Last week I had my first phone call about spring mushrooms1. This is an annual ritual2 with mixed benefits3. It does remind me that when April arrives in this part of the U.S., some people begin thinking about edible4 mushrooms, especially about morel5 mushrooms, or sponge mushrooms as they are commonly called.
Mushrooms are fungi6, and [...]
Mushrooms and Spring
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansPrairie and Buffalo Preserve
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansDuring the past week we have had two very special young ladies here—Kathy Li, Granddaughter of Lao Sheng, a very good friend of ours in Hangzhou, and Cassie Huffman, our son Jim’s daughter. Kathy is 11 years old and Cassie is 7 years old. They get along very well together and we have lots of [...]
Leap Year Day
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansThis year, 2008, is a leap year1, and this past Friday, February 29, was a leap year day. Although we celebrate many holidays in the U.S., a leap year day is not one of them. Of course the 29th is shown on our calendars2, and as I look at the calendar, it is obvious3 that [...]
St. Patrick’s Day
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansMarch 17th, is St. Patrick’s Day, a day important to people of Irish descent1. Thousands of Irish immigrants2 came to the U.S. in the 19th and early 20th centuries when there was widespread famine3 and starvation4 in their native land of Ireland. Many of them settled in New York, Boston and other large East coast [...]
Another Thanksgiving
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansWe celebrated Thanksgiving Day1 a few days ago in a typical way2. We prepared a big traditional3 dinner and invited both family and friends. In all there were eleven of us to enjoy the meal of turkey4, ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, cranberry salad5, bread rolls6, and several kinds of pies7 (pumpkin, pecan8 [...]
It’s Time for Pumpkins and Jack-O’-Lanterns
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansAs I walk around the Pella area these days, or drive anywhere in the region, there are bright orange pumpkins1 in many yards, in gardens2 large and small, and there are also huge piles of them at every grocery store3 and market. It reminds me once again that summer is past and another autumn [...]
Labor Day Weekend
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansFor most people in the U.S., Labor Day1 week end signifies2 the end of summer. True, there will be more warm, perhaps even hot, days, but those days will be quickly followed by cool days with cool nights; the leaves will start turning3, and my favorite time of the year will have arrived. Labor Day [...]
Independence Day
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansWe celebrated1 Independence Day, more often referred to as The Fourth of July, a few days ago. It is another celebration that has changed over the years. When I was young, we celebrated it with many fireworks2. My grandfather would give each of us grandchildren some money to spend on fireworks, and we could get [...]
Father’s Day
March 13th, 2009 by huffmansYesterday we celebrated Father’s Day1. It wasn’t a big celebration2, but one that Don enjoyed. No one complained3 when he watched golf4 on TV, and all of the rest of us think it’s very boring5 to watch. We also fixed6 him a special meal with some of his favorite foods (fried chicken, green bean casserole7, [...]
Things to Be Thankful For
March 11th, 2009 by huffmansThanksgiving season is upon us1, and there are many things to be thankful for2. Thank goodness3, high school and college level football season is nearing an end, and playoff games4 at the regional and national levels5 are in progress6. Many of us in the U.S. begin to tire of7 football games on TV by this [...]