Category Archives: Columns

A farming oops for Susan

May 14, 2021Columns, Farming, Susansusanmanzke

When it came to farming, there was a sharp learning curve getting me up-to-speed every spring. Each year I had to relearn which leaver to pull or push to get my field cultivator in and out of the ground.

Sometimes there were accidents. This one wasn’t my fault. Listen as I read from May 1990 to hear what happened.

I figure I’m lucky to be here. I could have been a statistic that day. Of course, after Bob’s pep talk I debated about getting back up in the driver’s seat. I did, but with trepidation.

There are all kinds of farm stories. This is just one.

FYI: Remember when you are driving country roads to have patience for those slow-moving farm machines. Farmers are just trying to get safely to their next field.

A sweet gift from an 8-year-old

May 13, 2021Columns, Family, fun, Memoriessusanmanzke

Some days a mother gets a sweet surprise. This 1988 column talks about the little gifts my children gave to me. Little Russell became the feature child when he was eight.

Listen and hear what my boy gave to me making an ordinary day Mother’s Day.

I would have forgotten about Russell’s gift if I hadn’t written it down. Remember to make a note of things that you feel great. It can be anything.

Surprises like this one are a keepsake.

Susan takes a stand for mourning doves

May 12, 2021animals, Columns, wildlife, Wisconsinsusanmanzke

In 1989 Wisconsin put their peace dove, the mourning dove, on the list of animals to hunt. I objected and wrote about my feelings.

Everyone did not agree with me. Some even wrote letters to the editor. Wow! Here’s what I wrote about the idea of hunting one of my favorite birds.

Mourning doves are fun to watch and listen to, but there’s only a bit of meat on their bones, so don’t shoot and eat them.

A small group of hunters is allowed to hunt on Sunnybook Farm. Most seek deer, some turkeys, and ducks, but no one is allowed to shoot a mourning dove. That’s the rule.

You may object to my stand on hunting these mournful little birds and that’s your right. But this is my farm and YOU SHALL NOT HUNT MOURNING DOVES HERE!

Three stories from my dad

May 10, 2021Columns, Family, Memoriessusanmanzke

I’ve shared some of my dad’s stories here. Using my column, I shared these in the past.

I hope you enjoy hearing some of my family history today.

The skeleton in this story wears a smile and I love telling how my sweet grandmother ended up in jail on her wedding day.

This photo is how I remember Grandma Brush. At the end of her life, she lived in a small home built for her next to ours. There she raised geese and one particular mean gander we called Garfield.

Projects added up

May 5, 2021Columns, Odds and ends, Susansusanmanzke

One project led to another and then more. It was hard to stop the room update once I got started.

This 1990 column has me going full force on the living room.

I’m not so enthusiastic about fixing and painting these days. I can live with what I have, well, mostly.

But I did jump in with both feet into doing these recordings and blogging. Guess I haven’t changed that much in all these years. I just pointed myself in a different direction.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person