A Mother’s Love

A Mother’s love is something

That no one can explain.

It is made of deep devotion

And of sacrifice and pain.

It is endless and unselfish

And enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it

Or take that love away….

It is patient and forgiving

When all others are forsaking.

And it never fails or falters

Even though the heart is breaking…

It believes beyond believing

When the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

Of the rarest, brightest gems…

It is far beyond defining,

It defies all explanation.

And it still remains a secret

Like the mysteries of creations….

A many-splendored miracle

Man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence

Of God’s tender guiding hand.

            Author Unknown

Last Will Of A Farmer

I Leave:

• To My Wife - My overdraft at the bank. Maybe she can explain it.

• To My Son - Equity on my car. Now he’ll have to go to work to meet the payments.

• To My Banker - My soul. He has the mortgage on it anyway.

• To My Neighbor - My clown suit. He’ll need it if he continues to farm as he has in the past.

• To The PCA - My unpaid bills. They took some real chances on me and I want to do something for them.

• To ASCS - My grain bin. I wan planning to let them take it nest year anyway.

• To the Farm Advisor - 50 bushels of corn to see if he can hit the market. I never did.

• To the Junk Man - All my machinery. He’s had his eyes on it for years.

• To my Undertaker - A special request. I want six implements and fertilizer dealers for my pallbearers. They are used to carrying me.

• To The Weatherman - Rain, sleet and snow for the funeral please. No sense in having good weather now.

• To the Grave Digger - Don’t bother. The hole I am in should be big enough.

• To the Monument Maker - Set up a jig for the epitaph. “Here lies a farmer who has now properly assumed all of his obligations.”

                                    Source Unknown

Speed Clean A Room

Make a Plan:

• Write al list of tasks and check off each one as you complete it.

• Divide a huge job into small parts. For example: Tackle the floor, shelves, bookcase, dresser and so on one at a time.

• Break the job down by type: sorting paper, consolidating crafts supplies, organizing kitchen gadgets.

• Be realistic about what you can do. Set aside a certain amount of time and stick to it. You don’t want to get burned out before the job is done.

What You’ll Need:

• Three large boxes labeled “giveaway”, relocate (items to be returned to their proper place in the house) and “keep” (important documents or mementos lie kids’ artwork or photos.)

• Basic cleaning supplies, paper towels, damp sponge, dust rag, spray cleaner, broom and dustpan or vacuum.

• Small containers for pins, paper clips, coins, etc.

• A box for items that need to be take to a repair center. Put this in the trunk of the car afterwards so you don’t forget to take it with you on your next trip.

Getting Started:

• Begin at the door and work your way around the room, pick up obvious trash and discard it.

• As you find extraneous stuff, ask yourself “Do I really need this?” Put items back in their appropriate spot and divide the rest among your labeled boxes and the trash.

• Before you reassign objects to their proper place, wipe them off with a dust rag or a damp sponge. Anything that needs heavy-duty scrubbing can wait for another day.

Finishing Up:

• At quitting time, empty the labeled boxes so that you’ll be ready to a fresh start the next time you clean.

• Have the “giveaway” items picked up or take them to a drop-off center immediately so nothing reenters the house.

• Return items in the “relocate” box to their proper place and put papers in the “keep” Box in a folder.

Easy Peach Spread

4 ounces cream cheese softened
3 tablespoons strained baby food peaches
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until well combined.

Use as a spread for bread. This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Make Ahead Tuna Hoagie

16 ounce loaf sourdough French bread

12 1/4 ounce can water-packed tuna, drained and flakes

2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a small bowl, combine tuna and vinegar; set aside.

In another small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and anchovy paste. Spread the inside of each half of loaf with mayonnaise mixture.

Spoon tuna mixture into the bottom half of bread. Arrange tomato slices over tuna and season with pepper. Arrange onions over tomatoes and sprinkle with parsley. Top with remaining bread half.

Wrap loaf in foil and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. Cut into 8 slices.

Macaroni and Cheese Soup

2 - 1/2 cups water

7 - 1/4 ounce package macaroni and cheese mix

10 ounce package frozen peas and carrots

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

2 cups skim milk

In a large saucepan, combine water and dry cheese sauce mix from the macaroni and cheese mix. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in macaroni, peas and carrots, and dill weed. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Low Fat Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 of an 8 ounce container light cream cheese
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, beating well, at medium speed about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining confections’ sugar to make frosting of spreading consistency, about 2 minutes.

                        Ham and Rye Casserole

Vegetable Oil spray

4 slices seeded rye bread, cut into bite-size cubes

2 cups diced low fat ham

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup skim milk

egg substitute equivalent to 4 eggs

1/4 teaspoons black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray an 8 inch square glass baking dish with vegetable oil

Layer half the bread, half the ham, and half the cheese in baking dish. Repeat with remaining brad, ham and cheese. Set aside.

In a medium bowl,, stir together milk, egg substitute, and pepper. Gently pour egg mixture over ham mixture.

Bake, uncovered, 45 to 50 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Rhubarb-Pecan Muffins

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 large egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoon grated orange peel

3/4 cup orange juice

1 - 1/4 cup rhubarb, finely chopped

Combine all dry ingredients. Beat egg and oil; add orange juice. Add to flour mixture. Add rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees at 25-30 minutes.

Don’t judge your spouse too harshly for his or her weaknesses.  If they didn’t have them, chances are they wouldn’t have married you.

     Remember old folks are worth a fortune, with sliver in their hair, gold in their teeth, stones in their kidneys, lead in their foot, and gas in their stomachs. I have become a little older since I saw you last and a few changes have come into my life since then.

     Frankly I have become quite a frivolous old gal. I am seeing five gentlemen every day. As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me get out of bed. Then I go to see John. Then Charlie horse comes along and when he is here he takes a lot of my time and attention. When he leaves, Arthur Ritis shows up and stays the rest of the day. He doesn’t like to stay in one place very long, so he takes me from joint to joint. After such a busy day I’m really tired and glad to go to bed with Ben Gay. What a life????????????

P. S. The Preacher came to call the other day. He said at my age I should be thinking about the hereafter. I told him, “Oh, I do all the time. No matter where I am-in the parlor, upstairs, in the kitchen, or down in the basement I ask myself now…”What am I here after?”

Mary Hoff worked at the Platteville Journal  before she got married.  After a few years, she started a column at the Tri-County Press and also covered Cole Acres Notes. When the Tri-County Press was sold to Bill Hale in Lancaster,  he asked to carry the column in the Grant County Independent.  Mary says she writes, "just to keep my mind from getting rusty." 

mjandmjh@pcii.net

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