August 2006
Duct Tape.
August 30, 2006
Ty has been selling college text books to earn extra money. He asks his friends, and their friends, and anybody else that’s nearby if they want him to sell their text books. He posts them on the internet and splits the profits when they sell. He’s made a nice little nest egg this fall. When he first started selling he called and asked for advice on shipping, but before long the cadet store was out of padded envelopes and he soon resorted to his tool of choice: duct tape. Ty can do just about anything with duct tape.
 
Packages wrapped in duct tape. Shorts made of duct tape for Spirit Week
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Not Your Normal F.H.E.
August 29, 2006
Calvin planned it and announced at supper that we would butcher quail for family home evening. Ande groaned. While she and I did the dishes, Calvin turned on the hose, gathered the big pans and some rubber gloves and told us to meet him at the quail pen.
When Trevor, Cali, Abe and Ty were little we home-butchered quite a bit (rabbits, chickens, steers, pigs, deer and a moose.) However, since we have moved to Washington our butchering days have been limited. Calvin felt it time to teach Ande the craft. He caught the quail, handed them to her, gave a demonstration on what to do, and as she squirmed and protested, said, “Ande, this is important. You might need to know this someday. Now watch.” Ande could not keep her nose from curling, nor see where this information would ever be remotely useful. She would definitely have been a manna-gatherer while someone else was butchering the quail with Moses and the camp of Israel.
Truth be told, killing them last night was a bit sickening at first to me, too. It’s real easy to get out of the habit of butchering. When I was little we butchered chickens. If you’ve never butchered a chicken, after the chicken's head is gone it runs around “like a chicken with his head cut off.” My job was to chase them and bring them back to the pile. David, the neighbor boy, and I took turns and would have contests to see whose chicken could run farthest without his head. It was always disappointing when they ran in circles instead of straight. As a kid, butchering was a great time with lots of new things to see. Last night as an adult I felt the little quails' heartbeats and saw their blinking eyes and it didn’t seem like such a great time—at first.
But then, watching Ande’s face and seeing her get quite good at skinning them, made me
 
remember the fun of butchering. We had a great biology lesson (did you know their kidneys are bigger than their hearts?) and it was fun visiting and peaceful enjoying the evening outside.
Ande kept saying, “Here mom. It’s your turn,” as she tried to hand me the pliers, but someone had to shoot the pictures. Thank heavens Calvin kept saying, “Mom's already had her turn and you need to learn this.” It was not your normal family home evening but it had all the components of a great one nonetheless.
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Comments: (please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com)
Even though my mom got most of the details right, she forgot a few. Such as me being
absolutely disgusted and wondering if I would ever eat again. She also forgot to mention that I will be scarred for life. Everyone please take note to the fact there is blood on my gloves and arms...very scarring. The least to say, I found it gross and disturbing. Oh and the only reason I got fast at skinning them is because going to spend time with friends was on the line. But atleast there is one Family Home Evening I will never forget.
- Ande
OH Ande I so sympathize with you... You deserve extra blessings for - obeying thy parents - this time. Love Deb
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A Blogging Perk.
August 28, 2006
The family of Edward and Emma Payne in front of the family home in Glenwood, Utah
Harry Payne is seated at the far right
This letter is a wonderful perk I didn’t expect from blogging. With the author's permission, I’m sharing it with you.
Dear Neighbor Jane,
I found your blog and have been a daily reader for a couple of months now. I truly enjoy it--I read several blogs but yours is my favorite.
I have been going to write to see if your husband might be related to me. My name is Ruth Payne _______ and am originally from Lordsburg, New Mexico. My grandfather, Harry Payne settled in a little town called Virden, New Mexico. My great grandparents were Edward and Emma Payne who lived in Glenwood, Utah.
I am 71 years old (oops--you have at least one fan who is an "oldie") so am obviously from an older generation but wonder if I might be a cousin???
Sending All Good Wishes.....................Ruth Payne _________, now from ________Utah.
I returned Ruth's e-mail, happy she’d made the effort to connect, and explained that Harry Payne was Calvin’s great-grandfather. She wrote:
Dear Jane and Calvin,
What a nice coincidence--to first enjoy your blog and writing so much and then to find out we're related--and not too distantly!
I think if I remember right that I found your blog through "Works for Me Wednesday" at ROCKS IN MY DRYER. The first time I was on your site was when you showed the mailable candy gift idea. I looked around your site and it was very appealing so have been a "regular" ever since. From the start I wondered if Calvin could in some way be related--especially when I figured out that you were LDS. Then when you gave the New Mexico connection it just had to be so.
Calvin's grandfather (my Uncle Les) and my father were brothers. My father's name was Harry VEARLE Payne and he was the next to youngest child. My mom's name was DONA.
As I told you I grew up in Lordsburg, New Mexico which was about 40 miles from Virden where most of the Payne family lived. When I was about 12 or 13 years old Uncle Les and Aunt Evalina invited me to spend a week with them on their farm so that I could get better acquainted with my cousins Carol and Dean. What wonderful memories I have of that week. Aunt Evalina will forever stand out in my memory as the perfect homemaker with her cooking, needlework and gardening skills--Jane, I don't know if you knew her but you would have loved her. She epitomized everything on your site. And Uncle Les was a tease--Bob (Calvin’s father) comes by it naturally as that seems to be a characteristic of all the Payne men.
Uncle Les' family moved from Virden and I grew up and moved away and pretty much lost track of them. Please remember me to Bob and Audrey (Calvin’s folks) and any of the extended family you might be in touch with.
As for us we are a retired couple (school principal and kindergarten teacher). We have 7 children and 20 grandchildren and in 10 months we will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We moved to __________ a couple of years ago to be near one of our daughters and also medical care. My husband has Parkinson's disease, but is doing quite well right now and life is good.
Sending Love and Good Wishes to you and your family............A cousin, Ruth _________
Blogging might not have raises, benefits or insurance packages attached, but this was a payback worth writing for. I’m so glad Ruth made contact. Calvin’s grandparents died before we married and it was fun to hear about them through her memories. (It was a huge relief to know Calvin's teasing is genetic and I'm not responsible to fix it.) And Ruth’s sign off, “Sending love and good wishes,” makes me warm every time I read it.
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Comments: (please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com)
Jane, that just tickles me. You made my day! Thanks for sharing that. Shannon
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Downsizing.
August 26, 2006
With all of the corporate and hamburger downsizing I shouldn’t have been surprised when they cut Pluto from the planet lineup. But I was. It was jolting enough when they changed the pronunciation of Uranus—my kids and I enunciate it much differently. But now to have eight planets instead of nine? It will take years to forget that one, pre-2006 is now "Back when Pluto was a planet."
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Comments: (please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com)
Jane, Great poem! I copied it and sent it to our Relief Society today. I am the RS secretary and I send out weekly announcements. I just wanted to thank you for maintaining such a resourceful web site! Tina
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Nearsighted. Farsighted. Anyway.
August 24, 2006
I read that our brain has the capacity to incorporate information from several different sources simultaneously. If we had eyes on the top of our head, the side of our head and the back of our head, in addition to the ones we have in the front of our head, our brain could process the stimuli and information from all four sources at the same time. However, though we have the ability, we haven’t yet utilized it and currently process only one thought at a time. Every time a new thought enters, the old thought is pushed on through or tossed aside. The article went on to say how ironic it is that we (with our nearsighted-tunnel vision and only using a fragment of our brain’s potential at best) like to counsel an omniscient God, who sees the end from the beginning, and tell Him how to run things.
Today, while looking for an article for tomorrow’s newsletter, I ran across this anonymous poem I’d tucked away. I like it. It reminds me not to be so nearsighted.
Anyway
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank some may cheat you.
Be forthright anyway.
What you spend years building some may destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness some may be jealous and scornful.
Be joyous anyway.
The good you do today may often be forgotten tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it will never be enough;
Give the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the end, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them . . . anyway.
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Comments: (please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com)
Good for you Jane. Love, Deb
Jane, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you and your positive attitude. As you have now figured out that I read your blogs everyday, and enjoy it very much. Because of your positive attitude, it helps be more positive. It is refreshing to remember to look for the good in things.
Keep up the good work! Talk to you later. Love, Donna
Oh Jane, you are soooo good. I'm so blessed to have you as a friend. You always help me to be better, just by being you. Love, Susan
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“World-less” Wednesday
August 23, 2006
Having just graduated from college,
“She’s Got the Whole World in Her Hands”
for more Wordless Wednesdays go to 5 minutes for mom
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Comments: please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Beautiful girl, beautiful sunset. Great picture Jane! Susan
I'm in awe!!!! Darla
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The Thought Really, Really Counts
August 22, 2006
Canning season has officially hit. Saturday a friend called and asked if I’d like extra tomatoes to can. She said, “I know you’ll soon start teaching so I thought I’d see if you wanted them first.” Cali was home for the weekend and went to help me pick. Between the three of us we probably picked 125 pounds of tomatoes. My friend wasn’t kidding, she let me have the very first batch—even before she’d taken what she needed. She said, “I can do mine later after you’re in school and don’t have as much time to can.” I was humbled by not only her generosity, but her thoughtfulness.
Yesterday I picked peppers and onions from the garden and canned salsa and chili sauce. The whole house smelled of a nice mixture of hot peppers, green peppers, cloves, tomatoes and cinnamon. And though the spider webs re-accumulated outside on the house this week, and though the lawn is in desperate need of mowing and the ironing basket is overflowing, tomatoes are still on the agenda today.
We just picked the last of the corn this morning and I haven’t yet jumped into the shower. My hair is sticky, sticky, sticky—even dippity-do and hair wax does not have the holding properties of corn juice. I am glad the sweet corn harvest is finished, but I’m also glad I got to go out in the corn fields every morning to help the pickers. I haven’t done that kind of work in several years and it felt good for a few weeks.
Salsa
5 pounds tomatoes
2 pounds peppers (chopped)
1 pound onions (chopped)
1 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp salt
˝ tsp pepper
Slip the skins on the tomatoes and chop. Add peppers, onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a large pan, bring the salsa to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle hot into jars, add lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
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Ooops. God Bless New Mexico.
August 21, 2006
Remember when Frauline Maria couldn’t remember one child in her prayers that famous night of Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens in the Sound of Music? When all the children join her in bed after the thunderstorm booms, she remembers who she forgot, looks heavenward and says, “Kurt! God bless Kurt.”
I forgot New Mexico in The Places I’ve Been. How could I have forgotten Carlsbad Caverns? The formations are incredible. And the bats? Unforgettable. Besides the caverns, New Mexico is the courtin’ grounds of my in-laws. One day my children were asking their grandparents how they met. The kids asked Grandpa how he asked Grandma out on a date and he said, “I don’t know. I called her up on the phone I guess.” Grandma scolded him and said, “Bob. We were the only ones with a phone in town. Your family didn’t have one.” Grandpa stroked his chin and said, “Oh, that’s right. Well, I guess I sent her smoke signals.”
Grandpa Payne is one of a kind. He whistles or hums while he works. He’s always busy and productive. He’s congenial and pleasant. And, he always teases. Always. He is a family hero.
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Comments: please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
I was reading your blog today and had to smile when you were talking about forgetting New Mexico. I lived there for about 5 years in my teens and loved it. But the one thing I never did do was go through the Carlsbad Caverns. We went arrowhead hunting at Rio Perc and climbed the wonderful Indian ruins at Frejoles Canyon. We lived at Los Alamos and that was an experience in itself. I loved it. Well that is except for the huge bird eating spiders that sometimes roamed the landscape and a few rattle snakes. But it was one of the fun times of my life and I do cherish the memories...Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Love ya friend...Hugs...Shirl
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The Places I’ve Been
August 19, 2006
The red states are the places I’ve been and the white states are waiting for me.
· In Texas I loved the Alamo, walking along the River Walk and eating frog legs.
· In Hawaii I loved the sand crabs nibbling my toes, eating Hula Pie at Duke’s and sharing a single bed in a college apartment with our daughter while listening to the waves break on the beach.
· It’s hard to beat the beauty of the Glacier National Forest in Montana or the skilled craftsmanship at Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota.
· There’s a museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that has real cobblestones in it and I’ve wanted a walkway like it ever since I saw it.
· Sitting on a park bench on Main Street, USA (Disneyland, California) while visiting with family, rubbernecking and eating a pineapple whip is still on my top favorite-one-hundred-things-to-do.
· There is nothing I like to hear better than cadets marching in New York and Colorado at military academies and knowing somewhere our sons’ footsteps are adding to the cadence.
· After standing at Abe Lincoln’s knees at the Lincoln Memorial as a teenager, I vowed that someday I would make sure my children would get to be awed by the same experience in Washington, D.C.
· Idaho is where I learned to talk and walk and where our children learned the same. We were all born in the same hospital and attended the same grade school. Truly, there is no potato greater than Idaho’s.
· There’s a patch of trees in Oregon where my great-grandfather was killed in a logging accident leaving behind a large family. I point that place out to our kids nearly every time we drive through.
· Pete’s Fish and Chips. Mesa, Arizona. It’s a family tradition.
· Nevada is rich in folk lore and cowboy history. Between Jackpot and Wells there are lots of round huge boulders that look like dinosaur droppings.
· Wyoming has oil rigs bobbing for oil. It’s also home to Martin’s Cove, a touching historical site where you can feel the history.
· Ohio is the first state I flew into, at the conference’s expense, to speak.
· New Jersey is home to Princeton, where it seems you feel the smarts oozing out of the school buildings. It's also home to a pizzeria with the best chicken Alfredo pizza.
· Pennsylvania is where I saw the liberty bell.
· Oklahoma State University is where I saw synthetic manure. It was neon green and felt like gak.
· North Dakota held the National Finals Rodeo in Fargo in 1979.
· Utah is where I fell in love.
· The Richmond, Virginia airport is where I heard Rosalyn Carter campaign for her “ma’velous” husband, Jimmy in 1976. (I didn’t share her views and wished I was old enough to vote for Ford.)
· Chicago, Illinois had a train station that wowed me. I still remember the wood benches and marble columns.
· Kansas was a passing freeway on an animal science field trip.
· Ande would have never learned the beaver dance if we hadn't moved to Washington and our family nights would never have been complete without it. It's a great place to call home.
· Twenty four down, I’m nearly half way there. I’m glad to be an American.
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Infomercial
August 18, 2006
 
Here are some pictures from our recent Crab Boil - with recipe help from my Neighbor Jane, as well as sweet corn from her stand! It was unbelievable!!!
Thanks, Jane! Heather
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Comments: please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Thanks for the ready-made infomercial Heather! Your camping trip looks like lots of fun and you look s-k-i-n-n-y. Kudos! JP
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Life as I Know It
August 17, 2006
The corn picking continues. The best part is washing your hands and knife in the ditch when you're finished (the water seems warm after the cool corn). The next best part is sitting between the corn stalks of corn and visiting with the kids and riding in the tractor bucket to and from the field with them. They make me laugh.
We have two owls that stay in our yard. They sit on our posts, in the trees, under the trees. Calvin thinks he's Dr. Doolittle and "who, who's" to them. He gets the biggest kick out of them. They twist their heads around and up and down looking for the sound. Calvin is sure they're fooled by him. I think they're looking for the fool that thinks he's an owl. Regardless, it is fun to have them in the yard and to watch him play with them.
Also, Calvin’s second set of quail hatched—70 of them at once. Four of them were home-grown quail and the other 66 were from mail-order eggs. Do you know what the mail-order 60 babies did? They pecked the beaks off of those four that were a different breed! They're all babies, how did they know to attack those four? It's not like they have a mirror and know what they look like, how did they know who to attack. And is that not the rudest thing? Peck off your neighbor's beak? I thought it was disgusting and I’m no newbie to the animal kingdom.
I've been listening to three of Neil Diamond's songs playing over and over and over for over a week now: “Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Hello Again,” and “Coming to America.” I love them. Nostalgia. It reminds me of my first year of college.
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Comments: Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
I think the owls want the baby quail! Deb Meyers
I think you're right Deb! At first I liked to think they liked us...but it didn't take long to figure it out J By the way, did you know owls eat worms? Yesterday one hopped down on the ground fifteen feet from me, waddled forward and plucked a worm out of the ground. I had no idea they ate them. I thought they only ate mice...snakes...and baby quail.
No! I did not know they eat worms. We were home in Missouri this summer and trying to solve an owl mystery using a bird book (neighbors had an interloper in back yard) That was so gross about the quail pecking off the beaks of the others. Did they die instantly? Or what?! Will they go to the owls as snack?
And one more thing…we were driving down the highway in southeast MO and I saw an astonishing road kill…………ARMADILLO. I looked at dad and said, is that what I think it was?! (spent lots of time in TX and AZ in childhood) he said they have been here for a couple years now, migrating north for some reason?! Deb Meyers
Jane,
I sure wish we lived close enough to buy some of your corn. I've never been able to successfully grow corn, and there is nothing like freshly picked corn in the summer. Especially with new potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes fresh from the garden on the side!
My Grandpa sold corn on the road in front of his farm. We lived a short walk around the corner. He still lives there, in a house he built with his own hands when his family was just getting started. He's in his 90's now. Except for a patch of raspberries, he longer gardens. His farm has been mostly sold and suburbanized. He does still go the extra mile in giving to others by latch hooking beautiful rugs and making wooden pull toys that he donates to Children Hospitals and other groups with children. I saw him last when we recently went on vacation. I cried after we left, because I had the feeling I won't be seeing him again. I hope I'm wrong!
My pregnancy is going well, my morning sickness has passed for the most part, and I got to see the baby on ultrasound yesterday. Primary is still crazy feeling on Sundays. It'll be better once all our teachers stop going on vacation and things settle down. And we have 5 of the 6 empty positions we had now filled. Yay!
Have a fun rest of the summer!
Nettie
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Now I know there aren’t many “picklers” out there anymore, but if you do still make your own pickles, here’s a dandy tip:
· Fill your clothes washing machine tub with cold water.
· Pour in 1 cup of vinegar and let agitate for a couple of minutes.
· Drain.
· Fill your washing machine up with cold water again and add your pickling cucumbers.
· Let agitate on the gentlest cycle and then let the water drain.
· Before your washing machine goes into the spin cycle turn it off and pull your cucumbers out. They are all scrubbed clean and prickle-less and ready to fill your bottles.
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A day in which the moon hung just right.
August 15, 2006
Today was one of those days where good things just kept happening:
- I awoke to this e-mail message from Ty, “BONJOURNO PRINCEPESSA!!!!!” (“Good morning, princess!” in Italian.) How can you not think the moon is shining in your favor when you wake up to that?
- I drove to Wenatchee (75 miles) to attend a teacher workshop. I got stopped at road construction twice…and was FIRST IN LINE both times. The last time I remember being first was in the first grade lunch line. I felt kind of bold leading all of the cars down the wrong side of the road once the construction worker turned us loose.
- At the workshop they served wonderful grapes during the break. Truly wonderful. The kind where you go back for thirds.
- The workshop was good and I learned some new things which was another bonus.
- A couple of women were discussing the weekly Friday newsletter and telling me how much they enjoyed it and asked to renew. Two others overheard and asked for the web address.
- One NJP neighbor, Mary Lou, told me her family is adopting two children from Ethiopia! She wrote and published three books of games and is selling them to fund the adoptions. She asked if she could sell them on the website and gave me a copy of each. Hooray. Hooray for the games. Hooray for Mary Lou and her family for adopting. Hooray for Neighbor Jane that they will be for sale in the store soon.
- I came home to Calvin fixing a surprise supper of salad, steaks and baked potatoes. Ooh, la, la. It was very good and he was so very thoughtful.
- We went to pick up one of the corn trailers and Calvin suggested we swing by Baskin Robbins. Not one to be ungracious, I accepted and even tried a new ice cream—coconut pineapple. I was not disappointed.
- And last but not least, just to let you know how right the moon is hanging tonight, we got pulled over by a cop while dragging the trailer home. The trailer has many faults and Calvin had one (he didn’t latch his seatbelt after stopping two minutes earlier to recheck the latch on the trailer). “Click-it or ticket” is $101 in Washington, I’m not sure how much it costs for faulty trailers, but the cop did not give us one citation. No sirree, he just said to fix things. Hooray for the moon.
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Root Beer, Dresses, Hot Air and Haircuts
August 14, 2006
After yet another morning on the picking crew, I went to get my hair cut. Melanie carefully looked at the patch (the chunk of hair that burned off six months ago due to a very hot blow dryer) and carefully smiled, which is much better than her grimace. A smile meant she’ll soon have something to cut again in that quarter of my head. I love getting my hair cut. I love hearing Melanie’s stories and listening to her laugh. I wish she’d write a blog with an audio button so you could hear it.
On the way home Paul Harvey said that the thermometers in Iraq have peaked. No one knows for sure how hot it is over there, but it is at least 136 degrees today. I shall never complain about heat again. Paul Harvey also said that Chicago has gas selling for $3.50 a gallon. Our gas prices are $3.19 today. I imagine I will still whine about gas prices.
Saturday night Calvin and I were in charge of making 25 gallons of root beer for a wedding reception. The guests drank all 25 gallons. It was a fun reception—the couple wanted a party theme so they served fresh popcorn, sundaes with toppings, cookies, cookies, cookies, homemade root beer and candy. Each table had a cookie jar full of candy in the center; there were peanut m&m’s, taffy, licorice, jelly beans, peach rings, Swedish fish, peanut butter cups, etc. Oh, oh, it was grand! People stayed and visited . . . and grazed from candy jar to candy jar and refilled at the root beer trough. When the mother of the groom and the mother of the bride pulled out their dresses, they had unknowingly bought the same one. It was highly complimentary to them both and a beautiful dress on each of them.
Homemade Rootbeer
1 bottle root beer concentrate (extract)
5 #’s sugar
4 gallons water
5#’s dry ice
Mix root beer concentrate with sugar and 1 gallon water in large plastic 5 gallon drinking cooler. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Add the rest of the water and stir. Carefully add dry ice and loosely put lid on cooler—NOT TIGHT! Let bubble for 20-30 minutes and serve.
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Ear Worms
August 11, 2006
Here’s a portion of this week’s NJP Newsletter:
Have you ever had an ear worm? A song or ditty that was stuck in your head and played over and over like a broken record at the oddest time?
This week I helped on the corn picking crew. As I walked along hacking at the stalks and ears I was trying to think productively, but the worm “Jimmy cracked corn an’ I don’t care, Jimmy cracked corn an’ I don’t care, Jimmy cracked corn an’ I don’t care, Ol’ Massa’s gone away” wiggled his way through the ears and straight into my head—via Burl Ives voice no less. Every time I tried to think of a new thought, Jimmie cracked corn and I didn’t care about the new idea. That ear worm completely distracted me.
I can remember being in labor with one of the kids. “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going” sneaked in through my nostrils and lodged in my ear while I was lamazedly breathing. I wanted to yell, “I’m not tough and I can’t get going, ‘cause I’m in pain.” But the worm paid no never mind and continued its chant and kept me focused on getting that baby here as quickly as possible.
On our kitchen wall hung a sign that said, “Be careful of the words you say, keep them soft and sweet. You never know from day to day which ones you’ll have to eat.” I read that sign several times a day from childhood through adulthood. Repetition is perfect ear worm habitat. When the kids my age started using the “sh--” word at school, I wasn’t even tempted because that ear worm would start humming and who wants to have to eat manure? It protected me.
Ear worms can distract, empower or distract depending on the quality of the worm. Long ago advertising executives recognized this and began to raise ear worms. When I say “BEEF!” the worm finishes “it’s what’s for dinner.” If I say, “Budweiser” the worm whispers “you’ve said it all.” And hotdogs? Worms LOVE wieners, especially Armor and Oscar-Mayer. Because “Hot dogs. Armor hot dogs. What kind of kids eat Armor hot dogs? Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks. Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chicken pox love hot dogs, Armor hot dogs. The kind kids love to bite” wars with “Oh I wish I were an Oscar- Mayer wiener; that is what I’d truly like to be. ‘Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener, everyone would be in love with me.” The wiener worm loves a good hotdog fight and will have a battle of the bands right in your head over them.
So how do you control or get rid of ear worms? The good news is they can be drowned out with a newer, stronger worm, but the bad news is they never truly die. You can teach yourself new jingles and ditties and they will override the senseless worms rattling in your head, but at some random time in some random place when you’re walking down a corn row Jimmy will crack corn and you will still have to decide whether you care or not. So, be careful of the earworms you let play, keep them soft and sweet, ‘cause you never know from day to day which ones will get stuck on repeat.
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Dear Jane,
I just wanted to write and tell you how much I enjoy reading your blog
and your newsletter. I have loved hearing about your corn picking and
selling. It has brought back great memories of when I was a kid and
sold corn for my Grandpa with my sister. 12 ears for a dollar, and he
always had us throw in an extra ear. When business was slow, we'd take
turns manning the sales while the other one got to read undisturbed,
usually sitting on one of the fat boughs in the nearby ancient willow
tree. My first driving experience was driving the tractor with its
trailer of corn in from the field. Scared me to death. It truly is a
wonder I didn't hit anything! Thanks for reminding me of the fun summer
days of my youth!
Nettie
Dear NJ
I have had reoccurring sores in my mouth for the last few years. I thought they may be a result of the food I have rinsed off with ditch water, some really amazing camp food I have ingested, or maybe some exotic bug I have picked up in Mexico. Now I know what it is! It is all of those rough and harsh words I have been eating on a regular basis!!
I also want to complain about this letter. I have never even thought of those songs you referred to for 20 to 30 years. Now Jimmy Crack corn is sticking in my bead like a fly on......oops I wasn't going to use that word again!
Thanks to Calvin and NJP for the corn coupon. I didn't use it but it was liberating knowing that I could if needed. I may give it to one of our poor employees here at work.
Great job and thanks for the news. 2M
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The End.
August 10, 2006
Today is my last post from “The Thirty Day Challenge.” For the last month I’ve posted pictures and thoughts from routine life—a slice of my regular living. From this Thirty Day Challenge I learned:
- each day is unique and different when looked at through the lens of a camera.
- I like regular. I like routine. I like order. My days have enough sameness to keep me sane, but enough variety to keep me excited.
- it is the little, simple things in life that are the most satisfying to me.
- I also learned to live one day at a time and enjoy what each day brings (without feeling guilty that I’m not getting more accomplished).
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Day Thirty. Very Satisfying.
August 10, 2006
I helped pick corn again this morning. Calvin brought donuts and cold chocolate milk to the workers. The sun was warm, our work was finished, and cold chocolate milk. Very Satisfying.
This afternoon we had a stiff breeze blowing through the house and an occasional thunder boom. I curled up on the bed and read a book for an hour or two. Ahh. Very Satisfying.
 
Wind blowing through the windows of Cali’s and Ande’s rooms
The tomatoes, jalapeńo and chili peppers, and onions are all ready in the garden so I made this year’s first batch of salsa for supper. Yum. Very Satisfying.
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Day Twenty-nine. Substitute.
August 9, 2006
The most ingenious substitute I ever made was while I was making cherry bars. My nieces and nephews were visiting and had been requesting cherry bars. I told them if they’d pick enough cherries I’d make them. One morning, Calder and Jesse got up early, climbed the tree and picked the cherries in time for breakfast. Fresh pie cherries definitely need red food coloring added if you don’t want a sickly pinkish product, but I was out of red food coloring and it was far too early to borrow from a neighbor. What to do? What to do? The kids were counting on the cherry bars and I’d promised for several days. I looked in the fridge and low and behold, beets swimming in their own red juice. Beet juice stains as well as red food coloring, so I added it to the cherries. No one was the wiser that we ate cherry beet bars for breakfast.
One of the simultaneous curses/benefits of being a jane-of-all-trades but master-of-none is that I’m good at subbing in a pinch—not great, but sufficient. So, I substituted this morning for another sick corn picker. I had hoped to mentally compose this week’s newsletter while I picked, but “Jimmy cracked corn and I don’t care” rang in my head.
Ande was invited to lunch and needed a substitute at her babysitting job. I told her I’d be glad to cover so she brought the kids here for me to watch. I tore off two big slabs of newsprint and they drew pictures and games and added stickers to their projects. At lunchtime they made mini-pizzas. When Ande came home and they proudly showed her their work she said, “You’re such a good babysitter, mom. How did you get to be such a good babysitter?” I substituted for 23 years as a mom, I guess.
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Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Can't wait to see the 30 days completed project. You've done a great job!
Love,
Deb
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Day Twenty-eight. The Facts.
August 8, 2006
Recently I read a few entries from Grandpa Hoops’ journal. I’m writing today’s entry similar to how he wrote his—facts, sprinkled with few details.
· Joined the corn crew again this morning. Still enjoyable. Shoulder muscles are sore from hacking stalks and tossing ears.
· Started “Moonrakers’ Bride” by Madeline Brent. Haven’t read this book since I was a teenager. Thoroughly enjoyable. Too bad it’s out of print.
· Went to the Post Office today to mail Ty’s photo albums. Stuck some jerky and milk duds in his box for a surprise.
· Met Deb at McDonald’s. Laughed. Cried.
· Fixed supper. sloppy joes, corn on the cob, chips, baked beans, sliced fresh tomatoes. Ande made magic cookie bars.
· Had a nice visit on the living room couch with Calvin while Ande and friends watched “Life is Beautiful” in the family room. Good visit. Good movie.
· Frustrated our e-mail is messed up. Wondering what to do about it.
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Day Twenty-seven. Downhill.
August 7, 2006
Yesterday may have had some up-hill battles, but today I just let everything go downhill—even the green beans in the garden took a nosedive today.
Calvin called at 5:30 a.m. saying someone on the morning corn-picking crew was sick and asked if I could come fill in. Other than I felt like I’d already done a day’s work by the time we finished at 8:30 (with everything still undone here at home), it was an enjoyable morning—and I got more exercise than if I’d just gone on a walk. Throwing hundreds of eight inch ears into the bucket on the tractor has got to be equivalent to some kind of dumbbell exercise doesn’t it? Came home and crashed with a good nap.
Calvin made fresh peach milkshakes for family night treats—Ande was blissfully content sipping hers on the swing this evening. I love summer.
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Day Twenty-six. Up Hill Battles.
August 6, 2006
In Friday’s newsletter I told about a time when I bought/stole/borrowed black licorice candy as a little girl. I got to church (late again) and there waiting on the bench for me was a package of black licorice with a card from a NJP neighbor. It made my day.
I hate being late to church, especially since we usually sit on the front row. But the truth is I often am. Or right on the wire. It is a bane. I have set a goal to be ten minutes early ten times in a row. Never mind I’ve set that goal before, being on time is an up hill battle for me and I haven't yet climbed it successfully.
This evening I couldn’t figure out how to return one of the bikes we borrowed. I finally remembered it could roll there and rode it back to the house where it belongs. Worked great—other than the house it belongs to is up hill.
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Day Twenty-five. Propel.
August 5, 2006
This morning I left early to drive down to Tri-Cities to teach a class at a seminary seminar. It was a great day and I got new ideas to institute in my classes this fall as well.
My sister, Rachel, gave me a gift certificate to Albertsons for my birthday, so I got to spend part of it today. What a grand time I had using it, buying groceries that I normally wouldn’t splurge on—like Propel. I love Propel, but can’t ever justify buying it partly because Calvin says it just tastes like cheap, watered-down, salted Kool-aid. But, when you have a gift certificate? Well . . . Propel can stay on the list J I also came home with lots of fruit—nectarines, plums, and cantaloupe. What a great gift Rachel gave me. She knows me well.
I also stopped by the hospital where Cali works. It was so impressive knowing she was helping all of those very sick and ailing people connected to important machines. I didn’t get to see her, but I did get to stand there and be awed at where she is in her life and leave her a nectarine and Black Cherry Propel. She called me later and said, “Thank you for the surprise! You picked my favorites. Thank you. I forgive you for all of those times you fixed ham and beans because you forgot I hate them.”
I came home, heard the events of the day from Calvin and Ande and promptly fell sound asleep till morning. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Day Twenty-four. The Last Hurrah.
August 4, 2006
This afternoon Calvin, Ty, Ande and I went on a bike ride down by the lake—Moses Lake.
(By the way, Moses Lake is named after Chief Moses. Chief Moses was neither hostile nor friendly to the white man. His people liked to winter in this area because of the milder climate and the abundance of duck eggs by the lake. The government reneged on a reservation deal for Chief Moses and his people; instead they were sent to join the Colville Indian Reservation with Chief Joseph and his tribe.)
Ty and Ande
The bike ride was a fun late afternoon activity. I wouldn’t consider our family recreationalists—we own no boat, RV, family ski equipment . . . or even enough bikes to go around (but we do have generous neighbors who loan theirs). We enjoy going and doing things together, but work and responsibilities usually crowd out go-and-do recreation. However, just as all-work-and-no-play makes Jack a dull boy, we recognize that all-work-and-no-play makes for a dull family, too, so we make room for activities, but they don’t come natural and they're usually pretty inexpensive.
After we rode bikes and had supper, we picked corn for the farmer’s market tomorrow (all play-and-no-work makes for a poor family). Here’s a picture of tonight’s picking crew . . . before we were sticky from the corn and bug juice.
After picking, the kids went to our neighbor’s pond to swim and clean off.
Tomorrow Ty heads back to USAFA so tonight was our last hurrah for a time.
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Day Twenty-three. You Can Find Anything You Need at Wal-Mart.
August 3, 2006
Because we live in small town USA, Wal-Mart is the shopping choice. My answer to requests of “Where’d you get that?” is always “Wal-Mart.” I have a love-hate relationship with them.
Today I found something new at Wal-Mart. A bomb threat. We went to get pictures developed and this is what the parking lot looked like at 3:42 pm.
Wal-Mart carts blocked half the parking lanes and Wal-Mart employees blocked the other half.
You can find anything you need at Wal-Mart—toothpaste, towels, tootsie rolls . . . and threats.
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Day Twenty-two. Rerun.
August 2, 2006
Ty and I manned the corn stand again today. I like people. I do not like rude people. My unofficial poll is rude people run 1 to every 100 pleasant people. Not bad odds, but still too high. Rude people should be treated like smallpox—quarantined until their misery is over.
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Day Twenty-one. Crab Feed.
August 1, 2006
There’s a restaurant in Seattle called The Crab Pot down on the wharf. Ironically enough, they serve you crab from a pot. They also steam potatoes, corn coblets, shrimp, mussels and other seameat with the crab. They bring your big pot of steamed food and dump it on your butcher-paper-covered table and you pick through it and gorge until every last scrap is gone. It’s wonderful.
Calvin again recreated The Crab Pot on our supper table last night. It is food heaven—especially because he goes heavy on the crab and shrimp and light on the mussels. The potatoes and corn were fresh from the garden and field, so they were really sweet. Did I mention it was very good? Ande said, “A bite of shrimp plus a bite of potato minus the skin plus some butter equals goodness. See what a math genius I am?”
And the best part? It was a third of the cost of the restaurant with twice as much food plus we didn’t have to drive 3 hours home after we were full . . . we just waddled to the living room and watched a rerun of Andy Griffith ‘till things had settled enough to eat blackberry pie, a gift for grieving from our neighbor.
I’m so glad we need food to stay alive. It makes some of the best experiences better.
 
I don't think they will ever outgrow playing with their food.
Please send your comments to jp@neighborjanepayne.com
Jane-Matt is at training in Seattle this week, and sent me pictures on my cell phone last night of them eating at The Crab Pot to make me jealous. It is one of our favorites, too! My problem with your blog??? You cannot blog the Crab Pot without also including Calvin's recipe--not fair, not fair! I'm sure it will be forthcoming . . .Heather
I agree with Heather Jane......I actually have never had the crab pot.. will have to work on eating off the table... but it looks great!!!! Please share .....Darla
How unneighborly of me! Recipe for Crab Pot: crab, shrimp, baby red potatoes, fresh corn on the cob. Parboil the potatoes. Add crab, shrimp and corn on the cob to parboiled potatoes and steam until ingredients are heated/cooked through. Serve with melted butter and fresh squeezed lemons. Enjoy!
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