Hello, Did I ever tell you about my military career? If I did, I’m sorry, because you are going to hear about it again. You see, I was in the Guard. The National Guard. A long, long time ago. Back in the day. As cowboys say, “Back when the chutes...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, a long time ago there was a ‘story’ about the local economy in a small-town having troubles so they invited a successful businessman to come speak to them. Picture the scene: the ‘speaker’ places a...

Hello, Do you remember when that elderly lady from Grand Forks that became an international star because she wrote columns about restaurants? She was a wonderful writer and a delight to listen to. I’ve always enjoyed eating. You know that. And to...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, it seems like just about everyone knows that this month and the next three months all end with a ‘brr’ and our friend shivered when she mentioned it. We all know that our weather will soon be getting...

Harold reports on some of the winter and spring snowstorms that sheep ranching and other activities can experience. They are remembered forever. I will share a couple of them. “On May 1, 1967 we had a terrible storm. There were 32 inches of snow...

Hello, It’s September. September mind you. You put up hay in June and July. Not September. In September, if you farm, you combine. If you ranch, you give calves fall shots. You clean your pens out. You weld up broken gates and line up feed bunks....

Continuing on with memories on the Frank, Harold, and Ken Beltz families In 1928 Harold went into the ranching business for himself when he leased the Red Porter place next to his dad, bought four work horses and put in a crop of oats for hay....

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, as the season rapidly changes into Autumn, we notice that the birds are preparing to leave. A friend reminded me of a story she had heard about a bird’s nest under the railroad tracks. She remembered in...

Hello, I'm not sure how this will go. I'm writing on a borrowed computer and sitting on a box. So if somewhere in the middle of this article, I drift off and don't get it finished, so be it. I'm not very techy. If that is even a word. I never was a...

Sorry it has been so long since I have written a memory article, but the summer has been filled with unexpected activities. I will not bore you with them. This article will be about two early Carter County homesteaders, their families, places of...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: It’s back to school for young and old, a happy day for some! Buy needed things, supplies and clothes, which is the rule of ‘thumb.’ They tackle fear which some kids have but most know school is fun! Good thoughts...

Hello, If you’ve been reading my column over the years, you know how I appreciate county fairs. Not the big State Fairs. The little county fairs where you can see who in the neighborhood has the nicest garden, the best welder, the coolest...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, sometimes the wind moans and groans and whistles as it gently flaps the curtains at the open window which we like to have open a bit during this Summer Season. We know some older folks who in fact seem to...

Hello, You can feel Fall is in the air. Oh, I know we’ve had some hot days. And the summer thundershowers have been rolling through the Dakotas at a pretty steady pace. But the nights have been cool and we had one morning in the forties this past...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, it was surprising to discover that some of us have incorrect blinking habits. There are even exercises designed to develop correct blinking so that the fluid movement of the eyelids prevents dry eyes....

Hello, I don’t often make mistakes. Well, actually I do. I’ve been making mistakes for seventy years. Some grievous, some not so bad. I made a mistake a week ago. I figured I was done haying. I’ve been haying for several weeks. I put some hay...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, now and then ‘things’ just happen that are very pleasing to the eyes – well, maybe pleasing to all of our senses. One can’t help but pause and simply stand in wonderment about Your creation. It...

Hello, Well, after the fiasco at the airport we did make it to Alaska. Flew into Juneau, then on a floatplane to the fishing lodge. Missed most of the days fishing, but dang sure caught enough fish to get us excited about the next four days! Now,...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, if we’re not getting our share of happiness and success out of life, maybe we ought to try these on for size: [source unknown – just sharing]. FIRST: Realize that we’re put on earth for a purpose....

Hello, You know I don’t fly a lot. I used to. Once in awhile to a legislative deal, or on an annual vacation. But I don’t really get excited about amassing airline miles on my credit card. Because when you get a lot of miles, you are tempted to...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, it is entertaining and amusing to look up bizarre and unique holidays. July does have some interesting ones. For instance, last week was Peach Ice Cream Day. Not everyone has tried that flavor, right,...

Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, while ‘riffling’ [or thumbing] through some papers, up popped a prayer for vacations. There should be a prayer for everything; absolutely everything should be bathed in prayers, so with that in mind,...