Gray Matters: Goin' Home (09/26/08)
Not long ago I asked two of our area's most loyal expatriates, both of whom are talented writers, to tell us why author Thomas Wolfe was dead wrong when he claimed "You Can't Go Home Again." Julia Meylor Simpson of Rhode Island delighted us with her observations while Bob Reed's reply was delayed. Some health problems had slowed him down a bit. But now, we are happy to report, our favorite Floridian is recovering and has sent this very special essay which I am so pleased to share with you today...

Gray Matters: A Trip Down Under (09/22/08)
I seem to be increasingly fascinated with tales of friends who travel to far-away places. Recently, I was privileged to visit with Lisa Mayer and her daughter, Bridget, who had traveled to visit a cousin in Australia. They are the wife and daughter of James Mayer, Marcus area farmer...

Gray Matters:Them's Fightin' Words (09/16/08)
'Hawkeye' and 'Cyclone' are the "fightin' words" I'm referring to. This really rings true on one Saturday in early September, the day of the Iowa -- Iowa State game. This year it falls on the 13th. However, there was a delightful preview offered a month ago at the Marcus Fair...

Gray Matters: You Can Go Home Again (part two) (09/04/08)
Encouraged by the positive response to last week's column written by poet, writer and area native, Julia Meylor Simpson, I urged her to send us another and here it is. I was asked to write about my memories of growing up on a farm in Cherokee County and "coming home" in this column. ...

Gray Matters: You Can Go Home Again (09/02/08)
I would like to contradict famed author Thomas Wolfe's claim that "You Can't Go Home Again," for there are several area natives who can, and do, as often as possible. Fortunately for us, one of them, Julia Meylor Simpson from Rhode Island makes her living as a writer. She is a published poet and...

Gray Matters: Rainboth Spreads the Word (08/18/08)
Last week's story of the mission trip to Haiti aroused a lot of interest and I hope it led to generous contributions. If you missed the opportunity, you may still help out. Just address your offerings to HAPI % Lee Rainboth 452 530th St. Marcus, IA 51035...

Gray Matters: A Story and an Opportunity (08/11/08)
In the midst of our egocentric world, I've found a great story about some folks who are willing to reverse the trend and give freely of their time and resources to others They're not just going next door to help out a friend. Instead, this group is heading for Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, to help conduct a 10-day medical clinic in Mizak, a city of about 35,000 which is a 3-hour drive from the capitol city of Port-au-Prince. ...

Gray Matters:Karl King (08/04/08)
Everyone who has ever attended a band concert has probably heard one of Karl King's compositions for he turned out more than 400 of them. Following a toe-tapping rendition of one at a recent concert, a conversation was initiated about the man. I was raised in Karl King country (near Fort Dodge), so I remembered seeing this striking, dignified gentleman often. ...

Gray Matters: Small town salute (07/28/08)
As some of you may know, Marcus has its own Blog site set up by Bob Reed, retired professor and writer, who lives in Florida. There have been some differing opinions expressed in several recent postings. Some folks regard them as finding fault; while others consider them constructive criticism. ...

Gray Matters: Marcus Fair (07/23/08)
Now that the highly successful Cherokee County Fair is history, the action is moving to the western edge of the county. The 72nd Annual Marcus Community Fair, scheduled for Aug. 7-10, is fast approaching. I believe the Fair Board, a diligent group of volunteers chaired by Rod Ogren, has been hard at work ever since the 71st Fair ended a year ago. That's the kind of effort it takes to achieve success...

Gray Matters:Deep roots (07/15/08)
Roots run deep and are tightly secured in the lush soil of northwest Iowa. I was reminded of this during a recent Sunday service at Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Marcus. That morning, Brette Tillie Bentz, infant daughter of Adam and Bobbi Bentz, of North Liberty, Iowa, was baptized in that church, of which her Great-Great-Great Grandfathers, Johann Nicholas Specht and Jacob Mayer, were founding members in 1879. ...

Gray Matters: Spring tune-up (05/07/08)
I just returned from spending a few days at Mayo in Rochester, MN. My daughter calls it my "spring tune-up." The incredible surgeon who replaced my left shoulder always checks out his jobs after two years. He termed my surgery a total success, which I already knew. ...

Gray Matters: Family lore -- truth or fiction? (04/23/08)
I'm always reminding folks to record their family histories. Not long ago a friend and I were talking about this when she asked, "What do you do when stories seem to differ, depending on who's telling them?" I advised her to record them all, for there could be bits of truth in each version. ...

Gray Matters:Oh, What a Beautiful Memory! (04/14/08)
The review of an area theater's production of the classic "Oklahoma!" sparked a stream of beautiful memories. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, based on the play "Green Grow the Lilacs," premiered on Broadway, March 31, 1943. There was nation-wide publicity about this immediate and unusual hit. ...

Gray Matters - Admissions of an almost addict (03/17/08)
Here am I, someone who once thought she could only write with pen in hand, and who considered herself a total novice with all things electronic. Then my computer "went down." When you're writing the old fashioned way and your pen goes dry, you just pick up another pen, but that's not how it works anymore. What a surprise to find out how much I had come to rely on this magic machine!...

Gray Matter: Outdone (01/24/08)
I am always a bit uncomfortable when I realize that I've been outdone. I can usually convince myself that I'm not doing too badly for an eighty-six-year-old, but I've been seriously bettered twice lately. Ouch ! First, I heard from Ruth, a high-school classmate. ...

Gray Matter : Merry Christmas! (12/26/07)
That beautiful holy day on which we commemorate the birth of Christ is almost upon us. As it approaches I have been noticing several things that set this season apart from those of recent years. Here in Iowa, at least, we are so inundated with politics that many Christmas matters have been crowded aside. ...

Gray Matter:A Story Worth Repeating (12/10/07)
A nephew, Jeff Dorr, who was born and raised here at Marcus, has recently moved from Texas to Cary, NC. with his wife, Meena, and their three youngsters. Cary is a smaller city within commuting distance of Durham, home of Duke University. Scott Smiley is a new student at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. ...

Gray Matter: Iowa Heroes (12/03/07)
I'm sure many of you saw the story a few weeks ago in various newspaper supplements about the Bob Feller Museum in Van Meter, IA. In that article, the author told of Feller interrupting his stellar career by enlisting in the Navy in 1941. That set me to remembering. I started my junior year at the University of Iowa the fall of 1941.† My good friend, Evelyn, a fellow junior English major, lived just down the hall with her sister, Marg, who was a freshman that year. ...

Gray Matter: Wars and rumors of wars (11/27/07)
I hope my last story concerning Armistice Day didn't cause undue confusion. I should have explained that, though I knew it officially became Veterans Day in 1954, I thought it interesting to trace the true origins of this special day. The first World War started in 1914, but the US was not involved until April 16, 1917. ...

Gray Matter: Armistice Day (11/12/07)
As November eleventh approaches, I realize how little thought we give to World War I, the conflict that ended on that day in 1918. Recently I was privileged to read recollections written by the late Peter Grauer, of Marcus, then a US soldier serving near Belfort, France. Here is a part of his story...

Gray Matter: When Genealogy takes interesting turns (11/05/07)
True genealogists search for their roots by digging in the past, tracing branches of their family tree to distant places.  If the tables are turned, they also enjoy finding themselves the object of someone else's search. When this rare event happens twice in the same family, as it did to Dr. Ray Drefke and his wife Ann who live in Marcus, it makes a remarkable story...

Gray Matter: US Attorney appointment impressive (11/01/07)
A young friend (well maybe not so young, but anyone my kids' age is young to me) recently told me of a happening which he thought would make a great Gray Matter.  Acting on his suggestion, I found he was absolutely right.  It's always good to hear of the special honors or accomplishments of folks with Cherokee County connections...

Gray Matter: Oktoberfests and 'The Chicken Dance' (10/23/07)
            It’s mid-autumn, and time once more for harvest festivals, those celebrations  that must have begun with our earliest ancestors.  Probably most common in the upper Midwest is some variation of the German Oktoberfest. The one best known in our area is held in Remsen, just over the Plymouth County line to our west â€" German, with Luxembourg overtones. ...

Gray Matter : Another Texas story (10/08/07)
It's been a while since I brought you a Texas story so I was pleased to be reminded of one I thought you might enjoy. I still subscribe to the weekly newspaper from Fredericksburg where we spent so many delightful winters. A recent issue carried the obituary of Julia Magdalene "Maggie" Lentz, age 88. ...

Gray Matter: More about watermelons (09/24/07)
            I love it when I get reactions to a Gray Matter column.  That happened recently when a delightful lady, who is somewhat older than I, started to tell me of the reminiscences my recent piece on watermelon vandalism had triggered for her. ...

Gray Matter: Experiencing Africa (09/04/07)
I am pleased to have found still another story of a local young person's summer adventures --a story I think you will enjoy. That person is Lee Rainboth, who recently received his BFA from Iowa State University . Perhaps you saw his Africa-inspired art work, which was featured at the Sanford Museum last spring...

Gray Matter: My kind of vandalism (08/28/07)
I just finished eating a delicious cantaloupe given me by a friend. I'm grateful for the gustatory pleasure and equally grateful for all the memories it evoked. I grew up in a family of expert melon growers. As you may know, it takes sandy soil, the kind corn growers consider inferior, to raise good melons. ...

Gray Matter:An interesting book (08/20/07)
"Little Heathens" by Mildred Armstrong Kalish, a native Iowan now living in California, is a GOOD read. The book has been well received by the critical community, even meriting front-page treatment by The New York Times Book Review. In it, Kalish recounts her childhood memories of life on an Iowa farm in the midst of the Great Depression. ...

Gray Matter: Cameron Kranig in the UK (08/13/07)
A few weeks ago I was looking for more stories about the younger generation's summer activities. Happily, I found this one, not about vacationing, but about working abroad. Cameron Kranig, MMC graduate, Class of '95, has just returned from England where he worked as a kiln technician at the Conoco-Phillips Refinery, in the North Sea village of Grimsby...

Gray Matter: Reality versus imagination (08/06/07)
Does it sometimes seem that life for today's children is almost too much of a "reality" show? I usually try to avoid touting the good old days, because I really dislike sounding like an old lady. What else should I expect at my ripe age, you might ask, but you know what I mean. Still, in our childhood, in the middle of the great depression, my sister and I had a few dolls, even fewer other toys and probably less than a dozen books...

Gray Matters: A happy story (08/02/07)
Now and then good things happen and are reported in the media, but doesn't it seem that bad things are far more prevalent? With disaster, madness and mayhem all around us, I felt absolutely compelled to share this happy story with you when it recently came my way...

Gray Matters:Interaction and memories (07/23/07)
My wishes for an interactive column have been partially realized by responses to my recent Fourth of July Gray Matter. Let me explain. A young friend charmingly agreed that little things do so often remind us of loved ones no longer with us. She told me that whenever she eats a fresh peach, she thinks of her paternal grandpa. ...

Gray Matters: Concert in the Park (07/17/07)
In my estimation, there is no better way to spend a summer evening than attending a band concert in a park. If the park has a gazebo and a history of more than a century of continual performances, it only magnifies the pleasure. Band concerts were very much a part of my childhood, but most were performed from an improvised band stand on Main Street. ...

Gray Matter: The Nagle Story (07/10/07)
In a recent section of the Chronicle featuring the town of Marcus, we were brought up to date on the progress of the Marcus Historical Society.  In discussing the Society, we Marcusites often bring up names of people from the past whose memories are certainly to be preserved.  One example is the Nagle family. ...

Gray Matter: The Fourth of July (07/02/07)
The Fourth of July is fast approaching. There will be many local and area observances to enjoy. Patriotic music and spectacular fireworks are TV staples for that special day. This means we will frequently hear John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," as it is now our official National March. ...

Gray Matter: Youthful summer adventures (06/26/07)
I have often expressed the wish that my columns could be interactive. This one,  about the summer adventures of today's young folks, is a case in point.  I'm certain many of you have more interesting stories, but with no means of collecting them, I'm reluctantly using  examples from my own family...

Gray Matter: Contemporary construction (06/20/07)
 A few weeks ago I told you of the  preparations going on for a new residence on the lot next to mine.  At that time, I conjectured that those able workmen might just wave a wand and a house would materialize.  Well, it wasn't quite that simple, but almost.  A couple of fellows checked things out periodically until shortly after noon a few days ago. ...

Gray Matter: A matter of perspective (06/11/07)
"I guess it all depends on your perspective," a friend remarked recently, with a sigh of resignation.  It was near the end of one of those weighty  state of the world conversations we all engage in now and then.  A few days later,  as I was sorting through some old stuff (of which I have quantities) I found a piece I'd written a good many years ago in which I'd made that exact statement.  This started me thinking. ...

Gray Matter: Art and humor (06/04/07)
Here are a couple of humorous stories I thought you might enjoy. It so happens that I share my birthday with a second cousin, whose name is Roland Ginzel. We always considered that mutual birthday as something of a special bond. Recently we lost contact, but after some diligent searching, are back in touch. All of this triggered these amusing memories...

Gray Matter: Spring (05/21/07)
Spring has been a bit late this year.  I can remember a few seasons like this in the past.  The year (now almost pre-historic) of my high school graduation was one of those.  We nearly froze as we attempted to have our Senior Day picnic in the flimsy shelter house of a park in Fort Dodge.  We got to go all of 25 miles to celebrate our up-coming commencement! (Now I don't want to hear any giggles from my younger friends who go on major class trips these days.)  A few days later snow actually fell on Baccalaureate Sunday and we wore heavy coats over our light dresses en route to Commencement exercises shortly after that. . ...

Gray Matter: Welcoming progress (05/15/07)

Gray Matter: Memories, ah memories... (04/23/07)
Not long ago, I was with a couple of my sons when we happened to meet  old friends of theirs who were back in town for a visit.  It was great seeing them after so many years.   At first there was animated conversation, catching up on each other's current situations,  but it wasn't long until the talk turned to those "remember when" accounts, inevitable when old high school buddies meet.  It's at this point  that I feel compelled to warn those of my readers who, like me, have adult offspring...

Gray Matter: Simon says... IOWA! (04/17/07)
I recently met a realtor and his wife from Waverly.  It is a college town, not a whole lot larger than Cherokee, located in the scenic northeast corner of the state.  As we visited, the man began telling me about  his most famous client, the operatic bass-baritone, Simon Estes...

Gray Matter: A holiday gift (01/15/07)
Once again I am writing about a favorite author.  This time it is Mitch Albom.  His first novel, Tuesdays with Morrie, was a great book.  His next, Five People You Meet In Heaven, was equally fine.  Now his latest, For One More Day, is on my must-read list.  But it's not his role as novelist I'm writing about, for Albom is also a newspaper columnist.  In a recent piece he made a suggestion for  the perfect holiday gift, and it echoes a theme you've heard me promote.  As the Christmas season is over I may sound a bit late, but there is always next year, as sports fans love to say.. ...

Gray Matter: Christmas Letter follow-up (01/02/07)
After recently expressing my opinion of Christmas Letters,  I began examining the contents of my mailbox a bit more closely.  I was pleased to note that a majority of the cards that came were of a religious nature.  I was pleased, too, when the letters accompanying them fulfilled my expectations.  The majority were from my peers who seem to have accepted the demands of aging, overcome its disadvantages, and carried on with grace and humor...

Gray Matter: The Ubiquitous Christmas Letter (12/20/06)
As inevitable as the first snowfall, cartoonists, talk show hosts, et al, are  starting the annual onslaught on Christmas letters, so I decided to weigh in with my views.  In the first place, with a few exceptions, I love those annual messages and  look forward to them eagerly.  Before the advent of blogspots, e-mail, and the like, those were my only means of keeping in contact with some of my friends and family members.  Fond memories are aroused; events, ranging from comic to tragic, are reported; all sprinkled with wit and wisdom.. ...

Gray Matters: A matter of perspective (12/11/06)
I recently read the book, "The Painted House" by John Grisham which was recommended to me by my daughter.  Knowing  I had never gotten into Grisham's legal thrillers, she assured me that  the author had taken an entirely different direction with this book.  "The Painted House," an autobiographical  work, is about his growing up in rural Arkansas, and I really did enjoy it. Of course, the fact that  his was a family of ardent St. Louis Cardinal fans only added to its attraction. ...

Gray Matters: Father Jan column reaches global proportions (12/04/06)
I'd been having problems with my computer recently; due more to my ineptness than that of the machine, I know.  I was just about ready to "boot it out" instead of  "booting it up", when a welcome message appeared on the screen, all the way from Italy.  That changed my attitude at once, so now I'll admit it 's a pretty amazing device after all. ...

Gray Matters: Savoring Thanksgiving (11/24/06)
I love Thanksgiving Day ! It's too bad that it comes when thoughts of the approaching cold are plaguing us, but that is by necessity. You see the day's roots actually spring from the Harvest Festivals of our earliest recorded civilizations. They were  observed when the fruits of man's labors were garnered and the time had come to offer thanks to the Deities, the true givers of abundance. ...

Gray Matter: updates (11/20/06)
Today, I want to share some reactions I've gotten to a couple of recent Gray Matter columns.  Shortly after writing of the musical Smiths,  I had a phone call from California.  Loren Means, Marcus native, had just read it and wanted us to know that he had ridden with Stanley and Marie when they took the "Smith Kiddies" (Audrey and Jim) to Chicago to perform at the 1933 World's Fair.  He said his mother always called Stanley's mother, Aunt Kate, but he wasn't sure if they were related or if "aunt" was just an affectionate title. ...

Gray Matter: The Bill Bass legacy (11/10/06)
Today I want to bring you a story which is truly from the past.  It is the story of William "Bill" Bass. This gentleman passed from our midst in 1977, after being a very special part of our community for many years.  Bill was graduated from Marcus High School in 1908.  In his senior year, he was a member of the basketball team that won the first Northwest Iowa Championship. Winning that competition, which seems to have been a precursor of the state tournament, was considered quite something at that time. Bill then went on to Morningside College in Sioux City where he played on the football team. He was graduated from there in 1912, with a mathematics major. ...

Gray Matter: Local NASA link exciting, informative (11/02/06)
      Last time I promised to tell you more about Brian Peavey, our present link with the National Aeronautic and Space Agency, so here goes.  On his mother's side, there is a long history of pilots and navigation, so it might be said that flying is in his blood.  His father, Dennis Peavey, tells me that as a youngster he would often lie out on their lawn staring up at the sky, pointing out airplanes that the rest of the family couldn't even see.  He took flying as an elective science class during his senior year in high school in Westport, CT.  While living there, his father commuted each day to midtown Manhattan where he was a CPA and partner with Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the international accounting and consulting firm.. ...

Gray Matter: Local NASA connections remarkable (10/23/06)
A reader recently encouraged me to write more about people from the past, claiming it was fun to be reminded of days of long ago.  As you have probably guessed, it doesn't take much to get me going on that sort of tale.  However, rather than going way back, I am talking today of a gentleman who is still with us, at least during the warmer parts of the year. He is my neighbor, Walter Miller, who will soon be leaving these cold climes for his winter place in sunny Florida. ...

Gray Matter: A music dynasty (10/03/06)
According to my dictionary, a dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family.  We have one here in our little town. The Smith family has "ruled" in the field of music for generations. Their dynasty goes back to pioneers, John and Anna Walsh, who came here in 1879.  I know nothing of their musical abilities, but I do know they  were the parents of five daughters and two sons.  The younger son, James, married Catherine O'Brien and they had two daughters, one of which, Marie, married Stanley Smith.  They were blessed with two children, Audrey and Jim.  Marie, herself an accomplished musician, lovingly nurtured her children's talents.  "The Smith Kiddies" performed  throughout the Midwest.  The highlight of those years was an extended performance with the Ben Bernie Orchestra at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago.. ...

Gray Matter: A book review (09/26/06)
How about it? We seem to be getting rather "literary" here, of late -- last week a cautionary tale, this week a book review! Who's to say what's coming next?  But before I go further, I do want to pay a belated tribute to The Bookseller. I am well aware of the wise old adage that "Nothing is forever," but somehow, I kept expecting that delightful store to be the exception. ...

Gray Matters: On confirming those rumors (09/22/06)
Today I'm bringing you what might be called a "cautionary tale".  The moral, I guess, is to carefully check the facts before you share a rumor.  The following happened to me recently.  So as not to alarm you, I will tell you, up front, that it did have a happy ending...

Gray Matter : Beautiful Victorian home needs a buyer (09/12/06)
A "For Sale" sign appeared on the spacious lawn; a Home of the Week ad featured the stately old place in the weekly paper. So it must be true.  A piece of local history is now on the market in our town.  The beautiful house at 400 E. Spruce St., in Marcus, is owned by retired postmaster, George...

Gray Matter :'Those times' may have been the best (09/06/06)
'Those times' may have been the best Not long ago I walked in on a conversation between two young friends of mine just as one asked loudly, "Can you possibly imagine living back in those times?" I discovered they were discussing the way our foremothers lived close to a century ago. Her tone of voice troubled me a bit. Since then, I've been thinking a lot about her question. ...

Gray Matter:Igor gets California treat (08/31/06)
Some weeks ago I told you a bit about Igor, the 7'8" young Russian now living in Rochester, MN who is afflicted with gigantism.  His disorder limits the activities of this delightful guy who would love to be "just like everyone else."  I recently received a story about him which I was pleased to hear and I think you will be, too...

Gray Matter: Last of Heline trilogy (08/14/06)
Today I want to bring you one more piece of the Heline story. It would not be complete without an account of the third generation now living on that land. The older daughter of Oscar and Polly Heline, Halcyon Botkin, and her late husband John "Jack" retired there from Tulsa, OK where he had been a consulting geophysicist in the petroleum industry. Since Jack's death in 2001 she has divided her time between Oklahoma, where two of her children live, and her beloved Iowa...

Gray Matter: Oscar Heline - World Citizen (08/14/06)
Architecture and artifacts aside, perhaps an even more remarkable contribution of our area's "Living History Farm," is its people. Oscar Heline, whom many remember, may have been as close as Cherokee County has ever come to producing a "world citizen." The story goes something like this: As a very young man, he helped organize the County Farm Bureau. ...

Gray Matter: Appreciating the beauty of poetry (07/25/06)
If you have read this column on occasion, you will not be surprised to hear me say how much I love poetry. I suspect anyone who enjoys fooling around with words as much as I do just automatically admires writers who master the art of verse. It's too bad so many people don't seem to really enjoy that art. ...

Gray Matter: Dylan got it right (07/18/06)
"The times they are a changin'" - It was certainly true in the '60's when Bob Dylan first sang those words, but in my opinion it may be even more true today. Our rural American communities, for example, bear little resemblance to the stereotypes most of us hold in the backs of our minds. ...

Gray Matter: 'The Jedburghs' (07/17/06)
"The Jedburghs," a volume of narrative history, appeared in print some months ago with much less fanfare than it deserved. The book is available at your local library, on-line, or through any good book store - locally, that means The Bookseller. It is the WW II story of a Special Forces unit made up of American, British and French volunteers who parachuted, in teams of three, behind the German lines to assist with the recapture of France in 1944. ...

Gray Matter: "Stars and Stripes Forever" (07/13/06)
Independence Day is fast approaching. There will be many local and area observances for us to enjoy. Patriotic music accompanying spectacular fireworks displays are TV staples for this special day. Many are familiar with the Boston Pops Concerts concluding with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. ...

Gray Matter: Lucy Buhler Yoshioka (06/16/06)
It's a special time when an old friend, whom you haven't seen for far too long, surprises you with a call suggesting you get together for lunch. That happened to me recently and I want to tell you about it. My friend, Lucy Yoshioka Buhler, whom many of you remember, left an indelible mark on our community more than 30 years ago. ...

Gray Matter: Antiques or just used furniture? (06/05/06)
Is this an antique or just a piece of used furniture? To some it's all the same; to others of us there is a world of difference. I am not quite certain where my interest in antiques originated. I only have a couple of chairs that came from my family, and we had just a rocker and an immigrant trunk from my husband's people. Still, because he and I shared a passion for lovely old pieces, our home is almost totally furnished with things we collected over the years...

Gray Matter: Kentucky Derby memories (05/31/06)
Kentucky Derby memories The heart-warming story of the stunning Kentucky Derby victory of Barbaro, trained by Michael Matz, hero of the Flight 232 disaster, gripped the attention of many of us here in Siouxland the weekend of May 6. I loved it, but I have always been a huge fan of the Churchill Downs classic. ...

Gray Matter: Father Jan a true inspiration (05/15/06)
Here is the story I promised you of Father Jan Lisowski, a native of Poland, who was once assigned to Holy Name Church here in Marcus as an associate priest. He had come to the US and the church's Sioux City diocese, as a displaced person. It was during the time of his four-year stay in our town that Pope John Paul II made his historic visit to Iowa. ...

Gray Matter:Those wonderful spring memories (05/01/06)
Recently I was with several friends, all about my age, when we started reminiscing. Spring seemed to claim most of our attention, probably because it has been so reluctant to put in its appearance this year. It was such fun that I decided to share some of the memories I dredged up with all of you...

Gray Matter: The circle goes unbroken (04/24/06)
It is often said that "what goes around comes around", and at other times, people make reference to something "coming full circle". I'm not certain how often this does take place in real life, but the story I want to share with you today is certainly proof that it has happened to me...

Gray Matter: More about quilts (04/17/06)
Several weeks ago we were discussing the fascinating subject of quilts and quilting. At the time, I was a little concerned that it might be boring to you male readers. So, I was more than pleased to read a recent account telling that in Pioneer days (perhaps out of sheer boredom) while confined inside a cabin in the dead of winter, some of the manliest of men picked up a needle and joined their womenfolk in this interesting pursuit. ...

Gray Matter: Touché, Union goons (04/10/06)
Wouldn't you know? I just got home and exulted over being back at my computer when the darned thing "went down". I do maintain a love/hate relationship with this device! Anyway I'm finally back on line without enough time to do a really serious Gray Matter, so bear with me...

Gray Matter: Home Again (04/10/06)
At last, I'm home, and Cherokee County never looked so good! One's own house, own bed, kitchen, computer and, most of all, family and friends, take on fresh significance. First, I must tell you my shoulder replacement surgery seems to be a complete success. ...

Gray Matter: Quilts and Quilting (02/27/06)
Many reasons have been suggested for the modern  fascination with quilting -- that ancient craft which has been around since the time of the Egyptians.  It's been  said that it is good for us, in our highly mechanized world, to try doing something of this sort, just as our forbears did it.   In this way, it is claimed, we are able to sense a bit of what it  was really like living in those earlier simpler days. I like that idea...

Gray Matter: What if ? (02/13/06)
A question that faces many of us, as the years go by, is what to do with all the things we have tucked away.  Recently I have been going through some of my mother's things.  I had been through all of this before - these are just the remnants of scads of stuff  left by an inveterate "pack rat". ...

Gray Matter: Remembering the memorable (02/06/06)
As you may recall, I resolved last week to work on accepting the inevitability of change.  A neighbor and I were regretting the change brought about when mutual friends  moved to be nearer their children, due to age-induced health issues.  This is not unusual, I know, but in this case it  brought some serious "end-of-an-era" issues to mind which bothered me a bit....

Gray Matter: Are they 'speed bumps,' 'rumble bars,' or is there a better term?  (02/06/06)
Anyway, you know what I mean -- those things in the road that remind a driver to slow down. It seems I've hit one of those on my "roadway", and will be out of commission for a few weeks. I'm scheduled for shoulder surgery (that's easy enough to type, but try saying it out loud, fast, three times in a row). ...

Gray Matter: Bakery tradition will be sorely missed (01/23/06)
In view of the fact that things seldom stay the same - that change is inevitable - I sometimes wonder why we humans resist it so strongly.  Hearing  recently of the closing of the Vander Meer Bakery in neighboring Le Mars brought this to my attention.  They have been in that exact spot for the 60-odd years I have lived in this area, and for at least 10 before that.  I guess I shouldn't have expected them to stay there forever, but somehow, I did...

Gray Matter: Mayo Clinic a Midwest jewel (01/16/06)
It's always interesting  to see the ideas used to promote our rural area as a great place to live, which it certainly is! As we watch country homes being built, re-modeled or restored, we know that folks are paying attention.  In recent weeks I've come to realize that there is an additional asset to our location which is sometimes overlooked.  I am referring to the fact that we live only a half-day's drive from one of the top-ranking medical institutions in the entire world --  the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.. ...

Gray Matter: Christmas gift begins happy New Year (01/09/06)
Among the Christmas gifts from one of my sons and his wife there is  a lovely little ceramic candle holder.  They had purchased it far away, in Branson, Mo., but it  turned out to be exactly the same color of pottery as a beloved plate I have on the what-not shelf over my kitchen table.  The plate was given me, a couple of years ago by  friends who then lived right here in Marcus.  I quickly compared the potters' signatures on the backs of the two pieces and they were identical.  That makes for the kind of Happy Story I was seeking with which to begin the New Year.. ...

Gray Matter: Justice need be served (12/30/05)
The time between my submitting a Gray Matter and its appearing in print often varies, so I don't know whether this will be the last column of 2005 or the first of 2006.  In any case, it is not a story with which to draw a year to a close, nor is it one with which to hail a New Year. ...

Gray Matter (12/19/05)
**The true spirit of Christmas

Gray Matter: The world after Pearl Harbor (12/14/05)
Over the years, after respectfully remembering and properly observing Pearl Harbor Day, our lives moved on.  This year, with all that's happening around the world, it is not quite the same. Among other things, memories of the Vietnam era, and all that entails, seem to surface more readily. ...

Gray Matter: Recalling horrors of Pearl Harbor (12/12/05)
There is a dwindling number of us who remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when word came of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was the initial one of those never-to-be- forgotten events in our lives.  Since then, John Kennedy's assassination, Oklahoma City, 9/11,  have all come and gone.  But  December 7, 1941 was the very first of those days which we wish we didn't have to remember, but which we can never forget...

Gray Matter:'Just an old-fashioned love song' (11/21/05)
In my last Gray Matter I began sharing some of the observations on music expressed by Bob Reed, a former Marcus resident, who now lives in retirement in Florida with his wife, Maxine.  Bob spent 25 years building and managing television stations and as an executive of PBS.  He was also a tenured professor teaching the skills of TV production in its infancy.  Meanwhile, he wrote scholarly works concerning these matters.  On the lighter side, this Navy veteran is a proud grandfather who plays that happiest of instruments -- the banjo.  But, as his wife often reminds him, the difference between a banjo player and a treasury bond is that eventually the bond matures and makes money.  Hmm!. ...

Gray Matter: Friend's intriguing thought questions music's path (11/14/05)
Bob Reed is one of our town's most loyal expatriates.  He and wife, Maxine, now living in Florida,  visited here a few weeks ago.  Bob's parents, Carl and Hazel, were Sheldon natives and are now buried there.  Mr. Reed, was I.C. Station Agent when Betty Simonsen, a fellow teacher, and I came to Marcus, those many years ago.  We roomed together at the Reeds. Their young son was in junior high at that time, so we go back a long way...

Gray Matter: Rural church evokes pleasantries (11/07/05)
There is a small rural church in the southwest corner of Cherokee County that is truly a treasure.  Majestic, square-towered, it sits on a rise (scarcely high enough to be called a hill) bestowing a blessing on the rich prairie lands which surround it. ...

Gray Matter: Putting it off until tomorrow (10/24/05)
Am I the only one who finds it increasingly easy to "put off until tomorrow" ?  I do that far more often than I like to admit.  But somehow I got a bit of a kick-start the other day and set to work cleaning a long-neglected china cupboard.  I'm glad I did.  As I dusted off so many treasured pieces,  I found myself dusting off  a treasure-trove of memories as well. Most of them involved a very special couple...

Gray Matter: A priceless penny for your thoughts (10/17/05)
In my constant rummaging and sorting, I have unearthed coins and some paper currency saved by both my mother and my husband.  I decided I should have it all appraised.  A trustworthy and competent collector, who had been highly recommended, was examining these things recently and not finding much of remarkable value.  Oh, there were a few "Morgan" dollars and a "Peace" dollar or two, but little else of note. ...

Gray Matter: 'Not just another cookbook' (10/10/05)
When I recently wrote of my Collection of Cookbooks, I intentionally left one out for it seemed to merit a whole column by itself.  I must first set the stage with another of my Texas stories. After several seasons in the Hill Country we knew that to truly see Texas, we would have to schedule a spring trip through West Texas and down into the Big Bend  when the desert was in bloom.  We did just that in 1983, going first to spend time with friends in Midland in far west Texas.  From there we drove even farther west to Monahans, turning south to go through historic Fort Stockton.  Following  Highway 10, we again continued west,  taking a final southerly turn toward the Davis Mountains.  Restored Fort Davis  and the Mc Donald Observatory filled a couple of unforgettable days. . ...

Gray Matter: Mysterious Halloween season awaits us! (10/03/05)
With October upon us, thoughts turn to Halloween.  Many years ago I wrote the following about that celebration. "Halloween -- what a special holiday it is, particularly if the skies are clear and a splendid moon rides high.  Confidentially, I still expect, some Hallow's Eve, to catch sight of a witch riding side-saddle on her broom, silhouetted against that moon.  When and if I do, it will be of little note as no one would believe me anyway."...

Gray Matter: Foreign student experiences rewarding (09/26/05)
Over the years, a number of you have experienced the pleasure of sharing your home with a foreign student.  This year, at least one area school has two exchange students, one from Poland and the other from Germany.  I am sure that both these students and their host families are in for a  challenging and rewarding experience. ...

Gray Matter: Tread lightly when assigning blame (09/19/05)
In these "post-hurricane" times I face a dilemma.  I am not certain my musings will add to, or subtract from, anything that's already been said.  On the other hand, going on as though nothing unusual has happened, isn't feasible, either.  I do want to assure those of you who have been kindly concerned, that my Louisiana relatives were far enough from the coast that they were not directly affected.  However, indirect effects are coming with 5,000 displaced "neighbors" moving into their city from the coast.. ...

Gray Matter: Please support your local merchants (09/12/05)
Today I find myself preparing to tread a very fine line.  But before I get to the serious stuff I must stop for a good laugh at that figure of speech.  The idea of my treading any kind of a line is pretty funny.  Age does that to you.  Just walking in a comparatively straight one is a blessing many days -- but on to more  weighty matters...

Gray Matter: Memories of a unique friendship    (08/30/05)
I was reminded recently of a wise, witty woman who was our neighbor for several years while we spent time in Texas.  I think you might enjoy her story. Loraine had grown up in the small community of Mc Gregor, Texas, a town you may have heard of as it is just down the road from Crawford, location of the Texas White House.  As a bright and precocious student, Loraine had won a University of Texas scholarship, a scholarship she didn't accept for she knew college would have taken other available family funds, not leaving enough for her brother to go on to high school. ...

Gray Matter: Teachers are, indeed, special   (08/22/05)
Summer is drawing to a close.  It's almost back-to-school time.  With that in  mind, I would like to share a story.  I do this with apologies to you remarkable folks out there who have devoted your lives to instructing our kids.  I know you have a great many far more interesting tales than I have, as my teaching career lasted just one year. ...

Gray Matter: Montana a whole other world (08/16/05)
Beyond my granddaughter's wedding and a family reunion,  my recent trip to Montana provided an opportunity for some observations I found most interesting.   I may be  beating an over-worked cliché to death, but I can think of no other way to put it -- Montana IS a whole other world.  It's a very big state and you are all aware of its geographic diversity, from flat prairie to high mountain splendor. ...