“It’s way below freezing outside and this house is getting colder all of the time.”

First major storm in nearly a year had come and of course problems would arise. Fortunately, this ranch didn’t have as many difficulties as a number of others around the Midwest.

Most importantly all of the outside hydrants worked, so the thirsty livestock had water. It didn’t take long until they learned to immediately drink warm H2O in the tank or there’d only be a big chunk of ice to lick.

Lights blinked a couple of times and the computer had to restart, but power returned soon. Others just down the road sadly had electricity outage for extended time.

Knowing that dilemma, heart went out to all without lights, no water and heat in short supply. Those with wood burning stoves were touting how cozy they were.

Wood heat certainly has benefits and works well for many, yet personal experiences haven’t been that positive. Not the work chopping wood that’s the worst, although it requires time and strong backs. Issue here was a new system that never did work well, dirty, hazardous and finally done away with.

Those with the wood burning furnace outside and well circulated heat into the home claim its efficiency and comfort. Yet several homes have burned down in the past week with wood stoves of sort said to be the cause.

Yes, kitchen sink pipes on the north side of the home did freeze for a time but thawed before breaking.

“Can’t is over in the ditch.”

Mrs. Gibson, first grade teacher at Garfield Grade School in 1957, emphasized that to her students. “There isn’t anything impossible when one has the determination.”

It’s a lesson never forgotten always coming to mind when something seems unachievable.

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” another teacher presented that advice to his class.

Both comments are encouragement relative to getting accomplished what needs to be done.

Frequently, “can’t” is used as an excuse for not doing a necessary task one just doesn’t like doing. However, the challenge whatever it is can often be completed with dedicated effort.

Still, certain people have more natural abilities in different areas than others. One which is an increasingly burdening factor today is modern technology.

This includes all aspects of cell phone, computer and other social media operations. Most young to middle age adults and even grade school children have no issues with such advanced conveniences. Yet that’s not the case with many of those born a half century ago or before. While they may have been forced into use of the “convenient” devices, their knowledge remains quite limited.

A number of “senior” citizens with cell phones and computers can make a call or look up certain information. Nevertheless, there are still quite a lot of older folks who don’t have the apparatuses.

“Come to the front and carry these groceries for this customer.”

While the directions to her carryout boy-wannabe cowboy seem simple enough, actuality was much more emphatic.

Mom behind the cash register checked out customers from two sides, ran the adding machine and wrote a credit ticket. All at the same time and when assistance was needed, the call was very audible throughout the grocery store.

Responding run from the upstairs stocking room far in the back of the two-front building was immediate. Or, the worker’s orders were repeated much louder with a distressed tone to the impatient voice.

That’s the way it was and employees whichever one, along with regular customers, were accustomed to such. Yet, sometimes those longtime grocery store patrons, who were always also close family friends, just had to smirk a bit.

Employees, who were in reality very highly respected, likewise appreciatively admiring their “boss,” son included, sometimes couldn’t feel the urgency. Still, it was all part of a fun job knowing everybody and where their car was parked.

As we go into 2022, ECAT would like to say thank you to the many organizations, clubs, churches and individuals who called and asked, “how can we help?” and “what can we do?”

Because of the overwhelming support we received from all of you, we were able to adopt every individual and family that applied for our holiday program. Even some who were turned down from other organizations, we were able to adopt.

Once signed up for the holiday program they received a full Thanksgiving and Christmas meal box along with breakfast items for Christmas morning. All kids under 18 received Christmas gifts from their adopted family along with a Christmas stocking filled with goodies. ECAT does not turn down anyone regardless of circumstances or date they called.

All of this was made possible because of your generosity. Everyone enjoyed wonderful holiday meals and every child had Christmas presents. No one went without Christmas.

Thank you,

ECAT (Ecumenical Christian Action Team), Osage City

Everyone who visits Help House or volunteers has been so blessed this Christmas season by all of the generous donations dropped off for the food pantry and Christmas store.

We would like to give special recognition to the Girl Scouts of Troop 30158, in Lyndon, for the food and non-food items they collected, as well as toys for other children in the area. Thank you to troop leaders Diana Forkenbrock and Kayla Rose, and Girl Scouts, Alexandra, Cassidy, Ellie, Maizy, Destinee, Dariana, and Lilly.

Also, special thanks to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells, first responders and law enforcement officers from all of the Osage County agencies, the Kansas State Highway Patrol, the businesses in Osage County that had collection boxes for the toy drive, and everyone who bought and donated the hundreds of new toys. Many families were able to give their children and grandchildren a wonderful Christmas because of your generosity.

Prom shop

The prom shop will be Jan. 14 to Jan. 16, at Burlingame. We have over 90 beautiful gowns for girls to shop from. All have been cleaned free of charge by Ted and Shirl Ammerman, of Royal Cleaners, Ottawa. This was such a generous donation from them. So if you are looking for cleaners, they do a great job.

The prom shop will be located in the building just west of the Burlingame Library. Hours will be 3:30-6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15; and 1:30-6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16. All dresses are free to any girls living in the Osage County area. (See related story: Help House schedules prom shop dates for new year).

Help House open after holiday break

Help House will be open after the holidays on Jan. 4, 2022.

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Submitted by Raylene Quaney

“Where oh where oh where should that new line be?”

While it wasn’t a million-dollar question, there certainly was bewilderment where to put in a new waterline. Ranch yard is truly helter-skelter after very old trees were bulldozed out and hauled off by highway contractors.

Driveway has always been narrow, but with highly eroded ground on both sides of the culvert it’s worsened. Impossible to see at night with road construction so more than once the trailer has dropped off the edge. Width of the reconstructed ranch yard entranceway isn’t known but very significant when putting more stuff underground.

Sewer line has been redone before due to improper original construction and moving it again was said to be necessary. However, another highway engineer now says the wastepipe can stay although very close to being in the way. Still exact location must be known in order to keep from puncturing it with more pipeline work.

Five weeks since the telephone landline was ripped out by tree dozers. Emails indicating it would be and was fixed are complete misnomers. A dozen follow-up attempts to contact corporate expressing need have been ignored completely.

Uncountable cell phone calls from two personal numbers have been made to the company’s dozen different numbers to no avail. Each one required no less than 30 minutes with difficult to understand answerers frequently saying: “Wait a moment.”

Each time the “moment” has been minutes but the last one promised: “A serviceman will be there in five days.” While that ought to create optimism, it’s the same promise given 30 days earlier with nobody ever showing up.

Whether the home phone will ever be repaired is questionable, alertness must be given to exactly where the line is.

“This too shall pass.”

While that is definitely a scratch in an already very bad injury, it is still the sad truth.

Perhaps more sympathetic somewhat less painful comment would be: “Mother Nature is overpowering having her way in every situation.”

Yet, a couple other responses could be “There’s nothing anybody can do about the weather except talk about it.” Or, “It is what it is.”

None are appropriate and far insufficient consolations for thousands nationwide who’ve suffered loss beyond comprehension from recent horrendous weather tribulations.

Hearing and seeing tragic impacts from storms thousands of miles away made hearts ache feeling the inner desire to help. At a distance often there seems no way to offer assistance other than possibly financially to the most in need.

However, everyone expressing their prayers for the others is so simple and likely greatest benefit of all.

Then when detrimental strong winds invade locally and statewide there is true inner realization of all the others’ suffering.

When lives are taken, livestock lost, homes and very valuable structures destroyed, lifetime work and dreams shattered, life becomes unbearable. There is no way whatsoever to recover completely with haunting to remain forever.

A Christmas parade with all horses, vehicles, handlers decked out in red sure gets everyone in the holiday spirt.

More than 70 horse units from throughout the Midwest showed up at Lawrence to parade before street packed clapping admirers.

It’s the third time participating in that world-renowned most spectacular affair and perhaps the easiest and most enjoyable.

First time was with Mae decked out in her tassels pulling the antique fringed top carriage. There was certain applause but it was below freezing so the shivering mitten-earmuff-bundled spectators were somewhat sparse comparatively.

It was still better than the second drive in that parade with Mae pulling the high-wheeled cart in blizzardly cold rain. Honestly, driver and rider couldn’t stop teeth shattering for longer than the pickup ride back to the ranch.

This time, it was a bit cool, but sun shone brightly season-perfect with Maggie’s seemingly-choreographed jig for her red-decked-out cowboy. “Merry Christmas” was smiling and waving greeting to overflowing street side crowds everyone returning very happy gestures magnified.

Truly impossible to imagine all of the horse-drawn vehicles that participated, some very elaborate, surely expensive. Others were quite countrified, not very costly but just as much fun for drivers, riders and parade watchers.

Horse power was as diversified if not more so from smallest spotted miniatures to largest magnificent shiny black high-stepping Friesians. Every horse, vehicle, handler was remarkably adorned with the most colorful obviously holiday season attire.

“Davy Crockett is sometimes recognized for his gun ‘Betsy’ as often as the frontiersman is remembered personally for heroic feats.”

When one such as Crockett depends on a firearm for livelihood and defense, it can almost become part of him.

Many people don’t and can’t realize how something so “dangerous” and “harmful” as a gun can become so meaningful.

Yet, “The 410,” first major firearm owned by a now old wannabe cowboy, has such sentimental value.

Writing about guns is perhaps “dangerous” in itself with all of the controversies concerning nationwide banning gun ownership. Still, this country’s forefathers realized the “right of people to keep and bear arms” clarifying such in the Constitution.

It is true: “Guns don’t kill, it’s the people shooting them who are killers.” Brief study of world history reveals how nations have fallen when governments cease all guns. Enough said about such political issues.

“The 410” must be at least 80 years old if not older. There’s no brand or model number on “The 410,” although gun collectors could likely figure that out.

Uncertain when Dad bought “The 410,” or actually where it really came from. Still, “The 410” has been in the family well beyond this memory.

Graduating from a toy rifle to a BB-gun to “The 410” was big deal for a 1950s school boy. “The 410” is a single shot .410 (caliber) shotgun that will only hold 2 1/2-inch shells versus some 410s that shoot 3-inch shells. “The 410” breaks open for loading and the hammer must be cocked before firing.

“Whatever happened to good ole hometown friendly efficient customer service?”

While there are small businesses serving patrons with sincere congeniality, the number becomes fewer all the time. Small businesses in rural communities and even some larger cities start up regularly, but their life is short. Sadly, not very many continue to survive in today’s world.

Corporations are taking over nearly every facet of the economy. Obvious in agriculture is corporate domination of meat packing, livestock production and feeding operations, the dairy industry and more.

When conglomerates take over local businesses, personal care and service are the first to go. Staffing is sharply reduced to lower overhead and supposedly increase efficiency, cash flow and profitability.

Highly paid often right of college perhaps overly educated people in front of a computer try to manage businesses. They are thousands of miles from daily operations and don’t have a clue about those being served. Many haven’t looked at a map and don’t know where the state is, let alone a rural community in it. As the saying goes, they “don’t know milk comes from a cow.”

One thing many of those “workers” have is certain book-learned arithmetic skills. They zoomed through every mathematics class and can actually figure out when there is no profit.

Still very few of those sophisticated bookkeepers seem to have any understanding what is really required for a successful business.

“We’re very busy and can’t get your telephone repaired for at least 19 days.”

That was the summed-up response from the telephone company when reporting there was no phone service.

Actually, the conversation lasted half an hour as the phone answerer didn’t seem to understand there really was a problem. The same question was asked numerous times, apparently being answered to deaf ears.

Then the conversation would be put “on hold” for a time such to wonder if he’d ever return. Eventually he did, more confused than even before.

“If the problem is in the house, there will be a charge,” the difficult-to-understand answerer repeated. Yet he’d been told several times before that the issue was in the underground line.

Finally, responding to request: “We’ll send a repairman out in 19 days, but we don’t know what time it’ll be. You must make sure you’re there when he arrives.”

That’s the main reason most households now only have cellphones, completely shutting off landline telephone service. This place is old fashioned in its ways and cellphone connection is even worse than the landline telephone.

Problem with landline service this time came about when the big bulldozer driver was pushing trees out in front yard. The highway department has been planning to expand the road for several years and is finally getting started. While there’s “some work” being done for a 10-mile stretch now, actual construction isn’t to begin until March, maybe.

“Be honest and true to yourself, and honest and true about livestock.”

Upon passing of a former college professor-longtime friend, obituary of Dr. Robert Hines quoted his life’s philosophy.

Viewpoint hit home quite emphatically such to initiate reflections of many positive influences.

Spring semester 1970, Dr. Hines’ one-hour college credit livestock evaluation lab was first acquaintance. Friendship developed during class although not realizing how dedicated the professor was to his now recorded beliefs.

Depth of the world-renowned swine specialist and breeder’s standards are quite complex requiring contemplation to comprehend. First and foremost, Dr. Hines, often in complete respect called “Bob,” was honest. He said everything “like it was” to students, producers, customers, all he was in contact.

Purchasing seed stock from Dr. Hines, he pulled no punches in what the hogs were. During college days, the son, today’s ranch manager, lived at and worked in Dr. Hines personal hog operation. Knowledge gained shows decades later in mannerisms, honesty, truth, people relations and livestock management.

While judging all livestock species is promoted essential to improvement, there are many respected animal adjudicators. Closely associated with a number, none more conscientiously evaluated livestock than Dr. Hines’ honestly truly critiquing composition.

A champion livestock judger, and winning judging teams coach, Dr. Hines was not the early ’70s college days coach. Recognized by a hog show in his name, Dr. Hines’ principles carried through in his family and adored grandchildren.

“Early to rise gives a person the opportunity to get a lot more done in a day.”

While the typical well known saying is different than that, the same meaning is still there.

Always being one going to bed early compared with many others and getting up early, that way changed in maturity. It’s easier to just stay in bed longer, despite going under covers at the same time.

Years gone by several highly successful farmers frequently commented about how little was accomplished by late risers. They were right when compared to their early-rising personal achievements.

More than once farmers would only agree to visiting for a feature story by getting to their place before light. They had work to do and didn’t feel like they could waste time talking with chores needing to be done.

Many college students will only take classes starting late morning or in the afternoon. Still they don’t get up until right before class because they didn’t get to bed before wee hours.

As a student decades gone by, there was a college class scheduled every morning at 7:30. Many seats were unfilled and latecomers would straggle in. Professors were often late, too, with excuse of traffic instead of honestly admitting slow getting out of bed.

Best time of the day is the morning, although many deny it especially those night owls. Sunrise gives light to new opportunities and a freshness to accomplish.

Studies prove the brain works more effectively and efficiently in the morning. Ambition is considerably higher early in the day, diminishing as the hours progress.

“There sure are a lot of good corner and even line posts strung along the highway ditch.”

With powerlines being moved for new highway construction, the line poles and cross arms have been left behind.

Brings to mind five decades and longer ago how valuable those seemed at the time for use in ranch fences. Hopefully, neighbors and others will see their worth and put them to use this year.

Previously when wind and ice storms knocked poles down with power company replacement, they were grabbed for the ranch.

However that won’t be the case now as philosophy has changed with only steel posts used for fence construction.

However, it is interesting looking around the ranch and seeing how many power poles are still serving their purpose.

Back in the beginning almost anything was used in fence construction. With the original little ranch near tracks, old railroad ties were common. They were put into corral, pasture and hog pen fences, but seemed to be short-lived needing replaced within a decade.

Mom’s Uncle John was a partner in the garbage hog feeding operation for a number of years. He worked for the rural electric company with ample access to free worn out power cross arms.

They were used for making short lived fence and corner posts as well as fencing for hog pens.

Local Salvation Army donations help locally

Help House is the designated organization to distribute Salvation Army funds for emergency assistance of utilities and gas vouchers in the county. Eighty percent of that raised in Osage County comes back to us to be used for these needs.

There will be Salvation Army counter kettles placed in businesses in the different communities. Bell ringers will be at two grocery stores, one in Carbondale at Mid-Town Market, and in Osage City at Jerry’s Thriftway, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturdays, beginning Nov. 27, and ending on the Saturday before Christmas, Dec 18.

Any person, group or organization that would like to volunteer for a one or two hour time slot (or take a full day), is asked to call Help House at 785-828-4888, and leave your name and number where you can be reached.

In years past one chain of stores allowed the counter kettles to be placed in each of their five stores in Osage County but three years ago declared they would no longer allow them. Those kettles provided more than $1,500 each year in collections from their stores alone. This reduced the total amount collected dramatically, which means much less is available in funds to be distributed monthly.

The Salvation Army takes the total we are able to raise, figures our 80 percent and then divides by 12 months and allows that for our monthly assistance budget.

As you can imagine with how families are struggling right now and going into winter, not having the funds to assist with electric, gas, propane, or wood for heating, or gas vouchers to get to job interviews or doctor appointments, the reduction in funds is a true hardship for many.

So when you see those red kettles, large or small, in Osage County, please share what you can. The Salvation Army envelopes that will be in the local newspaper will count towards our total – even if you write a check and mail it off, it will find its way back to our county. If you donate out of this county it stays there not here.

If you can help out by ringing those bells for an hour or two throughout the season, we need help there, too. If you would like to donate to the Help House utility fund directly, designate it as such and mail to Help House, PO Box 356, Lyndon KS 66451.

God bless and remember sharing and giving to others is the spirit of the season.

Thank you,
Help House

For more information, call Help House at 785-828-4888, see www.helphouse.online, or stop by at 131 W. 15th St., Lyndon, Kan.

“There’s a weanling filly in the southwest lean-to stall and small adjacent walkout.”

It’s the first foal that’s been retained in a dozen years from the nearly 60 years’ Quarter Horse breeding operation.

After developing a 40-head broodmare band, an annual production sale for 25 years attracted buyers from throughout the country.

The business was somewhat financially successful, but mostly enjoyment of seeing new foals every spring. Then merchandizing them to those who became best friends and made the horses into outstanding achievers.

A true romance is the only completely accurate way to describe the horse breeding endeavors. Bred to be and promoted as such, they were “The Cowboy’s Kind.” Now years later, contacts are received regularly from those who have, want or are interested in the horses.

Most years, the foals sold for what then seemed high prices. At least the income made major impact on paying for the ranch.

Market demand declined not only locally but nationwide as foals sold for as much as 80 percent below previous times. Dream-come-true and thrill of producing and selling horses with six generations of ranch breeding became work. Previous gratification turned into an annual dread.

Numbers were reduced dramatically mostly by giving mares away, selling some as seed stock and marketing others inexpensively to whoever. With two handfuls of mares retained mostly all going back to the 1962-beginning, merchandizing babies was quite the burdensome ordeal.

Once again, Help House will be assisting people in need with a full Thanksgiving meal to be distributed November 17 and 18, 2021. Residents of Osage County who are registered with Help House will receive either a turkey or a chicken with all the fixings, based on family size. Registration began Oct. 1, and will continue until all slots are taken.

Help House is looking for assistance from the community in this endeavor. Anyone who would like to help as a family, church, or organization, can collect the following items or donate cash and Help House will be able to purchase items that may be short. Thanksgiving dinner items can include instant potatoes, stove top style dressing mix, dry packaged gravy mix, (either turkey or brown gravy), boxed macaroni and cheese mix, boxed Jell-O and  canned mixed fruit (to make a salad), canned corn and green beans, pie crust (ready-made), pie filling (any kind).

For more information about the Thanksgiving meal project, contact Help House at 785-828-4888 or email [email protected].

Coat Closet open for business

The Coat Closet is also open at Help House and is open to anyone living in Osage County. Coat recipients do not need to be registered with Help House to come and shop for coats for themselves and their family members. Help House has a good selection, and with cold weather on the way soon, all are encouraged to come and shop. No appointments are necessary.