The Ghost Fight Throughout the 1950's and 60's there was a house in South Charleston West Virginia that had a couple of "Angry Spirits" who fought a bloody battle the same night every year for 17 years. The old house was a private residence throughout the 1950's and in the late 60's until it was eventually destroyed in 1970. The story centers on a time in 1953 when the house was the residence of a young couple who liked to have wild late night parties every weekend. These parties sometimes tended to get out of hand until one Friday night two of their guests got into a vicious knife fight in the kitchen of the house, the fight left one man dead and the other with injuries that would claim his life a few days later. The aftermath of the fight left blood all over the room but what stood out the most was an Erie looking bloody handprint on the wall by the back door. The dead man had braced himself as he attempted to get out of the house only to collapse and die right there on the kitchen floor. The young couple where quite shaken up by the incident and from that night changed their lifestyle and gave up the wild party life. They also decided to change the look of the house in an attempt to forget that horrible night. They spent several months remodeling the house, spending a great deal of time on the kitchen where the fight took place, completely repainting and reworking the room to the point of it being unrecognizable from before. The couple then moved on with their lives and had began to put that terrible night behind them, but then.....On the one-year anniversary of the deadly fight the young couple was awakened by what sounded like a fight in the kitchen of the house. Upon investigating the commotion they discovered several chairs overturned and other items strewn about the room and to their horror they saw the same bloody handprint on the wall by the back door. After witnessing this the young couple vacated the house and in the years that followed who ever lived in the house continued to experience the "fight" every year on the anniversary of the death. And the bloody handprint always appeared on the wall by the backdoor. In the 17 years that the house stood after that bloody fight, several families attempted to live there but the annual ghostly battles and the emergence of the bloody handprint always proved too much for anyone to live with. In 1970 the State of West Virginia destroyed the house. To this day nothing has been built on the lot where the house once stood.
The Dumb Supper In the old Celtic tradition of SamHain or "All Saints Eve" it was believed that for the one night (October 31st) that signified the end of Autumn and the beginning of Winter, the dead could return to the land of the living to celebrate with their family, tribe or clan. Extra places were set at the table and food set out for those who chose to return. This was known as a "Dumb Supper" where nobody spoke at the table while they awaited the return of their loved ones who had crossed over to the other side. Many believe this tradition was where the term "Dumb Supper" originated, but there are variations of the ritual in different cultures the world over. Growing up in rural West Virginia my grandmother came to understand a slightly different version of the dumb supper that was passed from one generation to the next. This version of the ritual does not require it to be Halloween to practice it, although the desired outcome is similar. If you wished to contact a recently deceased loved one you would set a dumb supper with extra settings for those who you wished to contact. You would then set the table in reverse order that you normally would, forks would be on the right side, etc.....All placements would be handled by two people while the table was being set, even the silverware.........You would then serve the food in reverse order as well beginning with dessert and ending with either soup or appetizers. This variation was also referred to as a "Backward Supper". At some point during the serving of the first course and the last course of the meal, Your recently departed loved one would make contact. The contact could be verbal, it could be through noise association (two knocks for yes one for no) and in rare cases even visual manifestation. >From what my Grandmother remembers the reason for attempting to reach the loved one who had recently died was if there had been signs or "feelings" of restlessness that they may be confused and had not crossed over to the other side, perhaps due to circumstances surrounding their demise. The contact through the "Dumb Supper" was a way of helping them to cross over and finally find peace.
The Bleeding Floor The house our grandmother was born in was the site of a grisly murder that resulted in the last public hanging in West Virginia history. The murderer was John F. Morgan who took an axe and violently massacred the widow Green and her three children. The purpose of our story is not those horrible murders, but what happened after.......... After John Morgan's execution on December 16th, 1897 the old Green house stood vacant for several years as the stories and legends about the Green house spread from town to town across Jackson County. My great grandmother Minnie and great grandfather Leander were well aware of the history of that old house before they moved in during the autumn of 1900. They had two children Dorothy and Leonard and Minnie was pregnant with my grandma Belle. Despite the stories of the grisly murders Leander and Minnie were in a tough situation as a fire had all but destroyed their home in nearby Ravenswood, besides they felt the children were to young to understand what had happened in that house and they were both people of strong religious beliefs, and were not concerned with a few "haints" or other manifestations, however they could not have expected what they would go through in there new home. The house had been left vacant now for nearly three years and needed a good deal of work to be made livable. The wood floor in the kitchen still had the blood stains that covered about a 10 ft area where Mrs. Green had crawled to the back door after John Morgan had attacked her. She died there on the kitchen floor. Morgan chased the three children out the back door and killed them in the back yard. A neighbor had seen Morgan leave the house and when questioned by authorities he confessed to the murders. After Morgan's subsequent hanging the case was deemed closed and the house was left virtually the way it was the morning of the murders. Leander and Minnie were able to make the house livable in a couple of weeks, but they could not get the blood off the kitchen floor. they scrubbed and scrubbed but the stains would fade then come back, they tried lye to no avail. They tried sanding down the floor and the stains came back....they tried painting the floor and the stains came back through the brown paint. Even the local Ripley newspaper came out and did a story on the "Bleeding Floor" ... eventually Leander decided to replace the wood in the kitchen floor, but to his astonishment just a few of weeks after putting in the new floor............the blood stains again appeared on the floor. The strange occurrences were beginning to take their toll on Leander and Minnie as they began to hear the apparent moans of Mrs. Green and the low cries of the murdered children they decided it would be too difficult on their own children to remain in that house, so they decided that as soon as grandma Belle was born they would leave the house. Giving up on ever being able to remove the blood stains from the kitchen floor, and figuring they would only be there another few months at the most Leander placed a thick tweed rug over the biggest part of the blood stains. In April of 1901 grandma Belle was born and that May the family had found another house and were packing up for the move when Leander made a horrifying discovery. As he began to roll up the huge tweed rug he discovered the bottom of the rug as saturated with BLOOD. Needless to say Leander and Minnie left the rug and left the house that night. The County owned the old house and decided to destroy it rather than to continually answer questions about the Green House and the "Bleeding Floor"
The Wayward Spirit When my Grandma Belle was a very young girl, her father Leander was a Deeply religious man, many in the town of Ripley, West Virginia looked to him for spiritual leadership. An example of such is the nature of this story. A local family was experiencing "visits" from a spiritual entity that came in the form of a rolling blue flame that would suddenly appear in their living room and move from room to room often omitting strange whining sounds like that of a cornered cat about to strike. Although the entity had not hurt anyone in their family to this point, they were none the less terrified by what they were seeing. As the days went by the visits became more frequent to the point that the troubled family could no longer deal with it and asked our great grandfather for his help. That night when Leander arrived at their home the entity was in full force, roaming about the house as the terrified family looked on. Leander knew from experience the only thing to do was to confront the spirit, so he slowly approached the flame but when he got within a couple of feet, the flame flared up followed by a loud screech. As the flame moved away Leander again followed it to the next room and again approached the entity and once again the flame flared up and the noise got louder. Leander again remained still until the flame began to move toward the rear of the house. At this point Leander cornered the entity and stated "In the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit, what do you want". The flame flared up engulfing the entire room for and instant and the screech reached a deafening pitch, and just as suddenly it was gone.never To be seen again. To that local family it was a demon driven from their home, but to great grandpa Leander it was just another wayward spirit finally at rest.
Our Mothers Passing Our mother suffered from emphysema for nearly 25 years and finally succumbed to the disease in 1995. I always remember the night she passed away as I believe she saw the spirit of my father and grandmother in the room. In the weeks preceding her death, mother said she had been having "visions" Or dreams if you will of both my father and grandmother who had both passed on. I believe mother knew her time was short and on the afternoon of her death I was on business in Marysville, Michigan when I received a page from my aunt Violet that mother's time was near. By the time I got to the hospital in Trenton, Michigan she was in and out of consciences and really struggling for breath. Suddenly my Mother opened her eyes and my aunt Violet and I both saw her looking up in the corner of the hospital room to her left, her eyes were wide open and she was trying to get my aunt and I to look as well. She was also attempting to tell us something but the oxygen mask now on her face prevented it. After a few minutes of staring at that corner of the ceiling she suddenly began breathing easy and a relaxed look came over her face as she closed her eyes and went to sleep. Mother never woke up and later that evening she passed away. Did my father and grandmother come that afternoon to see mother to the next world? I truly believe they did.
Beyond the Cabin Door Somethings, are even more frightening when not seen. This is a story, of such a time. The boys were anxious to make an early start, Gary and James were brothers, Carl and Jesse were there cousins. The boys had grown up together, known each other there entire lives. The boys were country boys, used to the woods, hunting..and dogs. Gary and James owned old Sport, a lab retriver, fiercely loyal to them, as they were to him. He was coal black, fast as lighting, and as strong as could be. Old sport easily towed two boys at a time when they went to the swimming hole on hot July afternoons. Country boys don't speak of love for their animals like some city folk do, It's just there to them. They show the love with a pat on the head, or here sport, up on the bed call at night. They love there animals, and the animals know it, And the animals love them back, thats how it is in the country. So it was no surprise that old sport was racing about the yard, this way and that, as the boys prepared to leave that morning. Sport loved to hunt as much as he loved the boys. And today he would enjoy both, his young master, and the thrill of the hunt. Sport was already sniffing the air, jumpin and barking as the boys started up in to the hills. This was to be a fun trip to an old cabin back in the hills. An over nite sleep out that boys seem to love, as much as candy and coca-cola. Jesse the youngest always full of questions, nagged at Carl his older brother till Carl was ready to pop him on the side of his head and tell him to shut up a while. old Sport with the magic knowledge that only dogs possess, quickly drew jesses attention, into a game of fetch. Gary and Carl both 13, each carried a rifle of 22 caliber. Both boys had been taught well the use of firearms, and learned it. For both had many times brought home rabbit, and small game for stew at home. Jesse and Jimmy knew if they behaved even reasonably well, their older brothers would allow them to crack off a few shots later on in the day. both boys waited anxiously for this to come about. The true hunt wouldn't begin till the following morning, but if old sport. Scared up a rabbit, they would surely take a shot at it. But in truth all the boys were really interested in was gettin up to the cabin, shedding there clothes and jumping in the huge swimming hole and playing the day away. Then hunting there way back down the hill early next morning. This had been there pattern for many weeks and it was comfortable to them. Jimmy, Jesse and sport now ran up ahead playing, as Gary and Carl hung back, rifles safely tucked down and away under there arms. The boys walked slowly forward as the July sun was now making any effort a sweaty business. "Bout a mile and a half to go spoke Carl, yep answered Gary, his eyes keenly looking into brush. "Want to stop at the clearing just up from the cabin and let the younguns shoot a spell" asked Gary "I reckon," answered Carl. It was then Gary stopped, and closely looked all around, "What" asked Carl. "Duntno" said Gary.."something dont feel right." Carl eyes followed where Garys had been. "Dont see nothing" spoke carl.."AWWW come on its hot lets go" Gary was uneasy, he had no idea why, and didnt like the feeling. But was also aware his cousins ability to tease, was acute, so shrugged it off, and continued on. The boys reached the clearing, and enjoyed watching their brothers shout with glee every time there aim was true and bark jumped off a tree. the rest of the day was spent laying out bed rolls, and swimming in the pond. the boys had brought bread and lunch meat and water, and were quite content at the days end to lay about on ther bed rolls, and talk as boys do. Old sport laying between Jesse and Jimmy, as dusk turned to dark. The boys talked on and on endless boy talk, sports , summer plans, then ghost stories. Jimmy and Jesse loved these storys and begged for there brothers to tell them. Even though it meant, also begging to sleep with them when they finished the tales. The night had cooled considerablity, and a mist was forming out side. Which could be seen clearly thru the one cabin window. A perfect night for ghost stories, and thrills. The boys were huddled close, chill bumps starting to form on there arms. Carl was telling about a headless man who looked for little boys who stayed out to late at night. Jimmy and Jesse eyes were as big as could be and holding there breath till when carl would jump at them and try to scare them. Which he managed to do quite well every time he told the story. The storys went on for some time. The night sounds outside the cabin adding to each tale. Old sport lay across the two youngest laps as they petted and stroked him and listened to there brothers. Sport all at once rose up and faced the door. Leaning low, as if to attack, a low growl forming in his throat. The boys were monitionless, shocked and fear held them frozen. Sport, was seeing smelling or hearing some thing...they couldnt, and Sport knew it was ....bad. The Little ones moved to there brothers and protective arms found both there shoulders. No words passed between them yet..only the bond of brothers was spoken, silently. Carl passed a rifle to his cousin, Gary pulled back the action on his single shot 22. As Carl crawled toward his own 22. Jesse finely broke the silence between them. "Is it a bear". he asked. "No...shhhhhhh" said His brother. "But what is it then" Whimppered Jimmy. "Dang it Jimmy, be quiet hissed Gary" The two oldest boys rifles at ready inched towards the only window. Sport moved again to block them. Both boys inched back. Then they heard..first as if from a distance, but quickly growing louder. A low and very meanceing scream, but not a human one..not human at all.... A foul odor begins to fill the cabin, the boys tense and scared, now were becoming terrified. Jesse and Jimmy began to whimper, and Gary and Carl were close to it as well. Only Sport seems fearless as his back fur rose up and his growl deepens to match the scream ..of what ever was out there. The boys now heard it clearly just out side the door. The stench, and screaming was more then they could deal with rifles forgotten they now huddled together, tears on all there cheeks. There eyes locked to the flimsy cabin door with its small wood bolt, the only thing keeping IT out. Then with a mighty leap Sport crashed through the window. The sound of his growl and attack, filled the night air. And as quickly as it began, it ended. The stench drifted away...the scream went silent, and sport ceased to be heard. The small lantern inside the cabin, the only source of light begin to flicker. The boys so terrified, not one of them moved to check it. Nor because of there fear would they open the door to call sport home. At some point in the night they found the safety of sleep. Early dawn light spilled in through the shattered window, and as they woke, each boy was sure a nightmare was what happened during the night. None of the boys spoke, and no one moved toward the door. Then a whimper was heard just out side the door, a whimper Gary knew well it was sport. he moved to the door quickly now with the courage of morning light to chase away night fears. All the boys bare foot still fearful from the night before, went through the door..each one bumping into the others as the first boy froze in his tracks. All there eyes focused on Sport, their savior, He still stood guarding the door to the cabin, but weak oh so weak and shaking slightly... And his beautiful jet black fur, now as white as snow. There are many instances of Humans hair being turned white almost instantly by shock or deep terrifying fear. this story happened to our uncles. As relayed by my grand mother. As a youth myself I once asked one of my Uncles about this story and old Sport. My Uncle, just sort of stared away from me, lowered his head a little, and softly said, " best damn Dog there ever was" and wouldn't, or couldn't say any more.
The Knight in Shining Armor It was a Saturday evening not unlike any other Saturday when my uncle bill, all of 14 years of age that summer of 1940, was walking home from his best friend Billy Andrews house across the holler down the old mill road. Uncle Bill had made that trip so many times he could do it in his sleep, It was about an hour walk most days, somewhat less if he really needed to get home. Grandma said that Uncle Bill always liked to take the same route home from the Andrews house that took him by the old abandon school across the road from the Baptist Church and down by Shorty Millers store, a small little place no bigger than what a utility shed would be today. Uncle Bill would often stop in on his way home and have a soda, Shorty used to let uncle Bills older brother Deak run a tab and he would allow Bill to charge his soda and whatever else he bought to Deak. Soda in hand Bill was back out on the road heading down the holler. Now in 1940 it was fairly common to see people riding horseback down those old dirt roads but this day uncle Bill saw something that he talked about for the rest of his life. As he approached the last leg of the walk he saw what appeared to be a Knight in full body armor complete with a lance and shield. The rider was coming around the bend in full gallop when he suddenly pulled up his mount. The Knight appeared confused as he looked around in an attempt to gather his bearings. By now Uncle Bill was frozen in disbelief and did not move as the Knight spotted him about 50 yards away and began to approach him in a slow trot stopping about six feet from Bill. The Knight stood on his horse looking at my uncle for what must have seemed like an hour but could have only been a minute, staring at his jeans and high top sneakers, then proceeded to slowly continue on his way down the road and around the bend. Once recovering from what he had seen, uncle Bill ran the rest of the way home to tell Grandma what he had witnessed, Grandma had always said that there was to much fear in Bills face for him to have made up such a story. The next morning at the old Baptist church Grandma told the story to most of the neighbors in the area but no one else had seen the Knight. Although most of the folks in the area may have felt my uncles imagination had gotten the better of him. It's hard to say what my uncle saw that day, perhaps it was a knight that had somehow traveled through a window in time and appeared in 1940 for that brief moment only to return somewhere around the bend on that old dirt road. One thing is certain Uncle Bill remembered the incident for the rest of his life.
SOLAR STORMS EQUAL GHOST ACTIVITY ! In 1994 it was discovered that ghostly activities seemed to correlate with the advent of new and full moon cycles. After some research they discovered that the geomagnetic fields seem strongest during these two phases of the moon. They had earlier concluded that when ghosts were present, an increase occurred in the electromagnetic fields. Past research has shown that ghosts are able to control electrical appliances, such as fans and lights and they are able to manipulate electronic devices, such as computers, radios and television sets. While investigating in Jerome, Az in 1994, the locals suggested that when a storm moved into their area, paranormal activity increased. Photographic evidence suggested that during electrical storms, spirit energy appeared to be stronger and more alive. What does all this mean? When we get reports of a M Class Solar Flare or an X Class Solar Flare, we know that within two or three days, the charged particles from the coronal mass ejection will be striking the earth and the spirits will use this surplus energy to manifest themselves in our dimension. Haunted homes will be more active, investigations will be more successful and ghostly sightings more frequent. Check this page daily for information on solar conditions. Solar storm alerts have a red background.
Hi EchoBabe. :-) Welcome to Folklore~! Kath Washington State
--part1_103.3fff95c.2843c8ea_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >=20 > Profile of a Prime Timer >=20 > We true prime-timers were here before the Pill, the=20 > population explosion and disposable diapers. We were here=20 > before we were called "senior citizens." > We were here before TV, penicillin, polio shots,=20 > antibiotics and open-heart surgery. Before frozen food, nylon,=20 > Xerox, radar, fluorescent lights, credit cards, ballpoint pens,=20 > Frisbees and fiber optics. > For us, time-sharing meant togetherness, not computers or=20 > condos. Coeds never wore jeans. Girls wore Peter Pan collars. =20 > We were here before panty hose and drip-dry clothes, before=20 > icemakers and dishwashers, clothes dryers, freezers and electric=20 > blankets. Before men wore long hair and earrings and before=20 > women wore tuxedos. > We were here before Ann Landers, Grandma Moses and the=20 > Kinsey Report. We were here before facelifts, tummy tucks,=20 > liposuction and hair transplants. We thought cleavage was what=20 > butchers did. We were here before sex changes. Before Viagra. =20 > We just made do with what we had. > We were here before computers. A mouse pad was where mice=20 > hung out. To log-on was to add wood to fire. A chip was a=20 > piece of wood. Hardware meant hardware, and software wasn't=20 > even a word. A hard drive was a long, grueling journey. A CD=20 > was something you invested in. Windows were for looking out of. =20 > A virus was a flu bug that people caught. Backing up was what=20 > you hoped never happened to your toilet, especially when you had=20 > company. > We were here before vitamins, Jeeps, pizza, Cheerios,=20 > instant coffee, decaffeinated anything, light anything and=20 > McDonald's. We thought fast food was what you ate during Lent. =20 > If we had been asked to explain VCR, CIA, NATO, UFO, PMS, GNP,=20 > MBA, BMW, SDI, NFL, PSA and ATM, we'd have said "alphabet soup." > We prime-timers are a hardy bunch when you think of how our=20 > world has changed, all we have learned and the adjustments we=20 > have made. I'm pretty proud of us. > Let's keep in touch. Just e-mail me, send a fax, leave a=20 > message on my answering machine or call me on my cell phone. If=20 > I don't answer, tell my voicemail you called - after the beep,=20 > leave your name, your number and a brief message, and I'll get=20 > back to you as soon as I can. If you need me quickly, call my=20 > pager. If all else fails, come on over to my house, take a seat=20 > in one of the rockers on my porch and we'll visit the old- > fashioned way - face to face and in person - and let the rest of=20 > the world go by. >=20 > By Nardi Reeder Campion > Reprinted by permission of Nardi Reeder Campion (c) 2000, from=20 > Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor=20 >=20 =BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`= =B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB You're Just Jealous Because The Voices=20 Are Talking To Me Richiele Sloan ICQ #63829109 (Missi) =BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`= =B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB --part1_103.3fff95c.2843c8ea_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#ffffff"><FONT SIZE=3D2= FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"> <BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=3DCITE style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-= LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> <BR> Profile of a Prime Timer <BR> <BR> We true prime-timers were here before the= Pill, the=20 <BR>population explosion and disposable diapers. We were here=20 <BR>before we were called "senior citizens." <BR> We were here before TV, penicillin, polio= shots,=20 <BR>antibiotics and open-heart surgery. Before frozen food, nylon,=20 <BR>Xerox, radar, fluorescent lights, credit cards, ballpoint pens,=20 <BR>Frisbees and fiber optics. <BR> For us, time-sharing meant togetherness,=20= not computers or=20 <BR>condos. Coeds never wore jeans. Girls wore Peter Pan collars= . <BR>We were here before panty hose and drip-dry clothes, before=20 <BR>icemakers and dishwashers, clothes dryers, freezers and electric=20 <BR>blankets. Before men wore long hair and earrings and before=20 <BR>women wore tuxedos. <BR> We were here before Ann Landers, Grandma=20= Moses and the=20 <BR>Kinsey Report. We were here before facelifts, tummy tucks,=20 <BR>liposuction and hair transplants. We thought cleavage was what=20 <BR>butchers did. We were here before sex changes. B= efore Viagra. <BR>We just made do with what we had. <BR> We were here before computers. A mo= use pad was where mice=20 <BR>hung out. To log-on was to add wood to fire. A c= hip was a=20 <BR>piece of wood. Hardware meant hardware, and software wasn't=20 <BR>even a word. A hard drive was a long, grueling journey. A CD= =20 <BR>was something you invested in. Windows were for looking out of. &n= bsp; <BR>A virus was a flu bug that people caught. Backing up was what=20 <BR>you hoped never happened to your toilet, especially when you had=20 <BR>company. <BR> We were here before vitamins, Jeeps, pizz= a, Cheerios,=20 <BR>instant coffee, decaffeinated anything, light anything and=20 <BR>McDonald's. We thought fast food was what you ate during Lent. &nb= sp; <BR>If we had been asked to explain VCR, CIA, NATO, UFO, PMS, GNP,=20 <BR>MBA, BMW, SDI, NFL, PSA and ATM, we'd have said "alphabet soup." <BR> We prime-timers are a hardy bunch when yo= u think of how our=20 <BR>world has changed, all we have learned and the adjustments we=20 <BR>have made. I'm pretty proud of us. <BR> Let's keep in touch. Just e-mail me= , send a fax, leave a=20 <BR>message on my answering machine or call me on my cell phone. If=20 <BR>I don't answer, tell my voicemail you called - after the beep,=20 <BR>leave your name, your number and a brief message, and I'll get=20 <BR>back to you as soon as I can. If you need me quickly,=20= call my=20 <BR>pager. If all else fails, come on over to my house, take a seat=20 <BR>in one of the rockers on my porch and we'll visit the old- <BR>fashioned way - face to face and in person - and let the rest of=20 <BR>the world go by. <BR> <BR>  = ;By Nardi Reeder Campion <BR>Reprinted by permission of Nardi Reeder Campion (c) 2000, from=20 <BR>Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor=20 <BR>Hansen, Paul J. Meyer, Barbara </BLOCKQUOTE> <BR></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D4 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Ar= ial" LANG=3D"0"> <BR> <BR> <BR><P ALIGN=3DCENTER></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SAN= SSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"> <BR><B>=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7= =AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB</FONT><FONT=20= COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D3 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"> <BR></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Ar= ial" LANG=3D"0"></B>You're Just Jealous Because The Voices=20 <BR>Are Talking To Me <BR></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D5 FAMILY=3D"SCRIPT" FACE=3D"Brush= Script BT" LANG=3D"0"><I>Richiele Sloan </FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE= =3D3 FAMILY=3D"SCRIPT" FACE=3D"BlacklightD" LANG=3D"0"></I>ICQ #63829109 &nb= sp;(Missi) <BR></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" SIZE=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Ar= ial" LANG=3D"0"> <BR><B>=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7= =AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB:*=B4`=B3=A4=B3=B4`*:=BB=A7=AB</B> <BR> <BR></P></FONT></HTML> --part1_103.3fff95c.2843c8ea_boundary--
> > Susan's Magic Carpet > > Wrinkles of confusion rippled across Holly's forehead as > she unwrapped the gift from her best friend, Susan. > "I...I thought you could use it for something." Susan's > stammered explanation did nothing to help us understand why a > twelve-by-eighteen-inch dark blue carpet remnant was being > presented as a birthday gift. > My heart went out to our daughter. Starting out at a new > school during her freshman year had been a difficult adjustment. > Until she met Susan, Holly had experienced little success making > new friends. > The murmured "thanks" was barely audible as Holly tried > valiantly not to allow her disappointment to show. She laid the > piece of carpet on the kitchen counter, and the two girls headed > outside to play with the family dogs. > The extent of Holly's disappointment over the incident > didn't become evident until the following evening when she came > downstairs to say good night. "Well, I guess we know how much > my best friend thinks of me, huh, Mom?" Her attempt at a breezy > tone failed miserably. > Still bewildered by the situation myself, I didn't have > much to offer in the way of enlightenment. "I'm so sorry, > honey," was all I could manage to say. > The next morning, I carried a bulging kitchen sack outside. > My heart wrenched as I lifted the lid of the trash can and saw > Susan's carpet lying among the other discarded items. > Hesitating only a moment, I reached in and plucked it from amid > the debris. After giving it a light brushing, I brought it into > the house and tucked it away in the hall closet. Overshadowed > by the business of daily living, the carpet was soon forgotten. > Prior to Holly's birthday, Susan had been a regular visitor > in our home. On several occasions, she rode the bus home with > Holly and was one of the few friends ever permitted to stay over > on a school night. The girls did their homework together and > went to bed at a reasonable hour. > Now as I slid the evening meal into the oven, I realized it > had been nearly three weeks since we'd even heard mention of > Susan's name. I missed her warm smile and eager-to-please ways. > A rustle at the front door told me Holly had arrived home > from school. "Susan invited me to come over to her house after > school tomorrow," she announced as she plunked her books down on > the kitchen table. Although her voice carried a so-what > attitude, I sensed she was pleased by the invitation. > In spite of the number of times Susan had visited with us, > our invitations were never returned. "She wants you to come, > too, so you can meet her foster mom." The words "foster mom" > dangled in the air like a spent birthday balloon. Susan never > talked about her home life, and we didn't find it necessary to > pry. > Arrangements were made, and the girls rode home together on > the school bus the following day. As I negotiated the winding > country road that led to her house, Susan babbled nervously > about her foster mom and the seventeen cats she had taken in and > cared for with Susan's help. Several of these foster kitties > scattered as we pulled into the rutted gravel driveway. > A tall angular woman wearing a shapeless tan sweater over > navy blue pants stood in the screened doorway to greet us as we > approached the small farmhouse. "Excuse the mess," she > apologized, holding the door open while we threaded our way > through stuff that seemed to be everywhere. Knowing my > reputation for neatness, Holly's eyes darted in my direction to > quickly assess my reaction to such chaos. Susan's foster mom > waved a hand toward the kitchen counter, which was barely > visible through the assortment of cat medicines. "This is my > medicine cabinet," she explained. > Susan ushered us through the house. It seemed to be alive > with four-legged fur balls roaming underfoot and sprawling > across the backs of the dingy sofa and chairs. She proudly > showed us her room, which was sparsely but neatly decorated with > used furnishings. A tarnished picture frame sitting on a crate > beside the bed contained pictures of Susan's parents and > siblings from whom, we later learned, she had long since been > separated. > As the girls flopped down on the grayish-white bedspread to > compare notes about the school day, I followed Susan's foster > mom - who introduced herself as Glenda - into the kitchen. > After clearing a small area, Glenda placed a couple of mugs on > the table. Her hand trembled slightly as she poured us each a > cup of steaming black coffee. The tightness of her features > began to relax as we sipped our coffee and chatted about her > cats. > A warm glow shone in her eyes as she revealed to me her > fondness for Susan. But her expression turned pensive when she > referred briefly to the girl's past. In a short time, I came to > respect this generous-hearted woman who had opened her home to a > young girl and attempted to make a difference in her life. > As daylight began to fade, we offered our thanks for the > visit and said good-bye. > Holly sat quietly in the car on the way home. Stealing a > glance, I noticed her back was ramrod-straight. Her head and > shoulders were thrust forward as if willing the car to move > faster. No sooner had we come to a stop in the driveway than > she flung open the car door and walked purposefully toward the > side gate. Curious, I shifted into park and followed. A lump > caught in my throat as I observed my daughter standing next to > the trash can peering inside. Her shoulders slumped as she > replaced the lid and shuffled into the house. > After pulling the car into the garage, I went inside and > headed for the hall closet. By this time, Holly was sitting at > the kitchen table staring out the window. > "Is this what you were looking for?" I placed the piece of > carpet on the table in front of her. > "Thanks, Mom." A tear or two slipped from her eye and > splashed onto the dark blue remnant that, as if by magic, had > become the most precious birthday present in the whole world. > > By Karen Taylor > Reprinted by permission of Karen Taylor (c) 1999, from Chicken > Soup for the Christian Family Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor > Hansen, Patty Aubery and Nancy Mitchell Autio. > »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« You're Just Jealous Because The Voices Are Talking To Me Richiele Sloan ICQ #63829109 (Missi) »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«
> > * An Award Winning Heartwarmer * > > FRIENDLY FIRE > > I have been thinking about him all month, and the thoughts get > heavier, as Memorial Day draws closer. > I don't remember his name, but I remember his face -- pale, thin -- > and a body, splotched with a cancer that old men get. But he was just > nineteen. He was a good looking boy, who should have had a bright future > before him. But he was dying. He had AIDS. > I was a Department of Defense "sand crab." One of those faceless, > civilian people, who work for Uncle Sam at military bases. It was my job > to discharge sailors whose discharges were "other than honorable." I > thought about "honor" a lot, that day, as I interviewed that young boy and > typed his paperwork. He kept looking at my daughter's picture. She was > about his age. > "She's so pretty," he said, wistfully. > I felt uncomfortable. I moved her picture, and I proceeded to do the > job I hated. I placed the paperwork on my desk and gave him a pen to sign > his name, asking all the meaningless questions I'd asked before, explaining > his "rights". He nodded, sadly. > In my heart, there was a rage going on. This boy was being sent home, > with an Other Than Honorable Discharge, and it wasn't fair! It was an > abomination, and all of us who worked with him knew it! Worst of all, > there wasn't a thing we could do about it! > He had been in surgery at a Navy Hospital, and he had needed a blood > transfusion. He was given infected blood -- blood that gave him AIDS. > When he found out, he went berserk! In a panic, he also went UA, otherwise > known as "Unauthorized Absence." The Navy proceeded to catch him, charge > him, prosecute him, and discharge him -- through me. > So, there I sat with a young boy who was dying, because he was > infected in a Navy Hospital with a disease that, at the time, NO ONE had > survived! He didn't yell at me, or call me names, or threaten to have his > mother sue the Navy. He just sat there, sweet and hopeless. And I was > helpless to do anything, except process him out of the Navy. > Yes, he had committed a crime. Desertion is a crime, according to the > Uniform Code of Military Justice. He should have been a man! He should > have stood his ground! He should have stayed the course! I knew all the > arguments. Instead he ran, and ran, and ran, and ran, trying to escape the > disease he had caught in a Navy Hospital. > I completed his paperwork, my heart crying out to God, for some clue > that could help his mother get some recompense for the healthy, hopeful > child she had entrusted to the Navy -- and for the shadow of a child who > was going home. The records were silent. Anything that could hold the > Navy responsible was no longer in existence. Everything in front of me > condemned him, on new, crisp, white papers. > As he continued to sign his name and date every paper, somehow my > fingers got in the way. One of those new, crisp, white papers sliced the > tip of my finger and, being a bleeder, I bled all over my desk, and him. > Then he did something extraordinary. > He grabbed some tissues and he began to blot the blood from my hand -- > our hands touching, for the first time -- my hand pouring blood onto his > diseased hands. Suddenly, we both realized that our hands had touched. > That my blood had washed over his lesions, and his lesions had come in > contact with the cut on my hand. > Our eyes met for an eternity. Then he jerked his hand away. We never > spoke of it. We left the papers as they were, blood spattered, along with > his single, bloody fingerprint. Then I sent him home, knowing that he'd > never see another birthday. > As we approach Memorial Day -- a day when we remember veterans of the > past -- I think of a mother placing flowers upon the grave of a boy, who > had died in a losing battle, for his country. > > -- Jaye Lewis »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« You're Just Jealous Because The Voices Are Talking To Me Richiele Sloan ICQ #63829109 (Missi) »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«
Please, Sign My Yearbook Sitting in class, I concentrated on the back of Brian's neck. Evil thoughts filled my mind; I was secretly waiting for his head to explode. It didn't, and I was forced to watch my ex-boyfriend laugh and chat with every person in the room while he blatantly ignored me. After Brian and I broke up, third period became pure torture. While I was still nursing what I considered to be the world's most broken heart, I was bombarded with the sight of my ex's excessive flirting, as if he were proving to me that he was so obviously over his heartache. During class, Brian would gossip loudly about his weekend, his latest party and his new car. Maybe Brian was trying to get back at me for breaking off our six-month relationship. Maybe he thought that if he looked happy, it would hurt me more than I had hurt him. At the end of the relationship, I let him cry on my shoulder but held a strong heart as he begged me not to go. Of course, he covered his pain very well at school, as if our tearful good-bye had never occurred. Immediately after the breakup, Brian started dating another girl. She was graduating that spring, as if that were a big feat for a junior-year boy. She took him to the prom and announced it right beside me in math class. I, too, had a date for the prom, but it still hurt. My hurt curdled and turned to anger. It felt like he was trying to upset me, trying to rub his happiness in my face. Every time I saw them together, I wanted to scream. It felt like the pain was going to tear me in half, or at least force me to consider tearing her in half. School was coming to an end, and I eagerly waited for summer vacation, my savior. No more Algebra Two and that gnawing feeling in my stomach each day. One day in dreaded third period, Brian leaned over to me, and to my surprise, he asked me to sign his yearbook. I must have sat there for a full minute before I got over the shock and said yes. I thought to myself, 'This is my chance.' I could really let him have it! I could tell him that I knew what he was doing, that he was trying to hurt me, and that it wasn't fair. I could tell him that I saw through his act, that he and I both knew it was exactly that, an act. But then it hit me, what good would come of that? Would belittling him make me feel better, or would it just perpetuate the pain that we both needed to recover from? Instead of writing of the pain I had endured, I listed all of the fun times we had shared. I wrote about the first place we had ever kissed, the gifts he had given me, the lessons I had learned - the ones he had taught me - and the first "I love you" that was whispered between us. It took up one page, and that quickly became two, until my hand was tired of writing. There were still a million more great memories crowding the corners of my mind, and I remembered many more throughout the day. It made me realize the things I learned from him and what great experiences we had shared. I finished by telling him I held no hard feelings, and I hoped he felt the same. Maybe what I wrote in his yearbook made me look weak, maybe he thought I was pathetic for still holding onto the memories of our relationship. But writing all those things helped me; it helped me heal the wounds that still hurt in my heart. It felt liberating to let go of the grudge; I finally felt free from my anger. I realized that Brian had taught me one final lesson: forgiveness. Someday, when he is fifty and has his own children, he may stumble upon his high school yearbook, and they will ask who Stacy was. I hope he can look back and say I was someone who really cared about him, loved him, and most importantly, that I was someone who taught him about forgiveness. By Stacy Brakebush Reprinted by permission of Stacy Brakebush (c) 2000, from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« You're Just Jealous Because The Voices Are Talking To Me Richiele Sloan ICQ #63829109 (Missi) »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«
The Pickle Jar As far back as I can remember, the large pickle jar sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom. When Dad got ready for bed, he would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar. As a small boy I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window. When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank. Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. "Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son. You're going to do better than me. This old mill town's not going to hold you back." Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly. "These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill all his life like me." We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always had chocolate. Dad always had vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. "When we get home, we'll start filling the jar again." He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other. "You'll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters," he said. "But you'll get there. I'll see to that." The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town. Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and he never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance and faith. The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of words could have done. When I married, I told my wife Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me. No matter how rough things got at home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar. Even the summer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar. To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever to make a way out for me. "When you finish college, son," he told me, his eyes glistening, "you'll never have to eat beans again unless you want to." The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad's arms. "She probably needs to be changed," she said, carrying the baby into my parents' bedroom to diaper her. When Susan came back into the living room, there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and quietly leading me into the room. "Look," she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins. With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt. Neither of us could speak. By A. W. Cobb Reprinted by permission of A. W. Cobb (c) 1999, from Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger and Raymond Aaron. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« You're Just Jealous Because The Voices Are Talking To Me Richiele Sloan ICQ #63829109 (Missi) »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«
PAST GARDEN TRIVIA The sunflower is a native plant of North and South America. The American Indians used it's seed as a source of food. The Incas of Peru, who were sun worshipers, used it in their religious ceremonies. Spanish Conquistadors brought the sunflower seed back to Europe where it became popular for it's ornamental beauty and nutritional worth. Tomatoes were originally thought to be poisonous and did not gain acceptance in the U.S. until 1820, when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson ate a basket full of tomatoes on the courthouse steps in Salem, New Jersey on September 26, 1820. The assembeled crowd expected to see the Colonel drop dead. When he suffered no ill effects, the tomato was on it's way to become the most popular vegetable grown by backyard gardeners today ! The Scarlet Runner bean, which originated in Central America, was grown as an ornamental vine in sixteenth-century Europe. ( Their lush green foliage and scarlet colored flowers are still grown for this purpose.) They were introduced to the United States in the early 1800's and were not used for culinary purposes until later in that century. Melons were not grown in North America until the European colonists brought them over, probably in the mid 1600's. The so called "melons" the native American Indians grew were really varieties of pumpkins and squash. Capsaicin is the alkaloid ingredient that gives peppers their heat. The capsaicin content is greater in the hot peppers than the bell peppers. It is also effected by climate conditions, geographic location and the age of the fruit. A pepper grown in warm weather contains a higher amount of capsaicin than the same pepper grown in cooler climates. Higher nightime temperatures seem to be a must for growing really hot peppers. Also, peppers left on the vine to reach maturity have a higher capsaicin content than those that are picked early. While leaf lettuce was eaten during Greek and Roman times, heading lettuce did not appear until the late 1500's. Thomas Jefferson grew fifteen varieties of lettuce in his garden, during the 1800's, of which only two were of the heading variety. Today the heading variety is the most popular in the United States, with consumption at over four billion heads a year. Peas have been around a long time. Early archeologists have found them in cave dwellings dating back to 9750 B.C. These early peas were probably peeled and roasted over a fire. According to Norse legend, peas were sent to earth by the God Thor, and were only to be eaten on his day (Thursday). Peas reached North America in 1493, having been planted by Columbus on Isabella Island. They did not gain widespread popularity in the United States until the 1600's. Horehound is a perennial herb that the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians used as an antidote for poisons and a cure for respiratory illnesses and ulcers. It was even used on snakebites. These uses are not recommended today, but horehound is still used in the manufacture of syrups, teas and lozenges to treat sore throats. The Jack-O-Lantern arrived in this country from Ireland in the mid nineteenth century. Irish legend has it that a blacksmith named Jack sold his soul to the devil for financial gain. When it came time to pay the devil with his soul, he weaseled out of the deal by trapping the devil in a pear tree. Barred from Heaven for his deal with the devil, he was sent straight to Hell. The devil, still embarrassed over the pear tree incident, kicked him out of Hell. On his way out Jack scooped up a lump of burning coal and placed it in a pumpkin. He used this as a lantern while wondering around the earth waiting for Judgment Day. Lettuce, a member of the daisy family, first became popular table fare back in Greek and Roman times. They believed that lettuce salads enhanced the appetite in preparation for their gigantic feasts. Americans today eat about 30 lbs. of lettuce each, per year. Some curious beliefs from years gone by: Dried dill was once hung from the outsides of doors and windows to protect those inside from witches. - Fennel was said to be eaten by serpents to improve their eyesight, making it easier to attack their victims. - In the 9th century, drinking horehound tea was said to protect that person from the bites of mad dogs. In Greek and Roman times, the radish was very different than the ones we grow today. The radish was grown for winter storage, and often weighed 50 to 100 lbs. each. It was eaten cooked or raw and seasoned with honey and vinegar. The tomato is the most popular garden plant. Over 90% of all home gardeners cultivate tomatoes in their garden. There are currently over 500 tomato varieties on the market. As with many fruits and vegetables, tomatoes should be consumed fairly soon after picking, as their sugar content decreases in storage. . The cucumber was a favorite vegetable of ancient Egyptians. They made a drink from the fruit called "cucumber water". First a hole was cut in the end of a ripe cucumber. A small stick was then inserted into the hole and used to breakup and stir the pulp. The hole was then plugged, and the cucumber buried in the ground for a few days. The fruit was then unearthed, with the inside pulp having turned into a fermented drink. (We do not recommend this use for cucumbers today!) Corn is one of the most widely grown crops in the USA. Only about 10% of the corn grown ends up on the dinner table as a side dish, while over 50% of it is used for livestock feed. The rest of the crop is used to make everything from syrup and starch to whiskey and oil. Corn flakes were so popular in the early 1900's that there was over 40 companies producing this breakfast cereal in and around Battle Creek, Michigan. During the War between the States, doctors in the Union army routinely used onion juice to clean gunshot wounds, and General Grant, deprived of it, sent a testy memo to the War Department : "I will not move my troops without onions!" When potatoes were brought back to England, the English were not quite sure what to do with them. Sir Walter Raleigh gave some potato plants to Queen Elizabeth I. When it came time for Queen Elizabeth's cooks to prepare them, they tossed out the tubers and boiled the stems and leaves. Everyone at the table became deathly ill and potatoes were banned from the royal kitchen. What are the 10 most popular home grown vegetables in the USA and Canada? According to a survey, the top 10 are (in order of popularity): Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Onions, Beans, Lettuce, Carrots, Sweet Corn, Radishes and Cabbage. Tomatoes were grown in a little over 85% of all gardens with Cabbage being grown in only 30%. How long have people enjoyed the flavor of sauerkraut? When the Chinese were building the fifteen hundred mile long Great Wall Of China, they sustained themselves on cabbage pickled in wine. In the seventeenth century it was said that cows fed Dutch Carrots yielded the richest milk and the yellowest butter. While butter makers in other parts of Europe, using less well fed cows, colored their butter by adding carrot juice to the churn. Did you know that the Pimiento is an attractive and tasty pepper that, regrettably, is known to most of us solely as a stuffing for green olives. Back in the late 19th century some towns in England had laws that reduced a persons taxes if he planted flowers and shrubbery in his yard to beautify it. If the person next to him did not do the same, his taxes were raised. With these laws, the towns became attractive for visitors and towns folk alike. In the 1800's, cornmeal was often used in combination with soap to wash the dirt from the farmers hands. The coarse cornmeal helped loosen the dirt and was said to stop the hands from chapping. (Note: Don't try this with today' s indoor plumbing, as the cornmeal might clog the sink.) Today's gardeners are always trying to grow the biggest tomato, watermelon or pumpkin. Back in the 1800's the prize of every gardener was a gigantic turnip. Thirty pounders were quite common and a grower in California was said to have grown a turnip of over 100 lbs. in 1850. According to Greek mythology, one could break the magical spells of sorcerers by drinking a tonic made with horehound leaves. Today, a tea made with horehound and honey can be used to ease the pain of a sore throat. Peas have come along way to the tender, sweet varieties that we enjoy today. Archaeological findings suggest that early man ate peas that were roasted over open flames and peeled, similar to the way we eat chestnuts today! Fennel is one of our oldest cultivated plants and was much used by the Romans. Gladiators consumed fennel prior to battle to make them fierce, while Roman women ate fennel to prevent obesity. . In 1983, New York Transit officials dusted ground hot pepper on subway token slots to prevent rambunctious teenagers from sucking tokens out of the turnstiles. The herb feverfew was grown by Charlemagne in his botanical gardens. During his reign (800-814 A.D.), it was used by the Romans to reduce fevers, and as a sleep aid. While the taste of parsley is very mild, its peculiar smell is strong. When chewed after a meal, it can neutralize the odors given to the breath by onions, garlic and other hardy delicacies. Peppers can contain up to six times as much vitamin C as oranges! The highest levels are found when the peppers are in their "green" stage. Hot peppers contain less vitamin C than the milder bell peppers. This bit of information appeared in The Garden Diary and Country Home Guide published in 1908. "An old rule is to plant sweet corn in the spring when the leaves of the white oak tree are as large as a mouse's ear or when the soil feels warm to your bare bottom." (Just make sure the neighbors aren't watching if you try this !!) During the seventeenth century, the radish was used for a variety of "so called" medicinal purposes. It was used as a general antidote for poisoning, a cure for snake bites, to alleviate the pain of child birth and to remove freckles. When mashed, and then mixed with honey and dried sheep's blood, it was reported to cure baldness! Did you know that the herb valerian was used during World War I and World War II to treat shell shock and nervous stress? While pumpkins and winter squash have been popular in the United States since the time of the Pilgrims, the most common squash grown today has only been popular in the United States for the last 50 years. The zucchini was introduced to this country in the mid 1900's by the Italians and is now grown by more gardeners than any other squash. In the 1970's, over 70% of the corn acreage grown in the U.S.A. was planted with just six varieties of corn. When a new strain of southern leaf blight fungus appeared that year, corn fields across the country were wiped out. Such are the dangers of specialization, when it comes to agriculture. Hyssop was once used in the Hebrew temples during the ritual cleansing of the lepers. Research shows this may have protected those performing the bathing . Scientists have discovered the mold that produces penicillin can grow on the hyssop leaf. This could have acted as antibiotic protection for the caregivers against this disease. Nearly 90% of the world's plants depend on bees and other pollinating insects to reproduce seed and thus perpetuate the species. Coriander is one of the most ancient herbs still cultivated today. It was grown in Egyptian gardens and used as funeral offerings in Egyptian tombs. In 1869, Dr. Brown's Celery Tonic went on sale. The drink consisted of soda water and crushed celery seed. This started a celery craze in the late 19th century that included celery flavored soft drinks, celery gum, celery soup and elixir of celery. In the 1600's, English women often wore carrot leaves in their hats in place of flowers or feathers. There are over 350 varieties of ladybugs in the world. These beneficial insects have big appetites, with both the larvae and adult ladybugs devouring many harmful insects each day. Squash and pumpkins were a popular food source for the early American settlers, but it was not until the 19th century that they were accepted as such in Europe. (They were originally used as livestock feed by Europeans.) In the late 1800's, the tomato was just making its way onto the dinner table. But before this, it had already showed up in peoples medicine cabinet. Physicians of that time used the tomato as a remedy for indigestion, diarrhea, liver disease and as a cholera preventive. Such items as "Dr. Miles Compound Extract of Tomato" and "Dr. Phelps Compound Tomato Pills" were popular cures in many peoples homes. (These remedies are not meant to be used today!) Colonists on the Mayflower baked their pumpkins whole in the ashes of a fire. Once the pumpkins were cooked, they cut them open and served moistened with animal fat and maple syrup. Another specialty was a beer made from pumpkins, persimmons and maple sugar. When Columbus first arrived in the Americas, there were close to 300 varieties of corn being grown on the continent. Today, only 16 varieties of corn account for over 70% of the corn being grown in the United States. With the advent of genetically engineered corn, we are in danger of losing all genetic diversity, leaving the nations corn crop open to widespread destruction by a single fungus or disease. The eggplant was probably first consumed in China around 500 A.D. These strange looking fruits with little thorns and a bitter taste were eaten cautiously. The Chinese believed the fruit was poisonous unless carefully prepared by a trained cook! The radish was eaten during breakfast, lunch and dinner by early American settlers. By the late eighteenth century, at least ten varieties of radishes were popular in home gardens. Thomas Jefferson grew eight different varieties in his own gardens at Monticello. The herb Elecampane is believed to have derived its name from the following story. Legend has it the daughter of the god Zeus was gathering that particular herb when the Trojan prince, Paris, abducted her from the gardens. This resulted in the "campaign" to recover her (the ten year struggle for the walls of Troy). So the next time you see the beautiful flowers of this herb, remember that it was named after Helen of Troy, during the "Helen Campaign"! In the "good old days", hollyhocks were often grown around the outhouse. The tall flowers helped hide the unsightly structure, while the fragrant blooms acted as a natural air freshener. Today these flowers are grown along fences, driveways and as a background plant in the flower garden. The lima bean gets its name from the city of Lima, Peru. Archaeologists have found evidence they were cultivated there over six thousand years ago, in what was the Indian village of Rimac.
ROSEMARY (perennial) The spicy, aromatic leaves of this herb are a welcome addition to any garden. This member of the mint family grows one to three feet high and has evergreen type leaves. Once used by the Romans to make a nerve calming tea, it is now mostly used to flavor lamb and pork dishes. Fresh rosemary can also be added sparingly to a salad or sprinkled on a baked potato. It can also be used to make a delicious herb butter for vegetables. PLANTING: Rosemary can be somewhat difficult to start from seed, but with a little patience, anyone can do it. First stratify the seeds, then sow inside 6 weeks before the last spring frost. The seeds need light to germinate, so just lightly press them into the starting medium. Set up fluorescent lights over the seed trays and leave on for 16 hours a day. Rosemary has a naturally low germination rate, so do not expect more than 25-30% of the seeds to sprout. Transplant outside after the last spring frost, spacing 2-4' apart, in a sunny spot. The soil should be slightly alkaline to grow the healthiest plants. In northern climates, the plants should be mulched and covered to survive the winter. HARVESTING: Cut individual branches from the plant and strip the leaves from the stems. These can be used fresh or dried for later use. Try growing rosemary as an indoor potted plant. Its pleasant scent acts as a natural room deodorizer. A tea made from the leaves can be used as a spray in the garden to repel insects. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- RUE (perennial) An important herb in biblical times, the branches of the rue plant was used to sprinkle holy water before a high mass. It was also believed to help improve eyesight and cultivate ones "creative inner vision". Thieves, in the act of robbing plague victims, often sprinkled a vinegar made with these leaves over themselves to help guard from catching the disease. Today, rue is used mostly as a decorative hedge in the herb garden. Small amounts of the bitter leaves can give an unusual "musky" flavor to egg and fish dishes. The leaves are often used in small nosegays. PLANTING: Sow the seeds inside 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Transplant outside to a sunny location, spacing the plants 12 to 24 inches apart, after the last spring frost. The plants grow 24 to 36 inches tall, so they are often used as a background border in the herb garden. HARVESTING: Harvest the leaves just before the flowers open. The leaves can then be used fresh or dried to use later. Two year and older plants should be pruned in late spring to force new growth. In severe winters, the plant should be protected. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- SAGE (perennial) This member of the mint family is mentioned throughout history as a cure for many ailments and afflictions. It was once believed to cure tuberculosis, retard the aging process and as a treatment for poisonous snake bites. Today, sage leaves are used mostly in the kitchen. Fresh or dried sage leaves add a delicious flavor to stuffings, poultry and pork dishes, or in homemade sausage. A tea made from sage leaves can help with digestion. The purple, blue and white flowers are edible and are often used to add color to a salad. PLANTING: Sow the seeds inside 6 weeks before the last spring frost. The seeds need light to germinate, so just lightly press them into the starting medium. Set up fluorescent lights over the seed trays and leave on 16 hours a day. After all danger of frost has passed, transplant outside to a sunny location, spacing the plants 20" apart. A few plants is all that is needed for the average gardener. HARVESTING: Harvest the leaves before the flowers bloom. Dry the leaves in a well ventilated area away from sunlight. Once dried, store the leaves in airtight containers. Northern gardeners should mulch and cover the plants if they are to survive the winter Happy Gardening, HEIRLOOM SEEDS
You have received a Happy Birthday Card from your Folklore Family Ben. To see it, just click this link, or copy and paste it into the address line of your Web browser: http://ecardview.hallmark.com/hmk/Website/greeting.jsp?id=EG4023-878052-1433 392
Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You Happy Birthday Dear Ben, Happy Birthday to You~! *<[]:-) Hugs, Kath
-/\/\----------------------------------------------------------------- \ / TODAY'S VERSE from HEARTLIGHT -- http://www.heartlight.org/ --\/------------------------------------------------------------------ May 27, 2001 VERSE: Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. -- Isaiah 40:28-29 http://www.StudyLight.org/desk/?query=Isaiah+40:28-29 THOUGHT: God is eternal. He has unlimited power. His supply of strength is limitless. He blesses and shares his grace without growing tired. Most importantly, he longs to share his power and grace with us daily. PRAYER: Almighty and eternal God, loving and generous in your mercy, thank you for giving me strength in my weariness, guidance in my confusion, and hope in my despair. Please bless me with courage to follow your will and trust in your presence through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20010527
Today is Monday, May 28th, the 148th day of 2001. There are 217 days left in the year. This is the Memorial Day observance. Today's Highlight in History: On May 28th, 1972, the Duke of Windsor, who had abdicated the English throne to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson, died in Paris at age 77. On this date: In 1533, England's Archbishop declared the marriage of King Henry the Eighth to Anne Boleyn valid. In 1863, the first black regiment from the North left Boston to fight in the Civil War. In 1892, the Sierra Club was organized in San Francisco. In 1934, the Dionne quintuplets -- Annette, Cecile, Emilie, Marie and Yvonne -- were born to Elzire Dionne at the family farm in Ontario, Canada. In 1937, Neville Chamberlain became prime minister of Britain. In 1940, during World War Two, the Belgian army surrendered to invading German forces. In 1977, 165 people were killed when fire raced through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky. In 1984, President Reagan led a state funeral at Arlington National Cemetery for an unidentified American soldier killed in the Vietnam War. (However, the remains were later identified as those of Air Force First Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie, and were sent to St. Louis for hometown burial.) In 1985, David Jacobsen, director of the American University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon, was abducted by pro-Iranian kidnappers (he was freed 17 months later). In 1987, Mathias Rust, a 19-year-old West German pilot, landed a private plane in Moscow's Red Square. Ten years ago: Ethiopian rebels seized control of the capital of Addis Ababa, a week after the country's longtime Marxist ruler, Mengistu Haile Mariam, resigned his post and fled. US Defense Secretary Dick Cheney and other NATO defense chiefs agreed to create a rapid reaction corps as part of a broad plan to reshape the Western alliance in the post-Cold War era. Five years ago: President Clinton's former business partners in the Whitewater land deal, James and Susan McDougal, and Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker, were convicted of fraud. One year ago: President Alberto Fujimori of Peru won a lopsided re-election victory in a runoff vote that had been boycotted by his opponent. Juan Montoya won the 84th Indianapolis 500, becoming the first rookie champion since Graham Hill in 1966. Today's Birthdays: Actress Carroll Baker is 70. Actor John Karlen is 68. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Jerry West is 63. Singer Gladys Knight is 57. Singer Billy Vera is 57. Singer John Fogerty is 56. Country singer Gary Stewart is 56. Actress-director Sondra Locke is 54. Singer Roland Gift is 39. Actor Brandon Cruz (TV series "The Courtship of Eddie's Father") is 39. Rapper Chubb Rock is 33. Singer Kylie Minogue is 33. Actor Glenn Quinn ("Angel") is 31. Actor Joseph Cross is 15. "The only thing I regret about my past is the length of it. If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner." -- Tallulah Bankhead, American actress (1903-1968). (Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)