Doing Nashville

On a previous trip to Nashville we visited Andrew Jackson’s home and museum. The Hermitage.  It was great getting the story behind Old Hickory and his life.  The visit netted a picture of Andrew Jackson that Mike framed and now hangs in his office.

This trip we “did” country music with Jaclyn making suggestions, arrangements, and surprises.  Of course there were side trips to a car museum.

 

Mike's 1st car

Mike's 2nd car

 

and 3^rd row box seats to an NHL Predators game.

 

The Ryman started its life as a gospel tabernacle with money from Tom Ryman and after a short 12 years the tabernacle was “gifted” to the people of Nashville by the gospel preacher and named Ryman Auditorium. The stage was constructed to accommodate the opera Carmen touring from New York.  During the time until 1943 the Ryman was known as the Carnegie Hall of the South.  Usage included music, theater, preaching, lectures and integrated performers and audiences although Jim Crow laws were in effect.

Minnie Pearl's Hat

In 1927 George Hay the announcer on WSM announced "For the past hour, we have been listening to music taken largely from Grand Opera. From now on, we will present the 'Grand Ole Opry'."   This radio show grew in such popularity that a larger venue for the studio audience was needed and in 1943 the radio show moved to the Ryman where it “lived” until 1974.

 The Grand Ole Opry then moved to a new venue called “The Grand Ole Opry” complete with church style pews in deference to its former home the Gospel Tabernacle/Ryman.  Jaclyn had tickets for us to the show and one of the performers was Loretta Lynn and of course she sang “A Coal Miner’s Daughter”.

 

 

We also walked Broadway in Nashville.  The street with many venues where “would be” singers hope to be found.  We also “found” the home of Goo Goo Clusters…a Nashville staple.

 

Quilts

The beautiful fabrics from Tanzania always seemed to call me.  After our last trip to the Southern Highlands of Tanzania I made a string quilt for a silent auction at our Synod Assembly.  (See previous post May 10, 2013))

I had many gorgeous pieces of fabric left and many were gifts.  Consequently I decided to fashion queen size quilts for each of our children.   Two years and four months later I completed this project. 

Quilt #1 (which was the one I just finished) is also a string quilt with a piano key small border. 

dog not included!

 Quilt #2 has blocks of half string and yellow triangle. 
 

 Quilt #3 is a whack and stack block with a narrow yellow border. 

 Quilt #4 is not pieced but fabric repeating a tree and blossoms with a small piping between the two halves. 

Quilt #5 is fussy cut with figures framed by the blocks in a diagonal pattern and framed with a two color border. 

Yes there are 5 quilts and 4 children…this was to ensure that everyone had a choice!

Bird Flu

Cousins Lorraine and, Jo, and I went to a Storm Lake motel to check about booking rooms for our family reunion in July, 2016.  The desk clerk started shaking her head before I’d even finished my sentence.  The motel is booked through 2016 and beyond to house workers involved with the bird flu. 

I’ve been following the results of the bird flu.  Buena Vista County, where we used to live, had 17 turkey or chicken facilities hit with bird flu.  The farms were raising turkeys and chickens and also “gathering” eggs for use in egg products.

Migratory birds seem to be the source but concern remains for transmittal.  Quarantines are in place, yellow tape, a staffed tent checking anyone coming to the farm.  Those going on the property don white coveralls, and facial covering.  Workers have lost jobs at the facilities and workers have been brought in to do clean up!  White 15 passenger rental vans ferry workers to Spencer or Storm Lake motels. My nephew talked to young men from New Orleans brought up to do clean up.

The carcasses kept mounting and initially no one seemed to know the best way to dispose of them.    Burn them, bury them, compost them? 

Friends Beth and Russ’s facility is using composting. The carcasses are windrowed with corn stalks inside the facility and the temperature is raised to kill the virus.

After the carcasses are removed the facility is disinfected.  This is a weeks’/months’ long procedure to verify that the facility is indeed virus free.  Only then is restocking possible.

Some BV county facilities are hoping to be restocked by the new year…if the wild bird migration doesn’t reinfect the facilities as they fly south this fall.

I miss my bike!  My Raleigh (teal metallic 21 speed) was purchased in Clinton in May of 1992.  I’d ridden it in Clinton, Sioux City, Storm Lake, and Mason City.  My helmet was an insurance health incentive.  Throughout our time together I’d added a bag, tire pressure gauge, drink bottle cage, a bell (with a sticker that said “I (heart)  my bike”, and a rear view mirror. And this spring I had added a computer odometer.

On May 20^th Mike called and said our bikes were gone from our garage.  The next night our neighbor had 2 bikes stolen.  Amazingly s/he/they almost had to have opened the overhead door in order to take the bikes.  The police were helpful in gathering information but held out little hope of recovery.

I’ve grieved and fumed.  I’ve felt violated.  I don’t like what theft does to me.  “Was someone watching our house?”  “Was it a random act of opportunity?”  “Could it be a neighbor?”

And so I did some “bike looking” and checked Consumer Reports and ended up not knowing much more….but I did find out how much bikes cost, that bikes from box store are hardly ever stolen, and that even a modest bike costs more than I thought.  I ended up with a Trek Verve3 24 speed (black) step-through model (aka women’s bike) in a nod to my increasing age. Believe it or not it has suspension! I also got a helmet, a bag, a computer odometer and a bell.   Alas I forgot the tire gauge and rear view mirror.  And on my first solo ride in the neighborhood I tipped over when I applied the brakes. New brakes apparently grabbed more than the old.

Life is like riding a bicycle: you don't fall off unless you stop pedaling....Claude Pepper

Play

The Swing Set

   My cousins had a sturdy swing set at their farm that Uncle Mick 'planted' in the yard…it was built from scratch and hadn’t come in a kit.  It was sturdy and never wobbled.  It had a trapeze and two swings and of course the grass was worn where feet, shod and unshod, had scuffed. 

  As Lorraine and I aged into the teens we would each take a swing and exchange the latest chatter from school, periodically yelling at our sisters if they came too close!....but before we were teens the swing set was the world and the challenge was to traverse from one side to the other without touching the ground. 

  Each of the cross bars between the legs were part of the trial. We had to grab a swing and move from that swing to the next one and then onto the trapeze and over to the cross bar.  With that as the stage the drama might be crossing a raging river without falling or treetop to treetop in the jungle in Africa. AND of course we might be circus performers flying high on the trapeze or hanging by our knees.  Another day we crossed a deep canyon without falling to the bottom. 

  And usually in the midst of this play to faraway places there were squabbles, bumps, and bruises and Aunt Lillian would call to come for some lunch ( mid-morning or mid-afternoon!) and then back to play.

 

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Robert Louis Stevenson

Obituary

http://www.fratzkejensen.com/obituaries/Melvin-Samuelson/

April 30, 1921 - May 19, 2015

Local schools, ICCC leader Samuelson passes away at 94

 

Friday, May 22, 2015

By DANA LARSEN / Pilot-Tribune Editor

As a leader in education in Storm Lake for over 30 years, Mel

Samuelson saw issues come and crises go.

His famous words were, "You know, there will be school

tomorrow" - his way of assuring that no matter the troubles,

that tomorrow was always a new day, that every challenge

would be met, and that schools had better be ready when their

students arrive at the door.

Samuelson, former longtime Superintendent of Schools for Storm Lake, and a driving

force behind the establishment of the Storm Lake Iowa Central Community College

Center, passed away Tuesday at 94, at his home. Memorial services will be Saturday at 11

a.m. at St. Mary's Church in Storm Lake. Visitation is Friday 6-8 p.m. at Fratzke &

Jensen funeral home.

In 2004, the ICCC building in Storm Lake was named in honor of Samuelson, though the

humble Storm Laker asked that his name not be placed on the outside of the center. A

plaque was erected in a hallway instead.

Samuelson served as a trustee and chairman of the board for Iowa Central, and led the

effort to form the League of Schools program in the region.
 

"A lot of people got some great career and skills education thanks to the efforts of Mel,"

Storm Lake ICCC Center Director Dan Anderson told the Pilot-Tribune Wednesday.

"He was a strategic thinker, a collaborator, a person who was somehow able to get many

entities all going the same direction at the same time. He was a great mentor as well."

Always quick to deflect credit, Samuelson had said he was shocked by the naming of the

center. "I really wonder whether I've done enough to deserve an honor like this one...

and there were lots of people who were involved in setting up the League of Schools and

working with Iowa Central here."

"Mel played a huge role in establishing one of the premier education centers, and the

League of School where different rural high schools can come together for the common

good of their students. Nothing in this state has ever really replicated what he achieved

in the Storm Lake area," ICCC officials said at the time.

"Somehow, he overcame all the turf issues to build a program that remains a model for

the whole midwest if not the nation in innovative college services for rural schools."

Samuelson started his career as a classroom teacher in Alta. He moved to Linn Grove to

accept his first administration position as superintendent of that district, then later

returned to his roots as Alta's superintendent. When an opportunity opened in Storm

Lake, he became assistant superintendent for the district, and soon, was named

superintendent. He logged 19 years in the school administration building before retiring

in 1986 as one of the best-remembered education leaders in the community's history.

Just months later, he became involved with Iowa Central Community College, and was

 

 

 

 elected to the Board of Trustees within a year of his school retirement, when asked to fill

a vacant seat. He served approximately 13 years on the board, including five years as

chairman.

"I found my experience with Iowa Central to be very interesting and very worthwhile," he

reflected shortly after retiring. "I think we were one of the first in the state to use a

community college in the public schools. It did a good job of taking care of the needs of

people who weren't in a position to go to a four-year college at the time. The college has

really evolved, and it is now instrumental in providing college credit classes within the

high school which students can transfer to other colleges and universities in the state,

and in so many aspects of community adult and vocational education."

In his retirement, Samuelson remained active, working with the Lutheran Brotherhood

(now Thrivent) in many good community causes, serving with the local chapter of the

American Red Cross, serving on the Methodist Manor Care Review Committee, church

efforts, Kiwanis Club and other community programs.

Since his early days as an educator, both the face of education and the young people it

serves have changed, he notes. "I started out teaching things like typing and shorthand,

and those courses don't even exist anymore as we've adapted to the computer age. And

the students back then didn't run into a lot of the things that they have to deal with

today."

If he were here, he would remind is that there will indeed be school tomorrow. And in

one will be a golden plaque honoring a man who reminded us to keep it in perspective.

 

Brenda's post

Mystery Question:

Why did Melvin die now, near the end of May?

            The songbirds have all returned and can be heard trilling their proclamations of joy in life.  The spring flowers have taken turns blossoming and shedding petals like confetti onto the greening grass and moist earth.  Hope and expectancy are in the air.  The lush days of summer lay ahead, waiting to be leisurely unfolded. 

            So, why would Melvin die just now?

            The answer lies in one of Melvin’s earliest memories from his childhood.  He remembered standing by the upstairs window on his family’s farm and looking out to watch the horse drawn school bus approach. His older brother Vernon would leave on the bus to go to a place of learning.  For some reason, Melvin felt a sense of joy in watching the approach and departure of the bus that took children to school. 

            That joy in connecting students to school stayed with Melvin throughout life.  It could be seen on the bulletin board above his desk at the old Alta school.  Each year, he mapped out the various bus routes with stick pins and colored threads, creating somewhat of a piece of art.  All the students in his district, no matter how rural the gravel road, would not be forgotten. 

            Melvin’s joy in creating educational opportunities always culminated during the flurry of end of the school year activities – track meets, music concerts, school picnics, excited children anticipating the final bell, and the graduating class, filled with potential, waiting for their commencement ceremony to begin.  These were Melvin’s glory days.  It was at this time in May that Melvin breathed his sense of accomplishment.  And, that is why Melvin died just now, near the end of May, when wrens are singing and spirea bushes are blossoming white.   Melvin has earned his achievement awards, and it is his time for commencement.
B.L. Samuelson

Sermon for Melvin V. Samuelson 1921-2015

Funeral for Melvin Victor Samuelson

May 23, 2015 – St. Mark Lutheran Church, Storm Lake, Iowa

John 3:16-21 & Revelation 14:13

I can see him now, Melvin and his friends on a hot summer’s day swimming in the old swimming hole north of town by the cemetery, pushing and shoving with his buds, having a great old time… a relief on a hot summer day in Albert City, Iowa.  

 

The summer band concerts in city square selling popcorn, having a gay old time, a great relief from chores at home, where even as a child helping his mother Minnie, whose husband Carl had passed, helped with things around the house, the chickens, garden, perhaps a cow or pig or two.  It was a lot of responsibility for a young lad being one of the men of the house…no father to help show the way.  But even then his values were being formed… a strong work ethic, no stranger to accompanying his mother to the Covenant Church, a deeply grounded patriotism fed by the band shell concerts downtown in Albert City.  Like Meredith Willson of Music Man fame in the city where Colleen and I now live…those roots run deep and no matter where you go and what you do, or what you amount to, that place, that town, those people will always inform everything else you do, color every other decision you’ll make.   

Having been blessed with a good education, having served in the greatest wartime effort in the history of this country, anchored in the values of small town/rural Iowa, Melvin would be become well-traveled, decisive in management skills, willing and determined to pay a price to maintain those values.  In the face of those who would criticize a public officer, he remained steadfast, anchored in those values of honesty and straight forwardness.  In later years when I would be out and about with Mel, it was clear the great respect with which he was greeted by others, except perhaps his coffee buddies who were determined to give him a bad time, stick him with the tab for morning coffee.  Melvin was an individual that when he gave his word he intended to keep it, often traveling many miles, if need be to attend a makeup meeting in order to preserve his perfect attendance among his Kiwanian colleagues.  In that way he reminded me of the diligence of my own father who tragically died too young.  Mel in fact was the “father” in my life far longer than my own dad.   

Writes John in Revelation:  “I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this:  Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.”  “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”   

Mel was full of many deeds in his lifetime, a faithful husband to Clara, and father to four bright and articulate daughters.  Gave leadership through the years in obtaining and managing millions of dollars in public funding for education, negotiated myriads of teaching contracts, built buildings, traversed lean years, gave pride to Linn Grove, Alta, and Storm Lake as leader schools in the region in sports and academics.  But if education was a first commitment, not far behind was his love for the community locally and regionally, as well as decades of leadership on the Iowa Central Community College board.  Even today his caricature remains in the entrance to the Iowa Central community college Storm Lake satellite. The wing named in his honor.  

As a regional church leader, Mel served on church boards, in synodical/district leadership, was instrumental in the Office of the Lutheran Bishop of the Western Synod being located right here in Storm Lake, participated in a number of church building campaigns, and attended as a voting member a number of regional & national assemblies of Lutheran’s.  Of great pride and joy was his involvement in the resettlement of hundreds of Laotian refugees here in Storm Lake, the formation of an ecumenical ministry and worship site for the Southeast Asian Christians that also served as community center for several decades.

And here in this very place Mel and family rooted themselves in worship, learning, and service.  Here daughters were married, friends and extended family laid to rest.  This was home, this is the place Mel anticipated we would gather today, believing you would gather around his family and memory… the thought of this was like a rock in the midst of the unyielding decline of health of these past several years.

Justus Jonas, theologian and colleague of Doctor Martin Luther assured Luther on his death-bed, “Reverend Father, “God grant that you will feel better.”  Whereupon Luther said, “O Heavenly Father, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, God of all consolation, I thank you that you have revealed your Son Jesus Christ to me, in whom I believe, of whom I have preached, and in whom I have confessed, whom I have loved and praised….I beg you, My Lord Jesus Christ, command my small soul.  O, Heavenly Father though I shall have to leave this body and be torn from this life, I know for certain that I shall remain with you eternally, and that no one can tear me from your hands.”  “Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.”   

Therein, so it is written, Luther joined the Lord in peaceful sleep.     

And with that, the words of Jesus (John 8:51) came to Dr. Jonas, “Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”   

For Melvin, I suspect his parting word to us and which was a core conviction for him, is reflected in the hymn/anthem Melvin could sing in his first language, Swedish, the  beloved, “Children of the heavenly father, safely in his bosom gather…”   

And so dear friends we commend Melvin, husband, father, relative, colleague, and friend to God’s unending and tenacious care, certain that though our lives, and his, are less than perfect, though we have been at times less than obedient, and that from our mouths have come words and sentiments we would give anything to take back, still we trust and believe in our heart of hearts that we are treasured by God and can now enter the sleep of a lifetime, resting secure in God’s love in Jesus the Savior, confident we shall be reunited with loved ones, where neither life, nor death, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Savior.  To him, to God alone be the glory.  

Amen.  

The Rev. Dr. Michael Arthur Last,

Bishop Emeritus

Son-in-law        

 

April 13, 2015

Spring is arriving!

A tiny crocus on Easter Saturday.

 

Today a pasque bloom

rhubarb poking through

and daffodils


 

jpads

Jenna educated me about reusable sanitary pads for school girls.  In places where sanitary supplies for girls are not easily available or affordable, girls often miss 3-5 days at school every month.  3-5 days from a school month of 20 days impacts education.  When we traveled together in 2011 to the Southern Highlands of Tanzania Jenna had organized a sew-a-thon and sent 50 kits for school girls.  We promptly named them jPads.

Sr. Atu received the kits graciously and distributed them to the school girls and then she asked - if it were possible - could we make postpartum pads that were needed badly for mothers giving birth in villages.  Often they were using whatever they could find….leaves, cornhusks, newspapers or cloth rags. Reusable kits can last about 3 years.

So I got the pattern and hastened to my sewing machine and produced 8 kits that were delivered in November and have 8 kits more ready for this spring.

 

 

Each postpartum kit includes:

3 base pads (larger size than regular jpad)

ü  9 foldable inserts

ü  1 Ziploc freezer bag (to put used inserts until they can be washed)

ü  1 pair of underpants (women’s med or large)

ü  washcloth and a bar of soap

ü  picture directions

ü  1 cotton drawstring bag to carry everything

 

We had an eggroll time!

 

 

The cooking crew

Sometime around Christmas Megan said we’d need to make egg rolls and the MLK Sunday/Monday was the chosen time.  Unfortunately Gretchen had a snow day make-up so she stayed for just Sunday.

 

Andy hosted the party to make mandu – Korean egg rolls.  He had the ingredients ready when we arrived about Sunday noon.

 

Chopping

Filling



Megan and I filling the won ton skins.

 

 

Frying

 



Andy keeps frying.

MMMMM

 

Myles came for entertainment!  

We also made jab chae a beef and rice noodle vegetable stir fry. and shi gum chi na mul, a spinach beef salad.

Dessert was  a cookie for Gretchen’s birthday.

It was delicious and Andy decreed it should be an annual event! 

This is a true Viking!

Myles and Babu

One Heifer Makes a Difference

For Christmas Joe and Jaclyn made a donation in our names to Heifer, International.  The memories tumbled back.  I saw with my eyes the difference one heifer made in the life of one farm family in a village near Njmobe, Tanzania.  Here is modified version that first appeared in our Tanzanian blog.

A Man, A Woman, A Farm

 



Life sustaining agriculture is practiced by this husband and wife on land less than four acres.  They speak openly of their faith and gratitude to God.  Now their three children are being educated by their farm income.



Mama



 

 At church, an Anglican congregation, she heard about Heifer, International.  She went ahead and signed up for a cow.  She decided if she failed they could take the cow back.  “I got courage from other women and the help from the heifer project.”

 

 

 



 

Baba



 

 

 

 

 

“Cows must have a house and so other group members helped me build a small barn.  After six months we needed another barn for manure.” 

 

Baba was asked to go for training in sustainable agriculture and he went.  When he came back he used the training and also shared it with others.  The farming practices are now 12 years old. 

 

 

They now have 7 cows.  In the spirit of Heifer, Intl their first calf was given to their neighbor.  AND they have also shared other calves with family, neighbors and the church.