Thvr»., D « J !, 1»7» (fee J) SANDY (Or«.) POST - 5
The Srfntly Post
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Home & Garden
Snacks don’t have
to be junk food
Feline fixes
Christmas eve
Christmas parties during
the school day for young
children can be fun as well as
nutritious, according to Lynn
Murphy, Nutrition Educator,
Clackamas County Exten
sion Service. Instead of the
usual line-up of cookies, cake
and candy, consider treating
the youngsters to frozen
yogurt or pudding made with
fresh milk.
Dairy products such as
milk, cheese and yogurt are
excellent sources of calcium,
protein, vitam in A and
phosphorus,
n u trie n ts
essential to each person’s
diet.
Yogurt can be frozen by
adding some milk to thin the
*Twas the night before Christmas and all through the
house
Not a creature was stirring except for one mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
And evidence proved the mouse had been there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
And that’s when the critter raised so much ned.
So I put on a kerchief, found a warm wrap,
And decided tonight I'd set out the traps.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I ran to my door to see what was the matter.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
Margaret
Scbmale’s
Staff photo
Forgotten firewood
Bits and
Pieces
W IN T E R O FFIC IA LLY started this week, and some
households were caught unprepared with the season’s wood
supply still not laid in. The parable of the ant and the
grasshopper takes on new meaning to the procrastinators,
when they try to cut and split logs in 35-degree weather,
Choose living gifts for Christmas
But that scurrying mouse with my cat on his rear.
That cat’s not too pretty, but he’s awfully darn quick
And I hoped in a moment his kill would be slick.
But more rapid than eagles the both of them came
And I whistled and shouted and called him by name:
“ Here, kitty! Come on — I know you can do it.
You’re a good hunter, Tommy — and now you can
prove it.”
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall;
They ran this way and that — Tom was having a ball.
So up to the housetop the both of them jumped
And landed so softly I heard nary a bump.
And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof
Lots of scratching and clawing — I thought Tom had
goofed.
As I came back inside and was turning around,
Down the chimney fell Tommy with a bounce and a
bound.
He had dirt in his fur from his head to his foot
And his whiskers were tarnished with ashes and soot.
A large chunk of brick just missed hitting his back
And he looked like an animal that should have been
sacked.
Yet his eyes they did twinkle, they gleamed with
d e lig h t» .
His tail twitcBW with ju j, lilsTSet were a siqhjt! ,
His droll little mouth was dr&wn up like a boW,
And the hair on his chin was no longer like snow.
The lump of a mouse he held tight in his teeth,
< n d the dust that arose rtiiged his head like a wreath.
Jpm had a broad face and a little round belly
J h a t shook when he purred lik«uaJ»wMnlttf)Miy.
He was grimy and grubby, but so proud of himself —
I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
With a wink of his eye and a twist of his head
He ra n through the house and jumped up on my bed.
I spoke not a word, but went straight to the room —
Told Tom to get out or I ’d give him the broom.
Then laying his mouse alongside of my bed,
He gave me a growl and away he sped.
He sprang to the fence, shook his fur once or twice,
And off he crept to look for more mice.
But he heard me exclaim as he stole out of sight,
“ M erry Christmas, Tom cat, and thanks for tonight! ”
Merry Christmas to all my readers and to the staff of
The Post.
_________________ >
Lighting tips offered
Short winter days mean
more money must be spent
for artificial lighting, but
there are ways to cut down
on
the
cost
without
sacrificing one’s eyesight,
according to Carolyn Studer,
Clackamas County Exten
sion Agent.
A new bulletin called
“ M ore Light For Your
Money” is available free of
charge from the county
extension office. The author
of the bulletin, Dorothy F.
Brown,
Oregon
State
U n iv e r s ity
E x te n s io n
housing-home
furnishings
specialist reported that the
way to achieve savings is to
get more lumens per watt of
electricity.
“ Lumen” is simply a
measurement for the amount
of light given off by any
lamp.
Incandescent light bulbs
vary in the lumens they give
off The package provides
the lumen count, so the wise
shopper will pay attention to
this count when comparing
light bulbs “ Long life” bulbs
have fewer lumens per watt
because they last longer. The
consumer
must
decide
r
whether long life or more
light is most important when
buying incandescent bulbs.
The colors of walls, floors,
ceiling and furniture can
make quite a difference in
the quantity of light that is
available. Colors that are
half-way between almost-
white and almost-black will
absorb more than half the
light that strikes them.
“Thus, it takes more watts to
adequately light a room
decorated in medium to dark
colors.” said Mrs. Brown.
F lu o re s c e n t
lig h tin g
provides three to four times
more lumens per watt then
incandescent bulbs. “ People
who do not like fluorescent
lighting because of their
color rendition should con
sider using either deluxe
warm white or deluxe cool
white tubes,” Mrs. Brown
9a id. The deluxe color tubes
make both people and room
colors look attractive. They
are available at electric
shops.
Fluorescent tubes not only
provide many more lumens
per watt, they also have very
long life, according to the
author.
Given the proper care,
houseplants make excellent
Christmas gifts.
Both the gift giver and the
recipient can take some
simple steps to make sure
the houseplant stays healthy
and lasts a long time, ac
cording to Ray McNeilan,
Oregon
State University
Extension home gardening
coordinator.
Plants differ in their needs
for light, water and fertilizer.
Too much water will kill a
jade plant, while a fern needs
frequent watering. A Chinese
evergreen will grow in poorly
lit areas, but an African
violet needs to be placed in
bright light.
“ I f you are giving a
houseplant as a Christmas
gift, it is a good idea to find
out the exact light, water and
fertilizer requirements for
the
p a rtic u la r
p la n t,”
McNeilan suggested. “Then
WWte them dowivand include
them as part of the gift.”
If you receive a houseplant
for Christmas, first make
sure that it is in a pot that can
drain away excess water and
is in a soil mixture that
supplies adequate air and
water as well as anchors the
plant firm ly, McNeilan said.
“ You may need to do some
repotting to make sure the
soil mixture is correct,”
advised the agent.
The plant should be
watered only when the soil
surface feels dry. Irrigate
thoroughly enough so some
water runs out the bottom of
the pot and can be discarded.
Irrigating from the bottom is
acceptable, but every third
watering should be from the
top to flush excess fertilizer
salts out of the soil.
Place the plant in direct or
indirect lighting according to
its
individual
growing
requirements. “ If these are
unknown, plant shops ai.d
bookstores have excellent
houseplant books that can be
of help,” McNeilan said.
Fertilizer is necessary only
when the plant is actively
growing, according to the
agent. Many indoor plants
will grow vigorously for
awhile, then go into a resting
period when the fertilizer
requirements are very low.
“ Houseplants seldom die
of starvation. More plants
are killed by too much fer
tilizer than the other way
around,” said McNeilan.
Houseplants
generally
prefer a higher humidity
than most homes supply.
“You can help your new
Some turkey products
don’t resemble bird
Holidays and
casions need not
time to serve
cording to a
educator
for
County extension
special oc
be the only
turkey ac
nutrition
Clackamas
service.
“ The versatility of turkey
has produced a whole new
line of products that are
nutritious
as well
as
econom ical,” said Lynn
Murphy. “ Turkey ‘ham’ and
‘sausage’ are excellent
alternatives to traditional
dishes, and sandwiches
made from turkey pastrami
would be a welcome change
of pace at lunch time.”
The new products make
turkey available in smaller
consumer sizes, Murphy
pointed out. “ A whole turkey
is not always a realistic
choice for a small family or
group,” she said.
plant adjust to the conditions
in your home by misting the
foliage periodically, or by
setting the pot on a tray of
pebbles and water,” he
advised. “ But be careful not
to let the bottom of the pot
touch the water.”
The leaves should be kept
clean by bathing or spraying
them with lukewarm water.
If the plant is too large to
move, wipe each leaf clean
with a soft, damp cloth.
“ If you pay attention to the
plant's needs for light, water,
hum idity, drainage and
cleanliness, it should reward
you with many years of
pleasure,” McNeilan said.
Landscape plants can
make good presents
Careful selection is the key
to buying landscape plants as
Christm as presents, ac
cording to Ray McNeilan,
Oregon State University
Extension home gardening
coordinator.
“ First, make sure the
plant fits into the landscape
design scheme of the person
for whom it is a gift,"
McNeilan said. “ If it isn’t
suitable, the person risks
your anger by not planting it,
or must live for years with a
shrub or tree that is
irritatingly out of place.”
Another important con
sideration McNeilan listed,
especially if the plant is
going to another part of the
U.S., is making sure the
plant will survive in the
climate where it will be
planted.
“Given the cold winters in
North Dakota, it would be a
m istake
to
send
a
rhododendron
to
your
favorite aunt in Fargo,” said
M c N e il a n .
N u rs e ry
salespeople can tell you if a
plant is suited to various
regions of the U.S.
Other considerations in
clude the eventual size and
shape of the plant and
whether or not it needs to be
planted in the sun or shade.
“ Treat the landscape plant
with care, McNeilan said.
“ Protect it from extreme
cold when transporting it
from the nursery, and keep it
in an outdoor area protected
from wind until it is
presented as a gift. It should
be planted as soon as
possible.”
McNeilan
recommended
two publications to aid in
selecting landscape plants.
“ Plant Materials for Lan
dscaping,” PNW 185, an OSU
E x te n s io n
p u b lic a tio n
contains a list of plants which
are suitable for various parts
of the Pacific Northwest.
“ Landscape Tree Per
fo rm a n c e ,” C I 633, is
published by the OSU
A g ric u ltu ra l E xperim ent
Station.
It
reports on
research, conducted at the
N o r th
W i l la m e t t e
E xperim en t
Station
in
Aurora, to determine or
namental tree growth per
formance within a short
period following planting
“ This study helps to
identify some of the trees
that will quickly produce the
shade and beauty which
make the house and yard a
pleasant place to live,” said
McNeilan.
Both publications are
available free from the
Bulletin Mailing Service,
Industrial Building, OSU,
Corvallis 97331.
consistency and pouring into
an a ttra c tiv e mold for
freezing Cheese and apple
slices and cottage cheese dip
served with carrot and
celery sticks are also ex
cellent snacks for young
children
“ Keep good nutrition in
mind when planning parties
for young people,” Murphy
said “ Cheese, yogurt, ice
cream and cottage cheese
can
a ll be attractive,
nutritious party foods.”
A bulletin entitled, “ Super
Snacks That Count,” is
a v a ila b le
through
the
Clackamas County Exten
sion Office, by telephoning
655 8634
r - Whats cooking?-----------
Snacks featured
for entertaining
COTTAGE CHEESE D IP
1 cup cottage cheese
package dry onion soup mix
Milk
Mash or sieve cottage cheese until fairly smooth
Add soup mix and blend well. Add enough milk to thin
the mix to dipping consistency, mix well and chill.
—recipes from Lynn Murphy, nutrition educator
for Clackamas County extension service.
“ Make your own delicious mints for guests or gifts,”
recommends Sara Sewell.
MINTS
5 tablespoons margarine
1 pound box (4 cups) powdered sugar (unsifted)
4 drops food coloring, red or green depending on color
desired
1 teaspoon spearmint or peppermint flavoring
2 tablespoons hot water
Melt butter in saucepan, add food coloring and
flavoring. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar
and add hot water. Roll out on wax paper. Roll in small
circles. Put on wax paper. Press with fork for design
Let dry for 2 hours. Store in air tight container in a cool
place.
CRAB D IP
1 8-oz. package cream cheese ( softened)
V* cup catsup
1 cup clams, drained. Reserve some of clam juice.
1 cup crab
2 teaspoons vinegar
Mayonnaise (enough to produce the consistency you
prefer)
Mix thoroughly. You may moisten the mixture with
clam juice. Serve with dips or crackers. Serves 6-8
—From the files of Mrs Clark (Ruth) Lund Sandy,
O re g o n
Contributed by Sara Sewell
CHEESE BALL
1 cube margarine
3 jars Kraft processed cheese spread
'( two cheddar and one garlic)
generous dash Worcestershire sauce
scant dash tabasco sauce
Cream all ingredients together with electric mixer
and let chill. Form into ball and roll in a package of
dry taco seasoning mix or in chopped nuts. Serve on
small platter with crackers; garnish with parsley.
From the files of Cheryl Barton
Port Angeles, Wash
Sapdy’s Liop's Club
“U-Cut” Cb ri stipa» Trees
Agent tells how to select, care for poinsettias
Poinsettas, the traditional
Christm as flowers, are
available in a variety of
colors, shapes and sizes.
“ You can buy tall poin
settas for display in large
tubs, low ones for a table
centerpiece, or any size in
between that fits your
decorating scheme,” said
Ray McNeilan, Oregon State
University Extension home
gardening coordinator.
When selecting a poinsetta,
M c N e ila n reco m m en d s
looking carefully at the
foliage. Green foliage all the
way to thr 41 line indicates
a disease ee plant with
sctive root
Also check the flower,
which is a small green button
in the middle of the red
bract. If the flower is tight
and green rather than ex
panded and yellow, the plant
will last longer.
“ Yellow buttons and open
flowers mean the plant is in a
later stage of development
and may not last as long,”
says McNeilan.
Poinsettas are accustomed
to warm, humid and airy
greenhouse conditions. On
the trip home from the
nureery, the plant should be
wrapped in paper to protect
it from cold temperatures.
Once home, submerge the
entire pot in water until air
bubbles stop rising Then
water again only when the
surface of the soil feels dry.
The best room tem p
erature for poinsettas is 65
to 70 degrees F by day, 55 to
60 degrees F at night. They
should be given sunlight, if
possible, but don’t let the
leaves touch the windowpane
or they will shrivel and drop,
McNeilan warned.
After the poinsetta has
been in the house for three
weeks or so, soluble fertilizer
can be added to the water
Use one-fourth the dilution
required for houseplants.
Repeat the fertilizer ap
plication every three or four
weeks, as needed, to keep the
plant actively growing
Poinsettas can be kept
through the year with special
attention made to bloom
again. They can be kept as
houseplants until the danger
of frost has passed and then
put outside for the summer.
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