Country Cousin

Read the faces...



Labor Day is upon us. The MarinetteCounty Fair has come and gone. Leaves are beginning to turn. Nuts are getting brown. Monday marks the end of the long Labor Day weekend. For several days last week we suffered with oppressively hot, heavy air, but things are cooling down now, evenings are a bit chilly, and Fall is clearly fast approaching.

Schools have re-opened - thankfully with most kids sitting, in real classrooms, and learning from an in-person teacher. They are able to see their teachers smile or frown in response to what they have done or said. They are once again learning the lessons that will be most important during their lifetimes - how to relate to other human beings, how to agree or disagree politely, how to ask questions when answers are needed, and how to interpret correctly what the other person is really saying.

Those lessons are not learned from reading books. Can't be. They are learned from reading faces. Our children have lost nearly a year of this precious learning. Hope and pray there isn't a repeat performance this year.

ON THE SOAP BOX

SNATCHING DEFEAT FROM VICTORY

With the disaster in Afghanistan, and America shamed before the world, it's a bit hard to be thankful about anything in recent days.

President Joe Biden has managed to accomplish something possibly never done before by any major world leader in history - snatch defeat from the very jaws of victory. When he should have been negotiating departure of our military forces from a position of strength our nation's Commander in Chief was treating the America-hating Muslims like conquering heroes and cringing at their feet - giving them millions, even billions of dollars worth of high-tech weapons, American military uniforms and lists of Afghanistan citizens who had been our friends and assistance while our military presence was stopping that nation from being a refuge for Muslim terrorists like Osama Bin Laden and his friends.

After 20 years of trying to give Afghanis - women in particular - a glimpse of what it's like to live free, we've given the oppressors the keys needed to lock them up again, and the weapons to enforce it with.

Perhaps the saddest part is that there seems to be no easy way for America to correct the lack of a reasonable responsible President. There's no one waiting in the wings to take over.

Joe Biden? Kamala Harris? Nancy Pelosi?

Where do we go from here?

That said, life must go on, at least as long as it can. But if our nation survives until the next election, let's hope we never allow ourselves to be put in this position again.

RECALL IN CALIFORNIA

Efforts in California to recall extreme-left Governor Gavin Newsom are gaining in intensity.

According to Fox news commentator Sean Hannity, at least one clever airline passenger in California on Tuesday, Aug. 31 managed to lighten the atmosphere with a bit of humor. Talked the harried operator of the public address system into helping him a locate a lost traveling companion named "Recall Newsom." Hundreds of waiting passengers were laughing out loud after the announcement, "Delta Airlines is paging Recall Newsom. Please meet your party at Concourse A, Gate 25," blared over the public address system.

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Same names can cause identity issues. Last week's Peshtigo Times included a report that Michael Wieting had been charged with two counts of possession of marijuana. That was true, but that Michael Wieting is a Milwaukee resident, and is not even a relative of Peshtigo Times sports reporter Michael Wieting, who lives on White Birch Road west of Crivitz and is a 2007 graduate of Crivitz High School.

Our Michael Wieting said he has been taking a lot of flak from friends and family for his "arrest," and wants everyone to know it wasn't him.

POLISH UP THE CAR

It's almost time to give the car a good cleaning before winter. (If my poor car ever got a good cleaning it would probably die from shock. I simply can't take the chance.) However, if yours is used to being pampered, and if despite all that good care rust spots are starting to show up on the chrome, try this Cola trick. (And then think a bit before you drink the rest of it.)

Open a fresh can of cola and pour some into a dish or pan. Crumple up a chunk of aluminum foil and dip it in the cola. Rub it on the rust spots and they are supposed to come right off.

If you don't want to drink the remainder of the can, a correspondent says it makes an excellent cleaner for removing bugs and other nasty things from vehicle windshields. Simply wipe it on with paper towels or what have you. It's probably best to rinse with plain water after this treatment. Wouldn't want to attract flies.

FLY TRAPS

Speaking of flies, they are pretty active right now. And very mean. To bring some of them to their just reward, use a large type plastic soda bottle containing an inch or so of red or brown flavor soda. Cut off the funnel-shaped top and invert it into the remainder of the bottle. (Cover removed.) This creates nice sloped sides on which flies can be lured down into the bottle. Once they fall - or fly - through the opening they will be trapped inside. For some reason they are not bright enough to get out the same way they got in. Wasps and hornets also often meet their fate in these bottle traps.

HOT ROCKS

If you have a pet rock and for some inexplicable reason are tempted to microwave it - don't! Microwaves cause rocks to explode. This would not be good for the rock or the microwave.

Don't try to microwave a shot of liquor either. The glass will come out empty. The microwave drinks it. Won't go into the reasons now but we tried this once, and it was, to copy the kids, "awesome". We turned on the power and almost instantly the microwave went crazy. A whirlwind of little sparks flew around inside, bounced off the walls and disappeared. Opened the door and found nothing in the glass. Waste of a good drink. Hope the gremlins that live in microwave ovens enjoyed it.

SEMANTICS

It's all in the way you look at it - or hear it.

An employee in a telephone service firm was assigned to help conduct an opinion poll by calling people on an assigned list. "Hello, this is a telephone poll," she said to the first person she called. "Yeah, and this is a street light," the man replied.

A very little girl asked an aging great-grandmother if she was young or old. "Honey," the octogenarian replied, "I'm not old. I've just been young for a very, very long time.

The length of "a minute" is determined by which side of the bathroom door you're on.

GROWIN' THINGS

Dividing or transplanting rhubarb is best done in late fall, very, very early spring, or early winter when the stalks are cut back. The trick here in northern Wisconsin is to catch it when the plant is somewhat dormant but the ground is not frozen.

Established rhubarb plants need to be tended and divided every five or six years, according to wise old garden friends, They say digging the entire plant and cutting it into pieces is a great way to maintain the plant. It's a matter of dividing and multiplying at the same time, because when you're done you'll have several plants instead of one.

If you have several plants or clumps, play on the safe side and don't attempt to divide or move them all at once unless there's no choice.

Anyway, prepare the rhubarb's new home now so you can move quickly when the time comes, whether you decide to plant in fall or very early spring. Select a spot it will like, preferably with a bit of shade, in well drained, fertile soil that contains a good amount of organic matter such as well rotted manure or compost. If the soil is soggy the crowns may rot.

We learned the hard way to keep rhubarb a far distance away from black walnut trees. Transplanted a wonderful clump, and it refused to grow, just sat and sulked for a few years without really producing any leaves, and then it died. Got some more plants and when they also died we did some research and learned about the toxic qualities of black walnut trees, which were also playing havoc with our asparagus patch, but that's a whole "nother story.

About a month before planting or transplanting, so the soil has time to settle, dig a hole deeper and fatter than you might feel is necessary. Work in a quantity of well rotted manure, compost or fertilizer. Do this about a month before planting to allow time for the soil to consolidate.

Make sure to remove as many weeds and roots as possible. Rhubarb doesn't like to be disturbed once established, so you'll want to mulch around the perimeter, but not right up to the base of the plant. Keep the hoe away from it, but plan to pull weeds as they pop up.

When you're ready to plant, dig up the roots of the old plant and cut the crown into pieces, each containing a bit of stem with at least one bud and a bit of root not less than two inches long. Leave as much root attached as you can.

Crown sections should be planted about four inches below the soil surface, with the crown bud about 2 inches below the soil surface. Any young shoots attached should just break the soil surface. Plant about 30 inches apart, and water well.

Whether you're dividing the rhubarb plant or not, pull off any old leaves after the first hard frost to keep the plant healthy for spring growth. The leaves are okay for the compost heap because the acids they contain will dissipate over winter, but if you leave them on the plant the poisons may go down and damage the roots.

BUY LOCAL, EAT LOCAL

Don't have a garden of your own to harvest this year? Wonderful locally grown produce is available at roadside stands all over the county. Just ask before you buy, because some of the itinerant vendors offer local products, while others buy from regular distributors and their products could come from anywhere.

Advantages to buying locally grown? The food is fresher, small-quantity growers probably used less fertilizers and pesticides, purchases support the local economy, and no one has to pay the fuel cost for long-haul trucking.

Don't necessarily decide ahead of time what you're going to buy. Take a cue from noted chefs and plan your meal around what's available in top quality at a reasonable price. You and your family might be in for some very delicious surprises.

To get the best bargains on the finest products, shop early in the day, and bring plenty of change and small bills.

Don't forget to check the beautiful floral offerings to feed your soul as well as your body.

TUPPER TIP

If you spray your plastic storage dishes with nonstick cooking spray before using them to store tomato based sauces there won't be any stains left behind.

DIET TIPS

We've all heard the saying that inside every fat person, there's a thin person screaming to get out. That's true, but they can usually be sedated with heavy doses of chocolate brownies, candy bars, or a large ice cream sundae.

HARVEST HERBS

If you have some fresh herbs to harvest, but not enough to dry, you can freeze them. Mince finely, put one or 2 teaspoons in each ice cube tray and fill with water. When solid, put the cubes in sealed plastic bags. Just toss the frozen cube into a kettle of boiling soup, sauce, etc., or thaw and use. They will be limp, but will have the fresh flavor. When substituting fresh herbs for dried, the proportions are about 3 to one. If the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of say, dried basil, substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh. (One tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons.)

COOKIN' TIME

Save the flavors of autumn in freezer and pantry by putting up the overflow from gardens and orchards. You may begrudge the time now, but you'll love yourself for it when the winter winds blow and you're sitting by the fire enjoying a tasty slice of summer!

ITALIAN HARVEST SALAD

This is the best possible time of year to make this salad because most of the ingredients are in season. It will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Makes a bunch, though, so unless you're having a party you might want to halve the recipe or share with a friend.

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

3 cups cauliflowerets

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced

1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced (if the onion is strong, only use half)

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives

1/2 cup sliced stuffed green olives

3/4 cup bottled Italian salad dressing

3/4 cup creamy Italian salad dressing

Fresh ground black pepper (optional)

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

In large bowl, combine all the vegetables. (Shred the carrot in food processor or cut into curls with a potato peeler.) Shake the salad dressings before measuring and mix well into the salad mixture. Chill for at least 4 hours. Add the cheese shortly before serving. It's OK to put it away for a day with the cheese mixed in, but if you know you won't eat it all at one meal take out the portion you will use and add a proportionate amount of cheese to that and save the rest for next time. If you have fresh basil, add a few snipped leaves. Excellent.

QUICK CHICKEN RICE DINNER

Here's a quick, easy and economical meal. Serve with sliced fresh tomatoes, sliced fresh cucumbers and a fruit dessert and it's beautiful as well, with a perfect contrast of textures, colors and flavors. What more could you want?

2 tablespoons salad oil or butter

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about a pound)

1 1/2 cups water

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed Cream of Chicken soup

1/4 teaspoon each paprika and black pepper

1 1/2 cups minute rice

2 cups fresh broccoli florets (or thawed frozen ones if you must)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken, sprinkle on salt and pepper. Cover and cook 4 minutes on each side. This should be long enough to cook them through. Remove the chicken and add water, soup and seasonings to the pan. Stir. Bring to boil and stir in the broccoli and rice. Bring quickly back to a boil. Top with the chicken. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. It's ready to serve.

APPLE CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix and press into the bottom of a lightly greased pie pan or spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool while making the filling and topping.

Filling:

3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

3/4 cup vanilla

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on low just until combined. Pour over the crust.

Topping:

2 1/2 cups chopped peeled apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cinnamon

Mix together and spoon over the cream cheese filling. Bake for about an hour in 350 degree oven

Final toppings

6 tablespoons caramel topping, divided

Whipped cream, sweetened

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

While still hot, drizzle on 3 tablespoons caramel topping. Chill several hours or overnight. Just before serving garnish with whipped cream, drizzle with remaining caramel topping and sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate any leftovers.

The Country Cousin

Thought for the day: We need a national day of prayer - a week of prayer - - a month of prayer - to ask God to forgive us for turning our backs on him, for permitting and even promoting sins he has declared anathema, and for allowing Him to be banned from our classrooms, our courthouses and our capitals. Perhaps last year, when we allowed the health despots to stop us from joining to worship Him even in outdoor locations like church parking lots was the last straw and He really has turned His back on this nation that He has so greatly blessed. Is it any wonder He's angry with us?

Please, God, forgive us for failing to stand up for You, and help us to once again become a God-fearing nation where Christian principles are treasured above all else.

(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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