nightly Specials

Dine In Only - With Beverage Purchase

Monday: (5-9 pm) $3 Build a Burger Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato, Onions (raw/fried), Mushrooms, Jalapenos, Sauerkraut, Cheese (Swiss, American, Pepper Jack)

Toppings 50¢ each; Bacon 50¢ Slice

Tuesday: (5-9 pm) Choice of:

3 Chicken Strips w/Toast & Fries $7.50

6 Drummies w/Toast & Fries $7.50

Walleye

Wednesday: (5-9:30 pm)

Walleye Fingers w/Fries $8.50

Thursday Wraps: (5-9 pm) Choice of:

Grilled Chicken $9.00; Crispy Chicken $8.50; Buffalo Chicken $8.50; Taco $8.50; Philly Steak $8.50

Saturday: (4-8 pm) 1/4 lb. Hamburger $2.50 Toppings 50¢ each; Bacon 50¢ Slice