Behind the Lines: by David Heiller

David Heiller My column last week on poison ivy brought a few comments. First Bob Dubois of Askov called to say that he uses Mylanta on poison ivy to great effect. He can also take a slug of it after he reads the Askov American. Phil Diers of Willow River swears by Fels Naptha as a treatment for poison ivy. He found a few dusty bars of it, vintage 1970, at the Willow River Mercantile, and washed with it, and it seemed to keep the P.I. at bay. Plus it gave Phil a much needed scrubbing. Just kidding, Phil! Harold Blatz of Willow River told me that he used bleach on some poison ivy. It worked one time, and didn’t work another time, but it sure whitened his legs. My poison ivy discussion got me to thinking that poison ivy season is just one of many mini-seasons of summer. There is also mosquito season, and wood tick season, and sun burn season, all of which fall on the same side of the scale as P.I. season. But other mini-seasons are much more pleasant. Biking season, always one of my ...

David Heiller How I Spent My Summer Vacation Those six words can send English teachers cringing under their desks. Newspaper readers may likewise cancel their subscriptions as they watch witty editors fall on their faces trying to be creative. But hold on, don’t wrap those fish heads with this page yet, please. Because I’m sincerely asking myself “How did I spend my summer vacation?” What David wasn't able to do this particular vacation. I asked the question Monday morning of this week, as I stood in the kitchen making my lunch. I had spent the past week “on vacation” at home. “Gee, this was a good vacation, huh Cindy?” I said in a tone that sought affirmation. “Uh huh,” she answered, with neutrality. “I got a lot done, didn’t I,” I continued in the same voice. “Uh huh,” she answered. Some people measure vacations by number of fish caught, or tone of suntan, or monuments visited. I gauge mine by amount of work accomplished on our old farmstead. “Yeah, I ...