Columns

As the old saying goes, April showers bring May flowers !! Can you imagine the size of the blooms we gonna have after alllllllllll this rain !!! But, come July or August, we will have forgotten what rain looks like ha ! So we take it as we get it and move on.

Our resident gardener, Mr. Billy Emfinger, is proud of the rain and all the plants he has outdoors. I myself am a plant lover as well, so we spend lots of time talking about plants and gardening out on the back porch. Several residents will roll down the end of hall 4 just to look at all the plants he has outside. Those that wish to go outside and look at them go with us at times just to get some fresh air and see the plants. There are rocking chairs, a ceiling fan, and plants galore, as well as some humming bird feeders. Its a nice place to relax !!!

When in doubt allow your mind to operate on a logical thinking method. Sometimes you just have to allow instincts with a mixture of logical analysis guide you in the right direction. Some will assure you that their method is the correct route and others will do the same but will it be the right conclusion for in that which you are looking for. It’ll come be sedulous confidence in your own perspective.

Don’t let your tongue out run your thoughts. Be gradual in your approach to approval and by doing so it’ll be a incisive decision you made that turned out successful because of your thought processing pattern.

So… think intelligently. It’ll prove to be quite the precise answer you were looking for.

Who is this Proverbs 31 Woman?

DeSoto Extension Agent

DeSoto Cattlemen’s Association Holds 2nd Quarter Meeting

The DeSoto Parish Cattlemen’s Association held their 2nd quarter meeting this evening at the DeSoto Parish Extension Office. Joshua Salley, DeSoto Parish County Agent, welcomed the group and introduced the speakers for the evening. Ronnie Sale, LCA District 1 VP, introduced himself to the group and offered his assistance to the cattlemen of DeSoto Parish. A great meal was provided by Marcia Griffin and was sponsored by Clint Byas with HerbServ, a local company specializing in aquatic weed control.

The Philosophy of “Jubolaism” or The Power of Positivity, is to be competitive in your quest for greatness. Let sheer determination take control of the mind, for when it does it’ll pull that burst of energy that is stored in you into action. When you have reached the point of giving up hope lies within, if you want it and is willing to go that extra mile the competitor in you will be unleashed be it physical, mental, etc. when you dig deep and tell yourself I know I can prevail then there’s nothing that can tell you otherwise. Eliminate all fears, prepare one’s self for triumph, and have that confidence and strength to maintain a stable balanced state of mind. Failure is not an option for the great one’s stay; memorized on being the best of the best. Fall second to none to no one. You’ve got what it takes to be in the class of the elite. Conjure up the powers of the Titans and be fixated on giving it your all.

When Your Friend’s Life is a Dumpster Fire

We live in a small town-less than 300 people. So, of course people know each other’s business, for better or worse. I try very hard to not repeat the things I hear, unless it’s purely factual-Mr. Smith bought a new tractor, Melissa Reeves had her baby, The Russell family put their house up for sale, etc. So when my husband came home one evening and said he’d heard Lisa’s husband had left her, I was heartbroken and not sure what to do without being nosey.

Lisa and I are “texting friends”. We have never been out socially but have talked about getting together soon. My husband and I had her and her husband on our list of couples we wanted to invite over and get to know better. She and I texted periodically, but I admit I had not reached out to her in probably a month. I wanted to let her know I was praying for her, but I didn’t want her to think I was being nosey.

DeSoto Extension Agent

A Place for Every Plant

Spring is here, and it’s time to get into the garden. Annuals, perennials, vines, groundcovers, shrubs, trees, fruits and veggies — oh my! With so many plants to choose from, where do we start? Well, just about every plant has potential in the garden, and springtime is a good time to get them in the ground.

When selecting plants for the landscape, you should consider not only the function the plant will serve but also the needs of the plant. This includes preferred temperatures, amount of sunlight, preferred soil type and pH and water needs.

Our plant selection options are narrowed down based on our local temperatures, annual rainfall and average light for our area. That puts Louisiana in USDA hardiness zones 8a to 10a.

When the Kids Know Better

I spent twenty years of my life holding my children accountable, responsible, and making them upstanding citizens. Now at ages twenty and twenty-three I am finding the tables have turned.

My oldest lived with us for a month after his return from deployment in Egypt. He had found an apartment but it wouldn’t be ready for a month, so he crashed in our guest bedroom for about four weeks. I found the experience gave me mixed feelings.

I was thrilled to have him home and know he was safe and just right in the next room-just like he was as a teenager. Only this time he was more interested in spending time with the family, versus holed up in his room playing video games and talking online to friends.

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Just when I was all prepared to try Chef Kenji Lopez-Alt’s “Best American-Italian Red Sauce” this great sounding Pasta dish turned up on the AllRecipes site. The recipe by Celestial was very simple with only a few ingredients, no meat AND different in the way the pasta is prepared.

Celestial would like us to heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a medium but thick pan over medium heat and add 4 cloves of minced garlic. Stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant but not brown then add 2 tbs of real butter and stir into the garlic and oil mix until melted. Pour in 2 cups of chicken broth add salt and black pepper to taste and bring to a boil.

Add a half pound of spaghetti “… and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes”. Celestial adds that you may have to add more stock if the pasta starts to stick (as I did).

DeSoto Extension Agent

AgCenter Launches Statewide Program For Donating Homegrown Produce Many people in Louisiana do not have reliable access to nutritious food. While food pantries and food banks work hard to provide their clients with healthful options, fresh fruits and vegetables are often unavailable.

That’s why the LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities team developed the Grow a Row to Share program.

“It all started after I received several calls from gardeners asking how and where they could donate produce,” said Cecilia Stevens, local food systems coordinator for the LSU AgCenter in northeast Louisiana. “When I realized there was no system in place to connect gardeners and food pantries, I saw an opportunity to help.”

Grow a Row to Share launched as a pilot program in northeast Louisiana in March 2022. The program connects home gardeners and local farmers with charitable food organizations like food pantries.