Indeed, a long time ago, but just 'yesterday' in history... Great grandpa was a walking Tolono depot just behind Southwest into the prairie what he saw was not a goldmine but a 'blackmine' Soil soft on his footsteps speaking to him in farmer tones "This could be really good, really somethin'" "This could be [...]
Seattle, St. Louis... Baltimore, Chicago... waiting rooms the same hallways polished keen Great big buildings many floors folks in starched coats scurrying America's clinics hum along patients in; patients out patients, patients, all about secretaries by the score nurses on the phones and then, the doctors In Women and men so educated so focused [...]
I know a certain former congressman now president of some colleges whose trademark was a blue shirt button down Back and forth to Springfield then back and forth to Washington Blue shirt Monday and every other day Eastern preppies uniform, I note was khaki pants and blue shirts too although stripes of blue came [...]
Cold, they say, bitter cold! And right they are! The cold bites us, in many ways! Noses and toes fingers and ears get nipped and painted red Pay attention! Our bodies say this is not to my liking! Frost bite, they call it as winter chills and works on us seeping in to gloves and [...]
Planted on a prairie hilltop the highest spot around the college has to grow Engaging the community in learning! Firm foundations abound for buildings and for students minds are stretched and buildings sprout A wing goes here a wing goes there students slip in, and fly away that's the Parkland Way! A thousand students, two [...]
Twas a half century ago, this month, I met a young woman, who became my wife come December. My life turned a corner a big one and I surrendered to her and she to me Ah, not 100 per cent at once! Actually, I'm still working on it but we've come a long way [...]
Hours I spent with him some in heavy waters some in lighter moments He became a brother He was almost always there passionate in his being so much so He came to one board meeting straight from being a patient in the hospital... Always alert, listening with energy sometimes eyes a twinkling I would [...]
Rolling Big tractor wheels taller than a man carryin' 300 horses back and forth back and forth tilling the soil planting the crop A lazy swirl of dust marks my way Soil seeking heaven ...just like me the way of earth the way of man Row after row seeds of promise nestled into the [...]
A hundred thirty years ago great grandparents settled here Planted themselves and then planted trees Apple trees, pear trees Osage orange and ash trees The Osage Orange were windbreakers cause the prairie sure had wind! They made great fence rows and nearly permanent fence posts Some still line the boundaries The fruit trees were [...]
The humble broom is a crucible tool clean sweeping nooks and crannies My mind is rich in pictures of ladies working a broom! I see grandma with her broom corn broom made by a certain blind fellow down Tuscola way Grandpa and I visited the guy every now and then I watched the man's [...]