Innehållsförteckning för May 2019 från Country Extra

MY FIRST MOTHER’S DAY as a mom is a bit of a blur. I’d only held the title for 20 days (my son was still a wrinkly little bundle), and as a newbie didn’t feel that I’d earned the day’s accolades. This issue features plenty of women who have. In our Mother’s Day roundup on page 58, readers Kenneth Penner, Dale Dickson and Anna Kirk describe in lovingly written tributes how these resourceful, strong and patient women raised them through difficult times. It’s clear that their legacy lives on in their children. Moms get a chance to tell their stories, too. On page 20 reader Beth Farris teaches her children to connect with nature, while on page 42 Rebecca Lane passes on the family farming heritage to the next generation.…

After a sheep kissed her cheek during a kindergarten field trip to Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista,  Minnesota, my then-6-year-old daughter, Annabelle, informed me that she wants to be a farmer when she grows up. Matthew Engesser Eden Prairie, Minnesota “A STITCH IN TIME” (January 2019, page 42) brought back memories. We lived on a farm during the 1940s, when the feed for our chickens came in pretty print bags. None of them went to waste, but were turned into dresses and skirts for my mother, my sister and me. My dad knew to buy several sacks of the same print so there was enough to make dresses. One time he bought a large supply of the same red and white print. They all ended up in look-alike dresses for…

May 3-4 AIRING OF THE QUILTS See vintage quilts, eat lunch at Miss Sue’s Tea Room, watch blacksmiths forge iron and hear dulcimers  perform during this annual event held at the Old Jail Museum in Greenwood, Arkansas. facebook.com/GreenwoodQuiltsgreenwoodmuseumonline.com “Spring is the most delightful season of the year. The bluebells, sweet-smelling lilac and yellow crocus awaken the spirit within, and we thank the Creator for this exhilarating display of beauty.”Gerald Mullen, Leetonia, Ohio GARDEN FRIENDS Teach kids about pollination and the amazing benefits of insects through the activities and illustrations in Ben Raskin’s book Bees, Bugs & Butterflies: A Family Guide to Our Garden Heroes & Helpers. Memorial DAY May 27 Show little ones the patriotism behind this holiday. Attend a parade, learn about the flag code, visit a veterans memorial…

I was born in Indianapolis and have lived here for most of my life. This is my family’s hometown, and I take pride in showing my children where their grandparents grew up and went to school, the church where my grandmother taught Sunday school for 50 years, and all the other spots from our history that give us roots. I dearly love this place. Through the years, however, I have watched developers remove more and more of our old trees. It saddens me deeply to watch the towering friends that I grew up admiring being cut down. I feel my city has become less beautiful. My husband, Jeff, and I want our children to grow up surrounded by God’s natural beauty. So we bought a cabin in Brown County between…

Curious census takers around here have asked, “How many generations has your family lived on this property?” They notice something: Some families have been here a very long time. My own family has been on this farm for five generations. I say it like it’s something normal. Lanes have always been here. But when I stop to think about it, it’s more awe-inspiring. Since 1884, some person whose blood runs in my veins has been here, was born here. And before 1884, an ancestor of mine, perhaps with a thick Yorkshire accent, made his way to this patch of ground, and began growing things and raising animals. Maybe it was a bit like home, so he looked around and thought, This is a good place. He grew a life and…

The first indication that something was living in the birdhouse was Violet’s unwavering attention to it. When Violet, an indoor cat, and I moved to the woods, she sat on the screened-in porch ledge every evening and listened to the pond frogs and the woodland insects, until I made her come inside. I’d quickly learned that if she is staring steadfastly at something, it’s likely to be something interesting. The birdhouse was a gift, too pretty to put out on a tree where it would be damaged by rain and snow, so I mounted it on the deck near the porch. Birds didn’t find it, but something else did. After looking up at the birdhouse every time Violet watched it, I finally saw the critter. Its eyes were too big…

What is the difference between a cat and a frog? A cat has nine lives, but a frog croaks every night.CANDY THOMPSON Kingwood, West Virginia Look Out for the Lion When my grandson Shelby was 5 years old, his house lost electrical power during a severe storm. The next day, a lineman from the utility company arrived to assess the damage. Talking with Shelby’s dad, he mentioned that a power line was out. Shelby heard every word. Immediately rushing into the house, he announced in wide-eyed excitement, “Don’t anybody go outside, it’s very dangerous. There is a power lion out there.” TOM MUNSELLE Richardson, Texas Saint Bunny A Sunday school teacher asked her 3- and 4-year-old pupils, “Do you know who Peter was in the Bible?” The room was silent.…

“She was a rock and a saint who gave us a set of values to live by.”— DALE DICKSON NO MATTER how mischievous her five boisterous boys were, my mother, Evelyn Mae, nurtured us with unconditional love and patience. It wasn’t easy during the Great Depression. Dad was always working, and that left Mother to raise us. There were times when she didn’t have enough money to buy a 3-cent stamp, but she still put a decent meal on the table. We grew most of our food, and Mother canned vegetables and sewed clothing for us out of flour sacks. She was a rock and a saint who gave us a set of values to live by. She was our mother, comforter, teacher and nurse—a true example of grace. Her…

In each issue we hide two needles (black or white). If you find them, enter online at country-magazine.com by clicking the Contests link at the top of the page. We’ll draw winners from all the correct entries. Winners receive a one-year subscription to Country. In the March issue, we hid the needles on pages 10 and 59. 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 territories and possessions. Sweepstakes begins on April 17, 2019, and ends on June 18, 2019. For official rules, visit country-magazine.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC.…

Country is written by readers for readers. It’s easy to share your stories and photos. Visit country-magazine.com and click Share Your Story. Give us your take on the topics below, and you might get published in a future issue: Heritage Recipes Tell the story behind recipes that have been in the family for generations. Harvest Share your memories of harvesttime on the farm. Fall Fun Describe your favorite fall tradition, whether it’s taking a hayride or picking apples. Good Neighbors Has a neighbor, friend or local organization made a difference in your life or community? Tell us about them.…

In the children’s book Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey, a Boston police officer stops traffic so a mama duck named Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings can cross the street. My children and I read that book over and over again until we could recite it word for word. Never did we imagine that something similar would happen a mere two blocks from our home in Greencastle, Pennsylvania. But one chilly spring day when my daughters and I were on an errand, we saw another Mrs. Mallard crossing the street with her ducklings. Our errand done, we stopped back to check on Mrs. Mallard. She was alone, not far from where we originally saw her, and quacking loudly. Something obviously was wrong. We didn’t see any ducklings, but we…

RISE & SHINE PARFAIT Diana Laskaris Chicago, Illinois TAKES: 15 min.• MAKES: 4 parfaits 4 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt 2 medium peaches, chopped 2 cups fresh blackberries ½ cup granola without raisins or Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal 1. Layer half of the yogurt, peaches, blackberries and granola into 4 parfait glasses. Repeat layers. 1 parfait: 259 cal., 3g fat (0 sat. fat), 7mg chol., 6mg sod., 48g carb. (27g sugars, 7g fiber), 13g pro. CORNMEAL TOWERS WITH STRAWBERRIES & CREAM Josie Shapiro San Francisco, California PREP: 40 min.• COOK: 5 min./batch MAKES: 12 servings 3 large egg whites 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 1½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. ground cardamom ¼ tsp. salt 1¼ cups 2% milk 1 cup whole-milk ricotta…

COUNCIL GROVE Located on the old Santa Fe Trail, the town has 25 historic sites to explore. The chamber of commerce offers a downloadable map to these sites, which are within walking distance. councilgrove.com/historicsites KAW MISSION STATE HISTORIC SITE Learn the history of the Kaw people and the settlement of Council Grove at this historic site, which was once an American Indian boarding school. kshs.org/kaw_mission TRAIL DAYS CAFE AND MUSEUM Housed in the historic Rawlinson-Terwilliger Home in Council Grove, this restaurant serves up dishes made with ingredients that American Indians, settlers and farmers dined on, including bison. Take time to visit the museum. traildayscafeandmuseum.org TALLGRASS PRAIRIE NATIONAL PRESERVE See one of the last remaining large stands of tallgrass prairie in the United States, learn about the Flint Hills ecosystem and…

Because I’m a middle child, I recognize the characteristics of one: easygoing, humble and sociable. Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church is a middle kind of church. This house of worship sits on a hilly corner in the center of Groveland Township. Like a middle child, there is nothing flashy about its appearance. It’s a simple white block structure with stained-glass windows and a bell. “So many of my childhood memories include that church and its people.” The Mt. Bethel family hails from all around it (I grew up on a farm nearby). Our church family, like most others, has elderly members who hold dear the history and traditions and pass them on to the next generation. Their children and their children’s children fill the church with relatives and friends; reaching…

1. GREEN THUMB Our granddaughter Isabel loves to come over and help us in the yard, especially with weeding and watering all the beautiful flowers. DEBBIE HUEY Rogers, Arkansas 2. LIGHT THE WAY I love lighthouses, so my husband built a model of Yaquina Head Light in Oregon for our yard. On a vacation to the west coast, I got to see the real thing in person! JANET ABRAHAMSON Centerville, Iowa 3. DREAMY DAWN My favorite thing to do while visiting my parents in upstate New York is wake up for the sunrise and walk down the country roads. SARAH MCGINNIS Waltham, Massachusetts 4. FISHING FOR FUN Our entire family takes vacations to escape the summer heat. We especially treasure the time spent with our grandson, Conner. ROBIN DE SHAW…

1. Share photos and stories with us using the online form at country-magazine.com/submit. 2. Note which department you are submitting for, and whether the material has been published before. However, your item may be selected to run in any section of our magazine, or elsewhere. 3. We do not return submitted materials. Although we are unable to acknowledge receipt of a submission, we will let you know if it is published. 4. We accept high-resolution digital images. Digital images should be about 4x6 inches at a minimum resolution of 300 dots per inch, or about 1200x1800 pixels. Photos must be in focus and of good quality. Please only send submissions through our online form. 5. If we print your submission in the magazine, we will send you a complimentary copy…

When baby animals visited their dad’s nursery business, my great-niece and nephew, Siena and Justice, were instantly enamored! BETTY SMITH Lynnwood, Washington This photo of my youngest daughter, Anna, brings back so many pleasant memories of raising hens and chicks when our home-schooling science project became pets. CRYSTAL HUNTER Borger, Texas We raised broiler hens for more than 20 years, so it was only natural to get some baby chicks for my granddaughter Brylee to take care of. ANITA GOODMAN Manchester, Tennessee…

“I am a writer and self-taught photographer, shooting vintage buildings and outdoor scenes in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. I love traveling down back roads, exploring little towns and looking for cool places with history. A lot of evenings, when my husband is golfing and my kids are with friends, I jump in my Jeep and go watch the sunset, or find some back road and shoot wildflowers.” See Jennifer’s work on page 32. Become a Country Field Editor! Apply at: country-magazine.com/fieldeditors…