Friday, April 26, 2024

As we slip into the sweet week between Christmas and New Year's there's only one task to complete before clearing the desk and brain of all things 2011: readers having the last word in the last column of the year.

If you are anything like me I cannot believe how quickly the year 2011 passed by. It seems like the older I get the faster the year's pass by.

2011 will certainly be remembered for a long time as one of the wettest on record. I can't cite any "official" data, but we've had at least 12 more inches of rain this year than our average.

Awaiting my morning wake-up call -- Toby knows exactly when 8 a.m. comes -- my mind rambles, and on this morning I reflect on what my imagination can create. (What would we do without a good imagination? It can make or break your day.)

The two hours after dawn and the two hours before dusk offer wildlife watchers and hunters excellent viewing opportunities. I like to sit quietly...

Give a standing ovation to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a recent decision to remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act in the western Great Lakes region.

USDA December forecast for the incoming year has been so bad over the last 10 years that it is very tempting to advise people to take a position opposite to the forecast.

A month ago I enjoyed a church dinner in the gymnasium of the grade school I attended 50 years ago. Back then, the gym sparkled with newness because, like the school itself, it was brand new, finished just weeks before I reported to the first grade as an equally new student.

Years ago, a little girl by the name of Virginia, posed a rather simplistic question that has lived on far beyond anyone's expectations. Perhaps...

Every December I get requests to reprint my version of 'Twas the Night before Christmas I first published in 1988. Merry Christmas everyone!