19 minute read
Voices
We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number. (Please keep submissions under 500 words)
Exploring Hendricks County
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By Jackie Horn
What did we do before selfies?
A Thousand Words
There’s an adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” If that’s true, the Horns are probably some of the wordiest people on Earth! John loves taking pictures of the grandkids, of me, of scenery, of just about anything. Literally, tens of thousands of images are stored on our computer. We pay an annual fee to save them off-site too, in case a hard drive fails, fire or flood, or any other disaster strikes. Our photos are some of our most valuable possessions.
John and I are old enough to remember when Brownies weren’t just a tasty cookie bar. We know what flashbulbs and cubes are and used them. We understand Paul Simons, “Kodachrome” lyrics. Back when we were young, you had to PAY for film to take pictures. You had to PAY to have them developed and it wasn’t cheap. It took a week to get them back! You paid even for the shots that were blurry or had your thumb in them. When digital cameras came out, they offered an astounding 1.8- megapixel image. The camera required a floppy disc. The pictures were available to view immediately. Bad shots could be erased before they were printed. It was a technological marvel!
Today the device I carry around in my pocket to make phone calls takes 12-megapixel images. It shoots video and has special effects like slow motion too. John’s newest camera shoots 32 megapixels and the images are amazing. John’s current camera is a Canon 90D. John has patience. He makes adjustments. He changes lenses. He twists dials and turns rings. It means nothing to me. It’s a big, black camera. I have zero patience. I want to point and click. I shoot photos using an iPhone 11. Are my photos as fabulous as his? Nope. Do I care? Not usually. If a UFO landed in the backyard right this minute, who do you think would get the best picture?
Neither John nor I am a professional photographer. We do have loads of experience. I thought I’d pass along a few tips on taking photographs.
Tip #1: The best camera is the one you have with you. Like UFOs, kids don’t always hold their adorable poses for long. A fancy camera takes time to get out of the bag, assemble and set up. John likes to take his camera on our adventures. The camera isn’t exactly lightweight. He keeps it around his neck just in case something spectacular happens, like the bear crossing our bike path. He plans ahead to take photos of butterflies and bees so he’s all set up for it. The pictures he takes are gorgeous. He can zoom in to capture the hairs on a bee’s legs or a bear’s eyelashes. But life isn’t always planned. When it comes to that quick moment of awesome kid cuteness or the alien beaming out of its spaceship, I’ll be ready to whip out my phone and capture that moment because I always have my phone with me.
Photograph of the photographerl
Tip #2: A photograph will never capture the true image your eyes see. The human eye is a miracle. No camera, even with 32 megapixels, can replicate the real thing. With photo editing programs, people can try to perfect the image, but it just doesn’t cut it. And that’s OK. Photographs shouldn’t be about duplicating the beauty but capturing the memory. The real beauty of that instant will be in your mind. The photo helps you recall that magical instant whether it’s the sun beaming down on an autumn landscape or a baby’s smile.
Tip #3: A photograph doesn’t have to be perfect. I hate to tell you how many pictures I’ve taken of my thumb. With today’s photo editing programs, a less-thanperfect picture can be saved. A little cropping and the offending appendage is history. Red eyes from looking at the flash, gone. Too light or too dark, a few clicks and it’s fixed. Some photographic issues can’t be easily remedied but that doesn’t mean the picture shouldn’t be saved. With eight grandkids, there is always the one who has their eyes closed, is making a face, or crying (sometimes all different kids in one shot.) There’s no way to “fix” the photo. I keep them anyway because like I said in Tip #2, it’s about preserving the memory….and future blackmail.
Football or soccer games, band concerts, John rarely leaves his camera at home if there’s a grandchild around.
Tip #4: Don’t keep your pictures just digitally. Make prints from some of your photos. Back in the day, the joke was if you asked about someone’s kids, they’d pull out a photo album and start showing you hundreds of photos. With Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites, everyone posts pictures but no one makes hard copies. John and I have photo albums for each grandchild from the day they were born to the present. We make it a point to print a few pictures every year and add them to the albums. All the kids, even the oldest ones, love to look at their books and see themselves through the years. When we’re gone, those albums will be theirs. I’m betting their kids will love looking at them too.
Go ahead and click away. The “film” is cheap and the memories are priceless.
Your Mental Health
By Chase Cotton, Community Director, The Willow Center 317-852-3690
Gratitude and Your Mental Health
I love November. November brings us cooler wind, warmer drinks, more colorful trees, and fonder get-togethers with family. It truly is one of my favorite times of year, perhaps even more-so this year due to missing everything due to the pandemic last year. Yet, despite my heightened awareness of all this goodness, I still hear myself complaining about this or that at the end of the day. This complaining is starting bum me out. Can you relate?
We’re all prone to complaining sometimes. It’s been a difficult couple of years for us, to say the least! However, there is a strong body of scientific research that suggests complaining, and posturing and general orientation of complaint toward one’s life, can actually contribute to symptoms of anxiety and depression. As a person who is already prone to anxiety and depression, I certainly don’t want to be hurting my chances of feeling better by complaining!
I believe the missing key for me, and perhaps for all of us, is gratitude. November is a season of gratitude! We are even blessed with an entire holiday dedicated to giving thanks.
From day to day, there are so many people, places, and things we take for granted, rarely expressing our thankfulness for them. Family members, close friends, partners, kids, jobs with decent income, opportunities to rest, another day sober, fun hobbies, a warm and dry place to call “home”, even the breath in our lungs -- the list of what we could be grateful for is endless.
There’s also a strong body of scientific research that suggests that practicing daily gratitude can actually improve your mental health and quality of life! One such study, completed cooperatively by the University of Miami and the University of California, tested the effectiveness of daily gratitude practice. In the study, one group of people wrote a few things they were grateful for down in a journal each day. Another group of people wrote a few complaints down in their journals each day. A third group did not journal at all, as control in the experiment. The researchers found that the group of people that kept a daily gratitude journal felt “more optimistic and better about their lives” – and on top of this, the group was also much more likely to exercise and got sick less often than the other two groups.
So, what are you grateful for today? I challenge you to practice expressing thankfulness by beginning a brief gratitude journal today. Each day, write down 3 things you are grateful for, and why you are grateful for them. A single sentence for each thing will suffice. By the end of the month of November, if it’s working as well for you as it has been working for me, just keep it going for the rest of the year. Here’s to improved moods and more positive outlooks on our daily lives!
JUST AN OBSERVATION
By Janet Beam
WHEN IS IT MY TURN?
I remember many years ago, my dear mother-in-law said to me after my father-in-law had somewhat retired that she realized women never truly get to retire. How true!
She lived her life as a stay-at-mom home to three rambunctious boys. She cooked three meals a day for almost every day of her life. She was an outstanding cook; therefore, her husband never wanted to eat out. She dutifully planned those three meals a day with lots of variety
She got me to thinking. When husbands retire, most of them still keep somewhat busy around the house mowing the yard, raking leaves, watching sports on TV, playing golf, puttering with this and that. However, when a woman reaches retirement age (whenever that may be), nothing really changes. If she had a job outside of the home, that may stop, but everything else continues. All the housecleaning, the laundry, the cooking, the dishwashing, the window washing, the grocery shopping just goes on, and on and on! Sure there may be time for some trips here and there, but, let’s face it, a woman’s work is never done. No matter whether she is 35, 48, 56, 68, 77, 85, or 99, if she still has a house to maintain the work goes on. Now I don’t mind the housekeeping aspect, but boy does that cooking get old!
So husbands, if you are not doing so now, step in there and lend a hand. It will be much appreciated! But what I wouldn’t give for a personal chef!
Just an observation.
A Note From Bee
I was named Bee after my mother. I immediately became Little Bee to family and family friends. Fortunately, my friends never knew my nickname. When I was much, much older I did share with some of my friends my nickname. A friend commented that she was the baby of the family. When the family got together they still called her Baby well into her 60’s . By that time the older members of the family had died.
I wish when I was about six years old, my family and their friends would have dropped “Little.” When I called my immediate family I could just say this is Bee calling. Anyone else, if I said Bee, they thought it was my mother. So then I would say, “No, Little Bee.”
When the older members of the family and friends died, I thought that would be the end of Little Bee. Oh, no! When I was about 50, a cousin who was about 25 introduced me as Little Bee. Fortunately she moved to California and she hasn’t kept in touch with the family.
A Squirrel About Town
By Archy
“Listen,” Archy said. I didn’t hear anything. “Listen to what?,” I asked. “Exactly,” the squirrel said. “When I said, ‘listen,’ you did the opposite. You talked. I really get a kick out of you humans.”
That’s when I got it. People don’t take the time to listen to one another, they’re compelled to fill the space with talk.
Archy raised a tiny eyebrow. “So, you’re starting to understand. Good. Listening is the best tool you have to communicate with each other, but the least used.”
This time I was listening. Taking in what was said without getting my mouth in gear. I felt like I was suddenly standing in the middle of a field of ideas.
The squirrel chuckled. “Quite a feeling, isn’t it? It’s like art - you have positive space and negative space, and to make it work you have to find the right balance.”
I suddenly pictured Archy with a tiny beret standing at an easel and was silenced by the sheer cuteness of it.
“Snap out of it,” he barked. “I was trying to make a point. You have to listen to what the other person is saying, and then listen to what you’re thinking about before you say it. That way you’re learning about them and learning about yourself at the same time.”
He was right. I recalled so many instances of people arguing by talking over each other.
“Yes,” Archy said proudly. “You’re getting the hang of it. You can’t make a point if no one listens to it. And no one will listen to your point if they think you didn’t listen to theirs. Letting the words sink in, I think you call it.
This time I listened to the squirrel and really heard what he said and understood what he meant.
“Exactly,” I said.
Time to Get Crafty and Creative With Gourds
By Colletta Kosiba Hendricks County Master Gardener
Growing ornamental gourds with their funky shaped fruits for decorations or crafts is fun and easy.
When should you harvest them? The best way to tell if a gourd is ready to harvest is by look and feel. The vine will begin to die back and the skin of the gourd will be hard and pale.
An immature gourd feels fleshy and is bright green. Do Not pick!
Some people harvest before the first frost to save the seeds for next year. Others leave them on the vine to dry, even after a hard freeze. Frosts damages immature fruits, these would rot anyway,
Cut gourds from vine with sharp pruners, leaving two inches of stem intact, no pulling or twisting them off. The little bit of stem is important as it helps with evaporation of water. Gourds are about 90 percent water, as they dry moisture escapes through both the porous skin and the stem.
Wipe down with diluted bleach water or soapy water or do nothing at all. Dry gourds where there is good air circulation. I dried mine in horse barn.
Drying length of time depends on size of the gourd, 1-6 months. Just leave them alone. A crust of mold is normal. Wash gourd with soapy water with a steel wool pad to remove. Then let dry. A light sanding of shell prepares the gourd for painting, varnishing or waxing.
Dried Lagenaria gourds make cozy and natural bird houses.
Some Things to Do with… Gourds
Make a birdhouse, hang on a garland, make a lantern or a canteen, fill with wax add a wick and have a lovely gourd candle. The key to harvesting and drying gourds is simple. Just grow and they will dry all by themselves! Johnny’s Selected Seeds has an excellent selection of ornamental gourd seed. Why not try some next year?
Make a garland of gourds to decorate you mantle. Leave them natural or paint them, they make a great fall statement.
This time of year we switch out our old decorative squash for a new one - It’s the traditional changing of the gourd.
My Favorite Story
Last Thursday was Veterans Day and I thought I would share with you my favorite Military Story. If you are ever talking to a Vet, ask him to tell you his favorite story. A big smile will appear and he will tell you, in minute detail, the story. My story takes place in Sembach, Germany. I had been there for a year and had received orders to come back to the States. The words used are, “I was a short-timer. When you are short, you don’t have to look so sharp.”
We received word that a General was coming to visit and everyone went crazy. Our operations was in an old WW2 Hangar on the flight line. Our First Sergeant immediately put us on duty rosters for cleaning, painting, etc. I remember my first job was to shine the brass door knobs on all the doors. I was then put on the pigeon droppings clean up crew.
The big day came and the First Sergeant had us all fall out for inspection. Needless to say, I and the other short-timers did not pass inspection. He tells us to go over to the Airport Terminal and stay in the coffee shop until the General leaves. “Oh, darn,” was our reply. We went over, got a stale donut and a Stars and Stripes newspaper and settled in.
The General arrives, steps off his airplane, salutes the Base Commander, and walks right into the snack bar. Someone calls us to attention and he replies “As you were.” He then proceeds to go around the room talking to every one there, including us short-timers. He then gets on his airplane and leaves.
After he is gone we go back to the Hanger. Our Sergeant gets all upset because we were suppose to stay away until the General leaves. He just about has a big one when he finds out the General is gone. We had the last laugh.
Noel Gatlin
A Bark From the Past: Henry
[Editor’s Note: The Republican’s first four-footed correspondent was Henry. A mixed breed rescue dog, Henry would make observations about being a dog in a small town. The articles have been languishing in the computer’s memory and we thought a new audience might enjoy some canine commentary.]
I think it’s a great idea to remind people that shelter dogs are out there, just waiting to find forever homes. Since I was a shelter dog myself, I know what it’s like to sit there, watching humans walk by as they look at all of the dogs and then pick one, but it isn’t you. I watched a lot of humans go by before my humans found me and I found them.
If any of you humans are thinking about getting a dog, look at shelter dogs before you buy a puppy at a pet store. If the puppy came from a puppy mill (most of them do), it might have all kinds of weird things wrong that won’t show up until later. I feel sorry for those puppies. They were born and raised in awful places. They are treated real bad and may not live long, healthy lives. And by buying them, humans are actually supporting those puppy mills.
At shelters, the cute puppies they get in are picked first. The dogs who really need help are the grown-up ones at shelters everywhere. But, lots of humans don’t want an adult dog. And that’s something else I don’t understand. At a shelter, they could spend some time with a dog they might want and see what it’s like. They can play with it and figure out if its personality will fit with theirs.
A lot of times, shelter dogs are already house-broken, too. Someone has taken care of the dog and trained it. Maybe humans turn in dogs once in a while because they are tired of them , but sometimes the dog’s human dies or gets sick or can’t take care of a dog any longer. So, the dog ends up at a shelter.
You have to remember that we come from wolves, so we are social animals. We want to be part of a group, even if the other members are humans. We can’t stand to live alone. And in shelters, we are alone. We are separated from the other dogs. For us, that’s awful. We need to be with company. And humans want company, too! Doesn’t that work out great? Don’t shop. ADOPT!
Thought for the Day: Remember what Henry said. The wonderful adult dogs who are stuck in shelters need homes. They are too precious a resource to waste. Visit a shelter. Find a life-long friend.
MASTERING THE HOUSE useful tips for homeowners
The Dishwasher - Clean the Cleaning Machine
I had the pleasure of building my own home almost 11 years ago, so all my appliances seem to be fairly new. (As we get older time does appear to move faster) But a couple of weeks ago when my dishwasher failed to function, I suddenly recalled in our inspection reports we have this design life statement that says the typical industry standard for a dishwasher is 10 – 15 years. Eleven years and it was done. Luckily, I was able to order a new circulating pump and do some repairs to kick this investment down the road. But that isn’t why I’m writing about dishwashers; it is the surprise I found while changing the pump I want to talk about. Cleaning a dishwasher? Who knew the machine built to clean our dishes needs cleaned itself? Here is what I learned:
First, always remove any bits of food or debris from the bottom of the dishwasher between washes. Typically, there is a screen at the bottom of the dishwasher that keeps large items from lodging in the pumps. Even though the advertisements show those extremely dirty dishes going into the dishwasher and coming out sparkling clean, we should always scrape any solid particles from the dishes before putting them in for cleaning.
Second, weekly we should wipe down the door gasket. There are those corners and crevices that catch dirt and grim around the rubber seal, tending to build-up and cause an odor. Before you throw the dish rag into the laundry, take a good swipe around the rubber gasket making sure it is clean.
Here is the one that surprised me; my dishwasher had a second, finer filter that cleaned the re-circulating water used over and over during the wash cycle. In 2013 standards called for dishwashers to reduce the amount of water they used from the typical 10 gallons per load down to 5 gallons. Energy saving models on the market will use as little as 3 gallons per washing. This means the water is circulated several times during each cycle. With the reuse of water to clean the dishes, the water is circulated through a fine filter that collects particles, minerals, and soap residue. Being an energy savings washer, my recirculating filter had become clogged and restricted the water flow to the pump. This was most likely the cause for the pump failing. The moral to the story is the secondary filter should have been cleaned at least monthly. In the flurry of manuals with a new home, I missed that one.
Don’t just wipe down the exterior of the dishwasher. Take the time to remove the bottom rack and give the inside a good cleaning, filters, and all. Kick the possible expense further down the road!
Theodore Parker
