Country Cousin

Honor Thy Father...

Hi Folks!

Summer will officially arrive at 10:32 p.m. on the night of Sunday, June 20, although the sweltering heat in the last two weeks or so has made most of us wish it was going away instead. Now the heat has moderated, we've had at least a little much needed rain, and the wonderful June days make us realize even more why we love living here in TIMESLand. That, and the fun things we're again being allowed to enjoy after all the Covid-19 restrictions kept us prisoners last year.

HAVING A RICH DAD

Father's Day is Sunday. Once again, for at least part of a day, we stop to pay homage to the first man in our lives. Whatever we are, whoever we become, for better or worse, we owe much of it to our Dads as well as to our Moms.

When I was a very little girl our family had very little money. I've often been teased about the time I asked for some treat or treasure that we couldn't afford, and upon being told we couldn't afford it, I asked my Mom, "Why didn't we marry a rich man?"

I didn't realize then, but we had married a rich man....rich in love, in honesty, in willingness to give everything he had to make a better life for his family.

He usually worked two or three jobs. In his spare time he remodeled our house, helped the grandparents with farm chores, fixed bikes, cars, faucets and light fixtures, worked the garden, helped with canning, and found time and patience to take Mom and 5 kids (and often their friends) fishing, swimming, picnicking or just for a ride to buy milk and ice cream cones.

He could yell louder than most Dads, but seldom had to use anything other than his voice. He was a short man, but was built with broad shoulders, strong arms and a loving heart. He had big, strong hands of the sort not designed for fancy work. So he used them for the tough jobs and left creative work for others. We kids were sure he could move a mountain if he tried hard enough, and I still think we were right. He and a neighbor he had hired dug out the basement under our generously sized house with nothing but buckets, shovels and hard working arms.

It's too late now to give him a Father's Day gift, or to say "I love you." But maybe not. Am confident he's Up There now with Mom, and will know we're remembering him while he celebrates Father's Day with the Father of us all.

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads. You deserve a break today!

FISHING REPORT

With all the early season heat, fishing has been iffy lately, but it's a pretty good bet that given their druthers a lot of dads would spend their special day dangling bait on some lake, river or stream.

If your family has a successful fishing expedition, it might be handy to know that scrubbing your hands with salt after cleaning fish helps remove any bad odors. To remove fish odors from a cast iron or aluminum frying pan after frying fish, scour it with salt.

FATHERHOOD AND FRIENDSHIP

This is a story of two fathers and two sons, and about a circle of coincidences that changed the history of the world.

In Scotland many years ago, a poor farmer named Fleming was working near a bog. Hearing a cry for help he dropped his tools and ran to help. He found a terrified small boy, mired to his waist in black muck. Without help the boy would have continued sinking to a slow and terrifying death. Farmer Fleming rescued the lad.

Next day a fancy carriage pulled up to the farmer's hovel, and an elegantly dressed nobleman offered to pay Fleming for saving the life of his son.

Fleming declined money for saving the young lord's life, saying he had a boy about the same age. At that moment, as the story has it, the farm boy joined his father. The nobleman observed he was a fine-looking youth, and the elder Fleming agreed he was very proud of him. The nobleman declared if the lad were anything like his father he certainly would grow up to be a man they would all be proud of. He offered to take the youngster and educate him. The farmer accepted. He could have never afforded to send the boy to school.

Eventually, the lad graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London and went on to become known throughout the world as the famed Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin. Penicillin resulted in saving countless thousands of lives, among them that of the nobleman's son, Lord Randolph Churchill, father of the great British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. The world will never know what could have happened, but without Churchill at the helm during World War II, the outcome could have been different. And it all comes back to that poverty stricken Scottish farmer who took time out from his toil to respond to a call for help.

LIFE SAVOR ADVICE

From an Internet site, with an invitation to pass it along, comes this bit of good advice:

"Work like you don't need the money. "

"Love like you've never been hurt."

"Dance like nobody's watching."

And I'll add one: "Play like you never grew up."

Do you have any favorite life savor suggestions

RUMMAGE SALE RECALLS

With the rummage sale season in full swing, it may be helpful to know there is a central source to help you identify merchandise on the government's safety recall list? Suppose you purchase a like-new crib or playpen at a yard sale. How can you tell if it was one of the dangerous ones recalled years ago? Dial 1-800-638-2772 or visit the website www.cpsc.gov for a detailed "recall list."

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says there are still millions of known hazardous products still in use. A few things on the list include some models of under the counter toasters, mini hammocks without spreader bars, some halogen torchiere floor lamps, certain bunk beds, some cedar chests made between 1912 and 1987, and some infant car seats, cribs, baby carriers, swings, and toy basketball nets.

Commercial resale shops are obligated to look things up on the list, but those who sell at rummage sales are not. If you want to check the regulations (and some helpful suggestions) for yourself, visit that website.

ON THE SOAPBOX

HOME FINANCING

Am in general opposed to "government give away" programs that take money away from those who work so it can be given to those who do not, but there are exceptions to every rule, sometimes with good reason.

In the wake of the Covid-pandemic restrictions on construction and manufacturing, the price of building materials has shot beyond the moon and continues on toward outer space. Building a new home, or even expanding an old one, doesn't seem to be an option right now. The market for used homes is so strong that offers are coming in well over the asking price. Even at that, realtors say most new listings are sold before they even get advertised.

Financing is often not available to young and growing families for "fixer-upper" homes. The lending institutions only want to put their money into the finished product.

As a result, big money investors are the only ones able to buy them, and understandably, they buy, fix up, and rent out. Good investments.

All that really plays havoc with the American dream of homeownership - of having a little place to call your own, and work on as money allows, rather than being stacked up in an apartment complex, or paying rent forever after on a home you can never own.

So, here's a request to politicians. Take a good, hard look at the possibility of stimulating the economy further by renovating some of the private homeownership programs that were so successful in the past.

There is no stronger contributor to a stable society than private ownership of homes in stable city neighborhoods or comfortable rural countrysides.

Even charitable organizations might investigate ways to help growing families move into homes large enough to accommodate them. Loans generally get paid back eventually, with interest, which means that money could be passed along again to help other deserving families.

Please, please, do what you can! Today's young families do not deserve to have their dreams taken from them, and this is one area where the government could help, and even eventually get the money back.

Also, employers having a hard time hiring the workers they need might do well to look into a program of financing homes for those who pledge to keep working for specified lengths of time.

Sure seems like it would be worth a try. If you agree, write letters, send messages, talk to anyone you think could help.

SECRETS

One of the problems with getting older is often loss of memory. Sometimes this can be a blessing in disguise, especially if your friends are at least as old as you. You can tell them all your secrets and not be afraid they'll be revealed, because they can't remember them either.

LOVE THOSE LILACS

Sadly, lilac season is about over in TIMESLand. Always hate to see the last of those wonderfully scented blossoms fall. Lilacs are one of the first flowering shrubs brought to this country from Europe. Plants are often found today on abandoned old homesteads, still blooming despite generations of neglect. They just don't bloom as well. If yours need some tender, loving care, this is probably the best time to do it.

For best blossoms next year and best overall appearance, shaping, height control, pruning and "deadheading" should be done right after flowering each year. That's because next spring's flowers come from buds formed this summer. Spent blooms should always be trimmed to make the bush look better and conserve energy for flower production.

It's a good idea to get rid of one or two of the oldest canes each year and to keep the woody stems to less than an inch in diameter.

If you have an old neglected lilac that you would like to restore, it can be done, but it takes 3 years, start to finish. You should wait until late fall or winter to start. Cut away all but 3 or 4 of the best placed suckering stems around the bottom and one third of the old woody growth. Repeat this each year and in 3 years you have a whole new plant with an established old root system. Keep it pruned as explained above and it should keep blooming for another hundred years or so.

One nice thing about lilacs, besides their lovely smell and pretty looks, is that they tolerate partial shade as well as sunshine and they seem to bloom when not much else is going on, especially by way of cut flowers to pick and bring indoors.

Lilacs have some interesting relatives. Lilacs are members of the "Oleaceae" family, which includes olive trees, white ash, privet hedges, forsythia and jasmine. Just learned that privet hedges, if left untrimmed, will develop into a handsome shrub that bears what the book describes as "oddly scented" white flowers followed by black fruits. The scent is said to be one that you either love or hate.

The book doesn't say if the berries are edible or not. Remember walking along a village street with my wonderful hostess, Regina, when in Germany with Sister Cities. The hedge we passed (probably privet) was filled with blackish, blueish berries that I was not familiar with. "Can I eat these?" I asked. Regina said "yes," so I plucked one. Before I could pop it into my mouth, she cautioned, "One time!"

Privets and lilacs are so closely related that privet roots are sometimes used as an understock for weak-rooted lilac species.

Incidentally, there are dozens and dozens of lilac species with varying bloom dates so if you plant a variety you can extend lilac time to about 6 weeks instead of 2. And they come in just about every hue of the rainbow except bright red. There are blue, pink, yellow, magenta, and more. And I thought they just came in lavender, purple and white!

TOMATO TIPS

Tomatoes should be fertilized shortly after the first blossoms appear and again after the first fruits are ripe. They need a lot of water, preferably 2 inches a week applied with a soaker hose or a good rain. To judge the amount of water from rainfall, use a beaker or even a straight-sided jar marked in inches, and add a bit of food coloring so it's easy to see the water level.

COOKIN' TIME

PICNIC PACKETS

(Makes 4 servings)

1 to 1 1/2 pounds beef round steak, 1/2 inch thick

or

4 large pork steaks

1 package frozen peas (10 ounces)

4 medium carrots, thinly sliced

4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope onion soup mix

Heat oven to 450 degrees or light coals and let them heat to all-over ash. You want moderate heat with a covered grill if possible. If you're preparing these at home to be cooked at a picnic site, follow preparation directions, then keep them chilled until it's time to cook a few hours later.

Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces. Place peas in colander or sieve, run cold water over them until thawed enough to separate. Drain well.

Tear off 4 large pieces heavy-duty aluminum foil, 18"X15". On center of each piece place 1 carrot, thinly sliced, 1 potato, thinly sliced, and 1/4 of the meat. Stir together the soup and soup mix, spoon 1/4 over each packet and top with the peas. Wrap securely, sealing foil well by crimping open edges together, Place in oven on ungreased cookie sheet, or on grill. Bake 50 minutes or until meat is tender. If cooking on grill turn every 10 minutes, being careful not to break the foil. These are good served with cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices, or with Broccoli Salad.

BROCCOLI SALAD

1 Head Broccoli (ground or chopped)

1 small onion (chopped)

8 pieces bacon, fried and broken up

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 cup salad dressing

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

A food processor is ideal for this. Fry the bacon ahead of time and let it cool. Chop in food processor and dump into bowl. Chop carrot, then add onion and chop again until as fine as you like. Add broccoli and chop coarsely. Add to dish with bacon. Add almonds and raisins. Mix the last 3 ingredients together, then add to the vegetable mixture. Chill until serving time, or serve at once.

LUSCIOUS APPLE PIE

4 cups apples, shredded

1 cup sugar

1 stick margarine or butter, softened

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large (10") deep pie shell

or use 2 smaller ones

Mix together everything except the pie shell, and then pour into the pie shell. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

UPSIDE DOWN RHUBARB CAKE

5 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 package strawberry gelatin, 6 ounces

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 package white or yellow cake mix (18 ounces), prepared

Whipped Cream or Bourbon Sauce

Place rhubarb in a buttered 13"X9" cake pan, preferably glass or enamel. Over this sprinkle evenly as possible the gelatin, sugar and marshmallows. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions and pour the batter over the marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until it tests done. Cool for 10 minutes and invert onto serving tray. Serve warm (or cold) with whipped cream, ice cream, or even plain.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Fathers come in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life. They teach best when they teach lessons of love, honesty and honest labor by example. As Ruth E. Renkel said, "Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance." In the First Commandment, God, the Father of us all, ordered us to honor our fathers and our mothers. And rightly so. All too seldom do we let our fathers (including God) know how much they are loved. Author of this comment is unknown and unsung, but so right: "The greatest gift I ever had came from God. I call him Dad!" Thank you, God! Happy Father's Day. Amen!



(This column is written by Shirley Prudhomme of Crivitz. Views expressed are her own and are in no way intended to be an official statement of the opinions of Peshtigo Times editors and publishers. She may be contacted by phone at 715-291-9002 or by e-mail to shirleyprudhommechickadee@yahoo.com.)

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