My readers know I am a gardener. It's a love I inherited from my father, who grew a garden full of vegetables, with varying degrees of success, each summer, to treat his family to fresh produce. Fresh produce wasn't something you could get in grocery stores in rural North Dakota in the 1950s and 1960s. … Continue reading Mighty Oaks From Little Acorns Grow
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Dear Santa . . .
What’s your favorite day of the week? Mine’s Thursday. It used to be Saturday back in my working days, but now . . . in retirement, pretty much every day is Saturday. But Thursday is now my favorite day because that’s the day the two weekly newspapers I subscribe to arrive in my mailbox. Well, … Continue reading Dear Santa . . .
What If?
Christmas is a time for dreams, and for dreamers. It’s a time of wonder. I wonder . . . There’s a proposal making the rounds to create a new National Monument in western North Dakota, encompassing 11 areas in the North Dakota Bad Lands, land owned by the federal government, but leased to ranchers for … Continue reading What If?
The Skunks Are Coming Out
There’s a good reason I don’t send "Letters to the Editor" of daily newspapers. I can usually reach the audience I want to reach here on my blog. It’s mine, and I can say whatever I damn well please. And I do. And if someone disagrees with me, they can just start their own blog. … Continue reading The Skunks Are Coming Out
Legal Proceedings Signal End To Little Missouri Crossing
Billings County Commissioners, in a 2-1 vote at a special meeting Wednesday, agreed to stop all legal action concerning the proposed Little Missouri River Crossing for 60 days, or until a settlement can be reached to put an end to the condemnation of the Short Ranch property for construction of a road and bridge. The … Continue reading Legal Proceedings Signal End To Little Missouri Crossing
The End May Be Near For The “Bridge To Nowhere”
You’ve heard me say this before: Elections have consequences. Even in tiny remote places like Billings County in the North Dakota Bad Lands, where a total of just 628 people voted in the races for Billings County Commissioners last month. In Billings County, Commissioners are elected to represent geographic districts. The county is divided into … Continue reading The End May Be Near For The “Bridge To Nowhere”
A New National Monument In North Dakota!
A group of dedicated North Dakotans has put together a proposal that will bring significant recognition to the North Dakota Bad Lands. They are my heroes. Their project is the creation of a new National Monument, the Maah Daah Hey National Monument. If they succeed, it will be an immense source of pride for all … Continue reading A New National Monument In North Dakota!
Bad Lands Justice? Maybe.
The five most dangerous words in the English language for a journalist (of which I am one, of a sort—I keep this online journal) are “I’m not a lawyer, but . . . “ Okay, so there’s been this legal case going on for about ten years involving Billings County and the Short family over … Continue reading Bad Lands Justice? Maybe.
Lost Another Good Friend
You probably didn’t know Vern Frederick. He was a quiet, humble rancher/farmer from down near Flasher (one of the best town names ever), a big, strong, hard-working man, dedicated to his loving wife Bonnie, a polio victim tied to a wheelchair most of her adult life, whose farming operation was always on the cutting edge … Continue reading Lost Another Good Friend
What The Hell Do We Do Now?
Relax. Take a deep breath. Things are going to be okay. Not easy, but okay. Just imagine what might be going on in our country today if Kamala Harris had been elected president in a very close election, let’s say a handful of electoral votes, with very close races in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada or Georgia. … Continue reading What The Hell Do We Do Now?
The Prairie Blog 