Columns

Serial Killer or Potential Friend?

I volunteered at Cub Scout Night Camp and was paired with a fabulous woman named Patty. We had the most fantastic time and agreed to exchange numbers and meet up for coffee. “I have to tell you upfront-I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints.”

I was speechless, mostly because I wasn’t really sure why she felt she had to tell me. She told me with the same tone of voice as she might say “I have to tell you upfront-I am a serial killer.” I was so confused.

“I don’t understand-is there a problem?” I asked. Patty stared at me quizzically. “Well, it’s just that people tend to hesitate pursuing a friendship with me, because of my church.” I responded, “Oh girl, you don’t scare me at all. I’m just glad you’re not a serial killer. You’re not though-right?” Patty burst out laughing and our friendship resumed.

The Simple Life Tree

As a kid, I loved to climb trees. I spent many a day perched out on a limb just watching the world go by. Occasionally, I would shimmy out as far as I could go. The smaller the limb got, the more it would bend.

If I was lucky, I could grab hold and the limb would gently lower me to the ground. Often, instead of a graceful descent, the limb would break, and I would crash in an ungraceful heap on the grass.

Instead of being a deterrent, I just tried again. How I survived with no broken bones, I don’t know. But the challenge was in front of me, and I just had to meet it. Even with Mom yelling at me to get down.

Living a Simple Life can also be challenging. On one hand, we have ‘Mom’ (friends, family, society) telling us to get down. Instead, we need to be busy, for fear we appear lazy. We need to ‘get a job’, instead of staying home to take care of our house and family. Time and money are wasted on growing a garden.

When thinking of this article and the condition and mood of our nation at the present time it became overwhelming. Is our country more divided today than at any previous period in our history? Possibly a brief review of our country’s history would provide some light on the subject. The early colonies operated under the Articles of Confederation, which was a model for a weak national government. Congress had few powers, no Executive Branch to enforce laws and no Supreme Court to interpret them. George Washington said, “Something must be done or it will fail.”

DeSoto Extension Agent

‘Tis the season for sneezing!

If you are like me, you suffer from seasonal allergies — sneezing, headaches, itchy eyes and coughing, all due to pollen from local, native plants that bloom in autumn. Among many culprits, two of the most common are goldenrod and ragweed.

Both plants bloom at roughly the same time each fall, but goldenrod often gets the blame for the problems caused to allergy sufferers. It is possible, although rare, to be allergic to goldenrod. Your seasonal sniffles are most likely caused by ragweed.

When Northwest Louisiana is mentioned the mind immediately thinks of the right angle of the state joining Texas and Arkansas. It has always been that way even before Caddo was organized out of Natchitoches Parish. There were at least two times the Northwest three parishes (Caddo, DeSoto and Bossier) were close to becoming Texas. As a reminder, Caddo was taken from Natchitoches parish in 1839, DeSoto was formed with the northern half from Caddo and southern half from Natchitoches in 1843 and Bossier was formed a few months later that same year in 1843 from Claiborne Parish and all were endangered to remaining in Louisiana.

The Persimmon: A bitter, then Sweet Autumn Treat

If you happen to be taking a walk in the all-toobrief temperate weather of October in Louisiana and stumble upon a tree with wide leaves and beautiful, yellow-orange fruit, don’t think about picking one and taking a bite. You will be in for a bitter disappointment.

That’s because what you’ve likely encountered is a persimmon tree, one that will eventually produce deliciously sweet fruit that— like autumn weather in Louisiana — is fleeting in its prime.

Bob Mirabello, an LSU AgCenter horticulturist who is doing his doctoral research on persimmons, said the fruits are considered a delicacy in Asia, where they are primarily grown and sold. Here in the West, however, their popularity remains elusive.

Is that a cold snap I feel?

Let’s get shakin!!!

Well, here we are y’all, summers dying down and the shorter cooler days and crisp cool nights are finally starting. Here in the south, I’m seeing trucks headed to the woods, the last hay being brought in from the fields, fall decor going up on front porches, and finally less mosquitos. This is one of my favorite times of year, I call it one pot season. This couldn’t be truer when it comes to southern cooking and the simplicity and goodness that can come from a meal in basically one pot (or crockpot). It’s about warming the body and soul and recipes like the one below does just that. It’s as easy as it is rich in flavor and its inexpensive to make which certainly doesn’t hurt nowadays.

Mary Beth’s Potato Soup

• 2-3 lbs. of Russet or red potatoes cut into 1/4’s

• 1 Pint of half and half

• 2 cans of chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic

Only three months after Harry S. Truman became president of the United States he met with two of the “Big Three” of Word War II – Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Many Americans had reservations about the “Clothing Salesman” from Missouri having the diplomatic skill to deal with such world power leaders. Truman entered the conference knowing they had giant issues to resolve: the political future of Eastern Europe, the fate of recently defeated Germany, the still ongoing conflict with Japan and etc.

“The Buck Stops Here” president realized he could not pass the tremendous responsibilities of the presidency on to anyone else. While in the conference a close aide eased into the meeting to notify the President that the White Sands atomic bomb test was successful. President Truman now had one of the greatest decisions in the history of man – to drop the Atomic Bomb or not.

It’s Squirrel Season, Y’all

Let’s get shakin’ and head to the woods!!

My favorite time of year growing up, squirrel season! I got to spend quality time with my dad, he would even surprise me at school to check me out early for an afternoon hunt. As bad as I was, I highly doubt my teachers minded (a few might have looked forward to me leaving.)

Opening weekend and usually the next included, my daddy’s friends around a fire talking about the hunt and how much work still needed to be done before their next outdoor adventure, deer season.

These fall weekends are when I first saw open-fire cooking first hand and I loved every minute of it. Today, looking back I smile realizing those guys were more interested in the hunt and eating than sanitation. Sometimes these camps didn’t have water much less soap. The squirrels were usually eaten with the same knife that skinned them only hours before. It was southern, it was country and it made memories.

The last thing you probably want to think about in the heat of the summer is planning for Christmas. But right now is actually the best time to do just that.

There is nothing worse than rushing around at the last minute, fighting crowds, and spending hours in the kitchen trying to do all the cooking and baking that will need to be done for the holidays.

Planning ahead for Christmas can be economical. It seems the cost of living is rising, but incomes aren’t. By having a holiday plan in place, you will know what you want and need to do and then be able to start shopping early.

This gives you a chance to shop sales, thrift shops, and other places for the items you will need at a reduced price. And by having it all planned out early, that means you can settle in to enjoy the holidays, instead of running ragged trying to get all those last-minute things finished.