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I recently found myself behind the wheel of Carson’s pickup. It’s been almost 32 months since he died, and it’s been about that long since he’s driven it, but if I close my eyes, I can still see him behind the wheel. … Tinted window rolled down, long hair flowing in the breeze, stereo blasting and engine rumbling as he idled slowly down the gravel driveway to avoid dust. It’s a maroon 1997…

You may have noticed me walking around town recently with the aid of a cane. The need for the assistance from a cane is because of a recent hip procedure. Truth be told, my wife Mary wasn’t real keen on the idea of me going out in public with the cane. I will admit the tennis ball I added to the bottom of the cane may have taken away a little bit of the aesthetic appeal of my cane. Back in the…

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. The following appeared in The Rock County Herald June 1, 1944. Jacob Ohlsen’s story picks up shortly after the death of his father. Ohlsen, the oldest of the children, had to go to work to support…

I imagine many of you are getting ready to celebrate the mothers in your life this weekend. If you are not — take this as a reminder! I do not want to rush past Mother’s Day or downplay their unique place in our lives, but I have noticed another spring holiday has fallen on hard times. If you read this article on Thursday, May 9, do you know what holiday it is? Thursday, May 9, is forty days…

Mother’s Day is just over a week away, and my thoughts have turned to what to do to honor that female parent in my life. Along the way, I’ve thought about what the definition of Mom means to me, and I’ve realized I have more than one Mom. … Because Mom is more like a list of characteristics beginning with the letter “L.” To me Mom is someone who learns, listens, leads, laughs and lives in the…

So, I was reminded that it was time for the tick spot and heartworm treatment for my dogs the other day when my phone chimed in and told me so. The ticks are out in full force, and in the past two very short outings, I ended up removing five ticks. I was not in the grass for more than 10 minutes combined. Maybe the mild winter will make tick season all that much more entertaining this season. I…

The week of April 8 was Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota. Each year the National Weather Service makes an effort in every state to draw attention to the dangers of severe weather. At some point in all of our lives we have seen the devastation that severe weather can cause. We have seen destroyed homes, broken trees, and ruined crops. Storms are something that we all have learned to…

Not Our Cat has lived in our backyard for eight years. She is calico, fat and grumpy. In the dark of winter she moves into the garage where she remains Not Our Cat until warm weather returns. Melvin, a young orange Tom, staggered onto our deck a few weeks ago seriously injured and unlikely to live. But with shelter, a soft blanket, and food and water placed near his mouth, he pulled through.…

About 15 years ago I had both of my hips replaced, and as with most metal moving parts. a little maintenance is required from time to time. It seems the titanium ball and socket in my left hip was showing signs of wear and tear. After a battery of tests, it was decided to replace the titanium parts with ceramic parts. Having traveled down the hip replacement road before, I had some idea what to…

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. The following appeared in The Rock County Herald June 1, 1944. “You might say that my life since coming to the United States has been a cross country trip, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with a…

Luke 24:30 “When he (Jesus) was at the table with them (the disciples), he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Do you spend time in the Bible for…

My sisters and I traveled to Austin, Texas, last week to view the total eclipse of the sun. The trip was a culmination of nearly a year of planning and several weeks of nervous anticipation as departure day grew nearer. In April 2023, nearly a full year before the big event, Linda announced she was traveling for the 2024 eclipse and invited us to join her. “It would be fun,” we agreed during a…

One of the privileges of being a father of three young children is the ability to watch some cartoons with them every once in a while. The other day, my two youngest were watching a show called “Wild Kratts,” a show about two brothers who feature different wild animals. On this show they were introducing kids to the basilisk lizard (feel free to google it now to see it.) The Kratt brothers were…

Steps through life are very straightforward. As children we’re told we’ll attend school when we’re old enough and we’re encouraged to achieve a high school diploma. Then we embark on a 50-year journey working at a job or advancing a career before retiring. Some of us get married, have children and become grandparents. And then we die. Instructions for the first three-fourths of my life have…

My wife, daughter and granddaughters, not to mention a couple of Star Herald staff members, are sporting permanent bracelets these days. Personally, I had never heard of such a thing until just recently. Apparently, a permanent bracelet is just that – permanent. Go figure. If you’re in the dark on this like I was, let me clue you in on how this works. In my case, our daughter made an…

By Scott Rall There is so much going on at the Capitol it’s hard for the average outdoor guy to follow it all. I have two issues I want to share. One will be this week and the second to follow in my next column. The first is of the native tribes and the land give-backs that have happened and several others that are proposed to happen if certain bills pass this session or any session for that…