StillwatersIowa

We opened a lot of mini bulk soybean seed bags this past week. Some of them open right up with one pull on the cord. Others are ornery, even difficult, depending on how they were packed. Occasionally we would just cut the bottom open with a knife. The bags and opening cords reminded me of parachutes which reminded me of a story I heard. Charlie was a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War. On his 75th mission he was shot down and had to parachute in a rice paddy field while being shot at on the way down. He survived and was a POW for 6 years. Many years later he and his wife were eating at a restaurant in Kansas City when a man walked up to his table and said, "Hey, weren't you the fighter pilot that flew missions off the ship Kitty Hawk? And didn't you get shot down? And weren't you a prisoner for several years?" Charlie answered that the man was correct and asked how in the world did he know all that? The ma...

 Coach Tony whose team won a college national championship in basketball a couple of weeks ago was asked if this championship was his greatest joy. He shared a quote from his father who many years earlier had said, "it's great, however nothing compared to faith, kids, and grandkids". Below grandson Jackson is wearing his new vest that Grandma Jan made for him. Coach Tony talked immediately after the game about the hills and valleys. He said we are to "bend the knee" to Who brought us on the hills, and know we are not alone in the valleys. He also bases his team's culture on a foundation of five pillars for success and direction in life. Coach said his father, an earlier successful college basketball coach had found these pillars studying scripture. They are humility, passion, unity, servant leadership, and a thankful spirit. The Virginia men's team has an acronym they use as a reminder of how to conduct themselves: I.S.A.W. (In such ...

Doing something to start a series of actions to happen. Cousins Hazel and Sydnie are playing in their pretend kitchen at Grandma Jan's house. Yep. The spatula is part of the series of actions. Hazel smacks Sydnie. Sydnie doesn't even cry. She just turns as if to say, "what was that for?" The series of actions continue. Grandpa intervenes. Tells Hazel she has to say she's sorry to her cousin and to give her a hug. She does. The spatula "who done it"mystery is solved. Last evening Jan and I attended the Spring Gala Supper at Pella Christian High. The meal was a mystery dinner theater where students did a great job of putting on a mystery play. As I was chiseling up some alfalfa this past week I was reminded of when as a kid one of the first jobs that put the wheels of spring in gear was to seed a new field to oats and moldboard plow the old hay field. Much of the shop work this past week centered around the sprayers. They are ready ...