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Journalism lost (2): obituaries

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john marshal

The obituary was once a critical feature in newspaper publishing. Now it lives mostly online, the last words published about an individual, a finale that often leaves readers guessing.

Recent examples: A Salina man, 28, and an Ashland, Mo. woman (with Salina connections) died on March 24. A 54-year-old Beloit man died March 28. Each did well in school, enjoyed life, had many interests and hobbies, was popular and loved and had many friends. Large families, including grandparents, survive.

Their obituaries don’t mention a cause of death. This is the standard today, with exceptions for victims of a grisly crime or terrible disaster, but often not. News of the mass shooting, or the tornado that ripped through town names the victims but their obituaries say only that they died.

The fact of death escapes. Readers are told instead that a person gained his (or her) angel wings, or went to dance with the Lord, or went to be home with Jesus, or flew away to a heavenly place. The strong implication is that they are dead but the truth and reason for it is sidestepped.

This assault on reporting has evolved because most newspapers now charge for obituaries, one of the most vulgar and predatory practices in American journalism. This contrivance allows the family to provide the deceased’s obituary without the intercession of good reporting. It releases the newspaper from obligation to report the cause of death. And it’s a shameful way to make money.

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When people are born they are given a place on this earth and in a family, one of great or limited affection, and they have people they adore and love and whom they worship. They have a place in the lives of others, to whom they may give fidelity and devotion. We expect that they will have a chance to acquire certain experiences, to learn about good and evil, to be vigilant of the best things in our humanity.

Over time, there is the chance to consider how and why a person’s life changes, the real possibilities of love and loss, sorrow and pain, the inevitability of aging and death.

Every life has at least one event worth recording and at least one story for the telling, if only at its death. Most obituaries remain conventional, uninspired. They pass up untold stories of special talent, unrivaled pursuits, longtime hobbies and more, taken to the grave with no mention. Even the greatest tragedy, the death of an infant, will hold powerful meaning worth more than a sentence.

But no newspaper, however flush with profits, has the staff or the time or the inclination to dig into the special events or tales of every soul delivered to its Maker. That few try any more, even occasionally, is another loss. (Enlightened obituaries are reserved for celebrities.)

*

Survivors are often reluctant to reveal why or how a person died, but the omission is even more curious when the deceased is too young for the presumption of “natural causes”.

Cause of death can be a delicate matter given, say, a debilitating battle with alcohol or dementia, and trickier yet if suicide is the cause. Even so, it is better for all concerned if a cause of death is reported simply, without dramatization or elaboration. It puts an end to rumors that otherwise

might grow and fester.

For the young who die, the need to know and report is even greater. Among life’s greatest cruelties is the death of a child; such a loss should never be dissolved without explanation.

Every life has value, from the first startled moments of infancy to the final breath of a long existence. No one is ever intended simply to disappear.

FFA Program Introduces Members To Careers In The Equine Industry

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Although Lexington, Kentucky, is considered the horse capital of the world, many of the students in Fayette County Public Schools have had little interaction with horses, according to Fayette County FFA correspondent Jodi Helmer.

Erick Torres started going to the horse stables when he was just eight years old. He tagged along with his dad, a professional horse groomer, to help bathe and brush the Thoroughbreds.

The experience convinced Torres that he wanted a career working with horses. When he learned that Locust Trace Agriscience Center in Lexington, Kentucky, had an equine program for high school students, he couldn’t wait to sign up. The program exceeded his expectations.

“It was really fast-paced and really fun, and I learned a lot of things,” Torres said. “It gave me a special boost.”

After his 2020 graduation, Torres accepted a job at the iconic Thoroughbred Center in Lexington as a horse groomer and set his sights on becoming an equine veterinarian. Torres believes the high school program provided the skills and confidence he needs to take his equine career to the next level.

The equine program has been part of the curriculum since Locust Trace opened its doors in 2011.

A partnership between Fayette County Public Schools and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association expanded the offering, making the program available to all high school students attending the career and technical high school in Lexington.

“An equine program just makes sense in the horse capital of the world,” said Logan Layne, agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Locust Trace.

Through the program and membership in the Locust Trace FFA Chapter, more than 2,400 students will gain knowledge and exposure to the myriad career possibilities in the equine industry.

“It’s all about exposure,” said Anne DeMott, Locust Trace principal. “Students might not associate a career in technology with agriculture at all, but if we can let students job shadow or take them to places to see how they could take that interest and combine it with agriculture. Those experiences are crucial in building a new generation of agriculturalists.”

Saniyah Smith had no interest in working with horses until she was inadvertently enrolled in the equine program. Now, the Locust Trace alumna hopes to pursue a career in equine dentistry or therapy.

“The equine pathway is so hands-on; you’re working with horses every day,” Smith said. “I like being hands-on, seeing and touching the horses, and being able to look at the different parts of their body.”

Torres agreed. He often points out parts of the equine anatomy while bathing and grooming horses, even sharing the information with his dad.

Environment is one of the biggest benefits of the expanded equine program, according to Fallon Jackson, also an agriculture teacher at Locust Trace.

FFA members are exposed to each component of the three-circle model, combining premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.

They use lessons from the classroom during their field trips and volunteer opportunities at 23 participating horse farms around Lexington.

“It’s the partnership with local farms that makes this program stand out,” Jackson said. “Being able to set students up with internships and experiences will put them leaps and bounds ahead of the competition for career opportunities.”

Through the equine program, Smith has volunteered with the Kentucky Horse Park and the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center.

While Locust Trace FFA members often cite spending time with horses as one of the biggest advantages of participating in the equine program, the classes are about more than just horsin’ around.

Several FFA members have used the program as a foundation for their supervised agricultural experiences (SAEs).

Although she had a lot of experience riding horses and participating in competitions, Crouch admits she didn’t know much about what happened behind the scenes or potential career pathways that would allow her to work with Thoroughbreds. The equine program at Locust Trace changed that.

“It’s amazing, considering we’re in the middle of Lexington, to have a program for city kids who have the passion and the drive to want to be in the ag industry,” Crouch said.

+++30+++

 

CUTLINES

 

Locust Trace FFA member Kennedy Spriggs works with her off-track Thoroughbred, Pesto.

 

Although Locust Trace FFA member Lily Crouch had a lot of experience riding horses and participating in competitions, she didn’t know much about what happened behind the scenes or potential career pathways that would allow her to work with Thoroughbreds. The equine program at Locust Trace changed that.

Pneumonia Is Serious Illness

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Most people know the word pneumonia but do not understand how dangerous the sickness can be for animals and humans.

Pneumonia is one of the most significant diseases affecting calves causing inflammation of the lung tissue and airways.

Damage may be irreversible in severe cases as it is the most common reason for death and poor performance in young cattle.

Factors that can cause calf pneumonia include the presence of bacteria and viruses, the environment, and the immune status of the animal.

Symptoms of pneumonia are reduction in eating, dull demeanor, dropping of the head, increased respiratory rate, nasal discharge, cough, and raised temperature.

Strategies to reduce pneumonia should target improving cattle immunity and reducing stress, as well as treating any disease present.

Fast and effective antibiotic treatment is critical for minimizing potential lung damage. Providing treatment with long-acting antibiotics will often improve the health of a sick calf, resulting in quicker return of appetite and more rapid recovery.

The lungs take 10-14 days to heal, therefore a treatment course should last this length of time, even if the animal appears clinically better after just a few days.

Human pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that may be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.

The infection causes the lungs’ air sacs to become inflamed and fill up with fluid or pus.

Symptoms of pneumonia range from mild to severe, and include cough, fever, chills, and trouble breathing.

Many factors affect how serious a case of pneumonia is, such as the type of germ causing the lung infection, the person’s age, and their overall health. Identifying the pneumonia cause can be an important step in getting the proper treatment.

Anyone can get pneumonia, but people most at risk are infants and young children, adults 65 or older, and people who have other health problems.

Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization in both children and adults. Most cases can be treated successfully, although it can take weeks to fully recover.

Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. die from pneumonia every year, most of them adults over the age of 65.

Reminded of Genesis 2:7

: “And the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.”
+++ALLELUIA+++

XVIII–17–4-22-2024

The Wedding Date for Daughter Lovina and Daniel’s Wedding Is Announced

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Forty-three years ago, on April 16, my oldest sister Leah and Paul united hands in marriage. I was in third grade at the time, and for some reason, I always remember that Good Friday was the next day. I remember sitting beside my mother as Leah and Paul were being married. I couldn’t figure out why my mother would cry at a wedding. Now, as my own children marry and move away from home, I understand what her tears were about. I wish Paul and Leah a happy anniversary and many more happy, healthy years together. 

Now, another of our children will be leaving home and starting a life together with her friend. 

Daughter Lovina and Daniel’s wedding date was announced at church on Sunday. Lord willing, they will be united in marriage on June 21 (Friday). Daniel is living in the place where daughters Susan and Verena had lived, so that is where they will make their home.

We have a few busy months ahead preparing for this wedding. I haven’t started with sewing for the wedding yet. Hopefully, in the next week or so I can get that done. 

Last night, we had our first asparagus for this season. Rhubarb looks like it is ready to use, and Joe keeps reminding me that we need a rhubarb custard pie on the table soon. 

Son Benjamin mowed our grass for the first time this week. He had his stitches taken out and seems to be doing okay. The doctor said to watch for infection yet since it was a deep wound. Benjamin is good with pain, so he doesn’t complain much. 

My husband Joe planted 100 sweet onion plants on Saturday and also some radishes. We would like to get some potatoes, lettuce, and peas in the ground as well. Verena’s special friend Daniel Ray tilled our garden and the garden beds for us on Saturday. Lovina’s special friend Daniel was also here helping with the new pole barn. It is ready for cement now.

Our plans are to set the tables for their wedding in the new pole barn. The wedding services will be held in the other pole barn, so everything will be here on our farm. 

Daniel and Lovina are planting their garden too, so they will have plenty of vegetables to use after they are married. I want to can some rhubarb juice for us and them. They are excited to start their life together as one.  

May God always be their guide. We will miss Lovina when she moves out, but we look at it as gaining another son. Daniel is a nice loving and respectful man, and we welcome him into our family. 

Brother Albert was released from the hospital and is still very weak from the surgery. I would like to go visit him soon. I wanted to give him time to adjust being home. It sounds like he has had a lot of visitors. I hope he gets plenty of rest and doesn’t overdo it. Although visitors mean well, it is sometimes good to check with the patient to see if they are up for visiting. 

Albert’s son-in-law (their oldest daughter Elizabeth’s husband) Amos is in a hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has also been diagnosed with cancer. He is 43 years old. Our thoughts and prayers are with both families as they are going through these trials. May God comfort and heal them. Thank you for all the prayers! God’s blessings to all!

Asparagus Egg Scramble

1 dozen eggs

seasoned salt and pepper, or your preferred seasonings to taste

2 cups diced asparagus, cooked until tender

1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled

1/2 cup mushrooms, canned or fresh

3 ounces shredded cheese or soft cheese (like Velveeta)

In a bowl, add seasonings to eggs and beat lightly. Transfer to a skillet with a small amount of bacon grease and scramble the eggs until just set. Add asparagus, bacon, and mushrooms. Cook until eggs are done. Take off heat and stir in cheese; cover until cheese is melted. 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her two cookbooks, The Essential Amish Cookbook and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email [email protected] and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Leafy Greens in My Garden

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KSU horticulture

I’m trying to incorporate more leafy greens into my garden. There has to be more than lettuce and spinach you can plant, right? Fortunately, there is! One of these is Kale. This relative of cabbage is one of the most cold-hardy vegetables and can withstand very low temperatures while maintaining its characteristic dark green to purplish color. It is also quite heat tolerant and can sometimes provide harvests through most of the summer in Kansas, although the leaves will have a stronger flavor.

 

There are several different types of kale, including curly types, flat-leaf types, and lacinato kale. All types of kale will perform well in Kansas during the spring and fall. Different types will be more appropriate for different cooking applications, so consider intended uses when selecting a variety.

 

When to plant. Kale is cold tolerant and can be direct-seeded in mid-March for a spring crop or in early August for a fall crop. Kale can be started indoors and transplanted outside for an earlier harvest.

 

Spacing. Plant seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep and thin seedlings to one plant every 8 to 12 inches in the row. Rows can be up to 15 inches apart. For small salad leaves, plants can be grown more closely together.

 

Crop rotation. If possible in your garden space, do not plant in areas where you have grown cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, collards, Brussels sprouts, mustards, or turnips for the past 3 to 4 years.

 

Care. For best flavor, provide consistent moisture throughout the growing season. If leaves become bitter in the summer, replant in the fall for a continued crop. Mulch to help maintain even soil moisture. Row covers can help reduce insect pressure from cabbage worms and loopers.

 

Harvesting. For salad leaves, harvest individual leaves when they are 3 to 6 inches long. For larger, more mature leaves, cut older, lower leaves when they are full sized and tender. Cold weather improves the flavor. Kale can be left in the garden and used until a severe freeze damages the crop, usually in early December.

Italian Beef Salad

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I’m asking myself if I’m out to prove something today! So far, I’ve checked off 2 ham and spinach quiches, trail cookies, 6 loaves of bread, sewing and hemming & spaghetti for supper! Yep, when I go to it, I do a pretty good job. Yesterday; however, was a washout on the projects. Met my cousin, Opal, yesterday for breakfast, (which was awesome), shopped at my favorite store, then home to catch up on rest. I feel guilty doing the chilling out, but it just has to happen sometimes. (I made up for the resting on Sunday!)

This week I’ve chosen a recipe that I truly enjoyed making in the very early days at the culinary school. You will notice I don’t give measurements on the main ingredients, that’s simply because I don’t know how many you are entertaining.

Not to mention, once you have grilled the meat, you could have this salad more than once in a week. It is very refreshing.

Skirt steak; I have found the cut on this varies according to where you reside. I like it as a thin steak like I might use, for example, in fajitas. When I go back to Lewis, County, Missouri, I find this steak to be totally different from my stores in southern Missouri. Must stop for a moment, remember those quiches I made? Oh, my goodness, they are delicious, and…. I can truly say I used pre-made crusts which were outstanding. (Marie Calendars, yummy) OK, now back to the salad!!! One thing you’ve heard me say multiple times is to reheat your meats in a steamer, it will taste like it just came from the grill. If you know you may be doing this, undercook the meat a little more than usual. Something else you might want to employ, which is not in the recipe, is to marinate the skirt steak for 24 hours in an Italian dressing. Oh yeah, that would be a great change out. Those who prefer a good rub, McCormick’s has several that would compliment the skirt steak or chicken.

Different types of meats? I would not mind grilled chicken with this, actually pork would not be my first choice, but thinly sliced tenderloin would not be bad. I also did not mention goat cheese for the top, this is a great choice too. Perhaps you don’t want to use the beef or chicken, you could present this with pieces of salami, just don’t put it on mine, ha!

I leave ‘early’ Friday for my presentation back in Lewistown on Saturday the 20th. I’m looking forward to the trip, and seeing lots of friends. I might even be going to a bonfire, and that makes it even better. Plus, I get to see my pop while I’m there!

I have to make a little extra of my demo dish, so dad can enjoy a nice dinner that evening. OH, I just thought of something he mentioned he was hungry for! I know what I’ll be making on Thursday night! I’m not telling, because he reads this column! I’ll tell you next week, and/or share the recipe in the next couple of weeks.

Next week I’ll have a brand-new recipe for you that will debut in Lewistown, on the 20th. Then; I’m working on a new trail cookie; we will see how that comes out.

I’ve got my fingers crossed on it. Oh dear, I just turned around and saw brown bananas, you know what’s next for the oven here, banana bread.

I used to do lots of classes out in McPherson, KS, however they have changed and are using an employee now to do most of their classes. If you want to do something unique and set up cooking sessions in your community, please reach out, I probably would say: yes, I miss the conversation and sharing that takes place in many of the cooking sessions. I’ve learned so much from this exchange in the past. My good cooking friend, Linda, here in Branson West, will attest to that one. I enjoy doing different series, bread making and baking is probably my top favorite, but I also love doing canning and preserving sessions. This could be something fun to do for showers, Mother’s Day events, any women’s gatherings etc. If the men are attending, I would suggest meats and breads! Ponder, life is short we need to keep having fun! In Lewistown I’m speaking and doing a demo, I’ll start with ‘Signs’ then move into a ‘Sampling’ closing with ‘Simplicity’. The style/format can be modified to fit the setting.

I’ve got to close, there’s plenty more to accomplish on this day. Simply yours, The Covered Dish.

Italian Beef Salad

Artichokes, drained

Red Onion rings, can’t eat fresh onion? Marinate in vinegar blend first.

Tomatoes of choice

Black Olives

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Skirt Steak, grilled & cut into thin strips

Italian Lettuce, blend

Options: Change out the cheese to Asiago, Feta, Bleu or Goat.

Fresh Basil or arugula to taste

Grill the steak and allow to cool slightly before slicing into thin strips for the top of the salad. Prepare the greens and then layer the remaining ingredients in an eye pleasing fashion: add the mozzarella or exchange cheese slightly before the skirt steak is placed on top. This salad is great as a one-dish meal for a warm summer night. Certainly, different cuts of meat may be used.

Creamy Italian Dressing

3/4 cup cholesterol free mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon minced sweet basil, dry

Mix all ingredients with a whisk and chill before serving. Yields about one cup.

The Morel of the Story

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Although Kansas is not known for its mushroom hunting, morel mushrooms can be found here, and rain expected for this week followed by warm spring days should bring them out. Now, I’m not an avid or seasoned morel hunter, and the likelihood of me finding a morel mushroom is probably about the same as finding a transgender Sumo wrestler, but I remember a trip I took several springs ago with a local morel hunting legend.

When I started this adventure, I was aware that dyed-in-the-wool mushroom hunters would just as soon give away their favorite deer stand or rat out their own mother as they would divulge their mushroom honey-holes, so I wasn’t surprised when my host for that evening insisted on anonymity for both himself and our location. My choices were simple; forget who he was and where we were, or ride blindfolded in the trunk of his car. Since I hate blindfolds and the trunk of his car was the bed of his old pickup, I choose the former. I will tell you, however, that we were somewhere south of Nebraska.

We parked and walked up a rutted sandy drive that wound through acres of every kind of cover imaginable, from dry knee-high grass and 3-foot dogwoods to 60-foot cottonwoods and everything between. The common denominator was leaf litter which covered every inch of soil. My host, whom I’ll dub “Hawkeye” for reasons that will become apparent, began to school me in “Morel Mushrooms 101.” As for location, the sandier the soil and the sunnier the spot the better. It seems morels like the soil damp but not too wet. They often prefer somewhat open areas, but not always. We found some of ours in dense cover, often crawling around on our hands and knees. In other words, conditions have to be just right and only the mushrooms can determine that. He ended this part of the class with the prophetic statement “You just find them where you find them,” adding that morels can often be found in the same spots year after year.

We stepped off the drive and headed toward a spot in the woods where “Hawkeye” had found mushrooms in the past. He had hunted deer in this area for over 30 years and knew the terrain like the back of his hand. He found the spot, but no mushrooms. As we walked on, we began to discuss the finer points of morel mushroom reproduction. Morels reproduce from spores which are scattered and distributed mostly by the wind, and no, the old wives tale suggesting they grow totally overnight is not true. My research found they can grow from spore to fully grown in a very few days, depending on conditions, but not merely overnight. “Hawkeye” said he had learned to look along fence lines and tree rows that run in such a direction as to catch the prevailing wind, evidently capturing and holding the wind-borne spores. Since morel reproduction is so “iffy,” God designed their spongy body purposely to hold the maximum number of spores for dispersion.

We had walked only a short distance farther when “Hawkeye” stopped and pointed 30 feet or so ahead of us. “There’s some,” he stated rather matter-of-factly, (I was doing good to see the ground that far away) and sure enough, in a small clearing ahead, several small Morel Mushrooms pointed skyward. We cut them off just above the ground and moved on. Awhile latter I found him staring intently into a small open spot several feet ahead beneath a tangle of vines. “You should find five in there before you’re through” he stated before walking on. On hands and knees, I crawled under the vines, knowing “Hawkeye” was toying with me…Having added the 5 mushrooms to my bag I crawled

out the other side with new found respect for both his eyesight and sincerity! We ended the evening with 2 nice “messes” of fresh spring morel mushrooms.

As a novice to both harvesting and preparing morels, I’ll tell you what works well for my host. They need to be soaked in salt water for awhile to help clean them and rid them of pests, but just before you’re ready to prepare them, as they will get soggy. Soak them just long enough to do the job, say 30 minutes. After cleaning and soaking, slice each one lengthways into thirds (or quarters if large enough) them dredge each piece in a mixture of egg and milk, roll them in flour or your favorite coating and fry them in butter or oil like fish until golden brown.

Each time I write about another crop to harvest from the Kansas outdoors, I think I’ve seen them all, but each time, I find I’ve merely scratched the surface! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

Steve can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Ancient Civilization and the Solar Eclipse

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As we all well know by now, A total solar eclipse took America by storm last Monday. For those of us who were lucky enough to be in the totality, it was a magical event. The simple act of the Moon aligning perfectly to block out the sun’s rays is a rather amazing event that we are very fortunate to be able to witness. For those of you who don’t know, the sun is exactly 400 times larger than the Moon, and luckily enough, the Moon is 400 times closer to the Earth than the Sun. This means that logically, the Moon perfectly blocks out the sun’s rays with a total solar eclipse. But enough about the science of things, I want to talk about the history of the solar eclipse, and how ancient cultures perceived this heavenly alignment. Spoiler alert, they panicked. Regardless, flip a few pages to read more about the history of the amazing event.

To our ancestors, the eclipse certainly would have been seen as a sacred omen of some type. Just imagine being a farmer tilling your field, and all of a sudden the sky goes dark. In many ancient cultures, the Sun and the Moon are representations of the most important deities. Needless to say, the event certainly isn’t calming. For example, in Incan culture, they saw the eclipse as the Sun god expressing his displeasure in Incan society. This dark time often caused them to repent in hopes that the Sun would return.

In what is now known as New Mexico, ancient Americans were known to have mass exodus from their homes and resting grounds. Many scholars believe this to have been a result of a lack of natural resources like food or water. However, this event also coincided with a major eclipse, notated in cave carvings by native peoples. Picture this scene, you’re going about your regular day, gathering materials for the tribe, and all of a sudden, the sky goes dark, nature stops singing, and the temperature drops chillingly fast. After a few panic-driven moments of the Sun being lost to your people, light returns and fills the sky once more. If you didn’t know any better, wouldn’t you interpret that as an omen to leave this place?

On the other side of the world in ancient China, early civilization too treated the eclipse with paranoia. They believed that the Sun was being actively consumed by a dragon and as such, they would bang loud drums and instruments to scare it off so that the sun would return to their people.

If you’re like me, you’re wondering what the Greeks or Romans thought of this spectacle, surely they’d have some idea what was going on? While they may have later on, in the early days of Greek civilization we have written record of the poet Archilochus, stating that Zeus himself had turned the day to night, and who knows what may happen thereafter. It wasn’t until the fifth century when an astronomer named Anaxagoras, discovered something closer to our modern understanding of eclipses, and how different celestial bodies cast shadows.

Overall, it’s pretty interesting to see how ancient civilizations observed the wonderful space spectacle we all know and love. For those of you who were lucky enough to travel to the totality, I envy you, but that’s not to say that it wasn’t pretty cool from where we were standing here in Kansas. The next eclipse in the Continental US will take place on August 23, 2044. But if you don’t want to wait till then, you can always see the one in Europe in 2026. Regardless, keep those glasses around, you may want them in 20 years.

The Wedding Date for Daughter Lovina and Daniel’s Wedding Is Announced

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Forty-three years ago, on April 16, my oldest sister Leah and Paul united hands in marriage. I was in third grade at the time, and for some reason, I always remember that Good Friday was the next day. I remember sitting beside my mother as Leah and Paul were being married. I couldn’t figure out why my mother would cry at a wedding. Now, as my own children marry and move away from home, I understand what her tears were about. I wish Paul and Leah a happy anniversary and many more happy, healthy years together. 

Now, another of our children will be leaving home and starting a life together with her friend. 

Daughter Lovina and Daniel’s wedding date was announced at church on Sunday. Lord willing, they will be united in marriage on June 21 (Friday). Daniel is living in the place where daughters Susan and Verena had lived, so that is where they will make their home.

We have a few busy months ahead preparing for this wedding. I haven’t started with sewing for the wedding yet. Hopefully, in the next week or so I can get that done. 

Last night, we had our first asparagus for this season. Rhubarb looks like it is ready to use, and Joe keeps reminding me that we need a rhubarb custard pie on the table soon. 

Son Benjamin mowed our grass for the first time this week. He had his stitches taken out and seems to be doing okay. The doctor said to watch for infection yet since it was a deep wound. Benjamin is good with pain, so he doesn’t complain much. 

My husband Joe planted 100 sweet onion plants on Saturday and also some radishes. We would like to get some potatoes, lettuce, and peas in the ground as well. Verena’s special friend Daniel Ray tilled our garden and the garden beds for us on Saturday. Lovina’s special friend Daniel was also here helping with the new pole barn. It is ready for cement now.

Our plans are to set the tables for their wedding in the new pole barn. The wedding services will be held in the other pole barn, so everything will be here on our farm. 

Daniel and Lovina are planting their garden too, so they will have plenty of vegetables to use after they are married. I want to can some rhubarb juice for us and them. They are excited to start their life together as one.  

May God always be their guide. We will miss Lovina when she moves out, but we look at it as gaining another son. Daniel is a nice loving and respectful man, and we welcome him into our family. 

Brother Albert was released from the hospital and is still very weak from the surgery. I would like to go visit him soon. I wanted to give him time to adjust being home. It sounds like he has had a lot of visitors. I hope he gets plenty of rest and doesn’t overdo it. Although visitors mean well, it is sometimes good to check with the patient to see if they are up for visiting. 

Albert’s son-in-law (their oldest daughter Elizabeth’s husband) Amos is in a hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has also been diagnosed with cancer. He is 43 years old. Our thoughts and prayers are with both families as they are going through these trials. May God comfort and heal them. Thank you for all the prayers! God’s blessings to all!

Asparagus Egg Scramble

1 dozen eggs

seasoned salt and pepper, or your preferred seasonings to taste

2 cups diced asparagus, cooked until tender

1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled

1/2 cup mushrooms, canned or fresh

3 ounces shredded cheese or soft cheese (like Velveeta)

In a bowl, add seasonings to eggs and beat lightly. Transfer to a skillet with a small amount of bacon grease and scramble the eggs until just set. Add asparagus, bacon, and mushrooms. Cook until eggs are done. Take off heat and stir in cheese; cover until cheese is melted. 

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her two cookbooks, The Essential Amish Cookbook and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email [email protected] and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Coyote tales & ears

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Thayne Cozart
Milo Yield

These nice spring days in the Kansas Flint Hills bring back fond childhood memories — about coyotes. Yep, coyotes. Why? Because coyotes were the apex predator to a kid growing up in southeast Kansas around 1950. And, April wuz the month when coyotes had their annual litter of pups. One of my favorite spring rituals wuz riding horses with my buddy, ol’ K. D. Budd, looking for litters of coyote pups.

But, why the hunt? Those were the times when cottontail rabbits — the coyote’s main meal — were so plentiful that hunting clubs from Pennsylvania made it profitable for kids to box-trap rabbits and export them to the Keystone State. I forget the exact price kids could make trapping rabbits, but I think it was 25-cents each. At any rate, it wuz enuf easy windfall money that we kids saw the coyote as a low-life competitor for the bonanza that had fallen into our laps.

A word of warning, if you’re squeamish at all about killing wildlife stories, I’d quit reading now because collecting bounties on dead coyotes was socially acceptable when I wuz growing up –well before the advent of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

And, back in those days, coyotes were the main killers of farmstead domestic chickens, too. So, our parents had no love loss for Mr. Wily Coyote either. Truth of the matter wuz that the Yield family back in those days ate a lot of wild rabbit meat, too, during the winters.

In fact, coyotes were so abundant, and considered an expendable nuisance by everyone, that the county treasurer would pay a bounty of $2 for every set of coyote ears brought to the treasure’s office in the county seat.

All of the above information is to explain why I’m recollecting coyote memories from my childhood for this column.

As best that I recall, K.D. and I “cashed in” on four litters of coyotes. To find them, every Saturday and Sunday in April and early May we rode our horses — mine wuz Mousey and his wuz Starlight — through limestone pastures looking for coyotes. The dens were found mostly dug under flat limestone formations or back in the cracks in limestone ledges.

Our biggest “find” was a double. We found two litters of coyote pups under the same big flat limestone rock. The litters were of different ages. The oldest had six pups that had their eyes open. The youngest had eight pups and were only a few days old.

K.D. and I had no trouble extracting the pups from their respective dens. And, we had no compunction at all about dispatching all the pups and cutting off their “bounty ears” with our pocketknives. In fact, we celebrated when we realized the huge pile of penny candy that our $28 of bounty money would buy. It would be like at least $280 in money today. We’d hit the jackpot.

Another litter we found wuz in the bluffs above Marmaton River. Collecting that bounty money wuz way more exciting. K.D. found the den, but when he shined a flashlight in it, what he mostly saw wuz teeth — snarling teeth — that belonged to Mama Coyote, who was in the den, too. The snarling made the hair rise on the back of our necks.The adult coyote stayed in the den while K.D. fetched his 22-rifle from his saddle scabbard. With the rifle, we added a set of adult coyote “bounty ears” to our payout. I forget how many pups were in that den, but I sure remember Mama Coyote.

K.D. and I found the fourth litter of coyote pups a few miles south of Bronson, Kan., not far from where old Hwy 54 turns east toward Uniontown. Getting those pups from the den proved a bit unnerving, too. The pups were plenty active, toothy, and big enuf to strenuously object to removal from the den.

To extract them from the den K.D. got creative. K.D. wuz four years older than me so he did the extraction. He put on a thick pair of leather gloves. When he stuck his arm back in the den, the aggressive coyote pups would bite his gloved hand and K.D. would clamp down and pull them out one by one. I think there were six pups in that litter.

Before I quit this coyote bounty story I’ve got to tell about collecting the bounty from the county treasure’s office. The secretaries in the office never liked to see us “bounty collectors” coming. They’d wrinkle-up their noses and go “Ugh! How many you got?” Never once did they count and confirm how many coyote ears we were collecting on. Looking back, I think we could have lied about the number and got paid for phantom coyote ears.

I know the above stories sound crass and cruel. And, they would be considered so these days. But, back around 1950 it was expected, acceptable, and no one got bent out of shape.

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This next memory about “coyote drives” clinches the low regard people in general had about coyotes 70-80 years ago in the Post WWII era. For me as a kid, participating in an organized coyote drive was nirvana. Excitement just didn’t get any better.

Here’s how it worked. In the spring, coyote drives were advertised and held each weekend in different communities. Several hundred hunters, each armed with only a shotgun, would disperse around the perimeter of four square miles and walk toward an open field or meadow in the center. A small airplane flying overhead would waggle its wings to keep the lines advancing equally.

As a kid, I couldn’t carry a shotgun, but I walked along with Dad or a neighbor. As the coyotes were pushed towards the center of the drive, they would make a mad dash to escape the trap. Some escaped. Most didn’t. A few folks usually got peppered with shotgun pellets, but I don’t recall anything serious.

After a morning and and afternoon drive, all the dead coyotes would be laid out on a hay rack and counted. Farmers and stockmen were happy the predators were gone. I have no idea who collected the bounty, but I imagine it wuz the drive organizers who had spent money to pull the drive off. At any rate, it wuz exciting to a little farm kid and the memories are still vivid today.

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Words of wisdom for the week: “If you want to kill time, why not try working it to death?” Have a good ‘un.