HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYKER VOTAVA !!
Today, Toni & Andy Votava became the proud parents of a wonderful baby
boy.
Ryker Thomas Votava weighed in at 10 pounds 2 ounces. He stands a full
21 inches tall,.... And, as I understand it, immediately after receiving
his very first spanking, Ryker began practicing to be a farmer. Just
like his grandpa Tom.
I'll have to put another seat in the walleye combine for my newest
great-grandson.
Congratulations Toni and Andy on the birth of beautiful "little" baby
boy Ryker.
----------------------
The current temperature is 77 degrees.
Normal H/L temp for this date is 83/57
The official Skeeterville rain gauge recorded "almost" ¾ of an inch
of rain in the past twenty four hours.
======================
"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
======================
L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
------------------------
Sometimes, somethings aren't, always, what they appear to be.
Take for instance the Grafton True Value advertisement in the last
Walsh County Record. Reading it, one "might" assume the reference to a
"liquidation sale", might suggest that the True Value Store is going out
of business. Of course,... that is certainly NOT TRUE.
It is true (pardon the pun) that Grafton's True Value Store is
"liquidating" some items from their inventory. That, I assume, refers to
some items none of us really wanted anyway.
So then,... that's the answer for those folks wondering why the Grafton
True Value Hardware Store is refurbishing the front of their store at
the same time they are holding a liquidation sale.
If you haven't had a chance to visit a real honest to goodness old
fashion, get just about, anything you could ever need, hardware store.
Stop by Grafton's True Value Hardware Store and check it out. And, if
you should get a chance, thank Kerry & Carole Demars for investing their
heart and sole in the future of our little community and the surrounding
area.
------------------------
Yesterdays mention of the park, the flag and the former Reyleck's
store, gave Kathee Carlson reason to share the following. Kathee wrote:
>>>>
If I am remembering correctly, I was working at Grafton Floral when
the first planted flag was installed in the park so that would have been
between 1968 and 1973. Does that sound right to you? It was always fun
when the park workers came in to discuss what to plant, how to plant,
etc. with your dad. I know that he was proud of Grafton's park, and when
I go home, part of the tour I take is through the park.
I am pleased too that the old Reyleck's building is being preserved to
function well in its current capacity. That is another pass-by, if not a
stop, on the tour of Grafton. I think my grandfather Axel Carlson might
stop by on occasion to haunt the southwest corner of the building where
the shoe department used to be, but my dad, well he could haunt the
office area, but he would rather be at the golf course!
Kathee <<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Kathee. One could
hardly imagine the magnitude of a reunion of all the former employees of
the Reyleck's building.
-------------------------
Although I don't remember yesterday's Gazette verbatim. I certainly
hope I didn't infer that I'd be home "for the rest of the summer".
Anyway, I received the following note in yesterdays mailbag. >>>>
Good to have you back Gary! Can you find out why the wind generator
at the school has not been working. You'd think that it should be
rolling now with the cost of electricity. <<<<
Maybe someone out there can answer this, very logical question. And, if
so, I will send it out when I return from my next Rocky Point aquatic
animal feeding project.
--------------------------
I did get a chance to have one of the Westside Drive Inns scrumptious
Wagonmaster hamburgers. If, by chance, your coming to town to visit the
park or participate in True Values "Liquidation" sale anyway. Stop by
the Westside Drive Inn and have a Wagonmaster. If your into chicken,
Westsides chicken is a full five star general.
-----------------------------
I received the following note from a new member of the Gazette family.
Norma wrote: >>>> Hi Gary, I'm so glad to get your Skeeterville
Gazette. Thank you so much!! When I was in Grafton for our "55th"
reunion, someone had mentioned to me that you write this newsy email and
I asked (him or her) to put my name on the list. Enjoyed our short
time in Grafton but with some hesitation to even attend. I won't get
into a long dissertation about the "motel" business but they are really
"milking" this pipeline situation. Can you believe, a room at Leonard
has been around $45-50 a night and we have always had a standing
reservation with our credit card on file to verify. This trip -
$70.00!!! yes, per night. Friends (also my age group) payed over $125
per night at AmericInn and they travel to Fla. and stay at the better
motels and have NEVER payed anything like that. Oh well, I guess it
was worth it since we really enjoyed our days there.
Do you remember dad, Rilie R. Morgan? He took care of the Masonic
grounds (east of PO on 5th) and his plantings were of the Masonic
emblem. Beautiful. He and mom often took us for rides thru
Leistikow to see the beautiful peonies, their favorite flowers for
outside. Our home at 938 Hill was surrounded with peonies and the
"rock garden" made by us kids, Jack, Ray, Jeanette, Mary and I is still
there! I believe there is a church on that corner now and was an
apothecary prior to that.
Gary, thank you again. I will look forward to your next email
with highlights of GRAFTON and updates on our beautiful city. I
couldn't have grown up in a better town!!
Norma (Morgan) Treptow
Bullhead City, Az. <<<<
Thanks a million for caring and sharing Norma. I certainly do remember
Rilie. As a matter of fact, on a real calm day, I think I can still
smell your dads cigar when I drive by the temple. I've written about
Rilie's visits to Grafton Floral & Greenhouses and of his pet project
planting the Masonic Emblem in front of the temple.
They can be found in the .com archives at, news from grafton.
=====================
GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
=====================
I'll be spending the next few days on my walleye combine.
Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
July 28, 2008 - Monday
Todays Gazette is being brought to you, in part, by the beautiful giant
floral flag in Grafton's Leistikow Park.
----------------------
The current temperature is 77
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 86/52
Normal H/L temp for this date is 83/57
It was 106 on this date in 1917.
=======================
"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
=======================
L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
-------------------------
It's been awhile since the last Gazette. For the most part some of that
time was spent as a self appointed weather observer (sometimes adverse)
and part of the time I participated in a self appointed walleye and
small fish feeding program.
Now then, even though "the catching" hasn't been the absolute best I've
ever experienced, the fishing experience out of Arnesen's Rocky Point
Resort continues to be just as fantastic as ever, or better.
Saturday our grandson Tyler, with a bit of help from his uncle Mike,
caught a 26 inch walleye. The next day, Pat dragged one in that measured
26 and three quarter.
-----------------------
One of the first things I noticed when we got back to town was the work
being done on Simonson's new Subway Sandwich Station on the corner of
Hill Avenue and hiway 17. Although there is still a lot of work to do
before the grand opening, it won't be long and we'll be able to eat a
Sub while looking up & down both major hiways in town.
------------------------
Grafton's True Value Hardware Store is getting a brand new front facade
as well. The giant front windows that once gave us insight to the
fabulous fashions featured by the Reylecks clothing store, and later,
the folks that worked at True Value are being replaced by smaller, more
energy efficient ones. And, I was pleased to see that the new windows
are MARVINS WINDOWS, made right here in Grafton North Dakota.
-------------------------
The B & D Flooring and Carpet Cleaning Store is also getting a new face
lift. The front and west side of the building that Bill Meier built for
his Grafton Glass & Paint business will be refurbished giving our son
and daughter-in-law Brad and Denise's store a brand new look.
It's heartwarming to see the business community reinvesting in the
future of the community in which I live.
--------------------------
Speaking of heartwarming. Pat and I drove through Leistikow Park this
morning, and, as always I thought of my dad. I remember how he would
stand out in the park with members of the park board waving his cane at
various trees shrubs and flower beds. I remembered the time he actually
bought a specific tractor just because he believed it was the best way
to prepare and plant the area south of the swimming pool.
As I looked at the pool this morning, I couldn't help but remember Hugo
Kutz and all of the things he done for the pool, and the community, over
the years. Hugo taught me how to "patch" a high pressure water pipe with
strips from a tractor inner tube.
As we continued thru the park, I slowed a bit, to remember and
appreciate Earl and all the things he contributed to make our drive thru
the park an enjoyable one.
Then, I noticed that some of the blacktop has been removed from several
different areas throughout the park. That, I suspect, is in preparation
for the preposed new blacktop mat to be laid down in the next few weeks.
The posts bordering the drive thru the park always remind me of my good
friend and former mentor Milton Johnston. It was Milton that originally
orchestrated the method of rounding off the posts so that they would
shed water and not rot away prematurely.
HOWEVER, the really, truly, heartwarming part of my most recent trip
through Leistikow wasn't the parks beautiful grass and trees. It wasn't
the pool or the new Frisbee course. It wasn't even the fantastic
campgrounds. (with special thanks to our friends from the pipeline) The
real heartwarming part of todays spin thru the park, was when I reached
"Milton's American Flag" in flowers.
Having a floral flag in the park had been a desire of Milton Johnston's
for a number of years. One I am pleased to say, he eventually did see
accomplished. Unfortunately, for some reason, the floral flag was
omitted from the parks flower bed plantings of the past several years.
It certainly was HEARTWARMING to see it return.
Aren't memories wonderful?
------------------------
Speaking of Frisbee Golf. It s my understanding that you can get the
Frisbee's at the Walsh County Record.
=========================
GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
=========================
Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late
floral flag in Grafton's Leistikow Park.
----------------------
The current temperature is 77
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 86/52
Normal H/L temp for this date is 83/57
It was 106 on this date in 1917.
=======================
"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
=======================
L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
-------------------------
It's been awhile since the last Gazette. For the most part some of that
time was spent as a self appointed weather observer (sometimes adverse)
and part of the time I participated in a self appointed walleye and
small fish feeding program.
Now then, even though "the catching" hasn't been the absolute best I've
ever experienced, the fishing experience out of Arnesen's Rocky Point
Resort continues to be just as fantastic as ever, or better.
Saturday our grandson Tyler, with a bit of help from his uncle Mike,
caught a 26 inch walleye. The next day, Pat dragged one in that measured
26 and three quarter.
-----------------------
One of the first things I noticed when we got back to town was the work
being done on Simonson's new Subway Sandwich Station on the corner of
Hill Avenue and hiway 17. Although there is still a lot of work to do
before the grand opening, it won't be long and we'll be able to eat a
Sub while looking up & down both major hiways in town.
------------------------
Grafton's True Value Hardware Store is getting a brand new front facade
as well. The giant front windows that once gave us insight to the
fabulous fashions featured by the Reylecks clothing store, and later,
the folks that worked at True Value are being replaced by smaller, more
energy efficient ones. And, I was pleased to see that the new windows
are MARVINS WINDOWS, made right here in Grafton North Dakota.
-------------------------
The B & D Flooring and Carpet Cleaning Store is also getting a new face
lift. The front and west side of the building that Bill Meier built for
his Grafton Glass & Paint business will be refurbished giving our son
and daughter-in-law Brad and Denise's store a brand new look.
It's heartwarming to see the business community reinvesting in the
future of the community in which I live.
--------------------------
Speaking of heartwarming. Pat and I drove through Leistikow Park this
morning, and, as always I thought of my dad. I remember how he would
stand out in the park with members of the park board waving his cane at
various trees shrubs and flower beds. I remembered the time he actually
bought a specific tractor just because he believed it was the best way
to prepare and plant the area south of the swimming pool.
As I looked at the pool this morning, I couldn't help but remember Hugo
Kutz and all of the things he done for the pool, and the community, over
the years. Hugo taught me how to "patch" a high pressure water pipe with
strips from a tractor inner tube.
As we continued thru the park, I slowed a bit, to remember and
appreciate Earl and all the things he contributed to make our drive thru
the park an enjoyable one.
Then, I noticed that some of the blacktop has been removed from several
different areas throughout the park. That, I suspect, is in preparation
for the preposed new blacktop mat to be laid down in the next few weeks.
The posts bordering the drive thru the park always remind me of my good
friend and former mentor Milton Johnston. It was Milton that originally
orchestrated the method of rounding off the posts so that they would
shed water and not rot away prematurely.
HOWEVER, the really, truly, heartwarming part of my most recent trip
through Leistikow wasn't the parks beautiful grass and trees. It wasn't
the pool or the new Frisbee course. It wasn't even the fantastic
campgrounds. (with special thanks to our friends from the pipeline) The
real heartwarming part of todays spin thru the park, was when I reached
"Milton's American Flag" in flowers.
Having a floral flag in the park had been a desire of Milton Johnston's
for a number of years. One I am pleased to say, he eventually did see
accomplished. Unfortunately, for some reason, the floral flag was
omitted from the parks flower bed plantings of the past several years.
It certainly was HEARTWARMING to see it return.
Aren't memories wonderful?
------------------------
Speaking of Frisbee Golf. It s my understanding that you can get the
Frisbee's at the Walsh County Record.
=========================
GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
=========================
Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late
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