The Country Register (Northern Rockies Great Plains) | May/June 2023 Issue

What’s Inside?

• 2 Minute Lift- Page 4

• Writing From Life - Page 4

• Cowbgirl Poet - Page 5

• Girlfriend Wisdom - Page 5

• A Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 6

• Inspiring Women - Page 8

• Spot the Difference - Page 9

• Robin’s Nest DIY - Page 10

• Finding Love in the Mourning Doves- Page 11

• What in the World is That - Page 11

• Spring Cleaning - Page 13

• Countryberries- Page 13

• Wyoming Yarn Crawl - Page 14

• Kids Craft Corner - Page 15

Editor’s Notes

Looking for Inspiration

Inspiration is such an important piece to creativity. It can catch us off guard, we can go searching for it, or we can find it in the everyday moments purely by being open to it at all times.

Inspiration can be found in other art forms, it can be found in people around us and it can most often be found in nature.

No matter how you find it or where you look, inspiration is the root of all great art.

One of my favorite things to do is go to a quilt show. For someone that doesn’t sew much, I find this medium so inspirational. The talent and creativity and planning it takes to make each and every square come together in a beautiful quilt is jaw dropping to me. I always get new ideas for my next projects (nothing to do with sewing) simply by taking in the quilters visions in fabric.

The other thing I find that sparks my creativity is the fabric itself. There are so many things that can be created with fabric. I find fabric to be something that plays right in to the hands of the graphic designer in me. It is something that can be molded 1,000 different ways to become something else. So, many projects can come from the endless fabric selections available.

For someone who rarely sews, the art of quilting and sewing provides great inspiration for my craft projects. And, that is the point really. That inspiration can be found in all kinds of places like a quilt show. So, be sure to check out the art of quilting if you don’t already. It really has lots of inspiration to offer.

That spark. That burst of an idea that pulls you to the craft or sewing room. That spark that gets the juices flowing. That spark that makes you want to create until the vision in your head comes to life. That is the stuff beautiful art is made from.

May you all find inspiration this season that fills your cup.

Kelsey Ruzicka Publisher of The Country Register of ND, SD, WY, MT & N. ID

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, & Northern Idaho Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher

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The Quilting Issue!

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains

May/June • Volume 13 Issue 3

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is published every two months. Copyright 2023.

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Index: See page 14 for advertiser’s index by name and by community as well as upcoming events.

Next Deadline: Ads and articles for the July/August 2023 issue are due June 7, 2023.

2 Minute Lift

By Kathy J. Sotak

TWO MINUTE READS TO FLIP OUR SCRIPT

Plant Diaries: We are Mothers of Thousands

Writing From Life

by Jeanette Lukowski

The Pace of Quilting

The Fight is On!

Mystery Quilt 2022 for The Country Register

Designed by Ann Jones

If you have any questions contact Erica at Nine Patch Quilt & Fabrics, Nevada, MO ericaskouby@gmail.com or 417-667-7100. Miss one of the parts? Check www.countryregister.com

Maybe you can still hug your mother – maybe you can’t. Maybe you lost a child – maybe you haven’t. Maybe mom brings you joy – but maybe you’ve been hurt. Maybe you tried to have children – but couldn’t. Maybe you chose not to bear children – and then decided to be a Mother in other ways.

If you ask me, “What are you doing for Mother’s Day?” I’ll give you a boiler-plate response. It’s not that I don’t love being a Mom. I’m blessed with two boys that make my heart bloom every day. And as a bonus – not only do I love them, I like them too. They are very cool human spirits, and I am grateful that they chose me as their Mother.

I see Mother’s Day through a different lens, perhaps after losing both a mother and a son. But it’s not my own pain I feel. I think about my co-worker M, who whispered her pain to me, “I tried to have children, but never could.” I think about my friend S, who died from the poison of loneliness and other substances, and her two teenage daughters, now walking this earth without the solid embrace of their Mother. I think of R whose son took his life. I think of my former hairdresser C, who took her own life and left her two grown sons, now figuring out parenthood by themselves. I think of E who didn’t talk to her Mom for two decades. I think of my friends S, J, M, A and D who chose not to have kids, yet our culture may not fully understand that choice.

So given this perspective, how can we look at this 107-year-old holiday differently? What if we turned Mother’s Day into a celebration of honoring all of the Mothers around us, and the Mother within us? It doesn’t matter if you have a child or a mom. I bet you are a Mother in many ways. I bet you have many Mothers in your life. It’s time to recognize the Mothering Energy that we all have. It has nothing to do with kids, moms or dads. It has everything to do with creating something and nurturing those around us.

My Mother of Thousands plant helps me see a new take on Mother’s Day.

This is my Mother of Thousands plant, its name quite literal. It produces babies that grow off of the leaves, their roots dancing in the air, then falls off into their own identity. This plant exists to remind us that we are “birthing” every single day. What are you creating and nurturing in this day?

The thousands of somethings we create and nurture each day are felt in this world. It could be a smile, a prayer, eye contact, a warm meal, loving an animal, doing your best, a new idea, artwork, laughter, playtime, poetry or dreaming. And a thousand more.

You and I are both Mothers of Thousands. May you honor the Mother within you, and may we all honor our surrounding Mothers that nurture us. And if you are lucky enough to hug your own Mother today, give her a warm embrace as you honor her for all that she is.

Happy Mother’s Day!

I recently sent my quilting friend a text message that made me kind of stop and reflect. The message was describing a day actively engaged in quilt-making activities yet I had produced no single finished work to share with her. Sound familiar? Or, does it sound strange?

I had worked on seven different quilt projects that day. No kidding! Seven.

But the total amount of time I had spent on those seven quilting projects had only added up to a small number of hours, as I was stealing time away from doing other activities (like grading student papers, reading a book, or taking a walk).

Project #1: Machine-quilted a simple, 14-inch square wall hanging for someone made from a bandana honoring her high school reunion.

Project #2: Basted together a panel of fabric, batting, and backing fabric for a mid-size wall-hanging for someone else’s new work office.

Project #3: Pulled fabric out of plastic boxes as I began planning a sudoku puzzle-turned-pattern lap quilt for someone undergoing breast cancer treatments.

Project #4: Drew colored-pencil blocks on graph paper, capturing details from an online video I had seen the night before (two quilt designs I hope to make in the future).

Project #5: Cut fabric from two of the three color families needed for a table runner wedding gift project (the wedding is in a month).

Project #6: Machine-stitched around the upcoming month’s gnome—part of a 12-month set of wall hangings (11”x14” finished size) I call Gnome-of-the-Month— for myself.

Project #7: Chopped up another “scrap” bit of fabric (about the size of a fat quarter) into blocks for a full-size quilt my mother commissioned me to make for a woman at church.

A rare day of productivity; a somewhat rare day of scattered directions. Most days I spend quilting are focused—and I only work on one project for a number of hours at a time.

In March, for instance, I presented a thirty-eight inch square quilted wall hanging to someone as a gift, made from over one hundred two-and-a-half-inch squares. I had started cutting squares for that project in October 2022, which meant that it had taken me five months to complete the project.

Over those same five months I started, worked on, and finished about ten other projects between October’s start and March’s finish. The other projects were quick, or easy, or had an earlier delivery date than the March bridal shower. The heart wall hanging was too special to rush; created without a pattern, the project also required lots of decisions. Measure twice, cut once.

For me, quilting is a hobby. I enjoy quilting when I have spare time—or when I need a puzzle to distract me from stress. There are times my sewing machine sits idle, like an old friend waiting for me to return. Other times, it hums along with life, filling my life with wild productivity.

The true beauty of quilting? We each get to set our own pace.

© Jeanette Lukowski 2023. Jeanette is a mother, grandmother, teacher, and author who lives in Mankato, MN. She is inspired by the lives of strong women. Her email address is: writingfromlife@yahoo.com

Cowgirl Poet, Quilter, Entertainer

Yvonne Hollenbeck

Where Prairie Flowers Bloom

There’s a special place I love to go where prairie flowers bloom; how I love to see their beauty and to smell their sweet perfume.

Where the meadowlarks are singing and the grass is kissed with dew, as the morning sun is rising in a sky of purest blue.

You can have your fancy gardens with the rows of blossoms straight, laced with walking paths and benches and arrangements by the gate.

My heart prefers a country lane that is flanked by prairie sod; …a wilderness of flowers that were planted there by God.

Order Yvonne’s new book, “A Stitch in Rhyme” at www.yvonnehollenbeck.com just $15 + $3.50 postage.

© Yvonne Hollenbeck; 2023

Yvonne Hollenbeck, from Clearfield, SD, performs her original poetry throughout the United States, captivating audiences in her wake. She is one of the most published cowgirl poets in the West and is not only a popular banquet and civic entertainer, but also co-writes songs with many western entertainers. Yvonne also pens a weekly column in the “Farmer-Rancher Exchange” and writes articles about life in rural America in various publications throughout the West. For more information, visit https://www.yvonnehollenbeck.com

Life-enhancing Resolutions

by Janet Young

By now the majority of people who made New Year’s resolutions have discovered that while they had good intentions, somehow those good intentions began to wither away until the desire to carry out your wishful thinking dissolved, but, with the full intentions of renewing those goals again next year But why wait?

With each passing day signs and evidence of a winter’s thaw has begun and the earth begins to awaken after a long winter’s nap So, as the earth warms and the trees and flowers begin to bloom, why can’t we begin anew our commitment to life-enhancing resolutions?

When a new year dawns there is much enthusiasm to make positive changes in our lives Then when we fail, we think we have to wait for another new year to recommit again Remember each morning when you wake up, it is the beginning of a new day It is another chance to start anew and refuel your enthusiasm for whatever your goal might have been

Perhaps your resolution didn’t work out through no fault of your own Perhaps the door was closed on an opportunity you thought you should have Remember a lot of times when that happens, there are better things waiting around the corner for us We just have to be patient, and push ahead

Wake up each morning with a grateful heart If you find the good in people and in things or circumstances, you will begin to think in a more positive stream of thought And positivity begets a spirit of enthusiasm and a can-do attitude Just remember to begin each new day by leaving yesterday’s issues behind Perhaps with a new season, you will choose to make a commitment of another type For example, you always wanted a beautiful flower garden Now is the perfect time to get started on this project Remember flowers are the gift that keep on giving So, when the flowers begin to blossom and bloom, you can treat yourself to a beautiful bouquet of hand-picked flowers from your own garden What is more rewarding than that?

Remember, being thankful for what you have, does not allow room for negative thinking Thanking God that He has given you yet another day is a perfect way to start your day

So, as we are reminded that each new day has a beginning and an ending, what will you accomplish this day that will further you along in reaching your re-committed resolutions?

Moving with Toilet Paper

by Jeanette Lukowski

I will admit it: I’ve moved a bit in my adult life.

The first “major” move was moving from my birth-home state to my adoptedhome state as part of a married couple. We were young—and the move was an interesting adventure. We lived in hotels while we searched for more permanent housing which would accept our mid-sized dog.

Flash forward: I made a “major” move with the children for a job. This was my first “orchestrated” move, meaning we drove out as a unit to search for housing, and returned a few months later with all of our possessions. The kids struggled with culture shock, though, so a boomerang move occurred two years later.

Flash forward: I made another “major” move for a job—alone this time. Too bad COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns turned the move into an experiment-in-mentalsurvival rather than a success story. Seeking that which is most familiar and comfortable when confronted by chaos, another boomerang return followed.

This last move contained an interesting feature beyond anything I’ve done with ANY of my other moves, though: I moved Toilet Paper. Ten mega-rolls in an open package; another six mega-rolls in an unopened package.

Wait—if each “mega-roll” means the equivalent of four traditional rolls, that means I moved thirty-four rolls of toilet paper? Oh my.

The package of six mega-rolls had been purchased when toilet paper first began re-appearing on store shelves in spring 2020, so I paid the hefty ransom the shop owner asked, and I hid it away in the back of the cupboard.

A week or so later, I purchased the 18 mega-roll package of the brand I preferred, and began to forget all about the toilet paper wastelands we had collectively experienced that spring.

I forgot about them, that is, until it was time to pack for the boomerang-move. Sane people would have perhaps donated the treasure-trove of t.p. and other paper products, but I just couldn’t! Those simple items I had taken for granted in my pre-pandemic life had become too valuable to me, based on no availability of even a Sears catalog anymore. (I didn’t live through the Depression years, but I’ve heard stories.)

I turned the package of paper napkins into random-packing-material by subdividing into Ziploc baggies; I loaded the two packages of toilet paper, an unopened package of 6 rolls of paper toweling, and 3 packages of quilt batting into a wooden sideboard piece of furniture for the move; I tucked eleven individual purse-pack size facial tissues into a cardboard box (labeled to identify where the tissues were); I slipped two-and-a-half boxes of facial tissues into the car with me.

I donated books and dishes to various organizations in the town I was leaving (because paying the moving company based on the equation of pounds x miles turns everything into a commodity), but I moved toilet paper.

Is this how the pioneers of long ago made those precious decisions to abandon crates of precious china and heirloom silver services when travelling the Oregon Trail? Need vs. Luxury?

Playing Favorites

by Cathy Elliott

In years past, I had the privilege to play violin with our local Red Bluff Masterworks Orchestra & Chorale. We gathered each Memorial Day Weekend for a concert, honoring God, the United States of America, and the Men and Women of the Armed Forces. I always looked forward to this performance because the music was so rich and meaningful, inspiring mental fireworks of red, white, and blue and accented with drum rolls, plus plenty of piccolo.

Before each piece, conductor Mark Franklin turned to the audience and said, “This one is my favorite.” They laughed, but he meant what he said. He was right. Every rousing or heart-tugging tune celebrating our military heroes was the best.

If I had to pick a favorite, and don’t hold me to this choice, it might be “This Is America.” A medley of theme songs featuring the service songs of each military branch. Our mighty chorale’s rendition of “The Caissons Go Rolling Along” and “Anchors Away” gave me goose bumps. Members of the audience who served in that branch or whose loved ones had done so were directed to stand and be honored when they heard their beloved tune. I saw tears stream down many proud faces and cried a few of my own.

As Memorial Day, Flag Day and July 4th approach and we ready to celebrate our freedom, I’ll be remembering all my favorites again. Thankful for the spirit of sacrifice in every standing patriot. And many more heroes who could not.

A Cup of Tea with Lydia: Watermelon Smiles

My face was as red as the strawberries I picked. By afternoon, my back ached, berry juice stained my hands, and my throat felt parched. I wanted to quit. Just then my father stopped by the berry field with a large chilled watermelon and cut a thick slice for me. What a refreshing treat! That was more than fifty years ago. But whether young or old, many enjoy the bright color and juicy sweetness of watermelon. So, from decorations to featured foods, let watermelon steal the show at your summer par-TEAS.

FOR A CASUAL PARTY:

Enjoy an outdoor party in your yard, or transport your party to the park. Add pizzazz to your table with colorful watermelon-themed paper plates and napkins. I’ve even found watermelon-shaped candles and watermelon-print fabric that I sewed into a tablecloth. Or let kids make watermelon paper placemats to add to the decor. Draw a half-slice of watermelon on white construction paper. Then let kids color the green rind and red flesh with crayons or markers. Add black oval dots for seeds. Or buy a white paper tablecloth for kids to decorate.

For the menu, here’s one idea: lemonade iced tea (see recipe), croissants filled with ham and cheese, assorted garden vegetables, and watermelon slices. Once the half slice of watermelon is eaten, you’re left with a smiling rind and a smiling face. For dessert, make “watermelon” cookies from your favorite sugar cookie or shortbread recipe, but tint the dough light red. Roll out the dough, cut circles, and then cut the circles in half. Press mini chocolate chips into each slice before baking.

After the cookies are baked and cooled, frost the round edges with green frosting squeezed from a tube. These “watermelon slices” will add a sweet ending to your meal.

FOR A FANCY PARTY:

A crisp white tablecloth with red or green napkins makes a striking table setting. For a centerpiece, use half a small watermelon and place it upside down on a plate. Then make fruit kabob flowers by cutting watermelon and other fruits into flower shapes or balls. Assemble them on skewers, and poke them into the watermelon half.

Or create a show stopper by carving a watermelon into a unique design. For our daughter’s wedding, I cut long oval watermelons into scalloped baskets with handles and filled them with fruit kabobs. To welcome our newborn granddaughter, I carved a small watermelon into a baby buggy, poking in paper umbrellas for wheels, then filled it with fruit salad. You could even carve your melon into a teapot. For these ideas and more, go to www. watermelon.org (click on carvings).

Plan the menu around favorite tea foods, and finish with a frosty slice of “watermelon” sherbet made from one of these recipes.

1. Wrap the inside of a medium-sized mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Spread a one-inch layer of green pistachio ice cream or lime sherbet to cover the entire inside surface of the bowl. Freeze until firm. Soften pink strawberry ice cream or raspberry sherbet and mix in mini chocolate chips. Fill the green bowl with the ice cream or sherbet. Freeze until firm. Before serving, thaw slightly, unmold, and cut “watermelon slices” with a sharp knife dipped into warm water.

2. Cut a small, chilled honeydew melon in half and remove the seeds. Fill each half with raspberry sherbet and freeze it until firm. Cut each half into slices or four to six wedges. Press mini chocolate chips into the sherbet. Serve the melon immediately. Freeze leftovers.

If you’re looking for a refreshing slice of summer, begin with a watermelon theme and end with happy memories. I’m ready to plan my par-TEA. Won’t you join me to make smiles?

By Lydia Harris

Lydia E. Harris is a tea enthusiast and the author of two books for grandparents: In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together and Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting, both available at amazon.com and wherever books are sold

FROM LYDIA’S RECIPE FILE: LEMONADE ICED TEA

Combine:

4 cups brewed Earl Grey tea (Use 5 teabags and steep for 3 minutes; remove teabags.)

1/3 cup sugar (or sweeten to taste)

Add:

1 cup cold water

1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix and chill. Serve over ice in frosty glasses. Garnish with fresh lemon slices. Makes 5 cups

Variation: Replace Earl Grey tea with English Breakfast tea.

Frosty glasses: For sweet sips, moisten the glass rims with water and dip them into sugar. Chill glasses in the freezer until ready to use.

www.thecountryregister.com/nrgp

Inspiring Women

This last February, my grandma turned 93. Her life has been nothing short of amazing and truly inspiring. She grew up on a farm, and with 3 girls became the farm hand. She entered into the Air Force and became an flight nurse. Then, went on to become as educated as you could be in her field of nursing for her time. She served in the ER for many years. Then, in retirement became a school nurse. Her stories are not only inspiring and amazing, but one spanning several decades with grace and compassion. She is truly an inspiring woman.

Though we all no doubt can find a person like this in our family to look to for inspiration, we do have other women in history who have led the way to extraordinary and influential lives.

Margaret Thatcher | Britain’s first female (and longest-serving) Prime Minister garnered the title “Iron Lady” for her strong opinions, strict policy, and firm leadership.

Amelia Earhart | She soared to notoriety as the first female aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone. And, not only that but she worked hard to make a place for women in America’s society.

Jane Goodall | Her unique connection with the environment and animals has inspired generations to conserve and protect our planet’s fellow inhabitants.

Mother Theresa | The charitable figure is the prime example of sacrifice and strength. She inspired the world over with her kind heart, aiding those who needed it most.

By Kelsey Ruzicka, Editor

Queen Elizabeth II | Since taking the throne during her coronation in 1953, her royal majesty became the longest-reigning Queen and female head of state in the world.

Eleanor Roosevelt | She holds the record as the longest-serving first lady, reserving the title throughout her husband’s four terms in the White House. During her time, she was very vocal in her support of the civil rights movement.

Florence Nightingale | The English statistician is widely recognized as the founder of modern nursing. Today, the Florence Nightingale Medal is the highest international honor a nurse can receive.

Ada Lovelace | While Lovelace passed away long before the computer age, her skills in mathematical algorithms and analytical engineering bestow upon her the title of the “first computer programmer” by many.

Barbara Walters | Paving the way for female journalists and news anchors everywhere, Walters was the first woman to co-anchor the network evening news.

Maya Angelou | An American author, poet and civil rights activist, rose to prominence with the publication of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” in 1969. Angelou, who died in 2014 at the age of 86, was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010 by President Barack Obama.

In honor of mother’s day we shine a light on these mothers of inspiration. There are many more to look to in the pages of history. Find yours today.

Spot the Difference

Mothers run around with all kinds of tasks. It never stops. Just like this busy otter family. Fathers do too! Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Father’s Day to all those out there making the days go by and keeping it all in line. Can you find the 5 differences in the photo? Find the answers to this spot the difference on page 13 (No peaking!).

Well Summer is upon us and I think a new beach bag is in order! I have made lots of bags but with his project I am using an outdoor fabric which is a little hard to work with but makes for a great bag.

You will Need:

Step Two

You will need a yard and a half of outdoor material (you can use cotton canvas, which is easier to work with), coordinating thread, cutting mat and wheel cutter, pins or clips, a chalk maker, tape measure, scissors (optional) and a sewing machine (not pictured).

Step One

Pin the handles on the outside of the bag. The handle should be 18” from the top of the bag and 7” from the side. I sewed these in place following the seams on the handles.

Step THREE

Cut out the bag to measure 44” x 24”, two handles 4” X 52”. You will want to hem all raw edges. You can either fold over once with a seam allowance of one-half inch or double it at a fourth of an inch. If you choose a single hem you will need to zig zag or serge the raw edge. For the handles fold 4” strip in half (right side out) and sew the folded edge with an eighth of an inch allowance. Fold in the raw edge to make the handle an inch wide and sew with a seam allowance of an eighth inch.

You will then make a pleat at the bottom to cover the strap edge. Fold a 2” pleat on each side of the bag, to the outside, then sew both the inside and outside of the pleat.

Step Four

Put right sides together and sew the sides. You now have the option of stopping right here or you can box the bottom corner. If you decide to box the corner you pull the corner out to make a triangle and sew across it. You then will want to trim the corner off.

Cute beach bag! We don’t have a beach nearby but I’m just down the street from the pool!

FINISHED!

Have an Egg-stra Special Day

by Colleen Gust

Colleen publishes The Country Register of Manitoba and Saskatchewan Canada I went to the store today and bought some really oddly-shaped eggs. Now I can’t find them, and I think they’ve been mislaid. I’m hoping this article won’t be mislaid as it gives a brief overview of why eggs are eggs-ellent! I hope I don’t crack under pressure and scramble my words in this story.

Finding Love In The Mourning Doves

One reason I like to write these articles is to remind myself what is important. They force me to keep digging until I reach what I want to express. Sometimes I have to push aside a lot of details to achieve that. It is then that I realize once again how much time is spent on the minutia of living.

I don’t mean basic maintenance like grocery shopping and doing laundry. These tasks and others like them can become quietly sacred in their own way just by being grateful for having enough. There is much to be said for being dedicated to what needs to be done. It is when all the details begin gelling that I consciously slow down. If I didn’t, I might forget that simply being alive is a precious gift. For underneath all that accumulated moss is still the rock itself. A core each of us have that makes us who we are.

Egg yolks and whole eggs are excellent protein sources widely used in cookery. Due to their protein content, some countries list eggs as Meat in their Food Guide. Eggs were forbidden during Lent in the Middle Ages because of their richness, although the motivation for eliminating eggs during Lent was not entirely religious. This reduction in egg consumption allowed farmers to rest their flocks and limit the need for chicken feed during a time of year when food stocks were usually at a low ebb. Domesticated chickens are descended from a wild Asian fowl, with the fowl laying about a dozen eggs each year during the breeding season. Modern chickens produce more than three hundred eggs each annually and lay eggs yearround. So, it’s not because the hens eggs-ercise.

How can you tell if an egg’s been boiled or not? Eggsray vision. Now, I don’t have that, so if you need to know if an egg is hard-boiled, set it on a countertop and give it a quick spin. Then, tap your finger on it to stop the spinning. Eggs that are cooked will spin easily and fast and stop quickly. Raw eggs take longer to get going and don’t stop as quickly.

Perhaps this introspection is why watching the birds is so relaxing. They, too, have details to tend to, but they never seem in a hurry. My husband, Wayne, and I enjoy seeing them land upon the feeder, from the tiny Finches to the bigger Blue Jay. The Chickadee always draws our attention. A male Cardinal upon the top of the crook gleams endlessly red, and we find his arrival better than anything we’d ever see on television.

Have you ever wondered why in many cultures it is common to keep eggs out on the counter while we refrigerate them? When a hen lays an egg, it has a bloom over the shell. The bloom is a protective layer that protects the egg from bacteria getting inside by sealing the 6,000-8,000 shell pores. North American commercial egg producers spray their eggs with a sanitizer before they package them to reduce the risk of bacteria contaminating the egg. The bloom is removed when eggs are washed, leaving the egg pores open to potential new bacteria. If eggs are left unwashed with the bloom intact, you can place them on your kitchen counter at, room-temperature where they will keep for about two weeks.

The dried egg industry developed around 1878, long before the rise of the frozen egg industry. The dried yolk and egg white turn into a light-brown, crumbly substance. Dried egg production significantly expanded during World War II for use by the troops. We can all remember jokes from the TV show M*A*S*H about dried eggs. And who remembers M*A*S*H stands for mobile army surgical hospital?

Then there are the birds that feed upon the ground. Each year we have an Eastern Towhee couple arrive in the spring. Papa Towhee is striking in his black overcoat, and Mama elegant in her simplicity. When the Robins start to appear, it is an extra special day.

The egg carton was invented in Smithers, British Columbia, Canada in 1911 to solve a disagreement about broken eggs between a farmer and a hotel owner.

But my favorite bird is the Mourning Dove. Since I was child, I’ve valued the even coo and steady pace of this bird. Usually there are two of them together and sometimes three. They either fly off in one sudden moment or one ascends and the others follow.

I saw a sign saying Free Range Eggs. I’d never heard of range eggs, but I guess they were free to take—especially since egg prices increased by 60% due to the shortage caused by the avian flu. They’ve become very eggs-pensive egg-stravagance.

Chicken eggs are widely used in various dishes, from sweet to savory, including many baked goods. Eggs are commonly prepared by scrambling, frying, poaching, hard-boiling, soft-boiling, omelettes, and pickling. Why do so many people love a boiled egg for breakfast? It’s so hard to beat.

Mother’s Day Trivia

from Rachel Greco

• During the 1600s, England celebrated “Mothering Sunday.” Servants would visit their families and bring cakes to their mothers. This custom was called “going a mothering.” Each mother received a “simnel” (fine flour) cake. Mothers would then give a blessing to their children.

By Kerri Habben

• Chinese family names are often formed with a sign that means “mother” as a way of honoring their maternal ancestors.

• George Washington has been quoted as saying, “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”

• Native American women have been honored with the name “Life of the Nation” for their gift of motherhood to tribes.

• Eve is credited in the Bible as the “Mother of All the Living.”

I try to go about my days and my tasks in a way similar to a Mourning Dove, ideally with an even pace wherein somehow everything gets done. I haven’t perfected this bird’s graceful motions in changing course. I slip into a flutter and then catch myself. Yet, there have been pivotal moments in my life when I knew exactly what I had to do and how to do it.

• Ancient Egyptians believed that “Bast” was the mother of all cats on earth and that cats were sacred animals.

• Buddha said, “As a mother, even at the risk of her own life, loves and protects her child, so let a man cultivate love without measure toward the whole world.”

• Mother Goose is one of the most popular of all authors for children. Her books and stories have been loved for several generations.

• Some African tribes call themselves “Maharis,” which means “Mother-hoods.”

I apply the most important lesson from the mourning doves in how I am with other people. For all our different personalities and paths, everyone can feel gray and drab once in a while. Especially when life’s details could overwhelm us. So I try to draw out a bit of light to remind people that they truly shine. Which brings me back to why I write these articles. There is always the increased self-awareness, but being able to share with you and others is part of what keeps me steadfast.

And of course, there is always remembering the Mourning Doves.

• Nine years after Mother’s Day was made an official holiday, Anna Jarvis, who had campaigned so hard to make it possible, filed a lawsuit to try to stop the over-commercialization of Mother’s Day. She lost her case. Today, cards, letters, candy, and dinners out mark Mother’s Day for most families. It had been Anna’s hope that the day was one of reflection and quiet prayer by families thanking God for all that mothers had done.

Kerri Habben Bosman is a writer in Chapel Hill, NC. She can be reached at 913jeeves@gmail.com.

What in the World is That?

by Becky Van Vleet

I have been blessed to have this beautiful “thing” in the corner of my dining room for a number of years, which boasts of a nostalgic time period on rural farms. (Refer to the photograph.) But, what in the world is that you ask? I really would not be able to answer this at all if not for my mother and other family members explaining this vintage domestic good to me.

It is both their immense calm and their sudden energy that inspires me. Each bird gently strolls upon the ground, eating until it has gathered enough to fill its capacity. When it is indeed time to fly, they take off with a deliberate and passionate trill.

Eggs may be eaten raw, although caution must be taken to avoid salmonella. Fun fact, your body receives almost double the protein from a cooked egg than a raw egg.

As a cooking ingredient, egg yolks are used as an emulsifier and to thicken custards and salad dressings.

Every part of an egg is considered to be edible, although the eggshell is usually discarded. Ground eggshells are added to food to deliver calcium. Also, many people place them around tomato plants to leach calcium into the soil.

They never bother any of the other birds and even a nearby squirrel twice its size doesn’t cause them to change their path. They just quietly go about the business of gathering as if they know exactly where the next morsel is waiting. A pastel iridescent light glimmers off their feathers whenever they are in the sun. It is then that they seem transformed. One moment they are seemingly drab and the next they are shining.

I’m a huge cooking/food show watcher, but I don’t think I shell go out of my way to sample a century one-hundred-year-old egg. These eggs are preserved by coating them in a mixture of clay, wood ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks to several months. Once complete, the yolk is dark green and creamy with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown gel. I’ve heard the ammonia waft and flavor can be rather intense

I hope everyone got their fill of puns, ‘cause I’m a comedy-hens, wise- crack er or a practical-yolker. The topic of eggs gave me food for thought at my day job— whenever you mix a cookbook with a computer manual, you will wind up with an egg-shell spreadsheet.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

This dish comes together quickly; remember to save a bit of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. It’s nice because it uses (for us anyway) fridge staples— parmesan, eggs, garlic and bacon.

1 lb. spaghetti 6 slices bacon, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (or more)

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

3 eggs

Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the eggs, parmesan and black pepper in a bowl and set aside. Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove from the skillet and add the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Save about 1-2 cups of the pasta water. Once drained, place the pasta in the pan with the garlic and toss quickly to coat. Quickly remove from the heat and add in the egg mixture. Mix well. Add in the pasta water if needed. Stir in the bacon. Top with additional parmesan, if desired.

First, my mother. She loved antiques, and especially if she had a memory of one’s use in her family. So as her parents gradually got rid of things they were no longer using, she let it be known that she’d love to have certain items adorning her home rather than see her parents discard them Yes, even a cream separator! She donned her newly acquired farm item with artificial greenery much like I have today and placed it in the corner of our kitchen. And when company asked, what in the world is that, she explained exactly what it was and how it functioned to separate the cream from the milk after the cows were milked.

A few years ago, I learned a little more about the Thomas family cream separator from my twin aunts, Sue and Mary.

My aunts shared that their father, my grandfather, bought some cows when they moved to a new house in 1942 in rural Indiana. Then he purchased the cream separator to sell cream. The separator had three containers that were used during the separation process. The top container was used to hold all the whole milk, and once it was full, Mary and Sue would take turns turning the handle around and around, causing the rich, thick cream to separate from the whole milk and flow out of one of the spouts. The skim milk would flow out of the other spout.

It was the girls’ responsibility to keep the separator clean with boiling water so the cream would be free of germs. Young Mary and Sue smiled with pride every time they got a good grade and price for the cream they sold, after it was inspected by Mr. Robertson.

If you live in the Midwest, you may be lucky enough to find a cream separator in the attic or a neighbor's barn. Since this area of the country had a lot of dairy farms, there are often a few separators at any garage sale you might go to. As for me, I have a priceless remnant of pastoral America sitting right in my dining room. Sometimes my grandchildren ask Nana, “What in the world is that?” And I’m happy to talk about the good old days any time I can!

Rachel Greco owns Grandma’s Attic, a traditional quilt shop in Dallas, Oregon. A quilt historian, she gives talks on needlework, the role of women in American history, and their connection to fabric. She has written several books and patterns and runs Grandma’s Quilt Club, a monthly quilt class where participants collection blocks, learn about quilt history and make new friends. Learn more at http://grandmasatticquilting.co.

Becky Van Vleet, a retired school administrator, lives near Colorado Springs with her husband, Troy. They are the parents of four grown children and enjoy spending time with their nine grandchildren. Becky is a children's picture book author, and her website is devoted to family stories and creating memories: www.beckyvanvleet.com.

Wyoming’s Cowboy Yarn Crawl

MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY

Seven Participating Shops:

Cowgirl Yarn - Laramie

Mountain Meadow Wool - Buffalo

Swanky Mountain - Gillette

The yarn and the tale - Rock Springs

Knit on Purl - Jackson

Spring Cleaning!

By Barbara Kalkis

One spring day, years ago, I trotted home from school to tell my mother that my friend, Betty Lou, would not be available on the weekend. She had announced to our play group that her mother was beginning Spring Cleaning. She made it sound like a national holiday. It would be massive WORK, she said. In addition to the customary washing, dusting and vacuuming, her mother insisted on ironing all the family bedding.

Huh? We friends all gasped at this revelation. Looking around, it was clear that no one else was ironing sheets and pillowcases. Wasn’t it enough to fold them properly?

No. As Betty Lou explained the intricacies of ironing a fitted sheet, we gaped at each other. Clearly, we were all in the same boat (or bed), sleeping on wrinkled sheets that could never match the crispness of bedding ironed by Betty Lou and her mother.

Our group dispersed with businesslike speed to inform our mothers of this flaw in their housekeeping. True, we kids had mandated chores but never attached a name to them. They just translated to “allowance.” We did our chores and earned enough money to go to the local Dairy Queen and buy a “Dilly Bar.” Or, if we performed an extra task, we could splurge and gorge ourselves on a sundae with two toppings— three if the owner was feeling generous.

Thoughts of a sundae topped with hot fudge, marshmallow and caramel sauces still makes my mouth water. Sadly, I have reached the age of reason, waistline woes and dismal doctor lectures to keep me in line—most of the time. But I digress.

My mother listened to my news. She then stated in the tone that she reserved for Rules, Pronouncements and Orders that she only purchased 100% cotton percale sheets and they did not wrinkle. She added that we didn’t wait until spring to thoroughly clean the house. We cleaned all the time.

That part was certainly true. My sisters and I were kept busy cleaning our twostory house year ‘round. In fact, a vivid memory of falling down the length of the staircase along with the broom is the single reason my husband and I purchased a one-story house.

However, the truth was that my mother did make spring cleaning an event. My job was always cleaning the linen closet. This meant ensuring that the sheets were stacked by pattern, color and type, top sheets, bottom sheets, pillows and blankets. Folded sides were to be ‘out’ so they looked like spines of a book with a “title” facing the closet door. Edges were to be hidden from view. Ditto for the towel cupboard. Guest sheets and towels were in a separate area.

Spot the Answers:Difference

I still follow this pattern today. Sometimes I think that it may be my heavenly destiny to manage the linen closets while the other angels are out eating sundaes—with five toppings (whipped cream and walnuts!).

Despite the drudgery to make everything clean and tidy, spring cleaning holds cherished memories. These include: cheerfulness and satisfaction in jobs completed; bonding by working together; helping each other with the lifting or carrying; eating lunch together and ticking off the last tasks for the day. Also, laughing at lost things found; agreeing on things to be given away; feeling pride that our house was in order; hearing our dad compliment us on a job well done; and realizing that, somehow in spring cleaning, we were safe, secure, blessed and fortunate to have a home filled with love.

No, the sheets never got ironed, but loving hands smoothed them. And I still buy only 100% cotton percale. Mom would be proud.

©Barbara Kalkis. Barbara spends her time writing, teaching, and working as a marketing consultant. She’s author of Little Ditties for Every Day: A Collection of Thoughts in Rhyme and Rhythm. Contact her at BarbaraKalkis01@gmail.com.

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Designed by Kathy Graham

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Kid Craft Corner | Fleece Quilts

By Kelsey Ruzicka, Editor

I love that there are many products out there these days that make it easy for kids to try different art forms. That is the basis of this column, to offer up projects and products that help young crafters play with and be introduced to different craft art forms.

Last issue we talked about Loop DeDoo with embroidery thread braiding and looping techniques. This issue is the sewing and quilting issue. So, we have a product I think is pretty great for early quilters.

My daughter received this as a gift, and I love that it is one she can do without any assistance. Obviously, age, skill level, and familiarity plays a role in how much autonomy your child has. But at the age of 8, I like to find her crafts and projects she can do on her own while I’m otherwise occupied. Not that this wouldn’t be a fun project to do together! And, we do many of those too. But, I like that it can be either or.

The project basically consists of “quilting” squares in a pattern. Except there is no sewing. The sides are tied using the fleece tabs cut around each fleece square. Now, this company (Melissa & Doug) makes it easy to take the squares and get right to the tying. The squares are already pre-cut. But, you could easily do this on your own, and pick out your own fleece fabric at the store and cut the fleece accordingly.

What a great way to learn the basics of sewing and quilting, without the possibility of needle pricks and tears. The box says 4 and up. And, I can see her a couple years ago doing this project also. However, attention span is also at play here. As it takes some time to do all the ties. Again, I love that my little crafter can do this one on her own, and still be learning and creating with fabric!