LETTERS
FROM THE EDITOR
Christmas lights on a cold, dark night
BY MONA NEELEY
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EDITOR
trace my love of bright and colorful Christmas lights to well-lit farmsteads and bright twinkling stars hung high on big blue silos shining across the harvested fields of northern Iowa. It was an annual tradition for my dad to help judge the annual Christmas lighting contest for what was then Cedar Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, the co-op where he worked. The whole family would bundle into the car and head out across the county where co-op members had strung lights, placed manger scenes in their yards and mounted Santa on their roofs. I think what made the Christmas lights so special was the darkness of those Iowa nights. We were far from any city and, once out of town a ways, there was no glow in the sky.
And then, off MONA NEELEY in the distance, there would be a pinprick of light and the excitement would take hold. What kind of decorations would there be? Would there be a Santa? Would all of the buildings have lights edging the roof? I remember each of those farmsteads as a beautiful oasis of light in the night. That’s what I wish for each of you this holiday season. May you find a light in the darkness; a light and love to take you into the new year. Merry Christmas. Mona Neeley is the statewide editor of Colorado Country Life, which is published in coordination with your local electric cooperative. Its goal is to provide information from your local electric co-op to you, its consumer-members.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Veggies That Keep on Giving
Vicki Spencer (Gardening, October ’19) offered several good suggestions on what to do with excess garden produce. It’s a dilemma many gardeners face. We donate our garden vegetables to Homeward Bound homeless shelter in Grand Junction. Donating food is gratifying and makes a positive difference in our community. Francesca McMillen, Grand Junction Grand Valley Power consumer-member
Power in a Picture
I thought the infographic “What’s on a Power Pole?” (October ’19) was informative. It reinforces the stance to stay away from downed power lines. Renee Chau, Monument Mountain View Electric consumer-member
I have been involved in the electric industry for the last 47 years. Starting as a groundman subcontracting for Mountain View Electric, I worked my way up to working with explosives and equipment operator. I have worked in a four-state area on every aspect of power line work from streetlights to 345-kilowatt steel tower lines, recently retiring from La Plata Electric. I enjoy reading the magazine and in the October issue there was a diagram of “What’s on a Power Pole?” I think this is the most important piece of information that has ever been published in the magazine as it shows the readers exactly what is up there and what it does. The more people know about electricity, the safer they can be. David Vaclav, Durango La Plata Electric consumer-member
SEND US YOUR LETTERS Editor Mona Neeley at 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or at mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. Letters may be edited for length. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2019
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