Nature's Remedy

This little Tin of Nature's Remedy laxative pills was also in one of the boxes I bought at the Auction on Saturday. The cap is stuck shut and I didn't try to pry it open. It rattles when you shake it so I assume there are still some pills in the box. I hadn't seen anything about "Nature's Remedy" for many years but it brought back the memory of my Brother having a HS girlfriend who's initials were NR. I don't remember the connection but somehow he translated her initials to Nature's Remedy. She didn't stay in Garland HS but transferred to Seward where she graduated. In Garland she was known as "Norma Jean" and when she transferred to Seward, she went by "Jean". It was one way of getting away from the stigma of Joker's referring to her as "Nature's Remedy". Incidentally, I put it on eBay this afternoon and volunteered to pay the postage for the lucky buyer. 

Calumet Baking Powder Bank

Among the items in the boxes of "stuff" I bought at the Auction yesterday was this empty Calumet Baking Powder can. While some people spent thousands of dollars yesterday at the Auction in Pierce, NE to acquire old vehicles that brought back memories of an earlier day, I got mine with this empty can. I earned my first money by shocking grain and raking scatterings with the thrashing run when I was 15 years old. We had very little "personal room" in our small farm home with 7 of us sharing 5 small rooms. Mother  gave me  a Calumet Baking Powder can which Mother had emptied in which to save my earnings. I didn't have a lot of money from that first summer's work but it helped me through my Junior Year of HS. I again shocked grain and ran a bundle wagon for the neighbors during the next summer. When the small grain harvest was over and I had my 16th birthday, I got a job on Highway Construction which gave me an opportunity to save enough in my "can"to get me through my Senior Year. It wasn't until  the next year when I had rented a farm in my name and opened a checking account at Cattle National Bank in Seward, that I "Out grew" my old can. It was great to get one back yesterday and reminisces about how important $15.00 were at one point in time. 

Auction Day

We are watching the Lambrecht vehicle Auction program on the History Channel this evening. It's just amazing what people pay for those old vehicles. It appears to truly be a national, if not international, event. This really put Pierce, Nebraska, on the map. Sixty years ago Pierce was know as the Vetch capitol of Nebraska. During my early days with SCS we went there for a Field Day where harvesting and processing vetch was promoted. And, to think that Mr. Lambrecht was "storing" vehicles even at that time. We also had a large Auction here is Seward today. The Sommerfeld,s have collected a wide range of "stuff" for many years. This was their 2nd or 3rd Auction. The amount of "stuff" still available was amazing.  While prices didn't compare with the Pierce auction, things seemed to sell well here in Seward. I was the successful bidder on two boxes. They included a variety of items and I have already put a couple of them on eBay. Hometown auctions like Sommerfeld's are a social and entertainment event as well as a way to "recycle" merchandise. Jeanie Lambrecht is being interviewed as I write this and told of how the Drought and Depression of the  '30's affected her parents and many of us who were around then and "never throw anything away". 

Horse Apple Hollow

I played golf (??) this afternoon at Chas Krutz' "Horse Apple Hollow" private golf course near Seward. Chas and his wife Mel have a beautiful 50 or so acres along Plum Creek. They have lived there for 50 years and continue to improve the place every day. Gene Oetting, Don Nelson and Jerry Irwin joined Chas and I for the "round". The course has some unique rules. For instance, you must improve your lie. Pins are permanent and are not removed. The Greens are a 5' diameter circle of sand on most holes (some are just grass) If your ball is within a club length of the pin, it's a gimme. There is no reason to use a putter. About half of the holes play across Plum Creek. There are more holes than fairways since some are multipurpose. It was an interesting afternoon. I probably enjoyed the wide variety of trees and shrubs as much as the golf. Chas was a most gracious host, and I can now cross this local attraction off my Bucket List. 

Good Kids

This picture was taken 50 years ago at about this time of the season. "Ellen" the little girl in the center of the picture lived with her parents in one of our nearby Fairlington Apartments in Arlington, VA. We had been back there for a bit over a year at this time and were pretty well adjusted to the area. Verlon took a school bus to Gunston Jr. Hi. and the other 3 walked to Fairlington Elementary. Elaine had spent some time in the hospital and was recuperating at home at the time. President Kennedy was assassinated later in that fall. It happened on Jon's 9th birthday and a school party had been planned that was cancelled. Those were trying but happy years. I was on my way to a successful career in the USDA Soil Conservation Service though my 2-week take home pay was less than $300.  Elaine went to work for Civil Defense at the Pentagon about a year later which helped to make ends meet. Civil Service employment in those days was not as financially rewarding as private industry but it did provide for a good retirement annuity which we are enjoying today. It provided a good lesson in "deferred benefits". 

Ted Kooser, Poet and Friend

Ted Kooser, former  U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner in Poetry, gave a reading of some of his new poems this evening. It was held in the Parish Hall of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. It was a delightful evening with his telling a bit about the circumstances that led to each poem before its reading. Most of the poems were about people, places and things for which we were already familiar. That gave them an extra measure of enjoyment. My favorite this evening was about his old dog, Alice, who is no longer with him. He told of Alice's ghost waiting at the foot of the ladder as he scraped and painted, and having even taken a picture of his barn, the poem really came to life. 

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New Kiwanis Year

Steve Hambek, Kiwanis Lt. Governor of Division 22, installed Shane Baack as President of the Kiwanis Club of Seward last evening.  Shane has been serving a President since Chad Denker moved to David City in August. Wess Robotham was installed as President elect and Shannon Robotham as Vice President. Wess and Shannon planned the event that was held at the Heritage Hall in the Seward City Park. Tom Reif and the  Spare Time Lounge and Grill served an excellent 2-meat dinner with home made ice cream for dessert. The Kitones sang and President Shane recognized a number of outstanding Seward Kiwanians. Dr. Gene Brott was recognized as the Kiwanian of the Year. It was a very nice evening. Our Club is one of the largest in the Nebraska-Iowa District, and it's great that we also have the "Helping Hands Kiwanis Club" in Seward. It is a relatively new club with many members who work out of town and unable to attend our old club's Monday noon meetings. Lt. Gov. Hambek lives in Seward and is a member of the "Helping Hands".