19 Comments

When I was very young I would read your dad’s column and also one from Elizabeth Clarkson Zwart. Enjoyed yours as well when you wrote for the Register. Feels like a homecoming.

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Thanks so much!

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Feb 22, 2021Liked by Julie Gammack

Thank you for the onboarding email. We’re good. Your John Denver column was my first experience of your Potluck and you hooked me! I look forward to reading your future postings.

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Welcome!

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We're good!!! We love these columns, Julie. (Richard's as well!). On any given day, your words bring back memories, make us smile and laugh, and, the best part, they challenge us to think!! Thank you.

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Awesome!

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Feb 17, 2021Liked by Julie Gammack

Great to see your columns! Can't wait until we can potluck in person!

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Yes!

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Feb 17, 2021Liked by Julie Gammack

Yes, Good with a capital G!!

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Feb 17, 2021Liked by Julie Gammack

Love starting my day with your words!

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We are good. Nice to see this column. When I was a very young man I was the News Editor at the Laurens Sun newspaper in Laurens, IA. I grew up reading the columns of Bill Maurer in the Laurens Sun who eventually made a career for himself at the Des Moines Register. Also a college friend was Ken Pins (RIP Ken), a former Register Washington Bureau reporter. I only mention this because you may have crossed paths with these two at some point and I am always interested in connections and synchronicity. At any rate, I truly enjoyed the piece on John Denver. My niece is a current student at Simpson and she and her mother loved reading about your experience. Looking forward to continued reading!

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Michael, how good to hear from you. My husband, Richard, was the editor of the Harlan Tribune and News Advertiser, then owned the Eagle Grove Eagle at the age of 29. Yes, Bill Maurer and Ken Pins were great. The last time I saw Ken was when he attended our Iowa Day party in Annapolis.

Ask your niece, if you don't mind, if she has heard any ghost stories about room 313 in Kresge. I discovered there is a long history of such stories being told, but what they don't know is the origin took place when I lived there. It was fun to hear how the story evolved over the years.

Are there still ponies in Laurens?

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I have no family in Laurens anymore so I don’t get there much (though I live only an hour away in Spirit Lake) so I can’t answer your question about ponies in Laurens. Our sports teams were the Laurens Elks (though I imagine a real elk was never anywhere near Laurens). I will ask my niece about Room 313 (could be a horror movie title 😀). Thanks for the friendly reply! Looking forward more reading and discussion! PS: As was already mentioned, the cancelled/cancel culture irony is a thing of beauty!

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We have a place at The Landings in Spirit Lake

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I know exactly where that is. I am often your FedEx delivery man!

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Small world! See you soon!

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Feb 17, 2021Liked by Julie Gammack

Loved the "cancel-culture" irony. So funny!

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Feb 17, 2021Liked by Julie Gammack

Hi Julie. I enjoy reading your daily column from rural Iowa. It feels like you are a part of a conversation I might have with my good friends - from a different perspective! Thank you for writing for us!

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Wow! What a great way to start my morning!

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