It seems a lot of my most beloved relatives have passed away in February, most notably my revered great aunt Lidia Mincey and my two oldest siblings. I spent the end of February in nostalgic reflection. The week just passed had some dates of special significance to me.
February 24, 2022 my father would have turned 108. Two days later, February 26, 2022 marked the 40th anniversary to the day of his death.

There are times you need a cheese spread. Rather than buy a jar, make your own. Then you will know wha's in there. If you are like me, you probably have all the ingredients on hand anyway. Try this one

With state Arbor Days coming up (TN-March 4, KY-April 1, VA-April 29) I thought it appropriate to reflect on how intertwined our lives are with trees. We not only use forest derived products multiple times every day, but their constant presence is inspiring enough to be used in literature, poetry, and music. A time tested form of writing to teach wisdom is the proverb, a brief statement that expresses a general truth. The Bible is full of them, and they are used by about every culture on the planet. A way to juice up a proverb is to use figurative language, like: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water…”. It makes for imaginative reading that will be remembered. What follows is a listing of wise sayings where trees are expressively used.

Mark Your Calendar, Some Sessions Begin March 1

COLUMBIA, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture along with UT Extension state and area specialists will conduct an outreach program on specialty crops in Tennessee. The workshop series, “Considerations for Growing and Marketing Specialty Crops in Tennessee,” will address basic production and marketing considerations for producers interested in growing specialty crops.

In Comparison to Other Treatments

“Chiropractic users had 64% lower odds of receiving an opioid prescription than non users.” – Corcoran et al. (2019) Pain Medicine

Being such a klutz isn’t easy. In fact, it can be very stressful.
It was a Saturday morning and I had just taken out our dog, Roxie. We walked in through the garage to the kitchen door, which I had left cracked open. That way Roxie could nudge it open with her nose; except she didn’t do that this time. I had no idea why, but I was tired of waiting. I leaned forward to shove the door open. When I did that, my foot slipped off of the step and I fell forward.

I am “fed UP”. What does that exactly mean? For me, it does not mean that I have eaten so much food that I am no longer hungry.
Just to clarify, I’m really not “fed UP” about anything in particular, possibly other than the ever-increasing price of gasoline. I received an email from a friend titled “An Amazing English Two Letter Word”. The message reflected that the word “up” in the English language has more meanings than any other two letter word, and can function as five of the eight parts of speech we spent so much time learning in school.

Here is an easy dip or spread. You should have everything on hand to make this. Cannellini beans take other flavors very well. If you have any doubts, try this one on your family.

Folks that burn wood in stoves or fireplaces have the added chore of disposing of the ashes. It can be a valued organic fertilizer and insect repellant if used properly

Wood ash contains 1-2% phosphorus, 7-10% potassium, plus micronutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, copper, and zinc. The largest component of ash is calcium carbonate, making it useful as a liming agent to neutralize acidic soil.

The Swine Project consists of 4-H members raise weaned feeder pigs to an idea weight of 250 pounds. Swine projects provide youth with opportunities to expand their knowledge of swine production and, more importantly, develop the life skills that are needed to be positive contributors to society.  Through swine projects youth will learn about selection and evaluation, nutrition and feeding, health and daily care, reproduction, marketing, and much more.  Youth learn to accept responsibility, to value hard work, think critically, make decisions, and communicate.