Vacation Time

I just realized it has been a long time since I posted anything on my blog...Well, I suppose it has been a busy summer and I just decided to take a break. But, I'm back in the saddle!!
This month I would like to copy from my daughter Beth's blog for everyone's entertainment and learning. So, here goes!!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Crafty Kids

My kids didn't get this from me. I don't see random objects lying around and have the urge to put them together and see what they will make.

Seriously.

Ariel picked up a funky old hairband, a broken pearl necklace from their toybox, and a seashell and made this with a hot glue gun.

Do you know what you do with an old soccer net and pieces of rope? Make a hammock! They all three worked on this for about an hour, threw an old blanket and a couple of old pillows in it, and voila! Instant hammock. Annelise claimed it as HER space, and stayed out there for a couple of hours.

 

 

Be Thankful In All Things!

 

 

 

POEMS FROM PRISON

These poems were taken from the booklet entitled

LAST OF BONNIE AND CLYDE GANG

THE KING’S WHITE HORSE

Beware, my friend, my name is King Heroin,

Known to all as the destroyer of men.

Where first I was born, no one knows,

But I come from the land where the poppy grows.

I’m a world of power, and you’ll know it’s true;

Use me once, and you’ll know it, too.

I entered the country without a passport,

Ever since then I’ve been hunted and sought,

By addicts and pushers and plainclothes slicks,

But most by junkies who want a quick fix.

My little white grains are nothing but waste,

I’m soft and deadly, so bitter to taste.

I’ll make a schoolboy forget his books,

And make a world beauty forget her looks.

I’ll cause a good husband to cast out his wife,

And send a greedy pusher to prison for life.

I’m King of Crime, the Prince of Corruption,

I’ll capture your soul and cause your destruction.

Am I not a just king, a god to behold,

More treasured than diamonds, more precious than gold.

If you wish to hear more of the things I can do,

Of the men I’ve delighted and the women I slew;

I’ll make a man shabby that once dressed so nice,

And all who use me will go down in vice.

I’ll control your mind and then your whole brain,

With a full course of torment, first pleasure, then pain.

Ah, the fuzz have taken you from under my wing,

They dare to defy me, I who am king.

Nights you’ll toss and turn and won’t sleep,

You’ll be hot, then cold, and you’ll vomit and cough,

After the days of madness you might throw it off.

You’ll curse my name, and down me in speech,

but you’d pick me up again if I were in reach.

And nights, when you lie awake planning your fate,

You know I’ll be waiting just beyond the gate.

I gave you a warning, you didn’t take heed,

So put your feet in the stirrups and mount my steed.

Put your foot in the stirrup and ride me well,

For the white horse of heroin will ride you to hell.

                --Written by a prisoner at the Walpole State Prison

NOT ALONE

From within these walls

I look but cannot see

The sun that’s shining,

Neither grass nor tree.

It matters very little

What be the time of day,

For I am locked in my cage,

Yes, there I must stay.

Come the morning light

Or the evening dark,

I see not the sun,

Nor hear the lark.

Into my view comes

The fluttering of a wing,

Then when it’s perches,

I hear a robin sing.

The nearness of this creature,
Carried by wings on high,

Soars up, up above me,

And causes me to sigh.

I feel the power around me,

That comes to me today,

For God has sent the spirit,

The messenger guides my way.

Here this day I must sit,

but I am not alone,

For He is always with me,

In these walls of stone.

I fear not for tomorrow,

Nor the days I now will be,

By His word He guides me,

Yes, He watches over me.

Written by Harold T. Twgman Smith at the

Ohio Penitentiary. He formerly served as a

guard where he now is an inmate.

PRISON AND GOD

I sit in my cell, a sort of hell

on earth it is to me;

And though there are two men to a cell,

still it seems so sad and lonely.

The cells are small, five by eight is all,

and this, they say, is your house.

A toilet, a sink, a locker, a desk,

and two bunks which hang from the wall.

Three walls of steel a door of bars,

and concrete on which to stank;

Fifteen feet way, fifteen feet away,

lies freedom, but just out of hand.

I work six hours, or thirty a week,

for the sum of a dollar a day;

and this is quite good, you see,

for I am making top pay.

I try to imagine the world outside,

which now seems vague to me;

At times the tears I cannot hide,

from the hurt and misery.

My burden is heavy and hard to bear,

and I could not make it alone;

But through it all, there’s One who cares,

my LORD, my GOD at the throne.

F. W. Mitchell, Maryland House of Correction,

has protrayed some of the hard, cold realities of life

as inmates “feel” it.

ALMOST

I was almost, so were you

there are many almost, more than a few.

I almost finished in prison,

But—well—you know,

I was almost President, well—almost Mayor.

I was going to Mexico, almost got there.

Almost made foreman on my job,

Almost didn’t need to steal or rob.

I was almost there, almost free,

You were almost rich,

Now, you’re here with me—

How many almost, do we plan to be?

There’s no almost now!

It’s up to you and me.

BEHIND THOSE WALLS

A love of mine is barred therein,
And 'lonely' cries his soul.
Dear God in Heave, keep him close!
Lest hell should take its toll.

For prison cells and prison stone
Hold not the anguished cry;
It echoes in heart's chambers
That space cannot defy.

O, give him hope, and give him dreams
To heal the dread despair;
For nights are dark and hell is deep
Before the morning air.

And wise men in their Heart of hearts
Know love is healing balm.
So echo, love, through darkened cell.
God speed the breaking dawn!.

Written by a Canadian woman and dedicated to

 a young Christian recently released from a West Indies prison

A Visit With Beth

 

It's time again to borrow some great info from my daughter's blog...Beth's blog@housewifepi.blogspot.com

Monday, April 16, 2012

Ha!

BONNIE & CLYDE--PART III

THE MYSTERIOUS BIBLE ON DEATH ROW

As told by Chaplain Ray

Jack Orr, a veteran crime reporter and news photographer in Columbia, South Carolina, a reporter who had personally witnessed more than thirty executions in the death house at the South Carolina State Penitentiary, and a photographer for the booklet “Last of Bonnie & Clyde Gang”, personally told men the story of this mysterious Bible up on death row.

This Bible was kept on death row for condemned men to read, and many men under a sentence of death had read this Bible, searching for some ray of hope for the future life, even though none might break through into their present dark condition. In reading this Bible many condemned men had found Jesus Christ, or more accurately been found of Him, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

As the day of their execution approached, each man would write in this Bible his name, his death date, and his favorite Scripture, or a word of testimony to his faith in Jesus Christ. Jack Orr told me that though men were allowed to take nothing with them from their cells on death row down to the death house where they spent the last week before their execution—after each execution this Bible would be found under the mattress that lay on the floor of the death cell, or on the mattress. So famous did this Bible become that a national magazine published by a Bible Society carried a feature story on this Bible and the stories of some of the men who had read it before they died.

Now it was Frank Logue’s turn. The Bible was given to him in his cell up on death row where he would spend some months while his legal appeals were being carried through the courts of South Carolina. As Frank read this well worn Bible, he found himself turning again and again to the Gospel of St. John. It was as though there was a special treasure for him in this book if only he could discover it.

Then as he read the fifteenth chapter of St. John, his eyes fell on this verse, John 15:7, “If ye abide in Me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” That was it! Why had he never seen that before? This was the answer to his desperate plight. He read it again to make sure that it really promised what he thought it had promised. Surely, God could not lie. Jesus would not promise more than God would deliver. It was all so simple and so definite. Joe wanted to ask to be delivered from the electric chair.

Frank saw that his responsibilities were threefold:

1) He must abide in Jesus.

2) He must fill his heart with the Words of Jesus.

3) He must ask God for the desire of his heart.

God’s responsibility was clear.

Frank was so determined that he would master this verse of promise and power that he secured from the guard a piece of chalk, and in bold letters he wrote that verse of Scripture on the back wall of his prison cell. Then he told the prison guard that he was not going to die, that Jesus Christ was going to deliver him from the electric chair. He told this to his lawyer, and to Chaplain Kelly. Also, Frank took hold of this promise, not like a good luck charm, but as his total way of life. He read the Bible diligently to discover what it meant to “Abide in Jesus”. This had to be a reality, a living experience. He had to learn how to abide in Jesus

In the book of Isaiah 26:3 he read, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace who mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. That was a start, but it was not enough. then in Ephesians he read the emphasis that the Apostle Paul gave to our relationship to Jesus, “We are in Christ, “In Him”—and he knew that this was not only positional, but also experiential. He found it so. He found that as he filled his mind and heart with the Word of God, other things of less importance gave way, and soon his whole life, his thought, his emotions, his attitudes, his everything were under the control of God. it really was possible for a Believer to “Abide in Jesus.” In Him we live, and move, and have our being. Now Frank was aware of Jesus as a person. The Holy Spirit that had filled his life in his jail cell in Edgefield County now revealed Jesus, for the Holy Spirit does not come to speak of himself but to glorify Jesus.

Frank discovered that being filled with the Holy Spirit and being conscious of Jesus as an ever present person does not reduce our need to study the Word of God. Just the opposite. The Spirit within directed him continually to the Word of God. Frank memorized Scriptures by the hundreds. He became so fille with God’s Word that even to this day he is a living legend in the mountains of South Carolina, and is commonly described as, “The Walking Bible.” But it is a long way from death row in Columbia, South Carolina to a small home in the mountains of South Carolina, and John 15:7 was the road that took Frank there!

  SEVEN HOURS TO LIVE

Just a few weeks before he was scheduled to die in the electric chair, Friday, February 25, 1944—Frank’s lawyer came to see him, and said, “Frank, it is no use. The State Supreme Court has turned down our plea, and the Governor, Olin D. Johnston will not even talk to me on the telephone, much less give me an appointment to see him in prison to plead for clemency. Frank, it is no use fighting any longer. Face the facts. you are going to die, and it is better for you to set your house in order. Get ready to die, and stop tormenting yourself with this delusion that you are going to escape the electric chair.”

But Frank simply pointed to the Scripture, John 15, written on the back wall of his cell, and said, “God cannot lie. he will deliver me.” A few days later Frank was moved from death row in the maximum security cellblock down to the death house where he would spend his last week of life before being electrocuted at seven a.m. on Friday morning. February 25, 1944. There are six small cells in that little death house. These are in groups of three, back to back with a solid wall between the rows, and between each cell. There are bars only across the front of each cell. Then there is a narrow walkway, and a heavy grilled door that opens into the corridor that is next to each outside wall. In the wall there are several small windows, one opposite each cell, and these are barred.

In each cell there is a metal plumbing facility, and on the floor a small mattress that lies on the cement floor—no bedsprings. The condemned man is placed in this cell. His shoes and any other items such as neck ties are taken from him. he wears only his socks, underwear, pants, and shorts. The state does not want any suicides to frustrate the wheels of justice.

Frank was allowed to carry his Bible with him from death row down to the Death House. When the prison chaplain stopped in to see him, Frank said, “I am guilty, and according to justice I must die, but I am begging God for mercy, not for justice.” The days of that last week passed very quickly, and though there was some activity in the Board of Pardons, nothing was expected that would change the death sentence.

On Wednesday night a member of the board of pardons went down to the prison and spent two hours with Frank in his cell, asking him if there was anything that Frank had not told them before but that he might now recall which could give the board and the governor a logical basis for commuting his sentence. Frank told him that he had told the whole truth, and that he would not fabricate any lies, not even to save his own life. As he life Frank’s death cell, the man said, “I am sorry, but I cannot give you any hope. So far as I know you will die on Friday.” This was a very dark hour for Frank Logue because without a recommendation from the board a governor very selfdom acts to set aside a death sentence.

Frank laid down on his little mattress to sleep. It was midnight. He slept only for two hours, and then he woke up with the realization that it was two a.m. on Thursday morning. he had just 29 hours left to live before his appointment with death at seven o’clock on Friday morning. he noticed that there was a small square of light on the floor of his death cell where the light from the moon shone in from the window in the outer wall. Frank took his Bible, laid it open in that patch of light. Then he placed his knees on the Bible, each knee on one page, and he looked up to heaven, and prayed. “ Lord, I have believed your word. I have filled my heart with your words, and I have lived in you day and night from the time that I discovered your promise in John 15:7. Now Lord, he I am on my knees, begging you to save my life even as you have saved my soul. I will not stop praying until you hear my prayer and save me from the electric chair.”

When the sun came up in the morning, the death house guard found Frank on his knees, on the Bible in prayer, calling on God to deliver him from death. Frank prayed on through the morning, and into the afternoon, but still there was no word from the Governor’s office. he was offered anything that he wanted to eat for his last meal on Thursday evening, but he answered, “I am not going to eat my last meal, because God is going to deliver me.”

Between seven and eight o’clock Chaplain Kelly went to the death house to see Frank. The prisoner stood up, put his Bible under his arm. When the chaplain asked him how he was, he answered, “I feel as good as could be expected, but it seems that man has turned me down. But even now, God is able.”

As the chaplain left to return to the front office, Frank called to the guard, “Tell me, have you heard anything?” The guard said, ‘not a word, but when I hear, I’ll let you know.’ Frank resumed his prayer vigil, quoting back to God the Words that he had learned in God’s Holy Word, and reminding God that as the “One who cannot lie, He (God) would have to do something real soon, or else he would have failed to keep His Word.”

Thursday afternoon there was a meeting of the Board of Pardons, meeting with Governor Johnston at the governor’s mansion, but there had been no word of any change of mind. Then as the hour of midnight drew near, Frank counted the hours, and knew that he only had seven hours to live. Seven, God’s perfect number. Would that be the time that God would choose to break His silence and intervene to save his life? As Frank prayed and mused on these things he heard a commotion outside the outer door of the death house. he heard a man’s voice say with authority, “Open the door warden.” And the warden replied, “Yes, Governor.”

Then the governor stepped into the death house. He stood in front of Frank’s cell and asked, “Frank, do you have anything new to tell us?” Frank answered, “Governor, if I have to tell something new to save my life, I will have to die, because I have told the whole truth.”

Then Governor Olin D. Johnston said, “Frank, I’ll not keep you in suspense any longer. I have commuted your sentence.” Frank fell to his knees, and cried, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, I thank you for saving my life.” Then the governor said, “Let Frank out of that cell, and let him walk around outside on the grass. As Frank stepped out of his death cell, he said, “Governor Johnston, in a minute I will be back to thank you for saving my life, but first I must thank the one who really did this miracle.” Joe Frank Logue stepped out into the moonlight, walked off the footpath onto the grass, lifted his hands toward heaven, and with tears streaming down his face he cried, “Thank you Jesus. Than you for saving my life. I knew you could not lie. I knew you would answer my prayers.”

Then Frank turned to the Governor and thanked him and the Board of Pardons for commuting his sentence to life in prison. The governor said to Frank, “Preacher, you give your story to the newspapers. Tell them that some supernatural power entered into this case.” The secretary of the Board of Pardons said, “I left here Wednesday night at midnight convinced that Frank Logue was guilty, and determined that he must die. I went home and went to bed, but I could not sleep.” (that was when Frank started his twenty two hour vigil of prayer, on his knees, on his Bible.) The secretary continued, “My mind was never changed, but my heart was changed.”

The same God of heaven who would not let the King in his palace sleep while Daniel was in prayer in the den of lions, did not allow Governor Olin D. Johnston sleep in the governor’s mansion, nor the members of the Board of Pardons have their rest until they had acted to save the life of Joe Frank Logue.

BONNIE & CLYDE-Part II

The True Story of Joe Frank Logue

The Logue-Timmerman feud started just about the time that World War II was ended—and for the people of Edgefield County it was as big in the news, and almost as bloody and deadly.

Davis W. Timmerman owned an old bony, long eared, loose hided, sore headed mule of which no one could be proud. His neighbor, Wallace Logue owned a white-faced Hereford calf of which any farmer might be proud. These two animals, so diverse in appearance, nature and habit, grazed peacefully in their separate pastures until the mule and the calf found themselves facing each other as they ate grass on opposite sides of the fence that divided the two farms. the calf surely meant the mule no harm, but who can predict the behavior of an old mule. Suddenly this irritable mule kicked the Hereford calf, and the calf died.

Sue Logue, who was the dominant character in her home, ordered her husband, Wallace, to go to the Timmerman farm, demand payment in cash for the loss of the calf. Wallace Logue went dutifully to his neighbor, and accepted a settlement of fourteen dollars in cash for the death of the calf. But when he brought the money home, Sue Logue said that it was not enough. She insisted that he return to Mr. Timmerman, and collect another three dollars.

His second visit to the Timmerman farm ended in a fight.

Mr. Timmerman shot Logue to death, and claimed that he did it in self defense. I time he was legally acquitted, and went home, free. This turn of events angered Sue Logue, and she vowed that if the legal officials of the county did not punish Timmerman for killing her husband, she would take matters into her own hands and secure vengeance. Because of these reported events it was generally believed that Sue Logue was the mastermind behind the murder plot that soon ended in the death of Davis Timmerman, and as a result brought about the death of three people in the electric chair (including Sue Logue) and almost the death of a fourth person, her nephew Joe Frank Logue.

A HIRED KILLER

While these events were occurring in Edgefield County, Sue Logue’s nephew, Frank Logue, was a policeman in Spartanburg,

S. C., and he was a very highly respected man. He had won several citations for being the most courteous policeman of the force. Many believed that in time this young officer, in his early thirties, would rise to become chief of police. Joe Frank Logue was young, tall, handsome, courteous, and was respected as a good, moral young officer. He had even done some studies at the North Greenville Baptist Academy.

Sue Logue went to her nephew, Frank Logue, and told him that he had to kill Davis Timmerman because Timmerman had killed her husband, Wallace, who was Frank’s uncle. Frank tried to explain to his aunt Sue that he could not murder a man because he was a policeman, and it was his duty to uphold the law, not to break the law. It was afterwards reported by Chaplain C. M. Kelly, who was at the penitentiary in Columbia while Frank was held there, that Aunt Sue had threatened Frank that if he did not take vengeance on David Timmerman, or get someone to do it for them, that she would see that some great harm came to his wife and mother. This caused even this young policeman to fear. He knew his aunt Sue and her brother-in-law George Logue. If they wanted to buy a man’s dog, and he refused to sell—in a few weeks something would happen to the dog, and the dog would be dead. If they wanted to buy a horse and the owner would not sell—soon something would happen to that horse.

And Aunt Sue had warned Frank that unless he killed Davis Timmerman or hired someone to do it, within two weeks something terrible would happen to his wife and to his mother. However, Sue was willing to do her part. She had $250 in cash for the murder fund, and her brother George would put up another $250 so that the person who would do the killing could count on receiving five hundred dollars.

Near Spartanburg, in a night club called, “Green Gables” there was a part time bartender, and a sometimes itinerant plasterer named Clarence Bagwell, a young man about the age of Joe Frank Logue. One day while he was drinking heavily he made the statement that he would kill anyone or everyone in Spartanburg for five hundred dollars. Joe Frank Logue heard about it, and he went to him, and asked, “Is it true that you said you would kill anyone in Spartanburg for five hundred dollars?” The young bartender replied, “Yes, I said it, but I really did not mean it.” When Frank told the young man he could earn five hundred dollars just for one killing, the young man was interested enough to go with Frank to see his aunt Sue and Uncle George. They assured him that Davis Timmerman deserved to die, and they plied him with free whiskey until he agreed to do the killing.

THE KILLING AT THE COUNTRY STORE

Joe Frank Logue got another officer to take his place on the day shift on the Spartanburg police force. Then he started drinking to dull his conscience and to bolster his courage. With the bartender, Clarence Bagwell, driving the car, Frank hid in the back seat, covered up by a coat, and they drove out into the country in Edgefield County heard Davis Timmerman owned and operated the crossroads store and service station.

Clarence parked outside, and went into the store. Mrs. Timmerman was there, but her husband was gone. So, Bagwell just asked directions to Edgefield, and left, but she noticed that he drove in another direction. Soon her husband returned to mind the store and Mrs. Timmerman went out to work in the nearby field. Soon Bagwell, returned. he entered the store, and a customer was there, so he waited until the customers left. Then he ordered a package of cigarettes. When Timmerman turned to the shelf to reach for the package of cigarettes, Bagwell pulled out his gun, and said, “Turn around. I don’t want to shoot a man in the back.” He fired six shots in rapid order. Five bullets entered the body of Davis Timmerman. His wife heard the shots, and rant to the store. The killer was driving off in a cloud of dust, and her husband was dying.

Because there were no witnesses to the crime, it appeared for several weeks that the mystery killing would not be solved. But soon Clarence Bagwell was drinking again, and talking to one of the waitresses in the night club. it was reported that he had eyes for her, and wanting to impress her with his wealth he showed her the five hundred dollars, and told her that he earned it one day by just shooting a man. This waitress had a friend on the police force. She also had reason to fear that if she concealed her knowledge of the crime she might become involved, so she told the police what she knew of the killing. When the police arrested Bagwell he confessed to his part in the crime, and he told them that Frank Logue had paid him five hundred dollars. On November 10, 1949 the Edgefield County Coroner’s Jury recommended that Clarence Bagwell and Joe Frank Logue be held on a murder charge in connection wit the September 17^th shooting of Davis W. Timmerman.

Frank was arrested and taken to the State Penitentiary in Columbia on a Governor’s Safekeeping order #343, and held for Edgefield County authorities. Frank was placed in the Old Cuba Cellblock for safe keeping, with the other prison bad boys who were at times put on a bread and water diet until they submitted to prison regulation. Here in his cell Frank Logue got down on his knees in prayer. He remembered what he had heard of God’s mercy, and God’s love of the truth, and that God hates a lie. He promised God that he would tell the truth, the whole truth, and throw himself on God’s mercy and on the mercy of the court. On his knees in prayer in his prison cell, Frank asked God for mercy, confessed his sins, and reaffirmed his faith in Jesus Christ. he told God that he would tell the truth about the crime even if it meant his death in the electric chair, and when he made this commitment to God he had little if any reason to believe that there was any hope whatsoever that he could escape the death chair for his part in this cold blooded killing of David Timmerman.

March Newsletter 2012

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth...Psalm 104:14

Lavender

From The Herb Patch

From My Perspective

The windy month of March! I think the saying is “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” But, I happen to know that from years gone by this is not always true. Sometimes it comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion! We finally had the snow I talked about last month, but it didn’t last long, not here where I live anyway. I wanted to go out and build a snowman, but by the time I got around to it, the snow was melting profusely. I didn’t even attempt to build one knowing it would be melted down to “nothing” by the late evening. I have to keep reminding myself that we are still in “late winter”. The daffodils are blooming and there are many new greens growing from our ground. This time of the year there seems to be a rush of everything green coming in at once. I have noticed this morning there are many “fat” robins flying around as well as blue jays, chirping loudly. Spring is on its way!

As you already know, the herb of the month is “heady” lavender. I planted lavender about three years back and have had good results with it. The first year it had to get its “feet’” in good where I planted it, so I didn’t get too many flower stems, but last year to my amazement, even after having a dry fall, there were profuse blooms on my plants. I still have lavender from last year’s harvest. I also found that lavender makes me sleepy, so when I harvest and dry it, I have to end up taking a nap! Working with this dried herb (for me) is done easier outside in the warm, fresh air. I have a tendency to have allergies with flower herbs.

Lavandula: Information taken from Everything-Lavender.Com.   -The English word lavender is derived from Old French lavandre, to wash, referring to the use of infusions of the plants. It has been cultivated for so long that accurate identification is not always easy, and most of those grown in gardens are hybrids or cultivars. Lavenders flourish best in dry, well-drained, sandy or gravelly soils in full sun. All types need little or no fertilizer and good air circulation. In areas of high humidity, root rot due to fungus infection can be a problem. Organic mulches can trap moisture around the plants' bases, encouraging root rot. Gravelly materials such as crushed rocks give better results.
According to folk wisdom, lavender has many uses. Infusions of lavender are believed to soothe insect bites, burns, and headaches. Bunches of lavender repel insects. In pillows, lavender seeds and flowers aid sleep and relaxation. An infusion of flower heads added to a cup of boiling water soothes and relaxes at bedtime. Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) heals acne when used diluted 1:10 with water, rosewater, or witch hazel; it also treats skin burns and inflammatory conditions. Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was used in hospitals during World War I to disinfect floors and walls. These extracts are also used as fragrances for bath products.

Flower spikes are used for dried flower arrangements. The fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris. Lavender is also used extensively as herbal filler inside sachets used to freshen linens. Dried and sealed in pouches, lavender flowers are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths. Dried lavender flowers have become recently popular for wedding confetti.

Lavender Sachets

•To make them from your own lavender:

First dry the flowers by cutting them, with long stalks, as soon as they are fully open, on a dry day. Tie with raffia or string, in small bunches and hang in a warm, dry place, with the heads suspended in paper bags-to keep off dust and catch petals as they fall. When fully dry—this will take about a week, depending on humidity and air temperature—rub the petals off the heads.

•To make the sachets:

Cut circles of muslin, or any fine see-through fabric; put a small handful of dried lavender in the center, gather up to form a bundle and fasten at the neck with an elastic band. Finish with a ribbon.

Food for Thought

Milk, It Does the Body Good?A few months ago I said I would continue my discussion on osteoporosis and concerning the controversy over milk. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t like milk. Ever since I was a child I can remember having a supply of milk, either from my great Aunt Laura who lived next door to us in the country (she had dairy cows) or the milkman who brought our milk on his route. Yes, there really was a “milkman” back then! I think I like every kind of milk product there is. Sweet milk, buttermilk, chocolate milk, cheese products, ice cream...the list goes on. But, I also realize that the milk of today is a far cry from what it used to be. We used to get fresh milk (unpasteurized) that had a wonderful taste to it. That milk in its raw state has a lot of needful nutrients in it that hasn’t been cooked out. So much has been written lately about whether or not milk should be considered as a viable source of calcium, that many people have become skeptical about consuming dairy products. And a lot of this is because there has been a major change in how the cows are raised, what they’re eating, and how the milk is processed. And then, you could always drink goat’s milk!

The following information is taken from The Doctor’s Book of Food Remedies by Editors of Prevention Health Books:

Milk, a Glassful of Goodness

          “Once you get the fat out, milk is a highly nutritious food, says Curtis Mettlin, Ph.D., chief of  epidemiologic research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York. The many nutrients that milk contains can go a long way toward preventing high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis, and maybe even cancer.

The Best Bone-Builder

Milk is best known for its ability to help strengthen bones. There’s good reason for this. Milk is an excellent source of calcium, with 1 cup skim containing more than 300 milligrams, almost a third of the Daily Value. That’s why drinking milk is often recommended as a great strategy for preventing osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease that affects more than 28 million people in the United States, most of them women.

          In a study of 581 women past menopause, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that those who drank the most milk in their teens and early twenties had stronger bones than those who drank less.

          The Daily Value for calcium is 1,000 milligrams. But the amount that you need depends on your age, sex, and other factors. While men between the ages of 25 and 65 and women between the ages of 25 and 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, men and women over 65 need 1,500 milligrams. Women who are postmenopausal and taking estrogen need 1,000 milligrams. Pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding need 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day.

A Note From Alice: From my perspective, I would rather do without milk than to drink skim milk. I have often thought that this is just whole milk watered down...I really don’t know. Another low fat alternative is buttermilk, which I really like. As I stated above, I really enjoy milk, especially with a peanut butter sandwich and/or soup!

Milk of cows and goats are both amply mentioned in the Bible as nutritious foods from God.

Genesis 18:8 (Abraham the friend of God)

And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Proverbs 27:25

The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats milk for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens.

Cornstarch for Excess Oil

Cornstarch, or corn flour, works well to absorb excess oil from your complexion. Simply brush a small amount of cornstarch onto your skin and brush or tissue any excess off. This will help to reduce pore size and absorb excess oil. Be sure to use a very small amount so that you don’t end up with a ghostly complexion! You can also use cornstarch as a dry shampoo to absorb excess oil from your scalp. Simply sprinkle a small amount onto your scalp, massage through your hair, and brush out using a natural bristled brush.

Bentonite Clay Mask

1 Tablespoon bentonite clay                           1 Tablespoon spring or filtered water

Put ingredients in the palm of one hand. Put hands together and rub, rub, rub. Apply mask to face, avoiding eye and lid areas. Relax! No talking. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Rinse well and pat dry.

Ecclesiastes 10:18; 11:4

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.

RECIPES FROM ALICE’S KITCHEN

I thought it would be a good idea to send along some helpful hints that I found while skimming through an organic recipe book.

HINTS for the COOK

•Use vegetable broth or bouillon for sautéing in place of oil.

•When browning onions or mushrooms, try using tamari sauce instead of oil or butter, if you are on a fat-free diet. The flavor is excellent.

•Add dry soup mix to cooking water before adding brown rice for a delicious flavor.

•Thicken soups, gravies, and stews with potato slices or add cubed, fresh potatoes to the pot and as it cooks, the starch will thicken the liquid.

•For greaseless gravy, pour pan drippings into a tall glass. The grease will rise to the top in minutes and can be easily removed.

•Wash dirt and dust from the lids of cans and your can opener before you open them to remove bacteria.

•Lay a large spoon or spatula across the top of a pot to prevent the contents from boiling over and splashing during cooking.

•Do not use aluminum cookware. Some doctors believe Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the accumulation of aluminum in the brain. Do not use coated pans. Cook with only stainless steel, iron, glass or Corningware®.

•When using herbs which are to be removed from broth after cooking, place them in a stainless steel tea ball or tie them in several layers of cheese cloth, attaching the tied ends to the pot handle.

•Fresh herbs may be chopped and frozen for future use in cooked dishes. Use frozen, no need to defrost.

•Parsley, onions, celery, and garlic go with just abut everything; keep them on hand.

•Do not burn garlic; it will spoil the taste of the whole dish.

•To avoid tears when cutting up onions, store them in the refrigerator for several hours. Chop the bottom of the bulb off last, limiting exposure to the irritating sulphur compounds.

•Lemon effectively removes garlic and onion odors from the hands.

•Submerge lemons in hot water 15 minutes before squeezing to yield twice the amount of juice.

•Freeze fresh lemon juice in ice trays and store in plastic bags as cubes to add to herb teas and in cooking, on fish and any other way that fresh lemon would be used.

HERBED CORN BREAD

Cornbread is a delicious, moist, cakelike bread that is served at Thanksgiving in recognition of the importance of the maize harvest to the American people. This herbed cornbread, made with herbs of your choice, is a delicious variation that deserves to be eaten more than once a year.

 Makes 2 inch squares

¾ cup all-purpose flour                                                                  1 cup milk                            1 tablespoon baking powder

½ cup yellow cornmeal                                                                  ¼ cup sugar                       

¾ teaspoon salt                                                                                                1 large egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled           2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs

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Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a bowl. In another bowl beat together the milk, egg, butter and herbs. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered 8 inch square tin. Bake the cornbread for 15 minutes until it is puffed and golden. Using a skewer or toothpick, check that the center is cooked. Cut into squares and serve warm with butter.

BONNIE & CLYDE

Part 1

Recently, while looking through some old pictures, documents, etc. left behind after my mother-in-law’s death, I came across a booklet entitled “LAST OF BONNIE & CLYDE GANG. The True Story of Floyd Hamilton, Public Enemy No.1, As Told to Chaplain Ray”. Also contained in this booklet was “Clyde Thompson EX 83-The Meanest man in Texas; Seven Hours to Live-by Joe Frank Logue-Plus Special Features.”

This is a fascinating booklet in the fact that it gives detailed events about each one of these notorious outlaws, how they lived their criminal lives and how they came to be captured and behind bars—the prison system. But, the most important aspect of this booklet is how they came to surrender their lives to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is a booklet worth reading. This booklet reminded me of a time in my younger years when my husband and I were on a trip with our children when we saw a group of men who ran a “boys home” passing out leaflets entitled “Twelve Rules for Raising Gang Members & Drug-Addicts. The following, I feel is a great guideline for avoiding the raising of children who will later be a menace and problem in society, costing tax payers enormously and putting our lives in jeopardy. Also, creating havoc among the family that has to deal with them emotionally and physically.

Twelve Rules for Raising Gang Members & Drug-Addicts

1. Begin with infancy to give the child everything he wants. In this way he will grow up to believe the world owes him a living.

2. When he picks up bad words, laugh at him. This will make him think he’s cute. It will also encourage him to pick up “cuter” phrases, that will blow off the top of your head later.

3. Never give him any spiritual training. Wait until he’s 21 and let him “decide” for himself.

4. Avoid use of the word “wrong”. It may develop a guilt complex. This will condition him to believe later, when he is arrested for stealing a car, that society is against him, and he is being persecuted.

5. Pick up everything he leaves lying around—books, shoes, and clothing. Do everything for him so he will be experienced in throwing all responsibility onto others.

6. Let him read any printed matter he can get his hands on. Be careful that the silverware and drinking glasses are sterilized, but let his mind feast on garbage.

7. Quarrel frequently in the presence of your children. In this way they will not be too shocked when the home is broken up later.

8. Give a child all the spending money he wants. Never let him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as you had them?

9. Satisfy his every craving for food, drink, and comfort. See that every sensual desire is gratified. Denial may lead to harmful frustration.

10. Take his part against neighbors, teachers, and policemen. They are all prejudiced against your child.

11. When he gets into real trouble, apologize for yourself by saying, “I never could do anything with him.”

12. Prepare for a life of grief. You will be sure to have it.

BE A RESPONSIBLE PARENT. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN CHRISTIAN MORAL AND VALUES. REFUSE TO FOLLOW THE RULES LISTED ABOVE.

The Bonnie & Clyde booklet spoken about above was written somewhere around 1976...there was a calendar on the back with these dates. The booklet contained an address for those who wanted to order additional copies which appears below:

Chaplain Ray

International Prison Ministry

P.O. Box 63

Dallas, Texas 75221

March 2012 Newsletter

From Daughter Beth

Thursday, February 23, 2012

It's The Little Things

This story is about six months late. I have talked before about wanting a grain mill to make my own bread. A grain mill at Breadbeckers cost $259, which I didn't have at that time. After about nine months of wanting a mill, saving money toward it, and then having to spend that money on other things, I gave up. One morning I told Todd, "Well, it looks like I will never get a mill. Whatever."

Not two days later a couple of friends and I were talking. I said that it looked like I would never get a grain mill. One of my friends said, "Oh! That reminds me!" and walks outside. She comes back with THIS GRAIN MILL. She had been helping someone clean out old junk in their house and they were going to throw this grain mill away because a tiny piece on it had come unglued. She had brought it back to me knowing that I wanted one.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's about what I felt. Sometimes God is just too amazing for words.

February 2012 Newsletter

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herbs for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth...

Catnip

From The Herb Patch

From My Perspective

It’s February! Why is it that February always seems like it is much shorter than the other months when it’s really only two days shorter, unless there’s a leap year? So, far this winter we have not had any snow here in our area except a slight (I mean really slight) dusting a couple of weeks ago. For those who work outside the home and have to travel, especially in the rural areas, snow and sleet (ice) can be quite treacherous. For the ones who don’t have to venture out in such weather, we look forward to some snow in the winter. I especially enjoyed the snow when my youngest daughter Grace lived at home and we romped outside with our Malamute Husky dog named Mikey (who is still alive) and made a snowman or threw snowballs for fun. Everything seems to come to a screeching halt and becomes awesomely quiet after it snows. This is not so in all places that folks live. Years ago we moved to Montana in the summertime, but also endured the winter in a place named Havre. Believe me when I say nothing stops moving there in the winter (work wise). Those people just throw dirt down on the snow and keep moving. That is, until the Chinook winds come through and warm everything up! It was a totally different living experience! It’s the first time we actually experienced 40 degrees below zero temperatures with a wind chill factor at times of 70 below! I know you probably think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not. We had to put heaters that plugged up to the engine in the car to keep the motor from freezing up. It was so cold outside that the ice would build up “inside” the windowsill and folks ran fans to melt the ice.

This month I decided to write about an herb that is very good (and usable) for children. This time of year there seems to be more for the children to endure due to the weather and all the other people that are sick. There are some herbs that are far better to use on babies and children than any of the medicines that are so readily available in the stores. Think! What did people a hundred years ago do before Tylenol and Sudafed, etc. came into our lives? And also, think about all the possible side effects from these over-the-counter drugs. Yes, drugs!!! We have really made ourselves sicker by relying on these things mainly because they mask symptoms and don’t provide the healing our bodies need. Plus, there is a chance of getting liver disease from these medications. I know, I was one of those moms that readily used these things when my children were growing up, when finally one day after many bouts of children’s sicknesses that continually came back after all the antibiotics and medicines, I looked into alternatives. And wished that I had done this much sooner.

What Is Catnip? Catnip Cepeta Cataria is a mint and perennial herb. It is native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Himalayas and grows well in many regions of the world. From a gardener's standpoint, catnip can either be a pesky plant that easily takes over any flower bed or a welcome addition. If you're just starting an herb garden, it's a great first plant because it's so hardy, grows fast and survives most conditions. Catnip also makes a great potted plant. That makes it easier to access the plant.

Catnip is Easy to Grow You can easily start catnip from seed. You'll also find starter plants in the spring at your local retailer or garden center. Catnip can easily be grown in any sunny garden. Catnip leaves loose some of their potency once they bloom (photo) so it's best to harvest leaves to dry before plants bloom.

Delicious Catnip Tea

Tea drinkers like catnip for its soothing properties. It is known to induce sleep, relieve upset stomachs and calm nervousness. Some Europeans still use catnip as a cure for colic in babies. In 2003, catnip oil was discovered to repel cockroaches, termites and other undesirable insects.

To make a nice cat lover and tea lover gift package fresh-dried catnip in a plastic bag or tin with a metal tea spoon or tea bag. Add a little gift tag with instructions: start with 1 tsp of dried catnip per cup, adjust to taste. One of the most thoughtful cat gifts, and cat lover gifts, is to give catnip. Why Do Cats Like Catnip? Approximately 75-90% of all cats are attracted to catnip. The attraction is a genetically-inherited trait. Cats react to nepetalactone chemicals using their vomeronsala or Jacobson's organ, located in the roof of their mouth. The Jacobson's organ gives cats a pleasant sensation that combines smell and taste. Some cats act very silly after getting exposed to catnip.

A note from Alice: I have been growing catnip for about 5 years which I started from seeds. It is true that catnip will take over other plants. I planted mine in a circle with lemon balm and regretted it later, mainly because it spreads quickly and it looks similar to the lemon balm plant. Also, while staying with my daughter Grace a couple years back, at the time she had a cat and I decided to throw some dried catnip (that I had brought for my grandson who was teething and not sleeping well at night) on the floor to see if the cat would react the way I had heard. To our amazement that cat started rolling all over the catnip and acting very frisky!! It made a believer out of Grace and me and we had a good laugh over this! So, I also made some catnip toys which I give as gifts and also am intending to sell very cheaply.

How to Dry and Harvest Catnip

The favorite form of catnip is dried. Dried catnip is best harvested prior to bloom. Blooming reduces the potency. Dry in a basket or on paper towels on top of a refrigerator, or in a cool, dry area. Dried And Fresh Is Best. Most cat toys usually include older, dried catnip. Before deciding whether or not your cat likes catnip, make sure to try freshly dried catnip. Dried catnip looses its potency when exposed to air for long periods of time. http://streambankgardens.com/Catnip_Catmint.html

Another note from Alice: I harvest mine when it is tall by cutting the plant and tying a rubber band around the ends, then hanging inside a cool area so that air can get through easily. This works for all of the herbs I dry.

Catnip has a long history of use in alternative medicine, being employed especially in treating disorders of the digestive system and, as it stimulates sweating, it is useful in reducing fevers. The fresh juice is used to promote menstruation. Mild catnip tea is used to relieve colic in babies, restlessness and nervousness, and is very useful as a mild nervine for children. Stronger tea relieves fevers due to colds and flu as well as calming the stomach and preventing nausea and diarrhea. The fresh young shoots are good in spring salads and rubbed into meat for flavor. Applied externally or added to bath it is good for skin irritations. Catnip oil is great for aromatherapy. A strong infusion can be used to repel fleas from carpets or the fur of animals. An extract from the leaves (called nepetalactone) has herbicidal and insect repellant properties. Recently found in a University Study to be 10 times as effective as Deet at repelling mosquitoes. www.altnature.com/gallery/catnip.htm

From Jerry Baker’s HERBAL PHARMACY

If you don’t want to count sheep or take a sleeping pill, you can easily fall into a peaceful slumber with this special soothing recipe:

1 tsp. dried catnip leaves                                 1 tsp. dried mint leaves

1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves                          1 tsp. dried chamomile leaves

Blend all of the herbs together thoroughly. Scoop out 1-2 teaspoons of the mix and stir it into a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for about 10 minutes. Strain out the herbs, and then sip yourself into dreamland!

Food for Thought

Last month I started a series on foods that our Lord created and that is mentioned in the Scriptures. One of my friends reminded me that one of the foods that I didn’t mention last month in the “g” section was gourds. Thanks friend! I thought I’d spend a little time this month talking about gourds, which somewhere in my past I tried to grow. Our family once rented from an elderly man who planted gourds, hardened them and made dippers, etc. out of them. He sold these for extra profit. After reading the scriptures below, I don’t see where these gourds were actually good to eat, although I know gourds, squash and pumpkins are in the same family. As a matter of fact, it seems to me that the gourds had something wrong with them as far as eating. I will do some more research on the eating of gourds!

II Kings 4:39 Jonah 4:6-7; 4:9-10

Squash—Packed with Beta-Carotene—And More

Taken from Healing Remedies by Editors of Prevention Health Books

Healing Power: Can Help Prevent lung problems and Reduce the risk of endometrial cancer.

When researchers talk about the healing powers of squash, what they’re usually referring to is winter squash such as hubbard, acorn, and butternut, which are distinguished by their deep yellow and orange flesh colors. These colorful squash are both rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, two antioxidant vitamins that have been shown in studies to help prevent cancer, heart disease, and certain age-related conditions such as problem with the eyes.

While zucchini other kinds of summer squash don’t have the rich nutrient stores of winter squash, they have a generous amount of zinc and they do contain a lot of fiber, but only if you eat the peel.

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Proverbs 24:30-34

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

Solving Problem Skin

Winter Months seem to especially take a toll on our skin and hair. The following recipes are

from the Herb Quarterly with information written by Janice Cox who has written many workable solutions for skin care.

Apple-Cider Vinegar Scalp Treatment

Psoriasis is a common skin problem that often affects the scalp leading to dandruff in many cases. Work this apple-cider vinegar treatment into your skin at the hair roots to calm the itch and treat chronic dryness.

2 Tbls apple cider vinegar

2 Tbls water

2 Tbls olive oil

Mix together all of the ingredients.

To use: Massage into your scalp and let sit for 20 minutes before shampooing. Rinse and shampoo hair as normal. Repeat weekly, if necessary. Yield: 3 ounces

Epsom Salt Bath

People have used Epsom salts for years to soothe sore muscles, but they also relieve dry, flaky skin, thanks to the salt’s magnesium sulfate, which softens the skin and draws out toxins and impurities.

½ to 1 cup Epsom salt

As you fill your tub, pour the Epsom salts under the running water and stir well to dissolve. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes in warm (not hot) water. Pat skin dry and moisturize well with a rich cream or natural oil to lock in moisture. Yield: 4 to 8 ounces.

For more information visit her website at JaniceCox.com

Recipes from Alice's Kitchen

The following recipe comes from an Amish recipe cookbook:

OVEN FRIED POTATOES

6 large potatoes             ¼ cup oil                          2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt               ½ teaspoon pepper           ½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

Scrub potatoes well and cut in wedges lengthwise, leaving skins on. Combine rest of ingredients in a plastic bag. Add potatoes and shake to coat. Spread potatoes onto a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake uncovered in a 400º oven 25 minutes, stirring once.

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I made this casserole for my lady boss at the Chiropractic Office a few years back and we both thought it was great!

POTATO CASSEROLE

6 large potatoes                             2 cups shredded cheese                   ¼ cup butter

4 teaspoons chopped onion              paprika                                       1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sour cream                       ¼ teaspoon pepper                  2 tablespoons butter

Cook potatoes with skins on. Cool, peel and shred. Over low heat, combine cheese and ¼ cup butter in saucepan, stirring until melted. Remove from heat. Blend in sour cream, onions, salt and pepper. Fold in potatoes and pour into 2 quart greased casserole. Dot with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Enjoy

Until Next Month