This could turn out to be one of our favorite photos of 2014, for several reasons.
First, it's not taken in Bluffton.
Instead, we undertand its expatriate Rick Ramseyer at his home in the state of Maine. The story we understand is that 10 inches of snow plus lots of wind took place earlier this month - in Rick's backyard.
So, here he is attempting to fight a major Nor'Easter. There's lots more to this story, but you must ask Dick or Elfrieda for details.
Merry Christmas, Rick, from all of us at The Icon!
If you need a Christmas tree decorated, call Larry Kinn. The Icon found Larry stringing lights on this tree in Common Grounds on Monday, at the request of Phil Zimmerly.
Although quite modest, Larry admits to some interesting tree decorating projects in his long career. We don't know truth from falsehood here, but bear with us for a moment.
Once upon a time there stood a Christmas tree atop Salzman Stadium. It was Larry's pet project. Knowing, however, the temptation of college boys when the tree was erected, well, it soon disappeared.
Somewhere in a collection of family photos is a 1920 snapshot of my Hahn grandparents, Bertha and Fred, standing in front of their home at 216 W. Elm St., Bluffton.
I know it was 1920 because taped to the window behind them was a Harding for president poster. I never felt the significance of the snapshot until election day 2014. It was then when I recalled a brief notation in my grandmother’s diary. It read: “I went to vote and Margaret and Florence went with me. Margaret is one year old, Nov. 2, 1915.”
"Vie geits! Dasz ish zum eina anderes Fogel singen."
Naturally, you all know that I just now said: "How goes it! There once was yet another bird." (This means that either things are changing or bad weather is approaching.)
Whatever its meaning all Icon viewers - of Swiss descent or otherwise are invited to come speak the Swiss dialect at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4, in the Family Room at Maple Crest, Bluffton.
