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The only time I saw my father cry was when I told him that my nephew, who was his first grandchild, had been killed in an auto accident. At that time, a “real” man didn’t openly shed tears. I am so grateful that times have changed, and that now it is not a sign of weakness for a man to cry.
Washington Irving once said, “There is a sacredness in tears. They are not a mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.”
Spring and fall are my two favorite seasons of the year. Spring more than fall, because it’s as if the vegetation is waking up from a long winter sleep. Buds are appearing on the trees and bushes and the grass turns greener every day. Oh yes, the grass is also growing more every day. Being a morning person, I enjoy stepping outside early and listening to the birds chirping. The air always smells so fresh, especially if it has rained during the night. Some of these experiences can only be found in communities like right here in St. Joe County. It’s just not the same on the “Strip” in Las Vegas.
This is also the time of the year when you might want to make sure your lawn mower is ready to do its job this summer. Take the time now to make sure your mower blades are sharp and the belts are in good shape. Don’t wait until it’s time to mow the lawn and then discover that your blades are dull and your drive belts are rotted and worn. Check that spark plug also. Probably not a bad idea to buy a new one to insure peak performance. If your mower has a separate oil reservoir, make sure your oil level is at the proper level. Every garage should have at least one can of WD-40. It’s not very expensive, and it could save you a lot of money in the long run.
If you own a snow blower, you can safely put that away for about six months. Of course, it’s up to you, but I think it’s a good idea to run the snow blower out of fuel before putting it away. I even put a block of wood under it to keep the wheels off the ground. Putting a small tarp over the machine doesn’t hurt, either. By reading this, you’d think I thought myself to be very mechanically inclined. Quite the contrary. I’ve learned a lot by making plenty of mistakes. I’m also very fortunate to have a great neighbor who knows volumes more than I do when it comes machines.
Water Festival is less than two months away. Water Festival always happens on Father’s Day weekend in June. If you have a special talent or a desire to give back a little to the community, please take a few minutes and stop by the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce. Let them know that you are interested in volunteering a couple of hours and being a part of this special three-day event. You’ll be surprised how welcome they’ll make you feel. One suggestion is assisting with the line-up of the Water Festival parade. If you’ve never been a part of Water Festival, you have no idea on how rewarding this experience can be. The Chamber office is located at 57 North Main Street in historic downtown Three Rivers.
I was fortunate to have Mrs. Lasko for my seventh-grade teacher. She was well-liked and knew things that they didn’t teach in college. A cure for hiccups is a good example. If a student started hiccupping, she would take that student into the hallway and go to the nearest drinking fountain. Mrs. Lasko would turn on the fountain, while the student plugged his/her ears with their index fingers and drank from the fountain. The hiccups went away 95 per cent of the time. They don’t make teachers like Mrs. Lasko anymore. If you should come down with hiccups and there isn’t a Mrs. Lasko nearby, all you need to do is quickly swallow one teaspoon of granulated sugar. Another suggestion would be to slow down a little when eating a meal.
Why does mineral water that has trickled through mountains for centuries have a “use by” date?
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
See you Out and About!
Submitted by Norm Stutesman
