By James von Feldt
Yes, sir, the new year is here.
So, what’s new?
Well, nothing, I guess.
We’re feeling the shock of cold weather. The first big, cold front moved in a week ago. That’s normal for this time of year.
Little bit of snow on the ground: three or four inches, I guess. That’s normal.
The kid’s programs are busy.
For instance: The AWANA group is meeting at the Mennonite church west of town on Wednesdays after school. Almost all the kids in town attend that program. They love hot dogs and games.
The 4H program is in full bloom Tuesday evenings at our City Hall. They do a lot of interesting things. I hear that they are planning on making a Christmas float to decorate the town next year.
The Mutchler Community Center, you know, the city recreation building in Bloomfield; it’s open and busy, especially right after school. Exercise machines, weights, basketball, bad mitten, and more; they have a lot of stuff going on. I heard they put in new baseball pitching and a batting practice lane. They have a robot that pitches the balls. What fun.
The high school football team wilted after their first game last season but Jim Sanders tells me that the high school basketball season is going to be spectacular. Reggie Armstrong, the boy that lost a leg due to an infection a few years back; he’s playing center. You got that right. A one-legged center playing basketball. Well, he actually has two legs to play on. They outfitted him with a spring assembly for a foot right after it happened and he has got along with it just fine. In fact, he can out-jump everyone they put against him and he never misses a free-shot. You can count on him for ten to fourteen points a game too. He’s co-captain of the team this year.
We have a new wrestling coach. Marlin Weaks, our Algebra teacher is going to give it a whirl. Heard he was on a winning team at Iowa University a few years back. He is said to have been on a high school team coached by the great All-American Willie Gadson. Iowa University is known for its wrestling team awards.
In town, this is the time the young boys get out there and shovel driveways and sidewalks to earn a little cash. There is also a lot of wood being split and stacked for next year’s use.
Out at the farm, it’s more of the same except you have to break the ice out of the calf bucket each morning now before watering the calves. The boys and girls on dairy farms still get up about five AM but that is way before the crack of dawn. It’s dark at five in the morning. After school, there are chores to do and another milking. That’s only half the job. Cleaning up after the milking is the other half. When dinner is over many of the boys are out hunting. You can taste venison at almost all of the meals.
Grama Laurel says several girls are learning to quilt at her place this winter. They meet four times a week after chores. Sandra Amstutz is the teacher. Her quilt designs are legendary around this area. Grama Laurel hosts the event because her living room is big and the wood stove makes the stay delightful. I’m sure she entertains the girls with her stories. She has lived a long and colorful life.
I remember old Ed Amstutz telling me stories about when he was a youngster - back in the early 1900s. He lived to be over one hundred ten. Anyway, he regaled me with the time he rode his pony to town in an early winter snowstorm. At that time, they lived on a farm four miles west of town. He left his pony at his aunt’s barn in town then walked the short two blocks to school.
He said he had to stay at his aunt's for the rest of the week because of white-outs. He also told me how most all the country boys carried their 22 rifles to school. They would shoot rabbits on their way home. The boys just stacked their rifles in a corner of the classroom. My, how things have changed.
The volunteer firemen meet once every other week to discuss the techniques of putting out fires. There’s lots of other information passed on at those meetings too, such as: when the next snowstorm will hit, where the buck with the big antlers is, which football team will win this year. It’s mostly guy talk.
The Gas & Grill is open as usual for the early bird gossip group. Vickie tells me that she is busiest with the morning crowd from six to eight AM. Several farmers are regulars. They come in to talk about next year's crops, seeds, fertilizers, and such.
And, of course, the Gas & Grill Historical society meets at least once a month to tell tales and occasionally discuss some story of historical note. We have been researching the history of Mennonite Schools and the answer to the question: Why aren’t Mennonites required to send their kids to public schools? May have a story to tell you about that one of these days.
And, this is the time that the Amish choose to take trips to visit relatives. Bill Bizel’s daughter Amie has developed quite a business carting Amish here and there. One trip went all the way out to Oregon last winter. Amie has two part-time drivers, two fifteen-passenger vans, and a seven-person van running all over the place: Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York, Missouri, Kansas, Montana and places further west. Of course, it’s a good way for them to keep in touch with relatives but it’s also a way for the next generation to meet up with potential partners. Sometimes, one family will fill up a fifteen-passenger van.
The mornings are dark but it’s still light when the kids get home on the bus. Every night after school and even till late at night you can see skaters on the pond the firemen made at our park. It’s an amazing thing to see the fog from a firehose turn to ice as they make the skating rink. Of course, they have to have some pretty cold weather but we’ve had our share of zero-degree weather lately.
So, I guess you could say our expectations are up and attitude positive.
So, that’s it for now. Wishing you a grand and glorious New Year.
From where the corn grows tall and the pigs fly.
Take care. All my love
Grampa Jim