If you are having a difficult time believing that fall has arrived, just take a drive in the country and you will find many fields of soybeans have been harvested and in some areas the fields are even plowed. Many farmers are working frantically to get the corn picked, not that they are worried about an early snowstorm or heavy rain, but it is so dry and brittle that the strong winds we have will break it off. That is one thing about farming and living on the farm, there is never a dull moment and you can always find something to worry about. On the other hand, there is always something to look forward to when the crops are harvested. We all have some free time to dream and hopefully, time for some recreation of some kind.The hunting season has begun and I know we have different moons for different times of the year. We are all familiar with the full moon, half moon, and quarter moon. Of course, there is the honeymoon, moonshine, and now there is a hunting moon. Perhaps the farmers can look forward to going hunting and fishing and who knows what else. Just be careful when you drive at night, as after the corn is picked the deer lose their homes and they are out looking for new ones. Be careful, especially at night, as a live deer is not the kind of dear you want to bring home!Joan Hoogeveen’s family came to her home on Sunday to help her celebrate her birthday. Those attending were Harold Wissink, Wilma Wissink, Canton, S.D., Mary Perrenoud and family, Abby, Anna and Grace, Judy Rall, all from Sioux Falls, S.D,, Mavis and William DeBeer, Lyle and Wilma Drenth, all from Ellsworth, Janice and Jerry Peters, Chandler, and Rick and Audrey DeBeer, Dana and Tracy, all from Tea, S.D.Monday morning coffee guests in the Mildred Keunen home to help Donald Bonnema celebrate his birthday were Bill and Bertha Bosch, Milton Bonnema, and Joyce and Jo Aykens.Helping Bernice (Mrs. Orrin) Aukes celebrate her birthday on Sunday at their home were her family, Steven and Mary Willers and Shilo, Gina Willers, and Joe Morrall, all from Fairmont, Orlie Aukes, Brian and Dan, Hills, Mary Crawford, Beaver Creek, and Lisa Telford and Taylor, Sioux Falls. There will be no school in the Hills-Beaver Creek schools Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16 and 17, due to MEA.The annual congregation meeting of Steen Reformed Church will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, in the church.The Hills-Beaver Creek FFA will sell fruit again this year. Sales beginning on Oct. 15 and continuing through Nov. 14. If you have not been contacted by this time call the school or an FFA member. Dries and Laura May Bosch attended Grandparents Day at Calvin Christian School in Sioux Falls Monday afternoon. Their grandchildren, Emma and Isabel Bosch, daughters of Tom and Amy Bosch, are students there. The program was from 1 to 3 that afternoon.Joyce and Jo Aykens were Sunday dinner guests in the home of Paul and Carole Aykens at Orange City, Iowa, to celebrate Jo’s birthday. Other guests were Vince and Laurie Kurtz, Aplington, Iowa, and Susan and Jadeyn Veldkamp, Orange City. The Women’s Conference for Reformed Church Women was Thursday evening in Woodstock. Among those attending from Steen were Susan Bartels, Glenda Bonnema and Karen Ramaker. The Hills-Beaver Creek Library has received a gift of money to buy books for their library from the Rock County Collaboration. The gift will be used to update their extended library inventory. Thanks to the Rock County Collaboration for their gift. On Monday our nation observed Columbus Day. It has been some time since we, as a nation, have observed Columbus Day. This year many schools, banks and business places were closed in observance of it. There has been some controversy about Columbus Day but those of us who attended school in the 1920s and ‘30s learned this little verse, "In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue." During those years he was given the credit for discovering America which is why we observe it today. I was surprised and very happy to think that we are proud enough of our past to remind this generation of today about the past. My personal opinion is, I think we have been very lax and have not been very patriotic about our history. So, when I ran across this article titled "Sometimes we Forget." I feel that we have and still are, forgetting. I would like to share this article written by C. William Nichols who reminds all of us of our past history. "I think we sometimes forget why we can be proud of our country. I want to tell you briefly, just seven reasons why I love my country. And why, and when I fly the flag that action represents a genuine and grateful salute to America. oI salute America because she has opened her heart and her doors to the distressed and persecuted of the world. oI salute America because she has been the most generous and compassionate nation in history. oI salute America because she has never hidden her problems and her faults. We do not sweep our sins under the rug, we keep them out in the open where they can be studied and solved. oI salute America because she is honestly recognizing and courageously trying to solve her social problems. oI salute America because she has never sought to use her tremendous power to take over other nations.oI salute America because she defends the right of her citizens to dissent.oI salute America because she recognizes that she is a nation under God.Time after time in our history we have been at the breaking point because of internal troubles, or external threats, and every time some stabilizing force, some moral strength has pulled us through. I believe America needs to sing again. I believe we need to show our national pride. I believe we need to live up to our sacred heritage."I just had to share this with you as I believe we, as Americans, have not been encouraged to be patriotic or to love this county or to value our way of life. What do you think?
