“Rejoice in HOPE, be PATIENT in tribulation, be constant in PRAYER.” Romans 12:12

Brooke Jones, Eads High School graduate from Chivington, was the HTM Champion in the semester-end in Horse Training competitions at Lamar Community College recently. Her love of horses, and experiences in the Kiowa County 4-H, program helped her prepare for her college major of Horse Training and Management / Equine Business. Brooke is looking forward to her second year in the training program.

When we went to Haswell for Glenda and Colby Stoker’s Quonset Closeout last Friday, there were lots of people there who explored the variety of treasures, furniture, dishes, toys, and antiques. Some people came to visit and watch the shoppers. It was a fun time. I would have gladly bought all the cookies and bar cookies, but thought I should leave some for others. Another gratifying sight was Dusty Eikenberg’s array of fresh garden vegetables that he grows in Haswell. I haven’t seen rose-pink potatoes for years, and his beets, corn, squash, and other vegetables were displayed in lovely containers, along with fruit. As I admired his jars of canned jalapeño jam and jelly, I asked him, “Where did you learn to can?” He replied, “My Grandma Delores E.” Then I remembered how school students from Haswell School used to brag about what a wonderful cook Delores was! I bought some beautiful frames that put me in the mood to paint.

Cardon Berry’s white and aqua ’56 Chevy was parked outside The Treasure Saturday morning when we went for coffee and to see the new items on display. Jennifer Stum from Towner has several baskets of baked goods mixes that she has researched and invented. Next I will try her chocolate chip cookie mix. Oh, of course, I needed to buy some of Cindy McLoud’s pumpkin breads for coffee time.

Dawn James was in New Mexico for three weeks with her daughter, Jessica, and Ryan Shoemaker while their first son, Levi Charles, was born. Oh, more joy!

How wonderful! Phyllis Lane, has a new slate modular home with white trim and shutters set down on Slater Street. She has a pretty yard to compliment her new home.

Lance and Taya Jager’s children, Cassidy and Corbin, won Champion and Reserve Champion with their goats at the Bent County Fair.

Mollie Kelley, a senior at Eads High School, spent time recently in Blanca, Colorado, with the State Future Business Leaders of America officer team so they could get acquainted and plan their responsibilities for the year.

Superintendent Glenn Smith addressed the school families and community on video to relate the change that school classes will begin August 12-13 rather than the date published earlier. This will allow for more needed supplies to reach the school.

Corky and Birdie (Mays) Hines, now of Canon City, are celebrating their 57^th wedding anniversary. A few years ago, I took a photo of them outside the Plains Theatre in Eads, where they met in the 60’s before Corky left for Vietnam.

Local girls Lexi Shotton, Kara Wilson, and Bailey Sierra, played on the 12U softball team with girls on the Rival team, and their schoolmate, Kennedy Guryman of Haswell, played on the La Junta Bandit team. The Rivals won the championship in the Pueblo tournament coached by Joe Sierra.

Local boys played baseball on a team at several tournaments with Holly coach Dayne Eaton’s team. They were Spencer Uhland and Brently Lening, who received the Gold Glove award for excellence in play. 

We are so happy for the young people who were able to play ball this summer. It was a sacrifice for families to get their children to various practices and game sites. Because local men, Coach Chad Rouse and assistant coaches, Tyler Rouse, Preston Courkamp and Chance Fowler, cared, the following boys could play on the 16U team: Dante Sierra, Brandon Lening, A. J. Vasquez, and Zach Fowler. Mason Sierra was the bat boy.

Locals missed the bicyclists who have traveled the Route 76 Bicycle through Kiowa County since 1976. We miss visiting with cyclists in the stores, the cafes, and parks along the way. I met and entertained many interesting people through the years. Maybe next year life will return to our normal for tourist travel.

When we went to Colorado Springs last week, we saw a terrible wreck of two semi-trucks just west of Kit Carson near the Johnson and McNeely ranches. It was also near where that horrible crash occurred of two vehicles when eight people died this summer. Officer Mike Buchanan said that so often, “people are in such a hurry.”

Nadine Gaynor has taken some really interesting photos of the progress of tearing down the old Kit Carson School and building the new school, which looks so big! Her photo of Coach Trahern in the broken remains of the gym was heart touching. He was, and is, a fine coach and highly respected in the Kit Carson community.

Itzi Ramirez and I had a 4-H field trip to Cindy McLoud’s Treasure Shop to see how she screen paints t-shirts in her shop. Her son, Bill, is the artist for her designs that promote southeast Colorado. The shirts are especially flattering to women. 

God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her.