I see in the paper where there is some concern about the many Iowa and Minnesota fishermen bringing the virus into South Dakota. If this issue were up to me, I would say let them come so long as they maintain social distancing and spend the nights in their motorhomes or campers.

We are taking this “stay home” directive seriously. We are limiting our outside activities to daily hikes away from other people along with some careful fishing on my part, and we are having groceries delivered to our vehicle. We are avoiding the post office as we now have a mailbox at our curb. I’m doing some gardening – something I haven’t done for a long time. Betsy is maintaining her sanity by reading, and I am reading and writing. Your library will probably find creative ways to get a book to you.

Because we live here, most readers are knowledgeable about our state’s history, Lewis & Clark, the gold rush in the Black Hills, and the early settlers. For me personally, I lacked insight into what was known as the Northwest Territory at the time of our newly gained independence in 1776.

I recently finished reading The Pioneers by David McCullough, a most interesting read. At the end of The Revolutionary War, England signed the Paris Treaty. The year was 1783. In this treaty, England ceded the Northwest Territory to the newly formed United States of America which included what was to be Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Shortly thereafter a courageous group of New Englanders set out to explore and establish what was to become the city of Marietta, Ohio at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers.

The typical family included 6-10 children, and wives were sometimes lost at childbirth. Losing children to small pox, diphtheria, or cholera was common. I haven’t mentioned hostile Indians, but atrocities occurred on both sides.

What did they experience for wildlife? The forest was dense, and the task of clearing trees was nearly insurmountable, but the soil was rich beyond their comprehension. Black bears, deer, cougars, and turkeys were thick. It was said that a hunter, armed only with a flintlock musket, could account for a dozen deer in a single day. Turkey and venison, as well as bear was always on the daily menu. Catfish up to 80 pounds were commonplace, and the book spoke of hundred-pound pike. I’d like to know what species was called a pike. Their early corn stood 14 feet high and yielded 40 bushels to the acre.

These forefathers of Ohio championed freedom of religion, education, and an intolerance of slavery, and they fought bitter political battles to maintain all three. The book also gives us a look into the lives of both George and Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Aaron Burr. Take the time to read this book. With both reading and writing, we can make good use of the idle time that the Coronavirus has provided.

The other day while Betsy and I were on our daily hike, Francis, a good friend, pulled up to the curb in his pickup. We conversed while maintaining a safe distance. Francis told us that he was doing some writing about Wagner and his friends who have since passed on. He didn’t intend to publish his work, but he wanted something he could pass on to his children. He now had the time – something he would never have done if it weren’t for this virus shutdown. What a great idea!

Writing is something all of us can do. Perhaps we could jot down some memories of our youth that will someday be priceless to our children. Both my maternal and paternal grandfathers were gone before I was born, but I did have both great grandfathers. Though I was old enough at six and twelve to quiz them about their youth, I lacked the wisdom to do so. Today I have questions I’d like to ask my father, but he I gone. You might consider making some videos. Don’t make the same mistake I made.

Fortunately, the virus can’t be transmitted through telephone or internet. I recently had a phone call from Jim from Corsica. A while back I wrote about my beloved dog joining a pack and killing sheep at night. I questioned whether or not sheep killing pets needed to be put down. Jim said that I had no choice. He said a neighbor once questioned him about why he, Jim, had to shoot his dog. Jim showed him where wool had lodged between the dog’s teeth. I guess you’d call that forensic evidence.

See you next week.