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  • Conversations with God

    Updated Nov 1, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, in a few days a 'time-change' is coming up – like when we get up and when we go to bed. Not everyone likes to deal with 'Time Change'! Oh – it probably only affects people; it probably doesn't 'bother' birds, beasts, beavers or bears' – 'nor the chickens', one gal added. But remembering WAY back when we were kids at home and had to 'help' do the chores; milking the cows, for a while, we got a bit less milk in the milk bucket but the co...

  • CAPITOLETTER

    Karen Odell|Updated Nov 1, 2024

    October 28, 2024 Another Indian summer week at Capitol and on Tie Creek. Still we are wishing for some rain. When we saw frost on the windows one morning, we were so excited about having that much moisture. Erma Albert was a little sad on Wednesday when she went to the chiropractor in Buffalo. She knew it was his last day of appointments in Buffalo. He is busy in Sturgis, so he won’t be making the trip out to Buffalo. On Friday, Dick and Erma went to the monthly chicken dinner at the Senior Center. There were a couple of b...

  • Extended care news

    Cindy Enos|Updated Nov 1, 2024

    September, 2024 Sunday, September 1st Betty Cline and Valorie O'Connell represented the Lutheran Church by coming in and having a gospel sing. Thank you, ladies, for sharing your Sunday afternoon with us. Betty also shared some of her garden produce with the dietary dept. Monday, Labor Day, was the last 4-day weekend for the summer. For the most part I feel people who did not have to come to work just stayed home and worked, truly it was Labor Day! Tuesday, Sept. 3, Gloria Preuss along with her daughter Lisa made the...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Nov 1, 2024

    I remember well the winter of 1978-79. I was a sophomore in college, and it had been a beautiful fall like this one right up until winter hit on November 9. It was brutal, and it stayed until mid-March. I personally hope this year's predictions of an extreme winter are wrong, but we will know for sure next spring. I wrote this diary one year when the fall had been balmy in the back country, and then Mother Nature unleashed winter on us. Diary of a Hunting Camp Cook Day #1: It...

  • CAPITOLETTER

    Karen Odell|Updated Oct 25, 2024

    October 21, 2024 Last week, when Ronda Cordell was coming home from the Methodist Bazaar in Camp Crook, she noticed a car on the Exie Road, but it never came out. Denise had noticed a guy and two dogs that were walking in her pasture. It appeared they were bird hunting since the guy was carrying a gun. Denise had assumed that Ronda had given someone permission to hunt, but she hadn’t. Ronda doesn’t like archery hunting, especially because many animals are hit, but are found later having suffered lingering deaths. She has fou...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Oct 25, 2024

    I am writing this column as a public educator who has served my community as a teacher and administrator for 44 years. I care deeply about our public schools, but I know that there are many who seek to undermine public education even further this legislative session than they did during the last few sessions. Now is the time to get ahead of a snowball headed for public education hell--the introduction of the voucher system. In Montana, we have always had school choice-public,...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Oct 25, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, while walking by a group of ladies, one spoke a little loudly saying: "I'm not just a warm body!" That heated comment in a small group was a few church gals; they probably had a few MORE comments but - what, for goodness sakes, is wrong with having a 'warm body'? Don't we all have a warm body? If we take a moment to THINK ABOUT IT, we're all "just warm bodies" doing various acts of volunteer service as unto to You, Lord. Nevertheless,...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Oct 18, 2024

    Heaven gained an angel last week when my friend, Linda Story, lost her battle with cancer. Her obituary is so beautiful, I want to share it, but I also had to write a little tribute to her, because she was such an amazing woman. Ride On Ahead Thirty years ago, Steve and Linda hired on to run the Hobble Diamond across the Yellowstone. They left their home in Colorado to run the place flawlessly and tirelessly as if it were their own. Linda worked with Steve as a team, and they...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Oct 18, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, had to 'eavesdrop' a bit when a small group gathered. One lad said, "Auntie, some lady gave my mom a silly calendar with weird things written by each day. Mom opened it, looked things over, then started to laugh and said, 'Laddy, would you believe on your birthday, in March, it shows that your day, the 23rd, it's 'Chip and Dip Day' and neighbor, Helen's day, the 1st, is Peanut Butter Lover's Day.' And look at this, the 3rd – which i...

  • CAPITOLETTER

    Karen Odell|Updated Oct 11, 2024

    October 7, 2024 Curt, Caden and Carsen Zolnoski and Erik Berglund came to Ronda Cordell’s from Rapid City, last week, to help work on a siding project on the trailer house. The guys stayed with Clint and Denise Zolnoski. They came to “Git-R-Done,” as Larry the Cable guy would say. When they left Sunday afternoon, only a portion of the east side was unfinished. They came back again this weekend to finish the siding, skirting framework and insulation. Erik’s son, Blaz, came along with them, this weekend. When those guys ge...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Oct 11, 2024

    Hurricane Helene, which has killed at least 227 people, has been declared the deadliest hurricane since Katrina. FEMA has fallen under extreme criticism for their lukewarm response to the thousands of victims. Time alone will tell whether the victims will receive more aid than the $750.00 Serious Needs Assistance that has been available so far. While allegations of misappropriation of FEMA funding abound, the victims have lost everything. We have firsthand knowledge of dealing...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Oct 11, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, an empty bench in the Park, so – had to try it out. Beautiful day, kids played nearby, then a lady a young lad walked by, took the next bench, busy chatting, enjoying the pleasant weather and their 'time together'. The lad said, "Grandma, you'd have loved our lesson last Sunday. Our teacher posted several Bible verses. She said that the Lord had told her to help us kids to Make Him Known; it was fun, as most of us already knew John 3...

  • Kapptie's Korner

    James Kapptie, Ekalaka Public Schools Superintendent|Updated Oct 11, 2024

    The October board meeting was a colorful reflection of the season, and a testament to the vibrant spirit of our school community. As we gathered to discuss the school's progress and upcoming events, the crisp autumn air seemed to infuse the proceedings with a sense of anticipation. This month marked a significant milestone for our board: we live-streamed the meeting. The overwhelming response, with over 100 views by the end of the evening, highlighted the community's growing...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    Susan Metcalf Columnist I really am not a Tweeter. In fact, I did not have a Twitter account nor do I have an X account, since it has been rebranded by Elon Musk. However, I do love to write fake Tweets. In fact, with the explosion of Artificial Intelligence, it is pretty much impossible to know what is real and what is fake. We have one long month to go before the 2024 elections, and I think everyone who isn't off the grid is sick of political ads, texts, surveys, and robo...

  • CAPITOLETTER

    Karen Odell|Updated Oct 3, 2024

    September 30, 2024 Well, October comes in two days, but the people on Tie Creek and at Capitol had a temperature above one-hundred degrees, today. Tomorrow’s high is predicted to be forty degrees cooler. We can hope that another big wind is not part of the coming cold front. Dick and Erma Albert had a very normal week. On Tuesday, when they were shopping in the Hills, they picked up some supplies for Bobbie to use for the Senior Citizen dinners. Erma had a chiropractor appointment on Wednesday. They both went to the c...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Oct 3, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, just read a bit of praise by an unknown author, stating that we are all important, because we are God's creations and Christ loved us enough to die for us. It reminds readers that You, Lord, know our names and that You hold us fast in Your love. It also stated that when we appreciate the people God make us to be, we don't need the hollow honor the world offers. Oh, Father, thank You for Your unconditional love. It is much more...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Sep 30, 2024

    As a mother of both a son and daughter who loved sports, I can honestly say I don't think there is anything that tests the bonds of motherhood more than high school football! It has been beautiful weather for the boys of fall this year, but there is one game that many Big Timber Herder fans will never forget. It was a game that tested my mental and physical endurance as a mother, and it took place when our son Bret was a junior in high school. While looking through his...

  • CAPITOLETTER

    Karen Odell|Updated Sep 30, 2024

    September 23, 2024 Tie Creek got about a half inch of rain this week. That is a good amount in a drought summer like this. Capitol got less in this storm, but they had regularly gotten more during previous rains, so it somewhat evened out. Alvin and Marlee Cordell were glad to get a half-inch of rain, on Tuesday. They had bow hunters, this week, from Pennsylvania. They got two antelope, two deer and a cow elk, before going home. On Thursday, Marlee went to the cross country meet at Custer to see Rhys Pearson run. Alvin...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Sep 30, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, a friend shared something 'sweet', like chocolate. Emmy stopped over the other day, saying that she'd been craving something sweet; then remembered the delicious handmade chocolate bar several of her coworkers had given her for her birthday, last week. She'd only eaten part of it, went to retrieve if from the kitchen table where she'd last seen it. Oh! It wasn't there! She began to look everywhere for it – the refrigerator, c...

  • Extended care news

    Cindy Enos|Updated Sep 30, 2024

    August, 2024 The first day of August found Virginia was working on the bulletin board, Lois came out to the day room and wondered if a cup of coffee was available and maybe someone to play a game or two of cards. Lois’s daughter Trish happened to stop by about that time, so the two of them played “Kings on the Corner”. After dinner shortly before 1:00 the serious card players gather to play “Oh Shoot” or “Wild 10.” Virginia was able to take a week off and travel to Glacier National Park with family. While she was away Vern...

  • CAPITOLETTER

    Karen Odell|Updated Sep 20, 2024

    September 16, 2024 The summer weather has come back to Capitol and Tie Creek. The mornings are cool and productive, but by noon things have heated up. Diane Wear came to Ronda Cordell’s on Monday, and Ronda rode with her to Buffalo, where they had lunch at Blossoms N Brew. Diane went back home with an assortment of vegetables from Ronda’s garden. Ronda took Sophie to the Belle Fourche Vet Clinic for a check-up. Then, Ronda went on to Walmart and the Pizza Ranch until Sophie was finished at the clinic. She stopped to vis...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Sep 20, 2024

    My heart goes out to those affected by the Remington Fire that burned up 190,000 acres in eastern Montana and Wyoming. 224,000 head of cattle were affected by the fire on countless ranches. Miles of fence have been destroyed, I have evacuated from six fires and a three floods, so I know the indescribable feeling of fear and helplessness natural disasters evoke. The good part is that years later, I can look back on those experiences and see the silver lining. We have had four...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Sep 20, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, sometimes something we see reminds us of something we heard, a LONG-AGO; time, place and author, unknown. Seeing deer in the yard brought to mind this story about deer fillings. The author, a retired pastor, couldn't handle retirement so he volunteered at various places, doing various jobs because he knew that 'Old Folks Saying': "Old preachers never die, they just go out to 'pastor.'" He worked an afternoon shift at a retirement...

  • Cooking in the West

    Susan Metcalf|Updated Sep 14, 2024

    Owning a ranch and a restaurant does not leave much time for family vacations. Our oldest grandson will graduate from high school this spring, and we are realizing that we have not taken him very many places. In fact, the last place we took him was to Disney World in November of 2019, and the most memorable thing about the trip was that we came home with Coronavirus before it was even fashionable in the United Sates. It had been rumored in Wuhan, China, but it sure traveled...

  • Conversations with God

    Updated Sep 14, 2024

    Hello God, it's me, Mara: You know, Lord, sometimes it's pleasing to read HOW some folks got together and did things together, some years BACK. No author was given but the writer mentioned how their family loved going to grandparents' house as grandma's favorite words were: "Take it easy!" Twins were mentioned – no age given, but they told grandma that they were going to learn how to swim: 'It's going to happen Friday!' Well, grandma touched her heart, took a deep breath and s...

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