Once again, Mother Nature has smiled on Rutland and vicinity.  Starting in on the last 5 weeks of winter, she has given us daytime temperatures flirting with the 40 degree mark; (and that’s 40 degrees above Zero, not below) gentle breezes, sunshine and ice free roads.  The question is: Are we still in North Dakota?  It appears that those who took flight last Fall in order to avoid the rigors of a North Dakota Winter, have dodged a bullet that wasn’t aimed at them, or, at least hasn’t been fired yet.  Next week’s forecast calls for snow across the Dakotas, and that isn’t all bad, either, as we are now nearing the end of the 6^th month of a drought that started last August.  At this point, a little moisture would be a good thing.  The perpetual worriers at The Round Table have expressed their concern that a continued drought won’t be good for crop production in 2012, and, of course, they are correct.  The optimists at the Round Table point out to their pessimistic friends, however, that every day it does not rain is one day closer to the day that it will, and, of course, they are correct, too.  By this time next year we should have some idea as to how 2012 turned out.  Stay tuned.

Mike & Diane Kulzer have been vacationing at their time share apartment in Las Vegas since Saturday, February 4.  Norbert Kulzer has been in charge at Kulzer Feed & Seed during Mike’s absence, and reports that the action at the elevator has been brisk, with several semi loads of corn and soybean seed arriving ahead of Spring planting.  In addition to his other duties, Norbert also presides over the morning gathering of the Wise Men at the elevator office.  That gathering is very similar to the afternoon gathering of the Assembled Wise Men at The Rutland General Store, except that it is accomplished without the Round Table.

Rutland Sportsmen’s Club held its February meeting on the evening of Thursday, February 9, in the dining room of the Lariat Bar.  Preparations for the Club’s annual Northern Pike Fish Fry, coming up on Friday, March 2, was the primary topic of discussion.  Fish fry tickets, 550 of them, were distributed to members.  At 12.50, the price of a ticket is unchanged from last year.  This event is always sold out, so, if you want tickets, get ‘em quick!

The American Legion pancake & sausage breakfast held at the Rutland Town Hall last Sunday, February 12, served 230 diners, based on the number of plates washed by the members of the dishwashing crew, who counted them carefully.  The ladies of the local American Legion Auxiliary held a bake sale in conjunction with the breakfast, and sold out down to the last cookie crumb, reports Auxiliary member Joan Lee.  Post Commander Larry Christensen expressed his thanks to everyone who turned out for the event, a fund-raiser to support the Post’s activities in the community.  Auxiliary president Sonja Christensen also thanked all those who patronized the bake sale for their support.

Bev Brummond of Havana stopped in at the Rutland Town Hall for pancakes last Sunday, accompanied by her spouse, The Sage of Weber Township, Jack Brummond.  Jack stated that he has to read The Teller every week just to find out what he has been saying and doing during his visits in Rutland.

Larry Christensen was in Fargo for cataract removal surgery on Monday, February 13.  He Reported an immediate improvement in visual clarity and acuity.  He intends to repeat the process on his other eye next month.

Rutland Community Club held its regular monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 13, in the Rutland Town Hall.  President Paul Anderson reported receipt of a $1,000.00 donation from the organizers of the Rudy Anderson Memorial Pinochle Tournament, plus income of $509.00 from the dinner and lunches served to tournament participants by the Community Club.  Club members present allocated expenditure of up to $8,000.00 for additional improvements to be made to the Town Hall, including the installation of new doors, remodeling the current coatroom for use as storage for chair racks, and painting the interior of the Hall.  Members also authorized Uffda Day 2012 chairperson Lori McLaen to book the bagpipe band from Aberdeen for the Uffda Day Parade that will be held on the first Sunday in October.  The Rutland Community Club’s Annual supper and play will be presented on the evening of Friday, March 16.  This year, the play is a musical entitled Lucky Dollar, Private Eye, that follows the exploits of a hapless LA private investigator on his first case in 2 years.  Director Diane Smith has assembled an all-star cast that includes: Peder Gulleson; Carolyn Christensen; Rachel Olson; Taylor Wyum; Vaughan Rohrbach; Tom Manley; Marcia Brakke; Hailey Hamilton; Ben Durbin; Kylie Hambeck; Kyle Pherson; Pam Maloney; Kean McGibbon; Jeanne Leinen; Debbie Banish; Claire Brakke; Mike Wyum; Andrea Erickson; and, Kathy Wyum.  The price for advance tickets for the supper and play will be the same as last year, $12.00.

The Two Amigos, sisters Gretchen Vann & Debbie Liermark returned to Rutland from a mid-winter vacation trip to Mexico on the morning of Monday, February 13.  Debbie reports that they enjoyed their 9 day stay, but the cold that Gretchen had when they headed south turned into pneumonia on their return, so she extended her vacation with a Valentine’s Day trip via ambulance to the Breckenridge Hospital for additional treatment.

Also on the sick list this week is Edith Malpert.  Edith has been a patient in the Oakes Hospital since January 12, battling a stubborn leg infection.  Husband Otto reports that, after 5 weeks, Edith is on the verge of becoming an impatient patient.

Sixty-two diners enjoyed the Valentines Day gourmet dinner served on the evening of Tuesday, February 14, at The Rutland General Store.  On the menu were the following: appetizer of deep fried ravioli in alfredo sauce; appetizer of toast points with goat cheese & mango salsa; Zuppa Toscana soup; apple, pear, craisin salad on Romaine lettuce; steak tips with crab topped walleye & baby red potatoes; dessert of blended strawberry beverage & chocolate rimmed glass; and, dessert of chocolate/strawberry cake with French vanilla ice cream & dark chocolate fudge.  A team of mathematicians is still working on the calorie count.  The cooking and serving staff included: Debbie Liermark; Sarah Marquette; Nick Hajek; Rachelle Marquette; Klaas Vanderwolf; Toni Hajek; Julie Gebhardt; and, Margie Johnson.  All agreed that the evening was a terrific dining experience.  Valentine’s Day sweethearts could also dine at the Lariat Bar,  where Shrimp scampi; flat iron steak; torsk; and T-bone steaks; were the featured specialties on the menu.  Whether you are looking for a romantic night on the town, or a hearty meal after a hard day’s work,Rutland’s Main Street is the place to go.

Don Zirnhelt drove over from Forman on Wednesday morning, February 15, and stopped in at the Rutland Café for coffee and conversation.  Don states that, in his 87, nearly 88, years, he does not remember a winter that has been as nice for as long as has this one.  Don is looking forward to making another tractor tour with the members of the local antique tractor club this coming Summer.

El Zagal Viking Shrine Club member Bruce Stevens of Gwinner was in Rutland on the morning of Wednesday, February 15, promoting the upcoming El Zagal Shrine Circus and soliciting contributions to provide free circus tickets to children.  Bruce reports that the Shrine Circus, complete with lions, tigers, elephants and everything else that makes a circus the greatest show on earth, will be performing on March 22, 23 & 24 at the Fargo Dome in Fargo.  Shrine Clubs support the treatment and rehabilitation of crippled children in hospitals and rehabilitation centers across the nation, a noble cause, for sure, and one that is worthy of your support.

Meanwhile, on the national scene, on Monday, February 13, President Obama presented his proposed 2013 Budget to the Congress, where it was greeted with more than the usual amount of hypocrisy.  The proposed budget trims $400 billion from the national deficit in 2013, and $4 trillion over the next 10 years, but for the GOP, at least, those numbers are, simultaneously, too much and not enough.  The differences are primarily over priorities, with the Republicans placing the protection of concentrations of wealth as their highest priority, and the President placing enhanced opportunities for America’s middle class families and individuals at the top of his list.  The contrast is stark in North Dakota, where the 2 GOP members of the State’s Congressional delegation, Rep. Rick Berg and Sen. John Hoeven condemn the President’s budget both for the fact that it provides $5 million, rather than the requested $30 million for the Fargo Flood Diversion Project, and for the fact that the budget still projects a $900 billion deficit for 2013.  At the same time, North Dakota’s Treasury is bulging with $2 billion in surplus funds which the State’s GOP controlled Legislature won’t allocate, even to protect the State’s largest city.  In effect, North Dakota’s current GOP Congressman and Senator want the Federal Government to go further into debt to pay for a project to protect property in North Dakota while, at the same time, North Dakota’s Republican Governor and Republican controlled Legislature  are hoarding the State’s own surplus revenue while begging for Federal handouts.  And these are the guys we have sent to Washington to make our laws!  The question we have to ask is: Are they crazy for simultaneously advocating the contradictory positions of lower taxes, higher spending, bigger deficits and less debt; or, are we crazy for electing them in the first place?  Back in the bad old days in Vietnam, a sign hung over a First Sergeant’s desk that read, “When you are in the insane asylum, being sane is not normal.”  Maybe it’s time that we thought about making sanity normal again, both in Washington and in Bismarck.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week.  For additional information about what’s happening in “The Pride Of The Prairie,” check out the community’s Internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com, and stop by the Rutland blog and Facebook pages while you’re at it, too.  Remember to keep the pressure on North Dakota’s Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE!  Later.