Columns

Wed
28
Apr

On The Bright Side

On The Bright Side

If you haven’t been to the 4C Coffee House nestled in Grand Cane’s historic district on Main Street, you’re missing out!

My sister Ashley and I were in for a real treat when we visited 4C for the first time last Wednesday. We met our parents there for mid-morning coffee and pastries.

The atmosphere at 4C is modern but cozy and welcoming. The mural on one wall features Grand Cane sites such as the Cook-Hill House and Central School. The exposed brick adds a Seattle-coffee-shop feeling, and the beautiful wooden accent wall on the opposite side of the shop provides a warm, inviting feeling.

Light music fills the air.

 

 

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Wed
21
Apr

On The Bright Side

On The Bright Side
On The Bright Side

My daughter Juliana turned eleven recently. On the way home from a fun day of manicures, lunch at Gibbons (her request), and two scoops of Gold Medal Ribbon at Baskin-Robbins, she asked me, “Mama, tell me about your eleventh birthday!”

My mind took me back to November 1987. I was in sixth grade at the old Johnson Elementary in Mansfield.

For my eleventh birthday, I had a bonfire at my house in the country, just outside of Mansfield where my parents still live. We roasted hot dogs, ate homemade chocolate cake with white icing, and went on a hayride.

But the main thing I recall was how excited I was that one of my best friends, Dustin DeVore, was coming to my party. Dustin sat behind me in class, since our names were Davidson and DeVore. I felt so lucky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wed
21
Apr

The Farm Wife

Being self-sufficient doesn’t stop at the back door with gardens and livestock, nor does it end in the craft room. Being self-sufficient also means finding frugal ways to maintain your home.

There are wonderful cleaning products that you may already have in your pantry – and I don’t mean the storebough variety. Instead, I am talking about things like Vinegar, Baking Soda, Olive Oil and other everyday items you use for cooking. If you want a scented variety, look into getting some Essential Oils. They may be a bit costly to begin with, but you only need a drop or two for each ‘recipe’. That one bottle of Lemon or Lavender Essential Oil will last a long, long time.

All of these cleaners are a safer alternative to the harmful chemicals we find in the cleaning products in our local stores. Feel free to add some essential oils to add scent to your cleaners if you so choose.

Tub/Shower:

Wed
21
Apr

Hey, Let’s Talk!

Hey, Let’s Talk!

Killer Bike

On our ever increasing quest to get into better health Susan and I decided to try some new things. She joined a Pilates class and I bought a mountain bike. Well, actually I’d ordered a black collapsible 26” nongender specific bike that looked pretty easy to use and a low center of gravity. However, they were out and offered to upgrade to a nicer and more expensive one at no extra charge to me. Of course I accepted and was amazed to unpack a sharp looking BMW Mountain Bike – Wow! Susan called in to report that the Pilates exercises were going well while I was assembling this great (and dangerous looking) bike. She said she wanted to try mine before ordering hers and wondered if I’d even be able to ride it?

Wed
14
Apr

Did You Know?

Did You Know?
Did You Know?

The title “From Tepee to the Capitol” got my attention and well it should have. I consider myself rather interested and about half knowledgeable in history, yet this phase of American History had completely avoided my reading - a half American Indian elected as Vice President of the United States!

In the year 1863 three year old Charley Curtis was effectively left as an orphan when his Kaw Indian mother was killed in a Cheyenne Indian raid on the Kaw Tribe near Topeka, Kansas. Charley’s mother had been educated at a Catholic Mission at St. Mary, Kansas. She had married Orren “Jack” Curtis but he had seen little of Charley and his Mother. As a Union soldier he was assigned to Missouri. He had hanged three ex-Confederated Soldiers for bragging they had served in the Confederate Army. Captain ”Jack” Curtis served only a year in the Missouri penitentiary for the crime. After his release he never took responsibility for his son, Charley.

Wed
14
Apr

On The Bright Side

On The Bright Side

Our family is grieving. Last week, our beloved two-year-old miniature schnauzer, Charli, passed away. She escaped through our backyard gate that was inadvertently left open and immediately took off running toward the highway. She was hit by a car.

I have written many times about my two schnauzers, Kaiser and Charli, and how much they are a part of our family and our hearts.

My husband buried our beautiful girl in the back, right corner of our yard beside her favorite tree where she would stand and bark at the birds and squirrels.

 

 

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Wed
14
Apr

Hey, Let’s Talk!

Hey, Let’s Talk!
Hey, Let’s Talk!

Oh Cornbread!

This is an amusing expletive that my Grandmother uttered to express annoyance or frustration – as in, “Oh Cornbread I spilled some milk!” AND I thought it would make an interesting title for this week’s column about the last few “cornbread mis-adventures” I’ve had.

I’ve always just bought a package or two of Gladiola cornbread that only require a cup of milk and an egg. However, I added a little Baking Powder to one and liked the way it puffed up a little higher. You may remember early March’s column on “Creamy Scrambled Eggs” where I found that adding a little Cornstarch helped the dish be more fluffy and creamy so I thought that adding even more Baking Powder to the cornbread batter would make the cornbread even better … it doesn’t.

Wed
07
Apr

Did You Know?

Did You Know?
Did You Know?

In the past this writer has written a brief history of several of our neighboring parishes in order that our citizens know a little more about our sister parishes. It is believed that another of our neighbors, Red River Parish, would likewise be interesting.

Wed
07
Apr

On The Bright Side

On The Bright Side

A couple of weekends ago when my husband and two sons were out of town, my daughter Juliana and I decided to spend the night with my parents in Mansfield.

We also brought our two miniature schnauzers, Kaiser and Charli, with us. They dearly love to run in the country and “chase the donkeys.”

After supper on Saturday night, we began watching the news because severe weather was on the way, including a strong possibility of tornadoes.

“Let’s take a walk before the weather hits,” Dad said. “I want to show you my new storage building.”

The schnauzers came with us as we went in and out of Dad’s multiple storage buildings, about 150 yards away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Wed
07
Apr

Hey, Let’s Talk!

Hey, Let’s Talk!
Hey, Let’s Talk!

“What You Want”

Most of y’all know that dualities fascinate me and it doesn’t matter if it’s common themes in descriptions, poems or songs , nature or whatever. But the most striking to me is in analogies. The other day Garrison Keillor of “Prairie Home Companion” fame was writing about how fortunate he’s been in his career. How he’s stumbled into it and how rich it’d made his life. He concluded, “Some luck lies in not getting what you want but getting what you have, which – once you take a good look – you may realize is what you would’ve wanted if you had only known.”

That really resonated with me and I had to return to it after I’d finished his article and re-read it to try to straighten it out in my mind. After reading through it a couple of times I realized that I’d heard it or read it somewhere else. It’s theme was hauntingly familiar…

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