Columns

Spring Showers to Summer Flowers Checklist

As we transition from the lower temperatures of winter to the vibrant energy of spring, gardeners throughout the state are rolling up their sleeves, ready to nurture their green spaces into lush, blooming spaces. This comprehensive guide is your ally, from prepping your lawn for its first spring cut to ensuring your vegetable garden flourishes into the heat of the summer season.

Both your lawn and landscape beds demand attention to keep weeds at bay. A combination of selective herbicides or organic alternatives such as citrus and clove oil can effectively combat broadleaf weeds. Remember, a successful spring garden begins with diligent winter weed control. Ensure your beds are mulch-rich with a 2-to-4-inch layer to conserve moisture, deter weeds and maintain soil temperature.

Rice-A-Roni Helper

In 1930, the Central Union Telephone Company building in Evansville, Indiana, wasn’t where the new owners wanted it to be. They wanted a much larger place to act as the headquarters for the Indiana Bell Telephone Company, so their plans were to demolish and rebuild. However, considering the necessity of the current services, this wasn’t as viable an option as originally thought. Instead, they chose to literally move this 100’x135’, 11,000 square foot building, a little over 52 feet south, rotate it 90 degrees, then shift it 98 feet west.

You may think I’m making this up, but I’m not. This feat of engineering sounds amazing in and of itself. But did you also know that the gas, electric, water and phone lines were fully operational during the move? Plus, for the entire time it took to complete this shift, the employees still came to work, entering and leaving the building as if nothing was happening. Better yet, they all reported they never really felt the movement.

When spring finally arrives, we want to find a way to chase all the stale air from winter out and bring in the freshness of the season. There are a few things you can do to make this happen.

Start by opening up the doors and windows to allow the fresh air in. When we keep our windows closed all the time, the air inside becomes stale. Truthfully, commercial air fresheners don’t really help. The best way to keep your home smelling fresh is to keep it clean, and open the windows at least three times a week, if not once a day.

Spring and fall weather make it easy to do this. In the heat of the summer, open them early in the morning while the air is still relatively cool. It doesn’t have to be for a long period of time. A few minutes each time helps move stale air out and fresh air in. Make sure to open windows on different ends and/or levels of the house to create cross ventilation.

Fighting Fire Ants

Fire ants are formidable pests in gardens and landscapes. They’re known for their painful bites and stings due to venom. When disturbed, fire ant mounds can unleash swarms of sterile female worker ants that sting and inject venom within seconds, potentially causing severe allergic reactions or dangerous medical issues in some individuals.

Fire ant colonies, which can contain up to 200,000 ants, consist mainly of female workers and a queen capable of laying up to 1,600 eggs daily. These colonies create extensive underground tunnels and can take months to grow visible mounds.

Originally introduced to the U.S. via South American cargo ships, fire ants have spread extensively in warmer southern and southeastern regions thanks to their resilience. Their diet includes pests like flea larvae and cockroach eggs, but they’re also drawn to electrical equipment, posing a dilemma for control efforts.

Louisiana Berry Basics

It’s blueberry harvest season. Blueberries are packed with important nutrients, including vitamins and ascorbic acid. They’re also a superior source of antioxidants such as anthocyanins, procyanidins, chlorogenic acid and various flavonoid compounds.

Anthocyanin, the main antioxidant in blueberries, is linked with a myriad of health benefits. It boasts cancer-fighting properties, supports eye health, possesses antidiabetic effects and helps in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Simply put, integrating blueberries into your diet can be a delicious way to bolster your health, and planting them can beautify your landscape.

The Ameri can people have always been a generous people even in the early colonial days neighbors came to the aide of people in need. Some early examples were house fire victims, barn raisings, widows, etc. Mansfield even had the poor farm in front of the present day airport where a house and farm acreage was given to families for one year.

The ultimate in “good heartiness” of Americans was the Marshall Plan at the close of WWII. Most of our younger generation is not familiar with the program that helped devastated the war-torn nations get back on their feet. The close of WWII Europe lay in shambles. Cities and factories, especially rail transportation, were shattered and countless people faced hunger, most countries economic were on the verge of collapse. The stage was set for dictators and communism.

It was 1:33 and the long whistle of a train was heard and soon a long train rumbled through Mansfield and our area on its way north. We have lots of train traffic especially now that the new switch track has been built. It is some two miles or more in length and helps two trains to pass each other without blocking the intersection crossing on Hwy. 84 near Brookshires in Mansfield.

It is now 7:00 a.m. and the rains are coming down. It is supposed to be rainy and stormy today. Yesterday was Palm Sunday and we had Palms to wave and say “Hosanna” to our Lord. We did this and it was a very impressive service.

Bro. Jody Webb is the new pastor of the Grand Cane Methodist Church. I have been their interim minister for about nine months and Helen and I have enjoyed a very sweet fellowship of believers in our Lord, perhaps more than any other congregation we have served in these past fifty years.

“There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.“ Proverbs 14:12 NASB What’s wrong with our country, our government and with some of the people? When I think of this wonderful country, I think of the values and Godly principles that this country was founded on. I think of the truth that this country offers many opportunities and that if you work hard you can have them. I am not saying that this country is perfect. I know in America there are issues we need to address and remedy. My readers, America is still dynamic, offering opportunities for prosperity and security that is above other nations, in my opinion.

Workshop teaches proper prescribed burning methods

Rodney McKay knows a lot about starting fires.

Between 15 and 25 times a year, McKay heads into the woods with a drip torch, rakes and an array of other tools used to light fires, monitor their spread and manage the smoke they produce. As the land manager of the Louisiana Ecological Forestry Center in Sabine Parish, McKay employs a practice called prescribed burning to ensure the health of the thousands of acres of longleaf pines he oversees.

Burning fallen trees and excess brush helps limit fuel for wildfires — a problem that is fresh on the minds of many in western and central Louisiana, where drought and extreme heat led to blazes in numerous forests this past summer. Prescribed burns also benefit wildlife, letting in sunlight that encourages the growth of forages. And they can improve the aesthetics of the forest.