Henry David Thoreau once complained that whenever one person met another person, they always asked, “What’s the news?”

He couldn’t understand why, as the news was full of nothing but the sinking of ships, wars, burning of barns and the affairs of people in far away places. Once you have read or heard about one, they are all pretty much the same and therefore you really don’t need to hear about the next one.

I can’t say he’s wrong.

Think about what’s in the headlines: the economy, the war, the president, someone being convicted of a heinous crime, car crashes, drugs, Brett Favre and someone saying they are going to do something about something that someone else never did.

Six months ago, with the exception of Favre, the news was of the economy, the war, the president, someone being convicted of a heinous crime, car crashes, drugs and someone saying they are going to do something about something that someone else never did. It is pretty much the same crap but a different day; oh, wait, the Favre soap opera continues doesn’t it? It is the same and usually bad.

Thoreau speculated that real news is something that is unique and personal like the early arrival of my nephew Chris’ new daughter. His wife Tonya had a little girl about a month early on Saturday. Mother and daughter are doing fine. Congratulations kids! Our mom’s are out of the hospital and doing well. There was a fish fry in Burton to honor the soon-to-be-birth of Jessie and Hillary’s baby. (They had Bill Hauk’s famous fried catfish, meatballs, cheesy potatoes and lots of desserts.)

The humming birds and Baltimore orioles have arrived. The Brewers are on top of the division by two games! It was 30 degrees with frost on Sunday in Proksch Coulee on May 17! Brrr, but good; perhaps Mother Nature has it out of her system and we can set about the business of real spring.

I hope to finish dealing with the weeds in our yard, get my tractor running and wash the cars today. I should probably get our garden tilled and fertilized. We have some landscaping that needs tending, as well. Perhaps it will warm up enough for some of that.

Of course there is always mushroom hunting. I suppose it wouldn’t be news if I chucked it all and went fishing. Ah, priorities.

I talked to Leanne Frostiak at Keystone Lodge up in Ontario the other night. They were opening this weekend with lots still to do. She said the ice was out, but that they were expecting snow. She also said that they had 15 cancellations in two days due to the economy. We aren’t one of them.

It is not news that I plan a fishing trip to Shell Lake in early June, a fishing trip to Canada in mid-June, a fishing trip to Jag Lake in July and a “vacation” trip to Colorado in August. I know, it’s a wonder anything gets done at home with all of this running around, but all the running around sure makes one appreciate being home, so they have a symbiotic relationship.

I’d better get my dog out and check the asparagus to see if it is ready for the freezer, and get the Sunday paper so I can read what I already know.

Until next time, get out...

A friend said to me that it’ll be great having Brett Favre with Minnesota. Yup, we Packer fans have always loved watching Favre complete passes to Packers and no doubt if he dons purple, he will again n at two games a season.

Enjoy.