Stray Thoughts: Death by a thousand cuts

A piece of wood can be carved, whittled down from raw stock to something else entirely. something smaller… something less. Most whittling doesn’t produce fine chess pieces. Most whittling produces piles of useless scrap from what once was pure, clear stock. The same is true of people.

Voting has begun!

Absentee/early voting for South Dakota’s November 8 general election has begun. If you haven’t already voted, here are 20 questions that might help you prepare. (Find answers on your own or watch for them in next week’s Topic.) 1. Is there still time to register to vote? 2.

Stray Thoughts: Terms of Endearment

Many of us have a spouse that refers to us as “honey” or “sweetie”, or some other term of endearment, relating in some small but socially acceptable way how much the other person means to us.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

At some point soon after I moved to the ranch, my husband kindly requested that we place a four-animal cap on indoor pets. At that time we had my two elderly house dogs and two wild, young house cats, which I agreed was plenty.

Stray Thoughts: All Creatures Great and Small

A student brought me a salamander, caught in the frost of a fall morning. This was a big deal. In a glance, I could tell she was injured. This often happens when kids catch things. Most of us have at one time or another in our youth injured a small creature inadvertently.

You DO make a difference

Do you make a difference in the world? Does anyone care about what you do? Are some people more important than others? We all ask ourselves these questions from time to time. Some people wonder about them more than others.You do make a difference. You are important.

Letter to the editor

To the editor: I wanted to take this opportunity to share important information regarding the upcoming general election, which will be held November 8th. South Dakota voters have the choice of voting in-person on Election Day or by casting an absentee ballot.

Stray Thoughts: In the blink of an eye

Twenty-one years have passed but barely a tick on the second hand since my son was born, my wife fighting for her life from blood loss. Hearing the panic in the young doctor’s voice and seeing the look of terror on his face as he was losing my wife in front of me was more than any man could take.

You are supporting more than just the newspaper

This week is National Newspaper Week – an annual celebration of the special role that newspapers have in our nation. Since well before our statehood in 1889, newspapers have staked a claim in helping to build and connect residents and communities in our great state. Today, that role continues.

Transferrable Skills

I love sports. I have enjoyed playing and watching sports for as long as I can remember.