You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take, but sometimes it’s OK to passSaturday was the day for the annual Luverne city-wide rummage sale, and residents and town visitors braved rainy weather to comb the streets and alleys in search of treasures.I wasn’t among them.It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good deal (with my Dutch heritage, I’m as frugal as they come). I’m just not a good competitive shopper.I’m far too polite to leap in front of others to get what I want. The real cut-throat rummager will actually rip items from fellow shoppers’ hands if it’s a hot enough deal.I’m also too polite to come and go quickly from one location to another.Skilled rummagers are able to scan a garage in 30 seconds and know if it’s worth digging deeper.I, on the other hand, feel obligated to linger. In this town, chances are pretty good that the rummage hosts are people I know. To arrive, scan the joint and leave seems snotty to me. It would imply their rummage items aren’t worth my effort.The whole process is too emotionally taxing for me.It’s also emotionally taxing for me to go through the effort of running around town all the while wondering what bargains I’m missing.If there’s truly a treasure for my family out there, what if someone else gets it first? Or what if I overlook a location altogether? It’s stressful.To get the good deals on the city-wide rummage, you have to start at dawn. They advertise a 7 a.m. start, but skilled bargain seekers know the best deals go long before that.If I’m not out there among them cruising the streets at 5 a.m., I spend the rest of the day with the sinking feeling that if I’d just gotten up earlier, I would have found the perfect treasure.I’m definitely not a morning person.So I just don’t rummage at all, as a rule.People like to quote hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, who once said, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take." But sometimes I subscribe to the theory that you’re better off not taking the shot at all in order to avoid the anxiety of unknown possible outcomes.In the case of the city-wide rummage, I’ll pass, thanks.DISCLAIMER: This column is in no way intended to undermine the efforts of enthusiastic rummagers who truly enjoy the sport. It may, in fact, be a subconscious symptom of the author’s deep-seated envy of those with the courage and ambition to join the throngs on All City Rummage Day.I hope everyone found their priceless treasures, and I hope those manning the garage cash registers made profits worth their while.

It’s time for me to accept the truth about one of my personality traits: I guess I’m not as open-minded as I once thought.I’ve been told on more than one occasion that when it comes to change, I don’t roll with the punches very well.Personally, I think the people who accuse me of being unable to change are nuts. After all, I’ve evolved into an almost completely different person in the last 13 years, a period in which I was married and became the father of two children.Like it or not, being a parent changes your priorities, and my lifestyle is nothing like it was in my carefree bachelor days.In my mind, I’ve rolled with the punches pretty well the past 13 years. Yet, there are certain co-workers who still say I don’t embrace change. And, when I read through the 2006 Spring Bulletin published by the Minnesota State High School League two weeks ago, I’m beginning to see that those co-workers might have a valid point.I’ve long considered the MSHSL, the governing body of high school sports in our state, as a group of individuals who make some decisions without thinking about the repercussions.For an entity that is supposed to care about student athletes, some of their recent decisions contradict that stance.In the past five years, the MSHSL has decided to extend the length of hockey (two minutes each period) and basketball games (four minutes each game).Since a lot of these games are played on weeknights, keeping the students away from their studies for longer periods of time didn’t seem to enter the minds of the officials who form the governing body of high school sports in our state.Not only that, they decided a few years ago that playing more basketball and hockey games during the course of the regular season was a good idea.Never mind the fact that some out-state schools are struggling with their budgets. Let’s let the hockey and basketball teams play up to 26 regular season games (up from 21), they decided, and we’ll let the state’s school districts eat up the extra expense.I could bore you with more of what I thought were incompetent decisions the MSHSL has made in recent years, but I won’t at this time.Instead, I’ll share some information with you on what has to be the most incompetent decision they have come up with yet.Starting in the 2007-08 basketball season, home teams will be required to wear white uniforms during games.When I read this piece of information, my jaw dropped to the point where it almost made contact with my chest.To avoid the obvious question (Who has enough time to care about such lunacy?), another thought entered my mind.What could have prompted such an inane decision?Now, unfortunately, that has become a question I wish I wouldn’t have asked.According to Adrian girls’ basketball coach Randy Strand, the uniform code was changed for one reason: Apparently, some teams have too many different colors on their home jerseys, and this is causing some officials to become confused.What?I don’t care how many different colors are on home or visiting uniforms.Is someone trying to say the officials are becoming confused when they are trying to identify who they are whistling for a foul?I’ve seen questionable calls made by officials before, but I’ve never realized it was a result of color blindness.Right or wrong, officials know who they are whistling for a foul. And, even if they don’t know who was responsible for a rules violation, doesn’t that mean the whistle shouldn’t have been blown at all? And yet, acting upon a recommendation from the National Federation rules committee, the mental giants that form the MSHSL have come to a decision. The Ellsworth Panthers can no longer wear their maroon and gold uniforms in their own school after next season.Maybe I should lighten up a little and accept this as another change I’ll just have to cope with.Strand already has.On the negative side, the Dragons will need to buy new white uniforms for their home games. On the positive side, they have two different types of jerseys (blue jerseys with gold numbers they used to wear at home, and gold jerseys with blue numbers they used to wear on the road) to choose from before embarking on road trips.Apparently I’m not as forgiving as Coach Strand, and maybe some of you won’t be when you consider this.When the Luverne Cardinals are involved in a close home game two years down the road, don’t be surprised if one of your motivational cheers sounds a little different.How does "Go Big White" grab you?It’s just change. Embrace it.

I conducted another one of my little scientific experiments. It wasn’t on my list of things to do, but when the situation presented itself, I decided to record my observations. I was driving home from a Plum Creek Advisory Council meeting in Slayton. Along the way I stopped at a little mini-mart to grab a diet beverage. While my truck sat in the parking lot, a Japanese beetle attached itself to the side window on the driver’s side. I didn’t think much about it until I accelerated to 50 mph on the freeway entrance ramp. The bug was still attached. I asked myself the universal question that has plagued humankind for centuries, "How much wind velocity can a Japanese beetle withstand and for how long before it will let go of the window?" I began my scientific recordings at 50 mph. I accelerated to 55 mph and the beetle remained. After two minutes I increased to 60 mph. The results were the same. I boosted my speed to 65 mph but only maintained that level for one minute. The durable little fellow still hung on. I increased to 70 mph for another minute. Still the resilient little critter prevailed against the wind. Not wanting to risk a speeding ticket, I considered ending the experiment, but I desperately wanted to reach an incontrovertible conclusion. So I forged ahead to 71 mph. He was still there. I inched up to 72 mph and within 20 seconds, it was over. The stubborn little beast was gone. I think the lesson here is obvious. If the beetle would have chosen a vehicle that was not traveling on the freeway, he might have made it all the way to Luverne. Life is full of variables. There are many variables to consider when you pick out a good book to read. Do you like mysteries? Romance? International espionage? Biographies? Recorded books? Large print? All of these are available at your library. New on the fiction shelf this week is "Beach Road" by James Patterson. Montauk lawyer Tom Dunleavy's client list is woefully small. Occasional real estate closings barely keep him in paper clips. When he is hired to defend a local man accused in a triple murder that has the East Hampton world in an uproar, he knows that he has found the case of his lifetime. The crime turns the glittering playground of the super-rich into a blazing inferno. His former flame, the savvy and well-connected attorney Kate Costello, joins Dunleavy. Then the violent retaliations of billionaires threatened by his investigation begin. With the entire nation's eyes on him in the "trial of the century," Dunleavy orchestrates a series of revelations that lead to a stunning outcome — only to find afterward that the truth is wilder than anything he ever imagined. Also new on the shelf this week is "Immediate Family" by Eileen Goudge. Fifteen years after graduation, best friends Jay, Franny, Emerson, and Stevie meet at their college reunion. Life has taken each of them in different directions — Jay is a married man with a baby on the way while Franny yearns for a child as she searches for love in all the wrong places. Divorced single mom Emerson is drawn to a man who challenges everything she believes about finding love. And Stevie's life has recently been rocked by a family secret that will shatter everything she believes about herself. Now the bond among the foursome takes a surprising twist, one that changes how each feels about family and friendship. One thing is certain: They will all find their hearts’ desires in the last place they imagine.

We’re on the pest alert this week. Now is a good time to do a systemic application of fungicide for the phlox paniculata, our common tall garden phlox that gets attacked by mildew. I have advised earlier that most diseases are easier to prevent than to cure. Phlox seems to be attacked every year because we have perfect conditions for mildew to grow … this year we are right on track again or already! A systemic fungicide or insecticide is a chemical that can be applied to the root zone on the soil, or applied to the foliage for absorption. Once the product is absorbed by the plant, it helps the plant ward off disease, or in the case of sucking or chewing insects, they ingest the chemical with the plant juice and are eliminated by their own feeding.Systemic products work well for rose pests, also. The advantage of these products is that they are at work when you are at work … often these problems escape our attention until they have become a real issue, and then the damage is already done. This is also a great time to feed shrubs, trees, perennials and roses. They are making the most active growth of the season during the next few weeks, and that is when you get the maximum benefit from a fertilizer application. Not all fertilizers are created equal, so be sure you are using the right product for the plant you are dishing it to! When doing a fertilizer application for trees, the product needs to be applied to the "drip line" area, because that is where the feeder roots are. The drip line is the area where water would fall from if it ran off the tree like an umbrella. And yes, the next week is a good time to put down crabgrass preventer … if you did it prior to all the rain we just received, good luck … just what I warned about before. If you have been wintering plants indoors to put out again this year, start setting them out for a few hours each day so they have a chance to acclimate gradually. They appreciate developing a gradual "tan" as much as you do.

Just a note to let you, your staff and your readers know how much we veterans and our organizations, the Legion and VFW, appreciated the Star Herald’s help in solving our Honor Guard dilemma. As you will recall, we came to you with our story and a plea for help. The Honor Guard at that time was made up of mostly older veterans, whose average age was 85 years young. The Star Herald (Jan. 20) and assistant editor Sara Quam did a great (front page with color picture) job of telling our story and asking for the younger generation to step in and make our Honor Guard a continuing patriotic service to our veterans and the community. The results were fantastic. At the first meeting there were 16 volunteers. As military veterans they were already trained, needing just a little refresher training and they were ready. Since that first meeting we have grown to more than 20, which was our goal. Our new unit is outfitted with new uniforms, both Legion and VFW. They are now mixed and unified as one, representing both organizations.The older members have retired and are looking on, as the new perform so very well. They are looking forward to performing and will salute you and the general public at the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Maplewood Cemetery. We older generation will be there also, as we pay our respects to our fellow departed veterans and families.Jay MannWarren Herreid(Committee representing the Legion and the VFW)

To the Editor:I am thrilled to read the long list of the high achievers in our high school. You young cardinals are singing the sweeter song! Gratitude is the all-around word here — to their parents, the School Board for hiring special teachers! To the teachers — but especially to you responsible students a standing ovation! A "Hats off" to you! Thank you for setting a good example for the younger children in our city. Keep spreading your wings.Bea AshburnLuverne

Thanks in part to a slow churning weather front that produced several inches of rain last week, the yards of Rock County and the Midwest, for that matter, are dotted with tiny yellow heads.The fluffy and seemingly harmless yellow dots rising above the lawns made themselves known in massive numbers after yesterday’s sunny day. The rain, combined with a good dose of sunshine, helped their cause and now it would seem we have an epidemic.Last spring, everyone told us, "Oh, this is the worst year ever for dandelions; it is not always like this." Well, either we were being lied to, or this part of the country is the perfect breeding grounds for the little yellow flower.As a lover of color and flowers, I really don’t mind them growing in the meadows and yards around town. I remember playing with them as a child, making crowns for my head, staining my brother’s arm or chanting mama had a baby and her head popped off.But my husband, as well as many other men in the area, find them a nuisance and wish for their quick demise.So today, as I watch them swaying in the wind outside my window, I will offer first an argument for why these plants should be spared and finally for those I have not convinced, a few tips on how to make a swift kill.In defense of the dandelion …Dandelions have been used for centuries for both medicinal and nutritional purposes. Over the years they have had many interesting names. Some worth bringing back may be lion's tooth, piss-a-bed, yellow puffball, clock flower and swine snout.A quick search of the Internet for medicinal uses of the root and leaves of the dandelion plant yielded a large number of results. So, if the drug stores are closed or if you are the type of person with an aversion to doctors, you might want to get a bucket and start picking.The leaves and root help stimulate digestion and are mild laxatives.Dandelion juice has been used to eradicate warts and to soothe calluses, bee stings or sores.Many herbalists view the dandelion as an effective treatment for liver disease, and it can benefit the pancreas, kidneys, stomach and spleen. The dried leaf, taken as a tea, is used as a mild laxative to relieve constipation.Chinese herbalists still use the plant to treat cases of jaundice, hepatitis, red and swollen eyes, as well as urinary tract infection, abscesses, or firm, hard sores in the breasts. It is also said to be effective in increasing the production of mother's milk.Dandelion leaf is a good natural source of potassium and is tasty in salads.If you are still not convinced of the tiny flower’s merit, just drive by the Rez as the sun is setting. The long narrow strip of green grass seems to welcome the field of dandelions. The green of the grass hugs the base of the yellow plant. It is a much prettier picture of spring than if the field were simply green.Tips for their quick demise …None of this history or my logic as to the beauty of Mother Nature’s spring pallet has been enough for my husband to accept them in his yard. Last night the dandelions, along with many other unwelcome weeds, were drowned in a heavy dose of poison, courtesy of the folks at the New Vision Co-op in Hills.They recommended spraying the leaves of the plants with a weed killer containing 2.4-D. They sell the stuff as a concentrate and recommend applying it again in the fall. A check of the weather is required, because the product will not be as potent if it is washed away by the rain.For a less environmentally evasive way of ridding lawns of my yellow friends, try one of these organic methods. Although strange and probably more labor intensive, the Internet says they will work and you won’t have to worry about possibly killing the neighbor’s cat or dog with poison.Pour boiling water over dandelion plants and in 2 or 3 days the plants start to wilt away. If hauling around boiling pots of water doesn’t sound like a fun way to spend your Saturday, try using vinegar.A high concentrate of vinegar is an effective weed killer against annual and perennial weeds. The acid in the vinegar acts as an herbicide and kills the plant but does not pollute ground water.Finally, if all else fails, you can pull them out using a dandelion digger. This tool removes the root of the plant, forever banishing it from the soil. Story ideas or comments can be emailed to Lexi Moore at lexim@star-herald.com or called in at 962-3561.

10 years ago (1996)"Hills resident Bob Hansen was recently honored as this year’s Friend of Education by the H-BC Education Association. …Hansen was instrumental in the organizing, planning and building of the crow’s nest back in 1994. He can almost always be found offering words of encouragement to local students on the athletic field or court."25 years ago (1981)"A much needed improvement in the legion building has now been completed with the addition of two new restrooms. These facilities are on the ground floor making for easier access. The Hills Senior Citizens instigated the improvement with the cooperation of the City Dads."50 years ago (1956)"Don Boysen, presently of Luverne, has been busy setting up a new implement firm here which will operate under the name of Boysen Implements. The new firm will handle J.I. Case products widely known to farmers in the area. Mr. Boysen has purchased the former Munson building, across the alley, east of Nuffer Hardware, along with the lot and one-half of real property on which the building is situated. 75 years ago (1931)"Next Sunday’s rotogravure section of the Des Moines Register will contain the picture of Miss Dorothy Rentschler who lives near Hills.Miss Dorothy has the distinct honor of being chosen the most representative student in the Arts section at the State College in Ames, Iowa, and when you learn that the student body numbers 7,000, all must admit the young Hills lady is due for some hearty congratulations." 100 years ago (1906)"Hills is taking steps to retain its graded school and also make even a better one possible. In Minnesota graded schools receive about $500 state aid, but in order to get it it must undergo inspection every year and come up to the standard of requirements. The present school district at Hills finds it difficult to meet the requirements, but at a public meeting last week it was decided not to take a backward step. Instead of giving up their graded school they are going to try to get outlying districts to join the Hills district. It is this spirit of push and energy that has made Hills one of the best towns of its size in the state of Minnesota. — Garretson News."

A deal was completed last week when the Schlueter home on Central Ave. was sold to Louis and Joni Deelstra. They come here from Crooks, S.D., where they lived with their children, Oliver, 2, and Layla, 7 months. They are known to people in our area, as Joni’s parents live in Steen. They are Robert and Cherlyn Brouwer. Robert runs the Martin Township maintenance and Cherlyn is one of the cooks at Tuff Memorial Home. Marvin and June Albers, Cheryl Pavel and Cheyenne from Hills, joined by their son, Terry and Cheri Albers of Aberdeen, S.D., and Abbie Albers of Pierre, S.D., left April 20 for Charlotte, S.C., to visit Marv’s two brothers and families and to attend the wedding of their grandson, Charlie. Also present was a granddaughter, Melissa. They returned home Wednesday, April 26. Morningside Apartments have taken on a new resident. Marvin Kolsrud moved here from Sioux Falls Saturday, He is really not a newcomer to our community, as he grew up in our area and when married, lived with his family on the west side of town. He is in apartment No. 3.Many of the older folks of our community will remember the Elmer Ruud family who lived here. Elmer and Irene Ruud owned and operated Ruud’s grocery store when another grocery store was situated on the corner and was operated by Henry Knudtson. Yes, we had two grocery stores in Hills then! The family lived in the upstairs of the store and these two stores were demolished in the big Hills fire in 1948. The Rudd children consisted of Robert, Beverly and Stuart. As the youths finished school and left Hills to seek higher learning and employment, Robert landed in New York where he lived for many years with his wife, Darlene, and several children. Stuart attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls and makes his home in the Twin Cities area with his wife, Kay. Beverly married Bill Simpson and they make their home in Sioux Falls. Robert and Darlene have been seen in Hills at times, and he tells us they have taken up residency in Sioux Falls, moving here from White Plains, N.Y. We agree with them that the best place to live is in the Midwest and we are glad they are back in our area. Darlene has a sister in Hardwick and they have children in the Minneapolis area. Kelly Demuth observed his 50th birthday Saturday night with many of his customers and friends at the bar.Remember, from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9, a pesticide collection will be at the Hills City Shop. Ray and Lois Nelson attended the MRCI open house Friday afternoon in Mankato. At this event, recognition is given to workers for five-year increments of service at their place of employment. The Nelsons’ daughter, Vicki, was a 25-year honoree.Following the open house, Ray, Lois and Vicki drove to Waconia to spend the weekend with Lois’ brother and wife, Bob and Bonnie Oleson. They returned to their homes in Mankato and Hills Sunday evening.