Our weather this past week was absolutely beautiful! Temperatures were above freezing nearly every day. I think there was even one night that it did not get down below freezing. Needless to say the snow really melted and it was so good to look out and see bare ground in the fields and gravel coming back on my yard! I guess I had better stop giving the weatherman such a bad time. And give him a pat on the back for what we are enjoying. However, March has arrived and who knows what that will bring.This poem entitled "Promise" and written by MaryAnn Rodgers reminds us one more time of what we can expect:"Though calendars may say it’s March, It’s so hard to remember When the wind blows from across the streetIt feels more like December.And yet, there’s springtime in the air."Most everyone can tellBy robins coming back to nestAnd buds that start to swell.So puff and blow, you winds of March That now may feel so rough.You’ll blow the winter far, far away,If we have faith enough."The Steen Senior Citizens had their March meeting at the Steen Community Building on Monday, March 1. Cards and games were played. Lunch was served by Verla Baker and Milton Bonnema. Laura May Bosch and her sisters, Margaret (Lynch) Schlimgen, Edwina Rust, both of Luverne, and Kay Cox, Adrian, enjoyed lunch together at Luverne Pizza Ranch on Thursday. Guests in the Florence Sandstede home last Friday in honor of her birthday were Verla Baker, Winnie Scholten, Henrietta Huenink, Pearl Kephart and Bernice Aukes. Special music for the Sunday morning worship service in Steen Reformed Church was provided by a trio made up of George Bonnema, Gretta Van Der Brink and Janice Fick. They were accompanied by Colleen Cragoe.The Steen Opportunity Extension Club met at the Grace VanWyhe home Tuesday afternoon. The lesson "It’s Time to Start Moving" was given on exercising. Nancy VanWyhe presented a demonstration making "Ole Bollen."We are happy to report that Mona Rozeboom, who has been hospitalized after being struck by a car, was able to return to their home in California. Their address is: 13261 St. Andrews Apartments, Seal Beach, CA 90740. I am sure they would love to hear from you. The Keunen sisters, Mildred Keunen, Bertha Bosch and Jo Aykens and one other sister who is not able to go out, Mickey Bonnema, enjoyed breakfast together at Denny’s in Sioux Falls Saturday morning in remembrance of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Keunen from Lachman, Holland, where the family lived and the girls were all born. Their parents decided to come to the United States and moved here in February 1926. They moved to Sioux County, Iowa, where they farmed for several years. In February 1934, they moved to Rock County and farmed near Steen. The family has remained in the Steen area ever since that time. It is so nice they can be together and spend time remembering their past family history. Congratulations to Mark and Kristi Kruger on the birth of a baby boy recently. They named him Ethan.A World Day of Prayer Service will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 5, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. Everyone is welcome. An open house bridal shower for Jamie Aguilera (bride-to-be of Jason Bonnema) will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 6.When March arrived it reminded many of us of the days that used to be. March first was moving day and that was quite an experience! Besides moving household things and animals, you were leaving all of your old friends behind and going where everyone were strangers. You felt lost and alone but hoped for some good neighbors. Then I got to thinking and I ran across a list of Creeds of a Good Neighbor that I thought express my feelings very well and hope you can relate to them, too. After all, we could be the good neighbors they are hoping to find! This was written by Joseph Newton: "I believe in the goodwill of my neighbor. I believe that they are trying, according to their life style, just as hard as I am trying with mine, to do what is right and good, even when we do not agree. I believe in the same truth which my neighbor may not see, and to which I must be true. I also believe that my neighbor sees some truth which I may not see. So, I must be open-minded and sympathetic because I want to know his truth, too. I believe that humor is one of the major gifts of God. I hope for my sake that my neighbor possesses it, too. I pray for his sake that I may have enough of it to laugh at myself. I believe that happiness and success of my neighbor are as important as my own. Therefore, I will seek, in behalf of others, to the same things that I seek and ask for myself. I believe in the eternal goodwill; that there is a spirit in this universe which prompts, inspires and sustains those who make life an adventure in brotherhood, and I trust that spirit."I hope we can remember these thoughts if and when we are the new neighbor for someone moving next door!
