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Hero Sandwich A Hero is a sandwich that is loaded with meat and veggies. The best part is you can tailor-make it to make your taste buds dance. The following lists are merely suggestions. You can add everything from the list or pick and choose according to your preferences.

For the bread you need a long baguette- style loaf. Long loaves in the grocery stores are usually 18” to 24” in length. If you would like your sandwich to be longer, consider making your own. You can use any flavor of bread. French, Italian, and some of the Artisan breads work well for this.

Measure the interior of your oven. Make your loaf at least 4” to 6” shorter, to allow for air circulation. Remember, you need a sturdy loaf to hold up under the weight of the filling.

It is assumed that if you are a weekly follower of this column that you are patriotic and would enjoy a better understanding of “The Great Seal of America”. On July 4, 1776 after voting to approve the Declaration of Independence the Continental Congress advanced the following resolution “Franklin, Adams and Jefferson be a committee to develop a seal of the United States of America”. Of these three founders two suggested a seal of biblical images. While we celebrate the Declaration of our Independence the seal was formed at the same date and has all but been forgotten as a 1776 document. The Continental Congress adopted the Great Seal at the same time.

Bat-Thirty

A long time ago my friend Butch Golsan and I came up the phrase, “It’s almost Scotch-Thirty”, meaning time to get the Club Soda and Dewars Scotch ready. I’m applying it now to that special time late into dusk when there is still dim light in the sky and the sun is almost gone but it’s dark in yards and woods. This is that brief and brittle time when you can spot a few bats swooping and scurrying across the evening sky. If you’re lucky that is because I haven’t seen any for a long time until just last week.

Many of us wake up in the morning, go to work, attend to our daily list of things to do, and go to bed at night without giving a single thought to the freedom we have in this country to do just that. When someone asks us how we will be celebrating the Fourth of July, our thoughts go to picnics in the park, watching colorful blasts of fireworks explode in the night sky, or enjoying a day off from work to get some housework and errands done, or to go to lunch and shopping with a friend.

But our minds are on how we will spend the day (and some of are wondering how we can get away without sampling Aunt Betty’s awful tasting potato salad), without considering those activities are actually luxuries we can only afford because of the dedicated men and women who fought so bravely to preserve the freedom we have.

There are certain incidents in history that we should be reminded of from time to time before they are forgotten. The Berlin Wall is this type of historical fact and our youth should be taught of it so they will know.

The end of World War II left Germany divided into two sections — the West was Democratic under the U.S., Britain and France and the east was Communist under the Soviet Union. The city of Berlin, Hitler’s old capital of Nazi German and located deep in the eastern part of Germany, was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin.

There are some stories of old that should never be lost. They should be told to our children and grandchildren. The following true story that occurred following the Battle of Mansfield is just such an incident that sheds light on a familiar subject possibly in a different respect. During the Battle of Mansfield, one of the bloodiest in the war and last major victory of the Confederates, General Taylor ordered the La. Crescent Regiment forward to attack the 130th Illinois led by Major Reid. The Yankees were behind a rail fence and as the rebels charged Gen. Mouton, Col. Beard, Lt. Col. Clack, Major Canfield and seven of the ten Captains were killed along with 55 Rebel soldiers and 150 wounded. Prince Camille de Polignac, a French born aristocrat, took charge and defeated the 130th Illinois Regiment.

Fireflies 2021

I noticed this week that it seems all of the Fireflies, or Lightning Bugs as some say, are out in full force. I’m always amazed at the display and the show they put on all summer. It seems that they are more numerous this year than in years past and I think it may be from the very wet Spring we’ve had. We had a similar wet spring a few years ago when I lived “all the way across town” (at least 1.5miles!) and I remember the bugs being pretty numerous then, too.

The stitching pattern they make happens when their abdomen ignites with a cold flash as they dip then rise higher, then dip — light — rise, to be repeated over and over with seemingly hundreds doing the same. It is so soothing and almost hypnotic. Watching all these and hearing the cicadas buzzing a counterpoint to the frogs out on Barney’s Lake singing a chorus or two seems so like summertime in the South to me.

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:16) Mankind has a choice of eternal destinations when his time comes to die. They are Heaven or Hell. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Hell is a prepared place for unprepared people.

Heaven is described in the book of Revelation as a city 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles wide and 1,500 miles high. My, what a city! (see Revelation 21:16) There will be no night there and the gates will never be closed (Revelation 21:25) Jesus spoke of this in John 14:2, “In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you so. I go to prepare a place for you.”

We believers look forward to going there after our life on earth is over. There words are true and faithful He says, in Revelation 21:15, “Write for these words are true and faithful.”

“A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.” Proverbs 12:23 NKJV This week I want us to look into ethical issues of work and effort. We have many young people that are developing in an era where everything is given to them. They want to spend what they don’t earn and want to quit before they even try. The two ethics rules this week are; “Before you spend, Earn” and “Before you quit, Try”.

A Fun Gift in a Jar: Spoon Butter

Spoon butter is one of my favorite ways to give a Gift in a Jar. It’s perfect to give as a single jar or tucked in a kitchen gift basket. It is also one of the most beneficial things you can have in your kitchen. Spoon Butter helps to keep your wooden spoons, cutting boards, and knife handles from drying out and splintering. When you make a batch, be sure to keep a jar for your own use!

Ingredients: (see the Notes below) 4 oz. Beeswax 16 oz. Neutral Oil Glass containers Directions: Put water into a pot and bring to a simmer. Put beeswax into a glass jar (a quart canning jar or mayonnaise jar will work), and place in the pot with the simmering water.

In a separate pot, add water and allow to simmer. Pour neutral oil into a second glass jar. Place the jar in the second pot of simmering water. When wax in the first pot is completely melted, remove from water and add the oil from the second pot.