Articles written by Gloria Schlaefli
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 179
Country Roads
Recently I saw a copy of the poem “Swing” by the writer, Robert Lewis Stevenson. It brought many thoughts and memories. I’m sure every mother has read this poem to her children and if not mothers need to. It goes like this--- How do you like...
Country Roads
Today’s youth do not remember having to use an “outhouse,” a “privy,” or “necessaries” as bathroom toilets. Today’s bathroom facilities are of course all indoors and designed for warmth, comfort and style. Today’s bathrooms have...
Country Roads
Within six months, two aunts have left the Heskett family. Both will always be cherished but the one who recently died was for many of us nieces and nephews, like a mother we didn’t have with us anymore and someone we knew we could turn to. For...
Country Roads
There are animals such as bears, chipmunks and groundhogs that hibernate throughout the winter in a warm, cozy spot. Some manage to store away food needed to eat throughout their stay. Like the migrating birds do to avoid the colder winter months,...
Country Roads
There is a saying “Behind every great man is a great woman.” I’m sure every farm wife in America would agree with that statement. Though the saying was made in the 19th century, it rings true in today’s society as well as long before the...
Country Roads
The 2023 February calendar marks the 20th as Presidents’ Day. For several years this federal holiday has caused some confusion. What ever happened to Lincoln and Washington’s birthdays that used to be marked on the February calendars? For my...
Country Roads
For all those hunting for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, there is less than a week to accomplish this task. What once began years and years ago as a simple, thoughtful card gifting, expressing one’s love and thoughts for others, has gotten...
Country Roads
They say snowflakes do not look alike. Recently our area received a lot of snow with some spots reporting 4” to to 10” making for a lot of snowflakes and a lot of needed moisture. The snow came down so perfectly and rare for this area. It was a...
Country Roads
Happy Birthday, Kansas, on your 162nd year! Proud to say that you are the only state I’ve ever lived in and wouldn’t change that for anything. Kansas is smack dab in the middle of the United States. Some say it’s boring driving through Kansas...
Statehood out of wars and conflict
The story of Kansas as it became a state of the United States of America is much like a page out of today's conflicts, voting controversies and hardships. Kansas had its start as property of France....
Country Roads
It seems like every day is named a special day of recognition. Sometimes the day observes several events. Monday was not only the celebration of Martin Luther King Day but somehow it is termed to be of all things, the most depressing day in January....
Country Roads
It may be called being “old school” in these times but many people my age have thoughts, wishes and memories that would be labeled “old school” by several of the younger generation. What happened with sending out hand written thank you cards...
Country Roads
I just finished watching the 133rd Tournament of Roses Parade on our wide screen television and, as usual, it didn’t disappoint me. I enjoy the bright colors and all the flowers and natural nuts, rice, grasses and plants incorporated into the float...
Country Roads
Just when I got used to writing 2022, it is about to change and I’ll have to start remembering it is 2023. It seems the years keep coming and going faster and faster. I’ve been through the growing and prosperous years of the 1950s as America...
Country Roads
The stores are bursting with Christmas decorations, gifts and delicious holiday menu options. Whenever I walk into such a store, it takes control to remain on point with my Christmas shopping list in hand to find only the things needed. It is hard...
Country Roads
I’m finding fast as we age, our memory just isn’t like it used to be. It’s tempting when a person reads about all the pills that if taken can improve the memory. I never seem to follow through with purchasing them though. When I see some of...
Country Roads
Here it is, the first week in December 2022! It’s beginning to feel and look like a Kansas-Nebraska December. Tuesday, it was cloudy, and the cold northern winds were blowing. North of us there were reports of slick roadways because of moisture fal...
Country Roads
In today’s world there seems to be so many terrible happenings, people with grudges, wars, politics that aren’t going the way we’d like, the high cost of living and people getting mad at others. We need to step back and think about the things...
Country Roads
A matriarch aunt is now missing from our Heskett family. Aunt Joan died recently and has left a void in the hearts of her family. Even though she lived a ways away from the rest of her siblings, nieces and nephews, she made an effort to drive...
Country Roads
It’s Veteran’s Day! There is nothing more stirring to the heart then watching a group of veterans as they carry the American Flag to start off a parade. Some of these local marching veterans wear their military uniforms others wear the American...
Country Roads
My farmer husband knows I do not like to pull vehicles or tractors to get them moved or started. I learned the hard way it was a good rule to enforce because of “run ins,” bad hand signal incidents and just plain bad temper moments. Recently I...
Country Roads
Be prepared as it’s almost Halloween! It’s time for the children to decide what they are going to dress up as for the “trick or treating” as they make their plans to visit from house to house. They come with their bags, knocking or ringing...
Country Roads
For those who have their own desks at home or job, is your desk what you’d term as being a “disorderly” one or a “neat, orderly” one? Recently the editor of this paper shared that his desk always seems to be disorderly or cluttered. Well, I...
Country Roads
I have a sign hanging in my laundry room picturing an older pickup with the saying above it, “Many of My Favorite Memories Come From Some Old Dirt Road.” It got me to thinking of how in the last Country Roads I shared about the limestone rock...
Country Roads
Last week a change in the seasons finally arrived and it was certainly felt. Fall came upon us and most were ready for it. We felt the change as the summer temperatures seemed to hang on with highs remaining up into the 90s and 100s, then within a...