Little Pasture on the Prairie

Before I submitted my first column, before I ever even thought of publishing a book, back when the only writing I’d done was in private journals and song lyrics, I adopted two orphan lambs and named them Pearl and Theo.

Home Country: Quiet time before daylight

There’s something so satisfying about getting out of bed when the world is still dark and quiet and resting. Making the coffee gives us time to scratch and think. Well, scratch, anyway. Most of that thinking will start after about the third cup of coffee.But it’s a quiet time. A private time.

Know when to run

My lungs burned like fire and my heart pounded wildly. Behind me, footsteps bit into the gravel, but I pushed on. He was getting closer! At last, I reached the gate, slipped through and jerked it shut behind me. Chest heaving, I whirled to face my pursuer. One beady eye stared up at me for a second.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

A musician I used to tour with once introduced me by saying, “She writes quiet songs in a loud time. I think we need more quiet songs.” I remember being surprised – it was like catching sight of myself in a mirror I thought was a window, and I didn’t recognize myself at first.

Colon cancer screening is important

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women. The lifetime risk of developing colon cancer is 1 in 24 for men and 1 in 26 for women.

Home Country

All land developers really have to do to name all the new streets in a sagebrush subdivision is to leave the naming up to the local kids. The names may be goofy, but seldom boring.Such was the case with Fonster Fench.

Stray Thoughts: Dream Planning

Martin Luther King said, “I have a dream!”Spike Lee said, “I have a plan.”Can you see what a dramatic difference there is between the two statements?Many students leave high school with the idea that they want to become this or that without having developed a plan to do so.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR . . . Think! Why die?

Dear Editor, Drunk driving on our roadways is killing more and more people each year. Our highways are almost lined with the haunting “Think! Why Die?” Signs. Each one marks the spot of a fatal vehicle accident caused by drunk or distracted driving.

USDA terminations have negative effect on rural communities

In recent weeks, action taken by the federal administration has left many individuals wondering about the status of a small-town staple—the U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) county office.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Editor’s note: The Timber Lake & Area Historical Society received the following letter from Natalie Biegler, a recipient of the Bob and Ruth Urban Scholarship, and would like to share it with Topic readers:Hi, I wanted to send the Bob+Ruth Urban board an update on things and thank you, but it takes...