Snow and flooding

We woke up to seven inches of heavy snow this am. I had so hoped it would spare us. To add to the situation our power went out at about 7 and didn't come on until about an hour ago. When you live where you use a pump for water that can be a problem. We were more worried about our sump pump as with all the melting this past week it was running constantly. Add this heavy wet snow to it and that just means it would continue to run longer.

We were so close to flooding in Roseau yesterday and then overnight they turned a corner. Our fields looked like a lake, today one can't even see the lake that is under the snow. That will change with warmer weather.

I though I would post some photos of the farmyard with the heavy snow causing our three sentinel trees to look like they are ready to break under the load.


Yesterday it most of the snow was gone, we could say spring was on the way and today, winter returned with vengeance!

Our granddaughter and husband are moving into their new home. I am so excited for them. This is their first home. I remember the excitement of moving into our new home. So much to do, packing and then unpacking. Thinking and planning, do I want to put this here or there? What do I need that we don't have? Damen will now have a room of his own. Toy boxes and all! What a dramatic change to their lives, from a one bedroom apartment to a three bedroom home.

For some the mortgage crisis is a disastrous, for others it is a boon. It reminds me of the farming crisis of the 1980s. So many lost their farms until the government and the mortgage companies decided to change the way they handled the loses and some had some of their contract adjusted ended with less of a debt load. Will this happen again?I hope not to the farming communities. It is too late for many who have already lost their homes. Will Obama's plans work? We are all trying to be optimistic.

Roseau River

We had a problem with out septic system this am so I stayed home to help. It also gave me the opportunity to do some other work that needed to be completed.

I went to Roseau to go swimming this afternoon and with the melting snow we have had this past week I felt the river was going to be high. It was; in fact right now it is at 20.45 feet. The 2002 level was 23.45 so I am going to be as optimistic as can be and hope for the best. Talk was that the river in Malung had stabilized and was not going up any more which is a good sign. Tomorrow morning will be the real test of whether it is a disaster or not. I am going to hope for the best.

Musings

This morning I had some free time on my hands to look browse the web so went to Bookish. There was a comment about Miami columnist Dave Barry and I thought, "Who is this guy?" So I went on a headhunt and found him. Lo and behold, he had an article about Grand Forks and I just thought I would share it with you all, it sort of tells us what he thinks of the frozen north land; that is what we are right?

My 65th birthday was celebrated on February 27 with a Ladies Only pool party. When one reaches this milestone, there should be some sort of a celebration. right? Especially following a year when you realize that life is moving in more directions that you would have believed. After having my hip and knee replaced, I did some deep thinking. What do I want to do with my spare time, what little there is. Here is the list:
1. spend more time reading
2. commit to spending more time with hubs
3. Call the family more often and tell them how much I love them and miss them
4. see the family at least once a year for about 3 - 4 weeks
5. call my favorite Aunt at least once a month (you aunties can figure out which one that is on your own)
6. take better care of myself physically -i.e. eat right, lay off the sugars and carbs, and exercise more often.
7. turn over areas to volunteers and watch them enjoy what they do (they are the marvel of the society, they do wonderful things)
8. just enjoy each day in all kinds of weather, stay inside if it is too nasty and read or play on the computer!
9. make sure the dust bunnies are cleaned up at least every three weeks, I don't want to become a fanatic, just have a clean house. Oh, that doesn't mean not pick up the rest of the time, just not do any deep cleaning, the dishes must be washed, the toilet scrubbed and the floor must be clean enough to eat off of at least two times a week. Chuckle!

Now for the photos of my dad's family from the 2007 Family Reunion:

Lake at Quadna Mountain Ski Resort where we held the reunion .

A Wedding Shower

Sisters

Their mom and dad - Aunt Renee & Uncle Bryce Ross

Uncle Bill, Aunt Rose, Uncle Ron, Uncle Bryce, and Aunt Ruth Ross

Ah, the food, yummm!

The Campfire

The Harmonizers, they use to sing by the piano in their youth, now they sang by the campfire.

Roseau County Museum Woman's History Month Update

We have had wonderful programs celebration Woman's History Month. The second Saturday in March, Roseau County educators and supporting staff received recognition. One of the areas researched was the Teachers of the Year. All teachers in the county who had received this honor received certificates of recognition.

Speakers for the event were Kelly Falk, Roseau TOY 1975, Karla Rislov, Roseau TOF 1984, also was on the Honor Roll for Minnesota Teacher of the Year; Therese McBride, Warroad, 1994; Judy Puczinski, Greenbush/Middle River, 1997; and Cindy Sandahl, Warroad, 2008. They told of the changes that had taken place in education over the years. 93 year-old Kelly Falk had seen the most changes from when she first taught to the present day.

Special music was provided by two local church Bell Choirs.

The exhibits designed by the Education Committee chaired by Pam Solberg and the talents of Janice Brenden, Diane Churchill, Kelly Falk, Katie Hedlund, Gail Johnson, Elaine Lang, Sharon Lund, Aliza Olson, Sheila Olson, Lori Schaible, Marion Solom, and Joyce Wiodtke were wonderful reminders of how education has changed and how women have participated in that change.

Over 100 individuals attended the event and enjoyed the fellowship of other educators from across the county.

Roseau County Teachers of the Year

Temple Trip!

We are heading to Bismarck North Dakota to attend the temple tomorrow. It seems like it has been ages since we have been anywhere. The last time we headed out it was so icy that we decided to go back home. I probably wasn't ready for the 400 mile trip at that time anyway, now I am though.
Our friends called to tell us where they were staying and that it had a pool, so I immediately went on line found the phone number and called to make reservations. I love their children and their littlest one was so disappointed that she wasn't invited to my birthday party a couple of weeks ago (it was a ladies only party) that know she will be excited to know we are going swimming. Such an adorable little girl!

I have decided to take Monday off also. I don't usually do this but I have been working too many hours and need to remember that I am only suppose to be working four days a week, not five.

Most of yesterday and part of today was spent working on a grant. A friend did some editing for me; aren't friends great? It always is so much better to have someone else help you clean up what you write, at least for me it is. Often I don't have time to have someone do the clean up as I am working on things at the last minute. I put it down and try to reread it before I send it off, then when I see it in the paper, errors,glare out at me and I am frustrated. There is just too much to do and not enough time to do it all.

We escaped the big snowstorm. Brian, our Schwan man was in today. He lives about 125 miles south of us. He reported that they had between 12 and 16 inches of snow! We were lucky if we had an inch. It was very windy on Tuesday night, so much so that the visibility was no good on the way home. No snow or ice on the road though and in the morning the roads were excellent. It was strange seeing the snow piled in the middle of the streets in Roseau. It didn't seem like there was enough snow to make the piles that high, but after the grader pushed them to the middle there was plenty.

Early tomorrow morning we will be leaving to Bismarck . It is going to be wonderful to walk into the peacefulness of the temple and leave the world behind and think only of the Savior. Then on Tuesday it will be back to the business of life with the next Women in History program on Thursday evening, a Red Hat event. Fun!

Sooo busy!

With all that has gone on this past week one would think I would have updated my blog for sure. What can I say?

On March first we had the grand opening of Women in History Month at the museum. Everything went so well. I was more than pleased with the exhibits done by the One Woman committee and the Women in Education Committee. They all did a wonderful job telling the story of the women who have made differences in our county.

Our main committee the organizers and One Woman committee


At promptly 2 pm, Roseau County Commissioner Mark Foldesi, Roseau County Historical Society Vice President Irene Olson, Roseau County Women in History chair Linda Vatnsdal, Women in Education committee Pam Solberg, Roseau County Historical Society staff and the many members of the committees, cut the ribbon for this the first Women in History exhibit held in Roseau County.


The Women in History committee consisting of Linda Vatsndal - chair, Carolyn Eeg, Dawn Johnson, Leanne Johnson, Loralee Marvin, and Carole Wilson worked very diligently to provide a wonderful program and exhibits to honor 18 Roseau County women who have enriched their communities in many ways. The women honored in 2009 are Lois M. Johnson, City of Badger, Agnes Paulsen, Barto Township, Hilda Erickson, Deer Township, Nelsine Dahl, Dieter Township, Irene Kristofferson, Enstrom Township, Ruth Eeg, City of Greenbush, Clarice Bolin, Grimstad Township, Delores L. Andol, Jadis Township, Amelia Janson, Lake Township, Lorraine Hedlund, Malung Township, Florence Hanson, Mickinock Township, Luella Solberg, Reine Township, Marie Budd, City of Roseau, Gladys Venaas, Ross Township, Pat Westman, Spruce Township, Maxine Penas, Stokes Township, Verna Grafstrom, Unorganized Township - Norland, Margaret Marvin, City of Warroad.

The Women in Education produced a wonderful DVD of interviews with women from across the county who have worked in the education system. Their exhibits consisted of the first women who hold various positions in the educational systems, from bus driver to janitor to teacher. Several women served on this committee and their talents are very evident when ones walks through the exhibits they designed. Pam Solberg chaired this committee whose members included Janice Branden, Dianne Churchill, Kelly Falk, Katie Hedlund, Gail Johnson, Elaine Lang, Sharon Lund, Aliza Olson, Sheilia Olson, Lori Schaible, Marion Solom, and Joyce Woidtke.
So many visitors participated in the festivities it is time to show some of the things that went on.

Today, the program honored Teachers of the Year and women involved in education in our county. Next week I will place some of the photos from that event on the website.