The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in Western Illinois.
The planters are a go'in, sprayers runn'in, and field work has begun ag'n with renewed vigor. No emmediate rain is in the forecast and everyone has the hope of a week of solid field work. We'll wait and see. Cold nights make for good sleep'n weather after a hard days work.
Those with corn in the ground have an uneasy feel'n in their stomach. Some seed sales folk are a predict'n 40 percent germination. We'll know later on, but it might be they just enjoy scare'n the stuff'ns out'a early planters. What ever be the case, what will be - will be.
With warmer weather come'n along, hopefully, and all of this rain there is a good chance the mosquito population will be up again this summer. Here's a solution you might try for your next picnic or Bar-B-Q. Perhaps you'll be fix'n the watergap in the woods from a recent rain and the little demons test your strength and sufferance.
Spray your lawn and deck floor with listerine and the little pesky fellers will disappear. Fill a 4 ounce spray bottle with listerine and the little buggers will conk off, if'n you use it around your seat wherever you see a mosquito.
Voila! It works around the picnic food table, the children's swing area, and the stand'n water nearby. Even use it whilst work'n on that water gap or just sitt'n in the evenin' yard towards sundown underneath the shade of your lawns big ole maple tree a jaw'n with the neighbors. Never leave home without it if'n you're gonna be outdoors.
A bottle of Listerine costs around $1.89, its a big bottle, and it really doesn't take much to kill "em instantly. It is not as expensive as the can of bug-spray that doesn't last 30 minutes.
Listerine can last as long as a couple of days if'n it don't rain in the mean time, and it is harmless to humans and pets.
Don't spray directly on a wood door (like your front door), but spray around the frame. Spray around the window frames, and even inside of the dog house. Don't forget the garden areas, as well as around the base of your fruit trees.
Your asparagus patch and rhubarb patch needs protection also whilst out harvest'n those delicious treats. And by the way it is great this time of year enjoy'n all the treats made from rhubarb.
Farm wives of years ago, and many yet today, included rhubarb in pudd'ns, pies, cookies, etc, etc. Yummy...Yummy what a treat.
For you young whipper snappers, be very careful to eat or utilize the stalk and not the leaves. On those cold nights after it freezes hold off on harvesting those plants affected.
Oxilic acid builds up in the plants after a freeze and it can get into your bloodstream. Oxilic acid is a negatively charged ion and it has a propensity to bind up the positively charged calcium ion, which is beneficial to your body. Those ions help your heart to beat on a regular basis. You wouldn't want your heart pump to stop caused from rush'n in on make'n too much of a good thing to soon after a frost.
Folks are a find'n mushrooms out there in the woods right and left, so don't be shy about go'n out for a look see. If'n you find more than you can handle don't be afraid to share a few with your friends.
Last week Cornelius Farkwad, Bill Jones, and I were drive'n down the road and suddenly a big black car jumped out of a side road emmediately in front of us.
Cornelius slammed on his brakes, skidded sideways, and missed the other car just by inches.
The driver of the black shiny car whipped his head out around the window started yell'n bad words at us along with "the bird".
Cornelius just smiled and waved in a polite manner at the feller. And let me tell you Cornelius was really courteous and friendly to him.
Bill Jones asked Cornelius, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car, your day, and sent us all to the hospital!"
Well, Cornelius displayed what can be called "the Law of the Garbage Truck".
You see, many people are like garbage trucks. They go around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of dissappointment.
As the garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.
Just smile, wave, wish em well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morn'n with regrets, so ... love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is 10 percent what you make of it and 90 percent how you take it. Have a garbage-free day!
Now, you's probably wonderin' why I'm not commentin' on Osama bi Laden's death, that big expensive royalty weddin' over in England, Warren Buffett's reputation, President Obama's birth certificate, the administration's views of private companies as "little more than agents of greed that must be made examples of when the political need arrives," Donald Trump's activities, the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, the beatification of Pope John Paul II, the space shuttle delay, May Day celebrations and their meaning, the Twister in the south, excessive regulation, the 4,440 servicemen and 13 Defense Dept. civilians killed in Iraq, 1,448 U.S. servicemembers and two Defense Dept. civilians killed in Afghanistan and Missouri askin' the supreme court to stop the levee blast.
Well, them is all just too complicated to write on for now. Stress has been proved to cause ill health effects and besides, I believe it was Mark Twain that said, "Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of joy, you must have somebody to divide it with!"
I'd rather focus on the joy and dividin' it with others.
Don't forget to remember your mother this weekend and bring her some well-deserved joy.
Keep on smile'n
Catch ya later
Barnyard Burke