Commentary

I have to confess – my eyes and desires are much, much bigger than my farm. If I planted every vegetable, herb, fruit and flower that catches my attention, I would have to move everyone out of the state of Louisiana just to have enough room.

Unfortunately, I really don’t believe my neighbors would appreciate that, so I have to rein myself in. Instead, I start in January, planning my garden. First, I think about what we love to eat most. Since Gumbo is usually on the menu at some point, I know I need to plant okra and parsley.

We love to grill, so that means I need a few sides to go along with the chicken, steak, or hamburgers. For that, my favorite sides are either a Pasta or Potato salad, and some squash pickles. The salads need pickle relish, and the squash pickles need bell peppers and squash.

It gets hot during the summer, so we love having just a cool meal from time to time. We often stir up a bowl of Bruschetta, which means I need tomatoes and basil.

Times were hard in 1941. Willie E. Godman, son of a Terry, Mississippi, farmer, knew there were no job chances for him after graduation so he started going to the Trade School in Hattisburg. Then came Pearl Harbor.

“They needed workers in the defense plants up north so I went to Fairfield, CT, where I was hired by Alcoa Aluminum.” Godman, known simply as “Bill” to all who knew him, worked in the area for about two years before being called up back in Mississippi.

“They gave us a choice,” Godman smiled. “I weighed only 119 pounds at the time and was not about to go into the Army. So I chose the Navy.” He went through boot camp in Bainbridge, MD. Though he doesn’t recall much of that experience, he concluded it wasn’t bad. “They didn’t yell at you and carry on, like in the Marines.”

Dear Editor, Thank you to the people that made February 4th such a special day for my family and me. To be the Grand Marshal of the Krewe of Kingfish Mardi Gras Parade was such an honor. A special shout out to the Krewe of Kingfish for choosing me for this prestigious honor. The Krewe of Derr had a blast. To all my family, friends, and former students who greeted me along the parade route, I was so touched seeing you all. To my precious family, there are no words that could really express my thoughts. They were all here and did so much to make my parade day so perfect. February 4th was a great day to live in Winnfield. The streets were filled with citizens of Winn Parish having a good time. Many thanks to everyone who provided me with a memory that I will have in my heart forever.

Love, Laure Derr

Baton Rouge, LA - Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana is now accepting hog donations at partner processors that are signed up with the organization throughout the state. Under the “Freshly Harvested Game Program,” deer have been approved to be processed and delivered to one of Louisiana’s five food banks and their affiliate kitchens and shelters. Due to the current need to control the feral hog population in Louisiana, hogs are now added to the program and accepted year-round.

Hunters are encouraged to visit the Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana (H4H) website to find a convenient partner processor where they can deliver their bounty. There is no cost to the hunter as H4H will pay the processing fee. As long as the H4H partner processor is called ahead of time, they’ll accept the hog, process it, and have it picked up by a local food bank or agency within that community.

When the Jews saw the healing miracle performed in the life of the man born lame in Acts chapter three, they made an important request from Apostle Peter, what was the right step to take. The man of God replied, “[19]Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” Acts 3.

Repentance marks the commencement of a lifetime journey with God. Repentance makes what was a fancy become highly detestable to the repentant person. It is a mark of reconciliation to the source of mankind. This, if done wholeheartedly, heralds a time of refreshment from God. This is because the territory has changed. Comfort and joy has commenced without an end. Let it be noted that repentance is the starting point of an everlasting journey. To have a successful journey, many things are involved.

Spare, has set records for sales: selling 1.4 million copies in the first day. According to Guinness World Records, this makes it the fastest, first-day sales total of any nonfiction book ever.

Given an advance of $20 million by Penguin Books, Prince Harry’s book is basically an airing of the Royal Family’s dirty laundry. Within its pages, ( according to those who’ve read it), the young prince shares what it was like to be the son of Princess Diana. And, her sudden death left him with deep grief, anger, loneliness, etc.—making it hard for him to accept life in the limelight.

Then, according to short summary of the book on Amazon, Prince Harry talks about falling in love with Megan. . .their storybook, almost fairytale romance and wedding. . .and subsequent abuse, racist attitudes and lies ( according to him) from the Royal Family.

You would think being raised in the back woods of Goldonna by parents who believed in growing big gardens and filling the freezer with deer meat and squirrel, that I would love fresh yard eggs. Well, I do not.

I can spot a yard egg from a mile away. Now mind you, my mama raised chickens and kept the refrigerator stocked with fresh yard eggs during my childhood, but I never ate them. Instead, she would go to the local grocery store and get a dozen of those beautiful pristine white “grocery store” eggs especially for me. When my daddy and I would load up our walker hounds for a night of fox hunting, mama would have a lunch box ready for us before we drove off. In it would be scrambled egg sandwiches. Mine would have an “S” on them for Stacey.

This week U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel after a second batch of classified documents was found inside the garage of President Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home. The first documents were found inside the Washington, D.C., offices of the Penn Biden Center think tank.

What do we know? Well, to begin with, what this latest Biden scandal underscores, yet again, is the corrupt nature of the FBI raid on President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago home in Florida on Aug 8, 2022. A raid that reportedly included 30 agents—including SWAT teams—in 20 government vehicles swarming Mar-a-Lago in the Palm Beach darkness.

When can we expect the FBI raid on Biden’s Delaware home or his D.C. think tank to further investigate the mishandling of our National Security secrets, a discovery known by the DOJ several days BEFORE the midterm elections and yet covered up from the American people?

There are times when we find time on our hands and are looking for things we can do. When it comes to volunteering, we search for a way we can serve others through the skills we have, and by doing things we already love to do. If gardening is on that list, consider starting a Community Garden.

If there isn’t one already in your community, it may first require a visit to a Town Council meeting, or to an individual who owns a section of land suitable for a Community Garden. Before you submit your request to the Council or individual, scout around for at least 3 places inside and outside the city limits that would be suitable for a Community Garden. If one says no, another may just say yes.

With everything we have been through lately, we need a few money-stretching ideas for our meal plans. A great way to do that is to create meals that will allow for creative uses of leftovers.

We love ham, almost anyway you can prepare it.

Baked Ham

1 whole Ham 2 cups Water Pineapple rings, if desired Place ham in a baking dish. Add the water. If using pineapple, place them across the surface of the ham, using toothpicks to secure. Cover with foil. Place in a 350-degree oven and bake for one hour. Remove foil and return to the oven to bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Other Ways to Use Ham Sandwiches Ham and Corn Chowder Leftover ham can be cubed and placed into an omelet. Don’t forget to add chopped onion, bell pepper and some grated cheddar cheese for extra deliciousness.

Although we traditionally use sausage, chopped ham can also be used in a Breakfast Casserole.

Substitute ham and pineapple in a Spinach Chicken Salad.