Letter Perfect: A Tribute to Bill Snyder

 

NOTE: This is a repost of a post I wrote in 2015. As Bill Snyder announced his retirement yesterday, I want to join the multitude of K-State fans wishing him well in this second round of retirement. Yesterday on Twitter, Brent posted this photo I took back in 1998. Here's what he had to say:

My wardrobe from 1996-99 pretty much consisted of a rotation of like 20 K-State football t-shirts. Some of the best memories of my childhood were thanks to Bill Snyder and for that I will forever be grateful. #ThanksCoachSnyder

This Mom echoes that thanks, Coach!

I sent K-State football coach Bill Snyder a handwritten note a few weeks ago, congratulating him on his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. My favorite part of the national football championship was watching Coach Snyder walk onto the field during the coin toss.

I made my own notecard, using a photo I'd taken at the K-State-Auburn football this past September. I hand-printed my congratulations because he has done the same for so many people.

I didn't expect to receive a letter back. But I got one anyway.

In it, he apologizes that he didn't hand-print the letter himself. He got so many congratulatory notes that he responded via a typewritten letter. But he says he read each and every one. I believe him. He's that kind of guy.

I was a student at K-State in the late 1970s. Attending football games was a lesson in futility. I always went because I grew up a K-State sports fan. But I sure didn't have to fight for elbow room. Our football program was in the cellar of the college football rankings. 

Week after week, we'd make the trek across campus from the Derby dorm complex and sit in the stands. Despite our chants to "Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up! K-S-U," it was our football team who was getting chewed up and spit out on the field week after week.

Bill Snyder was hired in 1988 and has been called "the architect of the greatest turn around in college football history." The Wildcat program was in the midst of an 0-26-1 run when he was hired and had been to just one bowl game in its first 93 seasons. He took the worst college football program in the nation to a perennial top-25 contender.

He's a five-time national Coach of the Year honoree and a seven-time conference Coach of the Year recipient. He's coached the Wildcats to 19 bowl games and two Big 12 championships. He's compiled a 215–117–1 record in his 27 seasons as K-State head coach (updated to reflect current record).

Impressive? Sure. I love cheering for a winning football team after so many years of drought. But what's most impressive to me is Bill Snyder, the human being.

Every so often, an athlete from a competing school posts a handwritten Coach Snyder note to Facebook or Twitter. Sometimes, it's an athlete hurt in a game vs. K-State. Sometimes, it's a player who has achieved something special on the football field. Every time I see one of those notes, I think about how blessed K-State is to have Coach Snyder at the helm of its football program.

Brent & his friend, Scott, at a 1998 football game, waiting on the team in the north end zone.

Brent was born in 1988 and has been a big, big, big fan of Bill Snyder his whole life. For many of those years, we sat in the north end zone during football season. Coach Snyder and his team would walk right by us on the way to the locker room. It was a thrill for our biggest little K-State fan.

My folks with their seven grandkids - now all K-State graduates!

Snyder posters and quotes dominated the decor in his childhood room. Then, Coach Snyder sent Brent a letter. Brent won a national award while working for K-State Sports Information as a student intern, and Coach Snyder congratulated him. Brent framed the letter, and it has hung on the walls of his home, be it in South Carolina, Kentucky and back to Manhattan. It's one of his prized possessions.

One of Brent's MANY K-State football t-shirts

I didn't think I could like Coach Snyder more than I already did, but when you encourage one of my kids? Yep, I liked him even more. And it made me think about the ways I could and should encourage others who touch my life in a positive way.

A few years ago, Coach Snyder came up with 16 goals for his football team:

• Commitment
• Unselfishness
• Unity
• Improve every day
• Toughness
• Self-discipline
• Great effort
• Enthusiasm 
• Eliminate mistakes
• Never give up
• Don't accept losing
• No self-limitations
• Expect to win
• Consistency
• Leadership
• Responsibility

Snyder believes the 16 goals are not only critical to success on the field, but also in everyday life. Once someone has dedicated themselves to doing things the right way, their chance of success in any field is dramatically increased. - See more at: http://www.kstatesports.com/16goals/#sthash.HUZ7JLbh.dpuf

Snyder believes the 16 goals are not only critical to success on the field, but also in everyday life. (More details about the goals can be found here.)

Yes, it's great to win football games. It's even better to have a coach who teaches these principles the football players will carry long after they quit tossing around the pigskin. The rest of us should pay attention, too. 

I'm proud to be part of the K-State family.

Thanks, Coach!

As it turned out, Randy & I made it to the end of Coach Snyder's final appearance as head coach. It was darn cold, but I'm glad I stuck it out to the very end.

November 17, 2018 - Bill Snyder Family Stadium vs. Texas Tech (a win)!

Let's Talk Turkey: A Fun Holiday Salad

It's been Camp Grandma and Grandpa at the County Line this week. With cattle to feed and move, Thanksgiving rolls to prepare and cats to pet ... just to name a few ..., there is no time for lengthy blog posts. But I thought this one was worth sharing before Thanksgiving, if you are looking for a way for the kids to help make your holiday table festive.

Kinley and Brooke loved putting these healthy salads together yesterday for dinner. And Great Grandpa and Grandma Moore even knew what we made without giving them any hints.

Gobble Me Up Thanksgiving Salad

From Family Fun

Apple
Orange or clementine
Bosc pear
Peanut butter or cream cheese
Mini chocolate chips
Cashews
Dried cranberry
Stick pretzels or dried apricot (see directions for explanation)

Cut apples and pears, taking out cores. Dip into a lemon-water mixture to help prevent browning. Separate orange or clementine sections.

Arrange the apple and orange slices to resemble turkey feathers. Lay a cored pear half on top, cut side down.

Use a dab of peanut butter or softened cream cheese to attach mini chocolate chip eyes, a cashew beak and a dried cranberry snood.

For turkey feet: The original directions call for using a dried apricot. Use scissors to halve a dried apricot, then snip small triangles from each half and tuck them under the pear to form the feet.

However, my dried apricots were past their prime. So we broke stick pretzels in half and placed them under the pear.

Happy Thanksgiving from The County Line! I'll be back soon ... after I recover from a week of cattle tasks, followed by a week of Grandma time. It's the perfect definition of highs and lows. I'll bet you can guess which was which! 

Blessings to all!

There's No Business Like "Snow" Business

Sing along now:

There's snow business

Like snow business

Like snow business, I know!

This amalgamation of the Irving Berlin tune rattled around in my head like the trailer rattled over snowy roads yesterday morning.

Our earlier rains - 14 inches in a month - and the recent snows have slowed the timing of our annual ritual of moving cattle home from summer pastures. But we moved a group of 25 mamas to the pasture south of our house Monday morning.

Last Friday, we had a brisk morning for a visit from Dr. Figger as he preg-checked and vaccinated the 26 cows. (One was open - or not pregnant - so she had a chauffeur-escorted drive to the sale barn Monday afternoon.)

 Thankfully, we have a little windbreak at the cattle-working chute, and the job didn't take too long.

Hey, 696! Your eartag ruined my perfect line of sparkling snow.

Aw, well! I must remember my priorities!

However,  between running cattle up the lane, I took photos.

It kept my mind off my freezing fingers and toes.

The bulls probably wondered why they were arriving at this snow-covered pasture.  But, never fear: A big bale of hay had already been delivered for their rural Meals on Wheels.

And the surroundings were pretty spectacular.

I guess I wasn't too cold.

 

I wondered around the yard taking more photos after Randy dropped me off both Friday and after we moved the group Monday morning.

Ice on those remaining fall leaves was like icing on a decorated cake.

Even those leaves that had given up their hold on the branches were beautiful underfoot.

You'd think I would have had enough of the cold. But we braved frigid temperatures and an 11 AM start of the K-State vs. KU football game on Saturday.

It took me until we got to Hutchinson (2 hours after our departure) to thaw out! So I guess I really can't complain about the cold this morning as we gather pairs at the Ninnescah Pasture, then sort them and bring them home. Right? I'll try and remember that! It's going to be a long day, I'm afraid!

Leave a Light On: A Veterans Day Story

At Stafford United Methodist Church yesterday, the bells rang out at 11 AM - the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. One hundred years ago, bells had tolled to signal the end of World War I and the signing of the Armistice between the Allied Forces and Germany.

Photo by Arlene Lickiss

I had goosebump on top of goosebump as veteran Clayton Grimmett carried the flag to the front of the sanctuary and our congregation repeated the Pledge of Allegiance.

The goosebumps didn't quit when Pastor Nathan Gift shared this story during our tribute to veterans:

The sacrifices of our veterans are manifold. They sacrifice when they sign their name, raise their right hand and don their uniform. They sacrifice by the hardships they face from weather, sometimes lack of food and sleep while on duty. They sacrifice through traumatic experiences in battle. They sacrifice when they return home physically, mentally and emotionally. They sacrifice when their friends die in front of their eyes. They sacrifice when they lay their own lives down while fighting foreign and domestic enemies of our nation. Their families sacrifice on as many levels.

         Romans 13:7—Give to everyone what you owe them…if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 

     John 15:12-13—My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

                Today marks the 100^th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended WWI. But we remember all our veterans today.

Last night a stranger I’d never met, a veteran, stopped by the parsonage. He just wanted to talk. You know, we have no idea what our veterans go through, how sudden sounds and movements affect them. Their nightmares and mental illness. The pain of loss. And especially how our Vietnam veterans were abused after returning home.

This gentleman who came by last night, told me of one night in the year 2000 when he had intended to take his own life. But looking for some kind of hope, he walked up the steps of our Stafford church. He then rattled the locked doors unsuccessfully and sat down.

In complete despair, he remembered the poem Footprints in the Sand. He recited it as best he remembered. As he finished, the light above him turned on. He couldn’t believe it. He was in awe. But then he felt two arms reach around him and squeeze him in a warm embrace. At that moment he was overcome with tears and an indescribable sense of peace, and his despair faded. He went home and locked his weapon away and never took it out again.

Our world can be ugly, evil and deadly. It doesn’t seem fair, but it is what it is. It’s important to know that no matter how bad the world may seem, if you want hope, God is always there to give it to you. Whenever you see a church with a light on, remember that.

The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave

On this 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I, I'm republishing one of my blog posts about Randy's dad, Melvin, and his service in Korea. On this Veterans Day, I'd also like to thank the families left behind for their sacrifices while their loved ones are protecting all of us.

C. Melvin Fritzemeier, 10th Infantry Division, U.S. Army

My late father-in-law, C. Melvin Fritzemeier, served in the U.S. Army following the Korean War. He didn't talk about his service with me. But on this Veterans Day, I wanted to pay tribute to him and others who have faithfully served our country during wartime and times of peace.

Maybe I just needed to take him on a road trip by Fort Riley. As a kid, Randy remembers hearing "war stories" in the back seat as his Dad drove by the fort, where he had trained before being shipped out to Korea. 

C. Melvin Fritzemeier in uniform; upper right, Camp Casey, Korea, 11-Sept.-54, Saturday night was on the back of this photo; lower left photo was not captioned; lower right, caption says, "Ready to ship out to Korea from Fort Lewis, Washington."

Not long ago, I was digging for photos and came across several from Melvin's military service. After Randy's folks died, we cleaned out their farmhouse. By the end, we were all tired of sorting, so we ended up putting family photos in plastic tubs. We got elected to be the repository for all the tubs. 

Also in the box was this Indianhead insignia, the symbol for the Army's Second Division since October 1917 at Bourmont, Haute-Marne, France, from troops in World War II. The color markings (red, white, and blue) used to identify the division and their equipment in France were chosen  by the commander of the division as the colors for this insignia.  The star and Indian head signify the American origin of the division.

 Melvin was drafted three months after the Korean War officially ended. He served as a truck driver. Randy says he talked about sleeping outside in tents.

Melvin often told a story about Army food. He would never eat dried beef gravy after serving in the Army. He also never touched fruit cocktail. Randy says that he and a buddy each ate a gallon of fruit cocktail that they'd cooled in a nearby stream. He ate so much of it that he never wanted it again. 

As is the case today, servicemen and women leave behind their families as they go to serve their country. I found several little yellow books of photos, which Marie must have sent to Melvin overseas. Marie stayed with her mother in Stafford while Melvin served, and she worked at the Farmers National Bank until he returned and they moved to the farm.

Melvin served two years. By the time he returned to Stafford, he had traded his Private 2nd Class stripes for a Corporal designation.

On this Veterans Day, I'd like to thank all the veterans for their service. Our little community of Stafford has a number of young men and women who have served in the Armed Forces. I thank them for keeping America strong, and I thank their families for the sacrifice of being apart from their loved ones, often in dangerous places. 

This nation will remain the land of the free 

only so long as it is the home of the brave.

  ~Elmer Davis

'Tis the Season for Cranberry!

'Tis the season for fresh cranberries. The tiny fruit packs a punch of tart and flavorful goodness and just tastes like Thanksgiving and the fall, doesn't it? During this time of year when cranberries are on sale and abundant, I always stash extra bags in my freezer. In fact, I bought four bags of them last night at my hometown grocery store!

Before the South Central Community Foundation awards night, I found a new way to use these colorful bursts of flavor - Frosted Cranberry Drop Cookies. I used frozen cranberries because I find it easier and less messy to chop the frozen variety using a food processor.

 

These are soft, moist cookies - more cake-like than crisp. The yummy Brown Butter Frosting enforces that cake-like reputation. And speaking of brown butter! Yes, it deserves an exclamation point. I've seen other recipes where brown butter was called for, and I thought, "Surely, it doesn't make that much of a difference." Simply put: I was wrong. It adds a whole other dimension to the frosting and is the perfect accompaniment to this flavorful cookie.

If you'd like to reinforce the orange flavor, you could add a bit of orange zest to the batter. 

For the cookie platter, I decorated the frosted cookies with dried cranberries on some and walnuts on others (see the photo at the top). This "dresses up" the finished cookie, making it fancy enough for holiday trays. Holiday sprinkles would also add a festive touch. I highly recommend them for your Thanksgiving or Christmas get-togethers. Or they'd make a perfect gift from your kitchen this holiday season.

Frosted Cranberry Drop Cookies

From Taste of Home

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 tbsp. orange juice
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
Brown Butter Frosting
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 to 4 tbsp. hot water or milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add milk, egg and orange juice; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries and nuts.

Use cookie scoop and put 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool and then frost. (My cookie scoop size made 3.5 dozen cookies.)

Frosting:
Heat butter in a saucepan over low heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes; transfer to small bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency. Frost the cookies.

Nature in All Its Glory

How beautifully leaves grow old.

How full of light and color 

are their last days.
~John Burroughs

There's probably a lesson there, isn't there? Cold gusts will send more leaves crashing from their perch this week. Leaves dance their way to their inevitable end, whether it's crushed underfoot or crowded into overstuffed plastic bags.

As I age, do I focus on the aches and pains? Am I consumed with perceived slights? Do I get set in my ways? Do I resist change?

A change of perspective often helps us see things in a different light. Last week, I was coming home from Manhattan after a fun Halloween evening with the girls. 

I so enjoyed my time with my little trick or treaters - a 4-year-old bumblebee named Brooke and a 6-year-old witch named Kinley. (Kinley insisted that she was a good witch - not a bad one.)

However, I was not looking forward to the doctor's appointment scheduled for the next day in Hutchinson. After getting Kinley on the bus, I drove back to Hutchinson and had some time before my appointment. So I switched my dress shoes for tennis shoes so I could walk the paths of Dillon Nature Center.

If ever there was a natural blood pressure reliever, it has to be Dillon Nature Center on a beautiful fall morning.

Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.
--Naturalist John Muir

During this month of Thanksgiving, Lord, open my eyes to the light, the color and my blessings that would fill more sacks than the autumn leaves.

 

A few days ago, I walked along the edge of the lake
and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves
with each step I made.
The acoustics of this season are different,
and all sounds, no matter how hushed,
are as crisp as autumn air.

                                                         --Eric Sloane

Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.
William Cullen Bryant

falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
John Bailey
Autumn, A Haiku Year.

Autumn wins you best by this, 
its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay.
Robert Browning

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.
Elizabeth Lawrence

Thank you, Lord, for autumn!