Columns

It’s interesting how the seasons take on different meanings and priorities throughout the various stages of one’s life. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I looked forward to the final school bell ringing, signaling the end of the year and the beginning of summer vacation. In my younger years, that meant evenings playing hide and seek with my younger brothers and most of the kids in our neighborhood. My parents loved to camp, and in the summer we would frequently pack up the tents, boxes of food, and a dog or two, and head for a campground.

A little house with three bedrooms and one car on the street, A mower that you had to push to make the grass look neat. In the kitchen on the wall, we only had one phone, And no need for recording things - someone was always home.

I talk a lot about birds. Why? Because I like birds. There are a lot of different kinds, and birding is one of the most popular extra-curricular activities for adults. One out of three Americans list birding as a hobby. Also, birding has been a popular activity for a long time. Here is an example.

The 109th session of the Nebraska Legislature adjourned Sine Die on Monday, June 2. There are many things I can reflect on but this week I want to focus on one particular theme of controversy this year; “the will of the people”, specifically related to ballot initiatives. This session we debated proposed changes to three specific ballot initiatives; paid sick leave, minimum wage, and medical marijuana. As a constitutional Republic, the “will of the people” can and is exercised in four specific ways: 1. We vote for representatives, not only in the Legislature but on a variety of boards such as County Commissioner, school boards, NRD boards, City Councils and much more. We vote for the person we believe will best represent our values and beliefs but most importantly, the person who we believe will uphold the Constitution of both Nebraska and the United States.

Sometimes I feel totally exhausted from all the noise and distractions of our world. Does anyone else feel that way? May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and though the month may be over, I think it is important to make our mental health a priority every month!

Remember going to the store and shopping casually, And when you went to pay for it, you used your own money? Nothing that you had to swipe or punch in some amount, Remember when the cashier person had to really count? There was time when mailed letters came right to your door, Without a lot of junk mail ads sent out by every store. The mailman knew each house by name and knew where it was sent, There was not loads of mail addressed to “present occupant”.

I was reading a book about the Pony Express and enjoying it very much right up to the point where it talked about the race between the eastbound and westbound riders to see who, during the very first mail run, would get to the midpoint across the western United States first. According to the book, the westbound riders were three hours behind schedule when they got to the Midway Station located south of present day Gothenburg.

This week wraps up our final full week of legislative debate. Many have asked about my experience as a new senator, and while I’ll share more in future newsletters, I wanted to offer a few reflections here.

The weather this past Memorial Day weekend certainly did not provide ideal conditions for the typical picnics and family barbecues that one associates with the traditional kick-off of summer weekend. Many families likely found themselves spending their time indoors watching movies or playing board games, maybe even with the fireplace on to escape the chilly and damp days. We certainly are not going to complain about the rain though!

“Lemon Pickers Needed” - ad in the newspaper. Ms.