Is there a way out of our impasse?

Written by Paul Penner Tuesday, 26 February 2013 11:50

It’s early Monday morning. The day’s news is all about the coming snowstorm. According to The Weather Channel, this is winter storm “Rocky.” Let’s hope it lives up to its name and delivers a knock-out blow to the drought.

Since when did someone decide to name all weather events, including snowstorms? I guess it shows how much attention I pay to the folks who make such decisions.

I can imagine, as every little thunder cloud wanders by, somebody in never-never land comes up with a name for it.

“Oh, look! I see cloud bank Ivan! He’s even running into cold air mass, I’da Know! And they are spawning a bunch of little ones, Hughie, Louie and Dooey!”

OK, now. Back to reality, please.... There’s one problem with going...

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Canadian wheat farmers growing up

Written by Paul Penner Tuesday, 22 January 2013 14:20

ow was your trip to Canada? Eh?”

Fine, thanks for asking.

Actually, I rarely received a greeting or any statement from a Canadian that ended with “Eh?” This was my second trip in six years to our neighbors to the north. It was like I was still in the United States, if one doesn’t count the obvious changes like the metric system.

My earlier trip was to visit with Canadian wheat farmers attending their annual winter meetings of the Canadian Wheat Growers. At the time, the Canadian Wheat Board held an absolute monopoly on the sale of all classes of wheat grown within the Canadian border.

Debate over whether they should eliminate or continue the monopoly was already heating up, with farmers voicing opinions for or against moving...

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News proves our world is not well

Written by Paul Penner Monday, 24 December 2012 14:57

“Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer....” —“A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Reflections of past Christ­mases come easy as Dec. 25 approaches. I have many fond memories of those bygone days.

Nothing compares to the present, however. The anticipated arrival of family lifts the spirits of everyone as we prepare for that delightful moment. I especially look forward to the first visit around the table, a beverage in hand, and once again, grandchildren are capturing our attention as they fill the house with their energetic, youthful laughter.

According to the weatherman, we have a slight chance that on Christmas Day we will have snow. Can it get much better than that?

In one segment of the video, “A Charlie Brown...

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Helplessness arises the face of death

Written by Paul Penner Tuesday, 27 November 2012 14:42

Though it may not be obvious to the average observer, I am a softie when it comes to animals. I enjoy getting to know them, discovering their personality and relating to them in ways that are meaningful.

The opportunity to know one particular animal, however, will never happen. Call it fate, or just an unfortunate accident, it does not matter. Life—and all the experiences that encompass that word, all the beauty and all the harsh, brutal expressions of nature—happens.

Four kittens from a litter of seven born about four months ago survived a rash of predatory animal attacks, raising hopes of re-establishing a family of felines on our farm. Their mother, a victim of a predatory animal’s hunt, has left them orphans. Not long...

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