Columns

With all of the negativity in the world today, it’s good to come across something positive. A pick-me-up.

Something light to read among mountains of heavy information.

That’s why I’ve decided to return to writing a weekly column. Only now, instead of my former column called “Along the Way,” I bring you something new: “On the Bright Side.”

A glass-half-full spin.

A positive perspective.

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Kicking A** Pancakes!

I had a half a loaf of Brookshires’ good (for NW La.) French Bread and noticed that it was getting a little stale. I thought that I might could do a good bunch of French Toast with this stiff toast so I cut them into one-inch slices and let them sit out all day. That evening I planned on cooking some bacon and scrambled eggs to go with them and was eagerly awaiting the assembly. Then I got too fancy with the preparations...

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The early settlers of this area were a very hardy group - primarily those from the Carolinas and Georgia with exceptions of the St. Denis group along the Bayou Pierre composed of Spanish and French. Today’s article is going to discuss the Anglo-Saxon Group, which settled the northern half of the parish.

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Election fraud is always a concern – but especially in 2020. Why? Democrats are pushing “universal mail-in ballots,” saying COVID-19 discourages in-person voting. Truth is universal mail-in voting is a greater threat to election integrity.

Let us start with basics. Absentee ballots are available on request – so anyone who feels they need one can get one. Meantime, Democrats are selling more panic, knowing mail-in irregularities will either benefit their candidates or cast doubt on a Trump win.

Empirically, mail-in ballots present a host of problems – problems not found when voters cast their ballots in person. While marginal in most elections, taken to a national level, they would promptly undermine public trust, integrity in the process and legitimacy of outcomes. That is why universal mailin voting is a non-starter.

Some “Chili-Cheese Kraut Dogs” sounded real good the other day and that prompted me to dig out a packet of that great pot of chili I cooked one rainy cold Sunday last winter and understand that it was the last. I also noticed that I was out of any stew packets, too AND it’s just too early to start cooking those big heavy meals so I’ll have to be a little bit more patient.

A number of historical buffs have wondered how the early settling of the parish was done and how the settlers were organized. Generally speaking the northern part of the Parish was settled by slightly more affluent families and earlier than the southern portion. For this article let’s trace the southern portion south of present day U.S. Hwy 84 from Mansfield to Stanley, La. This road, one of the five major east/west roads of Louisiana known as the “Lone Star Road” or “Three Slash Road” because it was marked by 3 slashes on the trees lining the trail to mark this road.

There are two very important things we need to do at this time…participate in the census and in the upcoming election. We have businesses closing, many out of work and thousands state and nation-wide dead from COVID-19.

What can we do to turn our city around? James Baldwin once said, “You can not fix what you will not face.”

Let’s face it…times have been hard but together we will overcome adversities. Yes, strategy is better than strength any day.

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You may know that Great Battles are made up of different “Campaigns” or attempts to get a victory over the other side. WWII had D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, Vietnam had the Tet Offensive; even the Civil War had the Red River Campaign that was snuffed out by our own Confederate Troops in the Battle of Mansfield. Today I offer you the Birdfeeder Campaign following right on the heels of the Attic Campaign that are both victories by me in The Squirrel Wars of Laura Street. Before we break down the tactics by both sides let me give you an update on my improved version of the Baja Shrimp recipe I told you about last week.

September 17, 1787, brought a world changing event. Little did the 13 Colonies realize what effect the signing of the new Constitution of the United States would have upon the whole world in the future. The day dawned chilly after a very hot Philadelphia summer. Delegates had spent the summer writing and debating the Constitution of the young country. They heard an address from old Benjamin Franklin who urged all delegates to sign the document. Franklin was too frail to make his speech so another delegate read it for him.

Thirty-eight delegates filed forward to put their names on the bottom of the Constitution. The delegates signed in geographical order from north to south, starting with New Hampshire and ending with Georgia. Franklin stepped forward with assistance to sign and announced that he had wondered whether it was a rising sun engraved upon the back of George Washington’s chair or a setting sun? Thank God he now realized that it was a rising sun!

B a j a Shrimp vs Shrimp Scampi

I picked up a good looking seasoning packet for Baja Shrimp at the Grocery. Thinking of making these on Friday night I thawed out one of my quart baggies of 12/16 ct. gulf shrimp. I noticed that the box preparations called for a pound of 16 ct. but I figured I was close with the amount I had so I used the entire packet of the seasoning mix ... big mistake. Even Susan with her COVID numbed senses of taste and smell thought they were too strong - soooo I decided to do a little research to see if I could improve on this new dish.

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