I can’t believe it has been a month since my last post. I’m so sorry that there is so much to do around here that the weeks have slipped through my fingers. There are a million posts brewing in my head, so much to do, so much we’ve done and River City Eatery…just let me tell you, my love for this place keeps growing. I’m really looking forward to these upcoming warm months. Warm months unveil even more possibilities in this community, so exciting!
I was reading the Citizen this afternoon and was pleased to read about our City Council meeting with other entities within our community. It is so important to communicate with each other, so you can imagine my excitement when reading about this much needed collaborative meeting. Not only was this much needed meeting exciting because it shows the Council is acting on goals set in 2011, but the topic of how to attract younger people into our community and also reaching out to Windom Alum came up during the meeting. My hats go off to you, Windom City Council and Kelsey Fossing, for addressing this topic—a topic I am very passionate about. Cottonwood County has one of the highest outmigration populations in the country, a very serious matter, so it is wonderful that council members are bringing this subject to light and willing to try some new things to see younger people move to our wonderful community. I’m looking forward to seeing more!
A good friend of mine, Dick Jungas, from Mountain Lake, just came back from his 50th high school reunion and brought me a business card with your blog address.
ReplyDeleteHaving been born in Windom, (moved to Omaha when I was about three and, always being a considerate child, I decided to take my parents along), I was eager to read your blog. Have begun doing so and enjoying it.
My mom was Hazel Tollefson, married Howard Kenneth Davis (from near Omaha); mom's sister, Bernice Tollefson, married Jasper (Jakie) Leverenz, and lived in Bergen. Mom and Bernice were twins. Bernice and Jakie had a son, Doug Leverenz, (and many others - Lynel Stevens being one, who still lives in Windom) who grew up in Bergen. He and I are about as close as two guys can get. I'm closer to him than I am (was) to my own brother.
Whenever we'd drive up to Windom to grandma's farm (the Henry Tollefson farm) the first thing I'd do is get on the old hand crank telephone - three longs and one short, as I recall, was the signal for the Leverenz phone. We'd hear "click,' 'click,' 'click' as the party lines 'clicked in.' In a matter of minutes all of Cottonwood and Jackson County would know that the Davis family had arrived from Omaha.
Usually Doug and his family would come to grandma's farm, sometimes we'd go over to Bergen. Wherever . . . Doug and I would play the week or two weeks away as only young kids can do.
We'd hunt for minnows in grandma's creek, or the drainage ditches around Bergen . . . we'd build dams out of sod in grandma's creek . . . we'd play cowboys and Indians in those tee pee like wooden structures . . . (which were pig pen houses) - so we must smelled just lovely when grandma would call us in for meals).
Didn't spend that much time in the town of Windom as we were far too busy playing on the farm to go into 'the big city.'
Will be reading your blog with ongoing interest. Hope a lot of other Windom and Bergen folks jump on board.
As for me: I'm a retired broadcaster of 25 years, former war correspondent (Vietnam 67 and 68), retired owner of a fishing/boating resort in San Diego County, and editor/publisher of a weekly newspaper, The Paper (http://www.thecommunitypaper.com). Married, then divorced, two grown sons, currently with the special lady in my life, Evelyn, two young puppies and four cats.
Look forward to reading more of your "stuff."
Best.
lyle e davis
editor/publisher
The Paper
Escondido, California
(Escondido is a spanish word; means 'hidden' and we are in a 'hidden valley.')