Country Extra November 2016

Mom didn’t know what to make for our first Thanksgiving feast, so she improvised. We dined on Kraft macaroni and cheese and roasted chicken. The meal was delicious, but what I loved most was how wonderful it felt to celebrate something in common with my friends and neighbors. That’s the beauty of Thanksgiving. We can all be grateful for our blessings. It doesn’t matter what religious or ethnic group you happen to belong to. This Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to have my loved ones safe and within arm’s reach. Our readers with family members in the military don’t often have that luxury. Their loved ones might be far from home. On page 62 you’ll meet a young woman who used her musical talents to thank the men and women who…

Hidden Gems We like to introduce our readers to the most beautiful parks they’ve never heard of in a special section we call Hidden Gems. We’re looking for recommendations from our readers. Are there any national or state parks and forests you’d like to tell us about? Please send us your stories and photos. Fun in the Sun As you prepare for Thanksgiving, summer is almost a distant memory. But the sunny season lives on in your photos, and we’d love to see them. Send us snapshots of the summer fun you’ve had, the places you’ve been and what you saw and did there. Tell what led to the picture and who’s in it. Faith Matters The bells ring faithfully in country churches across America. At Country and Country Extra,…

ven though we live in an E age of satellites and smartphones, some old - fashioned things are too sweet to go out of style. At the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement in Blountstown, folks still gather to demonstrate the sugarcane syrup process, from field to the bottle. “I’ve been going to the settlement since they opened up the syrup house, basically whenever the Southern Syrupmakers Association has a meeting,” said Wesley Pope, a fourth-generation syrup-maker. “At one meeting, I demonstrated the old-fashioned way of how to clean a kettle by coating it with mineral oil,” Pope said.“During another, I gave a talk on how to test the sugar content of a stalk. Others show how to strip, top and cut down cane to prepare it for the mill.” Each year, the…

When I was 12, my mother died of cancer, leaving five children behind; our father had left us years before. I was the baby of the family, and Mom had chosen a family to watch over me. The family’s car pulled up to the funeral home where Mom’s service was to take place. I was very upset because I was a real mama’s girl. As I got out of the car, there stood my pastor, the Rev. Glass. He was an older man, small in stature, who had the kindest face I had ever seen. He held a beautifully wrapped package in his hand. As he gently handed it to me, he said,“Martha, this is for you.” I opened it up, and there inside was a white porcelain angel with…

I was transplanting irises into my aunt’s yard when I found a baby Japanese maple growing under her lilacs. I told her about my find, and she asked if I wanted it. Of course I said yes! My 5-year- old grandson Hayden (left) was over and helped me carefully dig it out. Then he, ably accompanied by my dog Lucy, carried it over his shoulder and helped me plant it last fall. The tree budded out the following spring and is still doing well! Nanci Natale Darien, Connecticut…

The early winter storm was much worse than the forecast. In the 1950s, weather was frequently a best-guess science. “Sweetheart,” Dad whispered to Mom,“I’ve got to get out of bed and go check on the turkeys.” When Dad left the house, Mom worried that he would not be able to make it to the farm. The snow was whipping around the little white frame house at 40 miles per hour, and there were deep drifts on the driveway. At 7 a.m., Mom was ready to call for help when Dad’s truck slid into the driveway. He nearly collapsed on the kitchen floor.“Call Bishop Gurney,” he stammered.“Have him tell the congregation to come up to the farm and get a free turkey for Christmas dinner. “Near as I can tell,…