BARBWIRE by Barb Lumley

Barb Lumley’s weekly column!

SPRING HAS NOT YET SPRUNG SO ENJOY YOUR NAP

I usually look forward to the new green grass growing in the spring and my first time mowing it. I climb on my mean green machine and away I go, around and around, enjoying the fresh spring air, the beautiful flowers that are blooming, the tweeting of the birds, the buzzing of the bees, the feel of the sunshine, and the warm spring air. Well…not this year!
The rain, wind, and cold weather kept happening and, in spite of it, the grass kept growing until my yard looked like a hay field ready to mow and bale! Finally there came a day when the rain had stopped and I could mow, but it was not at all like other years. I had said that I was not going to go out and mow the yard if it was cold…..however, it really needed done!
So, I dressed in my sweatpants, tee shirt, sweatshirt, warm socks, winter coat, warm scarf, gloves, and my snow boots, mounted my mean green machine and went to work. Not a sign of a robin anywhere, or hardly any other birds, except the big hawk that I see every day. No signs that the hummingbirds are here, even though they have arrived in early April other years. No leaves on the trees, no sounds of the bees buzzing, no yellow dandelions anywhere, just the sadly drooping daffodils! Where is spring?
I mowed a part of the yard however, in spite of all my winter clothing, I was getting chilly so I headed for the house. The rest of the mowing would have to wait for a better day. It was time for a hot cup of coffee, my warm blankie, and some rest in my easy chair. Of course, we all know what happens when you come out of the cold, climb into a comfortable chair, and get warm…needless to say, I didn’t finish the television program I was watching! It was time for a “horizontal life pause”. And that nap felt so good!
There are so many jokes made about us “older people” and our naps. Sleep is vital for both physical and mental health regardless of peoples’ ages. It is extremely important for growing children. Deep sleep is where 75% of human growth hormone is released. It is also released during exercise. A young person’s growth can be affected by the lack of sleep over a long period of time. Sleep deficiency can cause problems with learning, focusing, and reacting. It is very important that parents make sure their children are getting plenty of sleep, especially during the months they are attending school.
A teacher often talked to me about the young children she had in her classroom. She told me about a young boy she had in one of her classes and how smart he was. Yet he continually fell asleep in class. When she talked to him and asked why he was always falling asleep he explained. His family lived in a big building in one of the poorer sections of the town with a lot of other people. They had loud parties that lasted all night, with loud music, fighting, and noise that kept him awake during the night. When he got to his class in school where it was peaceful and quiet he could lay his head down and rest. He was a very smart child, so capable of learning, but just too tired. So sad!
Sleep can affect many things having to do with your health. It can decrease your risk of health problems. It helps your brain work properly. Sleep deficiency can cause you to feel very tired during the day. You may not feel fresh and alert when you wake up. You may feel like you could doze off when watching television, reading, riding in a car, talking to someone, or just sitting quietly after lunch. Those are all signs that you may be sleep deficient.
Sleeping at night is generally more beneficial for overall health and well-being than sleeping during the day. It aligns with our natural circadian rhythm, which is controlled by the sun and darkness. It is very difficult for most people who must change to different shifts in their work to adjust and get a good night’s sleep. Years ago our ancestors, both the men and women, awoke early in the morning, worked hard at their jobs all day, and went to bed when it got dark. They were tired and exhausted and they usually slept sound. They did not have the many distractions to keep them awake that are around today.
While there may be a lot of joking about older people and their naps, those naps are often needed to help rest some aching body parts and refresh our brains and our systems. They are very necessary and very important for our health. So don’t feel guilty is someone catches you having a “horizontal life pause”! Just relax and enjoy it!

COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE

As an older, retired person the technology of today and our different means of communication baffle me. Years and years ago our atmosphere was very quiet, just the birds, the bees, the wind in the trees, or the occasional sounds of from various animals. It required different types of noises to attract attention.
As our ancestors traveled in the west they usually had to fire a gun if they wanted to attract someone’s attention who was far away. The Indians used smoke signals. As towns were built and grew, churches and schools were usually built and the church bell or the school bell was used as a means of alerting people and getting them to gather together. Those bells were extremely important at times.
In my great-grandmothers later life she suffered a stroke that left her unable to walk. My grandmother had died, so my grandfather was left to look after her. He would get her taken care of in the mornings and settled into her wheelchair. He would then harness the horses, hitch to the machinery and go to the fields to work. He had erected a big, loud bell with a rope attached that she could reach and ring the bell if she needed him. So many times he would just get started at his field work and the bell would ring. He would then have to unhitch the horses and go back to the house to take care of her needs. The sound of that bell had a profound effect on the success of the farm!
A well-known farmer and his wife had a different way of communicating when he was out in the fields working. She would write him a note and attach it to the collar on their well-trained dog, probably a shepherd breed as many farm dogs were in those days, and send him to find the farmer. He was smart and faithful and he always delivered. One day the farmer’s wife baked some cookies and decided to send some to the farmer. She wrapped them up carefully, attached them to the dog’s collar and sent him on his way. However, it was a hot summer day and the dog stopped and took a bath in the creek to cool off. Needless to say, the cookies were a bit soggy when he delivered them!
As I was growing up we did not have a telephone nor did our neighbors. Lines had not yet been built in our area. I am sure the cost had something to do with that. Friends who lived farther away had the telephone box on their wall. To make a call you took down the listening piece, turned a crank on the box, and, if it wasn’t busy, you gave an operator a number to call. Each family had a certain ring when a call came in—two longs and a short—one short, one long, etc. so you knew when it was your call. However, in those days there was quite a bit of “listening in” so you had to be careful about your conversation!
The small town of Harlem Springs had their own telephone office and my Aunt Ruth was the operator. The equipment and office was located in a room in the house that they lived in. The house was located across the road from the well-known Harlem Park and the well-known Harlem Springs. Many people stopped there to rest or eat lunch under the shade of the trees or to drink the cool, clear water from the springs.
A lot of technology has been developed since those days. I have a computer and I have learned the things that are necessary for me to do as a writer. However there are so many things that I do not know how to do! I have a cell phone but it doesn’t always work in my area, so I continue to pay for a land line. The cell phone confuses me at times and I definitely do not like it when it tries to tell me what to say! During a recent visit with my son, I mentioned that I had received a check in the mail and asked if he could take it with him and deposit it for me. He asked me the name of my bank and then took the check from the envelope and laid it on my kitchen table. He took his cell phone and took a picture of one side of the check, then turned the check over and took a picture of the other side. He then handed the check back and informed me that my check was deposited in my bank. I was flabbergasted! I had no idea that it could be done! It is a good example of how little I know about modern technology and communications.
No wonder our government is being run so in-efficiently in so many areas! It is my opinion that there are many old people in top government positions who have no idea what technology can do or how it is done! They are introducing bills, voting on them, and running the country without the knowledge they truly need to do what is best in their positions. Times have changed! It is time to let younger generations, who have grown up with the knowledge of new ways of communication and technology, take charge. Our country will be run like a business and be run more efficiently. “The art of communication is the language of leadership”. (James Humes) “Technology is anything that wasn’t around when you were born”. (Alan Kay)

TTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE FOUND IN THE MAILBOX

Since I am older, retired, living alone and with time on my hands, I look forward to the mail each day. It is sort of like an old friend who comes calling. Usually I find something in my mailbox and it is a disappointment if I do not. I never know what the mailman is going to leave me. Believe me when I say that sometimes it can be very interesting
After my trip to the mailbox, I like to get a cup of coffee or tea and sit down at my kitchen table to go through it. Being an avid reader, I go through and read and look at everything, even all the “junk” mail. Sometimes it can be interesting!
It is seventeen years since I sold my Holstein cows, yet I am still getting numerous ads for various items used around the barn and the sire summery from the Artificial Insemination Companies. I get ads for all types of farm equipment, seeds, sprays, and numerous other things that go along with living on a farm. Evidently no one ever checks to see if we are still in business!
I am so glad that we still have a local newspaper that comes each week. So many other smaller communities have lost theirs. We need to know what is happening in our towns and counties. It is good to see so much support of the youth in our area and their pictures. I also subscribe to a couple of local newspapers from other areas in Ohio and a dairy newspaper in Pennsylvania. They are interesting and need the support.
As mentioned before I get lots of the so called “junk mail”. And lots of letters wanting donations of money! Several of them send “freebies”, cards, bags, seeds, notepads, address labels, and more. I appreciate free address labels, however some have the wrong name so I can’t use them! I know better than to send money! If I do, I will have to get a bigger mailbox! I can’t help but think that if they stopped making and sending free stuff maybe they wouldn’t need so much money!
There are always offers wanting me to subscribe to magazines. They always make sure to tell me how much money they are saving me by reducing the subscription price. Sometimes I send in a subscription just to see what a magazine is like, however it is a disappointment when the magazine contains almost nothing but ads and very little of interesting reading material. And often I get a letter wanting me to renew the subscription before I receive the first magazine! Some do have pretty pictures but the joy in that depends on the subject in the pictures!
Today I woke up to a dark, dreary, stormy, rainy day. The kind of day that leads to a lack of desire to start any projects and the kind of day that can depress you. I donned my jacket late in the afternoon and went to get my mail. Lo and behold this was a good mail day! The out of state dairy newspaper, the small local paper from another area came, junk mail, and a bill, but there was also a special catalog that brightened my day. It is one that has been coming every spring for years. It offers a multitude of flowers that are available for planting every spring. There is just about every kind you can think of that you might want to plant and the pictures are beautiful. What a day brightener! My thoughts turned from the “dark and dreary” to those flowers and their beauty when growing in the yards and gardens throughout the coming months.
Years and years ago our ancestors loaded their wagons, hitched up their horses, said goodbye to family and friends and headed west. They had very little knowledge of what lay ahead of them or where they might settle. They knew they would probably never see nor hear from the people they were leaving behind again. There was no means of communication! After some new ideas about how to transport mail, the forming of the Postal Service, and some new inventions, we now know the joy of being able to keep in touch with friends and relatives. We don’t usually think of the mail as something that is extremely important in daily life, yet the items received can often make a huge change in a person’s mood for the day. We are very lucky to have so many ways to communicate with others today. Yet even today that handwritten letter or card in the mail is very special. However there have been times recently when, due to the speed of delivery, we have thought that mail in our country is still coming by way of stagecoach or Pony Express!

THE TIME HAS COME TO PICK AND PITCH

Baseball season has arrived and will soon be in full swing. Fans will be choosing their favorite team to follow and to root for. The player on the mound will check with the catcher and pick the throw he is asking for. People will enjoy watching their favorite player as he hits that perfect pitch over the wall and out of the stands. The stands will be filled with cheers and excitement! The games will be enjoyed throughout the summer by people of all ages! However, this column is not about baseball. There are times in everyone’s life when there is a need to go through things that have been packed away and stored for a period of time. As they are gone through, a decision must be made. Which ones do I pick to keep and which ones should I pitch? I have boxes and cupboards filled with books, printed material and items having to do with every part of my life that have been saved from the early years of my life right up to yesterday. And, oooh…..the memories they bring back!
There is a book, New Education Reader, Book One, from the American Book Company. The copyright is 1900 by A. J. Demarest and W. M. Van Sickle, entered at Stationers’ Hall, London. The first line of the preface reads, “The plan of teaching reading as presented in this book, is a combination of the best features of the word, phonic, and synthetic methods and hence it is called the Synthetic, Phonic Word method”. It features several pages of “Directions To Teachers”. This is the book that was used to teach my father to read. The date written in it is September 11, 1916, along with his name. The first day’s drill and reading has the new stock words, “apple, an, it, is”. They are printed in block letters and in cursive. The sentence is written in cursive, “It is an apple”. The pages include pictures. The news in our world today is filled with discussions on the problems of so many children being unable to read for their age and on their grade level. I also have a copy of Ray’s New Primary Arithmetic, copyright 1877. It has a page of suggestions for teachers. Lesson one teaches counting from one to ten. Perhaps those who are our leaders in education today should go back and take a look at how it was done in those days!
Found in the same box was a September 23, 1976 copy of our local newspaper, The Free Press Standard. It consisted of three separate sections filled with news and activities from all around our local area. There was an abundance of pictures and many ads from the local businesses. In a column entitled “Remember When” it told that sixty years ago (1916) Roddie McDonald was driving the Wells Fargo express wagon; Scott long is helping the Carrollton Milling Company take care of its fall rush; A big crowd attended the Minerva Fair; Carrollton Barbers increased the price of shaves to 15 cents. Al’s Shopping Center, Inc. had two full page ads featuring Pork Chops $1.17 a pound, a gallon of milk $1.19, Maxwell House Coffee 3 pounds for $5.29, Wheaties 10 ounces 69 cents, whole fryers 45 cents a pound, and much more! Kishman’s IGA Foodliner had the most of two full pages and advertised Pepsi 8-16 ounce bottles 99 cents, center cut ham slices $1.59, large eggs 69 cents a dozen, Hunt’s peaches 29 ounce can 49 cents, IGA half gallon of ice cream 79 cents. Bread was 53 cents for a 16 ounce loaf and Wisconsin Brick cheese $1.59 a pound. Coffee was sold in pounds, ice cream in half gallons, and Pepsi in 16 ounce bottles! There were ads from Fisher’s Big Wheel, Quik Shop, Big Plus, and other business places of every type and description. Carroll County was a busy and very active place!
There are copies of a magazine called “Countryside, The Magazine of Rural Ohio Living” June 1989. It was published quarterly by Blu Hollow Publishing, Minerva, Ohio. One of them featured a story about the Carroll County fair and told of the fire that destroyed the original grandstand in 1942. It also featured a picture of fairgoers watching the balloon rides at the county fair in 1920. Dr. Jack Maffett was pictured with an article he had written about “The Summer Sun”. It also told the story about “Lost Gold” that a French convoy buried in the Minerva area in 1755. People have looked for it for years!
There is much more for me to go through and make the decision of whether to “pick” or “pitch”. A multitude of different things are collected over the years! Many of them are long forgotten until once again they are brought out and looked at. Then the memories come flooding back! It will be interesting to see what I find in the next box!

RESPECT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES EASILY

Rodney Dangerfield was a well-known stand-up comedian, screen writer, and actor. He was known by his one liner, “I don’t get no respect”, which would be followed by numerous reasons why. He often appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and was in the movies, Back To School, Easy Money, and Caddyshack.
Respect can be defined as a feeling of admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements. Respect is not something that comes easily. It cannot be bought and it is not a gift. It must be earned.
As a young child I first learned about respect from my parents. They were good and loving parents, who believed in discipline when necessary. As a four year old I refused to stop sneaking to the barn, opening the gate, and then going into the box stall with our Belgian draft horse, Belle, and her baby colt. I learned to respect my Dad when he taught me the meaning of “don’t open the gate and go in to pet the colt” with a switch from the peach tree. My Mom wasn’t very happy with him using the switch, but she respected his right as a caring father to use it! Belle was a very gentle mare but I could have easily been tramped or kicked.
When I started school, I was expected to follow the rules, obey the teacher, refer to them as Miss, Mrs. or Mr. when addressing them, and show them respect at all times. Throughout my school years there were many different teachers. Some had dedicated their lives to teaching. Many were outstanding, successful, and highly respected. They would be remembered for their contribution to the success of many of their students. There were some who would just be referred to as teachers. And there were some who taught school for other reasons. There is one that I never forgot from my high school days. He was not married and had no children. He was a big, burly man with a gruff voice. On one of our first days to attend classes in the high school as I, and the students from the class I was in, waited in the hallway between classes, we were expected to stay quiet. When one of the boys said something out loud, the teacher suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and shoulders, lifted him off his feet, and shook him while yelling at him. The young man cowered in fear, as did the rest of us. When the teacher was done berating the student, he turned away with a smile on his face. His joy in teaching was the power it gave him! It is the same in our world today. There are those who care about the people and those who only care about the power!
I was taught at an early age that even though you don’t like someone you may have to show them some respect. My Dad had a cousin who lived nearby and he and his father came to visit almost every Sunday as well as other times. Each time he came he called me by a certain name that I didn’t like and he would grab my long hair and give it a “yank” that really hurt. I hated to see him coming in the driveway! While my Dad didn’t approve of what he did, I was never allowed to be disrespectful. He was my “elder” and in those days you were taught to respect your elders. Years later I did really enjoy it when, at threshing time, he said the wrong thing and my Dad stuffed him head first into an old fashioned grain sack!
You don’t have to like someone yet you can respect them for something they do or accomplish. You can have a feeling of admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. You don’t have to agree with someone or share the same opinions, but you need to be respectful. There should be due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, and traditions of others. There can be heated debates and disagreements yet when the debate is over the people involved can respect each other for their ability to debate. There are times when you can learn a lot from the other side in an argument or debate.
There are people in our world today so envious and so hateful that they have no understanding of the meaning of respect. Respect has been missing from our country for quite some time. It needs to be re-learned and re-earned. America wants and needs respect.

BRINGING IN A CLUTCH OF CHICKS ON A COLD WINTER DAY

A very good friend of mine and her family are in the chicken business. They are “growers” for one of the well know chicken farms and have two of the large chicken barns. As she and I talked early one morning last week, their barns were empty and they were awaiting the delivery of 100,000 baby chicks. The baby chicks will be a few hours old when they arrive and will remain until they are five weeks old. The target weight is four pounds. The outside temperature at their barns that morning was minus fifteen (15) degrees below zero.
Once a group of chickens goes to processing, preparations begin for a new group. The barns must be thoroughly cleaned and any needed repairs made. In warm weather power washing is done. In cold weather everything must be dusted and thoroughly cleaned. The litter on the floor is worked up, pulverized, and fresh sawdust added. A full cleanout will be done in the spring and new sawdust put in. The litter that is cleaned out goes to farmers for fertilizer. Poultry Litter Treatment will be added before the chicks come. Feed and water lines must be leveled so that everything flows correctly. There are six water lines and three feed lines in each 61 x 600 foot barn. There are all types of electrical equipment to be checked and kept working including fans and heaters. Propane is used to heat the barns and they must be at ninety (90) degrees when the chicks arrive. The heat will gradually decrease to sixty five (65) degrees as the chicks grow. On delivery day a heated semi will bring the baby chicks in plastic trays in stacks of 1000. The truck driver will move them into the barn with a forklift where each person takes a stack and the chicks are set free. It takes seven (7) people forty (40) minutes to release 50,000 chicks. There are alarms to notify them of problems, however “eyes on” and checking often is the best management. Proper maintenance and doing things correctly is vital to the success of the “crop” and the farmer’s livelihood.
The memories of raising my Mom’s chickens many years ago is quite a bit different! In the spring, usually March, my Mom would prepare and send an order for fifty (50) baby chicks. She would be notified of the date they would arrive and preparations would be made. Dad would set up the “brooder” in the out building known as the “summer kitchen” and make sure it was working properly. A supply of wood and a couple buckets of coal would be brought in and the “pot-bellied” stove would be made ready for lighting. The old-fashioned metal daybed would be supplied with pillows and blankets. Everything was ready!
The baby chicks were delivered by the mailman. It was said that years ago if you walked into the local post office in the early spring months you would hear the peeping of all the baby chicks as they waited to be delivered. On delivery day the brooder would be on, the building warm, and Mom and Dad would be waiting to receive them and get them settled in. Dad would then spend several nights keeping the fire going, the chicks warm, and watching over them.
That was a special time for me as a child, as I was allowed to “sleep over” with my Dad and the baby chicks. It would be cold and pitch black outside, but inside that small building it would be so warm, so peaceful, and so serene. The light on the brooder would come on and the chicks would rush out, loudly peeping, to eat and drink. Then a small red light would come on, the bright light would turn off, and they would rush back under the brooder and all would once again be quiet, peaceful, and serene. A special time, a special place, and special memories!
The last few days of snow and extremely low temperatures and wind chill have been difficult for everyone. That kind of weather brings about numerous problems and special challenges for all farmers who raise and work with livestock and animals of any kind. The next time you sit down to enjoy a delicious chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy and homemade noodles, or chicken tenders and French fries at your favorite restaurant, or barbequed chicken wings from your favorite fast food place, remember to think about and thank not only the chicken farmers, but all the farmers who grow every product that you enjoy as you eat a meal or enjoy a snack. They work hard and give of themselves every day, regardless of the weather, to provide you with food!

COMING OF SPRING MEANS SPRINGING INTO ACTION

One of the chores I have always disliked most when it comes to housekeeping is dusting. I usually put it off until it was the last chore left to do and I had no choice. Over the years different products have been made available that were supposed to make dusting easier but I know of none that made it more enjoyable.
Years ago weekly dusting wasn’t very important as homemakers had so many other chores to take care of and there was only twenty four hours in the day. Homes were warmed by fireplaces, pot-bellied stoves and coal stoves. Light was provided by kerosene lamps or whale oil. There was smoke, dust and soot that accumulated throughout the winter months. There were many things during the cold weather that were much more important than dust! When spring arrived and the warm weather was here to stay, it was time for spring cleaning. Spring cleaning occurred in ancient times and is a tradition around the globe. It is an annual purge of dirt and clutter from our homes and living spaces. It represents a time to de-clutter, reassess, and prepare for the months ahead.
As soon as it appeared that warm weather was here to stay, spring cleaning began when the doors and windows were thrown open and the fresh, clean, spring air flowed through the house. The washers and rinse tubs were filled with water. The beds were stripped and all the bedding washed and hung on the clothesline outside to dry. There would be sheets, blankets, bedspreads, quilts, afghans, and comforters. Oh, that wonderful spring fragrance that they would absorb! Those fresh, clean beds smelled so good and felt so good after a day’s hard work! The window curtains came down. They were washed, starched, and ironed in preparation for their return. Windows would be washed, walls, baseboards, floors, and ceilings mopped, scrubbed, and thoroughly cleaned. If there was a carpet, it was taken out, hung up over a line, and beat with paddles to remove the dust and dirt. There would be hand woven throw rugs to be washed and dried.
Some homes had long lace curtains at their windows and they required special care. They had to be carefully hand washed in cold water with mild soap, and then the water carefully squeezed out. No wringing or twisting. Drying them required the use of “lace curtain stretchers”. The stretchers were made with wooden sticks and when unfolded were a rectangle the size of a lace curtain. There were pins on each of the four sides. The curtains were carefully placed on the pins and stretched out to dry. Homemakers often had several sore fingers after working with the lace curtain stretchers!
Walls would be washed down and often given a new coat of paint or new wall paper. Wallpaper has been in the United States since the 18th century. Wallpaper was often ordered from the Robinson’s Golden Rule Wallpaper Catalog. It would feature several designs to choose from. The flowered designs were usually the favorites. Hanging wall paper was a chore that not everyone could do. Like so many other things you needed to have the “talent” to be able to do it and get it done right! I used to marvel at my Aunt Val, who did wall papering for my Mom as well as many other people. Putting up wall paper is hard work! She would set up the board she worked on, get the paste ready, her brush and smoothing tool in her apron pockets, measuring equipment, and a stepladder. She would roll out a section of wallpaper, cut it to the size needed, smear on the paste, fold the sheet up a certain way, climb the stepladder, put the sheet in place, stretch it out and smooth it on the ceiling or walls. It would be placed perfectly. She really was an “artist” who worked with wallpaper to create a beautiful room!
Spring is on the way and spring cleaning will soon be starting in many households. We are fortunate in this day and age to have the modern appliances and types of heating and lighting that does not create the black dirt and grime that used to have to be cleaned away each spring. There will still be some dirt and dust throughout the house and a few cobwebs hiding here and there. And when the sun shines bright it always shows up those windows that need to be cleaned. We are fortunate to have many types of appliances, tools, cleaning products, etc. available that make the cleaning easier. Of course, that doesn’t mean that spring cleaning is more enjoyable. It is still work! However, there is so much satisfaction and joy when it is all done! Smell the freshness of spring by sweeping away the winter!

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE COLORS OF SPRING

I recently received a message from a friend and former neighbor who now lives in West Virginia. Included was a picture of some beautiful spring flowers blooming in his area. Their color was so bright and stood out in the darker background. It was an early burst of spring color and seeing them lifted my spirits. Crocus with their purple and yellow colors are now seen in many yards. A few days after getting his picture the first daffodils in my yard revealed their beautiful yellow color and more have followed. Tulips will soon follow with their many different colors. The grass is turning green and it won’t be long until lawn mowers will be humming everywhere. Our days will be filled with the many vibrant colors of spring.
There is a large rose bush in my yard that has been here for many, many years. Each year it is filled with beautiful, sweet smelling, pink roses. I wish I knew its history as there has been six generations living on this farm and someone was the first to see and smell those roses. But which generation and when? After the long, hard winters that my early ancestors had to endure, there is no doubt that it brought them tremendous joy and hope when those pink roses bloomed in the spring.
As vegetable gardens were planted and the first vegetables became ready to gather and enjoy throughout the summer there would be many colors. The shades of green in the peas, lettuce, and onions would be the first to be ready. There would be so many different colors as the garden grew, the green of the cucumbers, cabbage, different types of beans, and more. A splash of color would be added with the red tomatoes, red peppers, yellow peppers and yellow sweet corn, the orange of the carrots, the purple of turnips, and there would be red and white potatoes. Every color in the garden brought comfort and the knowledge that there would be food to preserve and get them through the winter. As you looked at those mason jars filled with every color and waiting on the shelves in the pantries and basements, you felt the joy and hope that they would see you through the coming colorless winter days.
The red of the strawberry patch was such a welcome sight. That meant strawberry shortcake, topping for ice cream, and lots of strawberry jam to enjoy all winter. The blackberries and black raspberries found in the woods and along the fence rows were such a special treat. They made not only jam and jelly, but also delicious pies and cobblers!
A drive on country roads and past the farms will allow us the sight of many types and colors of baby animals and their mothers. They will be frolicking and playing, quietly nursing their mothers, or peacefully resting on a bed of luscious green grass. As we turn our gaze to the fields we see the colors of the tractors, green, red, blue and orange, as they travel back and forth, turning and churning the earth in preparation for planting crops. In some areas we can see horses of different colors pulling the machinery and doing the work that has to be done to assure successful crops. With the help of the sunshine and rain in a short period of time the green of the growing crops will burst through the brown dirt. As the crops grow, ripen, and get ready for harvest, there will be constant changes in their colors.
A walk in the woods can provide many different things of many different colors to see and enjoy. The trees are getting their leaves. There are many kinds and colors of wild flowers. If you sit down and stay very, very quiet you just might see some wildlife. Perhaps a rabbit, a groundhog, wild turkeys, or a squirrel. If you see a small animal that is brown and has lots of white spots, it just might be that new born baby fawn. “Nature always wears the color of the spirit”. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Spring is here! Our days will soon be filled with many vibrant colors. As each different part of spring appears in so many different ways a picture begins to form and it takes every color to complete that perfect scene. We are filled with the hope for a pleasant, productive, and enjoyable spring and summer. Take the time to enjoy all the beautiful colors of spring. Let them lift your spirits and give you joy as you go about the days of your life. As you attend and take part in sports and activities all over our country and listen to the playing of our national anthem, keep your eyes on and stand up proud for the red, the white, and the blue!

SCRAMBLING TO CRACK DOWN ON A NEW SMUGGLING PROBLEM

     It came across the screen on my television that there was “breaking” news. “Egg smuggling surges as egg prices soar”. It is one of the hottest black market items! In 2025 the most unexpected contraband item isn’t gold, drugs, or electronics, it is eggs! However, it is illegal to import raw eggs into the United States. Who is doing the smuggling? Cartels that have been smuggling people and drugs across our borders and into our country have turned to smuggling eggs! This news has caused me to have a lot of questions. Can they make more money from smuggling eggs than drugs? Are laying hens being held hostage and sold into bondage? Are hens stolen from egg farms and being “trafficked”? It is said that egg smugglers are being caught at all our borders. Information that I recently read said that there had been 3700 seizures of bird and poultry related products compared to 352 fentanyl seizures in the same period. Crates of contraband eggs are being seized. Smugglers are ruffling a lot of feathers along our borders!
     How are the smuggled eggs being transported? Safety is of the utmost importance! Broken eggs are of no value! Smugglers running from the law in high speed chases can result in accidents with more “breaking” news.   What happens to the evidence when smugglers are caught and put in jail? Are the eggs filed as evidence or used to serve breakfast to the prisoners and jailhouse staff? What happens if both the case and the evidence is cracked? If the smugglers go on trial, who is put on the stand to “crow” about them?
     How are the smuggled eggs being hidden? We all know that it is very easy to break an egg! The eggs are being hidden in many ways, under blankets, in spare tires, mixed with groceries, in luggage, in vests, under peoples clothing. A size “B” might be changed to a “C” or even a “D”! We have all heard the old saying, “Where there is a will, there is a way”! I am sure all mattresses leaving Canada or Mexico are being thoroughly checked!
     In the meantime Americans are left “scrambling”! There must be eggs in order to hatch baby chicks to grow and become chicken nuggets, wings, or fried chicken. Consumers must choose between eggs for breakfast or barbequed wings for lunch! The price for eggs varies all over our country. I have never tried it, but it is said that eggs can be removed from the shells and then frozen for later use in baking or cooking. So if they are found at a reasonable price that could be a way to stock up. I wonder—if you froze the eggs into ice cubes and dropped them into your milk to keep it cold, would that still be illegal if you crossed the border? If not, you would be ready to make eggnog, custard, or pudding!
     When a consumer buys a product said to contain eggs, how can we be sure the eggs are from a chicken? There are other types of eggs that could be eaten or used in cooking, however we seldom see them. Duck eggs are larger, richer in fat, omega-3s, and have a thicker shell. They have a richer flavor and are creamier due to a larger yolk. Two duck eggs are used in place of three chicken eggs. Ducks will lay around 300 eggs a year compared to 250 a year for chickens. Goose eggs are larger, have a rich “eggy” flavor, are higher in fat, and suitable for baking and dishes for a richer texture. They have more protein, 20 grams, than chicken eggs, 6 grams. More calories, 272, compared to 72 calories in the chicken egg. There is a problem—geese only lay eggs once in the spring and they average 5 eggs, but can range from 2 to 12 in their “clutch”. So goose eggs will not help solve the problem! Quail are raised for both meat and eggs, however they are small and would have to be raised in large numbers. They are high in proteins, vitamins, and minerals and the meat tastes more like turkey. Eggs are small, contain more yolk, protein and fat, and are creamier. Quail is also very expensive if you find a restaurant that serves it!
     The shortage of eggs was brought about by the finding of “avian or bird flu” in birds and it was then transmitted to chickens. Complete flocks of egg laying hens all over the country were then ordered killed. In order to replenish those flocks of laying hens, eggs must be used to hatch the baby chicks and then it takes approximately six months before the young pullets are ready to lay eggs. In the meantime the bird flu still exists. So the egg shortage problem cannot be solved quickly!
     Perhaps the only thing we can do is change our menu for breakfast. There is a multitude of cereals available to choose from. We will have to look for more ways to make oatmeal more enjoyable. There are pancakes and waffles topped with butter and syrup or different fruits. For some people, who are always in a hurry, breakfast is something you pop into the toaster or just coffee and a doughnut. Thank goodness, as with many other problems, there are choices and we are free to make them!

RESPECT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES EASILY

     Rodney Dangerfield was a well-known stand-up comedian, screen writer, and actor. He was known by his one liner, “I don’t get no respect”, which would be followed by numerous reasons why. He often appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and was in the movies, Back To School, Easy Money, and Caddyshack.
     Respect can be defined as a feeling of admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements. Respect is not something that comes easily. It cannot be bought and it is not a gift. It must be earned.
     As a young child I first learned about respect from my parents. They were good and loving parents, who believed in discipline when necessary. As a four year old I refused to stop sneaking to the barn, opening the gate, and then going into the box stall with our Belgian draft horse, Belle, and her baby colt. I learned to respect my Dad when he taught me the meaning of “don’t open the gate and go in to pet the colt” with a switch from the peach tree. My Mom wasn’t very happy with him using the switch, but she respected his right as a caring father to use it! Belle was a very gentle mare but I could have easily been tramped or kicked.
     When I started school, I was expected to follow the rules, obey the teacher, refer to them as Miss, Mrs. or Mr. when addressing them, and show them respect at all times. Throughout my school years there were many different teachers. Some had dedicated their lives to teaching. Many were outstanding, successful, and highly respected. They would be remembered for their contribution to the success of many of their students. There were some who would just be referred to as teachers. And there were some who taught school for other reasons. There is one that I never forgot from my high school days. He was not married and had no children. He was a big, burly man with a gruff voice. On one of our first days to attend classes in the high school as I, and the students from the class I was in, waited in the hallway between classes, we were expected to stay quiet. When one of the boys said something out loud, the teacher suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and shoulders, lifted him off his feet, and shook him while yelling at him. The young man cowered in fear, as did the rest of us. When the teacher was done berating the student, he turned away with a smile on his face. His joy in teaching was the power it gave him! It is the same in our world today. There are those who care about the people and those who only care about the power!
     I was taught at an early age that even though you don’t like someoneyou may have to show them some respect. My Dad had a cousin who lived nearby and he and his father came to visit almost every Sunday as well as other times. Each time he came he called me by a certain name that I didn’t like and he would grab my long hair and give it a “yank” that really hurt. I hated to see him coming in the driveway! While my Dad didn’t approve of what he did, I was never allowed to be disrespectful. He was my “elder” and in those days you were taught to respect your elders. Years later I did really enjoy it when, at threshing time, he said the wrong thing   and my Dad stuffed him head first into an old fashioned grain sack!
     You don’t have to like someone yet you can respect them for something they do or accomplish. You can have a feeling of admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. You don’t have to agree with someone or share the same opinions, but you need to be respectful. There should be due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, and traditions of others. There can be heated debates and disagreements yet when the debate is over the people involved can respect each other for their ability to debate. There are times when you can learn a lot from the other side in an argument or debate.
     There are people in our world today so envious and so hateful that they have no understanding of the meaning of respect. Respect has been missing from our country for quite some time. It needs to be re-learned and re-earned. America wants and needs respect.

THE COMING OF SPRING MEANS SPRINGING INTO ACTION

A SPECIAL DAY FILLED WITH SUNSHINE AND DOMINOS

It was a holiday…President’s Day…and there was no school. There had been a text the night before from my granddaughter asking if my great-grandchildren could spend the day with me. My answer, “Sure!” Due to them not getting off the school bus here this year, and being so busy with school, sports, and family activities, I do not get to see them as often. Having them with me for a whole day would be a special treat!
They came in quietly early the next morning, each bringing some of their modern toys for entertainment. As I made my way through my morning routine they settled in very quietly, talking, playing, and occasionally watching Sponge Bob Square Pants. As the morning progressed and the beautiful sunshine came up, there was a request for some toast, with butter and jelly. Children are always hungry regardless of how many times you feed them!
It was time for some of what I refer to as our “table talk”. Naturally I had questions about how they were doing in school. Both said they were doing well, but were anxious for summer to come. I assured them that, due to the freezing weather, low wind chill, and snow, adults felt the same way! Daxton told me he was learning “math facts”. Emily mentioned that she would like to be in the band and learn to play an instrument…maybe the flute. Emily has her own business…she is making and selling key chains. She is saving the money to buy something she wants. I was surprised to discover that they both knew a lot about President Trump and had watched the Inauguration. As they grow and follow the various paths through elementary school, high school, and college there will be choices to make, likes and dislikes, and twists and turns. All will have an effect on them as they navigate their way to their place in life. They will probably change their minds many times before arriving at their destination!
When Emily and Daxton are at my house, I know there is going to be one certain request. Can they have some of my plain, white, copy paper? They love to draw pictures and color them and practice their art work. Both are very good at it and have very good imaginations and they will sit quietly working at it for quite some time. As we talked they decided that they would like to send their pictures to “Aunt Polly”, who is 93 and in a rest home. They prepared the envelopes, put on the stamps, and hand delivered them to the mailbox. They have sent their pictures to others in nursing homes, some whom they have never met, hoping it will brighten that person’s day. They have loving, caring parents who have taught them to be kind to and thoughtful of others.
Lunch time arrived and Emily announced that she is learning to cook. She can make spaghetti, helps Mom bake cookies and make other things, and she can make scrambled eggs but she doesn’t eat them! So it was decided that she could be the “head chef” and prepare lunch. With some help from Daxton! She did an excellent job of getting everything she needed set out on the counter and ingredients measured. The menu would be one of their favorites…macaroni and cheese and hot dogs. There was only one little “slip up”…we were talking and almost let the macaroni boil over! We caught it just in time! We enjoyed our lunch together and they washed the dishes and put them away.
Then Daxton went to get one of his favorite things…a set of Milton Bradley Company Double Twelve Dragon Dominoes. They are at least sixty (60) years old. They were a Christmas present for my children. They have been a favorite toy for Daxton. He loves to build buildings, fences for his toy animals, garages for his toy cars, and he especially likes to set up a long line of them that will all fall down when you bump the first one! Emily had learned to play the domino game a few years ago and always asks to play when she is here. This was the day that Daxton asked to be taught how to play. And so we spent our afternoon playing dominos. It was good math exercise as he counted the dots and then matched the dominos. And having to go to the “bone pile” when they couldn’t match brought about a little frustration and a lot of laughter! And they learned that in dominos you don’t always win…you just run out of dominos that will match! Technology and modern toys? Sometimes it is the old ones that are the most fun!
My house has two bedrooms upstairs and there are many different things in those rooms. There are old toys, dolls, books, pictures, musical instruments, games, a wall poster of “Fonzie”, and many things are old. It is an “adventure” for Daxton and Emily to be allowed to go up there and get something to play with. So when I sent them up twice to get something their day became more exciting! When we all go up there they ask a lot of questions that have to be answered such as, “What is an encyclopedia?” It is a favorite place!
Children are such a blessing! They all deserve love and caring, health needs, some discipline, a good education, and guidance as they grow and develop. They also need a safe and comfortable place to lay down their heads at night. Regardless of who they are or where they are, give them your time and your support. It will bring you joy!

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS IN YOUR SMALL TREAT

A new Secretary of Health and Human Services in our government has been appointed and sworn into office. The new secretary’s goal is to make America healthy again—MAHA. One of his concerns is the ingredients that are being put into the food we eat. The people in our country, both young and old are faced with many health problems. There are concerns that some of the ingredients in the food we are eating are contributing to the problems. How much do we really know about those ingredients?
As a dairy farmer, a writer, and a mother, I have always encouraged people to drink milk and use dairy products. If a baby calf can live and grow for weeks without eating anything but the mother cow’s milk it has to be good for you! Years ago drinking milk was recommended for stomach ulcers. If you had a bout of stomach flu, your mother often boiled milk, let it cool, took the scum that formed on the top off, and had you drink it. Heating milk breaks down the lactose and makes it easier to digest. And, of course, milk is good for you because of the calcium and vitamins it contains. One of the things that always raised my “hackles” was the use of the word “milk” on products being advertised as healthful when the product actually contained very little milk or none at all! I believe whole milk is best, especially for children. If you want it “watered down” just drop an ice cube in the glass of whole milk!
I recently was given a small, soft baked, breakfast bar with a popular name and sold by a very well-known company. The package was very attractive, with a very pretty and delicious looking fruit pictured on the wrapping and words telling me it had, “tasty fruit flavor”. Just out of curiosity I decided to read the label before eating it. This small bar has 150 calories and weighs 1.55 ounces (44g), that’s one point fifty-five ounces. That’s not very big! It stated that it is made with “14g whole grains”. If my math is correct, that means that there are “30 grams” of other things in the bar. I counted forty two—that’s right– 42— different ingredients listed on the wrapping of that small bar! So what are some of the others?
One of them is “guar gum”, which is made from guar beans that are grown in India, Pakistan, and Sudan. It is found in numerous products. Another is “carrageenan” also called “Irish Moss”. It is used in nut milks, meat products, and yogurt. It is suspected of being linked to a serious health problem. It has no nutritional value. It is imported from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Chile. Methylcellulose is a plant based product that is commonly found in laxative products. Although said to be plant based it is synthetically made and the cellulose comes from cotton, hemp, and abaca. Mono-diglycerides are food additives that help mix fat and oils. They are hidden sources of artificial trans fat. They are in many foods. It is said that they may increase the risk of certain health problems. These are just a few of the ingredients that we know little or nothing about that are in this small bar!
Food coloring has been a subject of concern recently. Red coloring has been banned in some foreign countries and some food manufacturers in this country have stopped using it. Annetto comes from the seeds of the achiato tree in Central and South America. It is used for ritual and body painting and in food coloring. Yellow food coloring is considered safe to use, however there are people who suffer different types of problems from it.
Food preservatives are also being questioned and there needs to be more studies, research, and investigations conducted. Sodium benzoate is a chemical used as a food preservative and also in cosmetics and fireworks. It prohibits growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria. If it is mixed with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) it turns into benzene, a chemical that can cause serious health problems. Food preservatives are vitally important to the food companies, as the longer a product keeps and remains on the shelf to be sold, the less expense they have in replacing it. How food is preserved is important for everyone’s health and especially important for our children’s health and growth. It is my hope that our new secretary of Health and Human Services will be able to achieve his goal of making America healthy again. Every farmer works hard to provide healthy food and they want it to remain healthy when it is put on the plate and enjoyed by everyone in the family!

OLDTIMERS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND WISDOM TODAY

     Years ago when I was “knee high to a grasshopper”, there was very little available for entertainment, so people often went to visit with family, friends, and neighbors. Those visits were often with the older and retired people, who were much loved and highly respected. Some were well educated and some were not, however the years of living had endowed each and every one of them with knowledge and wisdom and it was often expressed in interesting ways.   Sprinkled into their conversations were old time sayings and gems of wisdom that still apply in today’s world.
     In November a new president and leader of our country was elected to serve for the next four years. If Burson, my old milkman from years ago was here, he would tell you, “He comes from a different stock of dogs”.   Upon the inauguration and swearing in, our new president went right to work. His attitude is “don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today”, “strike while the iron is hot”, and “make hay while the sun shines”.   One of his first goals is to close our country’s borders. I hope he remembers that “fences should be horse high, bull strong, and pig tight”.
     That same attitude has been adopted by the outstanding people he has chosen for government offices and to work with him. He and his crew are “going at full throttle” and “burning the midnight oil” to sign executive orders, make important changes, and to follow the laws to get our government back on track and “make America great again”. Many believe that “a stitch in time saves nine”. However, making leadership changes and managing government workers is “like herding cats”.
     Tactics are very important in solving our country’s problems and making life better for everyone. “Where there is a will there is a way”. However, “you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”.   There will be great ideas and there will be some “that aren’t worth diddly squat”. There will be ideas presented that will be best forgotten, as “there is no point in beating a dead horse”. Those involved will need reminded, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. And “don’t put the cart ahead of the horse”!
     People will be coming together for all different kinds of meetings. “A trouble shared is a trouble halved”. They will talk and share ideas, they will cuss and discuss, and at times tempers will flare. We all know “you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs”. They will try hard to agree and not just disagree but it will take time, “as a watched pot never boils”. There will be people involved that are “all hat and no cattle”. And sometimes “too many cooks spoil the gravy”. “Fine words butter no parsnips”, it is action that is needed. For the majority of them “it isn’t their first rodeo” and most of the people involved are “the bee’s knees”. They really do care about our country and the people in it.
     We all know that there are many problems to be solved but there is no point in “crying over spilled milk”. “What’s done is done”. For now we will have to “weather the storm”. Changes are being made but they will take time and we may have to “wait until the cows come home”.   There are people and organizations who do not want changes made. They are “as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs”!   I am sure you will agree that “the water ain’t gonna clear up until you get the pigs out of the creek”. Even though things may seem impossible, “if there is a will, there is a way”, however patience is needed. It is important that we “don’t count our chickens until they are hatched”! In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. “Bite the bullet”. Don’t stress, do your best, forget the rest. Worrying is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.

THE WEARING OF YOUR BEST BIB AND TUCKER

     I recently watched as the Vice-President of our United States of America walked down the ramp from Air Force Two to greet and meet with a group of state officials, news people, and a large group of citizens. I took notice of something that was very different from my recollections of visits to many places by our previous vice-presidents. He was wearing “blue jeans”. How times have changed!
     In previous years you have seldom seen any man, who was a government official, attend any type of meeting or public gathering wearing anything but a dark suit and tie and most still do. If the meeting was outdoors they usually wore a hat. If a man got married he usually wore a suit or tuxedo. If a man was a professional, such as a doctor, lawyer, head of a corporation, or boss of most any business, he was usually dressed in a suit and tie. If a man died he was buried in a suit and tie, and the men who attended his funeral or carried him out wore suits and ties. And most of them put on their hats. I am glad to see men dressing more casually and more comfortably these days, and with more colorful and attractive clothing.
     As a small child I hated hats and scarves and having to try on and be fitted for one of those bulky snowsuits that children wore back in those days. I have definite memories of the tantrum I threw many years ago in the J. C. Penney store in Carrollton when my Mom was trying one of those snowsuits on me. I also remember what happened when we went outside! It was several years before girls were allowed to wear slacks or denim pants to my school, and then it was only allowed during the winter months. As a young married woman there were occasions when I was expected to wear my best dress—no slacks. And for years there were occasions when women dressed up that you were expected to wear a hat.   I had one hat, a small brown one that complemented my coat. I only wore it to funerals!
     I am a firm believer that people work better and think better when they are comfortably dressed. As a retired dairy farmer I can tell you that my farm work went much better when I was dressed in my old, faded, and partially worn out clothing—-some with holes—instead of new, perfect, stiff, tight fitting clothes! That was especially true when getting up and down to put DeLaval bucket milkers or Surge milkers on cows housed in stanchions. On those hot summer days when you were unloading bales of hay or straw you wanted thin, loose fitting clothing and those holes here and there just helped with ventilation!
     When my Dad passed away there were many people who attended the evening calling hours and I don’t remember all of them, however there is one I especially do remember. He was a young dairyman and had been a family friend throughout his childhood. It was time for the calling hours to end and most people were gone when he came hurrying in. He stopped by the coffin and then came to me and gave me a big hug. He smelled of silage and all the same smells as my own dairy barn, where I always sought peace and comfort in my difficult times. He brought that special comfort with him and I have never forgotten him.
     In 1776 our founding fathers wore colonial fashion trends, powdered wigs, breeches, waistcoats, frock coats, tricorne hats, stockings and shoes. They were busy with the American Revolution and worried about the people in our country, not comfort. They were creating the Constitution, Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and forming the United States of America. Clothes do not matter—the person wearing the clothes does! How a person is dressed doesn’t tell you what kind of person they are or what they believe in. There are still times and places when proper attire is important and should be worn, however it is never the only thing that matters.
     And yes, you can wear red to a funeral! For years it has been considered disrespectful and clashes with the somber mood. Red was my mother’s favorite color and wearing it made her happy. My Mom was once severely reprimanded by one of our family members for wearing clothing that was red to a funeral. When my Mom died our immediate family all wore something red to her funeral. And so did Mom! My Mom was never afraid to express her opinion!
       Comfortable clothing can be a way to express yourself and feel good about who you are. “Sometimes broken shoes and tattered clothes can tell beautiful stories” (Avijeet Das). May your clothes be comfy, your coffee strong, and your days be happy!

LEARNING MORE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE

     As a registered Holstein breeder and dairy farmer, many years ago I first learned about the abbreviation of two capital letters, A and I, and their meaning back then. They stood for “artificial insemination”. It was a newly discovered way of inseminating dairy cows and getting them pregnant without the need for a live bull on the farm. The bulls from each dairy breed were housed in special facilities in several areas. Semen was collected from them, put into vials, and immediately transported to areas where dairy farmers were located. The semen had to be used within a certain period of time and, in the early days, was transported by airplane and dropped where the local men working as inseminators received it. The choices were usually limited to two or three bulls. Over the years tremendous progress has been made in artificial insemination and it is used on many types of animals.
     These days we are hearing and reading about “A.I.” however it now refers to a very different thing, “artificial intelligence”. I doubt very much that those who came up with artificial intelligence and the abbreviation A.I. ever heard of artificial insemination. Perhaps if they had they would have made the abbreviation “A.B.”, artificial brain! While I don’t know much about artificial intelligence, I do know that there are people who have concerns about it. And I am one of those people. So for a retired dairy farmer, remembering what A.I. is in this day and age is a little more confusing! So I have been reading!
     Artificial Intelligence is a field of science. It is a set of technologies that allow computers to perform complex tasks. Machines and computers simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy. It can make a computer controlled robot think intelligently like the human mind! It is equipping machines with the ability to perform tasks that mimic human intelligence, such as thinking critically and acquiring knowledge. There are disadvantages that include reducing employment and absence of emotion, concerns, dependency and reliability. There is a lack of creative ability. Robots are learning to perform the easy jobs and are expected to take over more duties in the future. There are already many items that we are already using that use artificial intelligence.
     There is the cell phone. However, being among the hills where a cell phone doesn’t always work, I also have an expensive landline. I have learned how to send text messages, however I get very upset when I am typing in a message and the cell phone tells me what I should say! I have my own ideas and opinions! Just give me time to get them spelled correctly! There is the GPS that tells you where to go. However where you want to go and where it wants to send you can be two different directions. In my area it consistently sent semi-tractor trailers down a township road that had a dead end. There was no place to turn around except in the yard of the resident living at the dead end! I usually know where I want to go and check out the best way to get there. As for telling someone where to go, I know how to do that too!
     I have concerns about how this artificial intelligence could affect me in my daily living. We all know where you go when you first get out of bed in the morning. Is a voice going to come on and suggest that it is okay to do number one but you might feel better if you put off number two for a while? Or if I am standing in the shower partially covered with soap will it tell me, “Stop, you can’t take a shower, you used too much water yesterday”. If I open my refrigerator door am I going to hear, “Don’t touch that lemon meringue pie, you already had a piece. Eat an apple”! Or if one day there is a dish discovered sitting in the back corner of one of the shelves with the food starting to turn green will the refrigerator door suddenly open and the dish come tumbling out? Will my sweeper yell at me from the closet, “Get me out of here, your living room floor needs vacuuming”. In the future will all my appliances be telling me what to do or turning on or off automatically?
     It is said that humanoid robots are coming. They are being used in healthcare, manufacturing and logistics. They are expected to take on more duties in the future. I realize that technology has given us many different and important inventions and new things. Most have made an important difference in our lives and our health. However, there are a lot of questions about robots replacing people and those questions have yet to be answered. Our world is filled with intelligent, forward thinking, inventive, creative, and caring people. They are what we need to lead our country into the future!

EACH SNOWFLAKE IS UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND

     The snowflakes are drifting by my window and falling softly to the ground. Each snowflake has its own shape because it is formed due to the different humidity and temperature of the atmosphere. Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things. There are several inches of the soft, fluffy, white emission from Mother Nature covering the ground. The wind is blowing, drifts are being created, and it is cold. Those gentle snowflakes will affect peoples’ lives in many different ways.
     When children look out the window and see lots of snow they will grab their coats, boots, toboggans, and mittens and rush outside in joy. They will have snowball fights, build snowmen, make snow angels, go sled riding, or ride down the hills on any convenience that will take them.   Eventually they will return home, tired, cold, soaking wet, and hoping for some hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows.
     When parents look out the window on a snowy morning, their thoughts turn to how many inches will we get? How dangerous will the roads be? Will I be able to get to work? Will there be school? What should be a normal morning becomes a questionable day for the adults. And it probably won’t be a lot of fun! Unless, they are on vacation at a ski lodge somewhere, sitting before a roaring fire drinking mulled cider, and they enjoy winter weather!
     Road crews will already have been called out and will be at work spreading salt and brine, plowing out drifted roads, and reporting on the cars that are already in the ditches. They will work each shift, hoping that there won’t be any problems with their trucks and equipment. The hours will be long and the time to go home and sleep will be short. These weather conditions can last for days at a time. After all, it is winter time! They will do all they can to clear the roads for those who must travel. Their joy will come when the roads are clear, dry, and safe for everyone.
     As farmers watch the snowflakes coming down and the drifts getting higher one of their concerns is their livestock. Animals must have feed and water. Tractors must start so hay bales, silage, and feed can be transported to where it is needed. On some types of farms animals are kept in heated barns or heat lamps are needed.   On dairy farms cows must be milked twice a day. There is always the possibility that the electric will go off. Generators have become a necessity. Lanes and driveways must be plowed open so the milk truck can empty the milk tank and other needed items can be delivered. Those little white snowflakes can create numerous problems for farmers, yet they can be very important to agriculture. If it has been dry weather in the previous fall, the moisture from the melting snow will be very important to the success of the crops that will be planted. The coming of spring and the first   warm weather will bring joy to the farmers!
     As you look out the window on a snowy morning it can look like a winter wonderland. At times when the sun shines the freshly fallen snow sparkles like diamonds. It is a beautiful sight. Yet snow can bring about unpleasant situations, accidents, and tragedies. Many years ago, when horses were used for travel, there had been a snowstorm and the roads and fields were drifted. A group of friends had gathered on a Saturday night for a party that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. One well-known young man decided that it was time he went home to his family. He hitched his horse to the sleigh and drove off through the snow at a fast pace. Along the way home the runner on the sleigh struck something that was in its path and the sleigh upset. The young man was thrown from the sleigh and his neck was broken.   The monument that was erected in the local cemetery in his memory was in the form of a sleigh with a whiskey jug on top.
     Accidents can happen if you are not careful, regardless of how you travel in the snow. It is important to be prepared if you must travel the roads in this winter weather. Make sure you have plenty of fuel in your car, as you might not make it to the gas station. Keep a shovel in the car and items that can help your car to get traction if you get stuck, and a flashlight or lantern. Keep your cell phones charged so you can call for help, however there are areas where they don’t work. Keep bottled water and snacks in your car. And be sure you have some blankets. It might be a long wait until you are found and rescued. “Winter forms our character and brings out our best”. (Tim Allen)

TAKING A TRIP DOWN A MEMORABLE COUNTRY ROAD

     As the New Year gets under way, many people are immersed in trying to keep the resolutions they made. One of the more popular subjects of resolutions is exercise. We are constantly being urged by our doctors, health specialists, family members and friends to get more exercise. Each time I visit my heart doctor his parting words are, “walk, walk, walk”. While that is one of the best types of exercise, not everyone has a good area where they can do that. Therefore other ways must be found. During a period when I was recovering from illness, I was given a set of exercises to help me regain my strength and improve my physical condition. They are easy to do and can be done while standing and waiting on something in the microwave or sitting on a kitchen chair. However, I know that I need to do more.
     I have a stationary bicycle. I just haven’t made myself use it like I should! While I didn’t exactly make a resolution, I have decided, with the coming of the New Year, I must try to ride it every day. I like to watch the old games shows, especially the ones that ask questions or involve words and make me think. I have discovered that watching one of those is the best time to ride my bike. They take my mind off the fact that I am exercising! There is one problem—the ones I like best are not on television on the weekends. Other shows just don’t seem to work, so while riding on weekends I have to do something else. So, I have been riding my bicycle down memory road!
     When I got my first bicycle our road was dirt with a little slag dribbled here and there. If you lived on a county or township road during those years you knew what to expect come spring rains.   There would be mud, deep ruts, and holes. At times we couldn’t get a car or truck through in either direction. We milked dairy cows and there were times when my Dad had to load the ten gallon milk cans on a platform he made for the tractor and go through the fields to a place where he could meet the milk truck. For several days it would be the only way to get anything in or out. My Dad drove school bus during those years and there were times when he had to stop and throw wooden fence rails into the tracks in order to get the bus through. If school had been closed because of bad roads in those days, classes would not have been held very often!
     When the weather settled and the roads began to dry out, there would be a day when you would hear an unmistakable sound from afar.   The sound would grow louder and finally you would catch sight of it coming up the road—that great big piece of machinery known as the “maintainer”.   It had a big plow on the front and it would be plowing the mud back into the ruts or opening the ditches. It went very slowly, therefore it did not cover very many miles in a day. It was usually operated by a local farmer who was also a township trustee. Many people called it the “Old Sow”, as it dug up the road as it went just like the pigs would dig up the area they were in if they didn’t have rings in their noses!
     One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday was to go for a ride on our Belgian work horse, Prince. I had to ride “bareback”, as no saddle would fit and we didn’t have one anyway! He wore a work bridle and his mane was long, so I had it to hang on to. One Sunday when the road was in very bad shape, Dad decided that he and I would go for a ride and visit some friends a few miles away. It was an enjoyable ride and so good to be able to visit and talk with friends. When it was time to head home, while Dad was still talking, I headed down the long lane that led from their buildings back to the county road, where I stopped and waited. Evidently Dan, the big work horse Dad was riding, became upset that Prince was leaving him behind, and he took off at a lumbering gallop, with my Dad bouncing on his back, trying to stay on, and with nothing to hang on to. Dan’s mane was kept cut short! It was a sight to behold! And one I never forgot!
     We are so lucky to have the roads we can drive on today and the many other ways we have to travel. As I rode my bicycle in the warmth of my house today, I heard the snowplow go down the road, clearing away the snow so people can get where they need to go. While there are different problems in traveling than those we dealt with years ago, and they are still complained about, people can usually get wherever they want to go one way or another.
     There were many memories made while riding my bicycle on our country road. Perhaps, as I continue to ride my bicycle in the future, I will find myself traveling down other roads that will lead to interesting memories. I will try my best to keep peddling!

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT MEANINGS TO THE WORD FAMILY

     During the last two months the word “family” has been bantered about and often repeated   in the news. There seemed to be a concern that because of politics and the election families were being divided. Family members were taking sides and their relationships were being tarnished. The holidays were fast approaching and the question was asked, “Will families be able to get together and really enjoy the holidays or will the celebrations be ruined?”
     The holidays are over! There were families all over this country who got together, celebrated, and had a great time. There were families who got together and found it necessary to be respectful, to hold their tongue, and they made it through the day. There were families who got together, said things they shouldn’t have said, and left early! There were family members who live far away who couldn’t come for the holidays, for one reason or another, so they had to celebrate alone or find another way.
     The word “family” is defined as “all the descendants of a common ancestor or as “a group of one or more parents and their children living in a single unit”. However there are many other ways to define “family”. Family is the religion of people or the church that people attend. The people there provide faith, hope, and comfort to members there in both good times and bad. They care about everyone involved and help others in time of need. For the person who is “down and out” and homeless on the street, family is the shelter that provides a hot meal, a bath, some clean clothes, and a bed to sleep on. People who are all alone in rest homes or county homes look to the people who take care of them as their family. Many different organizations become family to the people who belong to them and participate in them.
     Animals become family. In the early days when people were traveling and settling in this country their animals were a vital part of their family. Animals made the difference between success and failure at homesteading. The loss of a horse meant that fields couldn’t be plowed, crops planted, or harvesting done in the fall. The other types of animals had everything to do with food on the table and a successful year.
     The animals on our farm were always considered a part of our family. Each one had a name regardless of what type animal it was. Even several of the flock of chickens had names. Each one of the dairy cows on our farm was named and they each had their own stalls that they entered every time they came in the barn. As soon as a baby calf was born everyone would start thinking of the name it should have. Some of the cows in early years had simple names like “Bessie” or “Daisy”. Some were named because of their color—“Whitie”, “Brownie”, “Mama-Red”. Some had names because of their actions, “fence-Jumper”, “oleo”, she was a Guernsey with a high butterfat test. And there was “Garbage”, “Garby” for short,. She was a winner of a Junior All-Ohio Holstein show award for our daughter. Registration names were important so the name on her Holstein registration paper was different! She was called “Garby” because she ate the grapefruit peelings, potato peelings, cucumbers, lettuce leaves, etc. that my Mom threw over the fence where she pastured! Many dairy farms today have hundreds or thousands of cows and each one is just a number on an assembly line to the milking parlor!
     Pets have become family for so many people. While dogs and cats are the most popular, there are many other kinds of pets. And it doesn’t matter what they are, they can become very important for both the emotional and the physical health of their owners. You can talk to pets, they will listen quietly, and they don’t judge you or talk back. Dogs have become so important for troubled children, for our veterans who have served in war in other countries, and for people facing difficult situations. For older people living alone they are such a comfort and so loved!   I grew up with a variety of dogs and they were my friends and my companions. I had Border Collies for many years and they were my comfort through some difficult times. Dogs have a special place in my heart!
     The holidays are over! Families everywhere survived! We are beginning a New Year! Don’t limit the time spent with any family to holidays and special days. Plan to enjoy friendship, fellowship, and love with the families of your choice throughout the year. Family, friends, and love are the foundation for a happy life.

ONCE AGAIN IT’S TIME FOR NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

     Once again it is that time of year—time to make New Year resolutions. We are supposed to make a list of things that we should do for self-improvement. The list should include life changes that will make us better physically, morally, and emotionally. Making resolutions at the beginning of the New Year goes back to ancient times. They originated with the Babylonians before 2000 B. C. Resolutions in the 1900’s were more religious or spiritual, reflecting a desire to develop stronger moral character, a stronger work ethic, and restraint in the face of earthly pleasures.
     One of the first resolutions I should make is to thank God every morning when I wake up for allowing me to wake up and for allowing me to live my many years.   So many of my friends and family members are gone! Although the road has been very bumpy at times, I have led a very good life and I am thankful every day for it.
     I should resolve to work with, cooperate with, and do my best to get along with family members who look after me and tend to my needs. No complaining when things don’t get done as quickly as I think they should be. I will accept whatever brand of groceries they bring me and drink whatever kind of milk they bring me, even though there is one kind of milk that is definitely the best. I will remind myself that everyone is working, has their own family to take care of, and are involved in numerous activities. There are only so many hours in the day!
     I resolve to continue to eat the meals that are delivered to me every week.   They have definitely helped me to regain my strength and better health. Although occasionally there is something that I do not like very much, they are well balanced and nutritious.   I will continue to eat the carrots even though I don’t like carrots. They are supposed to be good for your eyes and eyesight. I just got a great report on my wet macular degeneration condition, so maybe all those carrots in those meals I have been eating since last April have helped!
     I resolve to stop yelling or swearing at the television when someone on there is telling lies, when the quarterback throws an interception, and when the whole football team seems to be making stupid mistakes. I know they can’t hear me nor can anyone else, as I live alone. It just makes me feel better to express my opinion. I have done that all my life so it’s too late to stop now!
     People all over this country will make resolutions for the New Year.   The list of things that people resolve to do can contain many things—losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising more, quitting drinking, treating family and friends better, etc. etc. Give it a few weeks and most of the people will get busy with their everyday lives and the unexpected problems that arise and they will forget about them.   At least they tried! And that is all any one of us can do. It helps if they are written down and posted where you will read them every day.
     Make a resolution this year to be more grateful for the good things in your life.   There is more to gratitude than the words “thank you”. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude is associated with a list of mental and physical benefits. Being consciously thankful can enhance empathy and self-esteem, reduce aggression, counteract negative emotions, and improve sleep and immunity.   Find ways to show your appreciation and say “thank you”.
     No matter how hard we strive to lead a proper and good life and do what is best, not only for ourselves, but also for all those around us, fate has a way of dropping unexpected road blocks in our way. We all just have to do what is necessary each day, go with the flow, and do the best we can. So “Happy New Year” to everyone who reads my column. Just hold on to your faith and meet the New Year as it comes—day by day. “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow”. (Albert Einstein)

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ON A DAIRY FARM

“Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring” —– It’s a little more hectic in some houses. Mom is frantic with getting everything finished up at the last minute. There are still some cookies baking in the oven, presents still need to be wrapped, the scissors are lost, and the dog just ran off with a roll of wrapping paper. Dad is hiding out in the garage trying to make part B fit into slot C after he found out that part U was actually part V.

“The children were nestled all snug in their beds “—– not quite! They did finally put on their pajamas and some Santa Claus hats and now they are jumping up and down on their beds singing, “Grandma got run over by a reindeer”! They must have found the fudge!

“And Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap”—– Everyone is a lot more comfortable wearing baggy sweat pants, an Ohio State tee shirt, and a hoodie! Fashion isn’t a priority!

“When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter”—– Oh, my gosh, it’s Farmer Jones driving his John Deere tractor with blinking Christmas lights all over it and a big star on top of the cab! He’s wearing a Santa suit and delivering his wife’s “special” fruitcakes to all the neighbors. If only she knew how to cook! Maybe the rum will help!

“When what to my wandering eyes should appear” —– Uh,oh! Grab your coats and boots, that’s not eight tiny reindeer out there! The heifers got the gate open again!

“And he whistled and shouted and called them by name” —– Now Daisy! Now Dolly! And all you other “xyz@&#mq” heifers, get out of the yard and the flower beds!!

“And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof” —– There they go, right through the neighbor’s corn field! They are headed for the road! Get the four wheelers!

“He was dressed in fur from his head to his foot and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot” —– Sheriff, I am really sorry those heifers knocked you down and got you all muddy. Is your deputy o.k.? Why don’t you go into the house and my wife will give you a towel and a cup of coffee and some fruitcake. You might want to check your shoes!

“He spoke not a word but went straight to his work” —– O.k. boys, take it easy now, lets just drive them slow, keep banging on that bucket of feed, and head for the barn. Easy does it, don’t spook them. And when we get them in there, make sure that gate gets latched!

“And laying a finger aside of his nose and giving a nod up the chimney he rose” —– Lets head up to the house, boys, the wife has lots of hot coffee and fresh baked cookies. I really appreciate all of you coming out to help get those heifers rounded up. Just be careful where you sit down, we still haven’t found the scissors!

“And I heard him exclaim as they drove out of sight, “Happy Christmas and to all and to all a good night”! “I have to go check on that new baby in the barn”.

IF THE EGG CAME FIRST BEFORE THE CHICKEN WAS IT BLUE

     Economics are one of the major problems facing our country at this time. Over the last four years it has been an important topic for news people and panelists on every news network in our country. The rising prices have been cussed and discussed by someone on television programs everywhere. When discussion is held, the two subjects that are often talked about first are the price of gas and the price of a product that was raised by a farmer and sold in the grocery store.
     I recently watched and listened to a panel consisting of people of various occupations that is featured each day on a well-known news channel. During the hour long program one of the items brought up for discussion was the high prices at the grocery store.   A popular panelist, who has his own evening program on the news channel, brought up the cost of eggs. He talked about the five types of eggs that are available in grocery stores and he then proceeded to rank them from worst to best. At the bottom of his list was the “regular ones found in the foam box” and provided by the large companies. Fourth was the “organic” eggs that are supposed to be laid by hens that are fed only organic feed. Third was the “free range” eggs from chickens that are allowed to roam wherever they choose. Second was “pastured eggs” that are from hens that are confined but fenced and allowed on pasture.    According to him, number one and the best eggs are the “blue eggs” that are from hens on pasture.
     I was a bit confused! What chickens lay blue eggs? We have some “exotic” hens here on the farm, and I know that some of them lay eggs that have different hues of color, including one who lays a very pale blue egg. But dark blue?   So it was off to my computer to find out which chickens lay blue eggs and where could you find them.
     Araucanas are a breed of chicken that originated in Chile. They lay eggs in shades of blue from pale sky blue to deep, rich blue. The most commonly used breeds for blue egg production in this country are Ameraucana, Cream Legbar, and Easter Egger. Other breeds are Dongxiang and Lushi from China. Also cross-breeds, Favaucana and Ice Cream Bar, have been developed in the United States. The Isbar is a Swedish breed.
   Blue eggs are available at numerous places including Kroger, Alchemist Farms & Garden, Atlantic Beach Urban Farms, Dragonfly Farm, and others.   No doubt in my mind, the price per dozen is high and varies from store to store and state to state. One of the interesting things I ran across is that some places are dyeing the white eggs blue and then putting them out to sell at a higher price! Somehow I doubt that there is a “blue egg police force” organized anywhere to protect the consumer!
     The color of the eggshells has no effect on the nutritional value of the egg. Blue chicken eggs are not more or less healthy than other colored eggs. Many people think brown eggs are better than white ones however the nutritional value is the same. What chickens eat can make a difference in the color of the yolk and it can be a darker yellow. Some people are afraid to use an egg that has accidently been cracked. I remember well a neighbor lady who had a lot of chickens that laid a lot of eggs and often she would have several cracked ones. On the counter in her pantry, which was a small room off the kitchen, sat a huge bowl filled with cracked eggs. She used those cracked eggs in her cooking every day and they were never refrigerated. I don’t remember a single soul who ever got sick from eating one of the beautiful angel food cakes she made, using twelve eggs whites from the eggs in that bowl! People have concerns about how long eggs will remain usable. It is much longer than most people think! Just remember that the date on the carton is the “sell by” date. I was taught to fill a pan with water and then drop in the egg. If it goes to the bottom it is still good, if it floats throw it out.
     I am not sure how the gentleman on the panel who rated the eggs became an expert on them. According to information I found, he grew up in a big city and lives in a big city. He is definitely not a farmer, nor does it appear that he has any farm experience with chickens. Therefore, it is my suggestion that you choose eggs from hens raised in the way you like, with whatever color shell you like, and enjoy them prepared individually however you like or used in a favorite dish. Eggs are good for you! Enjoy the incredible edible egg!

A CHANCE MEETING BRINGS BACK OLD MEMORIES

     I recently received a card and letter from Esther Welch, the retired editor of the Ohio Holstein News. It is Esther who encouraged me to write and gave me the opportunity to write columns for the Ohio Holstein News for over 22 years. Her encouragement and belief in me led to my writing a weekly column and having a book published. In her card and letter she mentioned a name, “Hap Huston”. Not only did it bring back numerous memories for Esther, it also brought back a special memory for me.
     C. R. “Hap” Huston was a well-known registered Guernsey breeder, a dairy farmer, and Promotion Manager for NOBA , the Northern Ohio Breeders’ Association. NOBA purchased, housed, and collected semen from bulls of all the dairy breeds. The semen was stored in frozen ampules, then made available to farmers, and used by the inseminators who worked for NOBA, to artificially inseminate the farmer’s dairy cows. Artificial insemination of dairy cattle was one of the best things made available to dairy farmers, as it eliminated the need to keep dangerous bulls on the farm. Hap was also an author, lecturer, and an outstanding dairy judge. He managed the Franchester Registered Guernsey herd, which was known everywhere, for thirty years. In 1975 he was honored with the Dairy Hall of Service Award by Ohio State University.
     Unexpectedly Esther recently met a stranger who turned out to be Hap Huston’s grandson. As they talked many memories were brought to her mind. Esther and husband, Eugene, were a part of U-Dean Dairy Farm and Registered Holsteins, along with other Welch family members. The family was very involved with NOBA and Hap often visited the farm to evaluate daughters of various bulls. Esther and Eugene and their family attended picnics and tours at Franchester Farms. Theirs was a special friendship and many memories made over the years.
     As for me, I only have one special memory that the name “Hap Huston” brought back for me, and it is one I have never forgotten. He was the toughest judge for dairy showmanship that I ever competed under! He was chosen to judge the dairy show at the Carroll County Fair   when I was in 4-H in the 1950’s. I have never forgotten that showmanship class or him! After having all of us go around the ring numerous times, leading properly, moving slowly, stopping and setting our cows up, keeping our eye on him, answering questions about the cow or heifer that included date of birth, sire, fresh date if a cow, and more, we were then lined up. He then went to the bleachers and selected six people. He had them go into the show ring and stand in a straight line, with each person a few feet apart. Then each leadsman had to weave their cow, heifer, or calf in and out and around each person without touching them and showing properly all the time. If you bumped anyone, you were done! You can hold a 1500 pound cow’s head and keep her pretty much under control, but you never know what she may do with the back end! He made showing a dairy cow a challenge that I never forgot!
     When you say “hello” and strike up a conversation with a stranger it is amazing sometimes to learn there are people you might know in common with them or the interesting things you may learn about them from just talking! Just as Esther and I did, you might find a chest full of memories that hadn’t been unlocked in quite a while. I enjoy meeting new people and engaging in a conversation. It can be a sharing of knowledge and ideas that hadn’t been thought of before. Every person is a new door to a different world. Every person has a story to tell but many of them are never told. “I never met a man I didn’t like”. (Will Rogers) “Everyone you meet knows something you don’t.” (Bill Nye) “Everyone has a story to tell and we should all listen sometimes”. (Kim Smith)

YOU CAN ESTABLISH YOUR OWN HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

The Thanksgiving holiday is here and what is one of the first things that comes to mind? The word tradition. Tradition is defined as the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. It is considered as an unwritten law, lore, or heritage.

I recently read information about the first Thanksgiving. In the autumn of 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts 52 English people and 90 Wampanoag people gathered together for a feast, games, singing, and dancing. The feast consisted of deer, shellfish, corn, beans, squash, pumpkins and other native plants. Hunters had been sent out and brought back a large supply of goose and duck for the meal. There was no account of turkey or cranberries. There was Sabaheg stew, which was a combination of beans, corn, poultry, squash, nuts, and clam juice. There was mazium—cornbread. The first time potatoes were available in America was in 1719 in Londonderry, New Hampshire and they were brought by the Irish. There was no gravy made from the fowl or meat. Instead there was “green sauce” made from beans, squash, onions, turnips. Spinach, and chard were the greens. There were no sweets.

When it is Thanksgiving the first tradition that is thought of is the food—turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, yams, corn, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, and rolls. That will be the menu for many Thanksgiving dinners all over the United States. Turkey became the popular choice in the 19 th century, around 1857. Turkeys were [plentiful and big enough to feed families. They became traditional for Thanksgiving in New England, however they were different from the wild turkeys known to the Pilgrims.

But why does turkey have to be the tradition? Not everyone is fond of turkey. This year, due to the economic situation, the price for turkey is high and not every family can afford it. So why not a meat that costs less and is within a family’s budget? Ground beef is cheaper and can be used in many ways. Why not meat loaf, there are several good recipes, or some sloppy Joes. A ground beef patty topped with caramelized onions, peppers, Bacon Jam, or a tasty sauce can look nice on the special china or just on a paper plate! Add some cheesy potatoes, perhaps a vegetable plate, and some dessert. Or even macaroni and cheese and your favorite vegetable or even a pizza! Prepare the foods your family and friends really like and can enjoy and that is affordable! Start your own and new traditions for those holiday dinners and celebrations.

After all, it isn’t the food that is important in celebrating Thanksgiving. It is the joy of getting together with family and friends. We all have memories of the holidays that we couldn’t celebrate together. We have to be very thankful for the freedom to make plans, to travel, to meet together, to choose where our celebration will take place, and how we want to celebrate it. While it has been a year that has been filled with problems and has created division at times between friends and family, it is time to put that aside. Let’s join together and thank our God for the freedoms and the many good things in our lives and rejoice in them with those we love.

BE MINDFUL WHEN IT COMES TO USING YOUR WORDS

My column is sent out to numerous newspapers and people in various areas. One of the people who receives it is a gentleman who publishes his own periodical and has done so for years. He refers to me as a “Freelance Mistress of Words”. I appreciate the title he has given me! As far as I know, it is the only one that has been bestowed on me! I enjoy words and have done so ever since I learned to read at age four. In school reading and English were my favorite subjects.

In high school two years of Latin classes were offered and I took both of them. Most students chose not to, as they were considered to be very difficult. I enjoyed them very much and they taught me a lot about the English language. The teacher was Mrs. Lois Bingham and she was an excellent Latin teacher, having taught it for several years. She was also an attractive lady, always dressed to the “nines”. Purple was her favorite color. She immediately got your attention when she entered the room with the aroma of the perfume she wore. Most of us knew why—she smoked. An absolute no-no for the teachers in those days, especially female ones! She was stern and strict. Approximately 80% of the words in our English language are derived from Latin. Words in the scientific, technical, legal, and medical fields have Latin as their “root” word as do many others.

My English and Literature teacher in high school was Mrs. Norma Toot. She usually entered the classroom smiling and happy. She kept order in her class yet it was a comfortable atmosphere. Even the boys liked her and she understood that they were “spirited teenagers”. They didn’t pull any tricks on her! She taught us definitions, punctuation, spelling, nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs and much more. She was kind and patient with us. Her husband was the Band Director and taught music and he also required her patience!

Lots of words are a necessity for anyone who writes about anything. Being older I find it very important to keep my mind and brain active. I watch television shows that involve words. Wheel of Fortune, Password, $100,000 Pyramid, Match Game, People Puzzler, Chain Reaction, 25 Words or Less are some of them. Most of those are from years ago, but still very enjoyable. I also watch game shows with questions, such as Jeopardy, The Chase, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, The Bridge, and America Says. There are a couple of new ones on in prime time now, The Floor and The 1%. I also do crossword puzzles and word search puzzles. You can find some of the puzzle books in just about every room in my house, including the bathroom. Sometimes you just need to bide your time and the puzzles help you to relax! The puzzles don’t need to be hard ones. The easy ones exercise your mind and brain just the same. Just for fun I like to work the puzzles with different colored pens!

We must have words in order to express ourselves properly. Words are the most powerful things in the universe. We must know the correct ones to use and the meaning of them in order to make people understand what we are saying or explaining. Our country has been going through a serious kerfuffle for a period of time. In a few weeks we will be going through a revolution of changes. Words will be said, shouted, and yelled in discussions. Words will be deleted or changed, written down as orders are wrote, rules are made, and laws are passed. The use of the correct words will be very important to all of us not only now, but also in the future. The saying, “Sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you” is not correct. Words can be so very effective and important in so many ways! They can create pain or joy, encourage or discourage, it all depends on how you use them! By words we learn thoughts and by thoughts we learn life. Be careful of the words you say!

SOMETIMES THINGS JUST DO NOT GO YOUR WAY

One of the ways that children protest when they do not get something they want or their own way is by “pouting”. They will thrust out their lower lip and make a mean face or they start crying. There are numerous ways of pouting. A child may sulk, brood, frown, glower, mope around, be moody, sullen, or scowl.

I learned at a very early age that pouting was not accepted by my parents. There were two words that immediately cured any sign of a pout coming on. They were “straighten up”. It wasn’t the two words that cured it, it was the tone of voice in which my father said them. For some children it was, “I’ll give you something to bawl about”! Most parents had their own special method of eliminating pouting in their children and creating a better attitude.

Following recent activities in our country last week there seems to be a lot of pouting going on. However this time it seems to be the adults who are doing the pouting. In spite of the overwhelming results, they are unable to accept the results of the recent election that was held. There are people wringing their hands, pacing the floor, cursing and swearing, crying, drinking excessively, over eating, treating other people badly, blaming each other, assaulting other people, threatening to leave the country, many are in a rage, and worse. They need to be told to “straighten up” in a firm manner. Our lives are moving on and there is work to be done.

None of the problems facing the people in our country have been solved yet. Illegal aliens are still coming into our country. Prices at the grocery store are still high and many people can’t afford food for their families. The basic foods, milk, eggs, bread, and meat are unaffordable for many families. The high prices vary depending upon which area of the country you live in. Organic eggs in Florida are $12.75 a dozen. On a recent talk show one of the people could not believe that butter in his area cost $7.00 a pound. Ground beef is $8.00 per pound in some states. People can’t even think about going out to a restaurant to eat or even buying fast food. Working people are still paying a high price for gas and the cost of car insurance is unbelievable. Crime is a major problem. People can’t afford their medications or health needs.

Pouting is not going to help or change anything in the country. Trying to find the right person to blame for the problems and making wild accusations won’t help in any way or change anything. The changes that are needed are going to take time and a lot of work. Will everyone agree on the changes when they are made? Of course not! People will be allowed to express their opinions and try to find the solution that works best. We need to be patient and accepting of changes when they are done. The people in charge of our country must be encouraged to work together to discover the problems and find the solutions for them. Sometimes when things haven’t gone your way or you have been wronged in some way, the
best thing to do is forget or ignore it and move on with your life.

HAVE YOU HEARD THE ONE ABOUT THE TRAVELING SALESMAN

As I was growing up, people would come driving into the farm driveway with a special purpose in mind—to sell something. They were known by different names, traveling salesman, peddler, huckster, hawker, etc. Their job was to travel to different places and try to persuade people to buy their goods, or to take orders for their companies. Years ago there were many people making their living that way.

The first traveling salesman that I remember worked for the Sterling Baking Company. He drove a van loaded with bread and baked goods. He was a very nice man with a crippled arm. He stopped here every Thursday and delivered the bread that Mom had ordered. Unfortunately we were the last stop on his route so I always had to hope that maybe he would have some maple rolls or cookies left that Mom could buy. He was always sold out of the pecan rolls!

Another favorite traveling salesman was the Watkins Dealer. He sold Watkins products, such as vanilla, other food flavorings, spices, pepper, lotions, salves, and many more of their products. He also sold numerous other items, including pots and pans, kitchen utensils, towels, rugs, and many more useful items for the home. He also sold blankets and Mom would save her pennies until she had enough to buy one. In those days most of our bedding, other than the sheets, consisted of quilts, comforters, and afghans. Mom was so happy when she had enough money saved to buy one of the beautiful blankets with satin binding and in pretty colors that he sold.

Often a car would drive up to our barn and two well-dressed men would get out of it. They would be salesmen representing a company that wanted Dad to sell our milk to them. In those days there were several dairy processing plants trying to out-bid each other for a dairy producer’s milk. Dad would listen to their prices, their bonus offers, and anything else they were using to persuade people to sell to them. My Dad would listen politely and then later on talk it over with my Mom before any decision was made. My Dad and Mom made important decisions together. They often had to hope that they were making the right one!

There were a lot of farm machinery dealers in those days. While some of them did visit the farmers, most of them would wait until the farmer came in for a part for his tractor or machine that was broke down to try to sell him a new one. Sometimes the farmer had to wait on a repairman to get his machinery fixed, so the dealer would loan him a new piece of equipment to use while he waited. That often resulted in a sale! Sears and Roebuck didn’t send out a salesman, they just sent their catalog and for several years they sold a lot of farm equipment!

There came a time when my Dad was considering purchasing a new pickup truck. When the salesman for the local dealership found out about it, he began to make a nuisance of himself. He was one of those men who had an attitude about “where a woman’s place was”, so when he stopped by or called on the phone he wouldn’t talk to my Mom but insisted on talking to my Dad. Needless to say, when Dad bought his new truck it was from a dealer in another county. I learned my lessons from my Mom well! After I took over the farm from my parents, some of the conversations I had with machinery dealers and salesmen turned out to be very interesting!

In the spring and summer there used to be numerous people stopping by to sell something. College students often took jobs selling products. They would bring them into an area by bus, unload them, and the students would walk from house to house trying to make a sale and earn money for college. Trucks with southern state license plates would drive into farms loaded with ladders, paint, brushes, telling you how much they needed work, and ask for a job painting your buildings. Often farmers needed their buildings spruced up a bit and felt sorry for the men, so they hired them. Unfortunately sometimes when it rained the paint washed off!

We used to hear a lot about salesmen going door to door selling vacuum cleaners and sometimes they even brought some dirt with them to spill on the floor and then show off the sweeper. There were those who sold encyclopedias. Parents were often made to think that their children would grow up dumb if they didn’t have “The World Book Encyclopedia”. They were made to feel that they were guilty of neglecting their children if they didn’t buy them! There was one summer that a salesman came around to all the farms in my area selling “safes”. Farmers weren’t making enough money to need something to put it in, however the sales pitch was that they needed a safe place for deeds, birth certificates, marriage licenses and important papers in case of a fire. A convincing argument! He sold a lot of safes. In all these years I have never heard of anyone who bought one having their house burn down!

From what I have read, peddlers and traveling salesmen go back to the 12 th century. They traveled from town to town and went door to door. They traveled by foot, horse, donkey, cart, bicycles, wagons, any way they could. The invention of the car made life a lot better for traveling salesmen. People who are trying to sell something need to be persistent, however they also need to be respectful of the people they are trying to sell to. Regardless of what it is they are selling, they also need to be truthful!

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN LIFE IS BURDENED BY WHAT HAS BEEN

Alas, once again I have come in contact with a life altering health problem. No amount of Clorox, soap, hand sanitizer, spray, or alcohol (whether rubbed on or drank) can prevent it. The danger of catching it has been around for months and months. It is called “sociopolitical stress”. It has been referred to by some as “electitis”. There are numerous symptoms and the disease can strike you anywhere and at any time.

Symptoms have appeared at bedtime. I put on my warm, fuzzy pajamas, climb into my antique bed, plump up the pillows, pull my blanket up to my chin, relax, close my eyes and plan to go to sleep. Doesn’t happen! Suddenly my mind and brain starts thinking about certain words such as transgender, Isis, democracy, woke, left-wing, weird, folks, and deplorable. Before I know it the clock says six o’clock, daylight is coming, and I haven’t slept a wink!

Whenever I do manage to go to sleep at night, there are dreams. There is the one about a well-known lady who held a very important position in the “House of Representatives”. She is standing at my kitchen sink with a knife in her hand making a banana split for the top government official in the United States. She is using up all of my Rock Road ice cream! In another dream there is a middle-aged, rather plump man out in the field by the barn. He is holding a shotgun and waving his arms wildly, as he takes aim at Dottie, our exotic chicken, who looks nothing like a duck! At times I dream that I am wading through the water in the creek, carrying my purse and trying to reach the creek bank before I drop it. That one usually occurs when I drink a lot of coffee!

I like to relax in my easy chair in the evenings and watch a game show, comedy, or an old western movie. There is a constant barrage of political ads taking time away from the regular programs and you can’t believe anything that anyone is telling you in any of them! News shows and talk shows bombard you with people and their opinions. What good are they? Opinions don’t solve anything! They just depress, stress, and irritate you! I have my own opinions and I doubt that they will change anything or that anyone really cares!

A trip to the grocery store brings on a painful attack. I am forced to buy the cheaper brands rather than the name brands that I prefer. Steak? No way. Bologna or maybe some ham. The size of packaging is smaller or there is less in the package. I found it hard to believe that they even made the paper coffee filters smaller. You have to be careful when you take used ones out of your coffee maker! Labels tell me that a lot of the meat products are now made with more chicken and pork instead of beef! I have to be sure to take my medication before going through the check-out line!

I had to get a new, larger mailbox put up. The old one was getting crammed full with all the political letters wanting money and advertisements wanting me to vote for people. That has also meant buying more plastic bags for the kitchen wastebasket. Just think—if all those people running for office had contributed the money they spent on advertising to the national debt, our country wouldn’t be so deep in debt!

This disease is contagious and can be found at any meeting or gathering of people. It is especially serious at family get-togethers and can result in after affects that last for a long time. It is very important that the disease be eliminated before the holidays. As I wander around my house, I am irritable, anxious, exhausted, frustrated, pacing, I have lost my appetite, except for chocolate and dill pickle soup. The soup seems appropriate as our country is in a “pickle”. I am having ruminating and looping thoughts, wringing my hands and kicking buckets! Hopefully, in just a few more days we will have the cure for all of these
symptoms and signs of sociopolitical stress and electitis. Or will we?

CHAMPIONS KEEP PLAYING UNTIL THEY GET IT RIGHT

Both of my grandsons are sports fans and both have earned college degrees. The older grandson has his Master’s Degree In Business Administration, a Degree in Finance, and a Degree in Sports Management and the younger one has a Degree in Law, a Degree in Accounting, and a Degree in Sports Management.. Both were active in sports as they were growing up, and were involved in baseball, swimming, and skiing. One worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a few years while in college and after graduating and has a beautiful Super Bowl ring. The other also worked for the Buccaneers while in college at the University of
Tampa. He is now in Oregon and a fan of the University of Oregon Ducks. When their Dad comes to visit me our conversations always include sports. Both of them especially enjoy baseball and are fans of the Cleveland Guardians (better known to me as the Indians).

So I was reminded this past weekend of two very important events. The Guardians were playing the Yankees in hopes of making it to the World Series. Both grandsons had said that if the Guardians won, they were going to the World Series! The Georgia Bulldogs were playing the Texas Longhorns and if Georgia won, the Oregon Ducks would become number one (1) in the AP College Football Poll. I was encouraged to watch and root for the right teams! Watching turned out to be very hectic, as both the football game and the baseball game were on at the same time! I had to pay close attention to what was happening and keep my finger on the remote at all times! There was no time for snacks! Unfortunately the Guardians lost, a disappointment not only for my grandsons, but also for Cleveland and all of their fans. The Georgia team won, so the Oregon Ducks are now the number one college team in the country
in the AP College Football Poll and both are happy about that!

I have not watched baseball in several years. Baseball has not seemed to change very much. Nine slow innings, balls, strikes, foul balls, broken bats, players and managers chewing bubblegum and blowing bubbles, pitchers moving their caps, touching their shirts, and scratching places that the camera isn’t supposed to catch a picture of. There are strike outs, walks, hits, home runs, stolen bases, and outstanding plays and catches in the field. The only thing that was different for me was the box that shows where the pitches go. Some of the players have beards, moustaches, and long hair. And sometimes they can make an error that changes the game in a heartbeat! Hopefully the Guardians can come on strong next season.

My parents were faithful fans of the Cleveland Indians for years. When my Dad and Grandpa mixed the cement and laid the cement block to build a new milk house on the hot days of August in the 1950’s, the Cleveland Indians baseball games could be heard on the radio in the barn. And my Mom would be listening as she went about her housework. When they finally got a television set they watched the games. My Dad played baseball while in school and on local teams that played on Sundays for fun while I was in school. He was a left handed first baseman and I was always told that playing first base left handed was more difficult than playing right handed because of the different throws you had to make. He was good at it!

My favorite sport is football and I prefer to watch the National Football League games. While my favorite team is still the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the Pittsburg Steelers being my second favorite team, I enjoy reading about and listening to information about the other teams and especially about some of the quarterbacks. There are some very interesting stories about many of the players. While I am not a baseball fan and I won’t know the players, I will probably watch the World Series! Interesting things usually happen in championship games!

Very few people stop to think about the impact that all types of sports has on our country and the people in it. The money that is involved and the impact it has on the economics in our country is impossible for the ordinary person to comprehend. The jobs that are created by every type of sporting event in every small community, town, or big city are too many to try to count. There is an impact that sports can have on the future of many of our youth. For many of them it gives them an opportunity for further education that they would not otherwise have. And as for the fans who just enjoy attending, watching, or listening to sports, it gives them a chance to forget about their problems and the country’s problems and just enjoy themselves. Sports are a source of diversion and a release from the pressure and stress that people deal with every day. Sports are good for a person’s health in many ways! Choose the ones you like
and enjoy!

THERE ARE POLES AND THEN THERE ARE POLLS

As a child growing up, music was a part of our family. There were times in the evenings after chores were done when my Dad would pick up his guitar and play and sing bluegrass and folk songs. One of my favorites was a Southern folk song titled “Crawdad Song”. One of the lines in the song was, “You get a line and I’ll get a pole and we’ll go down to the crawdad hole”. I learned the lines and would sing along with him. I learned at an early age that the “pole” in that song was a fishing pole. Over the years we have all learned that there are many different kinds of poles.

We are all familiar with electric poles and we know when one goes down our electric goes off. They are huge, strong poles, with many other things attached. We have learned in the last few days that not all of them can withstand the force of a hurricane. There are many people still without electric power, many poles to be replaced, and much work to be done. There are many volunteers from all over the country there to help and we need to keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers.

There are many different types of poles. Those of us who live on farms are very familiar with fence poles or posts. Holes are dug in the ground, the poles set in the holes and secured and then some type of fence wire or sometimes boards are attached. It works two ways. It will keep animals in and people out or it can keep people in and animals out. It all depends on what your purpose is! We used to have clothesline poles but you seldom see those except in certain areas. There is nothing quite like the scent of clean sheets that were dried on a clothesline before being put on your bed! There is pole vaulting. That is where a person runs very fast, holding a long, flexible pole in their hand and then sticks the pole in the ground, holds on tight and hopes that it will spring them over a high wire that is held up by poles in the ground. I
guess the idea is to get to the other side, however it seems to me that it would be a lot easier to just walk across under the wire! There are many types of poles that come to mind—telephone, magnetic, barber, pole barns, tadpoles, north, and south. There is one that you want to be sure to avoid—the polecat! Although we don’t hear that word here very often, it is the popular word in the south for a skunk. If you see one, turn and go the other way, and if you have a dog be sure he goes with you!

One of the most important poles we have is the flag pole. We want to keep our red, white, and blue national flag of the United States waving in the breeze. Salute it, respect it, support it, and handle it carefully! It is the symbol of our freedom, justice, and democracy.

An election is coming up in just a few days and every day we are being reminded of a different type of “poll”. A poll involves counting the number of people assessed by the counting of heads and of votes. I have questions about polls. Who are all these people or organizations who are conducting polls? Sometimes they tell us and we know who they are, but there are also times when we see polls published or shown and we have no idea who they were conducted by. We are also not told where they were conducted. Were the questions asked in a rural county in Iowa or in Long Island, New York? There is no doubt that people in different parts of the country are going to have different opinions. Were they men, women, or both? What was the average age? Did they work or not work, were they laid off, were they
retired? Who wrote the questions that were asked? Who actually asked the questions? We are never told any of the details or information about these polls!

I have received several polls by mail wanting me to answer a list of various questions having to do with the upcoming election. At the bottom of the list of questions is always the little boxes for me to check how much money I am sending them. There is no doubt in my mind that if I send it back, the questions will go in the wastebasket and the money will go into someone’s pocket!

If and when people are asked questions in a poll, how do those conducting the poll know they will get truthful answers? Voting is my right, my privilege, and how I vote is nobody’s business! So why should I confess my true thoughts and how I plan to vote in a poll! We are hearing a lot about “misinformation” right now, so how much misinformation has been given in polls? There are people who choose to lie when questioned in polls. One side or the other thinks their candidate is leading and will win because of the polls. What a surprise it can create when the actual votes are counted on Election Day! It seems to me that “poles” are much more reliable than “polls”! “If you are guided by opinion polls, you are not practicing leadership—you are practicing followership”. (Margaret Thatcher)

A FEW WORDS CAN CHANGE THE DAY FOR SOMEONE

It was one of my darkest days thirty years ago, as I sat in my chair awash in depression. Our daughter, Cindy, was gone, a victim of that dreaded disease, cancer. She had fought a long, hard battle and lost. Left behind were three little girls who would have to grow up and spend the rest of their lives without their mother.

I had made it through the morning chores. They had to be done. My Holsteins were fed and milked and turned out to pasture. The baby calves and the cats were fed, the milking equipment washed, and the milk house cleaned. A few things were done in preparation for evening chores. I had come in from the barn and dropped into a chair. I felt I could go no further. I had no will, no energy, and no desire! I was in the depths of depression. And then there was a knock at my door. When I opened it a delivery person, whom I did not know, handed me a small vase containing a single pink rose and a card. When I opened the card I read three words, “Thinking of You” and it was signed “Shirley”. I had been in high school with Shirley many years before. We sat in some classes together, we passed each other in the halls, said “Hi” when we met, but we had never been close friends. She was thinking of me and reached out to touch me in my time of grief. That moment and that expression of care and thoughtfulness changed my day! It is a day that I have never forgotten.

Our lives are filled with friends and people dealing with disappointments, sickness, and death. It is not limited to any age. Even our youngest children have illness, disappointments and bad days. A broken favorite toy, a problem learning something in school, forgetting a rule and being disciplined, being bullied by a classmate at school, disappointments, etc. Great-grandson, Daxton, was “down in the dumps” because his soccer team had lost their game. He wanted to win! I had to remind him that if he and his teammates had played their best that was the most important thing. However when you are seven years old, that is hard to understand and accept! Little ones need love and lots of hugs!

Our young families are under so much pressure right now. Their daily lives can be overwhelming. In most families both parents have to work to pay the bills and they have to try to balance their schedules with their children’s school time, sports, and other activities. Some have older family members that they must check on and help out. They must deal with the bad economy and try to keep a roof over their heads, two cars running, clothes and shoes on their growing children, and food on the table. They don’t have time to think about their own well- being, as they are constantly rushing and dealing with lack of sleep. All of these things put pressure on their marriage and happiness. They too need to know that they are in people’s thoughts and cared about. A pat on the back, being told they are doing a good job and to hang
in there, and an offer to babysit once in a while can make a difference. Hopefully, the economy and many other things will get better for them.

And, of course, there are us older folks, who must also deal with many of the same economic problems, as well as health issues. Many of us live alone and no longer drive. Many of us are no longer able to do chores that we used to take care of. For many the days are long and lonely. Thank goodness that the majority of us have family, friends, neighbors, and organizations that care and provide us with help. There are also ways we can help ourselves. If you can travel, visit local senior centers. Accept the help they offer. Take part in activities, or just sit around and visit with friends or make new friends. Enjoy their meals whether there or delivered at home. There are so many problems in our country today causing fear and
frustration. People are distressed and depressed. Pick up the phone every day and call someone you know. Make sure they are doing okay and let them know how you are. Send a card, a letter, or just a note in the mail to people you know to let them know you are thinking about them. Words can lift spirits, whether spoken, texted, emailed, on Facebook, or written. Reaching out and touching someone with a small gesture of care and concern can deliver a powerful message. It can not only change their day, it might change someone’s life!

ARE BRUSSEL SPROUTS A PART OF YOUR VEGETABLE DIET

Recently there has been some extra attention focused on eating healthy foods and especially on the data that shows there are concerns about what children are eating and how it is affecting their health. In order to live healthy lives we are all encouraged to eat vegetables. We are so fortunate that there are so many varieties of vegetables available. I don’t know anyone who likes every vegetable. We all have our likes and dislikes when it comes to food of all kinds. But why? For instance—brussel sprouts are very good for you. They give you fiber, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, they help with blood sugar levels, they reduce inflammation, and they are rich in antioxidants. They look like tiny cabbages and I like cabbage. Fried cabbage, cabbage
and potatoes, stuffed cabbage, haluski, and coleslaw. I don’t like brussel sprouts! I’ve tried! A friend told me I have just never had them prepared the right way!

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like potatoes prepared in some way. Why don’t we like other vegetables that grow beneath the ground the same way? Most people love French fried potatoes. Why don’t we like French fried carrots, parsnips, or turnips? Why do so many people crave chocolate? They refer to themselves as “chocoholics”. Why not caramel flavoring or lemon flavoring or any of the many others? Each person is different. Why?

The answer is your “taste buds”, they are located inside those tiny bumps covering your tongue called “papillae”. Taste buds are cells on your tongue that allow you to perceive tastes, including sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. They regenerate approximately every ten days. They let you know if things taste good or bad and they alert you to spoiled or rotten food. Umami is a rich or savory flavor and the foods include tomatoes, asparagus, fish, mushrooms, and soy.

In the womb babies enjoy the same foods as the mother and it is believed that their taste buds can be affected by that as well as by what the mother eats when breast feeding. Up until the age of two, you will eat most anything! However, even though babies may be too little to express themselves when they first experience baby food, them usually find a way to let you know if they don’t like it! The average adult has anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 taste buds. We lose taste buds as we age, which means children have more taste buds than adults. There are several things that can affect your taste buds including deficiency in B12 or zinc, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, nerve damage, smoking or chewing tobacco, alcohol consumption, a burned tongue, chemotherapy, and dry mouth. Good oral hygiene is
important. The brain reads the signals sent from the tongue. Taste is a serious science. A friend of mine suffered a bad fall on the ice a few years ago, hitting her head very hard, and she completely lost the ability to taste. Just imagine how hard it has been for her to cook for her family without being able to taste anything! She told me all she could do was follow the recipe and hope whatever she was making turned out right! She is a farm gal who, like so many, learned to cook by adding a pinch of this and a handful of that and tasting.

People may dislike food on the first taste but can train themselves to like it over time. There is also the mystery of the texture of food affecting peoples’ likes and dislikes of certain foods. So far scientists have not been able to figure out a reason why.

Naturally every country, state, and community has certain foods that are special there. People come from many places and bring their favorite types of foods with them. Recipes have been handed down in families for years and years without much change. All of that is an important part of how our likes and dislikes in food are created. As we grow up and settle into our lives, our diet usually consists of many of the same things. While we need to follow a healthy and well balanced diet, there are so many different foods available, so many recipes and so many different ways to prepare them, don’t be afraid to try a new food or dish that you have never ate before. Let your taste buds experience a new adventure!

WITHOUT WATER LIFE AS WE KNOW IT WOULD NOT EXIST

There is a lot of talk going around in my “neck of the woods” and much of it has to do with Mother Nature. Evidently something has happened to upset her and she is not cooperating in many areas. In my location as well as several others, everyone is dealing with a severe drought. Crops are stressed or ruined. Silos, silage bags, and bunkers have had to be filled early and the damage has affected the tonnage needed for filling them. Soybean crops are severely affected. Pastures are dry and dead making it necessary for farmers to start feeding the hay that was harvested for feeding their livestock in the winter. Hay prices are going up and will continue to do so as the supply decreases and will be hard to find. Many farmers are already buying hay to replenish their winter supply. Creeks and springs have gone dry making it necessary to buy and haul water to livestock on pasture. Wells are in danger of going dry. There is a risk of fires in fields and forests. Ninety seven per cent (97%) of Ohio is experiencing drought conditions and
twenty two (22) Ohio counties have been declared natural disaster areas.

Dairy farmers need a lot of water and are especially hard hit in several ways. Dairy cows drink anywhere from thirty (30) gallons to fifty (50) gallons of water a day. They may consume more during heat stress. Milk is 87.7% water, 4.9% lactose, 3.4% fat, 3.3% protein and 0.7% minerals. Many dairy cows give over 100 pounds of milk or more each day. That means each cow needs to drink a lot of water! Most dairies these days milk one hundred (100) cows or more, with many huge dairies milking thousands. Not only is water needed for the cows, but a large amount is needed for washing the milking equipment after every milking and the storage tanks after they are emptied. The milking equipment, milking parlor, and milk houses are required to be kept very clean and sanitary. The milk inspectors will make sure it is done properly and they will take samples of the water you are using to be tested. Many years ago when we were milking a small herd of dairy cows, the water for our barn and milk house was contained in a cistern that was filled by rain water. The inspector consistently took a sample and it always passed. During one summer we had a serious drought in this area. Farmers could buy water from our local town, so we made arrangements to have a tanker load put in our cistern. The next day the inspector came and took a water sample. A couple days later he came back and notified us that the water sample hadn’t passed their test and we were shut off from selling milk! Evidently it was good enough for people to drink but not for us to wash our equipment!

Water is taken for granted. How many people stop to think about the many ways in which water is used? Most people just automatically use water without a thought. We use it in the bathroom, the shower or bath tub, the laundry room and washing machine, the kitchen sink, the dishwasher, watering the lawn or flowers, filling a swimming pool, car washes, and more. There are many areas in our country where irrigation is necessary to grow things. The beauty of irrigation lies in its ability to turn barren land into a flourishing oasis. We have water parks where water is used as a source of recreation and fun for families. People in Florida fill up their bathtubs and sinks when they have to evacuate because of a hurricane, so that if things aren’t working when they come back they have some water to use. They also store up lots of bottled water.

People don’t stop to think about the unusual ways and the many ways that small amounts of water are used every day? The water that is used to rinse your mouth in a dentist’s office, the washing of hair in a beauty salon, water used by dog groomers, the water put in a pet’s bowel, making ice cubes, the few swallows used to take medication, cleaning eyeglasses, soaking your false teeth in a glass of water overnight, filling a flower vase, rinsing out a cup or dish, spritzing water on your cat if it jumps on the table or counter, making your morning coffee or tea. There are many more! These are all things that use small amounts of water, yet if you multiply each one by the population of our country they require a lot of water!

We all need water to survive. It is essential to every plant and animal on earth. Normally we don’t think much about the water we use. Perhaps we should! If you have plenty, be grateful. Do what you can to help appease Mother Nature and pray that those who need it will get rain soon. “When the well is dry we know the worth of water”. (Benjamin Franklin)

TIME PASSES QUICKLY AND MOMENTS MELT INTO YEARS

The one thing that I enjoy about retirement is the opportunity to manage some of my time to suit myself. There are appointments that have to be made and kept from time to time, however I usually have some input in the scheduling of them. I can choose the time to settle down at night and I no longer have to be awakened by an alarm clock every morning. I can make plans for the day to go somewhere or I can simply stay home. I can do work of some kind or I can choose to spend time in my easy chair and watch television. I sympathize with those whose lives are ruled by time every day.

From the first moment after birth, time becomes an important part of every person’s life. For that new baby there must be a certain amount of time between feedings to keep the baby nourished, alive, and developing. It is vital that those feeding times occur until the baby can begin to accept other foods and participate in meal times with the family.

When a child is old enough to begin school time becomes a very important issue. There is a time they must be awakened every morning, a time to get on the bus, walk to school, or be driven. They must enter the classroom by a certain time and spend a certain amount of time in the classes each day. School will be dismissed at a certain time and they will arrive home at a certain time to spend time with their family in the evenings. Then it will be time for rest and the next morning they will start using their time all over again and that will probably last for 12 years. Then it will either be off to college to spend four more years getting to classes on time or the beginning of a job or profession that you must get to on time and that could last for several years or a lifetime. Lives become ruled by time from that point on! Life is a matter of time and you have heard the saying, ”Time and tide waits for no man”. And it does not!

Some sad news this week brought the subject of time to my attention. Life is a matter of time, however no one is given the choice of how much time they will have in their life. Your time should be used wisely and not wasted! You have heard many people say, “I would like to do so and so when I get time” or I would like to do a certain thing when I retire”. You so often hear people say the certain things they would like to do but they “just don’t have time!” My advice—you better think about those words. None of us knows how much time we have. There is no one who can tell you!

So if you have that special dream in your life you better start working to find the way you can make your dream come true. You don’t know how much time you will have to accomplish your goal! If you don’t have enough time to spend with your family or if you are under pressure that forces you to take too much time away from them you better stop and think long and hard about how important they are to you. You have no idea what could happen tomorrow! You are not in control of their “time” or your own!

Everyone lays their head down on their pillow at night thinking that tomorrow will be just another day. It might not! So think about living each day as if your “time” or that of someone you care about might be done tomorrow. Don’t wait! You may need to reach out to friends and family. You may need to forgive someone and forget about something. You may need to make peace and mend fences or right a wrong. If you are unhappy in life find out why and do what you can to change that. It is never too late to do something. You cannot stop the passage of time and should not delay. Get it done while you can! “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years”. (Abraham Lincoln)

THE SPECIAL TOUCH OF A FARMER’S HANDS

My father was a farmer and he loved the land and the livestock. His early years were hard and included debt and illness. He and my mother had to fight the “great depression” and times were tough. My Dad was a strong and well-built man, not quite six feet tall. He was broad shouldered and heavy boned, with strong arms and hands. He could pound and mold horse shoes on the anvil or lightly strum his guitar. By the time I came along, his hands were rough and calloused, however when he took my small hand in his I felt safe, loved, and happy.

The planting, the growing, the nurturing, and the harvesting requires the use of many different tools, all the way from a simple needle or penknife to the largest tractor or machine made for use on a farm. The farmer’s hands will touch and guide each one. There is always breakdowns and needed repairs. Over time there will be cuts, some with electrical tape covering the wounds, bruises, mashed fingers, blood, and even some fingers missing. There will be places that fingers and hands won’t fit into and there will be the frustration of trying to figure out how to accomplish the task. There will be grease and oil wiped on old rags and some will always wind up on those bib overalls, blue jeans, and the farmer’s face. There is always
some of the dirt from his fields under the fingernails.

As the farmer works with his choice of livestock, his hands will touch many animals and many different things. Years ago his hands would be very strong, as he milked his dairy cows by hand. You could often recognize a dairy farmer when you shook his hand! Yet those same hands would yield a tender touch as they assisted in the birth of a baby lamb. Those fingers would patiently teach a baby pig how to nurse. His hands would grasp the reins firmly and properly as they worked to guide and break a young team of draft horses. He would express his joy at the birth of a baby heifer calf to add to his herd. He would hold tightly to the show halter worn by his best dairy cow and keep her head high as she was awarded the Grand Champion Banner at a special show.

There are so many different jobs and chores over the years that his hands have touched. Enjoyable or unenjoyable, when there is work and chores to be done the farmer doesn’t hesitate. Chopping wood in the early years to keep a cabin warm, tramping through the snow on a cold winter day to hunt wildlife for food. Helping to build houses and barns. Cleaning out pigpens, horse stalls, stables, and pitching the manure or digging post holes by hand until blisters form. Repairing the gutter cleaner when it breaks down. His arms and shoulders would load and unload thousands of bales of hay or straw. Gathering up the chickens that don’t survive in these big new chicken barns. Re-painting everything white to satisfy the milk inspector so he won’t shut you off from selling milk. His hands will dig the hole to bury his old faithful Border Collie dog and wipe away the tears when that chore was done. The list could go on and on and on! It is endless! A farmer’s work is never done! Every job the farmer does needs special knowledge as well as a special touch. On Sunday, with his head bowed, his hands will lie quietly in his lap, fingers inner-twined, as he listens to a sermon that will give him the faith and strength to handle the challenges that lie ahead.

A farmer’s hands touch the community in many ways. He belongs to organizations, serves on committees, attends meetings, helps to write rules and regulations and shakes the hands of both important and unimportant people. He volunteers to work with various youth organizations. His warm and friendly handshake assures friends and neighbors that he will be there to help in times of need and to share in times of joy.

The farmer’s hands and his touch are vital to a successful and comfortable family life. Occasionally the farmer remembers to give his wife some flowers or a special card, bring her something she likes from town, or to just give her a special hug or pat on the back. When the day’s work is done he joins the family for supper and whatever the evening brings. As he washes up, he is careful to clean out the grease from under that scratched and dented gold ring on his left hand. There is time for both adults and children to discuss the day’s happenings. Those hands often tuck the little ones into bed. Those touches from the farmer’s hands reassures the family that they are loved!

No one stops to think about the importance of the farmer’s hands and his touch. A farmer’s hands touches lives in many ways every day and it is his hands that help to create a good life for people everywhere. In the farmers’ hands lies the power to nurture life and feed the world.

WELCOME SEPTEMBER AND LET THE FALL ADVENTURES BEGIN

Well, here we are—it’s September. Seems like only a few days ago we were just starting June. Where did our summer go! Just like a wisp of smoke in a brisk summer breeze— observed for a few moments and then gone! The children are settled back into school and the morning routines for the families have been established. The big yellow buses keep traffic slowed down both morning and afternoon. Watch out for them! Keep the children safe!

Fall brings with it numerous activities. Football games have begun everywhere—high school, college and the National Football League. People everywhere are cheering and supporting their favorite teams and wearing their colors. For just a few hours troubles can be put aside as joy is found in a favorite sport.

There are fields lying full of bright orange pumpkins just waiting to be picked. Children are excited about choosing just the right ones and enjoying the fun of carving faces. Thoughts turn to pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin rolls filled with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin bread and many other delicious foods. Decorations for fall will be going up everywhere, including not only pumpkins, but asters and mums of every color, gourds, corn stalks, straw bales, and much more.

There will be fall festivals taking place all over our country. They bring us things of beauty and joy and remind us to be grateful for a good harvest and for the things that are needed to get us through the winter months. They are an opportunity to reflect on the importance of the fall harvests to our ancestors. Years ago many of the farms were just like ours. We had an apple orchard, peach trees, plum trees, pear trees, berry patches, melon patches, gardens and grape vines. We had trees with all kinds of nuts—walnuts, butternuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and hickory nuts. With the coming of spring everyone planted seed and then nurtured the growth and development and hoped and prayed that Mother Nature would give us the best weather that would result in a good harvest.

With the very first vegetable in the garden that was ready, the canning and preserving began. The canning of the food that would feed everyone through the winter would continue throughout the next months and jar after jar would fill the shelves in the pantry and cellar. The list of things that could be made and preserved was never ending. Recipes and ideas were shared and exchanged. Often on canning days neighbors helped neighbors, relatives helped relatives, and sometimes, on rainy days, farmers helped their wives. Even though the farmer’s hands might be busy peeling peaches or some other kind of fruit or vegetable, he could do that sitting down and enjoy a little rest from regular chores. There is no way to adequately describe the feeling of satisfaction that people felt as those shelves filled up. Most families had a certain number of jars of each food that was necessary to get them through the winter. Reaching that number was a relief and a success. Exceeding it was a special joy.

When the gardens were done, the last potato and the last turnips dug, there was still canning to be done at butchering time. All kinds of meats would be canned and processed to feed the family through the winter. When the hogs were butchered sausage would be ground up, shaped into patties, and baked in huge pans in the oven of the coal stove. When they were done, they were packed in wide-mouth jars, the grease poured over them and they were sealed and put on the shelves for later. Hams and shoulders were hung in smokehouses and smoked to preserve them. The pieces of pork fat were put in an iron kettle over an open fire and rendered until all were melted. It was then cooled and became lard to be used in cooking and baking. Any crunchy pieces that rose to the top and were left were called “cracklins” and were enjoyed as a snack. I have heard my Dad talk about going to the smokehouse on a cold morning and having to trim some mold off a ham before cutting off a big slice to cook for breakfast. While there isn’t as much canning done as in years ago, the invention of the freezer has given us a different way to preserve the produce we harvest. We are very fortunate in this day and age that we don’t have to spend so many of our summer hours working over a hot stove to can and preserve food for our survival in the winter months. All we have to do is walk into our local grocery store where we can find the shelves, coolers, and freezers filled with all kinds of food all year long. So be thankful for the bountiful harvests that keep our grocery stores full and food on our tables. And don’t forget to thank the farmers!

September is a month of harvest and we take pride in our accomplishments. Take the time to enjoy the beauty of the season and the activities that will be happening. “And then the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep, and autumn awakened”. (Raquel Franco)

NOW AND THEN THERE WILL BE BITS AND PIECES AND ODDS AND ENDS

At what age does our mind and brain start storing memories? It is said that the human brain starts working the moment we are born. Does age really have anything to do with it or is it more about what is happening in our lives? I think I must have been around four years of age when I started storing memories. I remember nothing about living in the house that I live in now during my earliest years. I remember a Christmas tree and a certain toy after my parents moved across the driveway from this house and into my grandfather’s house. I remember sitting on my grandfather’s lap learning to read before I started to school.

I started to school at five years of age. I was only in first grade for six weeks. The teacher, Mrs. Rose, had a meeting with the principal and my parents and they then moved me into second grade. Mrs. Rose told them I was ahead of the other first graders and she couldn’t keep me busy enough. I don’t remember much about second grade except that Mrs. Rose was very strict. From then on the memories of school and the different classes are just “bits and pieces”. While I always got good grades, school was not my favorite thing and I don’t have a lot of special memories about either grade school or high school. My special memories were made working on the farm.

So how does our mind and brain select the memories that we do store? Are the best and the worst embedded in our minds with just the “odds and ends” type memories used to fill in? Why is it that a word, a picture, a tool, an old car, a person you haven’t seen in years, so many different things can suddenly bring a memory to mind. Then as you begin to think about it, the void begins to fill and you remember more about it. Yet usually you can’t quite remember everything! And with age, the remembering becomes more difficult.

The human brain is probably one of the complex objects on the face of the earth! Every human brain is different. Exactly how the human brain operates remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries. Even though I took both classes and got high grades, why is it so easy to remember that Columbus discovered America and his ships were the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria from History class but I have forgotten everything I learned about why X plus Y equals Z squared from Algebra class? There are cognitive super agers who have memory performances comparable to people 20 or 30 years younger.

As we age the fuller our mind and brain becomes. When we can’t remember is our brain wearing out or is it just so overloaded that we can’t find the things we want to remember? How important is exercise for our mind and brain? Does it just get lazy if we don’t use it? The more we sit around and do nothing, the weaker our body parts become and we have trouble moving and walking. Is that also what happens our brain? It is just so easy to sit back in that easy chair and let television entertain you. When you read the brain has to create the pictures in your mind of what you are reading about and is exercised. When you work crossword puzzles or word searches, your brain has to think and spell. The puzzles don’t have to be hard ones, the easy ones also make your brain exercise and work.

Get together with friends. Put picture puzzles together, play card games, and other types of games. No matter how hard or how easy to play, they all exercise the brain and mind. If you must watch television, watch the old game shows that make you think. Just sitting around together and talking about the old times, about sports, about “this and that” is exercise for the mind and brain and brings back memories.
I recently had a call asking for information about a family that lived down the road from us years ago. I remembered some of the family and some of the stories I knew about them, however after I hung up the phone (I still have a landline here in the hills) I was not satisfied with what I had remembered about family members and I wanted to remember more. So off to the computer I went for several hours seeking information. I felt better satisfied after I found information that I hadn’t remembered and it brought back a lot of memories. One thing I have learned is that not all information on the computer is correct. Ages listed by census takers are not always accurate, just estimated, and names were often misspelled. As you research you often run across some interesting information and you find a “mystery” that there is no explanation for. It really makes you want to know “the rest of the story”. Alas, it is in the past and those who might have known the answers are no longer with us. It can really make you wonder if some of the gossip and stories you overheard when you were young were true! Perhaps life has not really changed that much over the years!

For many of us, like the rest of our body, our brain moves a little slower these days. There is no doubt that some of you reading this have had many experiences of trying to remember something “now and then” at some completely unexpected time, it will pop into your mind!

That sometimes happens in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep! No matter when it does occur it will trigger forgotten memories. “Biology gives you a brain. Life turns it into a mind.” (Jeffery Eugenides, Middlesex)

A WAVE OF YOUR HAND CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As I stood on my deck watering the hanging basket of petunias that Emily and Daxton had given me on Mother’s Day, I heard a tractor coming down the road. As it came in sight I realized that it was the neighbor’s son that I hadn’t seen in a while. We gave a “spirited” wave to each other. That is what country people do—we wave when we see someone. It doesn’t matter if we know them or not! Country people acknowledge others by waving or speaking and it is a sign of respect. Acknowledging and respecting are lessons learned early when you grow up on a farm. You must pay attention to all things found on the farm.

You acknowledge or “take heed of” of each kind of tool or piece of machinery that you work with. You learn all about how it works or is used and you learn about the pieces and parts it was created with. You respect every tool or piece of machinery that you use, knowing that regardless of the size of the tool or machine, accidents can happen.

The same is true about the animals you may choose to raise or work with. It is necessary to acknowledge that every type of animal is different and to also realize that each animal of each species can be different. You need to know their ways and their habits. You learn to respect them and their differences and be careful as you work with them.

Even the land the farmer works on has to be acknowledged and respected. Some farmers work land with a lot of hills. They have to learn and acknowledge how the land lays in order to work it safely. Others work with flat lands where water doesn’t drain off after heavy rains and they must control the mud. There are different types of soil—sandy, clay, silt, and loam and it is necessary to work with each of them in different ways in order to raise good crops. You have to learn what needs to be added to the land you cultivate and plant.

And, of course, one of the important things that farmers must acknowledge and respect is Mother Nature. The weather and the seasons are different all over the country. Learning how to adapt to and work with Mother Nature is vital and she definitely has to be respected!

People who grow up on the farms and in rural areas learn their lessons early. They learn to be aware, to acknowledge what they will be living with and working with on the farm and they quickly learn to respect everyone and everything they come in contact with. In the country usually everyone knows their neighbors, respects them, and considers most of them friends. In times of trouble, neighbors help neighbors. No one has to ask—it just happens. It is a way of life in the country.

I recently heard about a gentleman, who on his way to work, waved at a neighbor who didn’t wave back. He was upset about it and disappointed. He told his boss about it and reminded him that when you grow up in the country you always wave! Seems like a small thing and yet to this man it was important. He was starting his day at work and when he didn’t receive that “good morning” wave his mood was changed and his day was affected by it.

A wave is a friendly gesture. That’s how you make lifelong friends in the country. A quick wave to another person can be interpreted in different ways. It can be a simple “hello”— “Hi, nice to see you”—“Hi, hope you have a good day””—“Hello there, don’t know you but hello anyway”—“So good to see you out and about” and more. A wave and a smile can be interpreted by the person receiving it in so many different ways and it can change their day. The interpretation of the wave is left up to the individuals involved. You just never know what kind of an impact you can have on someone by just waving to them. “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” (Nelson Mandela)

IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES AND DESTINED TO CREATE MEMORIES

In the spring months I found myself dealing with health issues that prevented me from helping with my great-grandchildren after school. Then as the summer months began both were involved in sports activities, sleep-overs, vacations, and more. Therefore we did not get to spend much time together. So it was “the best of times” when they recently came to spend a day with me. As we sat at the kitchen table we talked about many things.

These days I am a little slow getting going in the mornings, so they were quiet and patient with me. Both sat at the kitchen table, Daxton coloring a picture and watching “Scooby-Do”, Emily working on a craft making butterflies. The first order of the day was for something for breakfast. Daxton had already had some cereal, so his choice was fruit and Emily had her usual, toast and milk. Emily drinks a lot of milk but she is “picky” about other food and will only eat certain things. Daxton will usually try new foods, however it is very difficult to get Emily to try something new. I was very proud of her when she told me she had tried eating three new things while on vacation in Louisiana—cantalope, shrimp, and frog legs. (I’m not sure I would try frog legs) and she liked them. We talked about Zach, my grandson and her cousin, who
when growing up would only eat hot dogs, buns, and macaroni and cheese. He now flies all over the country and occasionally to Australia in his work, dines in many restaurants, eats sushi and many different kinds of food. No doubt that as she grows, Emily will be trying more foods. Emily was also excited about seeing alligators while on vacation! Daxton rode dirt bikes, saw bull frogs, caught a turtle that peed on him, saw a big spider with baby spiders on its back and his cousin got stung by red ants. They both had a lot of fun on their vacation swimming and playing with their cousins.

The kids were very busy with sports this summer, had lots of practices, and had to travel for their games. Emily played softball, is a catcher, but can also play any of the other positions if needed. She was a member of the “Lady Warriors”. Daxton emphatically informed me that boys do not play softball—they play baseball! Both are now playing soccer and have practice after school.

As we sat at the table enjoying milk and cookies and coffee, we talked about going back to school, as it will be starting in just a few days. Naturally both have grown this summer, so that means that they need new clothes, new shoes, and supplies for school. Parents all over the country are facing the high costs of sending their children back to school and college. Emily is excited about starting back to school and will be in fourth grade She “kinda likes school” and is anxious to see her friends. Daxton is a little nervous about first grade and would rather stay home, he finds school a little boring, and he enjoys going to work with his Dad.

Emily is very interested in sharks and she gave me a full report on some of the things she has learned about them. Sharks do not have good eyesight so they mistake people for fish. They don’t move around much during the day. The moon is the perfect light for them and they see better at night. Tiger sharks have curved teeth, unlike the teeth of other sharks. When a shark attacks its jaw and teeth extend out. There is one kind known as the “Great White Sand Tiger Shark. Emily learned about sharks while watching Disney Plus. Daxton thinks sharks are boring and dangerous. He likes heroes like Captain America, Spider Man, Hulk, Iron Man and Black Panther movies.

Emily talked about what she might like to do when she grows up. Her Mom is a nurse, Dad has his own lawn care business, aunt is an EMT and Paramedic, great aunt is a certified public accountant, cousin is a lawyer, so many different people she is involved with are in so many different professions. I assured her that these days a young lady can choose just about any profession that she wants and is so lucky to have those opportunities. And I impressed upon her the importance of going to school, studying hard, and doing her best. I also assured her that she will change her mind many times before making a final decision! Who knows—with her interest in sharks, she might become a Marine Biologist!

Children everywhere will be starting back to school in just a few days. If you are driving, watch out for the big yellow school bus and the children waiting to get on board. If you have children walking to school in your neighborhood, keep an eye on them and help keep them safe. If you live near a school and you see anyone unusual or anything out of the ordinary let someone know. You don’t have to have children to be important in a child’s life. Children are a precious gift to all of us and it is the best of times when we can be a part of their lives.

JUST LIKE STICKS AND STONES WORDS CAN GIVE YOU POWER

Recently I have seen a word being bandied about on television and various means of communication that is normally not used very much. That word is “weird”. It is being applied to some of the people currently involved in the political arena. While it is only one of many being used in the current political battles, I don’t remember it being used in previous years. At times it is followed by the tiny word “as” and then a descriptive phrase follows.

In my many years of life I am sure that numerous words have been applied to describe me. I don’t remember too many that were said directly to my face. I do remember a male school mate in my early years who called me a name. I punched him in the nose! I remember a competitor in the show ring who called me and my family members crooked as well as numerous other nasty names when our Holstein cow beat his for Grand Champion. He had paid a lot of money for his, ours was bred and owned. He had to be sure the udder was “fixed” on his cow and he didn’t get it right, our cow just had the normal amount of milk in hers. I am sure that descriptive words have been applied to me behind my back by others over the years. Did anyone call me weird? They probably could have and for good reasons.

Most little girls like to play with dolls. As a small child my favorite toys were tractors and farm sets. The first Christmas toy that I remember was a little toy tractor with a string attached. When you pulled it across the floor it went “clickity-clack, clickity-clack”. When my girl cousins or friends came to play, we played with dolls, but I always preferred farm toys. Did that make me weird? Maybe.

As I grew up I preferred working in the barn and the fields with my Dad. Helping Mom in the house with the cleaning and cooking was easier work, but I just didn’t like it. I preferred the fields and working with the horses and cows. I learned how to use every piece of machinery and what had to be done to fix some of it. Weird? Maybe.

As a teenager, I had no interest or time for “girlie stuff”. My hair style was long hair and bangs—just wash it, comb it, and let it dry. Cutting, combing, and making someone look fancy had to do with getting my Holsteins ready for the show ring. I never painted my nails. I was so happy when they finally allowed girls to wear slacks. I no longer own a dress. Weird? Maybe.

There did come a time when I realized that boys could become more than just friends. I married a good man, we had three children, and I took care of my home and family. However, I continued to work in the barn and fields and raise my registered Holsteins. I became active in the Ohio Holstein Association at a time when it only involved men as officers and delegates. I was active in numerous local dairy organizations and activities. It was not unusual for me to attend meetings when the only others in attendance were men. I was treated with respect, allowed to express my opinions, and became good friends with many of them. Weird? Maybe.

The people all over this country and the world are different. They live differently, they have different likes and dislikes in the food they eat, the clothing they wear, shoes on their feet. They choose different ways to live their lives, to make their living, to raise their children, to practice their beliefs. The list goes on and on! Are there two people exactly alike in the world? I doubt it! They have different ideas about how to run their countries and their government. Weird? Maybe.

To call someone weird can mean a lot of things. Weird can mean uncommon, rare, extraordinary, unique, amazing, exceptional, special, unexpected. A respectful way to label someone as weird is to call them “unique”. Weird can also mean unnatural, janky, strange or peculiar. The opposite of weird is unexceptional, normal, or ordinary. The archaic definition for weird is concerned with or controlling fate or destiny.

What would our country be like if there had been no weird people years and years ago? Were those people who left their homes in other countries to come to settle in America with little or nothing in their pockets and bags weird? Were those who fought for our country and gained our country’s freedom in 1776 weird? Were those who established our government and wrote the constitution weird? Were those who year after year explored new ideas and created new inventions to make people’s lives easier weird? Were those who pulled up stakes and headed west to explore and settle new territory weird? Maybe.

If it was that type of happenings that caused people to be labeled “weird”, perhaps what our country needs today to get problems straightened out is some of those people who are currently being labeled as weird. Did our country become free and successful because we had people who could be called “weird”? Maybe. Would our country have become free and successful if there had only been people who were unexceptional, normal, and ordinary?

Maybe not.

LISTENING TO THE SOUNDS OF A WILDLIFE TROUBADOR

On a recent evening I settled into my easy chair and prepared to relax and enjoy an evening of television. My insulated container filled with ice water, two cheese sticks and a few pretzels (my evening snacks are limited these days) sat on the table beside me. It was time for two programs that I usually watch, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. I enjoy games that involve words or questions. The sun had set, darkness was rolling in, day was done and night was beginning. The games were soon over and I began searching for a good western movie or some other program that would interest me. And then I heard this very strange sound! At first I didn’t pay much attention but then I heard it again. I turned the television off and listened as the sound was repeated.

Naturally when you first hear a strange sound the first thing that crosses your mind is that something is wrong in the house. I live in an old house that often creaks and groans and makes strange noises. And, of course, there is always the air conditioner or numerous appliances that could have a problem. Once again I heard it and it wasn’t in the house. It sounded like it was coming from outside the bathroom window. I got up and peered out the window—of course I couldn’t see anything, it was dark! I looked anyway! I have an outside pole light that automatically comes on at night, however it is on the west side of the house and the noise was coming from the east side. I went out on the deck and looked around but couldn’t see anything moving in the lighted area. There it was again! A very strange sound and one I couldn’t identify. This went on all night and into the earliest morning hours and then it stopped. When
dark descended the next evening it began again and lasted into the early morning hours. Then once again it stopped.

Now when you live alone out in the country among the hills and you hear strange noises outside, you think of all kinds of things. I knew it wasn’t an owl, it didn’t say “who”! I hoped it wasn’t a black bear! One had been sighted not too far from me a couple of years ago. The sound reminded me somewhat of a Canadian goose, a wild duck or a loon. I mentioned that to my youngest son and he reminded me that they don’t make sounds at night, they roost in trees. (I knew that!) I have never heard a possum make a sound. They just roll over and play dead. Raccoons sneak in without making a sound and make a mess of everything. The deer move very quietly. We do have a lot of coyotes in this area and I have seen them in my yard. So I settled on the idea that maybe it was a coyote even though the sound was a little strange. The sounds continued every night.

In texting with a good friend, she suggested that the sound I was hearing might be a fox and possibly there could be a den of kits. So off to the computer I went seeking information about foxes. In this area there can be red or grey fox, however the red is more common. A female is called a vixen, a male is a dog fox or tod. Foxes usually have the same mate throughout their life. Foxes are mammals. The kits are nursed for two months. The young kits are usually born from February to April. There is one litter per year, usually 5 or 6 kits per litter. They are born deaf, blind, and toothless. Dens are often as much as four feet below the ground. For the first one or two weeks the female stays with the kits and the male brings food. Clever foxes often hide their food in safe places for later. After the kits are grown, the family splits up and
members go their separate ways. They eat mice, rats, rabbits, groundhogs and other small animals, birds, chickens, fruit and grasses. They are nocturnal creatures and are active all night. They are found in all 88 counties of Ohio. The scream heard at night can be the female’s mating call or the male’s territorial call. They can make over forty (40) different sounds. They have excellent low-frequency hearing. A fox can retract its claws the same as a cat.

I have decided that my friend is probably correct and that it is a fox screaming in the night. He definitely sings his own “country song”. How long will this wildlife troubadour continue to serenade me outside my window? I will just have to wait and see!

A FOUR LETTER WORD THAT CAN BE IMPORTANT TO YOUR HEALTH

When you hear the word “diet” it usually does not bring joy to your heart. You are usually hearing it from someone in the medical field. It is just a small four letter word, yet it has so much influence on every person’s life no matter where you live in the world. Diet refers to the food that is available to eat. It also means that at times and due to certain circumstances a person must limit their diet to certain foods. When you hear the words “special diet” it seldom includes the foods we like to eat! A person’s diet is not only affected by the surroundings where that person lives, but also by the earth, the sun, and the weather. All over the world each culture and each person holds some food preferences or food taboos.

After dealing with different health problems for several months that began with Covid-19, I found myself dealing with a problem that really “laid me low” and that the doctors couldn’t figure out. I was so weak I had to use a wheelchair. Finally after once again winding up in the hospital, a young doctor sat down with me and asked me to tell him everything that had happened. It was a long story! When I finished, he told me exactly what was wrong with me! What a relief to finally know! However, there was no medicine to cure it! My recovery would involve my diet, the food I ate and what I drank. I had vowed to my family and to my doctor that I would do whatever was necessary. I just wanted to get better!

The first step towards recovery was to keep a food diary, writing down everything I ate or drank every day. That would help me to discover which foods were causing my problem. The second step was to do what was necessary to get my strength back. To do that I needed to follow a proper diet, which I had not been doing because I was too sick and weak to prepare the food I needed to eat. In order to recover I would have to follow a nutritious and proper diet consisting of foods that would help me gain my strength back.

In my area we are very fortunate to have a program available called “Meals on Wheels”. A hot meal is delivered by volunteers to your home every week day and, if requested, they will leave frozen meals for over the weekend. I had heard about it, but knew very little about it. I knew the meals contained the food for a proper diet and that was what I needed. I promised my family to eat everything they brought (well almost everything) unless it was a food that I knew could cause me problems. I have ate more vegetables, especially carrots, in the last three months than I have ate in years! I have always ate and cooked what is referred to as “country food”, meat, potatoes and gravy, baked desserts, etc. This new diet has led to an adventure in foods. I am eating Terryaki Beef and Broccoli , Swedish Meatballs and Fettuccini, Broccoli
Chicken Rice Casserole, Zuppa Tuscano Soup, and more. I am enjoying trying new meals, as
well as food that I would normally eat, and I am recovering.

It is my opinion that people of all ages do not realize how much the food and drink that they consume every day affects not only their body, but also their brain and their health. People are leading busy lives, in most families both parents are working, children are active in school and sports. There is neither time to prepare nutritious meals nor time to sit down and enjoy them. Thus meals consist of food that can be prepared quickly in the microwave or fast food. Fruits and vegetables are usually missing from those meals. So much of the food we find on the shelves today is filled with preservatives. Those preservatives are not good for you. We see the words on the labels but we have no idea what they are or where they came from. Most of them have side effects and are harmful to your health. That long shelf life is very important to the companies who provide the food. So much of the liquid that is consumed with meals these days is soda. Both children and adults prefer it. Milk or water is seldom the choice!

We are so very fortunate to have the grocery stores filled with so many choices of food. Regardless of the type of diet that has to be followed there is food to be found. We are very lucky at this time of year to have our farmer’s markets and roadside stands with fresh produce of all kinds from the fields and gardens. So if you are one of those people who has been forced to make “diet” a necessary word in your life, I hope it is improving your health. Always remember you are not alone!

DO NOT LET REJECTION SILENCE YOUR STORY
The following story was written many years ago when I first dreamed of becoming a writer.

WELCOME TO THE FAIR MR. HENDERSON

For fifty-one weeks out of the year, it stood quiet and deserted. The only sounds were the wind blowing around the corners and the rain at times beating on the roof of each deserted building. Then during the last week of September, the Carroll County Fairgrounds suddenly became alive with activity. People scurried about, tools in hand, working to get their exhibits ready for the opening day. The grounds suddenly became alive with color, the red, the green, and orange farm machinery, the red, the white and the blue of the Ferris wheel. Once more it was time for the Carroll County Fair.

Early on Monday morning, as one would look toward the north end of the fairgrounds at the cattle barn, a familiar figure could be seen, sitting in his favorite folding chair, and watching the hustle and bustle going on around him. Over the years this man became as much a part of the fair as cotton candy, the merry-go-round, and the largest pumpkin. Always one of the first to arrive, he was prepared once more to enjoy his week’s stay at the Carroll County Fair and once again visit with all of his friends from the area.
This familiar figure was Mr. Henderson. His full name was R. J. (Bob) Henderson and his home was in Jefferson County, Ohio. However, for many weeks during the summer the county fairs were his home. He was a breeder of Registered Shorthorns and was well known all over Eastern Ohio. Each year his beef cattle were the winners of many ribbons at several county fairs.

As the people would pass by they would call out, “Welcome to the fair, Mr. Henderson”, or “Hello there, Mr. Henderson, glad to see you back again”. During the week people of all ages would stop to chat with him, and gather round to listen to him tell of coming to the fair in the “old days”, when he brought his first animals to the fair in a railroad car and then drove them to the fairgrounds from the railway station. Before he exhibited cattle, he exhibited sheep and horses. He had helped to show cattle since the age of 12 and had full charge of a rail car of horses on the fair circuit before he was 15 years of age.

He had once been a strong man, but during his last years arthritis had bothered him seriously and it was necessary for him to use a cane. In spite of this, he continued to exhibit at our fair and many others. One special place in the cattle barns was always reserved for him, not because he asked for it, for he was a man who never asked for special privileges, but because everyone knew it was close to the water lines, and that made his work a little easier for him.

The thought of occupying Mr. Henderson’s place never occurred to his fellow exhibitors. During his final years of showing, some of the chores became difficult for him to take care of, so at chore time some of his fellow exhibitors would always appear to clean out his stalls and do the heavier chores. On show day they were always there to help him prepare his cattle for the show and to help handle them in the ring. His friends were always around to keep an eye on him, and they always had time to give him help when it was needed.

I would often watch as he fed his sleek, fat cattle. Although they were frisky, spirited animals, as Mr. Henderson moved among them there was an air of gentleness and respect about them for their aged master. They seemed to sense that they must be patient. In the many years that Mr. Henderson exhibited at our fair, I never saw him hit or abuse an animal in any way. He seemed to use words and kindness as part of his formula for raising his prize winning animals.

In the show ring he was a true symbol of sportsmanship. Whether his animals were standing in first place or last, he never argued with the judge, but accepted his decision as final. Nor did he ever argue or complain about the decision after he left the ring, although I am sure there were times when he disagreed with the judge’s placings. He set a good example for all the 4-H members who watched, as well as everyone else.

Mr. Henderson passed away February 24, 1964, at the age of 86 years. In September of 1963 he had once again shown his Registered Shorthorns at our county fair, and also at two other fairs that year. He had shown his prize winning animals at the Jefferson County Fair that year for the 72 nd time, and he had been a member of the Jefferson County Fairboard for 60 years. He had shown at county fairs a total of 74 years. I was told that on the morning of his death, although it was a very cold and snowy day , he had gone to the barn to care for his cattle with his own hands.

Mr. Henderson was a quiet, dignified man that just demanded respect by the character that all could recognize. The lives of many people were enriched by just knowing him, and he set a shining example for all of us to follow. The Carroll County Fair goes on, but its lights became a little brighter and its people a little wiser for having known Mr. Henderson.

This story was written by me in 1964, sixty years ago and submitted to a popular magazine. It was rejected, just as previous stories had been. At the time I was busy taking care of a husband, children, milking cows and breeding registered Holsteins, helping with farm work and active in the community. My desire to become a writer was put aside. I became very active in the Ohio Holstein Association and worked with the editor, Esther Welch, on ads and proofreading. In 2002 she asked me to take over the writing of a column that was featured on the women’s page in the Ohio Holstein News. A few years later I was contacted by a newspaper asking if I would be interested in taking over a column in their newspaper that had been written about gardening. I told them I would but not too expect me to write about gardening! I was told I could write about anything I wanted to—and I did! That led to more newspapers and many friends who now receive my columns. In 2019 my oldest son published a book of my columns, “Black & White and Read All Over”, that is available on Amazon.

Rejection is a common occurrence throughout our lives. Learning that early and often will build up the tolerance and resistance to keep going and to keep trying. Our dreams are often at odds with realities but that doesn’t make them impossible to achieve. Don’t let rejection spoil your dreams or silence your story.

DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY IT’S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT

Did you wake up this morning? Then you have a reason to be happy. Not everyone did. You may not have been anxious to get out of bed and start your day. You may not have been looking forward to what your day was going to bring. On the other hand, you really couldn’t predict what would happen or how the day was going to go, so it could turn out to be a good day. In 1977 Bob Marley and the Wailers sung, “Rise up in the morning and smile with the rising sun”.

Did you enjoy a cup of hot coffee or hot tea, some orange juice, or some breakfast? Then you had a reason to be happy. We have people in our own country as well as all over the world who did not have food for breakfast. Nor did they know where they were going to find enough food to keep them living. They had to hope for a mission, a shelter, a church, or a garbage pail. They had to hope that there might be a Good Samaritan to give them something.

Did you have the clothing you needed to put on this morning? Then you had a reason to be happy. Many people have only rags, no shoes, no coats or blankets in cold weather. How long has it been since they could enjoy a hot bath or shower and something clean to put on? Their day will be spent wandering and trying to find things to help with their needs and hoping they can find somewhere to lay their head and rest when night comes. Many of them are sick, many of them have mental problems and many of them are veterans. They deserve better!

Just like everyone else, there are days when I hate to get up, days when I grumble and complain, days when I feel every ache and pain created by years of throwing hay bales, lifting milk pails, and breaking show heifers to lead. I earned the right to complain about those aches and pains and about having to get up. I may be hurting but I am grateful to be here to feel the pain and to be able to get out of bed! Most of us, regardless of age, have to face problems every day, yet we have so many reasons to be happy. They begin every morning!

Everyone just enjoyed celebrating Independence Day and the Fourth of July. There were celebrations with friends and family, activities to enjoy, and much of it carried over into the weekend. There was the sight of our beautiful flag flying everywhere and the splendor of fireworks in the nighttime sky. Now everyone has to settle back into their normal routine. The many problems faced by the people in our country are still there. Not much has changed and if there has been change, it is probably not for the better! There is so much turmoil and trouble in our country today. You know that each day will bring you some problems or challenges. We just have to wake up every morning with the faith and hope that will give us the strength to handle the challenges that the day brings. When life is “kicking you in the teeth” and you are in the “throes of despair” you may have to “dig deep” to find the little thing that will make you feel happy! “Don’t worry, be happy. In every life we have some trouble but when you worry you make it double”. Be happy, don’t worry, be happy now”. Those words are from a song written by Bobby McFerrin.

DON’T GIVE ME YOUR ATTITUDE I HAVE MY OWN

Those words are emblazoned on a tee shirt that I occasionally wear, depending on the nature of the occasion. Attitude is defined as “a settled way of thinking about something or someone, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior”. An opinion is a statement that expresses a feeling, an attitude, a value judgment, or a belief. It is a statement that is neither true nor false”. Opinion is a synonym for attitude. Those who know me well, know that I am seldom without an opinion. However, I welcome comments and debate from those who disagree with me. I learn from the ideas and arguments and the facts and data that they present to me. They can have an effect on my opinion.

Those of us who pay attention to the news just suffered through several days of constant clamor having to do with the “big debate” that was to be held. Then the “big debate” took place. And now we are constantly being bombarded with selected repeats of what was said. During both of these periods we have had to listen to comments from people in all walks of life, the majority of whom are in some way involved with politics. All any of them gave us before or after the “big debate” was opinions. Where are the facts? How do we know what is the truth and what is a lie?

Over the years I have met many people and every one of them is different in some way. Some of them tell the truth—some of them lie. And some of them do both! For example—there was one man I knew well all my life. He grew up and became a middle class, hard- working man with a family to care for. While working at steady jobs, he also had a special ability to “fix things”. People often asked him for help and he always gave it. He made many friends but was considered a “bit of a character”. To the best of my knowledge he was always an honest man in all of his dealings. I never heard anyone say they didn’t like or trust him. However, he talked a lot and was considered to be a “bit windy”. And when he talked about
things he had done, places he went, or happenings in his life, he “embellished”! No matter what story he told about places he had gone, things he had done, miles he had traveled, things he had seen, he added to it, making the story more important, details more exciting, and the numbers larger. People would listen and just smile or laugh quietly. He was a good man, who just couldn’t resist telling “tall tales”. Was he a liar? That was a matter of opinion.

And then there were others that I knew well. There was one man who could smile, look you straight in the eye and lie with ease. He would pretend to be your friend and cheat you or take advantage of you at the first chance he got. He lied to his family. He had the “uncanny” ability to make people believe he was a hard-working, honest, and important man. He had a need for power and importance. As the saying goes, “He knew how to pull the wool over their eyes”. His dishonesty led to many rewards and awards over the years. To his dying day he told people I was one of his good friends. My definition of “friend” never quite fit him!

As we listen to people or read about everything that is going on in our country, it has become impossible to know who is telling us the truth and who is lying to us. We hear the opinions of each and every person on television programs yet we seldom see the facts or data to prove what they are saying. Even if they do have information, much of it has been “doctored” to put the slant on it that they want or the facts or data has been eliminated to make it appear a certain way. All we can do is listen, read, and stay informed and hope and pray that some of what we learn is the truth about the serious and dangerous happenings in
our country and the nation. I showed my registered Holsteins for many years and one of the first things I learned came from a very wise and well-known Holstein breeder who told me the following, “The placings at every dairy show is one man’s opinion on a given day”. And so it is with opinions we read or hear these days that are about politics and our country’s problems!

I have my opinion about things that are happening in this country and I know that anyone reading this also has their opinion. That is as it should be. Don’t allow anyone to prevent you from expressing your thoughts and opinions if you choose to do so! Regardless if what we learn is truth or lies, we are still free to express our opinion! “Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth”. (Buddha)

THE HOT TOPIC IN RECENT DAYS HAS BEEN THE HEAT

The last few days were very hot and humid in most places. It was a little unusual for the month of June. We usually don’t expect that kind of heat until July or August. We are very fortunate these days to have air conditioners and fans and the electricity to run them. Our ancestors were not so lucky. They had to depend on lots of breezes and air moving, shade trees, cool running creeks and nearby ponds or lakes. A good well with lots of water was a necessity for every farm and family.

The extremely hot days were especially hard on the farmers as they went about their daily work. For many years the work was done with horses. When working in the fields with a team of horses in hot weather it was necessary to occasionally pull up under the nearest shade tree and give them some time to rest and cool off. Once in a while the driver would find a soft, grassy spot under the tree and grab “forty winks” while the team rested. But no more than forty! There was lots of work to be done.

Threshing days were usually a very hot time. The big tractor and the threshing machine would pull into the farm and be set up ready to work, often arriving in the evening. As soon as the dew was gone the next morning neighbors would gather in and the work began. As the work progressed and the day got longer the temperature rose. Many of the farmers in those days wore “chambray” shirts. They were made of thin, cotton material and usually had short sleeves. However, there was one farmer who always wore a long sleeved shirt! I never knew why! Their shirts would be soaked with sweat and there would be a large wet place in the back of their overalls where the sweat ran down their backs. They would be covered with the dirt and dust from the grain. If there was “smut” in the grain their faces and arms would be black. How good it must have felt as they washed up in a tub of cold water or under the pump at the well as they prepared to eat lunch!

Even though most dairy farms these days have fans or misters to cool the cows, the heat usually causes a drop in production. That means less milk in the tank and less money in the milk check! Plenty of water is vital for dairy cows. However, my cows seemed to prefer warm water. They would walk across the creek filled with cold water, walk to the barnyard gate, and drink out of the huge tank of water that had been sitting in the sun all day! They had drinking cups beside them in the barn while they were being milked, however as soon as they were turned out they went back to that tank with warmer water. I have to assume they were like me—I can drink more water when there is no ice in it!

Animals that are raised to be marketed for meat take in less feed on hot days, which slows down growth and weight gain. That adds more time that the farmer must wait before he can send the animal to market. Keeping farm animals cool in extreme hot weather is not only important for the farmer’s profit, but also affects the availability of products in the grocery store.

The July 4 th Independence Day celebrations and happenings are coming up. There will be picnics, barbeques, parties, parades, speeches, and fireworks in numerous places throughout our country. Years ago many of our family picnics and get-togethers were held in the pasture field across the road and down the hill from the barn. Two very large oak trees shaded a creek that flowed with sparkling, cool water. In the summer it was one of the most pleasant spots on the farm. Family, relatives, neighbors, and once in a while complete strangers, would gather there for a special occasion or just to enjoy a Sunday afternoon. Everyone contributed, bringing tables, chairs, blankets, tablecloths, silverware, and baskets filled with all kinds of delicious country style food. There would be music, as many who came played guitar or other bluegrass instruments. Baseballs, gloves and bats were the entertainment for some. Others played different types of games. Little kids threw sticks for the dog, chased each other, waded in the creek, or floated their boats made with leaves and twigs. Some of the older people just enjoyed the opportunity to sit together and visit. It was a special time and a special place!

Regardless of how you choose to spend your Fourth of July, with peace and quiet or with noise and fireworks, remember to give thanks for the freedoms we have. Have a Happy Fourth of July! “Nothing but honesty, industry, and frugality are necessary to make us a great and happy people”. (George Washington)

WILL THEY HAVE TO ASK WHERE’S THE BEEF

Diet is a small five letter word that is vital to the survival of every living being of every type, large or small. As a noun the word “diet” is defined as the kind of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. The kinds of food are different all over the world. It would be very difficult to find two people anywhere who eat or like exactly the same thing. We are very lucky in this country to have grocery stores with shelves stocked full with all types of foods and so many different things to select from. Not everyone in other countries is so lucky! The farmers and growers here in the United States work hard to help keep those shelves in the grocery store filled and to give us the choice of what we want to eat.

As I read a blog recently written by a friend, some news was brought to my attention. The United States Department of Defense is “cooking up” fake meat for our troops! The U. S. Military is apparently going to spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars on “bio-meats”—meats that are manufactured in laboratories. A large research grant has been given for that purpose to the same company that was involved in the making of the vaccine for Covid-19. This company will once again be profiting off of our soldiers by something they will be forced to do! Our soldiers and veterans should never be forced to eat fake meat. They do not deserve that!

Our country needs a strong and healthy armed forces! They go through difficult and dangerous procedures every day. They not only need their bodies to be strong and healthy and prepared for whatever they must face, they must also have healthy brains that enable them to make quick decisions. They need a proper diet that can contribute to all of that. And that diet needs to include real meat of all kinds! Fake meat is a slap in the face to everyone currently serving in our military forces and to those veterans who have served our country.

As a verb the word “diet” means to restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of foods in order to lose weight or to maintain one’s health. Many people do not like to hear the word “diet” as it usually means they are being told that they need to change their lifestyle because of a health problem. This seems to happen many of us. Regardless of the reason, dieting is never easy as we often have to give up many things that we are especially fond of. However maintaining good health is important for everyone, regardless of age. We are blessed with many different food choices to help us create a healthy diet. Just as we learned to eat new foods as we were growing up, we can learn to eat the foods that are best for us. There are foods that many of us have never tried. We have been use to just eating the foods we grew up with and especially like. Be adventurous—try foods you haven’t eaten before. There are recipe books of all kinds, as well as recipes on the internet. Try making a dish that is new to you and different. You might find something that you will really like and enjoy! We all need to choose wisely!

We all remember the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. These days it takes much more than an apple!

IS IT TIME TO BRING BACK THE PONY EXPRESS

Years ago people began moving to and settling in the West. Thousands moved west on the Oregon Trail in the 1840’s. One of their problems was communication from the families and businesses they had left behind. The only way they could send a message was by asking someone who was traveling that direction to carry it and hope it would eventually reach its destination. In 1857 the Butterfield Overland Mail Service was started and the mail was carried by stagecoach. However, a faster way was needed. The Leavenworth & Pike Peak’s Express Company was created and later became known as the Pony Express. The Pony Express was in operation from April 1860 to October 1861. It traveled 1800 to 2000 miles from St. Joseph,
Missouri to Sacramento, California, in 10 days. Riders were hired at wages of $50 per month and “found”. Riders rode 75 to 100 miles and changed horses every 10 to 15 miles. The majority of horses chosen to ride were Mustangs, Morgans, Pintos, and Thoroughbreds. With the coming of telegraph lines the Pony Express was officially terminated.

Upon making a recent call to an organization that I had sent a check to over a month ago, I discovered that my check and note had never arrived. I also learned that they had sent a letter to me over three weeks ago and I have never received it! Over a period of time this seems to have become a major problem for many of us who must rely on the United States Postal Service to deliver our mail. I was recently informed that this problem has happened because so many people are ordering things by computer and phone and having it delivered by mail. It seems that some of those large companies have the priority with the postal service. When there is a large amount of orders some of the regular mail has to wait. Younger people are busy with work and families and they have found it easier and more convenient to just pick up their phones or go to the computer and order what they want or need!

There are many older people who do not have computers, no longer drive, have to deal with health issues, are just not able to do much shopping, and do not have people they can rely on to shop for them. Many live in areas of our country where it is no longer safe for them to go out on the streets or shopping in the stores. They have no choice but to order things by filling out an order blank and sending it in the mail. They also have bills that must be paid by a certain date and many of them have to write checks and send payment in the mail. If payments are late it creates all types of problems for people!

Why is it that while there is mail laying somewhere waiting to go out, my mailbox is filled with “junk mail” almost every day? Why are all those advertisements wanting to sell you something, those letters begging for donations, and those political letters more important than the mail that an ordinary person needs to send out? We must put a postage stamp on each letter we send and constantly pay more for those stamps, as the government continually increases the cost! Do all of those organizations get special rates? I still get letters and advertisements for my husband who has been dead for over ten years! All of that junk mail goes into my wastebasket!

It is my opinion, and I think many people will agree with me, that anything that our government is in charge of or any department that is run by our government is disorganized, inefficient, and wastes taxpayers’ money! Perhaps it is time to bring back the Pony Express to deliver the mail!

You may have noticed that one of the breeds of horses used by the Pony Express was Thoroughbred. I am a fan of the sport of Thoroughbred Horse Racing. I enjoy watching the races and especially enjoy the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes races. There are pictures of the horses, information and stories about them, interviews with jockeys and trainers, and much more. I have never owned a race horse, never bet on one and never been to a race. However, I enjoy seeing those beautiful horses and watching them run. I often choose one that I hope will win or I choose one with high odds that is not expected to win. And so it was with the recent winner of the Belmont Stakes—a horse named Dornoch. He was never shown and his name was never mentioned during all the pre-race promotion, build-up, and talk. His odds were 17 to 1. Unknown and from the middle of the pack, he made history! Could there be a “Dornoch” who will be entered and run in that “special race” in November?

THERE IS NOBODY LEFT TO CARE

Memorial Day is the day dedicated to the memory of those we have loved and lost. And so on a beautiful Saturday filled with sunshine we traveled to the cemeteries where our loved ones rest. As we entered the first cemetery, it gave me a sense of pride and hope as I observed the many flags of the United States of America blowing freely in the breeze, as they adorned the graves of those who served our country and put their lives on the line for freedom and democracy. The cemetery was aflame with the many colors of the flowers placed there in memory of loved ones.

With our flowers in place and our thoughts filled with memories, we slowly drove along the road leading through the cemetery, stopping here and there to read the names and remember the people resting there. At one of the stops we observed a very small, flat gravestone with only a name and dates on it. There was no flowers. The name was Hobart Wagner but most people called him Hobie. I knew him well. When I was a little girl, Hobie and his father, Charley, came to visit my family almost every Sunday. Every time Hobie came, he would grab my long hair, give a hard yank, and say, “How you doin’ today, Bobert?” As a small child I slowly learned to dislike him! Over the years the visits continued and I had to learn to tolerate him, as my parents did not allow disrespect of elders. As I grew up, I learned much more about
him!

Charley was born and raised in this area. He married Rhoda and accepted a job as the manager of a state run institution, referred to at that time as “a farm for the feebleminded”, at Orient, Ohio. Hobie’s first few years were spent there and then suddenly Charley quit his job and they returned to this area and bought a farm near us. The story was told that Hobie had started to mimic the actions of the residents on the farm and his parents felt that they definitely needed to remove him from that atmosphere. As the years went on and I heard some of the stories about that farm and things that took place there, I understood why they left!

Hobie was spoiled. When he outgrew his toys he buried them rather than share them with relatives’ children who had none. While the other kids in the area walked to school, he had a pony to ride. He hated school and did not make friends with the other students. He hated the teachers and would tell you about how much he hated them throughout his life. He quit school and worked on the farm. Rhoda died when he was twenty years old, leaving Charley and Hobie alone. From that time on, he generally got his own way about things. While he worked with animals on the farm, he never expressed much feeling for them. He never had a dog.

Both he and his dad worked hard on the farm, however all the work was done with a team of horses and they had no modern equipment. My Dad and neighbors provided tractors and modern equipment during harvest time and for other occasional needs. I always went with my Dad and was usually the “water boy” when they worked. On a hot summer day I refilled the thermos jug with cold water and went back to the field where they were cutting and shocking wheat. Charley and Hobie owned the old grain binder but Dad pulled it with our Oliver tractor. As occasionally happened the old binder quit tying the sheaves. Hobie immediately threw a temper tantrum, grabbing up the untied sheaves and throwing them up in the air, cursing and swearing, as my Dad quietly tried to figure out what repairs were needed. That was his normal reaction to problems, as he seldom knew how to solve them.

Hobie never married. The women didn’t seem to like him and he didn’t seem to have a lot of nice things to say about them. He thought my Aunt Ruth was beautiful…and she was…but once she met him, she would never even consider giving him the time of day! He got along with my mother, which surprised all of us. My Mom was feisty, outspoken, took nothing from him, and “told him like it was”! I sometimes wondered if he wasn’t a little afraid of her!

In his last years, Charlie was diagnosed with cancer and suffered. When he died on the last day of the month, Hobie commented, “If he had lived one more day he would have received his old aged pension check”. Hobie took a job at a local plant shoveling clay and worked there for a few years. During that time he would stop at a local bar for a sandwich and beer. There he met one of the three people he called his friends. Each time that friend would let him drink a few beers then follow him home and “buy at a small price” a few of the many valuable antiques that had filled the house for years. When they were all gone, so was that friend. When he got to the place where he need care, his other two friends were quite willing to help him. They used the money he had saved and turned over to them to buy things for a son who didn’t believe in working and caring for his family and they purchased a car for their preacher.

As I looked at that tiny gravestone and thought about how he lived his life, these words came to mind, “There is nobody left to care”. We put some flowers on the grave.

THE WILY WANDERING WAYS OF WILDLIFE

With the coming of spring and summer comes the emergence and appearance of bugs and animals of all kinds. Birth and reproduction occurs all over our country. As the various animals and creatures grow and mature they must seek their own place or natural habitat. Occasionally some of them do not wind up in the places where you would normally expect to find them.

Many of us have basements under our houses. Many are filled with bags and boxes, this and that, and just plain junk that we haven’t thrown away. Others are neat and orderly and we know exactly what should or shouldn’t be there. There may be playrooms, bar rooms, or laundry rooms down there. Basements can serve many purposes.

A few days ago a very “special” friend of mine went down to her basement with plans to do her laundry. She noticed that her dryer vent tube was hanging down. Further investigation revealed that it was heavy. She noticed leaves on the floor, which was very weird due to the location of her basement next to the steps. She pulled the tube down, looked into it and it was plugged. She immediately pitched it out the basement door and when it landed a baby possum ran out the end that she had looked into and ran into the flowers. She loaded some other things into her Gator and threw the tube in. Out came baby possum number two! It played possum for a little bit and then ran up a tree. My friend then headed for the barn to empty the items from the Gator into the trash bin. When she threw the vent tube into the trash bin out
came possum number three from one end and possum number four from the other end! Needless to say, she was not happy with the choice those four baby possums had made for their new home!

I, too, have memories of unexpected guests in my house and basement. I had a bird in the commode. It evidently fell down a small vent pipe! I awoke a little late one morning and was hurrying down the basement steps to put on my barn clothes and shoes. I was not wide awake as I proceeded down the stairs. As I started to set my bare foot down from the last step onto the throw rug there, I suddenly realized it wasn’t just the throw rug laying there. A huge black snake was curled up on the rug! How it got there was always a mystery! And there were other types of wildlife that got there somehow. Birds—-probably came down the chimney— a toad—no idea how he got in—and the occasional rat that may have somehow climbed up a drain. I especially remember one special rat. I had gone to the basement to shovel some coal into the furnace. The second time I shoved the shovel into the pile of coal a rat ran out. At my side was our faithful golden cocker spaniel, Rusty. As I ran screaming for the stairs to the kitchen, Rusty grabbed the rat. As I turned around to slam the basement door shut behind me, there was Rusty, rat in his mouth, tail wagging, and so happy! He wanted to give it to me, just like he brought back his ball and presented it to me when I threw it for him! No thanks, Rusty!

Many years ago when I was young, I went to the basement to get my coat and boots and go to the barn to do chores. As I put my foot into the first boot I felt something in the toe. I yanked my foot out and looked and there was a mouse in it. I screamed, grabbed the boot and ran to the coal furnace, jerked open the door and threw boot, mouse, and all into the flames! My Dad teased me for years and would say, “She can’t kill a mouse, but she can throw them into a fire and let them burn!”

Raccoons are always a problem. My son had one that tried to come down the chimney into his fireplace. So many people have problems with them in their attics, garages, barns, and everywhere. They can ruin feed and hay in the barns. They seem to be able to find a way in everywhere and they make such a terrible mess. Skunks can be a problem also. Several years ago we had one who decided to come and drink milk with our cats. We fed the cats in a small shed connected to the barn and we could not go into it if the skunk was there! So a “certain person” decided he would shoot it—and he did—in the shed. I swear you can still smell it every time it rains!

Not all unusual situations happen with wildlife. Many of them occur with animals of all kinds. We once had a cow in the hay mow! Our barn is a very old barn, made with logs and the logs are put together with wooden pins. Each hay mow has an opening where you can crawl in and throw the hay out. A barnyard gate was left open, and when the cows were turned out after milking, one of the young cows wandered up through it and went into the barn floor.

From there she went back to a shed that led to one of the hay mows. She went up three steps (cows can walk up steps but not down steps) onto the wooden roof of the shed below. She then went to the opening to the mow, which was about three feet off the floor, and had to jump into the hay mow, while not hitting her back on a large log that was across the top of the opening. It was in the spring, so the mow had not yet been filled. When I found her she was just standing in the middle of the mow looking around. The problem—the floor of the mow was boards spaced about six inches apart. There was a danger that the cow might step through the space and break a leg or fall and the boards would break and let her fall to the stable below. Fortunately she had been in the show ring, so she was not nervous or scared—I was! The kids went for a show halter while I climbed into the mow, talking quietly to her as I went. I put the show halter on and very slowly, quietly, and carefully proceeded to lead her to the opening. She jumped down from the mow, jumped down from the shed, and the kids headed for the
pasture gate with her while I sat down and breathed some very deep sighs of relief! You just never know what interesting things life is going to present you with!

THE SOOTHING SCENTS SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF SUMMER

As the winter months come to an end everyone looks forward to the coming of spring and summer. The previous winter days have been cold, dark, and dreary. The sounds have been those of car motors warming up in the mornings before people go to work, snow plows clearing the roads, snow blowers clearing sidewalks, and cold winds blowing. The sights have been snow drifts, snow shovels, people dressed in heavy coats, toboggans, and boots. The scents have been those of diesel fuel, smoke from wood burners, and hot soup simmering on the stove.

Some of the first scents of spring are not always so pleasant, as farmers in rural areas take to the fields with their big tractors and spreaders as they empty the manure pits and manure holding facilities. These days there are ways to try to limit the odors, however they tend to linger. It is important to remember that the manure they are applying to the fields is very important for the growth of the crops being planted and those crops put food on the table! A few days of a bad smell is a small price to pay for finding our grocery stores filled with all kinds of food!

With the coming of spring it all begins to change. The country begins to open up and just like a beautiful rosebud it begins to bloom. It begins with the first sight of the early flowers, daffodils, crocus, tulips, and leaves starting to grow on the trees. Then comes the many wonderful scents of spring and summer. The flowers, the bloom on the trees, that first time that grass is mowed, the smell of the earth as the farmers work up and plant the fields, the hay as the sun shines on it and dries it for baling, there is no limit. Our entire country is filled with the different scents that occur in every different area within our United States.

Spring brings with it Memorial Day and the many sights of our country’s flag. Not only should it be honored every day but also on Flag Day, June 14, 2024, and Independence Day, Thursday, July 4, 2024. It will be raised at events and activities. It will be carried in parades. It will decorate the graves of our veterans everywhere and remind us of their sacrifices. Memorial Day will give us the sight of many flowers as loved ones are remembered. You will see new baby animals of all kinds everywhere! Bicycles will come out of storage. People will be wearing their shorts as they walk and jog. The holidays will bring families and friends together for barbecues and picnics and numerous activities.

Sounds are everywhere! The tiny mew of a baby kitten, those big green tractors as they work in the fields, jet engines, the huge crowds at sport events, motorcycles will come out of storage as bikers don their leather outfits and helmets and get together with club members for those special rides. Sounds will come not only from the calmest places but also from areas filled with activity of all types. They will range from the sound of silence to the loudest roar.

There is a saying, “Take the time to smell the roses”. They are one of the very special fragrances of summer. However, it is important that everyone takes some time to enjoy all the many pleasant things that summer brings us. As the sun rises early in the morning, along with the smell of fresh coffee comes so many other scents. As your day progresses there are many “sights to behold”. Take the time to enjoy them. While there are times when “silence is golden”, our lives are filled with sounds. Take time to listen. Be ever so thankful that you can smell, you can see, and you can hear.

Our world is currently filled with turmoil, troubles trials, and tribulations. We need everything that summer has to offer us. The soothing scents, sights, and sounds of summer will create for us the peace, patience, joy, and faith to help us work our way through these tough times. Find the ways to enjoy your summer!

A KITCHEN TABLE FOR TWO OR FOUR OR MORE

Homes usually contain numerous pieces of furniture of all types, shapes, and sizes. Each piece has a place and a purpose and contributes in some way to the daily life of the people living in the home. It is my opinion that the most important piece of furniture in any home is the kitchen table. For years and years all over this country the kitchen table has been the hub of activities for families. It serves many purposes and plays an important part in the life of every family.

For many years the family gathered around the kitchen table every morning as they began their day with breakfast. There was food of all types to select from. It might be pancakes, waffles, mush, corn cakes, oatmeal, cereal, eggs, bacon, ham, coffee, milk, juice, and more. Times have changed. Now it is often something quick, popped in the toaster or microwave, and held in the hand as family members rush to get where they need to go. Or it is a stop for a breakfast selection and coffee from the nearest fast food place. Children will receive something at school. Moms are working too, so there is no time for preparing and sitting down and enjoying breakfast at the kitchen table. Life is fast paced these days and people don’t always have time to sit down for a meal.

When families could afford for Moms to stay home and look after their homes and families the kitchen table was used for many things. Before clothes dryers, clothes were hung on the clothes lines outside and dried by the fresh breezes that blew them. There is no smell like the fragrance of fresh bed sheets dried on the line in the warm breeze. They have never been able to recreate it in a bottle, spray, or dryer sheet! Monday was usually laundry day and then Tuesday was ironing day. The ironing board and iron would be set up in the kitchen with a spray can of starch nearby. As clothes were ironed and folded they were often stacked in the proper piles on the kitchen table, to be put away when all was done.

Other days the kitchen table might be used for rolling out pie dough to bake pies or bread dough for cinnamon rolls. When gardens were producing the table would be filled with fruits or vegetables prepared for canning or freezing, canning jars or freezer containers, and equipment needed for that purpose. Mending and sewing was often done while sitting at the kitchen table. There was no limit to the different things that might be done or found on a kitchen table!

The kitchen table was very important at the end of the working day, as everyone returned home. Everyone gathered around the table for supper (some people call it dinner) usually a delicious, filling, and satisfying meal that the family could take time to enjoy. Everyone talked about the happenings of their day, good or bad. There were questions, answers, debate, discussions, joys, disappointments, and enjoyable conversation. Plans were discussed and made for the next day or the future. Stories were told around the kitchen table and many memories made.

Often in the evenings or on weekends the kitchen table became the place for the family and friends to come together to play games or cards or to put puzzles together. The children colored and drew pictures, made crafts, or built things with dominos or Legos. Adults wrote letters, prepared mail, paid bills, or just sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of cold milk and some cookies or a piece of pie.

The kitchen table became even more important during holidays. Not every home had a dining room or a dining table. The extra boards or “leaves” would be added to the kitchen table so more places could be set. A fancy tablecloth would cover it and a holiday centerpiece placed in the center. The special dishes, place settings, and silverware that were used only for certain occasions would add to the beauty of the table. It would be filled with all the delicious recipes and foods that were traditional for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other special celebrations or parties. “A meal shared with loved ones is a feast for the soul”. (Table for Two)

The kitchen table has been a part of and a witness to many of the choices and decisions made by people in the past. Perhaps what we need in the White House in Washington, D.C. is a big kitchen table where those higher officials in our government could all sit down together and talk about the many problems that our country and the people in it are facing today. No phones, no computers, no interruptions unless there is a war or earthquake. Lock the door, no one allowed to walk out. No cursing, yelling, or screaming. They must really listen to what others there have to say! Some coffee or cold milk with fresh baked cookies or pie might help to create a calmer atmosphere and more peace among them. Some of the best, the most productive, and the most memorable conversations happen around the kitchen table!

A LOOK BACK INTO THE “GOOD OLE’ DAYS”

An upcoming remodeling project made it necessary to clean out a very large built-in cabinet that has been in place for several years. The only way to reach the top of it is by step-ladder, so needless to say, the top section had not been cleaned out in a few years. Among the interesting items I came across was the October 1966 issue of Farm Journal, “The Magazine of American Agriculture”. Why I had saved it I really don’t know, but there it was and it has given me a couple evenings of interesting reading, some of which I will pass along. The magazine has several “sections” with items listed pertaining to the
title of the section.

Under “Letters” was the following: “ We put the run on the deer around here. They were destroying our cotton and corn, and the law forbids us to kill them. So I set a trap for a skunk, caught one and removed its musk sac, put it in a gallon jug filled with alcohol and sprayed fields with it. It worked. Now others are skunking their own crops.” L.H. Giles, Athens, Ala. So for any of you dealing with the problem of deer in your gardens or fields there is a solution!

The following item under “Farm Business” struck my attention: What’ll it cost you each year to put your son or daughter through college? Here are up-to-date averages, says the U.S. Office of Education: High cost private college–$3200; Low cost private college–$1850; High cost public college–$1800; Low cost public college (live at home)–$1050. Parents and grand-parents with children in college now would love to have those figures back!

The advertising is interesting, there are full page ads for AC sparkplugs, Delaval milkers, Pioneer seed corn, B.F. Goodrich tires, Homelite chainsaws, Duofold 2-layer underwear, and tractors–Case, Oliver, Ford, Farmall, John Deere, Allis Chalmers, and even David Brown. Anyone remember David Brown tractors? They were distributed nationally through the National Equipment Distributors Association. I think they were available in our area through Farm Bureau. There are full page color ads for cars. Tobacco products were advertised including Copenhagen, Medico filter pipes, and Winston cigarettes. Full page ads featured guns, Winchester and Remington shotguns, Federal shotgun shells, Marlin 36 deer rifles, and Stevens 940 by Savage. There are several pages of drug company ads for drugs to use on livestock.

High corn prices of $1.46 to $1.52 in August were expected to stall the expected boom in hog numbers. And some farmers were talking of $2.00 corn come summer. Beef farmers were being encouraged to winter their cattle on corn stalks to cut feed costs. Poultry producers are told to give layers all they can eat in four to six hours a day and they will eat about 10% less feed, but lay the same number of eggs. The hens adjust to the timed feeding and eat all they need, but they do lay smaller eggs, but that was not a
serious problem.

In the section called “The Farmer’s Wife” most of the recipes featured had to do with apples – No Crust Apple Pie, Applesauce Pie, Big Apple Bars, Spiced Apple Glace’, however there was also one for Lacey Edged Batter Cakes, a southern favorite made with cornmeal. There was a full page of fashions and an order form for Simplicity Printed Patterns costing 65 cents each.

Under “Last Minute Reports Straight From Washington” farmers were told to get ready to pay higher wages to farm help, as about 375,000 farm workers would be brought under minimum wages of $1.00 per hour on February 1, 1967; $1.15 on February 1, 1968; and $1.30 on February 1, 1969. This will apply to anyone hiring 500 man-days of farm labor in any quarter of the previous year with various exceptions. But most farmers will have to pay more to attract labor anyway, law or no law.

Under “Dairy News”: “Mama” is dead. College Ormsby Burke, the world’s champion producer was put to sleep this month after an infection with secondary complications made further efforts useless. “Mama” as she was affectionately called by herdsmen at the Colorado State University, was nearly 15 years old. The Holstein broke the world’s record on May 1 and finished her lifetime production with 334,248 pounds of
milk—more than 167 tons—and 11,354 pounds of fat. This was more than 66 pounds of milk for every day of her life. They buried her in the lawn at CSU Dairy farm. Dean H.H. Stonaker says that a fitting marker will be designed.

Under the “Market Report for Springer Heifers”, in Ohio the price was $350 to $400. Dairymen were told, “Don’t flinch at $400 springer heifers if they have good breeding and you have extra feed and space. You can afford that price if you are on a good fluid market and the heifer will produce at least 400 pounds of fat”. Dairymen were told to declare full scale war on your two biggest problems – mastitis and getting cows pregnant at the right time. For dairymen today these are still two of the biggest problems! I didn’t
find a reference to the price being paid for milk, but consumers were paying an average cost of 49 ½ cents for a half gallon of regular whole milk.

And, of course, there were the regular features, Slick Tricks, teens who wrote to Aunt Polly and Ada, the Ayrshire. This was some of the farm news brought to us by the October issue of Farm Journal in the “good ole’ days” of 1966.

OVER THE HILL AND UP THE ROAD TO GRANDMA’S HOUSE

A friend of mine recently became a grandmother for the first time. There was a picture of her and her beautiful new granddaughter on her Facebook page. Her joy was obvious! As a grandmother and a great-grandmother I would like to pass on to her and to any other grandmothers or great-grand-mothers to-be a few “words of wisdom” that life has taught me.

Grandmother, your life has changed and it will never be the same again! Grandchildren will bring joys that you have never known before. However, be aware that just as with your children, there will also be scares, worries, accidents and concerns. That is life! The joys will outnumber those.

Many of you —including some of the great-grandmothers—have to work due to the current economic situation in our country. My friend is a very busy lady, traveling all over the country in her job. I urge her and every one of you to set aside some special time to spend with the children. Those years from birth until they start school are very special times. They will be growing, changing, and experiencing things that only happen once in their lifetime. You will want to be there if you can. During those years they will touch your heart, bring you laughter, and their ideas and imagination are developing and wonderful! One of my favorite times was just sitting at the kitchen table and talking with Emily and Daxton. I learned a lot—some things I wasn’t supposed to! As they start school and become so involved in activities you won’t get to spend as much time with them. Before you know it, they will be graduating from high school and heading out into the world. The older they get the less time you will get to spend with them. That’s life! I am so grateful that I have been allowed to have the extra years in retirement to spend with my great-grandchildren. I consider it a special gift.

If you listen to the media and the news you know that our country is in turmoil, with protests and sad things happening at many of the places of education and the “so called” best colleges in our country. The news people talk about it and talk about it and show the pictures where it is happening over and over and over. The one thing they do not tell us or show us is the thousands of students in our country who are going to school every day, attending classes, following the rules and causing no problems! Why doesn’t the media show us those students and the colleges where there are no protestors? Many of the people protesting aren’t even students! They are being paid to cause trouble! Why is bad news the only news we ever seem to see or hear?

I am a strong supporter of the youth. There are outstanding youth all over this country! They can be found in every state, every county, every big city, every small town, in every rural area, and on every farm. They are everywhere and doing outstanding things, yet they are seldom featured on the news and we are seldom told about them. For those of us who have so many concerns about the problems in our country, hearing about them would certainly help us have more faith in the future of our country! Thank goodness that some of us still have local newspapers that give us stories about them and their accomplishments. It is so sad that so many local communities no longer have those local newspapers.

As a retired breeder of registered Holsteins and a retired dairy farmer I am a very strong supporter of our farm kids. They grow up working hard on the farm with their families and learning responsibility. So many of them belong to 4-H clubs from age eight to twenty one. Many of them belong to the Future Farmers of America in high school. They learn many different things from both organizations. There are projects of all kinds for them to participate in and they will be exhibiting them at county and state fairs all over this United States. Some of them will be selling their projects. There are youth involved in numerous other organizations.

They can all use your support in many ways. Many of you have family members who live far from you, so you don’t get to see grandchildren or great grandchildren very often. Find the ways to communicate with them and keep in touch. Set a certain time and day that you call and talk to them. Learn to text with them. Send them cards, notes and letters. They may save them and treasure them in later years. In the meantime, find ways to help and support youth in your local area who do not have grandparents close or have lost their grandparents. Every child needs love and support! Our youth are the future of our country! “There is no other love that is as special as the love of a Grandma. So warm and fuzzy, so calm and sweet, so cheerful and joyful”. (Hopal Green)

RESPECT MOTHER NATURE AND ALWAYS TAKE TORNADO WARNINGS SERIOUSLY

Lately it seems to rain on the days I choose to write my column and that is exactly what it is doing today. The rain is pouring down, thunder is booming, wind is blowing, lightning strikes are sharp, and we are under a tornado watch. I always take tornado warnings very seriously, having gone through a tornado several years ago.

It happened just about this time of year. The storm came up very early in the morning, just before daylight. My husband was working midnight shift, and the children and I were alone in bed. I was awakened by the thunder and by my border collie, who hated the sound of thunder. I went around the
house shutting doors and windows. I could hear the sound of the storm getting worse. I raced upstairs
to get the children and seek shelter in the basement. The tornado hit before I could get downstairs. I
stood petrified with fear at the top of the steps, with our baby in my arms, as it came roaring down over
the hill and tore through everything.

When people tell you that it sounds like a freight train, believe them, it is true. However, it is a sound that you will never forget. The roar only lasted a few minutes and then it was gone. There was only the sound of the rain. The four car garage that stood between my house and the house of my parents was completely destroyed. Yet hard to believe, neither house was damaged. Trees and electric lines were down everywhere. As it was still dark, my Dad went out with flashlight in hand to try to access the damage, and to make his way to the barn to see what was damaged there. He cautioned my mother to stay in the house and yelled for me to do the same, as we couldn’t tell where all the downed electric lines were laying. The cows and heifers were all out on pasture, so we could only hope that lightning hadn’t struck where they were or a tree gone down on them. There were baby calves in the barn.

As daylight came, we could hardly believe the damage. A part of the roof of the garage lay on top of our new pickup truck and my parent’s car. Items from the garage were scattered up through my yard, in the barnyard, and all through the fields. Later on we found items in the neighbors hay field a half mile or so from us. There was a huge solid oak post about ten inches square that stood in the center of the garage as a support for the structure. Attached to the post was a huge and very heavy drill press. That post now lay several feet from the garage in my yard. Yet an open umbrella that was made to fit on our Oliver tractor stood in its regular spot and hadn’t been moved! And there was a piece of straw embedded in a two by four! There were several things about the destruction that had no logical answers!

The electric company and neighbors soon came to help. The barn just had some minor damage, and there were some trees down. The livestock were all safe and we were able to milk the cows and cool the milk. Everyone in the family was safe and we were very thankful for that. So, when I hear that we are under a tornado watch, it brings back a lot of memories of the destruction and of that sound. If a storm gets bad, I do not hesitate to head for the basement or look for a safe place. Make sure you have a safe place to take shelter and do not hesitate to do so when there is a chance of a tornado. Never take the storm and tornado warnings lightly. Mother Nature can get pretty angry at times and we should always respect her.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

When spring arrives and we move into the month of April we can always expect those April showers and recently we have had an abundance of them. While farmers, gardeners, landscapers and anyone else whose livelihood and business is affected by the weather find the rainy days to be dark, dreary, ugly and frustrating there can be a part of those showers that brings beauty and joy. As the weather warms and rain comes down numerous things are already growing—grass, flowers, trees and more. The rain will be essential as seeds are planted for all kinds of crops and gardens. Rain is a necessity of life.

Rain also creates mud puddles—a thing of beauty and joy for kids. Mud puddles are great for jumping in, running through, riding your bike through and splashing muddy water everywhere. They have fun floating “leaf boats” on the water. And of course they can create mud pies! While mud is a major problem at times for adults, it can be lots of fun for kids!

Spring and the rain means dandelions in lawns. For some they are a weed and must be removed so the lawn will be perfect. For others they are a sprinkle of bright yellow color on a bed of green as Mother Nature creates her beautiful colors to make us forget the dark, drab winter we just survived. They were preceded by daffodils and crocus and will be followed by tulips and bushes of all colors to bring us beauty and joy.

The sight of that first groundhog in your yard can be frustrating, as you know what is going to happen—a hole will be dug in your yard under one of the bushes or buildings. And, of course, there will be little ones! While not all baby animals are welcome, some will grow-up to be destructive, they all tend to be cute when little! In spite of that there can be joy when you see that first groundhog as it is one of the first signs that spring has arrived. Birds of all kinds are busy building their nests and you will need to get your feeders out and a supply of sugar, as the hummingbirds will be back soon.

Take a drive in the country. You will see baby animals of all kinds running and playing in the fields. As soon as we get some good, warm sunshine and the fields dry, you will see tractors and machinery working in the fields everywhere. Farmers will be working twenty four hours a day to get those fields ready and the seeds planted. Every crop needs a certain amount of growing time and these April showers are holding things up and limiting that time.

Beauty was in the eye of the dairy farmers as they and their families attended and participated in the Spring Dairy Expo held March 28-29-30, 2024 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus, Ohio. Exhibitors and visitors from all over Ohio as well as surrounding states attended. All seven dairy breeds participated and competed for the awards in both the open shows and the junior shows. A showmanship contest featuring three age classes was held for the youth. A successful Buckeye Dairy Club sale was held and was managed by the youth involved in the dairy programs at The Ohio State University.

The Supreme Champions of Spring Dairy Expo were selected on the final day. The Grand Champions and Junior Champions from each dairy breed competed for the award. The Supreme Champion Cow in the open show was Rivendale Joel Ricochet owned by Kevin Reichard from Indiana. She was the winning Five Year old and Grand Champion of the Jersey show. The Supreme Junior Champion of the open show was MM Downtown Brown Flirt-ET owned by Jared Harding and Julie Grove, New Philadelphia, Ohio. She was the winning Spring Yearling Heifer and Junior Champion of the Jersey show. The Supreme Champion Cow in the Junior Show was Luck-E Russ-PP Astro-Red-ET shown by Lane Francis, Greenville, Ohio. She was the winning Five Year Old and Grand Champion of the Red and White Show. The Supreme Champion Heifer in
the Junior Show was Hodglynn Swingman Lust-Red shown by Hannah Froelich, Salem, Ohio. She was the winning Fall Yearling and Junior Champion of the Red and White Show.

Look for the beauty in life—you may be surprised by where you find it! Beauty doesn’t exist on its own but is created by observers. What one person finds beautiful another may not. “Beauty, like supreme dominion is but supported by opinion.” (Benjamin Franklin)

IN LIFE YOU NEED GOOD ADVICE AND COMMON SENSE

Common sense is defined as the ability to think and behave in a reasonable way and to make good decisions. There are times when individuals are chosen to be in charge and to manage a large area that involves a huge amount of responsibility and contains many different types of inhabitants and activities. Much knowledge is needed and many difficult decisions have to be made in order to manage successfully and to gain the best benefits for the entire area. It is vital to the situation that “common sense” be used in planning and making decisions.

A good example of someone who uses common sense as they manage and make the necessary decisions is the dairy farmer. It must be applied in order to achieve success. One of the biggest responsibilities is the “herd”. The decisions that are made must be best for them. If the herd tears down the fence, escapes, and is wandering in all directions, they must first be found, then rounded up, and put back where they came from. The fence must be rebuilt and the gate closed. Identification papers and records are very important in maintaining and keeping track of the herd. You need to know where they are located, information about their health, and if they are producing or idle.

The herd will need housing. It should be safe and protect them from the elements and the weather, however, it doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy. Most will only remain for a short time before moving on to other places. Feeding will be necessary and important for good health but that doesn’t mean that it has to be expensive food. A simple diet of healthful products is better and less expensive. You must seek the best information for taking care of them and heed the advice of others who are experienced.

You must get along with your neighbors and work with them. You can’t allow the herd to wander around and take over their fields and destroy the things they own. Respecting ownership and rights and obeying the law is very important. As work is done with the herd, there will be numerous rules and regulations that have to be obeyed and followed. At times some of the things that have to be done with the herd will greatly upset them and create problems. Having the correctly trained people to work with them is very important for everyone involved.

If any member of the herd becomes destructive or considered dangerous, it will be necessary to remove them from the herd or possibly confine them elsewhere. The herd’s safety is very important. In order for the herd members to be the most productive, they must feel safe.

There are herds of all kinds and common sense is very important in handling them. It takes a lot of work, time and patience to work with any type of herd. There can be some very difficult and frustrating times but if common sense is applied a successful goal can be reached. No one is better at using common sense than a farmer. Perhaps they are the ones who should be consulted for advice on solving our country’s many problems. “Common sense is genius dressed in working clothes”. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

MARY MARY QUITE CONTRARY HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW

“Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockleshells and pretty maids all in a row”. This time of year the thoughts of a garden are on many peoples’ minds. There are those people who will be planting one. There are those who are mulling over ideas for what they want to plant. There are those who are thinking about that fresh, healthful and delicious produce that can be enjoyed immediately or preserved for later. There are those who don’t or can’t plant a garden and they are anxiously awaiting the opening of the farm markets.

One of the favorite things that can be found in most gardens are cucumbers. From those will come numerous kinds of pickles that will be made. Technically pickles are a fruit. They are a seed containing the fruit of the cucumber plant and they are actually pickled cucumbers. They are soaked in a brine or vinegar solution. They can be made into different types and sizes, such as gherkins, spears, slices, or whole ones with different spices and seasonings added to create their taste. The cucumbers are used in salads of different types and some people just like them sliced with a little salt.

Once they totally mature and become yellow not much can be done with them. Of course, pigs will eat them and we once had a cow that loved them. We cut them up and put them on top of her feed. She also ate many of the peelings from fruits and vegetables that my Mom threw over the fence, including grapefruit rinds. Years ago Dad planted a lot of pumpkins and we would cut them into pieces and put them with the cow’s feed. In those days you utilized everything you could to feed your cows and keep them producing including the cornstalks after the corn had been husked. The important thing was having enough feed to get your livestock through the winter. My Grandma didn’t have the money to buy feed for their milk cow, so she cooked all the peelings and parts of the vegetables that weren’t good and mixed them with some bran to help keep the cow giving milk for their children. We also had a cow that ate tomatoes. In the fall after crops were off, the cows would be turned into the hay fields to pasture. Dad always had two gardens that were located in the same area. We had a Holstein cow named Burky that, as soon as she was turned in, would go directly to the garden and eat tomatoes.

And, of course, everything left over from preparing meals and cooking used to be thrown over the fence for the hogs. They would race to the apple tree in the lot if they heard an apple fall! There was never any to pick up! I remember Dad used to throw chunks of coal over the fence for them. The hogs were given coal to “tone them up” and aid in their alimentary well-being (nourishment). The exact function of this carbonaceous material is not known. It probably has the same effect, whatever that may be, as charcoal, which is put into prepared dog foods.

We have many people in this country who are “vegans” and for diet and health reasons do not eat meat. What if the farmers who grow livestock to market for meat fed their animals with fruits and vegetables, along with hay and grass? Could they create a healthier meat? Would the “vegans” then eat the meat? Has anyone ever researched the possibility?

Cucumbers add roughage and vitamins to the cow’s diet. Of course, if you are feeding milking cows you don’t want them to eat onions, cabbage, beans or garlic! Carrots are also a good source of energy for cows. Hogs will eat many things and usually anything left over from cooking or preparing meals was thrown over the fence to them! Sheep will eat lettuce and carrot tops. There are numerous things that goats will eat. The large grocery stores and fresh food markets always have produce that is damaged or becomes too old and has to be thrown away. Arrangements could be made with them to haul those items away and use them for feed.

While the weather isn’t allowing the gardeners or farmers to accomplish much yet, better days are on the way! We have had some very snowy days in April over the years, but the sun comes out and it soon melts. Once that good weather arrives everyone will spring into action!

“Hope is the essential tools of a farmer or a gardener”. (Amy Stewart)

SPRING HAS EVERYONE SPRINGING INTO ACTION

The calendar says that spring has arrived. However, Mother Nature and the thermometer have disagreed with that the last few days. The daffodils have bowed their heads and are shivering in their clumps. New born baby animals are snuggling up to their mothers trying to keep warm. It has been Carharts and sweatshirts instead of tee shirts and shorts! And in some areas there was still a need for snow shovels and snow plows! In spite of the chilly weather, spring activities have begun.

This week the Spring Dairy Expo is taking place March 27- 30, 2024, at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio. Breeders and owners of dairy cattle of all seven dairy breeds have gathered in Ohio for one of the first dairy shows and will compete for the blue ribbons, the purple rosettes and the Supreme Champion honors. There will also be a judging contest and an all-breeds showmanship contest for the youth. The Buckeye Classic Breed Sales will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday morning, March 28. Everyone is looking forward to the shows, to seeing beautiful cattle, to catching up with old friends, and to meeting new friends. Dairy shows will continue throughout the year at county fairs, district shows, state fairs and national shows with both youth and adults participating and enjoying them.

Farmers are anxious to get their tractors and machinery working in the fields. Landscapers and lawn care workers have all sorts of ideas in their heads and want to get started on improving the looks of homes and businesses. Gardeners are chomping at the bit, as they prepare to get those early vegetables planted. Some people are already thinking about summer vacations—where they might go, what they might do and if they are going to be able to afford a vacation this year. Boys and girls of all ages are practicing for T-ball, softball, baseball, tennis, golf, track, and more. Practicing and practicing so they can compete and
perform at their best. They are looking forward to being able to play outside and enjoy their favorite sports, to meeting new friends, and the competition.

In talking with some of my friends, I asked them what they looked forward to with the coming of spring. One of the first things so many of them mentioned was the fresh air—throwing the doors and windows open and letting the fresh air blow through the house—being able to sit on the front porch or the deck and just breathing in the fresh air. Some mentioned just being able to be outside and not cooped up in the house. Flowers usually came next—the crocus, the daffodils and the tulips that will soon be showing off their bright colors. Being able to take walks—down the street—in the woods—out in the yard—anywhere! Watching as the birds work to build their nests—even the “mud daubers” can be interesting as they form theirs. Most enjoy seeing and watching new baby animals of all kinds. Being able to watch the
children in the family playing sports or just playing in the yard. Backyard barbeques and picnics are favorite activities for many families. Going camping—building a fire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, seeing the wildlife, and sleeping under the stars. Going fishing, boating or swimming. There are so many activities happening that can be enjoyed. Old fashioned spring house cleaning was something that one friend looked forward to, not because she enjoyed doing it, but because once it was done it gave her so much pleasure and satisfaction. Dairy farmers always look forward to spring knowing that milk houses, milking parlors and barns will need cleaning and repainting in order to keep milk inspectors satisfied. Some people enjoy visiting the garden centers, seeing new varieties of flowers and garden plants and
bringing some home to plant and try growing.

Spring brings so many things to life and becomes a precious time. So much to get done! So many things to look forward to and enjoy! No time to waste! “Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush!” (Doug Larson)

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO

Once again I recently found it necessary to visit the emergency room in the hospital. After numerous tests and several hours of waiting, I was admitted and had to spend several days there fighting a very serious stomach virus called “Sapovirus”. It is an intestinal infection marked by diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, nausea, and fever. The diarrhea can last up to seven days. Mine lasted eight days and needless to say, took the “starch” out of me!

Following a lot of tests being done and the results obtained, two doctors who are gastroenterologists came to visit me. After some discussion of my problem, they announced that in fighting the virus, I would need to make some changes and follow a very limited diet. The first thing that had to be removed from my diet was everything dairy. My “hackles” were immediately raised when I heard those words and I immediately protested! I am a retired dairy farmer who has spent my entire life drinking raw milk from our cows and I love everything that is made with milk and dairy products! Eliminate dairy—why not liver, salmon patties, spinach, asparagus, pears, sushi—not dairy! It was an argument I couldn’t win! I was immediately placed on a very strict diet—no dairy, no fresh fruit, and no fresh vegetables and I would have to avoid anything else that was known to cause me problems. Both doctors were well known and with years of experience in this type of problem. I wanted to get better, so I would have to follow their orders. I will give them credit—at no time did they suggest drinking or using “plant milk”!

A good friend who is a nurse told me that the nurses all know the diet and will tell you “bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast”. Bananas—while I don’t dislike them, they are not my favorite fruit. When I buy them I always get the green ones. I can’t eat them when they get too ripe. They are best with ice cream and chocolate syrup, however neither one of those things are on my diet! I am not a big fan of rice, either brown or white, unless it is my recipe for “Spanish Rice”. It is made with hamburger, onions, green peppers, tomato sauce, seasoned with garlic powder, chili powder, celery salt, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar and then combined with cooked white rice and baked in the oven for a little while to let the flavors blend. Not in my diet! Mom used to make a “custard rice”. She beat eggs and sugar, added milk and vanilla, and combined it with the cooked rice. Haven’t had that in years. Oops—milk! Applesauce is best if you make it yourself and yellow delicious apples are used. Apple pie or apple dumplings are much better. You just have to omit the milk or ice cream on them! Toast—I like mine with lots of butter, but that is a “no no”. Grape jam or jelly is good. My Dad liked homemade apple butter. Mom liked apricot jam on her toast. Maybe I will try that. I forgot to ask if I could have peanut butter.

So what is left on my new, limited diet? Lots of things! They are just not the things that I like best and usually include in my daily diet. I will just have to learn to like and enjoy some new foods and look for some new recipes. Like it or not, my diet is going to have to change for a while. I must eat and I need foods that will help me to gain back my strength and energy and allow my “gut” to heal. I need foods with protein, calcium, iron, potassium, etc. and I need time for my system to recover. Hopefully I can go back to enjoying dairy products in the future.

No one ever promised that life would be easy. Every day everyone is faced with making a decision or making a change of some kind in their life or their lifestyle. Some are minor and some are major and they involve so many different things. Some are very easy and some are very, very difficult. None of us want to be forced to make changes in our lives, but it happens and we have to face it. It requires strength, determination, patience, education, and faith. We have to learn to adjust to what happens in our lives throughout the years. While none of us ever enjoy being forced to make changes, we can learn from them and do our best to accept them. However, we may never really learn to like them! There are times when you gotta do what you gotta do!

THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING WHAT IS INVOLVED IN A NAME

In a recent comment by a high ranking person in our government, that person chose to label me and others who disagreed with them as “Neanderthals”. I took it to mean that he considered me and others in this country who do not agree with him on numerous policies to be uneducated and living in a primitive style. While I had some knowledge of Neanderthals, I really didn’t know a lot about them, so I decided to do some reading and try to determine if the label placed on me and on others could be correct.

A Neanderthal is an extinct species of humans who lived over 40,000 years ago. They lived in caves and were referred to as cavemen. I guess I could be compared to a caveman or “cave person” these days. Although my home is not a cave, it is a modest home, and has the same necessities as the caveman had—protection from the weather, fire to keep me warm and prepare my food, a comfortable “rock” to sit down on, and a place to lay down and sleep. These days I seldom leave my “cave” except to gather food or to do the necessary things needed in my life. This would make me similar to a Neanderthal.

Food is a necessity for me, as it was for the caveman. That makes it necessary for me to venture out of my cave and explore and travel areas where food is available. Then I must use my knowledge to gather that food and transport it back to my living area, where I must know how to prepare it for eating. Unless it is something I can eat raw, that means I must have a fire to cook it and know how to use it. Learning how to make fire was very important to the Neanderthal. It was very important in keeping the cold weather from his cave, it was needed to prepare food, and it was a means of protection from dangerous wild animals. It is suggested that the caveman may have used manganese dioxide, a mineral that occurs naturally in rocks such as pyrolusite found in limestone caves and cliffs, to create fire.

I am very fortunate to have the “tools” and “inventions” needed to keep me comfortable in my daily life. The caveman was not so lucky. He had to think up the ways to utilize the various things he found in his world. He had to come up with ideas and invent tools that would be helpful and make his life a little easier. There were Neanderthals who were smart enough to invent and make those tools, just as we have had so many things invented and created over the years. The caveman developed a successful culture with complex tool technology.

The cavemen were also capable of arts and crafts. Artistic pictures and drawings were found etched into the cave walls using some of tools that they had created. While I am not very good at painting, drawing, or making crafts, I do like to think that my writing is a type of craft and is enjoyed by those who read it.

When the person speaking compared me and others to Neanderthals, it appeared to me that his conception of a Neanderthal was of someone stupid and uneducated. I would suggest that he read, study, and learn more about the Neanderthal caveman. He also needs to be sure, when he says something in a derogatory manner about people and their history, that he knows exactly what he is talking about!

The Neanderthal caveman had to learn how to survive on his own and he did just that! He did not have welfare assistance or “freebies”. He did not have a lot of education or a college degree. However, he was not stupid (nor are the people today) and he educated himself in many ways. Currently we, the people, are educating ourselves on how to survive the current problems facing us in our country today. We must keep the faith and pray for the strength and knowledge to help us enjoy our lives and be successful during these troubled times.

HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO THE HEREAFTER

The question was asked, “Have you given any thought to the hereafter”. The reply was, ”Oh, yes, I do it all the time. Wherever I am —upstairs, in the kitchen, or in the basement, I ask myself, “Now what am I here after?” As I stand with the refrigerator door open looking at the milk jug, the cheese, the carrots, the catsup bottle, I keep asking myself, “Now what am I here after?” And then I finally remember, the butter for my toast that is getting very cold as it waits!

There I am in the grocery store without my list, which is laying at home on the kitchen table. As I wander up and down the aisles asking myself “Now what am I here after?”, I keep dropping items in my cart, just in case they were on my list that I can’t remember. Pretty soon there I am pushing a cart out the door, full of groceries that cost almost $100 and I just hope in one of those bags is “what I am here after”!

As we age, memory problems arise and it can be very frustrating, but I find things about the brain fascinating. In school we had to memorize and learn so many things. Our brains were filled with history, mathematics, English, science, algebra, languages, and so much more. These days I can’t help but wonder if it was really so important. Why do I remember “In fourteen hundred ninety two Columbus sailed the ocean blue” but I don’t remember which ocean or what he was looking for! Why did that rhyme stay in my brain but not the other details? When Columbus and his crew finally found land, did he look around and ask, “Now what am I here after”?

There are many memories from my childhood but only certain ones. Am I really remembering all of those things that happened when I was small or am I remembering things that were told to me. I remember being in the doctor’s office when I broke my wrist and being told to count as I went to sleep and refusing to do it. I remember sitting on my Grandpa’s lap and learning to read because I couldn’t play very well with my broken wrist. I was four years old. I remember many years when we went to my Grandpa and Grandma Gallon’s for the holidays. There was a huge family get-together, my Grandma’s homemade noodles, and good times together. Aunt Georgia was always late getting there! There are so many things to remember about family, friends, and neighbors as we go through life. I may not think about someone for a long period of time and then a name or word will bring memories flooding back. Where have they been all that time? And it is so frustrating when we meet and start talking to someone we know well—we just can’t remember their name! It happens to all of us.

Over the years those of us who are farmers have so many animals in our lives, horses, dogs, cats, cows, and many more. There are so many memories created by our work with those animals. We have so many different reasons for remembering them! For me there are so many memories connected to my Registered Holsteins—their personalities, the things I learned in breeding and working with them, the shows we participated in, the special things we accomplished with them, and especially all the people we met along the way because of them. Those are very special memories.

Why do we remember bits and pieces of all those things we learned in school or things that happened to us in life? Why is it that a certain picture, word, or name triggers memories that we hadn’t thought about in years? Our heads aren’t very big, so how is all that “stuff” stored in there? There are a lot of questions. Hopefully someday there will be answers. As we age the “Now what am I here after” seems to occur more often. There is no doubt that in the future I will find myself standing in a room asking, “Now what am I here after”. When I finally remember what it is, the next question will be, ”Now where did I put it?”!

GOOD BROWNIES! GOOD FRIENDS! GOOD MEMORIES!

As my granddaughter and I recently welcomed consignors and organized the paper work for a recent dairy sale, a good friend stopped by to say “hello” and brought us a plate of brownies. So chocolaty—so
filled with nuts—so delicious! So nice of her! They are always so perfect with a big glass of cold milk!

The first person to put a recipe for “brownies” in a cook book was Fanny Farmer, who adapted her cookie recipe to be baked in a rectangular pan in the 1896 edition of The Boston Cooking School Cookbook. However, that recipe contained no chocolate! Farmer had made what we today call a blondie. In the late 1890’s two advertisements referring to brownies appeared. The first, in the 1897 Sears Roebuck catalog, advertised brownies underneath the heading “Fancy Crackers, Discuits (sic), Etc”, but those treats could have been either chocolate or molasses based. In 1906, Fannie Farmer published an updated version of her cookbook that included a blondie recipe and a brownie recipe, both called brownies. After that the recipe started spreading nationally.

I remember so well the first time I tasted brownies. It was at a Farm Bureau Council meeting that I attended with my Dad and Mom. I don’t remember the year but do remember it was in the fall. The meeting was hosted by Guy and Dorothy Stine. They were hard working dairy farmers with a well-kept
farm, a good herd of cows, and a big, old house with nice things in it including a piano. As the meetings
always went, there was a business meeting, a discussion on a subject usually provided by Farm Bureau and then there was food and fellowship. Dorothy was an excellent cook and there were hot sandwiches,
salad, home canned pickles and relishes, and then dessert —brownies — a new recipe she had found.
The brownies brought about a lot of discussion among the ladies present, as no one had made them before. There were many requests for the recipe. I thought they were wonderful, so chocolaty and full of nuts, just like the ones my friend brought us the other day!

As I thought about that time, so many years ago, I also thought about the people there and their lives. There were the three Fisher brothers and their wives. They milked cows, raised sheep, raised hogs, did custom harvesting for other farmers— ran a grain binder, baled hay and straw and took their threshing
machine all over the area. Their wives and children usually milked the cows and took care of the livestock. The Shawver brothers also did custom work, raised sheep and were known as the best sheep shearers in the country, at times giving demonstrations at county fairs. One of them milked dairy cows, with his wife and young son handling chores when he had to be away. The Butterfield Family had one of the best Jersey herds around. The Slates family milked registered Ayrshires, raised hogs, and Mrs. Slates had a huge flock of chickens, sold eggs, and made delicious, tall, fluffy angel food cakes. The Reigle family farmed and ran a sawmill. There were older couples who were considered “retired” but who still helped their families on the farm in any way they could. So many memories of those good farm families and an enjoyable evening brought back by a plate of brownies!

With all the difficult problems that farmers are dealing with today and all the turmoil out in the world, perhaps what everybody needs is more “get-togethers”, more friendly discussion, more cold milk and more brownies! We may not be able to solve the problems, but I am sure the fellowship and the brownies would help to make all of us feel better!

SEEKING THE FIRST SIGNS THAT SPRING IS ON THE WAY

Mother Nature chose to remind us last week that we are still in the month of February. She delivered a cold weekend with snow in my area. Everyone was bundled up in their warmest clothing and boots. Soup and hot drinks were popular items. The days were dark and dreary. You just wanted to spend the days in your easy chair under a warm blanket. It was the kind of weather that we have learned over the years to expect in February. In spite of that people tend to keep an eye open for some little sign that spring is on the way.

In spite of the nasty weather, some travel was necessary for me to keep appointments a few miles away. As we traveled, we literally “ran across” one of the first signs of spring. Not only was it visible, there was a scent in the air that lingered for quite a distance. It definitely aroused our thoughts of spring! It was a member of the Mephitidae family—a skunk. The skunk family is comprised of four genera—Mephitis, Conepatus, Spilogale, and Mydaus—and they come in different colors. The striped skunk is Mephitis. Skunks do not hibernate but do share their dens in the winter. Early spring is mating season so they are out and about more and are one of the first signs of spring. Kits are born from April to June and they usually have four to seven kits. Skunk pelts were once valuable in the fur industry and my Dad used to talk about hunting skunks to get some money to help pay the bills when he and Mom were first married. Automobiles are the major cause of mortality for skunks in the United States. And, alas, so it was as we traveled last week!

Another first sign of spring, as you enter many of the stores now, is a large display of packets of various seeds that are available to plant. There are all kinds of vegetables and numerous types and colors of flowers. Shelves are being filled with tools for planting, hoses, garden gloves, fertilizers, bug sprays, etc. Gardeners have already started plants and are making their decisions about what they will be planting this spring.

As a good friend who lives in Bucyrus, Ohio, and I enjoyed a long phone visit the other evening, he mentioned that his favorite tomcat had just returned home after being gone for over three days. “Oz” is an orange and white tomcat with mitten paws and is a celebrity in the neighborhood. He came strutting home, looking satisfied with his conquests, marking territory and yowling for his favorite food. Another early sign of spring. Neighbors are assured that among their litters will be kittens with mittens!

I will be looking out my bathroom window each morning watching for that first sign that there is a break in the ground as the daffodils begin to push their way through the earth. Crocus will be doing the same, with tulips not far behind. As all those beautiful colors begin to appear it will bring about such a lift in everyone’s spirits.

One of the earliest signs of spring is the ads and signs having to do with taxes. Those signs are certainly not enjoyable ones! The thoughts and worry about getting taxes done and what you have to pay can create a great deal of anxiety and depression! They certainly take away from the joy and happiness of spring! The only thing you can do is to get your papers and information in order and try to get them done and sent in as soon as possible. Just make sure that however you submit them, you have a record to show that the IRS received them! Take a deep breath, go out somewhere for a nice meal with family or friends, and go back to enjoying all the good things about spring!

As we continue on the journey to the spring season which begins on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, there will be more signs along the way. The first robin, as well as other birds, will appear. Buds and blossoms will start to form on the trees. Lawn mowers will be put on display at farm stores. Baby farm animals will be seen in the pastures and fields. The bees will be buzzing. We will hear the “peepers” or “tadpoles” (chirping frogs) in the creeks and swamps who, when chirping in large groups, make a distinctive sound similar to sleigh bells. Fields and lawns will begin to turn a brighter green. Every day there will be light for a little longer. There will be more sunshine to enjoy. As the spring rains come, you will notice a different smell in the air. Be patient and keep watching for those signs. Spring happens every year and it is on the way! “Spring is far more than just a changing of the seasons. It’s a rebirth of the spirit.” (Toni Sorenson)

FARMERS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUPER BOWL IN MANY WAYS

The National Football League Super Bowl LVIII is now history. The Kansas City Chiefs won. The San Francisco 49’ers lost. The score was 25 to 22. Attendance at the game was 61,629. If you are a football fan, you are one of the millions of fans from all over the country who watched. We don’t hear the term used as much these days, however the football used to be referred to as the “pigskin”. The early balls were round and made of an inflated pig’s bladder. The earliest football found was made in the 1540’s, a pig bladder covered with pieces of leather, probably from a deer hide. It is reported that it was found in 1981 at Sterling Castle in Scotland. Today a football is oval shaped, 12 inches long and 22 inches in circumference. Modern ones are made of leather and still have the internal bladder made of polyurethane or vulcanized rubber. It is encased in a leather cowhide shell and then the lacings attached. The Super Bowl is a very exciting and a very successful sports event that occurs every year and involves millions and millions of dollars. Farmers not only in this country, but also all over the world, are important in making the Super Bowl a success. They contribute in many ways.

Farmers raise the cattle from which the cowhides come to make the leather covering for the football. Stop and think about how many footballs are used in not only our country, but countries everywhere. They are a part of games played all the way from back yards, to schools, to colleges, to professional teams, and to the Super Bowl. That takes a lot of leather!

In order to have a Super Bowl you need several football teams. The games must be played until only the top two teams are left to play in the Super Bowl. It is vitally important that football players be in good health and that requires a healthy diet. Certain foods can also be very important when players are recovering from injuries. Teams provide chefs who prepare meals and special diets for players. Those meals are prepared from top quality meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, grains, herbs, dairy products and more. It is farmers who grow, harvest, and provide the diet needs for the football players who make it to the Super Bowl.

To have a successful Super Bowl there must be fans—lots of them—they watch the game in homes all over the world! That means there are lots of parties and celebrations and that includes food and drinks. Every farmer contributes in some way to all of the celebrating. There is no end to the list of snacks, foods, and types of drinks available before, during, and after the game. Wherever the Super Bowl or any other football game is held there are concession stands selling all kinds of foods, drinks, snacks, tee shirts, hats, and souvenirs. Once again the farmer provides the ingredients for everyone to have an enjoyable time.

Players wear uniforms and padding. They use towels and blankets. If any part of those items is made with cotton, it was raised and harvested by a farmer. Those flags the referees throw might be made of cotton! While I am sure that no one thinks about the farmers when they are watching the Super Bowl game as it is played, you cannot help but wonder what the game would be like if we didn’t have farmers to provide all the “extras” that make it a great day!

THE BEST TIMES ARE ALWAYS FOUND WHEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY GATHER ROUND

I recently read a column in which the writer stated that over 100,000 bars have closed in the last few years. I am by no means an expert on bars. My family did not approve of the partaking of alcoholic beverages. Besides I was too busy milking cows, working on the farm, and raising my family to waste time in a bar. I cannot say that I never went to a bar, as Lum and I liked to go out for dinner occasionally with friends and some of the best food was found at places that were both bars and restaurants. My very first visit to a bar was many years ago when I went on a date with a fellow who was a bit older than me. Had the owner known my age, I don’t think I would have been allowed to stay and enjoy my sandwich!

The town of Carrollton, here in Carroll County, was well known for Coley’s Stag. It was originally known as “Coley’s Cigar Store and Pool Room” and was purchased in September 1930 by brothers, Russell and Henry Cole. In 1934 is was renamed “Coley’s Stag” and was a beer tavern and lunch counter. The brothers were very well liked, highly respected, and supporters of the community. They had rules that were followed and no trouble took place there. One of the rules was that women were not allowed in the establishment. They could come to the door if there was a man in there that they were looking for, holler for him, and he would go out to meet them. They were well known for their bean soup and chili and rumor had it that the chili pot was never washed. When the amount got low they just filled it again. No one made chili like they did and their chili recipe remained a secret. Coley’s was referred to as an “Institution of Higher Learning” for men in the community. Coley’s Stag closed in 1987. Russell and Henry
were described as caring, sharing, respected, knowledgeable, thoughtful, generous ,honest, stubborn, kind, and, of course, ornery! A scholarship fund was established in their memory.

Over the years as people traveled throughout our country purchasing land, building their homes, and establishing towns and villages, saloons and bars became a part of most of the towns. After a hard day’s work, cowboys, farmers, men in all walks of life went there. For some it was the drinking, but for others it was the socializing. It was a place to talk and share their feelings about the weather, the problems in their lives, plans for the future, concerns for what was happening in the country and much more. Usually there was someone to listen, but if not, the bartender heard it all! For many years it was mostly men in those establishments, however as the years went by, women became patrons also.

Over the years there has been so many well-known organizations that people have been a part of and participated in their activities. Granges were established for the farmers and many had their own buildings where they met and held their activities. Farm Bureau Councils were organized and usually met once a month in a member’s home. There would be some type of business discussion and then a pleasant evening of visiting and good food. There were good cooks in those two organizations and they published their own cookbooks filled with recipes for good country cooking! There were many other organizations—some for men, some for women, and some for both. Elks, Masons, Evening Stars, Lions, Ruritans, Quilting Clubs, Church Groups, and many more. People got to know each other, their children played together and the organizations and communities were close knit with strong support. So many of those groups are no longer active and that is sad. People in those organizations formed friendships
that lasted throughout their lifetime.

There used to be family reunions every year. Family members would travel far and wide for the reunion. You caught up on the happenings in each member’s family, you could see how much the children had grown and changed and you met the new babies. In this day and age people send messages and pictures by texting and on Facebook. There are family members who haven’t seen each other in years! People need to get together in person! They need to touch, to shake hands, to hug each other and to hear the talk and laughter as they spend time together. They need to sit down together and share their thoughts, their opinions and their lives! “Every gathering of Americans—whether a few on the porch of a crossroads store or massed thousands in a great stadium—is the possessor of a potentially immeasurable influence of the future”. (Dwight D. Eisenhower)

PUTTING UP AN OUT OF ORDER SIGN WON’T SOLVE THE PROBLEM

It has been one of those times! Modern technology has let me down! The computer isn’t computing, the printer isn’t printing, the text isn’t texting, and the television has quit televising! The weather is cold, dark, dreary, rainy, and snow is predicted in the next day or two. I have a column to write and all of this is very frustrating. It can make you want to go back to how things were done in the “good ole days”.

If you were writing something on paper your problems were easier to solve. You could just dip your quill pen in more ink, sharpen your pencil, refill your fountain pen with more ink, or pick up another one of those free with advertising on them ball point pens and keep writing. Typewriters were also eventually available. If you needed to make a copy of something a few years ago, carbon paper was available to place between two sheets of typing paper. How many copies you could make depended upon the quality of the carbon paper and the force of the typewriter keys.

If the television is not working, there are other ways to be entertained. Radios still exist. Reading a good book or magazine is always an option. There are games that can be played, puzzle books, as well as other options. You can call up a friend or relative and have a good phone visit. Or you can just relax in the peace and quiet and take a nap. A warm blanket and the sound of the rain can make that happen faster.

If you need to send a message, you can call on the phone and talk to someone person to person. That will probably also be entertaining, as you will have to push a lot of buttons on the phone, listen to some terrible music, and be transferred to several different people, most of whom will be away from their desk and tell you to leave a message, before a real person may actually talk to you. Or you could sit down and write a letter—on paper with your ball point pen. When the letter is done, you can leave it in your mailbox for the mail person, or drop it off at your local post office. However these days there seems to be problems with sending things in the mail. The mail doesn’t seem to be arriving at its destinations in a timely fashion.

Christmas cards were still arriving in January. Bills are not being received on time or payments sent in the mail arriving before the due date, causing people to be charged late fees. A newspaper may arrive on time, however in the next day or two you will receive two or three copies from previous weeks. Magazines are published and sent out, but lay for weeks in post offices somewhere. It is not the mail person’s fault. Carrier pigeons were loyal, brave, and dependable when carrying messages in World War I. Perhaps we should go back to the Pony Express. The riders never stopped, they just changed horses!

We had a mailman that delivered our mail for years. He was a really nice fellow and my kids liked to watch for him and go get the mail. He was always on time and if not there was always a very good reason. You could almost set your watch by him! Occasionally he would need to take a day off or would be taking his vacation. On those days there would be a substitute, always the same gentleman, a farmer who only worked as a substitute. If the mail was late you always knew he was running the mail route that day and you knew why he was late. He took time to look through everyone’s mail before he put it in the mailbox. If there was a postcard from someone he always took the time to read it! You could be standing in the yard waiting for him to leave and it didn’t matter to him! He took his time and then drove off!

There are many words that can favorably describe today’s technology. When it isn’t working the words are different and some of them can’t be written in my column! For me, technology is confusing, frustrating, aggravating, unpredictable, and difficult to understand. However, I have to use it in one way or another every day. In spite of the problems that technology can sometimes cause for all of us, we need to be so grateful for it and for those people with the brilliant minds who have invented all the things that have made our lives better! We may grumble and growl when something quits working, but we must be thankful for that first idea that was created in someone’s mind years and years and years ago. Some of the simple things that we enjoy every day would be considered luxuries by people in other countries. We take them for granted!

If you are reading this column then you know that everything is back working, including me! “We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works”. (Douglas Adams)

I’M DONE WITH WINTER BRING ON THE NEXT SEASON

We have been having freezing rain, ice, snow, wind, minus wind chill temperatures, and numerous problems created by all this weather. What else could we expect—it is January! The people in our country have been experiencing this kind of weather in January for years and years! The past few days in my area have been like early spring compared to the first twenty days in January 1994. We had blizzard conditions, drifts everywhere, a minus twenty degrees wind chill, and everyone was dealing with problems of some kind. I remember it too well!

January weather means that all types of warm clothing becomes necessary—long-sleeved tops, sweaters, flannel shirts, vests, coats, sweatshirts, sweatpants, tights, toboggans, scarves, ear muffs, gloves, mittens, boots, wool or insulated socks, and anything else one can think of to add warmth! However, there is one article of winter clothing that we don’t hear so much of anymore—“long johns”.

The making of long johns may have come from Derbyshire, England, at John Smedley’s Lea Mills located in Matlock. The company has a 225 year heritage and is said to have created the garment. The company still produces long johns. It is said that they were named after the late 19th century boxer, John L. Sullivan. He wore the garments and popularized them. Long johns are an undergarment designed to trap the body’s own warmth. They are generally heavier than thermals and are often made from wool and thick synthetic fibers or a combination. Many of the European versions preferred wool, however the Americans used different materials. Union style is a full body with the “butt-flap” or they can be a set of long undergarments. Years ago, before clothes dryers, you would occasionally see them hung out on the clothes line to dry. Once in a while, when I am watching old western movies, there will be a scene where a cowboy jumps out of bed after hearing gunfire and is wearing his long johns. I don’t remember if I have
ever seen John Wayne or Clint Eastwood in them! These days they are simply referred to as “thermals”.

Toboggans are very important in cold weather. Often there would be a special present under the Christmas tree for kids. When they opened it they would find a new toboggan knitted by someone special—grandma, an aunt, a special neighbor, or some other family member. It would usually be in a special school color or sports team color. In going through a drawer with some older items in it I recently ran across a never-worn toboggan in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ colors, yellow and black. It was made for my youngest son about forty years ago and somehow when he left home it got missed. I knew exactly who had knitted it, my Mom’s best friend and our neighbor. It brought back a lot of memories.

Remember the two-buckle artic boots that went over the men’s shoes? And there were taller ones with more buckles. There were rubber boots with zippers that went over the women’s shoes. We don’t see those anymore! There were denim coats, longer than jackets, lined with flannel and fastened with metal buttons that many farmers wore! I had one that I wore to the barn every cold winter morning and I still have it. Now the farmers and many more workers wear Carharts.

What you eat and drink often depends on the weather in January. Hot drinks are especially important to get you warmed up. Lots of hot coffee and there are so many different ways people drink it these days. A friend remarked the other day that you seldom see people drinking just black coffee anymore. There are so many different ways to flavor it and the special combinations that can be ordered at coffee shops. There is a large selection of flavored teas available. And of course the winter favorite, hot cocoa made with real cow’s milk and lots and lots of tiny marshmallows! Always a special in the winter time!

What should be on everyone’s diet in January, lots of hot soup! So many different varieties that can be made and enjoyed. With all the vegetables that are included in many of them, they can be very healthful, as well as satisfying. When you come in out of the cold for lunch or supper, hot soup is going to help warm you up regardless if it is homemade or comes from a can!

After those first twenty days in January of 1994, on January 24th it felt like spring. The snow drifts were melting. It was warm enough to go outside without a coat! Spring was on its way! No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.

THAT WAS THE NIGHT WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT DOWN

It had been a dark, dismal, dreary, rainy, windy day and when evening rolled around I was ready to just relax and enjoy some television. I changed into my comfy nightgown, robe and slippers. I collected a big glass of water, some cheese sticks and a bowl of grapes. (I am supposed to do healthful snacks so I am not going to mention anything about cookies). I settled into my easy chair with my warm “blankie”, turned on the television and was prepared to watch a couple favorite programs and perhaps enjoy a quick nap.

All was going well until suddenly the lights flashed on and off twice and then everything went dark—pitch black! I sat very still for a few minutes, hoping that the lights would come back on, but I knew that wasn’t really going to happen. The electric was off! So what did I need to do? The answer was obvious—I needed a flashlight. However, I had a problem! The first thing I had to do was to get out of my ELECTRIC lift chair! Anyone who has one of these lift chairs knows exactly what my problem was like. If you don’t have one and might be planning on getting one, there is something important you must remember—don’t put the foot rest up if you know a storm is brewing and might cause your electric to go off. Leave that foot rest down until you know the danger of losing the electric power is past.

After some wiggling and twisting and being careful not to upset the chair, I made it up. I kept a small flashlight nearby, so all I had to do was reach out and get it. That didn’t work! I bumped it as I was reaching for it and it fell on the floor among several items. And, of course, in the dark I had no idea where it was! Next option—make my way into the bathroom, which is close, and get the big flashlight I keep in there. I have lived in this house for over sixty years and I know my way around it. However, when everything is pitch black and you reach out to touch something and it isn’t there, it makes you feel a little disoriented! I forgot that when I was reaching to find the flashlight that fell, I moved around some! I wasn’t in the exact spot I thought I was in! After feeling for the familiar furniture, doorway and door and finding them, I made my way into the bathroom, reminding myself not to fall over the box of toys I keep in there, and finally getting to the cupboard where I keep the flashlight. Mission accomplished. I do suggest that you keep a flashlight or light of some kind in every room and always in the same place, so you know exactly where to find it if everything is dark. Take your time and try to remember what objects might be in your path as you make your way to a different room.

Of course, if the electric goes off you can’t cook or warm up anything to eat. Make sure you have a jug of water saved or bottled water, as you may get thirsty. It would be a good idea to have some of those special beverages that help to keep you hydrated on hand. Having a special “food stash” in the cupboard in case of outages would be a good idea. Items in the refrigerator such as milk, cheese, yogurt, fruit, and vegetables will keep for a while if you don’t open the door too often. Some of the items you can stock in your cupboard are cereals, crackers, cookies, chips and other types of snack foods. Just make sure you have the water or something to drink before you eat those. Make sure to “refresh” your stash every so often. And don’t use up your stash just because the grandkids or great-grand kids come to visit or you have an “I need something to snack on attack” when watching TV! If it is cold weather and the heat is off, make sure you dress in your warmest clothing and keep extra blankets handy. Don’t change clothes and allow your body heat to escape. If you have to be rescued nobody is going to care how you look! If it is summer time and hot you will just have to fan yourself!

Don’t use your cell phone to call up or text everyone. You won’t be able to recharge your phone! If you are alone, notify someone in your family or if you have health problems and are concerned about your well-being notify your local police or sheriff’s office.

What can you do to pass the time while you wait for the power to come back on? If you are lucky enough to have some good emergency lighting, you can read, work puzzles, play card games, write a letter to someone, etc. If your lighting is limited just relax, think good thoughts, or take a nap. These are just a few of my suggestions that I hope will help you to survive when the electric goes off.

Be patient! The repair men have to have time to get to their station for the needed equipment. Then they have to find out where the problem is located. Sometimes getting to that area can be a real challenge, and especially in the winter. Once they find the problem, it is so very important that they take their time and be very careful. Their job is an extremely dangerous one! I am very grateful to those workers who go out in storms and miserable weather to make the repairs that turns our electric back on, allowing us to continue enjoying our lives. As I sit here writing this column my electric power is out. I am writing this by hand onto the pages of a college notebook. There will be no using the computer until the electric is back on. My thoughts and prayers are with those linemen who are out in this dark, cold, windy and miserable night making repairs so I can once again be warm, eat, and hopefully watch football.

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME WOULD SMELL JUST AS SWEET

The majority of people who have experienced the illness brought on by Covid-19 have experienced a loss of taste, which lasted for several days. This tends to make recovery more difficult, as everyone is made weak by the sickness and there is a need to eat to create energy. When you can’t taste, it doesn’t matter what you try to eat or chew, it just becomes a tasteless glob of something in your mouth! Due to falling and hitting her head, a friend of mine lost her sense of taste permanently. Not only does it affect her eating, it also makes it very difficult for her when cooking for her family. What if you lost your sense of smell? Do you ever stop to think about your nose and the importance of your sense of smell?

One of the first things enjoyed by many people when they arise in the morning is the smell of fresh coffee brewing. Being able to smell that coffee brewing helps to make them feel that their day is off to a good start. That cup of coffee is very important to their well-being as they plan and begin their day. Is there any other liquid that is so important to your nose and sense of smell?

There is the smell of food….so many different kinds of food in so many countries all over the world! The list is endless! It too can begin with a favorite breakfast food…the smell of bacon…a favorite for so many in this country. According to a gentleman named Doug Larson, “Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon”. The smell of the food often helps a person make the decision about whether they want to eat it or not. Food that smells good to one person may not smell good at all to another!

Would we enjoy flowers as much if we couldn’t smell them? There are so many beautiful flowers that give off such wonderful fragrances. They can be so important in lifting our spirits and bringing joy into our lives. Yet we all know there are some who are very pretty, yet they smell terrible. We just have to learn which ones they are and remember not to sniff those ones!

What if perfume had never been invented? There would be much less romance! How disappointing Valentine’s Day as well as many other “special” days would be for women. However, the men would be able to keep more money in their pockets! Of course, if the men want to get the woman’s attention without saying a word, their answer is cologne and after-shave lotion.

If you grew up on a farm or live on a farm, there are so many smells that are grown accustom to there. Every animal on a farm smells different. And most of those people who spent years living on a farm can recognize each animal by the smell of the manure! They are all different! Most people who grew up in the city will tell you a farm “stinks”. For those who spent their lives on the farm, those smells are very important and mean many different things. Each different smell brings the thoughts and memories of working with the animals, breeding them, being involved in activities not only as a youth but in later years, accomplishing goals with them, and creating a good life with family and friends. For many young people, their first memories are of helping with chores. They began with small ones and worked their way up to the most important ones. They learned responsibility and they learned to take pride in a job well-done. Those farm smells create memories that last a lifetime.

When a friend’s Dad entered the farm house kitchen and pulled a couple of baby pigs from behind the bib of his bib overalls….when my Dad entered the kitchen carrying a cold, orphaned, baby lamb and placed it in a basket in front of the fireplace….when a dairyman entered the kitchen with a bottle of colostrum that needed warmed, blood and birthing stains on his jeans….when the grain farmer came in wearing grease and oil stained pants and announced that he was going to town for parts….each scene was accompanied by its own smell. The “head mistress” knew immediately that one of her next chores would be laundry. Farm women are well known for their ability to get white show clothes white again! They know when you live on a farm there will be plenty of stains and smells. They have had lots of practice and they know exactly what to do to make those clothes clean and smelling fresh again. The only problem they never solved was how to keep Clorox, when used for dipping dairy cows’ teats, from bleaching out spots on the shirts and jeans. However, that turned out to be an unimportant problem, as bleach spots on shirts and jeans became a “fad” (now it is holes in the jeans) and the farmers looked “cool” when they went to town!

Everyone is different in their sense of smell. There are so many different smells in life, some are good and some are bad. How uninteresting, disappointing, and dull life would be if we didn’t have a nose and couldn’t smell. “Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.” (Helen Keller)

IN THE MIDDLE OF A MYRID OF MALLEABLE MUD

Recently Mother Nature has bestowed upon us quite a bit of rain. While the warmer weather we have had is enjoyed, there are a lot of people—and especially farmers—who are hoping for some very cold and ground freezing weather. The reason—mud! When several days of rain is mixed with warmer than normal weather and the earth, the result is mud.

Most children enjoy mud. They can stomp in the rain puddles and stir everything up and then make mud pies. In the warmer weather they like to get in there with their bare feet and squish the mud up between their toes. Mud can be a lot of fun for kids.

Not so for farmers and especially this time of year. Dairy farmers have to deal with getting feed to their cows. In most cases that involves moving silage from a silo bag or silage bunker to the location of the cows. Unless there is a lot of cement, those trips stir up a lot of mud. There are farmers with livestock in pasture fields and hay bales need to be put out for them, a chore that can result in having to navigate a lot of muddy areas. A good friend whose family has the large chicken barns recently talked about some of their problems. When the crates of chickens are being moved from the barn to the semi that will haul them away, the “chicken hawk” spins in the driveway making a muddy mess and leaving no gravel when they are done. When the semis leave they drag the muddy mess onto the road. The rain and cold weather makes it impossible to keep the floors dry in the barns, as they sweat. No matter what kind of farming people are involved in, the weather we are currently having creates problems. Problems are caused by mud in many ways. Pot holes develop in main roads, un-paved rural roads and driveways become muddy and develop ruts. Cement, tar and slag are expensive items! I have heard it said, “Wherever the cement ends, the mud always begins”. The children play outside in the mud, then come into the house with their muddy boots and shoes to get something or go to the bathroom, forgetting to remove them. Families have pets that go outside and then return with muddy paws. When adults need to travel somewhere they have to climb into their trucks or cars with muddy shoes or boots. When it is wet and muddy everywhere, there is no avoiding it!

While humans don’t enjoy the mud, the pigs love it! Pigs do not have sweat glands, so there must be ways for them to cool off in hot weather. Years ago when my Dad raised pigs, he had two lots that he kept them in. Each lot had a “pig house” and a mud hole. In hot weather you would find the pigs rolling and squirming in the mud and water trying to get settled in as deep as possible. You would hear them grunting in pleasure and communicating with their social group as the mud and water cooled them. In the huge hog raising operations these days the barns have mists that cool the pigs. In the farrowing barns there are “cooling mats” regulated by computers to keep the sows cool.

The word “mud” is used in association with many different things. “Mudpuppies” are a species of salamander that lives in the bottom of the ocean and never leaves the water. A “mud dauber” is a wasp that uses mud to build its nest. If someone is “mudslinging” they are making abusive and malicious remarks or charges. “Muddling” is to extract the oil from herbs or the juice from fruits to help flavor alcohol. The “Toledo Mud Hens” are a minor league baseball team founded in 1896 and are associated with the Detroit Tigers. They were located near a marshland inhabited by American coots or mud hens. Mud hens are a marsh bird, a duck like water bird.

There is the word “muddle”, which means to bring into a disordered or confusing state. There is no doubt that our country is in a “muddle” created by the top leaders in our govermnet. How deep is the “mud” in our country? It depends on who you ask and where you dig! The leaders in our government need to come together as a team and do a “muddle huddle”. A “muddle huddle” is a set-piece play in American football, executed either in the offense or special-teams section of play.

As 2024 begins we hope the weather will become more seasonal and solve some of the problems we have been dealing with. Some freezing weather would be good—but not too cold! And most people would enjoy a little snow—just not too deep! Sometimes those snowfalls can be very beautiful! Every day is bringing spring a little closer!

SOMETIMES THE SITUATION DESERVES A BAH HUMBUG

According to the story, Ebenezer Scrooge was a curmudgeonly, cold hearted miser who despised Christmas. He often used the words “bah humbug” when something caused him displeasure or he didn’t like something. When he was given redemption by three spirits and shown the errors of his ways, he became a better and generous man. I sincerely hope that everyone who is reading this had a Merry Christmas and didn’t feel the need to say “bah humbug”. It has occurred to me that there are many things that occur after Christmas and in the New Year that can cause people to utter the words “bah humbug”!

Christmas day is usually a flutter of activity from early morning to late at night for adults and children until everyone finally falls asleep somewhere. When the next morning arrives, it is clean-up time. Torn wrapping paper, bows, ribbon, boxes, bags, paper plates, cups, napkins, bottles, etc., all to be gathered up and carried to the trash cans. Some left-overs still need put away, dishes, pots, and pans to be washed, some to be returned to other people. Bah humbug!

After a few days decorations must come down, be packed up, carried to wherever they are stored and put away for next Christmas. In many cases furniture then has to be moved back to where it originally belonged. Did you have a live Christmas tree? Sometimes getting rid of it can be a real problem, as the trash company won’t take them. If you have this problem, I have a suggestion. Lay the tree down in your yard, your driveway or close to your house. Put a sign on it that says, “Sanctuary for Small Animals”. Place some American flags around it and tie some yellow ribbons on it. Scatter some crumbs around it and put something in the branches for the birds. It will only be a day or two until you will have a group of protesters, screaming and yelling and waving signs claiming equal rights for all sizes of animals or some other reason for being there and protesting. They will tear down your flags, pull the ribbons from the tree,
tear up your sign and then drag the tree away. Problem solved!

As the New Year begins, once again there will be parties of all kinds and once again a lot of cleaning up to do afterwards. One of the main problems will be the drinking of alcoholic beverages that sometimes causes people to do things that they wouldn’t normally do! One of the most dangerous things for everyone is drinking and then driving. Don’t do that! And then comes the morning after. Bah humbug!

As soon as the New Year begins one of the first things we start to hear about and see ads for is income tax! We are constantly being reminded of it until the April deadline! Forms and information begins arriving in the mail. Until you get taxes done it feels like there is a yoke around your neck. When you do get it done and sent to the IRS you still have to worry about errors and audits. Bah humbug!

January is usually a “bah humbug” month. We know there will be freezing cold temperatures, severe wind chill, snow, ice, treacherous roads, cars that won’t start, frozen water pipes, and all the problems that go along with winter weather. You have to bundle up in layers of warm clothing until you can hardly move. I have always disliked bundling up ever since I was a small child. In those days children wore “snowsuits”, which consisted of a pair of pants and a heavy coat that matched and that you wore over your regular clothes. My Mom took me to the local J. C. Penney Store to buy a new snowsuit for me. It was an ugly green and yellow and I didn’t want it! When the sales person started to try it on me for size, I burst into
tears and threw a slight tantrum! Only when they showed me a pretty pin that was a bear and went along with it did I agree to try it on! My mother was not very happy with me! I still have the pin! Bulky winter clothes…bah humbug!

Although February weather can also be nasty, there will be some things to hopefully cheer everyone up. If you are a football fan, the LVIII 2024 Super Bowl will be held on Sunday, February 11, 2024, at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Play-offs will be held prior to that and right now no one knows which teams will be in the Super Bowl. So far it has been an interesting year! I am looking forward to the Super Bowl but hate to see football end. We will be cheered up by lots of red decorations, as February 14 is Valentine Day. There will be red Roses available, pretty cards on display and the thought of chocolates will lift our spirits.

The “bah humbugs” will slowly disappear from our minds and our thoughts as each day takes us closer to spring. We will be watching for the daffodils, crocus and tulips to break through the ground and that first patch of green grass. We will welcome the return of the robins and other birds. Thoughts will turn to planting fields and gardens. We are done with 2023 and it is now history. We are beginning 2024 and spring is on the way! Have a Happy New Year!

AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT DAIRY COWS AND FARMERS

I recently made an unexpected trip to the Emergency Room at a hospital. With family members working in the medical field, I have learned that patience is needed, however when you are in pain and misery it is not always easy to come by. It can become especially important in the ER. While as you look out your door, some people may not look like they are doing anything because they are sitting at computers, others are involved in life and death. So when a nurse stuck her head in the door and said. “Please be patient”, I did my best. It took several hours in the ER, but testing positive for Covid-19 and with breathing problems, the decision was made to admit me to the hospital and a room was found for me. Then came the steady process of people, each one with their specific job to do in caring for me.

One of the first was a young woman with her computer and a lot of questions. She sat down in a chair and we talked. It was one thirty in the morning. I learned that she had already worked a shift during the day, went home for a couple hours sleep and was then called back to work. I was her last patient, so she could take her time and we talked. When she learned that I was a retired dairy farmer still living on my farm, it brought to mind a special memory from her early days in elementary school when her class had visited a dairy farm. She told me that she knew that some cows give tan milk. I was a bit taken back and asked her to repeat what she said, “Some cows give tan milk”. I then explained to her that all dairy cows give white milk! She was reluctant to accept what I was telling her, but we moved on to more questions.
Two days later, what she said she had seen and remembered finally made sense to me! I am reasonably certain that when she visited that dairy farm, the first milk from a cow that had given birth to a new baby calf was put in a bottle and the children allowed to feed the calf. That first milk is called “colostrum” and is colored. After three or four days it becomes white. I didn’t get to see her again to let her know she was right—a cow can give tan milk!

As she asked questions and fed the information into the computer, I asked her questions. She is a single mother raising three children, with one to graduate high school soon and planning to continue his education. Another son is also in high school and her youngest child wants to be a doctor. They live in the city and know very little about farming. She thought that “prime rib” also came from a cow. So we had a discussion about the farmers who raise beef. She is a hard worker, doing her best for both her family and her patients. It was a joy to meet her and she certainly earned my respect.

On another day, a tall, lanky young man entered my room and said, ”I am Abram from Therapy and I am here to pester you”. He sat down, asked a question or two and quickly learned I was from a dairy farm. His next question, “What is the bad stuff that is being put in the milk that I buy?” I asked what he meant by “bad stuff” however he did not explain his question! I then told him there was no “bad stuff” being put in the milk he was buying. I then went on to explain what a milk inspector is and discuss some of the many rules and regulations dairy farmers must obey in order to sell milk. I talked about how samples are taken from every tank of milk before it leaves the farm, safety with medications used on the cows, care of the
dairy cow, etc. He then told me he was the father of seven children and he bought a lot of milk! Following a test or two on how I was moving, he said he didn’t need to see me again and he left. I hope I convinced him that the milk he was buying for his seven children was safe and good for them!

During my care in the hospital I met a lot of different people. Many of them are referred to as “floaters” and travel to a different hospital or work in a different area of a hospital every day, so I seldom saw some of them twice. The majority lived in outlying towns or the city. Very few knew much about farming or how the food they buy is produced. I feel that it is very important that not only dairy farmers, but farmers of all kinds, do everything they can to educate the people who will be buying and consuming their product. I think one of the best places to do that is the early elementary schools. The information learned there seems to stay with children for the rest of their lives. It is very important that the programs that are presented and the information they learn is correct and understood. More education on farming is needed. It will benefit not only the farmer but also the consumer and families.

FARMERS PRODUCE THE PRODUCTS ECONOMICS CREATE THE COST

If you put one bite of food into your mouth today and ate it, you were able to do so because of a farmer. There are so many different types of farming operations and products raised that go into the food we eat. There are many that I know nothing about and have never heard of, but they exist. A farmer chooses the type of product he wants to produce and he is responsible for the success in developing it. Most farmers are “on duty” twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Regardless of the farm size, the family help, or hired labor the farmer is in charge. He produces the product, whatever it is, and when it is ready for the market it has to be sold for the current price being paid. Many items are perishable and must be sold when ready. Two of those products are milk and livestock, as well as numerous others. They cannot be held off the market hoping for a better price. Only certain types of products can be held, so the farmers
must accept the current price being paid, regardless of what that price is at that time. Once the product leaves the farm the farmer has no control. Economics take over!

I recently spent a few days in a hospital and I learned more about economics. Hospitals are filled with sick, injured, and dying patients. The quality of the food they receive is vitally important. They must have good food and nourishment in order to improve and heal and the amount of food is very important. I observed, first hand, the effect of current economics in our hospitals. I have been a farmer and a homemaker all my life and I know what top quality and good food is. The hospital food I was served appeared to be the cheapest quality they could buy to serve patients. The amounts were smaller, drinks were served in small plastic glasses with lids—a reduced amount that appeared to come from large bottles rather than being given in cans. My “pet peeve” is the milk which was still in a cardboard box that I couldn’t get open
without punching a hole in it. Yet right beside it sat a small plastic bottle of water that was much colder than the milk. And, of course, it was 2%, not whole milk. There is no doubt that hospitals all over the country are doing the same thing to cut their expenses. The sick people are paying the price!

Families are well aware of what economics are doing to them when it involves the food they need to put on their table or in lunch boxes. They are being force to buy and serve cheaper and lower quality products. They can seldom treat themselves to a meal in a restaurant, fast food or a pizza. There are school children of all ages dependent upon the school breakfast and lunch programs for their daily food. They are not only in need of good quality food and nourishment for their growth, but also to feed their brain for learning. How have they been affected by the current economic situation? Have you thought about the many other places and people that are affected by the current economics? And not only food costs but other expenses!

When I recently talked to an elderly cousin residing in a rest home, she told me the same thing was happening there. The quality of the food has changed. She has been an excellent cook all her life, well known for her Graham Cracker Crème Pie, homemade noodles, and much more! She had often talked about the good food there and that it was well prepared, but there has been a change in the quality. Most people in the rest homes are elderly or in need of special care and they need good nourishing food. Here in my area we have the Golden Age Retreat, a county home that is strongly supported by the people who live in this area and is supervised by our county commissioners. The manager has had to recently ask that the cost of residing there be raised “due to essential costs, one of which is food”! Our commissioners had no choice—the bills have to be paid!

Even homeless people all over this country are being affected by food costs. There are many who go to trash bins outside restaurants or grocery stores to salvage the food that has been thrown out for their meals! Much less is being thrown away, so they too are being affected by the economics!

The farmers are making the food! However the economics are affecting them in every way as they work to produce it. So when they ship to the market, it has to cost the buyers more, who then pass the cost on down the line to the companies who manufacture it, they pass their increased costs on to the stores who sell the food, the stores pass their expenses on to the consumer, and it is the consumer who must pay the price or purchase cheaper and poorer quality food!

We hear about people in other countries who are hungry and starving—we have people going without food and proper nutrition right here in the good old United States! The people running the government give little thought to the people in those places. The majority of them are rich, so they just enjoy their thick, juicy steaks, seafood, fancy side dishes, desserts, and high priced drinks with no thoughts about what the people in other places are eating! Their concern is money, power, control and getting their way. They have no thoughts about the growing child, the elderly person, or those working so hard to provide the food! From field or barn to every table or plate, economics create the cost and it is a long trip. Economics are ruling the diets of people all over this country and creating high food prices. Don’t blame the farmer! He is doing his job!

KEEP CALM THERE’S STILL SOME LEFTOVERS IN THE FRIDGE

Thanksgiving is over and so is November. The traditional as well as the non-traditional foods were enjoyed and the leftovers have helped to keep everyone fed for the last few days. Check your refrigerator thoroughly as once in a while a leftover gets lost in there and by the time you find it has turned a Christmas green. That is the sign that tells you to throw it away, as leftovers don’t have “use by” dates.

Expiration, use by or sell by dates are found on almost every food we buy. Those dates have more to do with the foods overall quality and texture instead of when it is safe or not safe to eat. As long as there is no spoilage, you can eat it but it might not taste as fresh as it once was. Stores use the sell by date to remove products from their shelves. Some of the foods that never expire include honey, maple syrup, salt, cornstarch, white rice, dried beans, sugar, and pure vanilla extract. Canned foods can be used past the sell by date as long as the can is not damaged. Frozen food is typically safe to eat, but may not taste as good if it has been in the freezer a long time. Vacuum sealing has made a difference in freezing food. The pilgrims preserved food by salting, drying, smoking, pickling, honeyed, fermentation, and freezing.

There are no standardized methods or regulations in the United States for determining expiration dates for foods. Some states require the dates but do not regulate how those dates are calculated. The dates are determined by the food manufacturer.

Dairy milk is usually good for at least one week after the date. Having been a milk drinker all my life, I judge mine by the taste. Not all milk is the same. I have had milk that remained good for as long as an extra month and I have had some that did not taste good on the use by date. Years ago when cows were out on pasture you had to be sure there was no wild onions or garlic growing in the field! It is suggested that eggs will stay good for three to four weeks. Mine are fresh from the farm and I have used eggs that were three months old.

I had both knees replaced at the same time over ten years ago and that required a stay in a local rest home for about three weeks. When I was able to return home, I found my fridge completely empty! My granddaughter, Jenn, believes that when the date on food expires, you toss it! My mustard, catsup, salad dressings, hot sauce, jars of pickles, etc.—all gone!

There are some frozen foods that have stayed good for a long time. I had an example of that for Thanksgiving dinner. My husband, Don or Lum as most people called him, loved pie and his favorite was black raspberry, followed by just about every other kind including blackberry. Every summer he went berry picking. I would make pies for him and then I would make the extra berries into pie filling, which I put in the freezer to use later. Blackberries are the favorite fruit of my oldest son. I knew there was a container of blackberry filling in the freezer, so I decided to make him a pie for Thanksgiving dinner. It turned out perfectly and was enjoyed. The blackberries were picked by Lum in 2004 and made into pie filling that remained in the freezer for 19 years! Now I am wondering what I can find in the freezer to make for Christmas!

WOULD YOU PLEASE PASS THE STUFFING

On Thanksgiving Day this request was heard at dinner tables all over the country. “Would you please pass the stuffing”. Not only stuffing for the turkey but also stuffing as a side dish has become a very important part of the holiday dinner. At the first Thanksgiving the turkey was stuffed only with onions and herbs. The flour barrels were empty and the ship loaded with supplies for the Pilgrims had not arrived. Nowadays there are many different recipes for the stuffing and all kinds of ingredients to include. However, for many families the same recipe for the stuffing has been prepared for years and has become a tradition for the meal. These days not just the turkey, but many other foods are prepared with stuffing, including meats, fowl, vegetables, pasta and more. However, stuffing’s special place is on the Thanksgiving dinner table!

There are many other areas where stuffing is very important and has nothing to do with food. Stuffing of all kinds is used to fill the cavity in stuffed animals and toys. Those items can be very important every day. Usually one of the first toys a baby receives is a soft, cuddly, stuffed animal. Those animals become so important to children. They ease the child’s fears, help them go to sleep, make them feel loved, and ease the loneliness they often feel. They become a part of the child’s life and are often kept to adulthood. They may lose an ear or a leg and become pretty ragged looking. That doesn’t matter. They still give comfort and love!

It is my opinion that stuffed animals can be just as comforting to adults as to children and very important to them. Live animals are an important part of so many adult lives. They become a part of the family and they give love and comfort and ease the loneliness for so many that are living alone or far from family members.. But what about those who can’t have pets or are unable to care for them? What about those with Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, and mental problems? The stuffing from the turkey eases the hunger in the stomach. We know the stuffed animals help to ease the pain and problems the children feel, so perhaps they could help ease the pain and problems that many adults feel!

Recently we have been hearing that there are many politicians and people in government positions who enjoy stuffing— the stuffing of gifts and money in their pockets and bank accounts! The more stuffing they consume the more it affects them and the decisions they make in running the government and serving the people! As we study the history we find that stuffing and corruption goes back to the founding of our country, the United States of America, and there are people who have been enjoying it and enriching their own lives ever since our first government was formed. We keep hearing more and more about stuffing—stuffing ballot boxes, stuffing envelopes, and about some people who need the stuffing knocked out of them!

This week will find people everywhere stuffing themselves with all the traditional food that is served on Thanksgiving Day. After dinner there will be moans and groans and the loosening of belts and pants buttons. Everyone knows that it is going to happen before they sit down at the table, but with such good food it is hard to push back and not enjoy it. Stuffing yourself and feeling uncomfortable has also become a tradition! Hopefully your turkey turned out perfectly, your gravy had no lumps, the pumpkin pie crust was tender and flaky and no matter how you made the stuffing it was delicious! And that you, your family and friends enjoyed a Happy Thanksgiving! “May your stuffing be tasty May your turkey be plump May your gravy have nary a lump May your yams be delicious And your pies take the prize And Thanksgiving
dinner stay off your thighs!” (Grandpa Jones}

WHEN THERE IS DEBATE THERE SHOULD BE SOLUTIONS

I recently watched and listened to a debate on television that involved people who are hoping to be elected as president of this United States of America. Each one talked about the many problems that currently exist in our country. Most of us are already well aware of them. However, it does amaze me that there actually are some people who know very little about them! Those who debated talked about what needs to be done, yet none of them actually said, “This is my plan to solve the problems”! I wanted to hear someone in the debate tell us exactly what they could and would do! The one thing I didn’t want to hear was them attacking each other!

In high school I took two years of speech classes and I enjoyed them. We had an excellent teacher, Miss Mary Wagner. She would divide the class into two groups for debate and it was up to us to come up with facts, figures, and reasons for our argument. She expected that argument to be given in a very forceful but respectful manner. When the debate ended each side had gained knowledge and a better understanding of the people on the other side.

A debate is defined as a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly in which opposing arguments are put forward. It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it. It seems that everything I go to do these days creates a debate, however I find that it is myself that I am debating! When I awaken each morning I immediately must debate! Should I just lay there for a while enjoying my warm, snuggly, comfortable bed? I don’t have to go to work, let the dog out or do anything for anyone else! Or should I get up and at it, go through my normal routine and get my day started? For my breakfast, should I have that bowl of oatmeal, some fruit and a glass of milk? That would be a healthy breakfast and what all my doctors would recommend. Or should I have a nice, big pancake just the way I like it— covered with lots of real butter and homemade brown sugar syrup? The big glass of cold milk that I would have with it would be good for my health! Should I take a shower every day or just a couple times a week? I was taught the importance of cleanliness, however I don’t do much of anything to get dirty! So why waste water, soap and shampoo and use more towels that have to be laundered! Should I get busy running the sweeper, moping the kitchen floor and dusting? I don’t have company coming and I definitely dislike housework! I would be in a better mood and happier just curling up under a blanket in my easy chair and reading a book or watching an old movie on TV! Besides, people shouldn’t come to visit you just to see if your house is clean!

After retiring there are numerous occasions when a debate must be held either with yourself or with other people who have your best interests at heart. Often the choices that must be made can be very difficult but the arguments must be listened to and reasonable decisions made. They often require us to do things that we definitely must do for our health and our safety. Even though I feel that I am still quite capable of driving my 1981 Ford LTD, my trips are limited to just driving around the barnyard or the farm! It is safer for me, as well as others who might be on the road! So far over the years its collisions have all been with deer!

This is one of those cloudy, dreary, chilly November days. The clocks have been turned back, so at five o’clock every evening it is already getting dark. There are many of us who would like to see that as a subject for debate in the government! Years and years ago the law was put into effect supposedly to help the farmers. These days the changes each spring and fall do nothing to help the farmer! “Falling back” and the early darkness makes it much more difficult and less safe for people driving home after work and for the children riding the buses after school.

As I sit here trying to come up with an idea for a column I am once again debating with myself—should I head for the computer and start writing or should I just curl up in my easy chair with my warm blanket and a cup of coffee and watch television? No doubt that would bring on a nap—coffee does not keep me awake! If the page you are reading isn’t blank, you know how the debate ended!

RETHINKING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

November has arrived and with it comes that special holiday, Thanksgiving. With the thoughts of Thanksgiving Day comes the word “tradition” and our thoughts immediately go to the traditional menu for Thanksgiving dinner—turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. For those who prepare the Thanksgiving dinner—usually the women—it can be a time of anxiety and stress. Will the turkey be done in time? Will there be lumps in the gravy? Did the crust on the pumpkin pie turn out right? Will there be room for everyone at the table? And more! For those planning and preparing the meal, problems can turn an enjoyable day into a nightmare, leaving those in charge worn out and exhausted! Why does the Thanksgiving dinner have to be a “traditional meal”?

Let’s talk turkey! It is reported that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in October 1621 after their first harvest. Attending were fifty three (53) survivors of the Mayflower and ninety (90) Wampanoog people. In those days the settlers had to depend on the wildlife for a large part of their food. There is no doubt that turkey was a part of the meal, as well as venison, rabbits, squirrels, and other birds. The turkey was stuffed with herbs, onions, and nuts. The venison was roasted on a spit over an open fire. Wild turkeys were plentiful over the years and became a favorite meat for Thanksgiving dinner.

Mashed potatoes? There were no potatoes at the first Thanksgiving, just Indian turnips and groundnuts. Potatoes did not arrive on the scene for a few years. Until then, the vegetables were carrots, onions, beans, cabbage, peas, lettuce and corn.

The Pilgrims ran out of wheat flour before Thanksgiving, so there was no pie crust. Pumpkins were filled with milk, honey, and spices to make a custard, then the gourds were roasted whole in hot ashes. There were blue berries, plums, grapes, gooseberries, and raspberries. However, they did not eat cranberries, as they were very tart and the supply of sugar was depleted before the holiday. There was also curds and cheese.

Certain parts of the original celebrations have gone on to become a “tradition” for the Thanksgiving Day meal. Each year as the day approaches it seems to create more anxiety and stress for those in charge of preparing it. They work all day to serve the perfect and traditional Thanksgiving dinner to their family and guests. There is the pressure of getting everything perfectly cooked and served on time, the pressure of seating people in the right places and hoping everyone gets along, clearing the table after the meal, storing the leftovers, dirty pots, pans and dishes that have to be washed and put away. By the time all that is done, the people in charge are exhausted and the family and guests are heading home!

George Washington issued a proclamation in 1789 to celebrate Thanksgiving Day nationally. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day a National Holiday. So what was the original purpose of Thanksgiving Day? To give thanks for a successful harvest! To give thanks for the good things that had occurred throughout the year. To be thankful for the family members and friends who came to spend the day with you and to spend time visiting and catching up on what has been happening in everyone’s life during the past year. To relax, play games or cards, watch a football game together, to relive memories, to just sit quietly and talk and enjoy the day. Thanksgiving Day should be a wonderful day filled with fun and laughter!

Why should “tradition” be allowed to spoil that for you? Why turkey? Why not hot dogs or ham sandwiches or a type of hot sandwich such as sloppy Joes or hot chicken that can be made ahead and reheated? Why not potato chips, there are numerous kinds available, pretzels, or nuts? What about vegetable trays and dip? Cheese trays or cheeseballs and crackers? Desserts can be many things, cookies, cake, pie, all made ahead or purchased at a local bakery.

There are so many ideas and so many options that can relieve the stress and anxiety created by preparing that traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner! And it will free you up to really enjoy your family, your friends, and the holiday. Start your own Thanksgiving Day “tradition”!

However, if you are one of those people who feels that the family must have that traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner with all the trimmings, then go for it! The most important thing is to be able to enjoy Thanksgiving Day in your way and to be thankful for family, friends, and all the good things in your life! Happy Thanksgiving! May you and your family enjoy a grand feast and loving company.

TRAVELING THROUGH THE COUNTRY ON A GOLDEN ROAD

Recently it was necessary for me to devote one day to travel for various reasons. A doctor’s appointment required an hour of travel to get to the office, an hour’s wait after arriving and then another hour to return to my rural area. The next stop was the grocery store. With winter weather coming and my desire to hibernate when it is cold, I try to stock up on various items that I know are going to be necessary and that can be stored until needed. And, of course, there were the currently needed items that had to be purchased. After paying the bill, there was a definite need for something to aid in my recovery from the shock, so my son and I drove to a local restaurant to pick up food to take home for supper. We chose sandwiches and their dill pickle soup. Their dill pickle soup is a favorite of mine, different and delicious! So, with soup to soothe my soul, and a sense of satisfaction that we had accomplished our goals for the
day, we headed for home on the country road that I live on.

As we drove for home, we came to a section of the road that is covered by trees on both sides for a distance. Suddenly it was like we were driving down a “golden road”. Every tree was a golden shade and so beautiful! The trees everywhere that day were spectacular! So many colors and so many different shades of those colors! What a wonderful treat Mother Nature shared with us that day!

The word “golden” is used in many different ways and to describe many different things. A favorite golden item that can be found this time of year is the Golden Delicious apple. It is “apple pickin’ time” and, while there are many different kinds, the golden delicious is a favorite one. While apples are available in the grocery stores all year, the best ones are the ones grown locally. There is no end to the list of ways to use and enjoy apples! One of my Dad’s favorites was the applebutter that was stirred off every year in the big copper kettle. He didn’t turn down my Mom’s apple pie either! And they are good for you! We all remember that old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”!

When we hear the words “golden anniversary” we know that it means something special. While there can be a golden anniversary for different things, the one we think of first is the “Golden Wedding Anniversary”—-50 years that a couple has remained together, raised their families, and lived their lives. We used to be invited to those celebrations quite often as there were many of them. Times have changed!

When we can look out our window or sit on our porches with a cup of coffee and watch a golden sunrise, it sets the tone for what we hope is going to be a good day. When we can relax and watch quietly at the golden sunset in the evening, we have survived another day and we can be thankful for that day.

There are many things described as being “golden” that we have heard. A golden voice, the golden spike, a golden finch, a golden goose, golden eggs, the Golden Gate Bridge, silence is golden, a goldenrod, golden oldies—golden is a word that describes many different things.

Everyone travels the road of life from beginning to end. Very few find that journey to be on a golden road. That road is filled with twists and turns, rough spots, dead ends, and unexpected signs. There are times when a sudden change of direction occurs. Strength, determination, common sense, and faith are needed as the entire route is traveled. Along the road of life there will also be many golden miles. Those must be enjoyed and treasured.

Those who are older and retired are referred to as being in the “golden years”. At times the golden part becomes a little dull and loses the luster as we deal with the many different problems brought on by our years. Yet as we travel this road of retirement there are many miles filled with things to enjoy. It is important to stay active and involved in things. “You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by, but some of them are golden only because we let them slip by.” (James M. Barne}

As people travel the road of life one of the important things that needs to be remembered is the “Golden Rule”. “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you”. (Gospel of Matthew 7:12). The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. It is a rule that should be taught and practiced throughout life. During these troubled times there are many people who need to be reminded of it!

THE LEAVES ARE FALLING AND IT IS TIME FOR APPLE PICKING

“Great-Grandma, can I have an apple?” I hear those words every time Daxton comes to my house….he loves apples! I try to keep one of my crisper drawers filled with apples not only for Daxton and Emily, but also for using in many different recipes and for an occasional treat for the horses. Everyone loves apples freshly picked from the trees in local orchards.

When I was very young there was a big apple tree located just beyond the house and a strip of lawn. It was one of the first trees to have apples ripe enough to eat. They were a big, cream-colored apple with pink stripes on them and they were so good! There was just one problem….the tree was in the middle of the lot where the pigs were kept. When the apples began to fall, the pigs would eat them all! In order for me to go get an apple, I had to watch for apples to fall, make sure the pigs were at the other end of the lot, climb over the fence, race to the tree, grab a couple apples, race back to the fence and get over it before the pigs got to me. Of course, the pigs would see me and come running towards me, making that “woof..woof” sound that pigs make. I was terrified of them! But, oh, those apples tasted so good, I had to be brave! I also made up my mind to never be a pig farmer!

During this time of year a day would be chosen for “applebutter stirring”. It began early in the morning, the sun would be rising, the air crisp and cool and my Dad would build a wood fire and get it burning good. The big, old-fashioned copper kettle would then be set over the fire and the big, long-handled stirrer appeared. The apples had already been cooked and made into apple sauce the day before and nine gallons was poured into the kettle. The stirring began and it did not stop until the applebutter was the desired consistency. The twenty five pounds of white sugar, the twenty five pounds of brown sugar and a gallon of cider were added. We didn’t add cinnamon or any other spices, as my family preferred it to be just apple “butter”. You kept the fire hot and you kept stirring! After several hours, my Mom would start to check it. You cooked it until a scum formed on the top when cooled in a dish. The kettle was then
carried into the basement kitchen where the applebutter was put in canning jars and sealed. It would provide a two year supply for our family. It was my Dad’s favorite spread on bread.

There is a saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. A medium sized apple contains 95 calories. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, fiber, and Quercetin, a chemical that has inflammatory and antioxidants benefits. There are 2,500 types of apples grown in the United States.

Apple trees originated in Central Asia. They have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe. They were brought to North America by the European colonists. John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was a pioneer nurseryman, who introduced apple trees to many states and areas including Ohio in the 1800s. The original apples were not as tasty as the ones we have available now. In those years they were used mainly for making “hard cider”.

‘Your loved one is the apple of your eye”. I have three special ones….Emily, Daxton and Cooper.

JUST SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD AND ROLLING ALONG

When you reach that stage in your life when you are planning to retire or you have already retired, one of the things you look forward to is the luxury of “just sitting around”. There is no need to set alarm clocks every night to be sure that you wake up at a certain time. There is no certain get out of bed time, no rushing to get to work on time, no worrying about bad roads in the winter. There is the freedom of taking time to sit down and enjoy breakfast and of planning your day to include whatever you please or just sitting around. There are so many things that can be found to add to the joy of just sitting and so many ways to achieve that pleasure.

The majority of people who retire have a recliner or a lift chair that can be adjusted to their most comfortable position for just sitting. Usually retirees have that soft, warm, snuggly throw or blanket to cuddle up with, which adds to the enjoyment of just sitting. For many joy and pleasure are found in just sitting in their chair and watching television. For many retirement is the first they have had the time to enjoy television. They have been too busy working, taking care of family, raising children, participating in community activities and so much more. Now they can finally watch the popular movies that won awards years ago and are now being shown on TV! There are so many retirees, both men and women, who have always enjoyed sports and there are so many different sports shown on TV these days. It enables you to sit comfortably and watch all your favorites!

There are those who get their pleasure from just sitting quietly and reading a book and now there is time to do that. As retirees age, eyesight sometimes becomes a problem and there are books available that you can listen to. Books have been written on every subject you can think of and, if you don’t want to purchase them, there are public libraries full of them that you can borrow to read.

There can be so much pleasure in just sitting and having a conversation with someone. It can be a relative, a neighbor, a friend or a complete stranger. There are many of us in this world that just enjoy a good conversation with someone! Sitting and talking with others gives you new things to think about and brings back memories that haven’t been thought of in years! The telephone is so important to retirees! It allows them to stay in contact with others if they are unable to drive or leave home. That call from someone can brighten the day! Being in contact with people and talking with them is very important as retirees make their way through these short, dark, winter days! Many are living alone!

There are many ways to find peace and contentment by just sitting. Sitting in a car, truck, or jeep that is being driven down back country roads in the fall, you see the beauty as the leaves on the trees turn a multitude of different colors. You observe the different kinds of livestock in the fields. You notice the fields where the crops have been harvested and the corn and soybeans that are still standing. There are new houses in places where homes never stood before. Many of them show off the different decorations on display for the current holiday. As you travel you see farms and places that bring back all kinds of memories!

Sitting on the deck or porch with a cup of coffee or tea, watching a beautiful sunrise that will bring a lovely, warm day for everyone to enjoy. Hearing the birds singing and watching the hummingbirds flock to the feeder to enjoy the nectar it holds for them. Enjoying the white fluffy clouds forming in the sky. Waving to the neighboring farmer as he passes by on his big green tractor headed for the fields he farms. These are things that give you peace and joy when just sitting.

Sitting down to a holiday meal with family members. Sitting at the kitchen table enjoying any meal, just a cup of coffee, or milk and cookies with someone who came to visit or with the grandkids or great-grandkids. Playing cards with a group of friends. Playing Dominos, Uno, Go Fish, Scrabble, and other games with the kids. Enjoying a surprise pizza party or birthday celebration with family members. Relaxing in a bathtub of warm water letting the aches and pains just soak away, as you enjoy the sweet smell of the fragrant soap and the silence after everybody goes home!

Doctors and family members will remind you that “just sitting” is not healthy for you. Being older, retired and not doing much work anymore, you need to exercise and find things to make you move. As a doctor recently reminded me, it is very important to walk! While I agree with them that exercise is very important for your physical health, I also believe that “just sitting” can allow you to observe and take in things that are very important for maintaining your mental and emotional health.

Recently the school bus brought my great-grandchildren, Emily and Daxton, to my house as usual after school. They are always starved when they get here, so I fixed supper and we sat down and ate together. We discussed their day at school and a few other news items. We cleared the table and I washed the dishes. Emily practiced spelling words for a test and Daxton drew pictures. When that was all done, the television was turned on. I headed for my easy chair to get comfortable and Daxton climbed up on the arm of the chair and settled down beside me. Together we sat quietly and watched Bluey and SpongeBob SquarePants. There is nothing that could have made “just sitting” any better!

IN DEFENSE OF COMMANDER THE WHITE HOUSE DOG

Commander is in trouble. He is accused of committing a crime. He has been banned from the White House. He has been the subject of the news and the media everywhere for several days. Commander is a two year old German shepherd dog owned by the “family” who lives in and controls the White House. He has been accused of biting members of the Secret Service who work in the White House. Commander cannot speak for himself and no one has come forward to defend him or suggest a reason for his behavior. So I am coming to his defense!

German Shepherd dogs are not only very intelligent dogs, they are calm under pressure, trainable, fearless, agile, clever, and they love to work. They are strong and they are brave. They are trained and used for many different purposes. One of the many things that they are trained for is to work as K-9 service dogs for our police and sheriff departments. Yoda is a K-9 dog who recently made the news after capturing a man accused of murder, who had escaped and eluded capture for over four weeks. Yoda found him, captured him and prevented him from firing a gun and injuring anyone. The K-9 dogs are very important members of our law enforcement agencies all over this country.

While living in the White House, Commander has been living in an atmosphere of indecision, confusion and chaos. He was constantly being moved from the White House to numerous other unfamiliar places where he came in contact with many different people. When you look at the problems and chaos in this country, you know this dog was living amid stress and confusion.

There is no doubt that when the “family” decided to get another dog, they sent someone to a well-known breeder of German Shepherds to select one. I am sure that this person was a breeder of German Shepherds from outstanding bloodlines with deep pedigrees and great intelligence. It is my opinion that not only are certain breeds of dogs very smart, they also come from years of genetics and bloodlines that possess extra senses. Certain ones, because of those special senses, can tell the “good people” from the “bad people”. Having owned several Border Collies, who are also very smart, I saw this in some of them. It was interesting to watch their reactions when people came to the farm, and we especially paid attention when strangers came. King was especially sensitive around people and we paid attention to his reactions. He knew the milk inspector didn’t like dogs, was not a very nice person, and took pleasure in the power he held over our dairy farm. So, one day when he was being loud and very difficult with us, King bit him in his rear-end as he bent over to get something out of his car! We didn’t get a very high score on the inspection report that day!

How do K-9 dogs locate suspects and criminals? By using their noses and strong sense of smell to follow the scent. Perhaps Commander possesses that special genetic ability to identify a “good person” or a “bad person” by their scent. For months we have been told that there are “criminals” in the White House. The “family” who lives in the White House are all protected by the Secret Service. They come in contact with the other people in the White House in many different ways, including those people that have been labeled as or accused by others of being “criminals”. The Secret Service people touch them, they shake hands with them, they take them by the arm and guide them, pick them up when they fall, they brush against them, and as the Secret Service people do those things, the scent from the other people gets on their hands, their clothing and all over them. If the same scent is on the good people as well as the bad people, then Commander can’t tell which is which! In trying to be a helpful dog using that special genetic instinct born in him to tell the “good people from the “bad people” and catch criminals, he just bites the wrong people! To him they all smell the same! I wonder if they had let him sniff the package of cocaine found in the White House could he have sniffed out and shown them who the person was that left it there?

I hope wherever Commander is that he is in a more peaceful place, being loved, is well cared for and receiving the training that he needs. Dogs give so much and ask so little. Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.

WHERE DO YOU FIND THE SATISFACTION IN YOUR LIFE

Although I am not personally acquainted with any of them, it is my understanding that there are millionaires, billionaires, and trillionaires alive and well and wheeling and dealing in our country. They constantly seek to acquire more power and more money to become richer. My question for all of them is, “Where does your satisfaction come from?”

How many of those people have stayed with one man or one woman through their years of marriage without having an affair or a lover or mistress on the side? How many have been loving, caring parents and are loved by all their children? How many have a good relationship and are on good terms with other family members? How many can truly and completely trust the people they call friends? How many are respected by the people involved in their lives? Yes, enough money will buy just about anything. We all need to sleep. So when you sleep in a mansion do you sleep any differently than you would in a log cabin, a tent or homeless on the street? No matter who you are or where you are, everybody at some point in time closes their eyes and sleeps—your body insists on it! Have you been fortunate enough to wake up in the morning and open your eyes? Everybody, everywhere, rich or poor, hopes to do the same thing each and every day!

Do you eat? Everyone has to eat to live, it doesn’t matter what the food is. Caviar and prime rib or steak doesn’t make you live any longer than bacon, eggs and toast. No matter whose body it is, you must eat food for growth, health, strength and to live. Fluids are essential, water is necessary, milk is good for you, most people insist on coffee—booze pretty much affects most people, both rich and poor, in unhealthful and harmful ways.

What gives you satisfaction in your work? Is there really more satisfaction for a person running a huge corporation than there is for someone who creates something with their brain or hands? Regardless of what your job is, if you work hard, do the best you know how to do, and complete the job, you have every right to feel satisfied.

A good friend recently asked me, “Why don’t more people feel satisfaction in things the way that farmers do?” Farmers are not rich, they have to work hard and most are on duty twenty four hours a day because of the unexpected things that can happen on a farm. They are farmers because they love the land, the animals and their families. Living on a farm means family members are involved every day, in every way, and that brings satisfaction. There are so many things—watching a beautiful sunrise early in the morning as you climb on the tractor and head for the fields, counting the number of bales of hay in the barn as October approaches and you know winter is coming, eyeing the golden brown color of the soybeans as they begin to turn, standing back, wiping sweat and admiring the job well done in cleaning the chicken barn as you await a load of chicks to arrive, listening to the sounds at milking time and watching the bulk tank fill. I could go on and on! So much satisfaction is found on the farm and money has nothing to do with it! A farmer doesn’t get rich on the crops grown or the livestock raised, but the farmer’s life can be filled with satisfaction and pride in what he does. Both the rich man and the poor man puts his pants on one leg at a time, regardless of the material they are made from.

Both are glad to have a pair to wear when cold weather sets in! Every person, rich or poor, will die at some time. No person will take anything with them—definitely not money. Even if they purchase their coffin and conceal the money in it prior to their death, it is guaranteed that there will be someone who will thoroughly check things out before they close the lid! So what good does it do to lie, cheat and steal as so many well-known people seem to be doing these days? They should know “that you can’t take it with you”! So, I ask again, “Where does their satisfaction come from?” Or do they never find or feel
satisfaction?

Satisfaction is the pleasure derived from the fulfillment of ones wishes, expectations or needs. It is pleasure, contentment and gratification. Satisfaction is not always felt immediately. Sometimes it takes time and a large amount of patience. “Disciplining yourself to do what you know is right and important, although difficult, is the highroad to pride, self-esteem and personal satisfaction”. (Margaret Thatcher) People who achieve the highest levels of success—whether in business or in raising families or simply in discovering fulfillment and satisfaction and purpose in life—are those who place their focus on other people rather than themselves”. (Richard DeVos)

LIKE IT OR NOT FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE

Football season has arrived and games are being played throughout the country. They range from teams of the youngest players at local schools to the Super Bowl winning team in the National Football League. Most high school games are played on Fridays, college games on Saturdays, NFL games on Sundays or Monday night. They dominate the television channels. If you are not a fan, it is difficult to find an interesting program on the weekends and a majority of the movies are reruns!

I am a fan of two sports—football and horse racing and I watch both. I recently became more interested in college football due to the media attention given to the Colorado Buffalos team and their coach, Deon Sanders, who was both an outstanding football player and baseball player. It is my understanding that no one was paying much attention to the Colorado team until he took the coaching job and made changes. Recently Colorado won two exciting games against teams that they were not expected to defeat and they gained a lot of publicity.

My favorite college team is the University of Oregon Ducks. My youngest grandson received his law degree from there, currently lives in Oregon, and is a lawyer there. He has been a big fan ever since attending college there and attends their games. I have been watching the Ducks’ games and rooting for them. When Oregon and Colorado played each other last weekend I was definitely watching! I was glad that Oregon won and I hear the crowd was going crazy, but I was disappointed that it wasn’t a closer game. It just wasn’t Colorado’s day! Perhaps they received just a little too much media attention!

When it comes to the NFL, I am still rooting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers even though my other grandson no longer works for them. I am hoping they will have a good year. I was looking forward to Aaron Rogers playing for the New York Jets. I was hoping that he could help the Jets to improve in the same way that Tom Brady did for the Buccaneers. It was sad to see him get badly injured in the first few minutes of the first game. Hopefully, even though he cannot play, he can use his experience and football knowledge to help the team play better. While you like to see your favorite team win, the game is more enjoyable if it is a hard fought game, both teams play well and the score is close.

Have you ever given thought to how important all these football games are to the economic success of our country? Every football game everywhere contributes, from the highest paid player who receives millions to the youngest football team in a local community whose players stop to get some ice cream after their game!

We have these huge stadiums built for football games everywhere. Those stadiums involve all types of companies for materials, construction crews, laborers, and more. Once built it requires management in charge of the happenings there. There must be workers to take care of the buildings and the grounds around them every day. When an event is scheduled the list of people required to make that event happen is endless. There must be security people, people to sell tickets, ticket takers, venders to sell food, drinks, souvenirs, people to prepare food, people to serve it, people to take care of trash, guides to help people find where they need to go, emergency medical people, people involved in parking cars, and many more! There are so many jobs involved in football games that have nothing to do with the football teams! And not only football, but all other sports involve jobs for so many people!

All of those people receive payment for the jobs they perform. It enables them to spend money for all kinds of things you can think of and for some that you won’t think of! Think about the Covid-19 shutdown and the money that was lost by our people, our country and the damage that was done to our country’s economy! We don’t want that to happen again! You may or you may not like football or any other type of sports, however they are very important to every one of us and to our country.

Years ago Andy Griffith, well know actor, comedian and entertainer wrote and recorded a comic piece entitled “What It Was Was Football”. The following is from that piece. “I think it was that it’s some kindly of a contest where they see which bunch of them men can take that pumpkin and run from one end of that cow pasture to the other without getting knocked down or steppin’ in somethin’”.

EVERYONE NEEDS SOME QUIET TIME AND A QUIET PLACE

As soon as I was old enough that Mom wasn’t worried that I would get lost, I was allowed to take my faithful dog, Stubby, and wander all over the farm. I would take off following a cowpath in the pasture field. There would be interesting things to investigate as I meandered along—bugs, rocks, flowers, holes, sticks, etc. On the hot summer days I would head for the creek. It was lined with alders or trees were close by and it was such a cool place. I would go wading, just watch the tiny minnows swimming around or investigate under the rocks. Stubby often took a quick dip in the creek to cool down, especially if he had found a groundhog to sneak up on and battle. There was one place in the pasture field where there was a huge rock. I would sit on that rock, let my legs dangle over the side, listen to the sound of the water trickling down the stream, the birds singing and just think and dream. It was a quiet time and a quiet place.

As I grew up, I learned every one of the 175 acres we own, and I would walk it, ride my draft horse, Prince, all over it, or help with the farm work on it. When I was big enough I went every spring with my Dad to check and repair the line fences. I learned where all the markers and boundaries were. There were places where the fence was located in the woods and we couldn’t drive the tractor and the small trailer of fence equipment close to it. Dad would put a “spud bar” through the center of a spool of barbed wire, and he would take one end and I took the other. In his other hand he carried his “fence box” with steeples, pliers, hatchet, wire cutters, etc., and I carried the “fence stretcher” and off we would go, at times with a steep
uphill climb. The woods would be so peaceful and quiet, just the sounds of wildlife and our voices as we talked.

Today I visited one of those places where I used to go. It is the farthest section of the farm from the buildings. I had not been to those fields in several years. I didn’t walk or ride a horse or tractor—I went in a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that is equipped for camping. There was the sound of the Jeep and a big White tractor that was pulling logs out of the woods to cut into firewood. It is a beautiful place, a big green field surrounded by woods on three sides, with no road leading to it, just a path through the fields.. It is a perfect place, far from the hustle and bustle of daily life. As I sat waiting while my sons had a conference, a lot of memories of activities in that area from past years came flooding back. It was a quiet time and is still a very quiet place.

Everyone, young, old and in-between needs some quiet time and a quiet place. You need that time and that place where your mind can escape the troubles and the problems that occur in our daily living and our world. Living on a farm is such a blessing, as you can find those quiet times and quiet places in so many different places and ways. Farmers can find them where other people would never think to look! In your mind it can become a quiet time and a quiet place as you listen to the hum of a tractor while planting a crop in the fields, as you hear the jingle of the harness on a team of horses as you work with them, listening to the pulsation and sound of the milking machine as the cows are milked. You can enjoy the quiet time and the quiet place as you sit on a bale of straw late at night waiting on that special dairy cow to give birth to the heifer calf that you know she is carrying, or while watching baby lambs as they leap and play, baby kittens as they tumble and wrestle, sitting on the front porch and watching the corn growing taller, the wheat getting riper, observing the green alfalfa soon ready to mow, or listening to that rain on the roof that you know will make everything grow. And there are those beautiful green fields and the quiet woods.

Spending quiet time in a quiet place gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order. Silence and stillness has its own virtues. Step away from the chaos of life and erase the troubles and problems of your life and the world from your mind. Relish the moments of tranquility. The quietness brings inner peace. Enjoy those moments of quiet time and those quiet places where ever you can find them! “There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.” (Linda Hogan)

SOUP IS THE SPOONFUL OF COMFORT WE ALL NEED

It is always nice when someone stops in and brings a meal for you. And so when my youngest son brought supper for me the other evening, I appreciated his thoughtfulness. Both of my sons are good cooks, having learned at an early age, and so are my grandsons. Like all kids, when they came home from school they were always starved and I was often working out in the fields somewhere or at the barn, so they learned how to solve their hunger problem themselves. I made sure that there was things available that were easy for them to fix.

My handout for supper was chili and deviled eggs and beets. My son makes a really good chili, although his has a few more spices in it than in the chili I make. It is especially good for you if you have a cold and will definitely help to clear your sinuses! I ate a lot of chili when I had my rounds of Covid-19. It definitely helped and was the one thing that I could taste!

While it is still warm out, cold weather is definitely on the way. With the freezing weather, the cold winds, and the snow comes the desire and the need for lots of hot soup. Soup warms the body and soothes the soul. There are so many kinds to make and enjoy. With the price of groceries these days a big pot of homemade soup can go a long way to feed a family. My grandma was well-known for her ability to feed many people with one chicken and the flour, eggs, and salt that she made into noodles!

It is assumed that early people began cooking broth as soon as they discovered how to make mud vessels or clay pots. Before that they consumed raw meat or cooked it over an open fire. The first added ingredients were probably vegetables that grew wild, nuts, berries, leaves or whatever they could find. Just as is done today, they had to try the various ingredients until they found the combination that they liked. Eventually people learned how to grow corn, pumpkins, squash and all kinds of vegetables to add to their soup.

Every country has one or more favorite soups and there is no limit to the many different ingredients and spices used in every country! Yala Corbus is the traditional soup of Turkey. Yogurt is the basis for this soup and is one of the most used ingredients in Turkish cuisine. Rice and chickpeas are cooked in a broth flavoured with spices and herbs. Yogurt brings the creaminess to the soup and can be complemented with feta cheese. Tom Yum is a famous soup in Thailand with an extremely aromatic broth, the result of a combination of spices, herbs, lemongrass, galangal, and koffir lime leaves. Shrimp, pork, or chicken can be added. Egusi is the name given by the inhabitants of West Africa for pumpkin and melon seeds which are the main ingredient of Egusi soup. The seeds are fried in palm oil and added to a broth that carries fish, dried shrimp, beef tripe, vegetables and spices. The rarest soup and one of the most expensive in the entire world is China’s Bird Nest Soup. It is made from the swiftlet nests that are actually made out of the bird’s saliva. They are prized in Chinese culture due to their rarity, high protein content and rich flavor.

Canned soups became popular in the 19 th century when the technique of canning was discovered. The Mason jar became very important in every household and meant that vegetables and the meats for making soups were available throughout the winter. Later on came the freezing of meats and vegetables. Just about every item grown in the garden can be used in some type of soup. If you don’t have a garden or don’t want to make your own soup, there are numerous varieties available at the grocery stores. There are many of them that you just add milk or water, heat and enjoy, or simply heat in the microwave.

One of my favorite soups is the vegetable soup that my Mom taught me to make, using hamburger, beef broth, tomato juice, potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, corn, and cabbage. For my Mom and Dad years ago, a special treat was Oyster Stew, however the oysters were only available during certain months of the year and the price was high, so it wasn’t made very often. My Uncle Frank made an excellent Turtle Soup and was often asked to make it for special suppers put on by organizations. Everyone has a favorite that they will be enjoying throughout the winter. We have a new restaurant located just a few miles from town that has not been open very long. My oldest son and I stopped there a few days ago and enjoyed the food. Their menu is a little different from other restaurants in the area. After I had ordered, I was reading the menu more thoroughly and discovered that one of the items on the menu is Dill Pickle Soup. I love dill pickles and so do my great-grandchildren. I always have to include a couple jars in my cart when shopping for groceries. I have no idea what Dill Pickle Soup tastes like or what the ingredients in it are, but I plan on trying it the next time we visit the restaurant!

“Soup is a lot like life. It is all about what you put into it.” (Unknown)

EVERYTHING HAS ITS WONDERS EVEN DARKNESS AND SILENCE

It was late on Friday night and the long Labor Day weekend was ahead. I was relaxing in my easy chair in my comfy night clothes. My water and my snack were beside my chair and I was enjoying a good movie on television. Suddenly I was plunged into darkness! The electric went out! Slowly but very carefully I climbed out of my electric chair—you know—one of those lift chairs that they recommend for old people. Now all I had to do was get my special light that my son gave me and I knew exactly where it was. I have lived in this old house for many years, so I know my way around in the dark. However, the kids were here this evening and I don’t want to trip on anything they might have left on the floor. I must take my time and be careful—don’t want any falls! I don’t bounce like I used to!

I keep my light sitting on the third shelf of a bookcase. I know right where it is! I’m feeling for it –feeling for it—can’t find it! Okay, I will make my way to the computer room, as I know where there is one there. Made it to the computer desk—feeling for it, feeling for it—oops there goes a picture to the floor! Finally—found it—it works, but it is just a small one. Back to the living room for the bigger one. Yep—there it is, right where I thought it was—only one shelf lower! Let there be light!

Of course, it is dark and cloudy, no moon to help light things up. What can I do? Now usually at this time in the evening, while watching television, I would drift off to sleep and the TV would eventually shut itself off. Or at least I would take a quick nap and miss the most important part of the movie. Not tonight! This would be the perfect time for sleep and instead my eyeballs are wide awake! The first thing I must do is decide if I am going to go to bed or just choose another chair and wait to see what happens. Could there be a storm coming? I feel like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. I have three chairs, all recliners. I tried one and it is too big. It is the one that Don always sat in and it is uncomfortable for me. Chair number two is
too small! It doesn’t give you room to wiggle around in! It is a well-known name brand but has never been comfortable and is hard to work when you try to put the foot rest up. So which one is the most comfortable? The electric one, of course, and it is not working!

Good thing I am not depending on my electric car to be charged and ready to take me to work in the morning! In the “good ole days” all I had to be sure of was that I had a can of gas! The people who want everything to go green never acknowledge the problems that can occur if the electric isn’t working! They pretend they don’t exist! The people who do understand all the problems need to talk about them more and do everything they can to get the information out and make the people understand what can happen!

Sitting here in the pitch black darkness the only thing I can do is think! About numerous things! In the “good ole days” embers would still be smoldering in the kitchen stove and the teakettle would still have hot water. I could make a cup of tea or warm up the coffee left in the pot. I could light the oil lamp or some candles. That would make enough light for me to move around the room, play solitaire, maybe even read something, or do other things. People survived for years without electricity and got a lot of things done!

If the electric isn’t back on by morning breakfast will have to be cold cereal and milk. No “quick fix” in the microwave! In the “good ole days” with the coming of daylight, the kitchen stove would be fired up and there would be the smell of the bacon or sausage frying in the big iron skillet, eggs waiting to be fried in the drippings or gravy made for over biscuits, the coffee perking in the percolator. The oatmeal would be hot and toast would be made on a wire toaster held over the stove. Once everyone had their fill it was off to work, even on Labor Day!

I have no idea how long the electric will be off. The emergency crew has to get to their headquarters to get their trucks and equipment and then make their way to where the outage has occurred. I do not complain regardless of how long it takes during an outage to get the electric back on. Finding the problem and then getting to it can sometimes be very difficult and especially if it has happened because of storms. Working with electric is a very dangerous job! Those workers do their best to get the electric back on and working for all of us. We need to pray that they stay safe!

The phone went out at the same time as the electric. It is now Monday, Labor Day, and this is the fourth day it has been out. I have to depend on the old fashioned land line, as cell phones don’t work here in my hills. No doubt I won’t have a working phone until sometime Tuesday. Repairing land line phones is not a priority for the phone companies these days!

The Labor Day holiday and celebrations will be over tomorrow and life will get back to normal—however you define normal these days! We must be thankful that things here are back working. There are areas where the storms have caused so much destruction and created such huge problems. Say a prayer for all those people who are dealing with those problems and trying to rebuild their homes and their lives! “Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content”. (Helen Keller)

BY ALL THESE LOVELY TOKENS SEPTEMBER DAYS ARE HERE

Each week I put my brain to work trying to come up with an idea for my column. I have said that sometimes the ideas just “fall out of the air” into my head. Other times I really have to work to come up with something that I think people will enjoy reading. Occasionally someone will suggest something for me to write about, which I really appreciate, and often their ideas are good ones. This past week has been a busy one, with my mind on many other things, so no great column ideas have hit me!

We had numerous storms in many areas last week, including here. Just about everything was involved except snow—wind, rain, hail, thunder, lightning, flooding, trees down, electric lines down, and lots of damages. Much of that happened during the late night and early morning hours. Sleep was lost, alarms didn’t go off and many people were late for work and school. All of that contributed to a stressful week! During all of that many people were without electricity for hours and even days. There is something I just don’t understand about this “going green deal” that is being forced upon us. During this past week of storms there were several days that were dark and dreary and without sunshine. Prior to the storms putting the electricity off, there were areas where it was already in short supply, due not only to normal use, but also because of the heat and so much air conditioning being run. If we are to become dependent on the “solar panels” for our electricity, how are we going to get enough from them when there are days without sunshine as well as the nights! I wish some of those “experts on going green”, who fly around the country making speeches, would explain to me just how it is going to work! It seems to me that it is sort of like making hay—you can’t get it dry enough and ready to bale if there is no sunshine! Sometimes I think I should be storing up a lot of candles and wood!

School has started in most areas. Children of all ages have had to adjust to new buildings, new rooms, new teachers, sitting still for several hours, and getting up early in the morning. For some of the little ones those first days are a scary experience. The bus drivers are adjusting to alarm clocks going off earlier in the morning, learning routes that may have changed, learning where there are new children to pick up, and working to find the best directions for their routes so they can be where they need to be at the correct times. Our school bus drivers carry a lot of responsibility on their shoulders as they strive to get school children where they need to go safely. Our schools need the involvement and cooperation of parents. Hopefully, as everyone begins this week, things will be a little easier and go more smoothly.

When I asked Daxton how his first day of kindergarten went I got a “thumbs up” and a big smile. He likes his teacher, Mrs. May. And then he wanted to know what was for supper! Daxton is “cool with school”! Emily is in third grade, likes her teacher, Mr. Ledford, and is excited about getting to be a cheerleader. Let’s hope their enthusiasm for school will last throughout this year as well as throughout the other years that lie ahead.

Goodbye August and a big hello to September! As I talk to friends, we all ask the same thing—where did the summer go? It seems as though it just started a few days ago and now it is gone! The weather is still warm and we will continue to have nice days, however in reading some information from the Old Farmer’s Almanac, frost is already being mentioned. And what about the signs from the wildlife. A few days ago more “whistle pigs”, as they are sometimes called, started moving to the buildings, making their holes either under them or very close. I had to order more Double Bubble and have been putting treats out every few days. The groundhogs seem to have learned that if they hear the “mean green machine” coming, that means treats. They are out of their holes getting them before I get back to my house! My
hummingbirds were going through a quart sized feeder every day, as well as taking some from a second feeder. Suddenly this week the feeder has lasted three days and most of them seem to be gone. Is this a sign of an early winter? For many years the farmers relied on Mother Nature and the wildlife to indicate what weather might be going to happen. And many times the signs we saw proved to be a correct prediction.

There will be a lot of activities in September. There are still several county fairs to take place. There will be fall festivals happening everywhere. Football games featuring players of all ages have begun at the schools. College games are taking place. The first games in the NFL will soon be happening. The biggest dairy shows will be taking place—The All-American at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; The World Dairy Expo at Madison, Wisconsin; and The North American International Livestock Exposition at Louisville, Kentucky. Those dairy shows feature the “best of the best” from all over the country. And one of the favorite things to do on a day in autumn is to take a drive down the country roads and enjoy the beauty that the fall season brings to us! “September tries its best to have us forget summer”. (Bernard Williams)

MOOS AREN’T THE ONLY MELODIES HEARD IN THE DAIRY BARN

Walk into many of the dairy barns in this country and one of the first things you will hear is country music. One of today’s popular country stars will be singing his or her song that is currently on the charts. Occasionally you may find a dairy barn where contemporary, rock, rap, or classical is heard, but not very often. Country music has been the main choice for years. Dairy farmers enjoy it as they go about their chores. There are some that believe it relaxes the cows and makes them easier to work with.

I grew up with country-western music, as did many people my age. Many of the western movies we watched years ago featured music as a part of the story. Many family members played an instrument and gathered together to visit and play music on weekends or for family events. Often they played for square dances or community events. Most learned at an early age and often could play more than one instrument. Most listened to a song and then learned to play it “by ear” and never had music lessons.

I grew up loving country music. My family on my Dad’s side was blessed with musical talent. My grandfather played the violin, one uncle played guitar, another uncle played the mandolin, and my Dad played the guitar—left-handed without restringing it. Any guitarist reading this will understand that it wasn’t easy. As I was growing up, there were several friends and neighbors who also played music. Many Saturday nights were spent at someone’s house visiting and playing music until the wee hours of the morning. Or their might be a square dance somewhere with different “family bands” providing the music.

Years later when at age eleven major surgery kept our oldest son from walking for six months, he asked for a guitar and received it. He taught himself how to play it. A few years later, he and I helped to organize a country-western band with some friends. Practice was often at our house. While I could play the guitar, my favorite thing was singing. So I and one of the other gals involved became the vocalists. We played for some local events, festivals, and weddings. We were contacted by some clubs from other areas and asked to play on Saturday nights. Thus began my career as a country singer and I loved it!

My son owned the amplifiers, microphones, an electric guitar, and drums, so all that had to be loaded and ready to go when we had a “gig”. And we had to milk the cows early. When we played the clubs it was usually one o’clock in the morning when we finished. We then had to repack the equipment and head home, sometimes an hour or more drive. Often by the time we got home it was time to milk the cows, so we just changed clothes and headed for the barn! It was Sunday, we could sleep later!

One day “Lum” came home from work on the Norfolk & Western Railroad and told me about one of his fellow workers. His name was Vern Terry and he had been the lead guitarist for Dottie West, a well- known country star in Nashville for several years. Unfortunately, he was in an accident and suffered a severe injury to his hand and had to stop playing the guitar. He left Nashville, came to Ohio, and took a job on the Norfolk & Southern Railroad. Eventually he was able to start playing again and was playing with some local country bands. We invited him to play with our band as lead guitarist and what a thrill for me when he agreed! He was an outstanding guitar player. While the rest of the band and I practiced before playing at a club, he seldom did. He was so good, he didn’t need to! All I had to do was tell him what song I was
going to sing and what key I needed and he would play the perfect lead in! I knew hundreds of songs and so did he!

Eventually the band broke up due to other commitments. Our son was in college and he took a job with a “sound crew” in West Virginia for two years during the summer break. They provided the amplifiers and needed sound equipment for country stars who were performing at various fairs and concerts. He met several of them and got to know what many of them were really like. Some were very nice and others made unbelievable demands when they performed! He got to sit down and play with some of them when they were tuning up and getting ready for their show. On one occasion when Ronny Milsap was performing, he put on a cap and dark glasses, and with a “bodyguard” on each side, walked all over the fairgrounds where he was appearing, and being the same size and looking a bit like Ronny, the people
mistook him for the entertainer! He had a lot of interesting experiences during those two years.

My career as a country singer didn’t last too long, but I enjoyed every minute of it! For just a few hours I could forget the problems that occur on a dairy farm and enjoy singing, the music and the people we met. Music of every kind, whether you perform it or just listen to it, is a relief from the stress, problems, and challenges brought about by life. Music soothes the soul. “Only in country music can you compare an old pickup truck and an old guitar to your wife and turn it into a love song. Thank God for country music.” (Dierks Bentley) “Country music is three chords and the truth.” (Harlan Howard) “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday”. (Berthold Auerbach)

USE THE POWER OF EXTRACTING HAPPINESS FROM COMMON THINGS

As I sit here on my deck on this August evening, the sun is shining warmly on my tired legs and my artificial knees and it feels so good. It is a warm day but there is a lovely breeze blowing at just the right temperature to keep me very comfortable. The mockingbirds are flocking to the feeders. The groundhog that has taken up residence across the driveway at my Mom’s house is busy enjoying the bubblegum treat I left for him. There is a doe and her baby fawn in the pasture field. The hills are green and beautiful. Occasionally a car goes up or down the road. If God was to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I could give every person in his world one gift that would last throughout their life, it would be the peace and contentment that I am feeling at this moment. What a wonderful gift that would be!

Contentment is a state of happiness, satisfaction, fulfillment and pleasure that comes from within. There are so very many ways to find peace and contentment. Everyone is different and must find their own way. For some it is relaxing quietly and listening to music. For others it is playing music and there are so many instruments, such as the harp, piano, violin, and more, that when played create a feeling of peace and contentment. Sitting quietly and reading a book by your favorite author. Plodding back and forth with a team of horses as you work down the ground in a plowed field. Sitting quietly under a shade tree on a hot day. Rocking a baby to sleep. Watching animal babies play. Animals, especially dogs, have become so important in helping to bring peace and contentment not only to distressed children and adults, but also to our servicemen. A walk in the woods. Fresh baked cookies and a glass of cold milk. Just being with your family. The list is absolutely endless!

I remember well an elderly gentleman who years ago showed sheep at our county fair, as well as many other fairs. He was an early riser and always had his sheep fed and cared for early in the morning. He would then relax in his chair, a piece of wood and his penknife in hand, and “whittle” as he awaited sunrise and the first fairgoers. Whittling was a source of peace and contentment for him. He was always very friendly and kind to us 4-Hers and I have never forgotten him.

I feel so blessed and grateful to have been allowed to grow up and spend my life on this farm in the hills of Ohio. I grew up learning about hard work and responsibility. On a farm there is so much to learn about so many different things! You grow up learning to love the animals you work with every day. Some are more special than others, especially if you grow up as a 4-Her or FFA member and continue to show throughout your lifetime. Your neighbors and your community are a part of your life. They will be there to help you if and when you need them! Your life is filled with friends and friendships that last your entire lifetime.

We are living in a country and a world that is filled with strife, conflict, uncertainty and many problems. There are many people, all over this world, who are never able to enjoy a moment of peace and contentment. They can only try to survive the circumstances they must live in twenty four hours a day every day and hope and pray that their lives will get better. Everyone has to live their life as it happens. There is no such thing as a perfect life. Everyone has problems of some kind that they must deal with in the best way they can. Finding ways for some peace and contentment helps to give a person the strength and determination to meet the challenges of their life.

The following are some interesting sayings that I ran across. “True contentment is not having everything, but in being satisfied with everything you have”. (Oscar Wilde) “Movement is good for the body. Stillness is good for the mind”. “I spend a lot of time doing carpentry. Sometimes there is nothing that gives me the contentment that sawing a piece of wood does”. (Abbas Kiarostami) “It is not how much we have but how much we enjoy, that makes us happy”. (Charles Spurgeon} “Until you make peace with who you are, you will never be content with what you have”. (Doris Mortman) “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace”. (Dalai Lama) “The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness
from common things”. (Henry Ward Beecher)

WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

It has been extremely hot and humid for several days and we have been experiencing what is known as the “dog days of summer”. When Sirius, known as the “dog star” would appear in the sky, just before the sun, near the end of July, that marked the very hottest days of the year. The Romans referred to that period as “dies caniculares” or “days of the dog star”. This was eventually translated to just “dog days” or as we have often heard, “dog days of summer”. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky. When Sirius rose alongside the sun the Romans and Greeks believed that the heat from these two stars combined is what causes the hottest days of the year. This seems like a reasonable explanation to me!

They couldn’t call it “climate change” and blame it on the things that people involved in the “green new deal” do today. Most of the Romans lived in crowded buildings. They didn’t have gas and diesel powered vehicles, gas powered appliances, gas powered tools and equipment, or large herds of dairy or beef cattle! They had some cows, oxen, sheep, goats and horses, although the horses were mainly for rich people and racing. When they traveled they went by chariot, walked, rode horses or on a litter that slaves carried on their shoulders.

Years ago this time of year was also referred to as “threshing time”. Threshing machines traveled from farm to farm to thrash out the different types of grains that had been grown and blow the straw into huge stacks. Usually there was a farm in the area that owned a threshing machine and the big tractor needed to run it. They did “custom threshing” for the other farmers in the area. They set up a schedule for the day or days that they would be at each farm. The farmer would have time to get ready and the farmer’s wife would have time to shop for groceries and plan the noon meal.

The “dog days of summer” were important to the success of the threshing and harvest. The sheaves of grain needed to be dry so that all the grain could be properly extracted. Every farmer hoped and prayed that it didn’t come up a rain or storm just before or on his threshing day!

The heat and dryness was hard on the workers. There were several jobs to be done. Some worked out in the fields loading the sheaves of grain into wagons to be hauled to the threshing machine. Others unloaded the wagons and threw the sheaves onto the big belt that fed them into the threshing machine. Large bags were filled with the grain and then had to be carried into a granary where it was dumped into bins. The workers made a lot of trips carrying those heavy sacks! There was one farm where the grain had to be carried up a set of stairs and dumped on the second floor, as their grinder was on the first floor and they let the grain flow down into the grinder when they ground their feed. That was a hard day for those men who carried the grain! Someone had to handle the pipe that blew the straw and properly create the
straw stack. Some farms blew the straw into a “hay mow” and it had to be forked back so it would fill properly. All extremely hard, hot and dirty jobs on threshing day! The worker’s clothes would be soaked in sweat and a lot of cold drinking water was needed!

We had a large maple tree in the yard beside our house. On threshing day huge washtubs were filled with water and set under the tree so the men could wash up before going in to eat at noon. There was only room for one group at a time at the table, so while the first group of men were eating, the second group would stretch out under the cool shade of the maple tree. When the second group came out they too would relax and wait under the tree. How good that time under the tree must have felt to those hot and hard- working farmers!

July 24 to August 24 was originally considered to be the period for the “dog days of summer”, however over the years the constellations have drifted, so the Farmer’s Almanac lists the dates as July 3 to August 11. During the summer Canus Major, the constellation that includes Sirius, hits the Northern hemisphere due to the tilt of the Earth. The “dog days of summer” are in late January to early March in the Southern hemisphere.

In my opinion it isn’t the weather or the climate that has changed so much in this country over the years, it is the country that has changed! Years ago there were lots of fields and open ground for rains to soak into. Now we have buildings, roads, concrete, cement, tar, etc. When it rains the water has to go somewhere, hence we have floods. When there are tornados, hurricanes, high winds and storms there are so many more things in their path to be destroyed. It isn’t the climate we should be trying to change, it is the ways that we prepare for and handle the weather that need to be studied and changed.

WORDS OF ADVICE FROM AN EXPERIENCED RETIREE

In our years of retirement we are all constantly being given advice from many people, and especially from all those different doctors that we find ourselves constantly visiting for one reason or another, as we go about enjoying these “golden years”. Their goal seems to be to keep us healthy, living longer, and enjoying life. However, they have no experience in retirement as they haven’t retired yet! As an experienced retiree, I have some advice for those who are retired or those who are planning retirement in the future. Don’t keep anything available that is easy to use or comfortable. Your health and your life will be better!

For instance—you will be getting a lot of advice about eating healthy. My advice is do not have a microwave oven! Without one, you will have to prepare the food for your meals and cook it. Therefore you will have to make trips to your refrigerator, your cupboard, your stove, and your sink. One trip to pick up a pre-packaged microwave meal or an item that you just pop into the microwave doesn’t give you nearly as much exercise! And of course, the fresh food is better for you. Also you will be dirtying up pans, pots and dishes that will need to be washed and dried afterwards. That is much better exercise than just putting them in a dishwasher. Once clean they will all have to be returned to their places in your cupboards. Think about all the exercise you are are getting for your hands, arms, legs and body all at the same time. You will be exercising your brain, as you have to remember how to cook the things you want to eat and read recipes.

Do not have a recliner, lift chair or any kind of comfortable chair. If the chair you must sit in is not comfortable you won’t just sit there and watch television programs for hours, sometimes even ones you don’t like, because you are so cozy and comfortable! You won’t be so inclined to just sit there thinking about chores that you need to do and could be doing but are not. You will have to get up and moving and while you are up maybe you will remember a chore that needs doing and go ahead and do it! If you are not so comfortable you won’t be as apt to nod off and take naps, which along with more exercise, will enable you to go to sleep at night, when you should, and enjoy a more restful, sound and refreshing sleep. Even if you are forced to seek the bathroom in the middle of the night you will be more inclined to go right back to sleep when you return to your bed.

Now, about the bed—with all the aches, pains, and artificial parts that have been acquired in later years, you need a bed that will help to relieve your problems. However, do not get one that is so comfortable that you never want to leave it! And, by all means, do not place a television set in your bedroom! You will, if cozy and warm and even if not quite so comfortable, be inclined to just lay there and watch anything that comes on, even a black screen. And don’t keep snacks and food at your bedside, as that just makes things worse. When it is time, get up and get moving!

Don’t keep your phone in your pocket or beside your chair. Keep it where you will have to get up and walk to find it when it rings. However, you should keep a second phone stored in a special place, so that when you can’t find the ringing phone before it quits, you can go get the second phone to keep calling yourself until you find the first phone! When you get a call from a relative or friend that you know will last quite a while, keep a notebook and pen handy so that you can take notes as you talk. The notes will help you remember the latest gossip or news you want to tell to the next friend or relative who calls you. Just be sure to write the name down with each set of notes so you know who told you what! You may have been told something that you are not supposed to tell someone else!

Volunteer to babysit your grandchildren, great-grandchildren or the neighbor’s children. You won’t be sitting around doing nothing when you have children in the house. They will need meals or snacks every couple of hours. You will learn many things as you sit around the kitchen table talking with them. You will hear about the sports they are in, summer vacation, fishing, their animals, and some things that you aren’t supposed to know! You will get exercise for your brain playing Dominos, Scrabble, Boggle, Jr., Go Fish and other games with them. And you will enjoy their excitement when you give them permission to visit your upstairs, which is normally off-limits and is filled with items and fun things that they have not seen before! It is guaranteed that children can help you keep a healthy, happy heart!

We have earned our right to retirement, and while I don’t recommend working as we did in our younger days, I do believe that it is better for people who are retired, if able, to keep moving and find things that they can enjoy doing. Many people have talents that they didn’t have time to use and enjoy as they worked and took care of their family over the years. Using those talents after retiring can create a lot of happiness and satisfaction. Find the things that you enjoy doing, be involved in activities, stay in contact with friends and relatives, don’t allow yourself to just sit around napping! Stay as active as you can both physically and mentally. While retirement is not always exactly the way we would like it, there are ways that can help to keep a little of the “gold” in our “golden years”.

THE ROOSTER CROWS BUT THE HEN DELIVERS

While we no longer have a Holstein cow or heifer on the farm, we do have what I call our “Holstein chicken”. Her name is Dottie and she is a very pretty black and white spotted chicken! She is actually an Appenzellar Spitzhauben. It is a European breed that is rare in America. She is one of approximately fifty (50) different breeds of chickens that Kim breeds and has here on the farm and she loves working with them. Her chickens are “free range”. It is interesting to see them scratching in the driveway, plucking insects from the grass and dusting themselves in the dirt. When Kim walks out of the house or drives in the driveway, they run to greet her!

Dottie prefers cat food to chicken feed. She will watch for Kim to put cat food out for the cats and will then run to get her share. She is very independent and wants nothing to do with Benny, the Polish rooster. I do have to admit that currently Benny is very homely —he has no tail feathers! It seems that when Benny and his flock were moved into their new chicken house here on the farm, he became so stressed that he pulled out his tail feathers. I am told that when he “molts” they will grow back. Perhaps then Dottie will be more interested!

When Dottie goes to the porch to eat cat food, she likes to look into the house through the sliding glass door and she will peck on it. That so infuriates Max, the house cat, that he then tries to attack her through the door and a real kerfluffle occurs and there is all kinds of excitement!

As long as Benny is assured that he is the “cock of the walk” he does not attack or try to “flop” anyone. Kim calls his name and he comes running to her. She drops a piece of food in front of him, which he picks up and takes to his flock of hens, who are awaiting him, and drops it in front of them for them to eat. That puffs up his ego, he is a happy rooster and he no longer has the desire to attack anyone! Hmmm! Perhaps this method would work on our leaders in politics and government or on the leaders in other countries!

There are several different exotic breeds in the flock and there are many breeds to choose from. According to information I just read, Australia has sixty (60) different breeds and the British have ninety three (93), as well as numerous breeds in other countries. Copper Moran, French Black, Sumatra, Houdan, Silkies, Frizzle, Yokohama, Serama, and many, many others.

They are many different colors and many lay different colored eggs. Kim would like to have a Cochin, which originated in China in the 1800’s. They are covered all the way to their toes with feathers. Along with Dottie and Benny, most of the chickens have names—Jennie, Frizzle, Frazzle, Splash, Curly, Jim, and more! With the chickens running everywhere, there is always the danger of being taken by a fox, coyotes, raccoons, hawks, and recently an Eagle that nests in the area swooped down and took one. There is a picture of it flying away with the chicken.

My Mom raised chickens and really enjoyed having them. She liked the Leghorn breed for eggs and the Rhode Island Reds for the roosters she raised for meat. In the spring Dad would set up the brooder and prepare for them in the old “summer Kitchen”. It would be early spring and the nights were still cold. There was a small stove in there and an old metal daybed, so Dad would stay all night with the peeps and keep the fire going and the building warm until they got going. Sometimes I would stay all night with Dad and it was fun to watch the baby chickens as a light would turn on every so often on the brooder and they would all run out, loudly cheeping, to get feed and water and then run back under the brooder! As soon as they were old enough they were transferred to the chicken house.

My Mom usually had extra eggs to sell and at times Dad took them to the Scio Community Sale where they would be auctioned off. Mom referred to the money she got for them as her “pin money” and saved it to buy something she wanted but didn’t have extra money for. When she was small our daughter, Cindy, loved to help gather the eggs from the wooden nests.

However she learned one of life’s lessons one evening when she reached into the nest and found a blacksnake curled up instead of eggs! It is best to not only look before you leap but also best to check the nest before you reach in for the eggs!

Mom’s chicken house was torn down years ago, but I have a special piece of artwork that was made for me from the old fashioned wooden siding that brings back memories. I was never interested in chickens, so have not known much about them. As I sat on my mean green machine the other day, I enjoyed watching them and listening to Kim tell me all about them as she picked them up and brought them to show me. Kim also told me an interesting fact that I had never heard. If you look at the yolk of an egg and there is a dot in it, and the dot is surrounded by a bulls-eye, the egg is fertilized! The time spent watching the chickens and talking with Kim about them sent me to the computer to see pictures and learn more about them and gave me a subject to write about! If there is a moral to this story, it could be, “You are never too old to learn something new and to learn about things that you only had minor knowledge about before! And sometimes the subject can be very interesting”! I have learned a lot about chickens in the last few days!

ENJOYING THE COOLEST SPOT AT THE CARROLL COUNTY FAIR

As I went around and around on my mean green machine, I could feel it in the air. It was a hot summer day with just a slight breeze blowing and that special feeling was there—it is Carroll County Fair time! It is that feeling in the July air that those of us who have participated in and been involved in our county fair for years can recognize. It is special!

For many years our county fair was in late September and the weather was much different. It could be fairly warm and pleasant and before the fair ended it could be cold and it even snowed at times. The decision was made to change the date of the fair to July. The majority of the exhibitors who showed animals at the fair were happy with the change. Even though the weather can be hot in July, there are many ways to handle it.

My family showed registered Holstein dairy cattle for many years in both the open dairy show and in the 4-H show. That includes myself, my children and my grandchildren. We all looked forward to that special week. The cattle had been worked with and were handling well. The “show boxes” were filled with all kinds of equipment especially needed for showing, and there were many other important equipment items, including the wheelbarrow and manure forks, to be transported to the fairgrounds, as well as feed, hay, straw and the cattle! We chose to move in a day early to avoid the hustle and bustle and traffic jams that occurred the day before the fair started. On the day that all entries had to be in place, there would be
trucks, trailers and cars lined up from the barns, out the gates and back down the highway, as everyone waited to get in to get unloaded. Occasionally an animal got loose and then the chase was on! They always managed to catch them!

The day before the show all the cattle had to have a bath and be washed clean. Many of the exhibitors hit the wash rack right away in the morning, and since there was only a certain amount of room and water faucets to hook hoses to, someone had to wait for a while. By the time space opened up, the day would be getting hot. While the Holsteins were being washed, stalls had to be cleaned out, the manure wheeled out, clean straw and shavings put down and fresh hay put in. And every animal had to be led to the wash rack and then back to the barn.

Everyone involved had a chore to do. As the day got hotter, it was my choice to gather up the hose, a bucket, sponge, rag, curry comb, and the Orvus shampoo and head for the wash rack! It was the coolest place on the fairgrounds! I knew I was going to get wet, but that cool water splashing on me was going to feel so good on that hot day! The Holsteins enjoyed it too!

For a week we would be living at the fairgrounds, as would numerous exhibitors from other areas. At times your neighbor across the aisle with their show string was someone from another county, who traveled to the different fairs, and that you hadn’t seen since last year’s fair. Once the chores were done for the day, we could relax in our lounge chairs, while keeping an eye on the cattle, and enjoy visiting. The fairgoers would come strolling through the barns in the evenings. There would be friends, neighbors, and people you knew and there would be people you didn’t know to get acquainted with and talk to. People who lived in the city could ask some very interesting questions!

Once the shows were over and the competition done, the youth of all ages would get together with their friends and enjoy the many other activities that were happening, the rides, the games, the fair food and the cotton candy. At times they would get together in the 4-H barns and play card games. Many a youth learned how to play euchre while sitting on a bale of straw at the fair! Old friends enjoyed the time to be together, new friends would be made and some friendships turned into marriages that lasted a lifetime!

For years there was a parade in front of the grandstand on Saturday after the shows were all over. Open class exhibitors and the youth paraded their animals and showed off their ribbons and banners. The 4-H clubs each marched as a group, displaying signs or banners telling the name of the club. The bands from the schools marched and played. Machinery dealers and car dealers showed off what they were selling. Kermit Long drove his team of oxen pulling a wagon. The mounted patrol from the sheriff’s office paraded, dress in their uniforms and riding their favorite horses. Numerous organizations were represented with floats. Bill Shepherd’s booming voice could be heard all over the fairgrounds, as he identified each unit that passed the judge’s stand. The grandstand was filled with people watching the parade.

County fairs are currently happening not only all over the state of Ohio, but also all over this country. They are a special event, not only enjoyable, but also important to the people, to the communities, and especially to the boys and girls who are actively involved. Special county fair memories that will last a lifetime are being tucked away in the minds of our youth. Years from now when it is time for their county fair to be held, regardless of the time of year or where they are located, there will be that special feeling in the air and the memories of those special times spent at the county fair will come flooding back! The county fair is a tradition, not only for Carroll County, Ohio, but for towns all across this country!

WHO REALLY CHOPPED DOWN THE CHERRY TREE

George Washington was the First President of the United States of America. He was called the “Father of Our Nation”. He has been the subject of many history books, as well as many other books and stories. One of the stories that has been repeated over and over throughout the years has to do with a “hatchet”.

In case some of you reading this are not familiar with a hatchet, it is a small axe with a short wooden handle for use in one hand. It is a tool usually found on farms and used for many purposes. My Dad always kept one in the tool box that he took with him when building or repairing fences. One side is a hammer and the other a blade. Often fences went through the woods and were fastened to trees. In order to drive the fence steeples that held the wire fence solidly to the tree, some of the bark would need to be chipped off with the blade and then the hammer part was used to drive the fence steeple into the tree. A hatchet had many uses on our farm, including sometimes assuring that there would be a chicken dinner on Sunday. I kept one hanging in the stable where I kept my heifers and used it to cut the strings on bales of hay and straw. They were handy for chopping small branches off of trees.

When George Washington was six years old, he received a hatchet as a birthday gift. There is no doubt in my mind that at that age he found several things to do with it. One of those things was to chop down his father Augustine’s special English cherry tree. When he was called to stand before his father and asked, “George, did you chop down my cherry tree?” he bravely replied, ”I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down the cherry tree”. His father was so overwhelmed by his honesty that he gave him a hug, and said, “Your honesty is worth more than a thousand cherry trees”, and he was not punished. This story has been repeated for generations to school children and has been used to encourage honesty.

Once again we, the people, have a mystery in the White House that everyone is talking about and that has left us with a multitude of unanswered questions. According to the brief information we have been told, a small package containing a white powder was recently discovered in the White House! How do we know that something was discovered and how do we know what size and type of package it is, as we haven’t been allowed to see it. They tell us it contained “cocaine” but how do we know that is true? We haven’t heard from the “official” who tested it. It could be talcum powder, baking powder, baking soda, flour, powdered Coffee Mate or many other things! How long does it take to test the powder and to check fingerprints? Where was it found? We have been told several different places! Was it Colonel
Mustard and did he leave it in the library? Or was it Professor Plum who left it in the cubby hole? Which place is it? Who found it? Was it really the Secret Service or was it someone else? Surely they have some “clues”! So many questions and no answers! When we are given answers, if we are, can we believe any of them?

Years ago we did not have the many types of communication and the ways to obtain information as we do now. During those years people were inclined to believe what the government and those in power told them. Every day more documents, reports and information is being released and we learn more and more about how we have been misled, the many lies we have been told over the years and the misinformation we were given. Only recently has the truth been revealed about many things that have happened and the decisions that were made by the leaders in our country.

The majority of the people in this country no longer believe anything that the people running our government tells us! We no longer have faith in those people involved in politics! Even the most honest person elected or appointed to a position in our government becomes caught up in situations where they cannot tell the people the truth! Those seeking power never stop telling lies to protect their positions and to achieve their goals. Obviously none of them remember George Washington’s bravery and honesty when he declared, “I cannot tell a lie”. They just continue to feed us a web of lies while they use their hatchets to chip away at our freedoms!

We can only hope that, as the elections come up in 2024, there will be candidates to vote for who do remember the importance of telling the truth and being honest and that they will be elected to office. Did George Washington really chop down the cherry tree? Or was it someone else! Who is responsible for the current White House mystery? Will we ever get all the facts and know the absolute truth? Probably not!

GREAT GRANDMA CAN I DO SOME WORK FOR YOU

Since school has been out and Daxton and Emily do not get off the school bus here, I have not been seeing them so often. So last week when they came to spend the day with me I was very glad to see them and knew that we would have a good day. They have been busy with numerous summer activities.

Emily played softball and she had a lot of practices and games. Her team was called the Carrollton Lady Warriors and they won the championship. Emily was a catcher and also played in the outfield. She explained playing the outfield to me. “Outfield is really important, as you have to get the ball in or they can score runs.” She had fun going to the Harrison County Fair where she enjoyed seeing the animals, the piggies, and said Emily, “I saw the fuzziest bunny on earth! It looked like a poodle!” She also enjoyed the cotton candy.

Daxton played T-Ball and had lots of fun. He wants to play baseball nest year but not softball, softball is just for girls! He has been going fishing with his Grandpa, Nano, but he didn’t catch any fish last time. He told me, “Nano fishes for bass in tournaments for prizes and the fish need to be big. Last time he just kept pulling them in over the bow of the boat and saying, not a “keeper” and throwing them back! A friend of Nano’s went along, but he only caught rock bass, one little one and one big one. They are called “rock bass” because they run through the rocks”! Their summer has been filled with many activities, swimming in their pool, sleep-overs with friends, and more. They both enjoyed attending Bible School.

As the day went along, they watched cartoons, played with some of their toys, and colored and drew pictures. And then Daxton asked me a question, “Great-Grandma, can I do some work for you?” Daxton is only five years old, but he likes to be busy and to do things to help. He is very good about helping to clear the table after lunch, carefully placing the dishes in the sink. He gets the broom and dust pan and sweeps up the crumbs on the kitchen floor. He likes to run the sweeper in the other rooms, he gets my mail, and helps in many other small ways. Emily, who is eight, helps me prepare their meals, takes my many letters to the mailbox, likes to “Swiffer” the kitchen floor and also helps in many ways. They both ask me, “What can we do?”, when they spend the day.

As we look around our community and our country, we see sign after sign saying, “Help Wanted”, “Hiring Now”, “Help Needed”, “Position Available” as well as ads for help in all the newspapers. Workers of all types are needed everywhere! When my son and I made plans to stop at our local Airport Restaurant for an evening meal, we were very disappointed to find it closed at 5:45 on a Saturday evening. It is a popular restaurant where many local people like to go to have a meal. It is also a fuel stop for small airplanes and many pilots stop there not only to get fuel, but also to enjoy the delicious homemade pie served there. Their current problem is needing employees that will work on the weekends! This has a terrible effect on the owners, the employees who are willing to work, and the customers! Workers are hired at jobs all over
the country and many will work a day or two and say the work is too hard and quit! Many show up to work late and think nothing of it! Many come in two or three days and don’t show up for the rest of the week! So many people who must hire employees would love to hear the people who apply for a job ask, “Can I do some work for you?” and really want to do the work, to be willing to work hard and to do a good job!!

We used to be taught that no matter what our job was, if we completed it and did it well, we were deserving of respect. People took pride in the job they did, regardless of what that job was and they worked hard to show their abilities, to earn people’s respect and to make a good living for their family. It was very important to them! So sad that so many of the people in today’s world do not have Emily’s and Daxton’s desire to work and to do their best at the job. Things would be so much better for everyone, not only in our lives but also in our country.

LIVE LIFE LIKE SOMEONE LEFT THE GATE OPEN

I recently attended the Harrison County Fair at Cadiz, Ohio, to announce the open class dairy show. There are no longer any dairy farmers milking dairy herds and shipping milk in that county. Yet there were fourteen 4-H members who took dairy projects and showed dairy cattle at the fair. They entered the show ring in their sparkling whites and all participated in showmanship as well as the individual classes. Most of the calves and heifers were borrowed from a dairy farmer in a neighboring county. Families, friends, and neighbors were there to support and encourage them. While the open dairy show did not have a lot of numbers, the quality of the animals shown was outstanding. Exhibitors came from neighboring counties to support the show and compete for the Supreme Champion awards. The Harrison County dairy show has always been one of my favorites to announce and the people I work with and visit with are the best! It was a special day for me!

County fairs are in full swing all over Ohio and there are county fairs happening somewhere every week. The youth that participate in 4-H and F.F.A. have been working with and preparing their animals and projects for months. Those who will be entering the show ring with their animals are paying attention to every hair and every feather to make sure their project will be presented looking their very best. They have practiced showing and are hoping they won’t get too nervous and make a mistake. And if they do, they are hoping the judge will be looking the other way! Parents, grand-parents, other family members and friends will be there to help them and encourage them! Many of them will be selling market projects and they need everyone’s support! Kids of all ages will be riding the rides, enjoying cotton candy and corn dogs, and having a fun time. Years later they will enjoy special memories from the county fair!

This time of year the favorite sport of farmers and rural people is under way — tractor pulls! For just a few hours, farmers can get away from the many problems that occur and are a part of their chosen occupation. The noise, the roar of the tractors, the smoke, the dust and the cheers of the crowd eases their stress and lets them forget their troubles for just a little while.

There are so many different activities for people of all ages to attend and participate in during the spring and summer months. After a very difficult period of time when we couldn’t get together and we couldn’t participate in activities and we had a taste of what it is like to lose your freedom, we are finally free!! And we don’t have to wear masks!! People can once again choose where they want to go and what they want to do. Each one of us needs to live freely, comfortably, without being bothered and live life to its fullest!

While I have only mentioned a couple of activities that rural people enjoy, life everywhere is filled with numerous events and happenings of every kind that families and people of all ages can participate in or just enjoy. We must protect the freedom that allows us to do that! “Live life like someone left the gate open. Seize the opportunities that God has placed before you. Trust his voice and run through the gate!” (Grant Gomez)

WE NEED TO KNOW THERE IS GOOD NEWS TONIGHT

I doubt there are very many people reading this column who will know or remember Gabriel Heatter. He was born September 17, 1890 and died March 30, 1972. His parents were immigrants living in Brooklyn, New York. He began as a reporter for Hearst Newspapers. In 1932 he entered broadcasting and became a radio commentator until 1961. He had an uncommon speaking ability and gave reports that were accurate and concise without sensationalism. He was well known for his broadcasts throughout World War II. He found a bright side to every story, debunking propaganda and rumor, and including human interest narratives. He always began his broadcasts with the catch phrase “There’s good news tonight”.

During my early years my Grandpa lived with us. Every evening at exactly seven o’clock the radio was turned on to the news with Gabriel Heatter and my Grandpa settled into his chair to listen to the happenings in our country and the world. That was the way it was!

At that time in my young life I was into make believe and western stuff. I had my Hopalong Cassidy cowboy hat (there are pictures), my Roy Rogers gun belt and my Gene Autry cap gun. Anyone remember cap guns? You had a strip of paper with “bumps” on it that you inserted into the gun and when you pulled the trigger and the hammer went down there was a loud noise. When my cousins came to visit we were cowboys riding stick horses, herding make believe cattle, chasing rustlers and always on the look-out for Indians. The Lone Ranger was a favorite of mine and there was a half hour program of the Lone Ranger’s adventures on every evening. And what time were they on? Of course, at seven o’clock every evening! I never got to listen to them unless Grandpa wasn’t home! Needless to say, I wasn’t a fan of Gabriel Heatter but I never forgot him!

Throughout the years there has never been another news commentator quite like Gabriel Heatter. The only ones I can think of that ever came close to him are Edward R. Murrow and Walter Wintchell. They, too, gave accurate and concise reports.

There are numerous news reports and news commentators, both men and women, to listen to today. However, neither the news shows nor the commentators are like they used to be. Some news shows are on for a half hour, others broadcast all day long. Most of them have people behind the scenes who choose the information and the pictures they will use to reflect the opinions of those who have the power over the news shows. Because of the twisting of information and the straight out lies we have been told, there are many of us who don’t believe anything they tell us on the news shows. And why, when their purpose is to tell us the news, do they have to have people on the shows giving us their opinions? Our country has numerous problems that need attention. We need the news to tell us what they are and what is being done to solve them. There are numerous “talk shows” that people can appear on to give their
opinions! The news commentators should be reading the news just the way it happened!

Why do they tell us only the bad news and then keep repeating it over and over and over every time a different news program comes on? Let us know the bad news happened but follow that with finding out what is being done about it! There are fifty two states in our country and there is no doubt in my mind that there is news in every one of those states. So why do we keep hearing about only a few states, such as New York, Texas, Florida, California, occasionally Pennsylvania. There is news, both good and bad in every state every minute, every hour, every day!

We have come through a very difficult period of time and we still have numerous problems in this country. People are worried, frustrated and weary. We are in need of news that will relieve some of the tension and anger that people are feeling. We need to have news every day that tells us that work is being done to solve the problems. Good news and good thoughts can help to bring peace and hope. When families had members fighting in World War II we can only imagine the relief they felt when they turned on the news and Gabriel Heatter said, “There’s good news tonight”, and then gave them news that eased their fears and gave them hope. There is no way to describe the way they must have felt when he said to them, “There’s good news tonight—the war is over”! At this time our country and the people in it also need to hear, “There’s good news tonight”!

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE DARK OF NIGHT

The first house that was built on this farm in the 1840’S was a log cabin that had neither floors, doors, nor windows. My ancestors had traveled from Pennsylvania with their belongings packed in an ox cart and their cow tied on behind. I have often wondered what they sheltered in until they got the cabin built. Why did they choose the spot where it stood? Did it have anything to do with there being a creek and a spring just down the hill? No doubt there was plenty of trees for building and wild game for food. Until just a few years ago you could still see the imprint in the yard where the cabin had stood. How I wish I knew more about life in that log cabin!

The second house built on this farm was built by a construction crew that was traveling through the area building houses. There are three houses in the immediate area that were all identically built at the same time. They all had a basement, four rooms downstairs, two rooms upstairs, and a porch and were built on hand-cut stone walls.. This house stands on a hand-cut stone wall that cost $12.00 to build. All the houses have undergone changes over the years.

A third house was eventually built using used lumber from a wagon shed. I have no idea why they tore down the wagon shed to build it! Perhaps it was because it was lumber that was already dried? My grandfather and grandmother lived in it with their children. My grandmother died in childbirth when my Dad was two years old. My aunt quit school to take care of the home and the other children. Years later my great-grandmother moved in with them after suffering a stroke.

The second house became home to my Dad and Mom after they married in 1932. I remember them talking about having to close all the other rooms off and stay in the kitchen during the severely cold winter weather. There was only a fireplace and the cook stove to keep them warm. At times ice would freeze on top of the water bucket that sat on the dry-sink. They also told about bringing in an orphaned baby lamb to save it and in the middle of the night it would jump out of its basket and run “stiff-legged” across the kitchen floor in the glow from the fireplace. Square dances and card parties were often held in the living room.

I was too small and have no memories of living in the second house as a child. We eventually moved across the driveway to live in the third house with my grandfather after my aunt and uncle, who had been living with him, moved to town. My first memories are of living in it are of sitting on my grandpa’s lap while he taught me to read around age four. And of my first Christmas there. The second house stood empty of people for several years, but was used for some storage and the basement was used every fall for butchering. All the tables, sausage grinder, pans, kettles and other tools were stored there. After Don and I married, we decided to repair and remodel the second house and make it our home. I still live in it today. My children are the sixth generation to have lived in the house. A lot of people have lived in and
passed through the three houses on this farm.

As I live alone in my house in my retirement years, there seems to be a lot of “things that go bump in the night”! I wonder, are they just noises? Sometimes I am not so sure! Do I believe in ghosts? Hmmm! Why don’t I hear strange noises in the daytime? The TV isn’t always turned on! There are times during the day when the house is very quiet and I don’t hear any strange noises. Yet in the dark of the night they are always occurring! There has been times when I have been sound asleep and I swear someone speaks my name and awakens me, yet no one is there. When I am sitting quietly in my easy chair watching TV or reading I am sure I catch a glimpse of quick movement out of the corner of my eye. There has been times when I heard a loud sound from the upstairs that sounded like something fell to the floor, yet when I go check everything is in its place. Things have been moved that I don’t remember moving! Perhaps I
can chalk that up to old age and my memory not being so good!

Are the spirits of my ancestors, family members and friends visiting me occasionally in the dark of the night? I am beginning to wonder! If they are, I just wish they would talk to me once in a while. I have so many questions I would like to ask them! And they would have so many interesting stories to tell! In the meantime those bumps in the night won’t bother me. I will just think of them as someone who has dropped by for a visit. It’s always nice to have some company!

HONOR THE PATRIOTISM AND SACRAFICES OUR VETERNS HAVE GIVEN

It was a beautiful Memorial Day weekend in my area and a multitude of activities took place. Graveyards everywhere were filled with beautiful flowers placed there in memory of loved ones and family members. Flags fluttered in the breeze on the graves of our veterans honoring them for their service. There were special activities in many communities, parades, services and speakers. The placing of the wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery is always very special. Activities took place all over our country and people were free to participate in them and enjoy them.

Farmers took advantage of the beautiful weather to finish planting crops, fill silos and silage bags and to bale hay. As they listened to the hum of the tractors and machinery, they were thankful for the opportunity to work at the type of agriculture they chose and for the freedom to make their own choices and decisions on how they wanted to do it.

Our lives are filled with new babies of all kinds in the spring, from the tiniest bug to the many different types of animals everywhere. Every one of them is on our earth for a purpose. Many of them become a part of our lives and participate in our daily life, giving us many of our daily needs and enriching our lives. We have the freedom to choose how we are involved with them.

Sports of all kinds become very active this time of year. The list of the different types of sports available to everyone is a long one! There is a sport of some kind for everyone from the youngest to the oldest. You can choose to participate, simply watch them and become a fan or you can completely ignore them. It is up to you! You have the freedom to choose.

June is upon us and with it comes a flurry of activities and many of them will carry through until the fall. There will be graduation parties for students ending their time in high school or college. They have been listening to speeches encouraging them about the future and what it can hold for them. They must make the decisions about what they want to do with their life.

Some already know, others have no idea. Some will go to college, some will not. Some think they know what they want to do in life, but many times as they face the “real world” their plans and ideas change. The one thing they do have is the freedom to choose the path they want to follow.

June is the month for weddings. People in this country are free to choose the person they want to marry and spend their life with. They can choose to have a big wedding with lots of people that costs lots of money or a small one with just family and less expenses. Or they can elope! The choice is up to them. The choice of how happy they can be and how long they will be together will also be up to them.

The list of choices that will be made in a person’s life is endless. The freedom to make those choices has been given by our veterans and those who still serve our country. I found it very sad that a group of young people enjoying themselves on the beaches in a big city on Memorial Day, when interviewed by a news program, could not answer questions about Memorial Day and the wars that our veterans fought in and died for! There is no doubt that there are small school children in my area that could explain it to them! These people should be sent to visit the countries where there is no freedom for the people. There is no doubt in my mind that they would be quickly educated! Obviously they either weren’t taught or didn’t learn history wherever they attended school!

We recently experienced a period of time when many of our freedoms were taken away by an illness and by order of our government. We must protect our freedoms in every way possible and support those who defend them!

If you meet a veteran or someone still in uniform, shake their hand and thank them for their service to our country. Honor the patriotism and sacrifices our veterans have given us not just on Memorial Day, but every day of the year!

JUST A LITTLE HITCH IN MY GIT-ALONG IN LIFE

As I sit here in my easy chair handwriting my column, I am in recovery from a difficult bout with a “virus”, “flu bug”, or “bug of some kind” that “laid me low” for a few days. It all began with a sore throat. Right away my thoughts went to the remedy prescribed by the late Dr. Jack Maffett, “Gargle with a mixture of a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of soda mixed in a cup of warm water”. Gargle is a word we never seem to hear anymore. To gargle is to “wash one’s mouth and throat with a liquid by tipping your head back and using your throat to force air throughout the liquid and then spitting it out”. How many of our younger generations have heard of “gargling” or had a doctor suggest it?

As a young child I remember Dr. John Murray. He “painted” a sore throat. He took a long “swab”, like a Q-tip only longer, with the cotton only on one end, dipped it in a medication that he made and then swabbed that all over the back of your throat and your mouth. I have no idea what the medication would have been, it tasted terrible, but in just a short period of time your throat felt better. I hope my recollection of Dr. Murray is accurate. I remember him as a tall man over six feet, heavy build of probably 250 pounds, glasses, a little scary for a small child, and a busy doctor who didn’t waste time. My Mom used to tell the story about going to his office one day. In those days they didn’t have appointments, you went to the office and awaited your turn. How soon you got in to see the doctor depended on how many people were sitting and waiting ahead of you. When Mom entered the office, there was already a patient in with Dr. Murray and two women sitting talking. So she assumed she was number three. In just a few minutes the doctor’s door opened and a patient left. Dr. Murray looked around the waiting room and then motioned for my Mom to enter his office. My Mom attempted to protest, telling him she was number three and the other women were ahead of her but he motioned her to come on in. As he closed the door behind her, he told her, “Never mind about them, they aren’t really sick. They just come to the office to find out the latest gossip!” Dr. Murray knew his patients well!

Another problem is the cough that accompanies this “bug”. With all the pills and medications created and made available in this day and age, I fail to understand why you can’t find a cough drop that stops the cough. helps the sore throat and also tastes good! The ones that do their job taste terrible! If they taste good they don’t help! I do keep both kinds on hand. It is surprising how my great-grandchildren can be playing and suddenly develop a bad cough and need a cough drop! They especially like the cherry ones!

There were other problems, fever, chills—I couldn’t get them stopped in spite of turning up the heat and piling on blankets. I shivered and shook until my teeth chattered! I couldn’t stop them as they are my own! Aches and pains—more than just old-age ones! Upset stomach and no appetite. I was supposed to drink lots of water to avoid becoming dehydrated, however every time I took a couple swallows of water my stomach rejected it! Thank goodness for good whole cow’s milk! My refrigerator was full of good things to eat, as I had visited the grocery store the day before I became sick. I would open the refrigerator door, look in and just shut the door. Not even the things in my cupboard and refrigerator that I wasn’t supposed to eat appealed to me!

And so it went for a few days, and then “the light began to appear at the end of the tunnel” and the light came back on in my brain! I feel like writing again. For a few days the thoughts and ideas were definitely interrupted! The grass definitely needs mowed again. Thank goodness I got the lawns all done the day before the “bug” got me! I missed having Emily and Daxton with me. Daxton is done with pre-school and had his graduation, Emily finishes up this week, so we will soon be spending some special days together.

To each and every one of you who may be dealing with health issues or special problems of any kind, my thoughts and prayers are with you. As you read my column, I hope it can in some way help to make your day a better one. I hope it can “shine a little light on the end of your tunnel”!

TASTE MAKES EATING A PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE

As I sit here this morning I am drinking a cup of coffee that smells and tastes really good and eating a banana that doesn’t taste good because it is a little too green. I am eating it anyway because it is a healthy food and good for me. My treat is a coconut cookie that doesn’t taste half-bad but isn’t as good
as one of my Mom’s homemade cookies. As I do this, I am reading some information I took off the computer about a book, “The Dorito Effect”. It examines the essential role that flavor plays in the way
we eat today. While I have not read the book, I am sure I would find it very interesting.

People want to eat delicious food. The foods we eat are usually chosen according to what we like and
don’t like and that is determined by taste and smell. There are some things we choose to eat because
we know they are good for our health or we are on a special diet but we don’t really enjoy eating them.
We are so fortunate to have such a variety of foods available to choose from and enjoy. Our supermarkets offer just about every food we can think of but of course, not everyone likes the same things.

I never buy those perfect red tomatoes in the grocery store as they never have a good tomato taste. I will anxiously be awaiting that first ripe tomato from the garden. Only a month or so until home grown strawberries will be available. They will smell, taste, and feel like real strawberries! So much of the produce in the supermarkets doesn’t have the taste of home grown. Much of our meat lacks the flavor that used to be in it due to the way animals are fed these days. Chickens used to run free, peck in the dirt and grass, eat bugs etc. When you cooked a chicken you had tasty yellow broth. Nowadays the broth has no color or flavor and if you close your eyes while eating the meat you can hardly tell it is chicken. The smell and taste of food is important and helps determine what we buy at the supermarket.

If the food doesn’t have natural flavor it is usually added by means of manufactured substances, spices and flavorings. Everything we grow is bigger and cheaper but blander than ever. Modern food production has made much of what we eat flavorless, and a multibillion dollar flavor industry has stepped in to fool our senses.

There are five basic tastes — sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory. The ability to taste and smell our food is vitally important for our health and well-being. Those sensations prepare our bodies for digesting food. A friend of mine lost the ability to taste or smell food due to an accident. She has no desire for food and has lost weight. Eating is a chore for her as she cannot enjoy it. Cooking for her family is made difficult because she can’t smell or taste the food she is preparing. We don’t stop to think how important these two sensations are to us. Being able to smell and taste the food we are eating should be a pleasurable experience.

Having delicious food to eat enhances the joy and can make the difference between what is healthy for us and what isn’t. Spring is here and gardens are being planted. Produce farms are putting thousands of plants into the ground. The farmer’s markets and road side stands will soon be opening.

One can certainly understand the popularity of those markets. The homegrown produce sold there is so fresh and has such flavor! Home grown or homemade usually means good food! Eating healthy can be a pleasure when the food tastes good!

WISHING A HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO MOTHERS EVERYWHERE

I would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers everywhere. Being a mother and having a child is a gift from God regardless of the circumstances that allow it to happen. Giving birth is only one of the ways. Being a loving and caring mother is the most important job in life.

My mother was one of five children and grew up poor. Jobs were hard for my Grandpa to find, so the family had to move around a lot. At times Grandma found jobs, but health problems made it very difficult for her and she was not always able to work.

Mom was smart in school, got good grades, and was always protective of her brother and sisters as they walked to and from school. The story was often told of how she took it upon herself to stop some boys from tormenting her older sister, and beat them over the head with her metal dinner bucket until they ran. My mom didn’t back down from problems and was never afraid to express an opinion!

She had to quit school at the start of her senior year to take care of the family and my Grandma, who was seriously ill. She later returned to school, completed her senior year, and graduated. She met my Dad during that period in time. On January 9, 1932, during her senior year in school, she and my Dad accompanied his brother and his fiancée when they eloped to West Virginia to get married. After they arrived at the minister’s house, they decided to have a double wedding. At the time all my Dad had was ten dollars in his pocket that he had borrowed from someone else for the trip! When they returned home, they had to keep the marriage a secret so Mom could finish school and graduate! And they didn’t want Grandpa to find out, as they knew what his reaction would be! When graduation was over, Mom moved to the farm to be with Dad.

Times on the farm were very hard and so Mom worked away from home at times, in a restaurant and a pottery. In 1934 she and Dad had to deal with heartache, as they lost a son in childbirth and my mother was also almost lost. My Dad always gave credit to a very caring Catholic Sister who worked at Mercy Hospital in Canton for bringing attention to my Mom’s condition, alerting the doctors and getting the needed treatment for her. A few years later I came along and all went well.

Mom worked hard and helped with all the chores on the farm. She hand milked cows every morning and evening for many years. When her help milking was no longer needed, she took care of cleaning the equipment, keeping the milk house in good condition and helping to keep the milk inspector happy. She had a flock of chickens, raised baby peeps, and loved working with them. She worked in the garden and canned vegetables, fruits, meats and more.

She didn’t have a fancy home or fancy furniture, but she took great pride in keeping everything in her house neat and clean. She was an excellent cook and always made sure that when dad came in, tired and hungry, his meal was ready. Clothes were always clean, starched and ironed. Missing buttons were sewed on and holes in overalls or shirts were always patched. I was always well taken care of, helped and encouraged with school work and fiercely protected!

During her retirement years Mom became very interested and involved in genealogy. And she enjoyed it very much. She became friends with, corresponded with, and researched for people all over the country. She received letters from someone almost every day and looked forward to them. The minute the mailman came she headed for the mailbox. She had beautiful handwriting and all her research and answers to every letter were hand written. I stopped in every evening after chores and we talked about our day and visited. I still miss those visits!

My mother wasn’t perfect. None of us mothers are! She was grouchy at times when I was a child, especially if I was doing anything to mess up the house or if I did something I shouldn’t have done. At an early age I learned to go outside and play or to follow after my Dad, as he was more patient with me. She was strong willed and always stood her ground when met with a problem. She was out-spoken and not afraid to express her opinion, so not everyone agreed with her! She could be very contrary at times, especially in later years when I tried to get her to do some things that would have made life easier for her. There were times when I went home from visiting her feeling like I needed to bang my head against the wall! These days I understand her much better. Over the years there was never any doubt that she loved and cared for me and always wanted what was best for me.

My heart goes out to all the mothers and children of today. It is a different time and a different world and mothers have to deal with the circumstances they are dealt. They just have to do the best job they can in raising children. There is one thing that has never changed.

Being a mother is the most important job a female can have. Every child needs a mother who loves them, cares about them and shows them that love. Give that gift to your child every day and that will be the gift given to you every Mother’s Day!

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY COME AGAIN SOME OTHER DAY

Once again we had a cold and rainy weekend! In my area we have had nine weekends in a row with rain! Farmers are still fussing because they haven’t been able to get their crops all in the ground, gardeners are stewing because they haven’t been able to get their plants planted, ball players can’t play ball because ball games have had to be cancelled, and the grass just keeps growing and growing! Keeping the lawns mowed is an every day chore! If you get one done in between showers and other commitments, by the time you get to the next one, the first one needs mowed all over again, and if you have a third one to take care of , you can’t catch up! I should be able to enjoy getting out in the fresh air and going around in circles on the “mean green machine”, inhaling the special fragrance that only comes with freshly mowed green grass, and feeling the warm sunshine on my back. Instead I have to wear sweatpants, my winter coat, a scarf, and gloves. It’s May! Where is our warm spring weather?

These cold, rainy, windy days do not entice you to start spring cleaning the house or undertake a major project. At my age I just want to curl up in my easy chair under a warm blanket and read a book or watch television. As I flipped through the television channels the other day, I came upon an interview with one of the newsmen and well-known author, James Patterson. He writes thrillers and suspense novels and has been writing for several years. He has been on the New York best seller list, has written over 200 novels and has sold over one hundred million copies of his books. His latest book is “Walk the Blue Line” and is a much needed book about law enforcement.

I found it very interesting that during the interview he mentioned the word “imagination”. He said that as a very young man he liked to walk through the woods and use his imagination to make up all kinds of stories. Exercising his imagination as a child certainly had to contribute to his success as an author! He also mentioned that he has well over a hundred ideas for his next books written down in a notebook!

My great-grandchildren, Emily and Daxton, both have very active imaginations and I enjoy listening to them as they make up stories and act them out. On one of those few, very nice and very warm afternoons, we were together after school on my deck enjoying the sunshine. Their imaginations were keeping them busy and keeping me entertained. There were cowboys, Indians, a camp, the need for a campfire and food. The objects they used in acting all this out included rocks that had been holding some artificial flowers in place in a flower pot, before a storm blew the flowers away, a large old fashioned iron tea kettle, a tea kettle with Holstein markings used as a decoration, a small candle in a tin holder, flowers, a big metal spoon, bowls, plastic spoons, empty coffee cans, rigatoni, noodles, coffee grounds, pepper, some papers and a lot of imagination! Not a toy was in sight! I even got to be part of the action, as I had to taste the soup and enjoy a nice cup of tea. It was a very entertaining and enjoyable afternoon!

It is my opinion that imagination is a necessary part of growing up and developing the brain for every child. They need to think, to wonder, to create, to question, to make believe, to exercise their brain in every way. Call me “old fashioned” if you choose, but it worries me that so many of our children sit glued to the couch, watching the cartoons on television, playing on I-pads, cell phones, playing games on the TV set, computers and other technology. There are children who seldom go outside to breathe the air, to toss a ball around, or to play games with other children. Children need to be encouraged to use their imagination to fill their brains with
thoughts, ideas, and dreams. So many of the things we enjoy in our lives today began with someone’s imagination! A child’s imagination can help to create the path that they will choose to follow in their future and their lifetime!

MOST GOOD RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON MUTUAL TRUST AND RESPECT

For those who do not know me, I live in southern Ohio among the hills of Carroll County. I am retired from dairy farming and breeding and showing registered Holsteins. I am still a member of and active in the Ohio Holstein Association. Since I am retired, I sometimes find more time for reading, which is something I have always enjoyed. I feel very lucky to still have two local newspapers to read and enjoy. So many small towns have lost their county newspapers due to expenses and a lack of interest. There is so much communication done by computers and cell phones. Being older and “old fashioned” I still like to sit down at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy reading the news from my community. When the Carroll County Messenger came last week, I did just that!

One of the headlines that took my eye was “Commissioners Approve New Law Enforcement Contract”. Knowing how important our sheriff’s department is here in our rural county, it was the first story I read. As I read the story, I came upon a few lines that definitely impressed me. The words read, “Wirkner (he is a commissioner) also said typically during the negotiations process that attorneys are involved for each party but each party agreed to negotiate without attorneys”. “That money saved from not using attorneys went to the sheriff’s employees in the form of a bonus”, said Wirkner. Reading those words gave me a good feeling and some hope for our country during these troubled times! They not only used common sense and came to an agreement, they also saved us taxpayers some money and put it to good use! And I didn’t hear any gossip that they yelled, screamed or cursed at each other or pounded the table with their fists during negotiations!! Congratulations Carroll County Commissioners and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office! Well done!

Now while I know our commissioners names, I do not know any of them personally. I did serve with one of them on a grand jury many years ago, when he was still studying law enforcement. I doubt he remembers me, however he helped make that experience an interesting one for me and I never forgot it. I have never met the sheriff, however the sheriff’s office has been very helpful over the years during some difficult experiences. I am a strong supporter of our sheriff and the deputies and all the people who work for him. And there is no doubt in my mind that the commissioners try to make the best decisions that they can for Carroll County. In this day and age it is a difficult job for both offices!

If only those elected to our government would follow their example! Years ago our government officials had respect for each other and even though they might have very different opinions and hate each other, they understood that they were elected to office or
appointed to serve the people and to do what was best for the country, so they could sit down together and work to find the solutions to the problems our country and the people were faced with. So many of them just can’t seem to be able to do that now! Unfortunately these days, children are not learning respect for themselves and for others as they grow up. Respect has been lost. We don’t need to share the same opinion as others, but we need to be respectful. Deals used to be made with a handshake and were kept. Not anymore! Trust in people and government has been lost. People have been made to feel that they need to contact a lawyer before agreeing to or signing anything! The sad thing is, even many of the lawyers can’t be trusted.

Once again I say, “Congratulations Commissioners and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office for acting like gentlemen and for saving tax dollars and using them wisely. It gave me hope for the future! Reading about it made my day a better one! Hopefully come election time your dedication and the work you do for Carroll County will be appreciated. “Respect is a two way street, if you want to get it you’ve got to give it.” (R. G. Risch)

THE GRASS ISN’T ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE

My life has been spent working on my dairy farm and breeding registered Holsteins. Along the way I have dealt with numerous experiences and problems and have gained a bit of knowledge about cows. It is not unusual, nor has it been over the years, for a fellow dairy person or Holstein breeder to contact me and ask for my opinion or help with a problem. And it happened once again recently. An old friend, who is still milking cows, called me and asked for my help in a problem he couldn’t figure out.

Daisy is one of his best registered Holstein cows. She is young and still a little inexperienced, but she is milking well and likely to receive a high score on her first classification. Her pedigree is filled with high classified dams with outstanding milk records and her genetics are very important in the offspring she will add to the herd. She has always been easy to work with, broke to being milked in the parlor without making a fuss, and had always had a pleasant disposition. No problems until now. He just doesn’t understand her recent behavior Daisy doesn’t want to enter the milking parlor. My friend has to put a halter and rope on her
and they have to drag and push her into the milking parlor! She jumps and kicks when the milkers are attached and tries to knock them off. She refuses to let her milk down in the normal way and her production is dropping. She no longer wants to be friends with the other members of the herd. She is mean to them and causes disagreements. She acted up when we were clipping her and trying to make her look her best at the district show and then misbehaved in the show ring. She has never done that before! As soon as she leaves the milking parlor she goes down to the area where Henry, the bull, is housed. She just stays there and watches what his day is like. The only time she leaves the area is to go and eat! “I just can’t figure out what is wrong with her,” said my friend, as he drank some chocolate milk and rung his hands in desperation!

As I listened to my friend, we both eye-balled her actions, and drank some more chocolate milk. And then I gave him my opinion as to the cause of his problem with Daisy. She was wanting to “trans-gender”! She no longer wanted to be a milk cow and part of the herd. She wanted to be a bull, like Henry! Why not! The bull on the farm has such an easy, comfortable life! He has his own spacious, comfortable pen and is protected from the weather, both hot and cold. His feed is delivered every day and he doesn’t have to fight with anyone to get to it. He can just lay around all day chewing his cud or play with his tire or other toys. He is treated to occasional romantic interludes with the lady bovines. Henry has a great life!

As I explained my thoughts about his problems with Daisy, my friend just stood and shook his head. “Hard to believe that anyone or anything would want to be different from the way they were born into this life”, he said. “Is there any way to solve my problems with Daisy,” he asked? I told him I thought there was. I had an idea.

The next morning as Daisy exited the parlor and looked towards Henry’s pen, she saw him nervously pacing in his pen and snorting loudly. There parked beside his pen was a truck and a cattle trailer. A big sign on the cattle trailer read “McDonalds”. From that day on, Daisy was almost always the first cow to enter the milking parlor.

The moral of this story? If you are considering making changes in your life you should remember to “Think twice before you act”! You need to study the situation thoroughly and talk to those with experience. Making changes in your life can often lead to a happier, more rewarding life, and a life that can be more profitable and easier. However, things in life can happen differently and there can be problems, failure, and grief to deal with and the goal being sought is not always achieved. Before making changes in your life, all possible outcomes should be considered and common sense should prevail as a choice made. The grass always seems to look greener on the other side of the fence, but once you get there it might just be a lot of green weeds! Or Astroturf!

WHEN YOU SPARE THE ROD YOU SPOIL THE COUNTRY

People of every age in this country are angry and frustrated. The problems they are dealing with fester in their minds day after day after day. The problems seem to grow and there seems to be no relief. The anger builds, the pressure grows, and then the boiling point is reached. And then something happens—a terrible action takes place. Age doesn’t matter. The small child throws a tantrum. The teenager or adult injures or kills! It keeps happening again and again!

We no longer have discipline in this country. People no longer have respect for one another and it isn’t being taught. Foul language is heard everywhere, coming from the mouths of both young and old! We have five year olds using words like f— y–, s—, s— o- a- b—-, g- t- h—, and many more! The sad thing is, they know when to use them—in anger! Little ears are constantly listening!
If parents paddle their children they are accused of child abuse and someone will report them. I have heard mothers talk about their children misbehaving in a store and how they would have liked to give them a smack on their butt, but they didn’t dare! People seeing that might report them!

Teachers are not allowed to touch an unruly child in their class. They have to just try to talk to them or promise a treat if they will just be good! They have no fear of being sent to the principles’ office, they know nothing is going to happen. Years ago kids greatly feared being sent to that office—they had seen the paddle!

Bus drivers have to deal with children getting in fights, not staying in their seats and with many more problems with the teenagers. Trying to talk to them and get them to understand the danger of distracting the bus driver just doesn’t work. An Ohio bus driver who had driven for years had all she could take, so she stopped her bus and gave the teenagers on her bus a thorough tongue lashing. Her outburst of anger was recorded and appeared on Fox News. Because she “lost it” with them, and even though she had a very good reason for doing so, she had to retire!

There must be tough consequences for bad behavior. Regardless of the age of the offender, they must understand that bad behavior is going to result in tough punishment. Just talking to them or giving time out doesn’t solve the problems. As parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents—we all tend to think our kids in our family are perfect, but we know they are not! So before you automatically jump to the defense of the child, find out all the facts! Talk with the school officials or whomever is involved in the child’s misbehavior. And let children know that if they are guilty of wrongdoing, there will be tough consequences and you support that.

We have leaders in our country who lie, cheat, and steal and laugh about getting away with it! They totally ignore the major problems because they are gaining power and wealth from them. They aren’t worried about those problems because they have no negative effect on them. Only the hard-working and poor people are hurt by them. They have their fences and guards and the Secret Service to keep the criminals, who are released and not made to pay for their crimes, away from them. Instead of supporting the police, sheriffs, highway patrolmen, and all who work in any type of law enforcement, they make it more difficult for them to do their duty and they cut their numbers. We need more law enforcement and we need to support it everywhere.

I don’t condone abuse of any kind to humans or animals, but I do believe in discipline. And I believe in tough consequences for bad behavior. It is a terrible thing for someone to beat up or kill another person in any way. Do I believe that some people are born evil? I do. And I have my reasons. However, I believe that the majority of those who exhibit bad behavior and commit terrible crimes have lacked the proper discipline in their lives. There are two very important things needed for a happy and successful life. They are discipline and love. Without them there will be problems and we are seeing them on the news every day.

In Biblical times, the rod was often used by the shepherds to herd the sheep. Biblical rod meant to guide, not punish. “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him”. (The Bible, Proverbs 13:24) “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod he will not die.” (Proverbs 23:13) “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

MOTHER NATURE WAS VERY SERIOUS ON APRIL FOOL’S DAY

Usually we ask, “Will March come in like a lion or like a lamb?” This time it was April that chose to come roaring in like a lion! Thunder, lightning, rain, high winds, and tornados in many areas. Damages, destruction, injuries and lives lost. Not the way everyone was hoping to start spring and the new month. In my many years I remember a lot of storms and severe weather that happened.

Just down the road from my house are two bridges over the creeks and just a few feet apart. I remember several years of heavy spring rains that caused the water to run several feet deep over those bridges and the road, occasionally destroying them. We had a bottom pasture where we pastured the cows and it would be completely covered for several days. I remember the creek being so deep that, after one storm when a cow and her calf tried to cross, the calf was swept downstream. These days if you walked across it on a normal day you probably wouldn’t get your ankles wet!

A terrible storm came up one summer day when Dad had been working in the fields with our team of draft horses, Dan and Prince. They were being driven through the barnyard on the way to the barn and had just passed a sweet cherry tree, when it was struck by the lightning. There were many times when trees were struck or blown down, and often on fences. In those days it was easier to move the fence a little bit and nail it to a tree than to have to dig a posthole by hand! So fences had to be checked after every storm! And we had to check for wild cherry trees or branches in the pastures, as the leaves were poisonous to the livestock.

Early one morning just before daylight in 1965, I was awakened by the sound of thunder and by lightning flashes and it sounded really bad. I was home alone with our eight year old daughter and one year old son ,as Lum was working the midnight shift. At the time it was a habit of ours to shut the electric off during a really bad storm. I went to the basement to pull the switch and then went upstairs to get the kids to the basement. Before I could get them down the stair steps it hit. As the storm came over the hill, I could hear the terrible roar and I stood with my baby in my arms and I couldn’t move! People have said that it sounds like the roar of a freight train, and it does to a certain extent, however it has its own distinct sound that you never forget. When it was over there was an eerie silence for just a few minutes! And then I heard my Dad yelling, and telling me to stay in the house, that all the electric lines were down. A tornado had gone through between our house and my parent’s house that was just across the driveway. It destroyed our four car garage located in between the houses, however the houses were not damaged.

Debris lay on top of our fairly new pick-up truck. Our garage was full of all kinds of things and some of them were blown all the way to our neighbor’s farm. We were still finding things months later. There was a huge oak post in the garage that stood from floor to ceiling and was about a foot wide and a foot deep. Fastened to it was a large, heavy press. I don’t remember what its purpose was, but I do remember it had a handle that you turned. The post and press were laying several feet beyond the garage in my back yard. Imbedded in that post was a piece of straw from the bed of the truck! I know some of you have heard tales about things like that and find it very hard to believe, but I saw it with my own eyes! Yet the open umbrella that could be fitted into a holder on the seat of the Oliver tractor still sat in the spot where it had been left in the garage! Some very strange things happen when there are tornados!

Throughout the years there have been many storms of all kinds and in all seasons. They are something that no one has ever found a way to stop. All anyone can do is try to be prepared, look for the best way to try to survive and pray that you will. Global Warming? Somehow I don’t think that my Ford LTD, my Oliver tractors, and my Holstein cows contributed to the reason for any of them happening in my lifetime!

April is here and we need dry weather and sunshine to dry off the fields so preparations can be made and planting can be done. Farmers are anxious to get seeds in the ground and so are gardeners. Lawns are ready to mow, landscapers are already at work, spring is here and there is much to get done. Let’s hope Mother Nature is ready to cooperate and let the work begin! “No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn, April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it.” (Hal Borland)

IT’S NOT THE POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW

As a writer words are very important to me and I use a lot of them. I enjoy discovering words that I am unfamiliar with and learning their meaning and how to use them in my writing. I have found it interesting that sometimes a very small word can have many different meanings and be used in many ways. A good example of that is the word “pot”. Not only can a pot be used in many different ways, the word can have many different meanings. A pot can be defined as, “a container, typically round or cylindrical and of ceramic ware or metal used for storage or cooking, or any of various containers used for storage or cooking. It can be a stew
pot, a coffee pot, a bean pot, a pot for holding beer, a pot for planting a flower in, the list goes on and on. There are many other ways the word pot is used—a pot can be the total sum of the bets in a poker game, the money in a lottery is called a jackpot, it can be the term used for a large stomach on a person. In recent years the word pot brings to mind cannabis or marijuana. In talking with my best friend the other day, I was reminded of another meaning for the word pot.

As the owner of a rental property, a new dishwasher had to be installed in one of their rental houses. Upon the completion of the installation, the lady of the rental house asked my friend what products she should use in it. My friend told her what she used in hers. The rental lady then asked, “What do you use to clean your pot?” My friend began to explain that there was lime in her water, so after cooking macaroni or other certain foods in her pots, she used Lime Away or a similar product. “No,no no”, said the rental lady, “your pot—the toilet”! My friend was totally confused! She grew up in a house with a bathroom—she had no idea that a toilet was referred to as “the pot” by some people! I grew up in a house with NO bathroom—I know all about “the pot”! I knew exactly what her renter was talking about, so I had to educate my friend about “the pot”!

They were called “chamber pots” and they were kept under the bed, in a closet or in a section of a “washstand”, which was a piece of furniture usually matching the bed and dresser. Most of them were a little taller than an old fashioned water bucket. There was always a matching lid. Many years ago they were made of ceramic, with a handle, and were beautifully painted and decorated. In later years they were made of metal, usually white inside and out, and the rims at the top and on the lid were often black. The wooden handle on the bail was also painted black. There were nicknames for them, potty, slop jar, the crapper, thunder mug,
guzunder, and some I can’t mention. Ancient Roman ceramic pots were the early “portable toilets”!

In explaining all this to my friend, memories from the past came flooding back! My Dad’s oldest brother, Gail, married a school teacher name Mildred in 1919 and they moved to Holmes County where he worked as a milk truck driver picking up milk in cans at local dairy farms. In those days milk was usually cooled in water troughs in spring houses. The cans would be set in the water and the lids removed to let the heat escape. One of the stories he would tell was about how he often had to remove a dead mouse from a can of milk, as they would try to jump across the water onto the rim of the can and fall in! Eventually Uncle Gail and Aunt Mildred had a “kerfuffle” and separated. She and their daughter moved to Wooster where she bought a house and continued to teach school. Uncle Gail returned home to live with relatives and work at the Scio Pottery. They were separated for over thirty years but never divorced. After they both retired they got together again and lived in the home in Wooster. In the summer months they would come to visit my Dad and Mom and stay over the weekend. Aunt Mildred had lost her mother at a young age and had been raised very “prim and proper” by two old maid aunts. My Mom and Dad still had no bathroom and Aunt Mildred would not use the toilet or “privy” as some called it. She always brought her pot! I would see them drive in and tell Lum, “Aunt Mildred is here” and his first question would be, “Did she bring the pot”? And she always did!

My Mom and Dad never had a bathroom. After Dad passed away, we tried to convince Mom to put one in, but she didn’t want it. She made her trips to the outside toilet every day, regardless of the weather. She would always tell us that those trips to the “privy” every day were good for her and kept her healthy! She did finally get a “potty chair” for the really nasty weather or an emergency. She was healthy and took no medication in her latest years, so perhaps she was right, those trips were good for her health!

A PLACE WHERE TROUBLES MELT LIKE LEMON DROPS

As I sit here in my easy chair, trying to come up with an idea for my weekly column, I am enjoying the peace and quiet. There are no sounds! The television is turned off, the furnace isn’t running, the humidifier isn’t running, the refrigerator isn’t running, there are no clocks ticking, the phone isn’t ringing, and I haven’t turned on the coffee maker yet. Nothing is broken—they just all happen to be turned off at the same time! And the house is so quiet and so peaceful at this early morning hour. I am enjoying it!

When I was a “youngster”, during the spring and summer times, I and my faithful dog, Stubby, would take off through the pasture fields and be gone for hours. At times Mom had no idea where I was, she just knew I was somewhere on the farm. I would follow the cow paths through the pasture fields and the woods and along the creeks. I knew every place the cows went and where to find them if they didn’t come home. In those days they didn’t have all the rich and tasty food waiting for them at the barn, so they would forget the time and just keep chomping on the green grass or lying in the shade chewing their cuds. There were times when
my knowledge of where they liked to stay was very important, as occasionally a cow would go hide and give birth to a baby calf. Or a couple cows didn’t come home to be milked and you knew they had found a hole in the fence. The grass was always greener on the other side! Most cows were free to roam in those days, not confined on cement as they are today. People had a lot more freedom also!

While Stubby hunted for groundhogs or chased a rabbit, I often played in the creek, wading in the cool water, watching the minnows and tadpoles, and sometimes catching them if I had a bucket with me. I always released them back into the creek so they could be free. There were odd shaped stones to discover and to sometimes keep. The cow paths would wander along the creeks and through the alders, where it was always so nice and cool on hot summer days.

We have some very big stones on our farm. Who knows how many years ago they were deposited there or in what “age”. In the far corner of the pasture is a very large one and I liked to sit on it and dangle my legs over the edge. Even though I wasn’t very old, sometimes I had problems and I needed that special place to just sit and think about them. It was also a special place for dreaming about what the future might hold for me. It was so peaceful and so quiet just sitting there enjoying nature and feeling the joy of it.
Our world today is filled with constant noise, troubles, and turmoil. It seems as though everyone is in constant motion, running here, there and everywhere for one reason or another.

There is constant noise, no matter where you are or where you go! Everyone has a phone these days that is either ringing in a hip pocket or purse or it is in a hand while someone is texting, while someone is talking, or reading unimportant things on facebook, or games are being played!

It is my opinion that in today’s world both children and adults of every age are in need of calmness and tranquility and the pleasure and joy that they can gain from it. Everyone needs that special place where they can just sit quietly and forget the problems in their lives and in our country. They need to just turn off the noise that bombards them every day and enjoy a place of joy and serenity. Young children need a quiet place and time to explore their thoughts and their abilities. Give them one or two simple things to play with, without other distractions, and their imaginations will soar! In a place of peace and quiet you will relax and the stress and anxiety you are feeling will be relieved. Find that special “rock” or place where it is calm and serene and where you can think, remember, hope, dream, and “let your troubles melt like lemon drops”. “When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subside and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within”. (Gasha Kelsang Gyatso)

THE CHOICES YOU MAKE FORM THE PATH OF YOUR LIFE

From the very beginning of our lives, we have choices to make. At the beginning they are very minimal, do we sleep or do we cry? From that day on, choices will be made every day of our lives. As we grow and our lives progress, the choices change from being very simple ones to very important ones. Sometimes the choices are easy, other times they are very complicated and difficult to make. We don’t always make the right choices and then we must suffer the consequences. We try to learn from our mistakes. As we contemplate the possibilities and then make our decisions, those choices help to form the path that our life takes. “Sometimes it
is the smallest decisions that can change your life forever”. (Keri Russell)

As the problems with inflation continue and the prices in the grocery store continue to rise, people are forced to make choices. Dairy products are an important part of everyone’s diet regardless of age. The shelves at the grocery stores are filled with all types of dairy products, as well as numerous products that are involved with dairy in one way or another. As the consumer walks the aisles and considers the items available, choices must be made.

Spring will soon be here, followed by summer, and one of the favorite things for everyone regardless of age is ice cream. As you check out the price for “real” ice cream, you also see that for about the same price you can buy at least two cans of Campbell’s soup or even three cans of the “off brand”. The “cream of soups” can be diluted with water (although using milk makes them better) and that will leave more milk for the kids to drink. Add some crackers or bread to soup and you have a meal. Buying whole milk is a good idea, as adding a couple ice cubes to each glass reduces the butterfat content and makes a jug of milk go farther.

While you prefer butter for bread, toast and some of your recipes, margarine is cheaper. The deli counter is filled with all types of cheese and the kids love cheese and crackers as a snack, however American slices will be the best buy, as it is usually used for toasted cheese sandwiches and that can make a meal. The kids love macaroni and cheese, and you like to make your own cheese sauce, however that cheapest box kind will make a meal and cost less.

The kids like the beef hot dogs, they say they taste better. The other kinds are cheaper, so they will just have to add a little more ketchup or mustard! They love yogurt, however you won’t be able to buy so many of those special little packages of both yogurt and cheese that they like so well. They will only be allowed to have those in their school lunches! Chips and special snacks? Only for lunches! Fast food from their favorite places? Only as special treats! More meals will be cooked at home! You must stretch your food dollars as far possible!

As the consumer walks the aisles making choices and hoping they will have enough money to pay the grocery bill, every choice that is being made will affect a farmer. If the consumer has to cut back on the purchase of dairy products, then not all the milk the dairy farmers’ cows are producing will be needed and the price he receives for it will go down. If the consumer cannot afford the prices for the meat products they normally choose, the farmer who grows livestock for meat will receive lower prices, as there will be less selling. And so it goes with all types of farm products!

Those farmers are also having to make different choices as they work to keep their farm going. Dairy farmers work hard to get top production from their cows. That requires feed consultants to work with them in preparing a menu for their cows that will not only make them top producers but also keep them healthy while doing so. That means choices for the recipe that maintains their production can be expensive. If changes have to be made in order to pay the feed bill, then production will drop, there will be less milk selling and less income coming in!

The same is true for the farmer who is raising different types of livestock for meat. While the farmers are worrying about the prices they are going to be receiving for what they produce, they are also having to make choices about farming. Spring planting time is here! Many farmers have already made the choice to order their seed and fertilizer before the end of 2022, concerned that the prices could be even higher this spring. Others have chosen to take a chance that possibly the prices might be down. Now all of them must make the choice of which crops they are going to plant, how many acres they will plant, how many acres will they be able to afford to spray for weeds, and how much diesel or gas they will be able to afford to do all the field work. And many will be making a choice to either try to get it done themselves or hire someone else to do it! Many are using old machinery that is costly to repair. The cost of new machinery is out of sight!

While I have written about how choices have to be made in the grocery store and on the farm, every choice that is made by every person every day affects someone in some way. It can be the person making the choice, it can be someone else or both! It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are! So think things through before making a decision and use common sense! “Life is a matter of choices and every choice you make makes you”. (John C. Maxwell)

WHO WILL RIDE INTO TOWN WEARING THE WHITE HAT

It is well known by friends and readers that I am a fan of old western movies. As I was growing up, my heroes were Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy and a few others. There is a picture of me wearing my Hopalong Cassidy cowboy hat and leading a Guernsey calf. (That was before my registered Holsteins.) Dad and Mom would scrimp and save so we had money to go to the movie theater on Saturday night. We all loved the movies and especially the westerns!
The plots of old western movies are often the same. A town that is full of good people has been taken over by a gang of outlaws and bad men. The people are unaware that the leader of the gang is a well-known and trusted member of the community, who pretends to care about the people. He has the sheriff and the judge under his control and is involved with the daughter of an important member of the town. She is always sweet and very pretty and has no idea of what is going on! The town’s people are afraid of the gang and know, if they try to stop the gang, something terrible will happen, so they just give in to whatever is asked of them, including giving them money and looking the other way when bad things happen. Does any of this sound familiar?
And then one day a stranger comes riding into town on a beautiful horse and wearing a white hat. He usually has a trusted but funny companion with him. Someone in the town is a good friend and has asked for his help in getting rid of the gang of bad men and making the town a prosperous and safe place for the people to live in again. The person in the white hat is strong, brave, caring, honest, smart, and has common sense. He straps on his six-guns and sets about to outwit the gang, expose and lock up the crooked leader, and encourages the town’s people to organize and fight back. It is a long hard battle but the people win and after leading the people in making their town a better place, the person in the white hat rides off into the sunset. Sometimes the girl goes with him!
Our country will elect a new President in 2024. Already there are people who have “thrown their hat into the ring” and want to be President of the United States. There are more that are considering a run for the office and some who are just waiting for the right time to announce that they are going to run for the highest office in the land. There are political ads running on television and being published in newspapers already. It has become a subject on the daily news broadcasts. Panelists on talk shows are giving their opinions about the people who are already running, as well as their opinions about those who might run. The elections having to do with selecting who will be presidential candidates are a year and a couple months away! Right now there are many important problems in our country that need attention!
What our country needs is that person in the white hat! In the old movies the people in the white hats were always cowboys, however in this day and age we have a lot of “cowgirls” who are well qualified to wear the white hat. Cowgirls know how to “ride herd” on a group of contrary critters and drive them to the right destination. Our country has numerous women in leadership roles, political offices, and other important roles in this country. Some are outstanding in their positions, some are not. The same is certainly true of the men. It is well known that women are good at “multi-tasking”, going all the way back to pioneer days, so running the government should be a “breeze” for a qualified woman! There are some people who just seem to be born leaders. There are others who can have the very best qualifications, yet just don’t know how to successfully lead.
The political parties will meet and hold their conventions. They will select the candidates that they want to run for the offices of President and Vice-President. We will be asked to listen to debates, to speeches by each candidate and to watch and hear their ads. We will be given opinions of the candidates all the way from just friends and neighbors to some of the best educated people in our land. It is best not to discuss politics with relatives! It is going to be up to the people in our country to educate themselves about each candidate running for our highest office. People will need to read, to listen and to learn about each person in each political party and then to vote for the person of their choice. When it comes time in 2024 to vote for the candidates for President and Vice-President of this United States of America we all better hope and pray that it is the person in the white hat who rides into the White House!

HOW THE STORY MIGHT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN

The news in our country is still filled with gloom and doom. On February 3, 2023, In the dark of the night in East Palestine, Ohio an Iron Horse loaded with hazardous materials kicked up its heels and went cattywampus, jumping the track and creating a huge fire and smoke filled atmosphere, leaving the people in that burg bumfuzzled and dealing with a fine kettle of fish. As the days progressed they would find the fish in their creeks dying. Jumpin jehashaphat, there was no warning! The fire fighters, the emergency medical technicians and all those who came to help showed their moxie, as they fought the fire and embraced the danger.
The bodacious mayor of this little town took charge and fought to get the help that was needed and to bring attention to their problems. Gee whillikers, the people of his town had their lives turned upside down! The government’s sockdolager in charge of all types of transportation totally ignored the situation. He wouldn’t even answer questions about it from the reporters because he was having a personal day. When a knight in a red hat came riding in with supplies and help for the people, he was warmly welcomed by a huge crowd. He walked among them, talked with them and heard their fears and needs. It was obvious, he knew his onions and that they were in a pickle! Only then did the government knucklehead make a decision to visit the town, scheduling it for seven o’clock in the morning when few people were around, and staying for only a very short period of time! He was probably quaking in his shoes, as he didn’t know what the reception would be! He might have been worried that someone would try to give him a shellacking! The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”. (Ronald Reagan)
As for the old codger at the head of our country, he was bumfuzzled, discombobulated and full of applesauce, and preferred to ignore the tragedy in East Palestine. Instead he would flounce around in another country, telling the leader, “It’s the taxpayer’s nickel, so whatever floats your boat”! He taradiddled that he had zoomed to lots of important people. While he is being a wisenheimer, his biddy is currently bragging to the country about the wonderful job the old coot is doing and that he plans to run for election again. Fiddlesticks!
In the meantime, the people living in and near East Palestine are still waiting for help and answers and trying to move on with their lives, with no knowledge of what the future might hold for them or their children. Gee whillikers, they have no idea what to expect! Are they being told claptrap, flapdoodle, or tommyrot? Or are they being told the truth? They are being warned to watch out for dipsy doodles, don’t take any wooden nickels, and don’t let anyone hornswoggle you. In the meantime, they are dealing with numerous problems, skin rashes, headaches, breathing problems, gollywobbles and more. It has affected business, school, sports and everyday life. Will they lose their homes, livelihood and finances? They are living in fear! Their lives literally went up in the air with the fire, the smoke and the toxins. Keep East Palestine and the people affected by this tragedy in your prayers!

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN NO NEWS IS REALLY GOOD NEWS

Each week as the deadline for my weekly column nears, I have to come up with a subject to write about. Sometimes it is easy, I read about something, hear about something or something unusual happens in my daily life. I have often said that sometimes ideas just seem to fall out of the air! Other times I may not come up with a subject until the last minute! This week it occurred to me that it would be a good time to write about good news.
For a long period of time, all we have been hearing about is the bad news. Open borders, fentanyl and other drugs killing our people, drug cartels invading our country, inflation driving prices up, homeless people living on our streets, shootings every day, criminals allowed to go free, China’s spying balloons, problems in our schools, lies, crooked deals, the list goes on and on. The media keeps repeating all the problems over and over and over! Can’t they find some good news to tell us about?
We are constantly reading about and hearing about depression. There is constant talk and printing of articles about depression being a major problem for retirees and older people like me. Well, why wouldn’t it be? Bad news is all we hear about! We are the ones who have the most time to read and to listen to the daily news programs on television! There is no doubt in my mind that younger people of all ages have worries and can be depressed. However, if they are going to school, working, taking care of their families, and involved in various family and local activities, they don’t have the time to listen to all the bad news and sit around and think about it as older people do! We can’t help but worry about what life in this country is going to be like for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren! We need to “tune out” the news, find things that interest us to keep us busy, call up someone and share the latest gossip, get together with friends for lunch or coffee, keep active and not dwell on the bad stuff!! There are times when no news is really good news. I often think back to the days when there was no television sets, no computers, no cell phones, very few radios, and just the local newspaper. Perhaps we didn’t know much about what was going on in our government and our country, but it was a much happier time!
So, I set about to find some good things to write about in my column. I discovered it was not an easy task! I looked through the numerous magazines and newspapers that I subscribe to. I watched news programs on television. I looked on some of the Facebook pages that I can get on and read, and I talked to some friends to find out the latest gossip. Finally I found a couple things that I hope will be good news for somebody!
Good news for farmers who raise livestock to sell for meat. Fake meat is not selling! According to a recent article that I just read, fake meat seems to have been more of a fad than a hamburger stopper. Companies who make faux meat are laying off a portion of their work force and their stock is down. The executives of the companies blame inflation (Joe actually did something that helped farmers?) Fake meat is more expensive than real meat. Those who were influenced by the commercials evidently tried it but have now gone back to the comfort of a real burger and are saving money. Fake meats would not be so bad if they were actually made from real plants. They are not! They are manufactured in laboratories! If real plants were used, farmers could grow them and sell them! Maybe the fast food places could feature “alfalfaburgers”. The alfalfa leaves could be combined with bread crumbs or quick oats, an egg, a little milk, seasonings, then made into a burger that is baked or fried, topped with a special dressing, cheese and placed on a bun! Alfalfa sprouts are packed full of powerful antioxidants and loaded with vitamin C. Alfalfa has shown promise as a potential cholesterol lowering agent. Now, if only a similar fate could happen to the fake drinks that claim to be milk!
It was so enjoyable to read the following in Poor Will’s Almanack and learn that it is one week to crocus season and owl hatching time and woodcock mating time. Two weeks to the beginning of the morning robin chorus before sunrise (robins have been seen already). Three weeks to daffodil season (mine are up) and silver maple blooming season and the first golden goldfinches. Four weeks to tulip season and the first wave of blooming woodland wildflowers and the first butterflies. Five weeks until golden forsythia blooms and skunk cabbage sends out its first leaves and the lawn is long enough to cut. Six weeks until American toads sing their mating songs in the dark and corn planting time begins. Seven weeks until the peak of Middle Spring wildflowers in the wood. Eight weeks until the Great Dandelion and Violet bloom begins. Spring is on the way!!

UP UP AND AWAY MY BEAUTIFUL MY BEAUTIFUL BALLOON

     All this news in the last few days about the shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon and then shooting down more “unidentified flying objects” has certainly stirred up a “hornets’ nest” in our government and our country. The government has become much “quicker on the trigger” since that Chinese spy balloon was actually spotted by someone! It has created so many questions and concerns for everyone in our country, but as of yet, no answers! As I have listened to the reports on all of this over the last few days, my thoughts turned to something strange that happened right here on this farm last summer.
     On a warm, pleasant, early summer morning, I took my cup of coffee and went out on my deck to enjoy the sunrise and the beauty of the hills. As I looked down across my yard to the county road, I saw it. There, across from my house, settled into the un-mowed grass along the road, was a big balloon. It was almost the size of one of the smaller made round bales of hay. It appeared to be a sort of smoky gray on the outside with some splotches of color on it. I couldn’t tell if there was anything in it. It was just sitting there! The question was why! How did it get there? I had no choice but to go about my chores, however every once in a while I would check on it and it would still be there! Now, in view of what has recently happened, I am wondering why and where did it come from?! Was there equipment inside it that was recording something or looking for something?
     Could it have been a spy balloon? Was it seeking information about registered Holsteins   and the Ohio Holstein Association? It was sitting right across from the location of my computer room, where I have stacks of Holstein magazines, Holstein books, a wall covered with show awards, pictures, as well as some other important information. Could they have been checking out my Christmas cactus that is over 100 years old and sits by the sliding glass door? There is no doubt in my mind that the Chinese want to know about everything we grow and raise!
     Could there be some type of “bug” that was collecting information from my computer and phone? I am known to be someone who tends to speak out and express my opinions. At the time I was corresponding with a friend, who was spending some time in jail because he expressed his opinion. Maybe someone was concerned that we were going to start a protest march about free speech when he got out! Could they have been checking my columns to see what I write about? If so, that would certainly confuse them! You never know what I am going to write about!! Sometimes I don’t know until shortly before the column needs to be sent out! Could it have been a spy balloon? We will never know. It was gone the next morning.
     A few weeks later I climbed on my “mean green machine” and began mowing the yard. As I made my first pass in the backyard next to the pasture I suddenly saw something unusual ahead of me. It was three large balls, each a little bigger than a grapefruit but smaller than a seedless watermelon, sitting there in the yard. They were dark grey in color. I had no idea what they were! I didn’t know whether to just run my mower over them or drive around them! Was it something that might explode? I decided to just leave them alone for a few days. They just laid there and nothing changed! Finally, after a few days the grass had to be mowed again. When I came to them, I got brave. I aimed the “mean green machine” right at them! When the mower hit them there was this cloud of gray dust that flew everywhere! What were they? I have no idea! Neither the “mean green machine” nor I seemed to suffer any after affects!
     All this news about balloons and flying objects has made us question everything! We have all seen the Goodyear Blimp fly over at some time. Was it really the Goodyear Blimp or a “fake” Goodyear Blimp sent over by a foreign country? When all those beautiful hot air balloons fly into Stark County for the Football Hall of Fame celebration each year, are they just enjoying the festival and the celebration or are they taking pictures and gathering information about the area, the industries, and seeking information about numerous other things there? And what about that ordinary red balloon that you find in your field that asks you to send information back to the children in a school at a certain address? Sounds so simple and innocent doesn’t it? Even that could be a way of a foreign country seeking information about how far something might travel in the sky over our country!
     When the singing group, Fifth Dimension, won a Grammy in 1967, the Record of the Year Award and several other awards in 1968 for singing, “Up, up and away my beautiful, my beautiful balloon”, a song that symbolized happiness and lightness of sorrow, no one ever dreamed that the day might come when it could become the theme song for a foreign country and their spying balloons!

YOU SHOULD WALK THE WALK BEFORE YOU TALK THE TALK

I recently ran across an article proclaiming that a group of consultants, who were experts in certain fields, had been assembled to give advice to dairy farmers, who are dealing with a certain type of problem these days. There would be forms to fill out (there always is), information would be made available and meetings would probably be held. In my many years of living, it never ceases to amaze me at the many “so called experts” who pass out their advice every day on something! There is no doubt in my mind that the first words of expert advice were written with a quill pen. I wonder how that went!

In my years as a dairy farmer and a breeder of registered Holsteins I have read the opinions of many experts and attended numerous meetings where the experts passed out their material, gave a speech and suggested that the only way to be successful was to follow their advice! Some of them did not like to be questioned about their ideas. Carroll County had some dairymen, who being both smart and successful, would ask tough questions and challenge the advice the speaker was giving. Several years ago at a meeting at Atwood Lodge, the group of farmers met with an expert from a state university. When they strongly challenged the
expert’s advice, he left during the lunch break and never came back!

Financial institutions guided by their experts have always been very important to farmers. There are many expenses involved on a dairy farm and often a problem arises quickly and taking care of it requires a loan. How many of the people making the decisions about loans ever worked on a dairy farm? Yet over the years dairy farmers have had to yield to their rules, regulations and decisions. There have been many times when their decisions were not made using common sense. One example I have always remembered over the years had to do with a friend of mine. He milked a small herd of mixed breed cows, however he wanted to own registered Holsteins. He had an opportunity to buy ten (10) bred heifers, all bred to a registered bull and due to calve, at $1500 each. He went to the local well known lending institution that farmers used and asked to borrow the money. The odds were 50/50 that he would get at least five heifer calves. Registered Holstein heifer calves were in demand and selling for $500 and up. Do the math! Five heifer calves sold, $2500, divided by the ten heifers equals $250 subtracted from the $1500 equals a cost of $1250 for each heifer. Five bull calves would probably bring $50 each, so another $250 divided by 10 would be another $25 off the price, making the price of ten good pedigreed Holstein bred heifers $1225! Sounded like a pretty good deal! The lender refused to give him the money for the registered heifers! However, he agreed to lend him $1300 per bred heifer if he bought grade Holsteins! There was very little interest in grade heifer calves and they sold cheap! This “so called expert” had a long career of lending money and giving advice to farmers on how to spend it!

Most dairy farmers over the years have welcomed information and data that could help them to be more successful with breeding their dairy cattle and raising their crops. However many looked to other respected breeders and farmers who were already successful for help and advice. So much of the guidance and the rules and regulations that dairy farmers must follow today are created by “so called experts” who have never lived on or managed a farm. There is a saying, “If you can’t do it, teach it”. So many of those experts giving advice today in every field imaginable base their advice on their college education rather than on personal experience with the subject or issue they work with.

The same is so true for those currently making the rules, laws, and decisions for our government. How many have done anything except college, politics and government? Until you “walk the walk” how can you “talk the talk”? Some experience is needed so they know how the decision made really affects the people!

As these government committee meetings are being held to discuss the many problems in our country, I find the attitude of some of the committee members most interesting. Some are asking questions and seeking the true answers to the problem they are focused on. Their decisions will be based on listening, learning and knowing the facts. Others who are involved can only project that they have no interest in listening or knowing the facts and the truth. They have no experience or proven information for the subject they are to make a decision on! Their decisions will be based on their attitude that they are the “experts” in government and smarter than anyone else! So sad! Every decision that is ever made by someone in charge of making decisions affects someone’s life! From cows to country! “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons”. (Jordan Peterson)

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THE QUESTION IS WILL SPRING BE EARLY OR LATE

This week on February 2nd there will be a celebration of Groundhog Day in several areas. The purpose is to gain a prediction for the coming weather. If it is a clear day and the groundhog sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he doesn’t see his shadow spring will come early. One of those celebrations will be held in Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania where Punxsutawny Phil will come out of hibernation and predict what is going to happen with our weather in the next few weeks. It all depends on whether or not he sees his shadow!
It has come to my attention that PETA, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, does not want this holiday celebration to take place. PETA says that the groundhogs are forced to “perform” in front of large crowds and are exposed to flash photography and to loud noises. Now, I am not sure what they mean by “perform”. I have never seen Punxsutawny Phil singing or dancing. He always just seems to lay there in someone’s arms and look bored by the whole celebration! As for the flashes and noises, he is a “star” and stars have to expect crowds to gather, cameras to take pictures, and people to cheer! Phil is a star and he has had to get used to the excitement and adjust to it. PETA says they are “shy, sensitive animals”, however there is a record of one retaliating and biting the ear of a mayor in Wisconsin during a celebration.
They also say Phil is denied hibernation and is forced to be on display at the local public library all year long. But is that so bad? He only has to work one day a year. The rest of the year he is well taken care of! A special burrow is dug for him, he doesn’t have to dig his own. It has a special “window” so children can view and admire him. He lives in a warm and clean environment all year long. He can sleep as much as he wants to anytime he wants to.
He is fed the foods he likes— celery, lettuce, kale, and carrots. Those types of foods are why groundhogs choose to make their burrows near your garden! Bananas and apples are a special treat for him. Groundhogs have two teeth that never stop growing, so Phil is fed Granola Bars to help wear down those teeth. He gets his longevity of life from drinking the “elixir of life”, a secret recipe (one of the secret ingredients is milk). He takes a sip every summer at the Groundhog Picnic and it magically gives him seven more years of life. His wife, Phyllis, lives with him so he is not lonely.
Why do they think Phil would be better off free? How could releasing Phil in the “wilds” possibly make his life better? He would have to dig his own holes, search for food every day, and hibernate in winter and become skinny. He would be at the mercy of predators such as coyotes, dogs, hunters with guns who enjoy the sport of shooting groundhogs, irate farmers wanting them shot because of the holes made in their fields that cause wagons to upset or machinery to break, and cars that run over them when they go on the roads! I am sure there are other groundhogs who would like to trade places with Phil! The Punxsutawny Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle takes good care of Punxsutawny Phil. It seems to me that Phil lives a comfortable and happy life. There are a lot of people in our world who do not live as well!
Last summer thirty five (35) groundhogs or more (there were probably some I didn’t see to count) came to visit me and took up residence under various buildings here on the farm. There is no doubt in my mind that, as soon as warm weather comes this spring, more will be heading my way. They will be looking for suitable places to settle, establish their residence and raise a family. Should PETA or some caring person establish a “rescue shelter” for groundhogs I would be quite willing to allow them to be rescued! The hard part will be catching them! The last time I caught one in a trap, it enjoyed the bait and then proceeded to tear my Chinese manufactured animal trap apart and escaped! It had taken me days to just get it to go into the trap! We might have to hire a “groundhog wrangler”!
While I do not condone the mistreatment of animals, I do feel that there are more urgent and important issues in our country in need of attention and solutions than the treatment of a groundhog, who will or will not see his shadow and predict our weather. By the time you read this Punxsutawny Phil will have given his prediction and his caretakers and friends will have celebrated the holiday. You will know whether to keep the Carhartt’s handy or check the spring catalog for some new shorts!