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Voices
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Snowdrops - First to Bloom Spring Beauties
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BY COLLETTA KOSIBA
Hendricks COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
They are out in garden in bloom now! “Snowdrops” appear any time after the 1st of February in my garden. No, I am not kidding!
These dainty dime size white flowers burst into flower, -snow or no snow, (just so they can be the first flowers to bloom at end of winter!!!) Snowdrops represent a new gardening year for me.
Snowdrops grow from a small bulb you plant in the fall, about 2 inches deep in well-drained soil. For best effect, plant in groups of 15-25 bulbs, these 6” plants have one flower each.
The leaves are shaped like narrow blades, growing 4 inches long or longer after flowers are gone. Leave all foliage until brown, because underground the plant is busy making offsets. Offsets are new bulbs that grow attached to the mother bulb.
When your old patch has grown large, in the spring - you wait until the flowers fade (the leaves are still green)- you dig up a clump, separate the bulbs and immediately replant them in the new spot that you have made ready. The secret is not to let them dry out!!! This is called method of planting is called “in the green” done in March.
Snowdrops are pest-free. Rabbits and deer turn up their noses at snowdrops. Also, most chipmunks and mice will leave them alone.
Maybe someone will give you snowdrops “in the green” this spring; if not, plant some bulbs in fall, under a tree or shrub, in a rock garden or even in the lawn. Make sure you plant them where you can see them easily, they bloom so early and are so tiny.
Cut some snowdrop flowers, put in a small vase, put the vase on a small mirror to double the delight of the first flowers of the year.
What do you call an old snowman? Water.
OUR READERS WRITE
This morning an Indiana friend (whose politics are irrelevant as most of my friends’ are) alerted me to the fact that one other thoroughly good and honest political Republican is resigning, secretary of state Connie Lawson.
I can’t say we were exactly friends, but I have known her since she was a sweet clerk at her husband’s auctions, hoping he remembered to bid on a vacuum cleaner she wanted. I saw her frequently since we both liked to eat at the Clayton Cafe. I’m not sure how she got into politics, but state government, never a high mark in Indiana, was I am sure, the better for her presence.
And while I am at it, I have recalled another Republican politician for whom I have some respect, Dick Thompson. My father always said the closer to home the government is, the better it is.
Lynn Hopper
ROAD SCHOLAR
If it weren’t for the panademic we would be looking at Road Scholar catalogs trying to decide what program to take this coming year.
Many people have never heard of Road Scholar. ( Roadscholar.org./ 800-454-5768). It is an orgainzation that promotes furthering education for people 50 and over. Road Scholar has something of interest for everyone. They also have intergenerational programs for grandchildren)
We have gone to about 23 programs over the years. Usually there are about 40 people really nice people in a group. Road Scholar brings in knowledgeable people to lead the programs but no study is required. One of our most recent programs was Ken Burns and his documentaries. A favorite was about Cape May N.J. during Victorian times. You have to get yourself to the site but one price takes care of lodging, food, field trips, and even gratuties. Road Scholar not only has programs in the US but internationally. Don’t be like us and wait 10 years after we heard about it to take our first program.
Bee Jones
Growing up in America, we often heard the expression “Anyone can be President if he or she wants to.” When Obama was elected, that brought the idea home. Then Trump came along and now we were seeing someone from the business world coming forward and throw his hat in the ring. I listen to his speeches and felt like he would be a welcome change from the smooth talking politicians we had been used to. I thought “If there is one thing we need it is a businessman’s approach to our problems.” After 2016, I realized I was right. Our economy came roaring back. Taxes went down and jobs went up. Now we were cooking. What I did not expect was the constant attack that Trump would have to endure. Why? Could it be that Washington didn’t just dislike him, they truly hated him. Trump, being the New York Real-estate Businessman was very successful in a cut throat, in your face world. I believe he thought the same business tactics would work in Government. All his out spoken rhetoric fueled hatred with the Press and the Democrats. They looked constantly for things to embarrass and radicle him. I liked the fact that his messages on social media keep us citizens informed when it actually gave the Trump haters fuel for the fire. Now these same people are trying to eradicate him for a second time but they have moved it to the next level, make it impossible for him to ever run for President again. What a mess. I am so thoroughly discussed with Washington DC.
Noel Gatlin
Exploring Hendricks County
By Jackie Horn
Hendricks County Parks & Recreation
A visitor tries out the power tool method of tapping a maple tree.
WARNING: You may never think of syrup the same again.
For the past 11 years, the first two Saturdays in March have been Maple Syrup Days at McCloud Nature Park near North Salem. This year the event is scheduled for March 6 and 13, and although the format has been modified due to COVID-19, it still promises to be fun and educational.
Self-guided tours and activities start at 9 a.m. and run until 3 p.m. with guided tours at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., which will lead visitors to the sugar bush (grove of tapped trees) and the sugar shack (where the sap is cooked).
When I think about maple syrup, I picture a stack (about four) of perfectly round pancakes. A slab of partially melted butter is pooling in the center. Thick golden brown maple syrup covers the top and is slowly oozing down the side of the stack in synchronized rivulets, puddling on the plate. As a kid, our syrup came in a brown bottle shaped like a rotund woman. Mom would put the bottle in a pan of water on the stove while breakfast cooked because it was too thick to pour. Much like the Tooth Fairy, it was all a childhood fantasy. That wasn’t maple syrup. It was corn syrup. It wasn’t even maple-flavored.
It wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned true maple syrup is light gold in color, watery, and made from tree sap. While that description is quite different from the pancake syrup offered in the grocery store, it does taste great on pancakes.
All deciduous (i.e. trees with leaves) produced sap. Sap is a watery mixture of enzymes, minerals, nutrients, carbohydrates, and sugars. It is stored energy that the tree will use to jump start its growth and bud in Spring. Sap is stored in the tree’s roots all winter while the tree is dormant. When early Spring daytime temperatures rise above freezing (32 F) and then fall back below freezing at night, the sap “runs” or travels up the tree.
Syrup is produced by “tapping” or inserting a spigot into a tree and capturing the sap as it’s traveling through the tree. While Sugar Maples are popularly known as syrup producers, other varieties of maple trees such as Boxelder and Maple-leafed Ash trees can be used as well. The more leaves there are on a tree, the higher the sugar content of its sap. For example, a leafy Boxelder tree can produce sap with a higher sugar content than a sparsely-leafed Sugar Maple. The collected sap is then boiled and cooked to a temperature of 219-degrees Farenheit to concentrate the liquid and make it sweeter. Maple sap is 1-3% sugar, but when it’s boiled and made into syrup, the final sugar content will be 66%. It takes 40 gallons of sap, several BTUs of heat, and many hours of cooking to produce one gallon of pure maple syrup.
Hendricks County Parks & Recreation
The Sugar Shack at McCloud Nature Park demonstrates the modern way to make syrup.
Interested in tapping and collecting sap from your trees? Want to make maple syrup at home? Just want to learn more? Contact the Indiana Maple Syrup Association through their website, indianamaplesyrup.org For more information on Maple Syrup Days (and all the other upcoming programs) check out the website: Hendricks- CountyParks.org or follow Hendricks County Parks and Recreation on Facebook.
ASK MR. TRAFFIC
By Chet Skwarcan, PE, President/ Founder of Traffic Engineering, Inc. Chet@TrafficEngineering.com
Navigation Apps
Waze vs. Google Maps
Anyone who travels is familiar with navigation apps. And anyone who has traveled for a long time is probably very far away. But, if you typically find your way back, you are likely familiar with Waze or Google Maps.
And although you may be aware of both, most of us default to the familiar — supposedly, my uncle uses his familiar Magellan NAV 1000. But then again, I have not seen him for several years. I’m not even sure I have an uncle…
Personally, I like Waze. Waze features crowd-sourced alerts that provide real-time information about unexpected congestion, delays, detours, hazards on the road, and where police cars are (in case you need to ask an officer a question). Crowd-sourced information is amazing. Recently, while driving on the interstate Waze announced, “Exit next right.” Although I was 100 miles from my exit, I obeyed. And as I was exiting, I noticed red tail lights for miles and miles beyond the exit. The Waze users ahead of me kindly shared their location and speed (0 mph) for the benefit of those behind — and this all happens automatically — no button-pushing required.
Google Maps is owned by...Google. In fact, Waze is also owned by Google. In fact, Google owns everything. Waze was developed by an Israeli company in 2008 and purchased by Google in 2013. Not sure why Google continues to keep both apps...maybe the same reason Coca-Cola maintains 19 varieties of Coke. And although they are both owned by Google, they are meant to be used in different ways. Here’s what each does best:
Google Maps — supports several different modes of transportation. It doesn’t matter if you drive, walk, cycle, or use public transportation. It also integrates with ride-sharing platforms like Lyft and Uber. Google Maps will even suggest a better time to leave on your journey: “You should have left 27 minutes ago,” (thank you). And with something called location sharing, you can communicate your location to friends and family before you get there.
Waze — Waze is designed primarily for those who drive and relies heavily on user-reported data. “Wazers” alert each other to traffic and road hazards. Road closures, accidents, and other items pop up on the map as you’re driving along, helping you save time as well as avoid obstacles and hazards. All this happens in real-time based on information from other drivers. If a better route becomes available, you can trust Waze to let you know immediately.
Because Google Maps and Waze are different, you might find it best to keep both on your phone (or have multiple phones). That way you can use one or the other, depending on the nature of your trip. Plus, having more than one phone is not only handy, it also complicates your life exponentially.
A Squirrel About Town
By Archy
“You should bring back the estray pen.” Archy had a new suggestion for mankind in his crusade to help humanity.
“The County used to keep an estray pen for animals who had wandered off and become lost,” the squirrel explained. “Right now, there are a lot of people who squarely fit that description.”
I asked how penning people up would help the situation.
“For one thing, it would keep them from being destructive,” Archy suggested. “Animals with no boundaries canbecome destructive. Herd instinct takes over and they do things they might not do as individuals. In many circumstances, crowds can cloud clear thinking.” That seemed evident. “Unfortunately, the ability to think clearly seems to be a bit lost itself,” he said, shaking his head. “People seem to have lost their sense of discernment when it comes to gathering information. They will follow what they perceive as truth without exercising any judgement. It’s sad, actually.” I agreed, but how do you get them to change? “It’s hard to get people to change their minds, and until they do nothing will change,” Archy said. They have to want to find the anwer.”
And with that, the squirrel pull out a harmonica and began to play, “Blowin’in the Wind.
James Baldwin
Lessons You Don’t Learn in School
By Lynn Hopper
My dear friend Rita is a woman of many accomplishments: she has published two books and is working on a third; she has interviewed celebrities and reviewed books, movies and concerts for more than 50 years and is president of the Annette Funicello fan club. By the time she retired a few years ago she had the most seniority in the Indianapolis Star newsroom.
When we first met, however, at the Star, she was cute, skinny and fresh out of high school. She had been hired to do a job no one else wanted to do: keep editing the TV logs.
There weren’t as many stations in those days, but the ones we did have changed schedules on what seemed like daily whims. And of course, readers expected them always to be up-to-date.
Rita hadn’t been to college, but she was obviously bright, and complaints about the TV schedules dropped.
The entertainment department was three people (counting her, three and a half), and the day (evening) came when there were four events that needed to be covered.
Pat, our boss, asked me if I thought Rita was up to covering the fourth event, Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. Of course I said yes, but he didn’t actually say he was going to assign her. It was a big chance for her, and I didn’t want to get her hopes up if he didn’t ask her, so I didn’t give her a heads-up.
We were all horrified, then, when he did ask her and her answer was a resounding “No!”
“Give us a few minutes,” I told Pat, and the other girl in the office and I grabbed our purses and hustled Rita off to supper. It was like half-time in a ballgame, while we pumped self-confidence into her. She recalls that I suggested she use the word “ubiquitous” though I’m not sure why. Maybe I thought it would sound impressive.
By the time we got back to the office, she was timorously ready to go. She did just fine, of course, (with or without ubiquitous) starting what became a great career. Things have kind of come full circle. Now in retirement, she is an assistant on a couple of locally syndicated television shows!
A Bark From the Past: Henry
[Editor’s Note: The Republican’s first four-footed correspondent was Henry, a mixed breed rescue dog, who made observations about small town life from a dog’s point of view. The following was written in 2009.
I guess you’ve noticed that the days are getting a lot shorter and the nights are getting colder. It’s fun to take a brisk walk around the block on a cold, crisp evening. The cold makes all the smells stay put, whatever and wherever they may be. And breathing that cold air sure works up an appetite for a few biscuits when we get home. But it’s nice to be home, too, and out of the cold.
Some of my friends, though, stay outside all the time, no matter what the weather, so on behalf of “outside” dogs and cats everywhere, I want to remind humans that they need to provide some kind of shelter for us pets, with something in it to help us stay warm and dry, like a blanket or an armful of clean straw. Sure, our fur helps keep us warm in cold weather, but we still get cold at night. And remember to check our water bowls to see if they are frozen. You try quenching your thirst by licking an ice cube! And some extra food for more heat energy wouldn’t hurt either.
Hey, don’t forget the birds! You don’t need a fancy feeder. Just throw some bird feed on the ground and fill a shallow container with water. Food and water are mighty hard to find in the winter. Pick up a chunk of suet from the meat case at the grocery and leave it out for the birds. Cookie, The Republican’s cat mascot, is a bird expert (this is no surprise!) and she tells me that birds need nearly 20 times as many calories in the winter as they do in the summer, just to stay warm! That suet keeps their little furnaces stoked! And don’t get made if the squirrels, opossums and raccoons take some of it. Everybody has to eat!
Thought for the Day:
It doesn’t take a lot of energy or resources to help our fellow inhabitants on this planet, no matter what the species. All it takes is a little of our time and we waste enough of that already. Give some time to someone or something else. It’ll make things better for us all.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin
The Idiom Challenge Use one of the following idioms in a conversation this week:
[Got a favorite idiom? Send it to us and we’ll try to “spread the word.” Just email to betty@TheRepublicanNewspaper.com, put in the mail to P.O. Box 149, Danville, IN 46122, or give us a call at 317-745-2777.
