Innehållsförteckning för May 2016 från Country Extra

I don’t know what breed of dog he is. I’ve asked my son whenever we see a pup if that’s what Rufus looks like, and the answer is always no. My husband has decided that Rufus must be a St. Bernard, the very dog he’d love to have. In fact, he sometimes sends me photos of St. Bernard puppies in an effort to persuade me to get one. Yes, they are adorable and, yes, looking at these plush puppies makes my stress go “poof.” Unfortunately for my dear husband, I know that cute puppy will grow up to be a slobbering, albeit friendly, giant. I want the kids to have an animal companion to watch over them and be watched over by them. Here at Country we have plenty of…

A few years ago, on one of the hottest days of the year, I was pulling into my driveway when I saw a man mowing and trimming the grass at the bank next door. I didn’t know him, but I decided he needed a cold drink. I went in the house and grabbed a Gatorade from my fridge and went back outside. Then I stood on my sidewalk where he could see me when he turned the mower around. I held up the drink and pointed to him. He nodded. When he came over to accept the bottle from me, he thanked me profusely and said he was thinking about going to the nearby gas station to get something to drink. Ever since that day, he has done favors for…

1 RENARD’S CHEESE Make an appointment to see the factory in Algoma. Or just stop in the deli in Sturgeon Bay to try the master cheesemaker’s squeaky curds. 2 STURGEON BAY Main Street features sturgeon statues, decorated by each little shop. A fun, friendly town with a little of everything. 3 WILSON’S SODA FOUNTAIN Built in 1906, this Ephraim icon is a terrific first stop. Try a tart-cherry sundae. 4 AL JOHNSON’S SWEDISH RESTAURANT Famous for the grass roof and the goats that graze it, this is a family restaurant steeped in European flavor. Get a sneek peek here: aljohnsons.com/goat-cam…

WHAT! NO BABY’S BREATH? “This patch of forget-me-nots really tickled my daughter Ellie,” writes Melissa Wenger of Orrville, Ohio. FLYING IN A FIELD “My daughter Madilyn romped through this meadow of wild mustard blooms,” says Gail Seest of Mulberry, Indiana. LITTLE LILACS, BIG LOVE “At just 2 years old, my daughter, Kwynlan, already adored smelling the blooms on our little lilac bush,” says Kim Rossiter of Crawfordsville, Iowa. BREATHING IN THE BOUQUET “The pretty purple flowers in our farmyard thrilled our granddaughter, Madison, when she came to visit us,” says Karen Yates of Brooks, Georgia.…

Works on lead, fluoride and much more. Flint, Michigan… Toledo, Ohio… Jackson, Mississippi… Newark, New Jersey – these are just a few of the many cities and towns that have recently made the news because their municipal water systems were found to be contaminated with high levels of lead and other dangerous contaminants. In fact, a study of the water systems serving over 250 million Americans revealed more than 300 pollutants. Beside lead, which causes severe brain damage, they found cancer-causing arsenic... radium… benzene... even stuff they use to make rocket fuel! You could be drinking those things right now. Our precious water supply is under siege. And neither the cities, nor the states, nor the feds are taking it seriously. The FDA hasn’t even set legal limits for over…

William Metcalfe used to live in a small town in rural Nebraska where he planted a few vegetables in the garden, including rhubarb. After living in big cities, he married and moved into a house with a garden. He’s looking forward to this year’s crop. Read about his solution to cutworms on page 18. Kathy Martin loved spending time with her Grandpa Bill, who lived just a few miles down a gravel road from her home in southern Illinois. She shared her favorite times with him on page 54. Today Kathy lives in Tennessee with her husband and two children, where she works as a writer and preschool teacher. Lorie L. West may travel the country, but her heart and family always bring her back to rural southeast Wisconsin. She…

Our quaint, charming town is known as the “Crossroads of Georgia” because it is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 341, U.S. Route 41, Georgia State Route 127 and Interstate 75. Tourism is our most popular industry, and visitors are welcomed with a generous serving of Southern hospitality. The seat of Houston County, Perry was incorporated in 1824 and named to commemorate Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s victory in the War of 1812. Early European settlers came to the area to take advantage of the fertile soil and pleasant weather, and they grew cotton, peaches, pecans, peanuts and grains. Many of the beautiful homes and businesses in the older section of town were constructed in the 1800s. Unique gift shops and restaurants line Carroll Street, the town’s main thoroughfare. Perry…

When I was a little girl, I would sit on my pawpaw’s old, creaky porch swing with my family, watch the redbirds fly and listen to the bobwhites sing. Some folks know them as quail; country folks know them as bobwhites. I loved to sing the bobwhite song that my grandma Dee had taught me. “Bobwhite!” “Peas ripe?” “No, not quite!” I wondered why the bobwhite cared about peas, but Grandma said that’s what the bird sang, so it must have been so. As I grew up, I had many other things on my mind, and birds weren’t one of them. Many years went by until I finally remembered how much I used to love hearing the bobwhite song. But it was too late. I listened and listened, yet heard…

Last spring, I had a helper that came out of the sky when I began working compost into my small garden. Free labor, if you can believe that. In the first shovel load, I spotted several small cutworms. These pernicious, pasty beasts were born to devastate gardens. I dispatched the pests and continued digging. Each shovelful exposed more. Soon the capture-and-exterminate routine became tiresome, and a smarter solution came to me. I’d collect them in a container and take care of them all at once, after I finished digging. I turned to our nearby shed, full of my wife’s flowerpots. I returned to the garden with a planter the size of a cereal bowl. With each shovelful, I sprinkled cutworms into the planter. Slowly and steadily, I filled the pot.…

ALASKA For this grizzly cub, there’s no sweeter ride than his mama’s soft back. READER PHOTO Colleen Geiger ALEXANDRIA, OHIO “Our Scottish Highland calves are so friendly. Even when their horns grow in, they won’t lose that gentle demeanor.” MAINE A helping hand from mom makes hiking the Burnt Jacket Trail around Moosehead Lake a little easier. PENNSYLVANIA Ducklings get their feet wet. TEXAS Indian paintbrush shows an independent streak in this field of bluebonnets in Hays County. NEW YORK Daylilies lean in unison toward the sun. READER PHOTO Leona Yoder SUGARCREEK, OHIO “The mare’s ears perked when she heard the chore time call coming from the barn.” VIRGINIA This fawn gets a warm, gentle nudge from Mom. CALIFORNIA Lupines and coreopsis lend their vibrant hues to the foothills of…

Takes the Cake After our great-grandson, Ian, blew out the candles at his ninth birthday party, I asked the kids if they knew how many candles would be on my upcoming birthday cake. When I said 83, someone said, “Wow, that will be a big fire!” I asked, “Who is coming to my party?” Ian’s 6-year-old brother, Austin, piped right up, saying, “I will! I want to make sure the house doesn’t burn down.” Norbert Kruschke Kennewick, Washington Things People Ask Our 4-year-old great-grandson, Catcher, was up from South Carolina to visit his Grandma Vicki and Papa Curt in Ohio. They went for a walk and met one of Papa’s friends along the way. Their friend asked the boy, “Where do you live?” Catcher replied, “In my house.” Bob &…

MYSTERY TOOL My father, Dale Wacker, has almost given up trying to identify this tool, but we hoped maybe other readers could help. It’s made of metal and slightly S shaped. By removing two screws, the blade can be taken out. This blade is about 5 inches long, and the entire tool measures about 14 inches. Many people have looked at it with magnifying glasses and guessed that it is some type of tool for woodworking or cutting ice. We’d appreciate any help identifying what it is and what it was used for. DeeAnn Nejdl 2566 Ivanhoe Road SW Cedar Rapids IA 52404 It’s an … ozone generator! Lonny learned that this is a 1940-‘50s model of an Atmoray ozone generator. A May 1967 article in Electronics Illustrated, “The Shocking…

Late one evening, I entered “saddle” into a search of the farm and garden postings on Craigslist. The search results came up with a stunning female Belgian draft horse for sale, and my heart was immediately captured. It was too late to call for more information, so I went to bed. The next morning, my very first thought was about that gorgeous mare. Half asleep, I told my husband, Glenn, that he needed to see this horse. He agreed that she looked special, so I arranged for us to see her. Sunshine was just as pretty as the pictures—and just as sweet. Her flaxen mane and tail were striking, and her big eyes and long eyelashes melted us. We were very impressed with her manners as she walked around on…

In each issue we hide two needles like this one (though they may be a different size, black or white). If you find them, enter online at country-magazine.com by clicking the Contests link at the top of the page. Or send a postcard with the page numbers to NEEDLE CONTEST, COUNTRY, 1610 N 2ND ST STE 102, MILWAUKEE WI 53212-3906. We’ll draw 24 winners from all the correct entries. Winners receive a one-year subscription to Country Extra. In the last issue, the needles were hidden on pages 18 and 41. You’ll find a list of last issue’s winners at country-magazine.com. No purchase necessary to enter to win. Purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents age 18 years or older of the U.S., its…

My husband of 48 years has pastored many churches. The church where we have been for the last 30 years didn’t have a parsonage so he built us a house with a big front porch. Over the years I have sat in the porch swing with six grandchildren ranging in age from 2 to 16. Together we watched the birds come to the feeders and the squirrels scamper up and down the oak trees in our yard. I taught all of them to sing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and many other scriptural songs while swinging slowly. And we played lots of games—what will come next, a car or truck; which direction will one come from, right or left; what color is it? The front porch is a perfect place to…

During the summer of 1958, I was recovering from a broken pelvis that I had suffered in a car accident. My sister, Shirley, was recovering from rheumatic fever at the same time. Our rural mail carrier, Emil Salberg, grew lovely gladiolas in his garden. One day, he left a note saying we should meet him at the mailbox, which was about two miles from our farm. Emil delivered to Shirley and me the most beautiful bouquet of white gladiolas. It was the kindest and most heartwarming gesture that anyone could have done for two young farm girls who were feeling very low. We were so thankful for his generosity, and we will never forget him.…

Thank you for publishing my stories in Country magazine. I want to show you how I am using my Country dinner triangle. It hangs on the front porch of an old playhouse where I play with my granddaughter, Nima Mae. She rings it to call me to have tea with her. The playhouse, which she has dubbed “The Tea House,” is a very special place where we are creating memories together. We set the table with a set of ceramic dishes decorated with pink flowers, nibble little cucumber sandwiches we’ve made using homegrown vegetables from the garden and recite poetry that we’ve written together. There’s always time for a tea party—especially when that time is spent creating new and happy memories in the company of those we dearly love and…

“Inside the market was every cherry product imaginable. Pies, jams, butters, salsas, dressings, chutneys, syrups and glazes — even horseradish!” Growing up in Wisconsin, I’ve heard talk of Door County all my life. It’s a finger of land jutting into Lake Michigan just two hours north of my hometown, Newburg. When I finally visited last spring, it won my heart with its rolling coastal views, charming small towns and friendly spirit. May in Door County means cherry blossoms, so that’s what I was looking for driving north. But the fog grew thicker as I turned onto Wisconsin Highway 57 near Green Bay and later, onto Highway 42. At the Eagle Harbor Inn in Ephraim, halfway up the peninsula on the bay side, white frame buildings dot a winding driveway. The…

Every time I travel the gravel roads into the Zumwalt Prairie I find countless vistas around every turn. Wildlife abounds here, and it is not uncommon to see a wide variety in one day—deer, elk, and several species of hawks. Along with the beautiful rolling prairie grasses, skies can be dramatic over the Zumwalt. When storm clouds roll in, the sky becomes quite sensational, providing mottled light to emphasize parts of the landscape. You might be lucky enough to experience a horizon-to-horizon rainbow or a lightning show. Sunrises and sunsets are spectacular with the snow-covered Wallowa or Seven Devil Mountains in the background. There are also several historic cabins, barns and fence lines to put into a composition. Driving across the Zumwalt Prairie can take hours, as frequent points of…

For six generations, my family has worshipped at Bethel Grove Church in rural Liscomb, Iowa. My great-great-great-grandparents played host to worship services in their home before the community called its first pastor in 1851. It was the first organized congregation in Marshall County, Iowa, and holds a rich history. As membership grew, a larger, brick building was built in 1863. It was followed by a second structure with a steeple in 1891. By 1917, a third church building, complete with stained-glass windows in the sanctuary, was set in a grove of oak trees; thus the name Bethel Grove. The sanctuary was home to family weddings, baptisms and funerals. I am connected to this church and love its stained-glass windows and ornate wooden arches. It is my home; it is my…

I remember one Easter when our youngest girl, Jeanne, came home with a baby chick. Her friend Kathy said she could have it, and Jeanne wanted permission to keep it. We lived in the city and had no place to raise a chicken. But a quick assessment of the chick revealed that it was a very sickly little thing, so I agreed, thinking that it would not live long anyway. I hadn’t taken Jeanne’s older siblings into account. Before I knew it, they made a cardboard box home for the chick and began nursing it back to health. It thrived in their care, and soon the chick and Jeanne were inseparable. She named it Johnny Rooster after her little friend across the street. It quickly outgrew the box and was…

WHAT WE NEED Include your name, daytime phone number, email address and mailing address with each submission, including emailed submissions. WHAT YOU’LL GET We pay $250 for story submissions that run a page or more when published. Contributors whose jokes and stories are published in Country Chuckles get $25. Items published in Mailbox and Little Humor earn a gift certificate for a one-year subscription to Country Extra. Most other contributors will receive a dinner triangle upon publication. SAVE YOUR STAMPS We do not return unsolicited materials. Send good-quality copies of photos (keep the original!), or email high-resolution JPEG files. Our small staff can’t acknowledge receipt of submissions, but we’ll let you know if they’re published. WHERE TO FIND US Send submissions to COUNTRY, 1610 N 2ND ST STE 102, MILWAUKEE…

Honey is nature’s original sweetener! Some call honey the perfect food because of its history as a healing balm for sickness and injuries. Others say honey has long been used to increase the healing ability of other foods. But the age-old combination of honey and apple cider vinegar is believed to be a nearly magical potion for good health. Emily Thacker, author of the best selling Vinegar Book, has once more penned a winner with The Honey Book. You’ll find page after page of healing home remedies that use honey to heal wounds, fight tooth decay, treat burns, fight fatigue, restore energy, ease coughs, and even make cancer-fighting drugs more effective. Some medical authorities recommend honey as a food for heart patients and for those who have had strokes and…