Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2018 i Country Extra

WITH A MARKER IN HAND, my son sketched out all the things he wanted to do this summer. I found at least four drawings while cleaning his room (I threw out a lot of “artwork” so I’m sure there was more that I missed). He wants to take a trip to the big city (Chicago) to see the beluga whales at the aquarium, go fishing with his grandparents, have a picnic with my husband and me (for some reason his little sister was not in the picture) and take a road trip. This issue reminds me of my son’s drawings—full of ideas for summer fun. There’s eating watermelon on a hot day (page 11), exploring Chimney Rock (page 12), picking wild raspberries (page 18), cooking for a picnic (page 24)…

We stepped onto the porch laughing, shaking water off our heads. Drops flew everywhere. My three brothers and I were soaked—wet boots, wet socks, wet hair, wet jeans. Oh, those drenched jeans were so hard to get out of and even harder to walk in. We put our wet clothes in the concrete tub, dried off and changed. We had been outside moving sprinkler pipe and it was hot and dusty. My oldest brother, Court, started it as soon as the water began to flow. He ran up to one of the sprinkler heads and aimed it at one of us. Then we all picked a sprinkler head. Next thing I knew, a strong burst of water hit me in the face and it hurt. Undaunted, I aimed better and…

THE MYSTERY PHOTO in the June/July 2017 issue of Country jumped out at me. Being a veteran, I wanted to touch the flagpole atop the 315-foot-tall Chimney Rock and look up at Old Glory flying over the land of the free. Two weeks later I was headed to North Carolina’s Chimney Rock State Park with my wife, Gerry. Along the way, we passed through Asheville, home of the Biltmore Estate, and stayed nearby at the Lake Lure Inn & Spa, where part of the movie Dirty Dancing was filmed. We booked the Patrick Swayze suite. To reach the hiking trails and waterfalls of the Chimney Rock area, we drove about 3 miles uphill to the park. After reaching the trailhead, we were ready to ascend. The Mystery Photo showed stairs…

1. SWALLOWTAIL LIGHTHOUSE Built in 1859, Swallowtail Lighthouse stands at the northernmost tip of Grand Manan Island with commanding views of the Bay of Fundy. Hike the surrounding trails and enjoy the vista. The restored lighthouse is maintained by the Swallowtail Keepers Society. swallowtaillighthouse.com 2. DARK HARBOUR Home of the world’s best dulse, an edible seaweed harvested on the island’s isolated west coast, this natural harbour has spectacular sunsets. 3. SOUTHWEST HEAD Follow the clifftop trail for amazing coastal views. Look for whales from July to September. Go to grandmanannb.ca for more information on all of Grand Manan’s trails. 5. HOLE-IN-THE-WALL PARK AND CAMPGROUND Hike to the iconic rock arch or pitch your tent on a clifftop camping site. grandmanancamping.com 6. THE INN AT WHALE COVE COTTAGES Tour or spend…

When I was 3, my big sister, Betty, lifted me up and put me in our coaster wagon with my brother David. “Hold on tight, Marcy,” she said. “I’ll give you a ride.” Later, Dad hooked up a larger wooden wagon to the garden tractor after removing the back rototiller blades for safety. My older brother, Jim, drove with the three of us younger kids in the wagon. Jim, age 11, yelled, “Hold on tight, Marcy. We’re going for a fast ride this time.” Fast? What’s fast? I wondered. Betty and David were excited and happy. I quickly realized why, as I felt the thrill of moving through space. I smiled widely, delighted to join in the fun. Lots of rides like these happened on our Ohio farm in the…

Something to Chew On My wife and I were babysitting our 20-month-old granddaughter, Lily, and just before nap time I noticed she was chewing on something. Knowing the tendency of little ones to grab items up off the floor and stick them into their mouths, I picked her up, placed her on the kitchen counter and asked, “Lily, what do you have in your mouth?” She looked at me and soberly replied, “Teeth.” ROGER TRUAX Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Alternative Medicine I accompanied my husband to an orthopedic appointment when he strained his knee from chasing our dog. I asked the doctor if we could try a horse liniment I heard was helpful. The doctor said, “If it helps, it can’t hurt.” I promised if he started to whinny or stomp…

No one at Bethlehem Baptist Church had ever before offered to shave their head for a good cause. But in July 2016, a sweet fellow named Evan Meinke said he would lose his locks if the congregation raised at least $2,000 for children in Haiti. It happened during our vacation Bible school. We always take a mission offering, and Evan, who had been on several mission trips to the country with his family, said it costs $75 to send one child to school in Haiti for a year. Church members accepted his challenge and took up the cause. “What it inspired was just an outpouring of generosity,” Pastor Charles Williams says. “A small church raised $2,850 to educate the children in Haiti. That is an astronomical amount of money for…

AMERICAN PRIDE From American flags to fireworks and Fourth of July parades, capture the spirit of America in your best patriotic photos. Share them with us and include details about when and where you took the photo and why you are proud to call this big, beautiful country your home. ROAD TRIP As you hit the road on vacation this summer, snap some photos and take notes! Country readers want to know why your destination is a spot they should put on their list to visit, too. Please include a few nearby attractions and the best places to eat and stay in the area. LIFE IN FOCUS Our talented readers take adorable photos of country life. If you’re a shutterbug, share your images with us. And please tell us a…

My dahlias were taking off. They all had creamy white petals that seemed to saturate themselves in the morning sunlight. Instead of planting them separately, I had grouped several together, and they seemed to bend toward each other, their heads bowing and swaying in the wind like young girls dancing. One bloom stood out from the others. Instead of blending in, this bloom faced backward. I took a few pictures of the dahlias and then went inside. Later, as I was showing the pictures to my teen daughter, I was surprised at how she took to the backward bloom. Its uniqueness was way cooler to her than the “perfect” ones. Her young eyes saw something mine had overlooked. How regulated I have become, I thought. I thank God for the…

July 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY Give back to our men and women in uniform. Write a thank-you note to a soldier or send a care package overseas. soldiersangels.org Sunday 15th NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY There’s nothing better than ice cream on a hot summer day. Our precious granddaughter always comes over to play. She loves walking home barefoot, eating her Fudgsicle along the way. MELISSA LAFOUR Saratoga, Texas Summer Reading In his book White Pine: American History and the Tree That Made a Nation, author Andrew Vietze gives the eastern white pine a starring role in our country’s past and present. Marija Andric, Editor July 22 Relax in the shade and swing your cares away on National Hammock Day. Researchers at the University of…

Making homemade ice cream on the back porch was one of the joys of summer on our farm in Kentucky. This was a treat usually reserved for special occasions or family get-togethers. That sweet, creamy goodness tasted like heaven! Flavor choices were endless, depending on what fruit was ripe for the picking that particular morning. Fresh strawberries or peaches were our favorites. With five siblings, there was always a mad dash and a lot of antics as each of us tried to be the last in line to turn the hand-cranked machine and finish the batch. Usually the last one to crank got the first taste of the goodness as the paddle was removed for the hardening to begin. Most of the time it was passed from one sibling to…

QUINOA While quinoa is referred to as a grain, it is actually a seed. A true powerhouse, quinoa is also one of the most protein- and nutrient-rich ancient grains. There are roughly 120 known varieties. Stuff vegetables with quinoa, add to a salad or serve for breakfast topped with an egg. AMARANTH The Aztecs grew amaranth nearly 6,000 years ago. It’s gluten-free, and 1 cup provides a big dose of iron, calcium and vitamin C. It’s also good for your heart—researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture say it helps lower cholesterol. Add amaranth when cooking granola or pudding; toast it and sprinkle on salads. RYE Black bread gets its name from the dark color of rye flour. Rye is a survivor. It grows in places where climate and soil…

“We are making memories that will last a lifetime and filling albums that will be treasured keepsakes.” – KATHLEEN UNGERER Our generations story is only 13 years old and four people strong, but it has already become a treasured family tradition. The fun began in 2005 when I was living in New Jersey and my daughter Jennifer had moved to Virginia with her family. Deciding to meet halfway, we settled on Baltimore as our destination. Nana (me), Jennifer and my granddaughter Emma, who was just a toddler, explored all the nooks and crannies of Baltimore—historic sites, harbor attractions, great restaurants and shops. We had a blast together and couldn’t wait to do it again. And that was the start of our annual Girls Adventure Week. A few years…

Police officer Michael Hallagan thought it was the end of the road for his best friend and work partner, Aero. But it was a serious illness, not a bad guy, that threatened the dog’s life. When Hallagan donned his uniform every day, Aero was outfitted in his bulletproof vest, and off they went together, keeping our small community safer. A German shepherd and Belgian Malinois cross, Aero was brought to America from eastern Europe to join Anderson’s police department. “He was trained to be a felon’s worst nightmare,” said Chief Michael Johnson, who selected Aero for his superior skills. Very quickly, the pup proved to be everything they hoped for—especially in finding and getting dangerous drugs off the streets. In the summer of 2015, Hallagan noticed changes in Aero. The…

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