Columns

The Ameri can people have always been a generous people even in the early colonial days neighbors came to the aide of people in need. Some early examples were house fire victims, barn raisings, widows, etc. Mansfield even had the poor farm in front of the present day airport where a house and farm acreage was given to families for one year.

The ultimate in “good heartiness” of Americans was the Marshall Plan at the close of WWII. Most of our younger generation is not familiar with the program that helped devastated the war-torn nations get back on their feet. The close of WWII Europe lay in shambles. Cities and factories, especially rail transportation, were shattered and countless people faced hunger, most countries economic were on the verge of collapse. The stage was set for dictators and communism.

It was 1:33 and the long whistle of a train was heard and soon a long train rumbled through Mansfield and our area on its way north. We have lots of train traffic especially now that the new switch track has been built. It is some two miles or more in length and helps two trains to pass each other without blocking the intersection crossing on Hwy. 84 near Brookshires in Mansfield.

It is now 7:00 a.m. and the rains are coming down. It is supposed to be rainy and stormy today. Yesterday was Palm Sunday and we had Palms to wave and say “Hosanna” to our Lord. We did this and it was a very impressive service.

Bro. Jody Webb is the new pastor of the Grand Cane Methodist Church. I have been their interim minister for about nine months and Helen and I have enjoyed a very sweet fellowship of believers in our Lord, perhaps more than any other congregation we have served in these past fifty years.

“There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.“ Proverbs 14:12 NASB What’s wrong with our country, our government and with some of the people? When I think of this wonderful country, I think of the values and Godly principles that this country was founded on. I think of the truth that this country offers many opportunities and that if you work hard you can have them. I am not saying that this country is perfect. I know in America there are issues we need to address and remedy. My readers, America is still dynamic, offering opportunities for prosperity and security that is above other nations, in my opinion.

Workshop teaches proper prescribed burning methods

Rodney McKay knows a lot about starting fires.

Between 15 and 25 times a year, McKay heads into the woods with a drip torch, rakes and an array of other tools used to light fires, monitor their spread and manage the smoke they produce. As the land manager of the Louisiana Ecological Forestry Center in Sabine Parish, McKay employs a practice called prescribed burning to ensure the health of the thousands of acres of longleaf pines he oversees.

Burning fallen trees and excess brush helps limit fuel for wildfires — a problem that is fresh on the minds of many in western and central Louisiana, where drought and extreme heat led to blazes in numerous forests this past summer. Prescribed burns also benefit wildlife, letting in sunlight that encourages the growth of forages. And they can improve the aesthetics of the forest.

“There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain.

Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again.

As He stands in victory sin’s curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His and He is mine bought with the precious blood of Christ.” – In Christ Alone, Geoff Moore It would be hard to articulate the Easter story any better than the lyrics above. I have been asked many times “What makes what you believe any better or any different than every other religion?” and the fact of the matter is that the Easter story is what makes all the difference in the world. In almost every religion you can find morality, good will, love, ethics, fellowship, and almost any other emotional support you might ever need. However, what you will not find in any other religion is a risen Savior. That is the essence of the Easter story.

Pizza Epiphany!

Or should it be Serendipity? I’m not sure but Epiphany almost rhymes with all those “P’s” and sounds catchier. But what I’m referring to is the happy and surprising results I had while warming up a couple of pieces of leftover pizza.

I’d ordered a large pan pizza with pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms from Pizza Hut last week and ended up with about half of the pieces left over. I had zipped them up in a baggie and was thinking about warming some for supper a couple of days later. I remembered that I had some extra pepperoni slices from an Italian dish I’d cooked awhile back and I still had some grated Mozzarella in the fridge, too. The Italian recipe had suggested that broiled pepperoni slices were tastier but I didn’t want to dry out the pizza slices while broiling in the oven. Similarly, just microwaving the slices leaves them soggy – what a quandary.

Few DeSoto Parish residents realize the rich culture and heritage of our area. For seven years it has been my pleasure, at the suggestion of Enterprise owner and Editor John Blanchard, to write this weekly article on history – primarily DeSoto Parish History. None of the topics are more iconic than the Rock Chapel. Research on the Rock Chapel constantly renders new and interesting facts.

In the year 1850, the Bayou Pierre Community, located in the piney woods of DeSoto Parish in Northwest Louisiana, was a small congregation of Catholics and they decided to establish a Catholic Church there. A church was built in 1856 by Father Pierre, the first pastor. Father Pierre, whose name was coincidently the same as the community, came once a month from Natchitoches on horseback or boat. Legend has it that while Father Pierre was reading a prayer book accidentally drowned when the riverbank where he was standing suddenly crumbled into the Red River.

What Size Garden do you Need?

Garden sizes are one of those things that fully depend on the space you have available, how much work you want to put into it, and what you want to grow. It varies for each person but growing at least something is a great way to give you a needed boost of satisfaction when you enjoy the fruits of your labor!

For someone who lives in an apartment or small townhome, the smallest space you need is a window that gets plenty of sunlight. This is a great place to grow fresh herbs. If you have a patio or balcony that gets sun, then you need at least 3 square feet to place some type of container.

The size of your container will depend on how much you can grow. But even 3 square feet will allow you to use a half whiskey barrel. With one of these, you can grow a theme garden, which consists of one larger plant, such as a tomato, and herbs planted around the edges (oregano and basil) to grow a spaghetti sauce garden.

Jane Japanese Magnolia Named Louisiana Super Plant For Spring 2024

Japanese magnolias are completing their bloom and flushing out new, light green foliage. These beautiful trees are some of the first plants to signify that spring is just around the corner. With their pink-to-purple blooms, they’re one of the most strikingly beautiful trees.

As luck would have it, this is the perfect time of year to plant them! Local nurseries usually carry more than one variety, and there are many to choose from. One you might want to consider is the Jane Japanese magnolia, which is LSU AgCenter’s spring 2024 Louisiana Super Plant.

Breaking Habits, Building Health: LSU Agcenter Nutrition Program Inspires Man’s Transformation

Walking through the woods on his weekend hunts was no walk in the park for Jason Wheat. After steadily gaining weight during his 40s, Wheat found the trek up the hills of his hunting area hard to manage. Even putting on his hunting boots felt burdensome.

“That was when I knew I’ve got to make changes,” Wheat said.

Wheat, who has diabetes, knew he would have to break his fried food habit but didn’t know how best to go about it. He met with his doctor and enrolled in the LSU Ag-Center’s Dining with Diabetes five-part series in Clinton.

“I was all in,” Wheat said. “I went and committed myself to it.”

March is National Nutrition Month, and during this month, Wheat is sharing his story to show how implementing the nutrition lessons he learned in the class has drastically improved his health and well-being.