Pine Trees and Easter

Have you ever noticed the pine tree crosses on Easter Sunday? Pine trees know when it's Easter.

They start their new growth in the weeks before Easter. If you look at the tops of the pine trees two weeks before, you'll see the yellow shoots.

As the days get close to Easter Sunday, the tallest shoot will branch off and form a cross.

By the time Easter Sunday comes around, you will see that most of the pine trees will have small yellow crosses on all of the tallest shoots. How amazing.

Happy Easter!

The Aaron Rodgers Story

This is written by a sports anchor from Fox 6 in Milwaukee. It doesn’t get any better than this.


“Save Me A Spot”

This job affords me some incredible opportunities. Being a member of the FOX 6 Sports team means I’ve been able to witness and report on events and people that many can only admire from a distance. I never take these situations for granted and sincerely appreciate being involved in whatever capacity each permits.

Monday marked just the most recent case as I had the unparalleled privilege to be a part of Aaron Rodgers charity event to benefit the MACC Fund, a charity towards eradicating childhood cancer and blood disorders.

Scattered throughout the crowd of rabid Packers aficionados, were the people who I consider the event’s real MVPs. They are the families who’ve been forced to deal with one of life’s toughest sentences – the loss of a child.

Those who sprung for the tickets were not disappointed. In a world where many athletes regurgitate canned and rehearsed responses, the Packers quarterback was refreshingly candid. Aaron addressed a number of topics with in-depth honest reaction – even some that if reprinted and mass distributed might raise some eyebrows.

Aaron stressed the importance of availability and accountability. In his opinion, it is a player’s responsibility to attend all of the team activities as they are all intended to better the team as a whole. And then, similarly, he addressed the importance of taking the heat or criticism when one falls short of expectations and duties.

He is never nervous to take the field. Aaron is supremely confident in the preparation he’s put in during the week leading up to Sunday’s match up. The way the 2009 season ended was disappointing but his self-confidence was not affected by the outcome. One of the toughest realizations was that that combination of players would never take the field together again. He likened the team to a family and admitted that conflict can and does occasionally exist but they try to handle such situations with maturity and civility.

He talked music and his love for tunes at a young age revealing that his mom used to sing and play lullabies and country music when he was a child. Aaron’s record label, Suspended Sunrise, is a product of this passion but also a contingency plan for life after football. His favorite song is Ben Harper’s “Forever” and he’s envious of John Mayer’s guitar skills though not his tabloid reputation. He appreciated my affinity for Keith Urban but gave the audience a thumbs-down when I mentioned fellow country crooner Kenny Chesney.

His favorite book is The Bible and he tries to read it every day not just when life’s challenges and struggles surface.

His favorite movie is The Princess Bride which he admits he’s caught flack for but says he and his childhood friends can recite every line from the film and it is simply a great story.

Rodgers’ answers to questions on this night were certainly admirable. And I honestly didn’t think I could respect Aaron more. But I was wrong.

My friend, the father of that young girl who passed, but there that night. He was one of several attendees brought up on stage where he caught a football thrown by the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

He asked Aaron to sign the football he’s caught. He wondered if he’d make it out to his daughter. It isn’t shocking that Rodgers obliged. What caught me off guard was the dedication he made. It wasn’t until after Aaron left that I first saw the autograph…..and the simple yet sweet message that brought tears to this father’s eyes:

“To Cheri the angel. Save me a spot. – Aaron Rodgers”

I hope that Packers fans realize how lucky they are to have such an upstanding young man leading their team on the field every weekend. I hope they appreciate the challenges that were thrust upon him and acknowledge the maturity with which he handled them. I hope they stand behind the kid and respect him, not only for his incredible talent, but for
his intelligence and honesty, poise and compassion.

My job has afforded me the chance to watch Aaron Rodgers play football for the last few seasons. But I am truly thankful for the opportunity to see the other side of this impressive young man. And pass on some of what I witnessed to you.

The Basic Rules for Clotheslines

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES OF THE PAST:

1. You had to wash the clothes line before hanging any clothes – walk the entire lengths of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang “whites” with “whites,” and hang them first.

3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders – always by the tail!. What would the neighbors think?

4. Wash day on a Monday! . .. . Never hang clothes on the weekend, for heaven’s sake!

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your “unmentionables” in the middle.

6. It didn’t matter if it was sub zero weather … clothes would “freeze-dry.”

7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were “tacky!”

8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.

9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.

10. Fresh sheets on the bed guarantee a good nights rest!

A POEM
A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.

For then you’d see the “fancy sheets
And towels upon the line;
You’d see the “company table cloths”
With intricate designs.

The line announced a baby’s birth
rom folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You’d know how much they’d grown!

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It also said, “Gone on vacation now”
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, “We’re back!” when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way .. . .

But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody’s guess!

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung out on the line.

The Clothesline Said So Much, by Marilyn K. Walker

EGG RECALL

The eggs infected with salmonella are all produced in Galt, Iowa by Wright County Egg and are sold in retail stores under a number of different brands.

Here's the list of affected brands:

Albertson
Boomsma's
Dutch Farms
Fresh Farms
Hillendale
Kemps
Lucerne
Lund
Mountain Dairy
Ralph's
Shoreland
Sunshine
Trafficanda

Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons from 6, 12 to 18 egg cartons with Julian dates
ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946.

Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian* date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223 The Julian date is the date the eggs were packed.

*Julian date: usually on the short side of the carton, represents the consecutive days of the year with the number 001 as January 1 and December 31 as 365. So if you have P-1946 223
stamped on your egg carton, it means the eggs were packed on August 11th. (223 days from January 1).

Eggs should be stored in their cartons on the middle or lower inside shelf of the refrigerator, not on the door.

Don't Envy Others

Don’t Envy Other Folks

Don’t think when you have troubles,
That your neighbor goes scot-free,
Because he shows a smiling front,
And battles cheerfully.

No, Man! He, too, has troubles,
But herein the difference lies,
While you go idly moping round,
The other fellow tries.

Don’t envy other people;
Maybe, if the truth you knew,
You’d find their burdens heavier far
Than is the case with you.

Because a fellow, rain or shine,
Can show a smiling face,
Don’t think you’d have an easier time
If you could take his place.

‘Tis hope and cheery courage
That incite one to retrieve
One’s past mistakes, to start afresh,
To dare and to achieve.

So smile, and if perchance you light
The spark of hope anew
In some poor sad and burdened heart,
All honor be to you.
-Anonymous

The Amazing Cucumber

The Amazing Cucumber

This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explorers for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and viola, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finished a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but it won't leave streaks and won't harm your fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

The Winter Boots

The Winter Boots

(Anyone who has ever dressed a child will love this)

Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her reception class pupils put on his boots?

He asked for help and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on.

By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost cried when the little boy said, 'Teacher, they're on the wrong feet.'She looked, and sure enough, they were.

It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as, together, they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the correct feet.

He then announced, 'These aren't my boots.' She bit her tongue, rather than get right in his face and scream, 'Why didn't you say so? ' like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.

No sooner had they gotten the boots off when he said, 'They're my brother's boots. My Mum made me wear 'em.'

Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. But she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.

Helping him into his coat, she asked, 'Now, where are your mittens?'

He said, 'I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots.'

She will be eligible for parole in three years.